Fire Benefit Assessment passes for Peardale-Chicago Park

The assessment — $236.42 per improved district parcel — will be placed on property tax bills beginning Nov. 2023 and will bring in $400,000 of additional yearly revenue.

“This will be a new thing we’re doing,” Peardale-Chicago Park Fire Chief James Bierwagen said.

Currently, the department is primarily volunteer based with only two full time employees — the fire chief and driver/operator position.

“The reason we started this is because the lack of volunteer firefighters anymore,” Bierwagen said. “People that are working full time don’t have the time and training to be a volunteer.”

With the assessment funding, the department will be able to: hire two full time driver/operators to provide 24 hour a day station coverage; hire seasonal firefighters so that there is one on in the daytime 365 days a year; fund the capital improvement fund with $55,000 per year; and increase current full time salaries to be more competitive in the current hiring market.

The additional $55,000 per year will go into the district’s general fund that will allow them to purchase a new engine or truck in the future.

Peardale-Chicago Park Fire Protection District won’t receive any funding through the assessment until Dec. of 2023, however Chief Bierwagen doesn’t plan on waiting until then to start staffing the new positions.

“Start the hiring process sometime around (July) or before so we have them on duty by the time the money rolls in and for fire season.

To contact Managing Editor Elias Funez email efunez@theunion.com, or call 530-477-4230.