From the Illinois News Network: As costs grow, cities push to consolidate hundreds of local public safety pension funds By Brett Rowland | Illinois News Network City leaders want to consolidate hundreds of local pension funds for police officers and … Continue reading
Category Archives: Fire Department
It is not uncommon for police officers and firefighters to get jobs after retirement. In my Village of Lakewood, experienced police officers have been hired that the village otherwise could not have afforded. When the Village Board concluded that the … Continue reading
An article by Austin Berg of the Illinois Policy Institute: WHY YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL IS SO HIGH, AND HOW TO FIX IT Less than 50 cents of every additional property tax dollar over the last 20 years went to … Continue reading
An article by Austin Berg of the Illinois Policy Institute: WHY YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL IS SO HIGH, AND HOW TO FIX IT Less than 50 cents of every additional property tax dollar over the last 20 years went to … Continue reading
Recently Calumet City announced it was considering outsourcing its fire department. Lakewood has done this as long as I can remember. First, it was the Crystal Lake Fire Department providing protection. Next came a privatized department. That was switched with … Continue reading
Here are the statistics on how Fire Protection Districts had on McHenry County tax bills: Fire Protection Districts Alg-LITH FPD $7,821,097 $8,702,042 11.3% $8,886,661 2.1% Barrington … Continue reading
The Cook County Record is reporting a significant change in Illinois law made by the state Supreme Court Friday. Here’s the headline from the article: Divided IL Supreme Court tosses rule protecting police, fire depts from lawsuits, says rule outdated, … Continue reading
There were more fire engines roaring past our home on Lake Avenue in Lakewood today than I ever remember before. On the way to pick up my son from school I passed one going back to its home in Lake … Continue reading
Here’s a shot of Crystal Lake Firemen lined up in front of City Hall at the 9-11 ceremony conducted there: … Continue reading
My wife and I are sitting on the patio in front of a friend’s home on the Fox River Independence Day night. . It was after the area fireworks had died down. Suddenly fire engine sirens started blaring. They died … Continue reading
Lakewood taxpayers will take a substantial hit as a result of losing a lawsuit to Crystal Lake today. The ruling, by Judge Thomas Meyer in McHenry County Circuit Court, found for the City of Crystal Lake in its dispute over … Continue reading
Here’s the latest missive delivered in the mail to Lakewood residents: From the President On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to wish you and your families a Happy New Year. As a community, we face many of … Continue reading
At its Tuesday night meeting in the village-owned Red Tail Golf Course trailer complex, the Lakewood Village Board voted to hire the Woodstock Fire Protection District to replace American Emergency Service Corporation. The Gary Jensen firm, which provides privatized fire … Continue reading
Lakewood Village Trustees provides a public service to constituents who don’t attend village board meetings by jotting down his thoughts of what happened. Friday he covered the tax levy and dam in Turnberry, which is funded by a Special Service … Continue reading