April 10--A suburban fire board president wants to look into consolidating 10 fire protection districts to reduce costs and save tax dollars.
Orland Fire Protection District Board President James Hickey, who helped create a task force to look into consolidating with the Palos fire district in January, is asking a committee for a final report to examine the steps and laws for a larger consolidation.
Talk of consolidating the two districts ended when the Palos Fire Protection District won voter support for a tax increase in March. Now Hickey is looking beyond the neighboring district.
"My vision is not for just two districts, but that 10 districts will join, and you have a total cost savings where you can increase services, save money for the taxpayers and bring everything down to a more uniform level," he said. "I really see that as the future."
Palos officials warned that if the referendum measure did not pass, they could close a firehouse.
Hickey said critics claimed he was trying to build an empire for himself when he suggested the merger with Palos. But he noted that any consolidation means all boards are dissolved and a new board is elected.
"You can't just swallow up another district," he said. "If we merged, my job is gone. This isn't about any empire -- it's about doing what's right."
Hickey said he hopes the final consolidation report will be available by the April 24 board meeting.
"I believe very strongly that Illinois as a whole -- not just fire districts -- has too many governing bodies."
Copyright 2012 - Chicago Tribune
