Lake Forest Fire Department news

Excerpts from the Chicago Tribune:

The Lake Forest City Council is facing a growing challenge in managing the rising costs of its fire department, especially when it comes to pension obligations. At an October 3 city council meeting, a presentation revealed that the fire pension levy was $466,229 in 2005, but has now climbed to $1.2 million. By 2027, officials predict this figure will jump to $2.6 million.

When combined with police pension costs, total public safety expenses are expected to reach $6.7 million by 2027. Firefighters contribute 9.45% of their salary to the pension fund, while police employees pay 9.91%. Each department maintains its own pension fund, overseen by a five-member board and guided by financial experts.

Elizabeth Holleb, the city’s finance director, noted that the two pension funds hold around $60 million in total. However, the market performance in late 2015 and early 2016 was poor, leading to low returns. The city assumes a 7% annual return, but actual results fell far short—firefighter pensions returned just 0.28%, while police pensions lost 1.64%. The city is responsible for covering the shortfall.

The fiscal 2017 budget for the fire department is $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. In the past, the city has reduced staff through attrition, but Holleb admitted that “we are so lean, it's difficult to make those kinds of reductions.”

City Manager Robert Kiely warned during the meeting that the cost of fire services is increasing faster than the city can generate revenue. Alderman Stanford Tack read a letter stating that without changes, public safety pension obligations alone could force significant tax hikes and service cuts just to keep up.

In response, the city council has asked staff to explore a $10 quarterly fee, or $40 annually, for residents. This would provide one to two years to study potential reforms. The city is also considering sharing fire services with neighboring communities, though the specifics remain unclear.

Mayor Don Schoenheider assured residents that “we will not compromise public safety” as the city works to address these financial challenges. With rising costs and limited options, the path forward remains uncertain, but the council is determined to find a sustainable solution.

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