Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

With two new fire stations and a tax rate hike to operate them now approved by South Elgin and Countryside Fire Protection District voters, it might be a year before the first new station is ready to open, said Assistant Fire Chief Mike Rothecker.

When the second new station opens will depend on the construction management firm’s direction.

The fire district command staff is meeting weekly to start firming up plans and has started preliminary meetings with South Elgin’s development staff to get preliminary applications to the village.

There are two properties set for the new stations — one at 1090 Spring St. for the village’s central area and another on the 499 South Elgin Blvd. on the village’s east side. The third station, at 2055 McDonald Road, opened in 2000. Of the new stations, the east side station will be opened first.

The board will pick the construction firm that gives them the best timeline and cost outlines.  Once plans are finalized, construction could start late this summer, with the east side station ready to open in spring or early summer 2019. Depending on advice from their construction management firm, the second new station might not open until 2020.

Tags: fire district requests tax increase, South Elgin and Countryside Fire Protection District, voters approve increased tax levy for South Elgin & Countryside FPD, voters approve new fire stations for South Elgin & Countryside FPD

Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

South Elgin and Countryside Fire Protection District voters Tuesday approved borrowing $10 million to build two new fire stations. They also agreed to increase taxes to pay for more staff and equipment.

Voters faced two referendum questions — one asking permission to borrow money and the other seeking a hike in the fire district property tax levy to create an emergency and rescue fund to pay for additional firefighters and equipment.

With all 23 precincts reporting, 2,139 voted in favor of the tax increase and 1,479 against; 2,177 voted in favor of borrowing money and 1,401 voted against, in unofficial vote totals.

The building loan will increase the tax bill by $62.58 a year for a home valued at $200,000, according to district officials. The emergency/rescue fund tax will add another $66.67 to that home’s tax bill.

The 24-square-mile district has fire stations at 150 W. State St. and 2055 McDonald Road, and employs 30 full-time firefighters/paramedics and 10 part-timers.

The two new stations will be built at 498 South Elgin Blvd. and at 1090 Spring St. The latter will replace the State Street station in downtown South Elgin that also houses the district’s administrative offices.

The district would hire at least nine more full-time firefighters and more part-timers.

Tags: fire district requests tax increase, South Elgin and Countryside Fire Protection District, voters approve increased tax levy for South Elgin & Countryside FPD, voters approve new fire stations for South Elgin & Countryside FPD