Antioch First Fire District names first chief

The First Fire Protection District of Antioch Township has named its first fire chief since its merger with the village of Antioch's fire service.

Officials announced Saturday that Jon Cokefair of Grayslake, who had been serving in an interim capacity, had been named to the role permanently.

Cokefair is a 40-year resident of Lake County with nearly 30 years in fire department experience. He was also a two-term member of the Grayslake Community High School District 127 board of education.

Voters Tuesday will head to the polls to vote for the first elected board members of the fire district, which was created through a referendum in November, merging First Fire with the village of Antioch's fire service. Previously, the fire district's board was appointed.

Previously, the First Fire Protection District of Antioch and its staff of full-time firefighters and paramedics provided services to the village of Antioch and Antioch Township. The Antioch Fire Department provided volunteer firefighters for use by the fire district.

The voter-backed merger means the village of Antioch and the township no longer have to negotiate contracts to provide fire service in the village. Village property owners are now included in the fire protection district with Antioch Township and pay taxes directly to the fire district.

While changes at the fire district were mostly operational, officials said, property owners in Antioch saw their taxes increase about 15 cents per $100 of equalized assessed valuation.