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UPDATED – Oak Brook: the wealthy consider budget options. Firefighters are “street people” … not the only village employees denigrated … still have zero property taxes … here is the rest of the story

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Dave Statter posted an amazing audio from the Village of Oak Brook in suburban Chicago.

Go HERE to listen to the discussion by the Citizens Financial Advisory Committee (CFAC) where they call firefighters “street people” and make uncomfortable and draconian suggestions for the 28 firefighter/paramedics working at Oak Brook Fire Department.

Citizens Financial Advisory Committee

This recording is from the regular work session of the Citizen’s Financial Advisory Committee. The committee had their first meeting on July 19, 2009.

Stan Pruss provided details of the first meeting in his blog:

This was the first meeting of this new committee, consisting of Don Adler, George Klein, Norma Lauder, Todd Rusteberg, and Randall Teteak. The first order of business was to elect Don Adler Chairman.Chairman Adler reviewed the committee’s charge and assigned tasks to each member. All members will review actual income and expenses vs. budget. Adler and Klein will review employee compensation and benefits and the requirements of state law and union contracts. Adler and Lauder will review all sources of revenues. Rusteberg and Teteak will review information technology and garage operations. The committee will also review contracted services and non-governmental operation, e.g. Sports Core. Adler plans to report to the Village Board monthly.

Next agenda item was resident comment. Connie Xinos of Briarwood provided copies of all village employees’ salaries and benefits, which he had obtained thru FOIA.He advocated a 15% staff reduction. He asked if this committee was willing to make hard decisions and recommendations to the Village Board. George Klein assured Mr. Xinos that the committee would be making difficult decisions and he personally was willing to close both the library and the B&T. Resident Mario Vescovi of Fullersburg advocated a 20% reduction of village payroll. Resident Al Knuth noted he had advocated canceling employee raises.

Adler asked Village Manager Niemeyer to provide salary history for police and fire as well as non-union employees. Niemeyer noted that the Village had been in negotiations with both unions for over a year. The Village may face a significant payment for back pay since the end of the last contract if the new contract includes retroactive payment since the end of the old contract. Village Trustee Aktipis arrived late and asked committee members to serve at least through the end of this year, although their appointments are for two years.

see source document HERE

The CFAC issued their first report on September 4, 2009 (HERE)

They describe the decade-long decline of general sales tax revenue from $11.2M in 1999 to $10.8M in 2008.  During the same period, the expenses to run the village have increased from $13.2M in 1999 to $19.6M in 2008.

CFAC notes that the expenses were a mean increase of about 4.8% per year, which is noticeable higher than the 2.9% year increase as reflected in the US Consumer Price Index (CPI.) Since 75% of all costs to the Village general fund are for employee compensation and benefits …

As their sales tax revenues sank, the Village of Oak Brook engaged numerous consultants to provide recommendations on how to reduce services.

The village eliminated 14.75 full-time equivalent positions (FTEs), contributing to a $1.3 million reduction for Fiscal Year 2010.

It considered privatizing library services, recommeded by a consultant, and already contracted out catering services provided to the village-owned Oak Brook Bath & Tennis Club

source: Anna Madrzyk (2009 July 21) “Oak Brook cuts $1.3 million from budget” Daily Herald (HERE)

An issue with the library was the high salaries of the staff.
Apparently, the Oak Brook Bath & Tennis Club continues to lose money.

Statistical Snapshot of Oak Brook

Wealthy community in Chicago suburb

  • 8.3 square miles
  • 80,000+ weekday population
  • 8,700 residents
  • Average resident age 50
  • Median family income $169,718
  • Average home value $635,400

Home to corporate headquarters of McDonalds, ACE Hardware, Federal Signals Corp, Blistex and Lions Club International.

Oak Brook Fire Department

Paid fire/ems department that runs out of two fire stations on a three platoon 24/48 schedule.
Website (HERE)

$5.1 million budget in FY2010, 4.4% less than FY09.
Link to FY10 budget (HERE)

Command staff is fire chief and 3 battalion chiefs.
Part time EMS, Training and Administrative aide positions.
Eliminated the only Deputy Chief position in FY 2010 budget.

ISO Class 3 rating.
Code enforcement moved into Community Development in FY10, eliminating a fire department secretary position and $60,000 in payments to off-duty firefighters to perform inspection duties (described as Special Details in the budget).

The on-duty staff for Headquarters Station 1 is a battalion chief, Lieutenant and four firefighter/paramedics.
Station 1 staffs an engine, aerial and paramedic ambulance.

Station 2 has a Lieutenant and three firefighter/paramedics.
Station 2 staffs an engine, rescue company and paramedic ambulance.

The FY2010 budget shows shift staffing of:

  • 1 Battalion Chief
  • 2 Lieutenants
  • 7 Firefighter/paramedics
  • 2 contract firefighter/paramedics
  • on-call personnel

The village has held up on filling two firefighter/paramedic vacancies.
The Teamsters union contract expired at the end of 2007.
IAFF Local 4646 was established March 2008 with 28 members. (thanks to MikeyLikesIt.)

