Antioch Fire Department invites residents to 'Coffee at the Firehouse' to meet, discuss issues
Antioch Fire Department officials are inviting community members to join them at their kitchen table each week to get to know each another.
Deputy Chief Chris Lienhardt said the aim of the new "Coffee at the Firehouse," which begins Saturday, Jan. 31, is allowing residents and firefighters to meet and exchange ideas.
"It's to get residents to meet the people who serve their community," he said. "And, in turn, it's a chance for firefighters to meet the residents."
The gatherings will be every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at fire station 1, 835 Holbek Drive.
The program debuts at a time when the fire department is trying to build support for an April 7 ballot issue that will pose separate questions to voters in the village of Antioch and Antioch Township about raising property taxes by 25 cents per $100 in assessed valuation to fund ambulance services.
If approved, the owner of a home valued at $100,000 would pay about $83 in the first year and generate $1.5 million to fund ambulance service.
The same question was defeated in November. That led to a reduction in on-duty staff members and left one of the three district stations unstaffed.
Lienhardt said the community outreach will continue beyond the April 7 vote.
"This program is aimed at answering the questions residents may have, as well as providing everyone the chance to visit and see their fire department," Fire Chief John Nixon said.