Highwood referendum March 15 on sharing fire, medical services with Highland Park

HIGHWOOD, Ill. (FEBRUARY 2016) - Over the past year, the city of Highwood has been taking steps to provide long-term sustainable fire and emergency services to the residents and businesses of Highwood. One of these steps includes a referendum on the March 15, 2016 primary election ballot to allow the city to have fire and ambulance services provided by the city of Highland Park's internationally accredited fire department.

The language of the referendum will read as follows: "Shall the city of Highwood Fire Department serving the citizens with the city of Highwood cease to provide emergency services and be dissolved and discontinued?"

Unlike other referendums, the language is set by state statute and the city is not allowed to change it. As a result, the wording may be unclear and the intent of the referendum confusing for some voters. The city wants to clarify that if a majority of the votes are in favor of the referendum, meaning a yes vote, then the city will have fire and ambulance services provided by the city of Highland Park's internationally accredited fire department. If the majority of voters oppose the referendum, a no vote, then the city will have to contract with a private company called PSI for fire and ambulance services.

If the referendum passes, staff projects a cost savings of more than $9.3 million over a 10-year period of time, which does not include savings from future capital purchases (i.e. fire trucks, ambulances and other specialized equipment such as tools to cut open vehicles and defibrillators) or the building and land value.

"Highland Park makes an ideal partner due to their close proximity to Highwood and since they already supply Fire and EMS services to half of the Ft. Sheridan subdivision area," says Highwood Mayor Charles Pecaro. "The maps depicting response times from either fire station, (Highwood or Highland Park #34), are so similar that we see no change to safety and service."

In November 2015, the city of Highwood and the city of Highland Park entered into an intergovernmental agreement for fire and emergency medical services, contingent upon the approval of the referendum. City staff evaluated the potential service sharing under three criteria: ensuring safety levels, achieving significant cost savings, and providing support for the status of the current Highwood firefighters. At that time, both communities approved the intergovernmental agreement to allow the city of Highland Park to provide shared fire and emergency medical services to Highwood and Ft. Sheridan.

More information on the referendum can be found on the city's website, www.cityofhighwood.org/firereferendum or by calling city manager Scott Coren at (847) 432-1931.