According to a recent article in The Southtown Star, the Chicago Ridge fire department is set to welcome a new leader following the resignation of Fire Chief Robert Muszynski earlier this month. The decision to replace him has sparked concerns among local firefighters, who fear potential layoffs or restructuring within the department.
Oak Lawn Fire Chief George Sheets is poised to take on a dual role, remaining at his current position while also overseeing the Chicago Ridge Fire Department until 2016. This arrangement was unanimously approved by the Oak Lawn village board last week.
Oak Lawn's Village Manager, Larry Deetjen, mentioned that the Chicago Ridge Village Board is expected to ratify this agreement during their upcoming meeting on July 15. It all started when Chicago Ridge Mayor Chuck Tokar reached out to Oak Lawn with the proposal for Sheets to serve as the fire chief for both communities.
However, Mayor Tokar couldn't be contacted for further comments regarding Sheets' appointment. Muszynski's resignation, which came as a result of reported "personal differences" with Tokar over proposed changes to the fire department, left many in Chicago Ridge uneasy. Several trustees confirmed that Tokar played a significant role in Muszynski stepping down, though the board officially accepted his resignation last month.
Muszynski's exit followed discussions within the village board encouraging Tokar to evaluate whether firefighting and ambulance services could be delivered more cost-effectively. Some possibilities being considered include outsourcing ambulance services or dissolving the fire department entirely, potentially merging it into a fire protection district. These plans have caused anxiety among Chicago Ridge's firefighters, particularly after firefighter/paramedic Christ Schmelzer, who leads Local 3098 of the Chicago Ridge Professional Firefighters union, expressed concerns about rising tensions in the firehouse.
Village Manager Deetjen refrained from commenting directly on the exploration of alternative firefighting solutions. However, he emphasized that there are numerous ways to improve efficiency in managing fire departments. Deetjen also noted that Sheets is expected to quickly integrate himself into the Chicago Ridge team, planning to meet with the department's 13 members soon to build rapport.
Thanks again, Dan!
It remains to be seen how these developments will affect the morale and future of the Chicago Ridge fire department. For now, Sheets' appointment offers some stability, but the underlying issues between the mayor and firefighters continue to loom large.
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