A proposal to save Des Plaines thousands of dollars while providing new uniforms for the fire department almost got hung up on the controversy over the city’s new logo, but was approved in light of an offer to change the embroidery if needed.
Monday marked the third meeting in a row in which city officials argued over the city’s branding strategy, which was approved by aldermen in June and includes an artistic rendering of a D and a P woven together as a logo and the phrase “Good Move” as a slogan. With dissent to the design mounting, an ad-hoc committee of residents was appointed to come up with a new logo and slogan.
The latest argument rose over a request by Fire Chief Alan Wax to move from a yearly allowance for department uniforms to a quartermaster system, which he said would save between $20,000 and $25,000 per year. The annual uniform allowance was between $700 and $750.
With the new system, the city will enter into a roughly $27,000 contract with Elk Grove-based On Time Embroidery as the uniform vendor.
But before it was approved, three council members said they’d rather hold off on the order if the uniforms were to be embroidered with the new logo..
Wax said fire department personnel are “invested” in the embroidered marker featuring the DP logo and that it was designed by a committee of volunteers. If necessary, he said, the uniforms could be altered or replaced to feature a different logo.
“I absolutely love it. I love the ‘DP.'” said Ald. Denise Rodd, 3rd. Wax’s offer to change the design if needed was a good solution, and that aldermen “shouldn’t hold up the quartermaster system or uniform because of two letters,” she said.
But two aldermen didn’t see it that way.
“I just feel it’s wrong for me to go ahead and approve a patch that has a logo when our feedback is that it’s not well liked by the public,” said Ald. Malcolm Chester, 6th. “I want to support it but I don’t know how I can do it.”
Fourth Ward Aldermen Dick Sayad agreed.
“I don’t feel we should be doing this now,” he said.
Both Wax and City Manager Michael Bartholomew said the city could not wait because union rules dictate either a quartermaster or uniform allowance e in place at the beginning of the year.
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Bartholomew said that while the uniforms could be changed, “there’s going to be a big expense” tied to any such alteration.
“You’re right, Mr. City Manager. That’s a large expense and why I’d sure like to see this held off for awhile,” Sayad said.
Yet, 7th Ward Alderman Don Smith said the debate was unnecessary since lall involved agreed to change the uniforms if the city’s new logo is replaced.
“Are we just going to have this conversation at every single meeting for the next several months?” he asked.
Mayor Matt Bogusz joined the majority in a 5-3 vote to authorize the embroidered design on new fire department uniforms. Sayad, Chester and Ald. Patricia Haugeberg, 1st, voted no.