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The Landmark.com recently published an op-ed piece discussing a controversial proposal in North Riverside regarding the potential privatization of the local fire department.
Pardon the residents of North Riverside if they're feeling a bit embarrassed these days. Known for their hard work and commitment to fairness, North Riverside residents have consistently paid their taxes with the expectation that their elected officials are managing village affairs responsibly. Unfortunately, the reality is far from that. The politicians who make spending decisions on behalf of the community have been misusing public funds, including diverting money meant for police and firefighter pensions into other areas.
This isn’t just a minor oversight—it's a serious misuse of public resources. In five out of the last ten fiscal years, the village board failed to contribute even a single dollar to the firefighters’ pension fund. Now, Mayor Hubert Hermanek Jr. is pushing for the privatization of the fire department, not because the current team is incapable, but to siphon off more funds that should be going toward public safety.
North Riverside firefighters are among the most professional in the Midwest. So why is the mayor considering privatization? Because the village board lacks the integrity to pay its bills like the residents do. This isn't a new issue—on July 5, 2011, The Landmark reported warnings from then-Trustee Rocco DeSantis about potential lawsuits due to non-compliance with pension obligations. He also pointed out the hypocrisy of the board, as their own pensions were fully funded under the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund.
Privatizing a public fire department raises serious questions about political ethics. After all, public service is not supposed to be a profit-driven enterprise. More importantly, this move by Mayor Hermanek poses a real threat to the safety of all North Riverside residents. Communities maintain public fire and police departments for one reason: to protect the safety and security of families at every level of government.
The actions of the mayor and the village board are not just embarrassing—they’re unacceptable. It’s time for accountability, transparency, and a commitment to the people who support this community every day.
Pat Devaney, President
Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois
Thanks, Dan.
From the Chicago Sun-Times:
The union representing North Riverside firefighters has vowed to take legal action if the village moves forward with plans to hand over control of the fire department to a private company. The mayor claims the move is aimed at addressing a pension crisis, but the company set to receive the contract has also contributed heavily to his political party. This could lead to costly legal battles, which officials had hoped to avoid.
Rick Urbinati, president of the North Riverside Firefighters Union-Local 2714, said the plan would violate multiple state labor laws. Since 2008, the village has underpaid or skipped contributions to both police and fire pension funds, leaving them only 40% funded. A recent law now allows the state to intercept tax revenues from municipalities that fail to meet their obligations.
Mayor Hermanek, who took office last year, says the village faces a $1.9 million deficit and relies heavily on sales tax revenue, which has been low since the recession. With a population of just 6,700, the village can't raise sales taxes without home rule status, and property taxes would be too high to cover the pension shortfall.
To address this, Hermanek is proposing a $9 million, five-year contract with Paramedic Services of Illinois—a company that has donated over $3,800 to his political party. The company has contributed 26% of the party’s fundraising since 2005, according to state records.
Under the proposal, the 16 unionized firefighters would be offered jobs with the private company, which currently provides ambulance services. They would keep their base pay but lose benefits and pensions in favor of a 401(k) plan. The plan is scheduled for a final vote on July 14.
Union leaders say they will refuse to work for the company and are open to negotiating an alternative deal. Trustee H. Bob Demopoulos, the only critic of the plan, called it unethical, saying the village has long subsidized services and never bid out contracts before. “Now we’re asking our firefighters to sacrifice,†he said.