Carol Stream fire trustees nearing decision on new chief

Carol Stream Fire Protection District trustees could pick their new chief as early as Monday night.

The board will hold a closed-door meeting to discuss the chief's hiring more than three months after Rick Kolomay announced he would retire from the job because of medical issues.

The looming decision to name Kolomay's successor comes as the district and firefighters union remain locked in contract negotiations. Both sides plan to meet with a federal mediator at the bargaining table later this month.

Union leaders say they are aware of two internal finalists seeking to become chief: Bob Hoff and Perry Johnson.

Hoff is a former Chicago Fire Department commissioner hired in 2012 as part of a reshuffling of district leadership. He was named Carol Stream's deputy fire chief less than two weeks after he stepped down as the head of the nation's second-biggest department.

Johnson, then deputy chief, moved to a newly created civilian position - chief administrative officer - overseeing district finances and the fire prevention bureau, among other jobs.

Both have been handling the day-to-day operations of the district since Kolomay had shoulder surgery and went on paid leave.

Kolomay applied for a non-duty disability pension Jan. 28. Under a retirement agreement with the district, Kolomay could use paid time off he had accrued through Feb. 29. He received his regular salary and benefits from March 1 until June 1, when he came off the district's payroll.

The transition has been seamless, said Lt. Rick Bonk, Carol Stream Firefighters Association Local 3192 president.

"They're both excellent choices," he said of Hoff and Johnson.

But Bonk said negotiators "haven't been able to make much progress" on a new contract. The district's previous pact with the union expired June 1.

Salaries and "language issues" are some of the terms that remain unresolved, Bonk said. He also expressed frustration that the board hasn't given the district's negotiating team, which includes Hoff and Johnson, the authority to make immediate counter offers at the bargaining table.

But Bonk expects a "productive process" in sessions with the federal mediator scheduled for June 21 and possibly in early July.

"We're anxious to have a new fire chief that will have a voice at the negotiating table," Bonk said.

The board is scheduled to go into closed session at 5:30 p.m. Monday at the district's headquarters, 365 Kuhn Road. Then, trustees will meet in open session at 7 p.m.