From excerpts on MySuburbanlife.com:
Mayor Donny Schmit recently voiced his opinion that the Village of Fox Lake shouldn't be handling negotiations for fire and ambulance services, stating that "politics are involved."
On March 15, residents will vote on a referendum that could see the village join the Fox Lake Fire Protection District. Should the measure pass, the district—not the village—would take over taxing homeowners for these services, freeing the village from contract negotiation responsibilities.
Joining the fire district would mean slightly higher taxes for village homeowners, potentially an additional $60 annually for a home valued at $100,000. District residents have been paying more in taxes since the district increased its ambulance tax roughly a year ago. To address this imbalance, the village has been contributing an extra $210,000 in property tax revenue to the district, funds that could otherwise support other village needs.
According to Fox Lake Fire Protection District Chief Ron Hoehne, passing the referendum would standardize tax rates for both ambulance and fire services across the entire village. The fire district serves approximately 33,000 residents across parts of Fox Lake, Round Lake, McHenry, Ingleside, Lakemoor, Spring Grove, as well as Volo, Grant, Burton, and Antioch Townships.
With 55% of the district's emergency calls originating within the village, Schmit believes joining the district would create a fairer system. "That’s how our three district trustees and our department feel," Hoehne added, referencing the Village of Wauconda's similar transition in 2010. "It’s happening all around us—Wauconda, McHenry, Spring Grove, Lake Villa, Grayslake, and Round Lake are now part of fire protection districts. Antioch is looking to follow suit."
If the referendum passes, the fire district plans to hire three new firefighter/paramedics, effectively adding one extra responder per day based on shift rotations. This would also allow the district to update its aging fleet of vehicles.
Should the referendum fail, Schmit noted that the village would continue current operations but at a financial loss, with village taxpayers still subsidizing the difference. Chief Hoehne emphasized that joining the district would ultimately provide better service coverage and resource management for everyone involved.
Zinc Oxide For Plastic,High Purity Zinc Oxide Powder,Zinc Oxide For Rubber,Zinc Oxide Zno For Rubber
GuangDong DuBa New Material Technology Co.,LTD , http://www.dubachem.com