Opinion

Warrenville voters deserve a choice

Posted February 28, 2015 11:01 pm

I request Warrenville voters' support for the upcoming April 7 election by voting "yes" to elect your fire district trustees. The ballot question will read "Shall the trustees of the Warrenville Fire Protection District be elected, rather than appointed."

For 75 years, the firefighters of Warrenville, which includes the fire district trustees, have faithfully served our citizens as an all hazard fire department. Historically, the trustees have been financially conservative by maintaining a balanced budget on an annual basis. The fire district's tax rate is one the lowest within DuPage County. We are a financially stable fire district providing quality fire and emergency service to our community.

It is vital that the citizens within the Warrenville Fire District have a choice to elect their fire district trustees in order to have a voice and provide input and control in how their local fire department operates and functions as a unit of government. If the Warrenville Fire Protection District becomes consolidated with the other surrounding fire departments, it will decrease the level of service that we currently provide as well as raise every taxpayer's tax rate threefold.

The Warrenville Fire Protection District is a combination fire department consisting of full-time, part-time and contract firefighter/paramedics. Furthermore, we work closely with the City of Warrenville and have a shared service agreement regarding equipment and personnel as well as auto-aid and mutual-aid agreements with the surrounding fire departments. Additionally, we are working closely with the Naperville Fire Department on numerous measures to enhance service delivery between both communities.

Consolidation may be needed for some communities and fire districts, but the Warrenville Fire Protection District is community based and has always been open, transparent and accountable to our citizens as well as being a model of efficiency and safety.

Dennis L. Rogers

Warrenville Fire Chief

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