The following is an excerpt from a recent article in the Daily Herald.
St. Charles Mayor Don DeWitte expressed strong concerns earlier this week about the newly formed Fox River and Countryside Fire/Rescue District, calling its future uncertain and potentially disastrous. According to DeWitte, the district’s financial structure and promises of improved emergency response times don’t add up.
“These are major decisions being made without enough consideration,†DeWitte said. “We think they’re poorly planned, and the end result will be worse service for the people who have relied on us for decades.â€
He and St. Charles Fire Chief Pat Mullen believe the core issue lies in the fire district’s extremely low tax rate—just 19 cents per $100 of assessed value—which is roughly one-third of what neighboring districts charge. This, they argue, is not a spending problem but a revenue shortfall.
The district is expected to sign a contract with American Emergency Services, a company based in Wheaton, to provide both firefighters and paramedics at an estimated cost of $1.7 million annually. However, the high costs of setting up two new fire stations and the uncertainty of staffing in the second year raise red flags for DeWitte and Mullen.
During a presentation, Mullen showed a map of the district and pointed out that the new firehouses, located in the far southwest and northeast corners, may actually slow down emergency response times for many residents. He argued that areas currently served quickly by St. Charles Fire Department could now face longer wait times during emergencies.
Additionally, the district’s limited number of stations and vast coverage area make it vulnerable to being overextended if multiple calls come in at once. A GIS-based map created by the city shows that the South Elgin station could take up to 16 minutes to reach the Kane County Judicial Center in an emergency.
DeWitte also highlighted the financial burden the new district places on the Tri-Cities. With the separation from St. Charles and the Tri-City Ambulance Service, each community will now pay more for emergency medical services. For example, St. Charles could see an additional $200,000 in costs related to paramedic response.
Overall, the mayor and fire chief remain skeptical about the long-term viability of the new fire district and warn that without significant changes, it could lead to declining service quality and rising costs for residents.
You can read the full article here.
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