Following continued calls for serious accidents along Wilmington-Peotone Road and the intersection of Rt. 50 and County Line, the Manhattan Fire Protection District has taken steps to address these problematic areas.
Deputy Chief Piper told the board at its August 18 meeting he and other district officials recently met with the Will County Department of Transportation in an attempt to find a solution to prevent serious accidents from happening so frequently at these dangerous locations.
This news comes just a few weeks after Wilmington-Peotone Road claimed another life on July 29 when a passenger vehicle and a semi-truck collided at Wilmington-Peotone Road and 120th Avenue. In that accident, three people were immediately evaluated, two people refused treatment, and one person was pronounced dead at the scene.
Traffic backups from the fatal accident led to another accident when a tanker truck carrying propane attempted to turn around, tipped over, and leaked fuel, which snarled traffic for hours, as cleanup efforts were underway.
Piper explained they are working together toward a solution with Will County DOT, and some solutions discussed include adding a passing lane and shoulders. He reported that, unfortunately, it wouldn’t have a quick resolution, but they are doing what they can to expedite changes that can improve safe travel along these busy, dangerous stretches of road.
With regard to the district’s financial updates, Accountant James Howard reviewed the district’s finances for the past seven months ending on July 31. He reported about 78 percent of property tax revenue has come into the district.
Of note, the district received an insurance deposit from Ambulance 83, which had been taken out of service following an accident. Overall, Howard reported finances were on track. He also noted the Fed is anticipated to cut rates in September.
No one showed up or submitted a comment for the public hearing on the intent to sell $8,750,000 general obligation bonds. After opening and closing the public hearing, the board moved on with regular business, which included a presentation from John Falduto, of Sawyer Falduto Asset Management.
Falduto explained how the asset management company could help the fire district manage its bond proceeds with the following considerations: time horizon, paydown schedule, funding consideration, risk tolerance, cash flow needs, liquidity needs, and regulatory guidelines. He explained they don’t invest in any corporate securities and engage in no-risk investing so there isn’t a risk to lose money from purchase to maturity.
Falduto provided the board with a laundry list of fire districts throughout the state whose assets they currently manage as references. Though no action was taken, the board appeared to view the presentation favorably.
The fire district also is working diligently on the budget for the upcoming year, which Malone said he hopes to have a draft ready to present to the board at the next meeting.
Construction started on the new fire station following the groundbreaking ceremony. The silt fence is up, and groundwork has begun. Malone reported he is meeting weekly with ICI Builds, the construction management company overseeing the project.
Four line items needed to go out for rebid, as previously reported. Bids opened on August 7 for roofing, overhead doors, flooring, and landscape. Malone reported significant savings from the rebid, as the total bids came in about $194,000 cheaper.
The board approved the rebids for roofing, overhead doors, and flooring. No action was taken on the landscaping bid, as the district still is working out the details of what land gets conveyed to the village as part of the IGA.
The construction project manager of the new fire station from ICI Builds, Chris Vandersilk, was present at the meeting and explained that holding off on the landscaping bidding wouldn’t affect the timeline.
In a review of operations, Piper reported the district still is encountering travel time as the biggest challenge with regard to response times, but that simply depends on where the calls of service are located.
The majority of calls in July were ambulance and accident-related, though there were 11 fire calls. The break out of calls for service by station is as follows: Station 81 had 103 calls for service, Station 82 had 21 calls, and Station 83 had 92 calls.
Piper reported there were two cardiac arrests in which CPR was not performed before arrival; unfortunately, both people died in those incidents.
Finally, Piper advised he had a meeting with the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, which also is concerned about trauma coverage. He said he learned that similar issues are happening with hospital closures and a reduction in emergency services downstate.
Piper noted that manpower is stable with no changes in personnel, and they are hoping to move hiring to an annual event. The district’s swearing-in ceremony will be held on September 14.
Battalion Chief Bruce Boyle reported fleet and facilities are on track, with the maintenance program working well.
Fire Marshal Dave Kolash was present and noted he is meeting with both communities to increase their involvement. The district just started courtesy inspections, and Peotone’s Great Lakes Lifting Solutions was the first to take advantage of the offering.
Kolash also reported they are working on updating the fire code and staying on top of solar farm developments and applications.
Stephanie Irvine is a freelance reporter.