Rural fire district board takes steps to dissolve, resolve legal dispute with Mount Prospect, Elk Grove Township
Nearly three weeks after the Elk Grove Rural Fire Protection District discontinued fire and emergency medical services, its board helped clear the path toward eliminating the taxing body entirely.
The board also agreed Thursday to settle a lawsuit filed by Mount Prospect and Elk Grove Township to prevent the fire district from selling its assets, including the firehouse at 1415 E. Algonquin Road.
The Mount Prospect and Elk Grove Township boards are expected to meet next week to ratify the settlement, whose terms were not revealed. Both government bodies are in the process of creating a special service area - a new taxing district - to fund fire protection in Elk Grove Township.
"It's been a little bit stressful, but we are almost crossing the finish line, so I appreciate everybody coming together to make sure that we complete the task," fire board President Carlos Maldonado said.
A referendum to dissolve the district could be held in March. Signatures on a petition to dissolve have yet to be submitted to Cook County.
On Thursday, the district took steps needed to move toward dissolution. Among them was hiring a surveyor to confirm the district's boundary map and prepare a legal description and exhibit documents for a possible petition for dissolution.
The board authorized the law firm of Odelson, Murphey, Frazier and McGrath Ltd., to act on its behalf to take all necessary actions toward the district's possible dissolution and wind up its affairs.
Fire district board attorney Jayman Avery said the law firm's duties could include handling legal filings, court appearances and notifying the public.
The law firm's role could be critical considering the current fire district board members are selling their homes to make way for a data center development in Elk Grove Village and will have to step down.
Two board members, Dawn Jablonski and James Jablonski, balked at hiring the surveyor, voting no.
Dawn Jablonski said she didn't see why the district needed to incur the expense.
"I can almost guarantee at least Mount Prospect already got it done," James Jablonski added.
But Avery said it was necessary to gather the most current data.
During the discussion, James Jablonski expressed dissatisfaction with the way the district went about wrapping up fire and emergency service operations on Oct. 1.
It was done, he said, "in the manner of a corporation," not with respect for the firefighters who "put their lives on the line every single day." He added, the firefighters were given short notice to clean out their lockers.
"There's a lot of emotions regarding the firefighters not being here, and I feel it," Avery said. "I wish it could have ended up differently."
Avery explained the decision to end services, saying the district had a shrinking tax base due to annexations by surrounding communities.
Avery said the district notified Elmhurst-based Metro Paramedic Services, the firm it hired to provide fire protection services, in August that the district likely would not be able to pay its monthly its expenses after Oct. 1.
Shortly after the district ceased operations, Fire Chief Kieran Mackey said Metro Paramedic Services would work to find positions for the employees with other departments.