HOFFMAN ESTATES
Village will not fill police, fire openings
Faced with lower revenues, the Hoffman Estates Village Board has opted not to fill six vacant positions in the Police and Fire Departments.
Trustees voted Monday to reduce the number of authorized positions in the Police Department to 102 from 105, after deciding not to hire three new officers. Chief Clint Herdegen said the department will consider using officers from specialty positions to supplement staffing on street patrols.
“There will be no adverse impact upon the delivery of service to the community,” Herdegen said.
The board’s Public Health and Safety Committee will discuss next week a proposal to reduce the Fire Department’s authorized positions by three.
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The village won’t fill three vacancies that resulted over the last six months from a resignation and two retirements, Fire Chief Robert Gorvett said Tuesday.
The number of sworn positions was increased about a year ago to 106, when the village added a fourth ambulance. The Fire Department staff also includes non-sworn staff. Last month, the village laid off a part-time fire inspector and did not fill a similar full-time position.
— Ken Manson
DES PLAINES
City clerk’s position becoming part time
A divided Des Plaines City Council has voted to make the city clerk a part-time position in the future and cut the annual salary for the office to $6,000 from $47,000.
The changes will be effective in May, when a Des Plaines term-limits ordinance will require City Clerk Donna McAllister to step down. McAllister, who has been critical of term limits, said the change “is a great disservice to 60,000 residents.”
The new salary was approved by a 5-3 vote at a council meeting Monday. Aldermen also adopted an ordinance requiring future clerks to devote “such time as may be necessary,” effectively making the job part-time.
During the discussion, an emotional McAllister told aldermen, “I think you’re taking away a great service from the residents. They know who to call when they have a question, and that’s my number.”
— Mark Shuman
WHEELING
Creek project aims to reduce erosion
Some homeowners in Wheeling’s Hollywood Ridge neighborhood will get relief from backyard erosion after trustees approved a $3 million project to stabilize banks along a portion of Buffalo Creek.
Work on the project is expected to start this fall and be completed by early next summer, officials said.
The work involves the installation of stone-filled wire-mesh boxes, regrading of stream banks and landscaping with native plants to control erosion.
— Graydon Megan