2008 response statistics:

  • EMS 1,166
  • Fire 1,048, with 4 structure fires

Provides paramedic ambulance service

$100,000 cost per employee a trigger point

As mentioned in the audio, Oak Brook has 28 firefighters or firefighter/paramedics, with a per position cost of over $100,000/year. Salary range for firefighter/paramedic is $51,016 – $68,871.

Village employees costing $100,000 a year seem to be a trigger point for some community leaders.

President Xinos

This link takes you to a interview with Constantine “Connie” Xino, a criminal attorney and president of a homeowners association.

He brutally belittled an 11 year old who spoke to the village council last year in support of the librarians.

Burt Constable (2009 October 1) “Ugly battle has librarians in Oak Brook turning to Teamsters” Daily Herald (LINK)

The Consultant Says

After eliminating the Deputy Chief position, the village contracted with McGrath Consulting Group. A Fire Department Staffing and Resource Deployment Study was issued in December 2009.

From the introductory statement:

During interviews, Village governing officials clearly articulated the probable need to reduce current staffing levels, close one of of the two Village fire stations, and potentially privatize other types of service delivery.

The consultant’s 82 page report addressed the questions asked by the Village governing officials, but did not provide enough cover to support closing a fire station without establishing new agreements with neighboring fire agencies.

Access the report HERE.

What does this mean?

While blunt and cruel, statements made by the Citizens Finance Advisory Committee have been repeated by other community leaders in other parts of the nation. Your fire chief and union president have heard them.

Beyond posting snarky statements on message boards, or harassing the leadership of the wealthy Oak Brook community, we need to refine the methods and tactics used to support our brothers and sisters in every community.

Still Pay ZERO Property Taxes in Oak Brook!

For Oak Brook, there will be municipal elections for the Village president, clerk and three trustee positions in April.

The Fall newsletter from the village calls for overhauling of the police and fire pensions.

Some of the 8,700 village residents are willing to endanger the safety of the 80,000+ individuals that work in the village at high profile corporate headquarters in order to maintain a zero property tax rate.

From their welcome web page message:

Property owners pay no property tax to the Village, as Village services are funded primarily by sales tax receipts. Superior services, including excellent police protection and state-of-the-art emergency medical services, are provided to Oak Brook’s business community and to our residents.

Hmm …

Mike “FossilMedic” Ward

Update: Monday Sept 27 responses from Local 4646 and AFFI  HERE

Original article incorrectly identified the Citizen’s Executive Council as the source of the comments. We regret the error.

Also on FireGeezer…

Posted by on September 26, 2010 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, Funding & Staffing, News, Urban Commander • Tagged: , , , , ,
  • http://ems12lead.com/ Tom Bouthillet

    Good point, Mike. Why reinforce the “street people” persona when we discuss issues like this one? What is needed is education. Perhaps by the time the dialog has decayed to this level at City Hall the battle to win the hearts and minds of the community has already been lost. It’s an important lesson for all fire departments to educate their citizens now. Don’t wait until your back’s against the wall and you’re a cornered animal. I’d like to believe the citizens of my community would be outraged if a government panel spoke of the fire department in this manner. This is why we provide “added value” on emergency calls and this is why every interaction with the general public is important. Remind your brothers and sisters about this situation next time they cop an attitude because someone is “wasting their precious time” by calling 9-1-1 for something that’s “not an emergency.” Where is the local news coverage of this issue in Oak Brook?

  • Dave LeBlanc

    10.8 Mil in sales tax alone? Holy Smokes……

    Great job Mike. Thanks for the effort. There is a lesson here for everyone for sure.

  • http://www.firegeezer.com Mike “FossilMedic” Ward

    Hi Tom,

    Thanks for the post.

    There appears to be no news coverage (so far), the library issue was last year and one item on the budget cuts for this year.

    The consultant report provided some suggestions, like replacing the 1988 aerial wirg a quint at Station 1.

    Also looked at some practices that could change, apparently they send a pumper with the 2 paramedic ambulance on every EMS call.

  • http://www.firegeezer.com Mike “FossilMedic” Ward

    Thanks Dave,

    It is tough for a department with little fire activity (4 structural fires in 2008) to preserve staffing. The “standing army” argument is not as effective as it used to be.

    Mike

  • scott

    sounds like a bunch of rich jackass’s to me, they need to leave emergency services alone.
    that guy prob. never got to sit in a fire eng. when he was a kid, prob to busy getting his ass kicked by future firefighters

  • FG

    FossilMedic wrote:
    “… apparently they send a pumper with the 2 paramedic ambulance on every EMS call.”

    Our department had a similar study done. The consultants were in town for all of about 4 hours on one day and saw that happen on a “delta level” coded call. When they wrote their report, they apparently assumed it was standard practice on every ambulance call and told us we should stop it.

