Dissolving IL Department Means Win for Volunteer FFs

OQUAWKA, Ill. — Residents of the village of Oquawka voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to dissolve the Oquawka Fire Department, clearing the way for the Oquawka Fire Protection District to move forward with its operations.

Eighty-seven percent of the 300 Oquawka residents who cast ballots in the special election Tuesday did so in favor of dissolving the department.

"I'm just thankful to the residents for saying yes to the volunteer firemen to become part of the fire protection district," said Donna Dunn, president of the Oquawka Fire Protection District Board.

Oquawka voters first passed a referendum establishing the Oquawka Fire Protection District in April 2017 by a 397 to 210 vote, allowing for the department, comprised solely of volunteers, to take ownership of itself and collect tax dollars to fund its services.

The vote was a victory for volunteer firefighters as the department had been unable to set its own budget, relying instead on the village to provide funding on an as-needed basis and collecting an annual bill of $50 from the 500 to 600 rural property owners outside the village of Oquawka but inside the fire department's service area. Only about half of those property owners actually paid the bill. Prior to the April 2017 referendum, Oquawka was one of only three villages in the state of Illinois that did not have a fire protection district with its own tax levy.

The fire protection district operates on an annual budget of about $40,000, which is looked after by the district's board. The money will be used for equipment repairs, insurance costs and training for volunteer firefighters.

"The guys will be trained and have the proper equipment," Dunn said. "They'll be safer and, therefore, I think people will be, too."

What did not appear on that ballot, however, was a question that would allow the fire department to disband.

As a result, the fire protection district was able to collect tax dollars to fund its operations. Without the village being released from its responsibility to provide fire protection services, however, it was unable to sell the equipment and building to the fire protection district. Without ownership, the district could not take out insurance.

Had the referendum been rejected, the village would have had to retain ownership of the fire station and contract with the fire protection district for its services. The fire protection district is in the process of negotiating a purchase agreement for the fire station, trucks and equipment. The village now is asking $150,000.

A trust the district anticipates it will receive in 2020 will help offset the cost of the purchase and other operating expenses.

"If we can just be really fiscally careful, and we plan to be, we should be OK," Dunn said. "I'm just looking forward to the fire district being able to better itself. ... These are good men and women on the fire department. They've got big hearts and a willingness to serve, and the district board is really proud of them."

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