Lake Villa Fire District looking for administrator

With a new fire station on the horizon, the Lake Villa Fire Protection District said it hopes to fill key vacant positions soon.

The district, which serves Lindenhurst, Lake Villa and the Lake Villa Township, has been without an administrator since July.

During the last board meeting, Trustee Walter "Skip" Stechera resigned, leaving just two trustees on the board.

"We've got a lot going on and hope to fill these spots as quickly as possible," said Dan Venturi, Lake Villa Township supervisor.

The township is taking applications for the vacant trustee seat through Dec. 7.

Venturi said he hopes the township board will appoint a new trustee during the Dec. 11 meeting.

He said preference will be given to residents of Lake Villa. The remaining trustees, Howard "Bud" Scott and Ed Laudenslager, live in Lake Villa Township and Lindenhurst, respectively.

Whoever is appointed will serve through 2010.

Once the board is fully staffed, the group will move forward with selection of a business manager.

Fire protection district Administrator Peter Parker left July 28 to take over as chief of the Bristol Fire Department.

Since then, trustees have restructured the district, putting Fire Chief Fred Slazes in charge and opting to hire a business manager instead of an administrator.

Applications for that position will be accepted through Friday.

"We're hoping to get somebody who understands how municipal accounting and municipal government works," Scott said.

The district is in the process of building a new fire station at 1911 Grass Lake Road on the east side of Lindenhurst.

The station is slated for completion in January, however, Scott is optimistic it will be finished sooner.

The district serves 26 square miles and has a fire station at 63 Grand Ave. and a rescue station at 910 E. Grand Ave.

"Everything has been moving along really well," Scott said.