With Oak Forest Mayor Patrick Gordon saying his decision to replace Fire Chief James Berger “was not political,” aldermen voted 4-3 recently to approve paramedic Lindsay Laycoax as the new chief.
Berger, who started with the fire department as a volunteer in 1957, was hired full time in 1961 and rose to the rank of captain. He will retain that rank and now serve as the department’s fire prevention officer.
Laycoax, who joined the department as a firefighter-paramedic in 1980, was promoted to engineer-paramedic in 1992. Although Laycoax has held no official administrative position in the department, he does have rank as an engineer, the mayor said. His appointment as chief is for one year.
Aldermen Jack Castelloni and Paul Wechet both said that Berger was a better candidate for chief than Laycoax.
Castelloni and Wechet were joined by Alderman Belinda Olszewski in voting against the Laycoax nomination.
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