Lake Forest Fire Department news

Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

The Lake Forest City Council is facing growing financial challenges, particularly in managing the rising costs of its fire department, with a major focus on pension obligations. According to a presentation at the city council meeting on October 3rd, the fire pension levy was $466,229 in 2005, and this year it has jumped to $1.2 million. By 2027, officials predict that the cost will reach $2.6 million. When combined with police pensions, total public safety expenses are expected to hit $6.7 million by that time.

Firefighters contribute 9.45% of their salary to the pension fund, while police employees pay 9.91%. Each group has its own pension fund, overseen by a five-member board and supported by professional investment advisors. The two funds together hold around $60 million, according to Elizabeth Holleb, the city's finance director.

Holleb noted that the market struggled during late 2015 and early 2016, which had a negative impact on returns. “We closed the books on April 15th and saw very low returns,” she said. The city assumes a 7% annual return, but actual results were far below that. Firefighter pension investments returned just 0.28%, while police pensions lost 1.64%.

The fiscal 2017 budget for the fire department totals $6.25 million, with 98% of that going toward personnel. The department employs 35 full-time staff. Holleb emphasized that the city has always met or exceeded state-mandated pension contributions.

Historically, the city has reduced staff through attrition, but Holleb admitted that the current structure is too lean to make further cuts without affecting service quality. “It’s hard to make those kinds of reductions,” she said.

City Manager Robert Kiely warned that the rising cost of fire services is outpacing the city’s ability to generate revenue. “The math doesn’t work long term,” he said during the meeting. Alderman Stanford Tack read a letter stating that without changes, public safety pension costs alone would require significant tax hikes and service cuts just to keep up with the increase.

The city council has instructed staff to explore a $10 quarterly fee—$40 annually—for residents. This could provide one to two years of breathing room to study and implement more permanent solutions. Additionally, the city plans to discuss potential shared fire services with neighboring communities, though no concrete plans have been developed yet.

Mayor Don Schoenheider assured residents that public safety will not be compromised. “We will not compromise public safety,” he said, highlighting the city’s commitment to maintaining essential services despite financial pressures.

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