An article in the Des Plaines Valley News caught my attention recently. It detailed how the residents of McCook had voted on a proposal to dissolve their local fire department and merge with a regional fire protection district. According to Mayor Jeff Tobolski, unless something changes during the official canvass, which seems improbable, the plan has been rejected. The vote, held on March 18, resulted in a deadlock at 56-56, meaning the proposal didn't pass since ballot measures require at least one more vote in favor.
Mayor Tobolski remarked after the election, "If the numbers remain unchanged, and I don’t anticipate them changing, the referendum has failed." He expressed his intention to focus on rebuilding trust within the community and reopening discussions with the firefighters' union. Tobolski stated, "We presented this idea to the public, and they clearly prefer keeping our own fire department."
He also mentioned that negotiations with the firefighters' union will continue regarding a new contract. Tobolski pointed out that the concerns he previously raised—such as the lack of paramedic training among McCook firefighters and the high costs associated with maintaining the department—are still relevant. "Our current firefighting payroll stands at around a million dollars," he noted.
Tobolski hinted at alternative approaches for outsourcing fire services, like forming an intergovernmental agreement with a fire protection district, but indicated that this wasn't his immediate priority. "The residents made it clear that they don’t wish to join a fire protection district," he explained. "Now, we're going to work toward reaching a reasonable agreement with the firefighters."
Interestingly, voter turnout for this referendum was significantly higher than the rest of Cook County, reaching 64.2%. This contrasts sharply with the county average of about 15%. A total of 113 out of 176 registered voters in McCook participated, reflecting strong civic engagement on this issue.
Thanks for sharing, Dan! It's always insightful to hear about these local political dynamics.
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