  • GOOSEINGTON

    How sad it is that a member charged with the fiduciary responsibility of a Fire department AND the community of which it serves speakes with such disrespect and contempt for the very people he is supposed to serve. One would question if the opposite were true and a firefighter spoke of the trustee using the same vernacular, would this firefighter be brought up on charges unbecoming? Yes, I do believe he would. These are trying times financially for the entire country. Should we dispense of everyone in such a callous and unprofessional manner? How would the speaker AND HIS FAMILY take it if the the same injustice were to be handed out in the same manner? YES, there IS a BROTHERHOOD. Each sworn member has taken the oath to service without malace and disrepect ALL of the memebers of the community. Including the irresponsible, uninformed, and misguided. The great thing about the Brotherhood is that this same person and all his family members WOULD get the best service availible should a tragic event be suffered by his family. THAT IS WHY WE WILL ALWAYS STAND PROUD TOGETHER TO SERVE THE OATH WE HAVE ALL PROUDY TAKEN. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
    Mac

  • Mike Kilburg

    Oak Brook has been very proactive in their mission when it comes to fire prevention. They also protect a lot of very expensive property. The village has an active shopping and entertainment center. The potential fire lose is huge at almost every structure fire they do respond to. This has REALLY raised some hackles around our entire region and yet nary a peep from the local media outlets. Special thanks to brother Shawn Gillis for the quick design of the maltese “Street People” emblem. This may have been the straw that broke the camels back. There are a lot of angry firefighters around here right now.

  • http://www.firegeezer.com Mike “FossilMedic” Ward

    I can only imagine.

    Thanks for the help in keeping me accurate. I have added the “Street People” logo to both blog items.

    Mike

  • firemanclosetooakbrook

    I could not agree more with the fact that we all need to make sure our members understand that our public image is very important. The days of closing the doors to prevent the “terror attack” on the firehouse our gone. We need to open up to the community and get out their. We need to not complain about the 2AM call from the elderly lady who cannot light her pilot light on the stove. I have been in the fire service for 27 years and have seen big changes. Most people who use our services are happy and love us. But most people don’t use our services, those are the folks we need to reach out too. Go to the block parties, schools church events when invited. Let the kids in the firehouse and climb on the trucks. Invite people in when they walk by, it goes a long way. BTW i am a firefighter from a department less than 2 miles from Oakbrook. They have a great department. I understand the difficult times that communities are having, we are all in difficult times. Sometimes we need to sit and talk it out like men. The comments stated in that meeting are just ignorance to the facts, some people are like that we deal with them everyday. Oh and by the way if he thinks that some fireman would let him die well need i say more – NEVER WOULD HAPPEN.

  • Jkjkjk67

    “Brothers and sisters” Are you referring to fellow union members? What about the other unions out there? The plumbers union, carpenters union, the tile setters… etc. Mmmm. Ya, greed is stronger than fear. Good luck! But I wonder why those other unions aren’t up in arms over this mess?

  • Fossilmedic

    Jk…..67

    Thanks for the post.

    I am referring to firefighters who are labor organization members.
    I appreciate that all organized labor have issues in this recession, and there has been a dramatic decline in manufacturing jobs in the past 40 years.

    Like it or not, public safety labor is handled different than other trade and service organizations. This includes work rules, pension plans and health/disability considerations.

    So are educators.

    It is not because we are “special” because of our job descriptions. It represents the work of hundreds of labor organizers, leaders and supporters during the past 90 years. They used the democratic process (turf, power and politics) to achieve their goals.

  • Arsonman35

    I agree with my brother and brothers, i have started my 27th year and i to have seen big changes. we were hit with lay offs and i tell you it’s not easy telling people that we have 4 people on duty. i wonder how Xinos would feel if his FD had lower staffing and his house was on fire, and the engine pulled up with 2 personal. Saftey for us and your residents is the primary goal. and sometimes you just can not educate the wind bags. Let’s compare something, we have and uneducated lawyer that charges around $500.00/hour, and then he lies, cheats and BS’s his way to save a client for and annual salary of six or seven digit figure. Now we have and educated Firefighter/Paramedic that goes out at 2 am for a patient assist, lighting a pilot light, working a full arrest. Standing at intersections collecting for pediatric burn victims or trying save someone’s property from total fire loss. And let’s see all we ask for is a 5 digit salary. Peace and saftey my brothers.

  • Dougn311
  • phil

    the corporate heads need to be educated on where their tax dollars are going. my guess is McDonalds does not treat their employees in this manner and has managers that can do a better job than the elected officials can.

  • MOTF1

    Unbelievable. And I bet this guy will be the first to raise hell when his house burns down because units are busy on another run or when he doesn’t get a bus in a timely manner. Street people … really?!? I’m sorry the brothers in Oak Brook have to deal with this nonsense