Ill. Mayor Says Longtime Chief's Dismissal Is 'Painful'

April 04--SWANSEA -- Mayor Jim Rauckman said it's "painful " to have to cut a full-time firefighter, but the move won't endanger residents.

Rauckman said Tuesday that village officials first decided to reduce the Fire Department staff from two paid, full-time positions to one.

"Then it came down to who's the best fit for the job," Rauckman said. "Our intention is to have one chief."

Village officials have said the proposed 2012-13 budget includes the elimination of the deputy fire chief position. Fire Chief John McGuire, whose annual salary and benefits total about $85,000, would not be reappointed and Deputy Fire Chief Christopher Tell would be acting fire chief.

McGuire, a 26-year veteran of the Fire Department who served as chief for 17 years, said he knows more about the Fire Department and its operations than anyone in the village. He said village officials are making an uninformed decision that will put residents at risk.

McGuire said trustees did not ask for his input or give him the chance to cut expenses, and he learned of the personnel cut when the budget was posted on the village's website.

"This is what you get when you have politicians involved in public safety," McGuire said.

The Village Board is set to vote April 16 on the proposed $4.3 million budget. Trustees could still amend it, but substantial changes require a public hearing before approval by May 1.

Rauckman said he's convinced the village's population would be served by one full-time fire official and the mutual aid from nearby fire agencies.

Rauckman said he relied, in part, on input from Trustee David Thacker -- a 25-year veteran of the Swansea Fire Department who served three of those years as a volunteer fire chief paid per call -- and Trustee Brian Wells, who surveyed area fire departments for comparison.

Also, 6 1/2 positions have been cut since 2007 from other departments except the fire department, Rauckman said.

"We're at the point of making cuts that are very noticeable and very painful," Rauckman said. "We're trying to make the best decision that we can on the information that we have."

Rauckman said he can't comment on accusations that the mayor was eliminating McGuire out of self-interest because McGuire has implied he will take legal action against the village.

What did trustees say?

-- Trustee Brian Wells, who chairs the Public Safety Committee, said he believes the safety of residents will not be at risk after studying surrounding agencies, which vary greatly in the size of the staff and funding districts.

Wells said some communities larger than Swansea also rely on volunteer firefighters with only one full-time chief. And before McGuire, all of Swansea's firefighters were volunteer, including the chief.

-- Trustee Susan O'Malley said the bad economy and less state funding means past personnel cuts are not enough. And if sales tax revenue are not as projected, there could be more cuts.

O'Malley said the village has limited tax increases to residents in two ways. First, the village used general funds meant for village expenses to contribute to previously underfunded police and fire pensions. Second, the village abated what residents had to pay for the firehouse bond payments.

-- Thacker said that even with personnel cuts, the proposed budget is so lean it may not withstand unexpected expenses or lower sales tax revenue. The village has some surplus funds, but those are legally designated for expenses like the sewer plant or roads.

-- Trustee Susan Schultz, who was appointed in March, said she supports how trustees listened to residents and did not raise taxes. Schultz said residents could help by shopping in Swansea to increase sales tax revenue, which funds village operations.

-- Trustees Bill Saak and Ron Sutterfield did not return calls for comment.

Contact reporter Jacqueline Lee at [email protected] or 239-2655.