The Village of Peoria Heights has a new appointee leading the fire department after the village board declined to renew the contract of Chief Dan Decker.
Mayor Matt Wigginton appointed former Peoria fire chief Tony Ardis to the interim position Tuesday night, less than two weeks after the village board held a special meeting where it declined to renew Decker’s contract.
At Tuesday's meeting, Wiggington said he did not have a candidate in mind to bring to the board for approval at this time.
“If I had wanted a candidate, I would have offered one,” he said. “What I have said around here on the horseshoe and what I’ve said in executive sessions and what I’ve said to the press is that I value consistency, stability and I do not want to see any backsliding in the fire department.”
Ardis served as the Peoria Fire Department’s chief from 2019-2021; his career there started in 1994. He is the brother of former Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis.
“I think [Ardis’] name is synonymous with professionalism. I think he offers our young firefighters an educational route to professionalism,” said Wigginton. “I think, by this naming, we are taking our fire department seriously.”
The village board in Peoria Heights has been the center of controversial discussions related to support for the volunteer department over the last several years. At one point, the board considered a contract with the City of Peoria.
In September 2024, the board rescinded a decision to hire three firefighters full time and build a “hybrid” department. However, village officials frequently point out the budget for the department now sits at almost $1.1 million, a dramatic increase from roughly $250,000 in 2023.
In November 2023, the board unanimously hired Decker, the former East Peoria Fire Department assistant chief and current East Peoria City Council member, to develop the department and managed the increased budget.
“When I review our current budget, I’m deeply concerned by what I see. The funds allocated to training weren’t even sufficient to cover the most basic medical certifications, let alone the essential fire certifications required by the state,” said Peoria Heights trustee Nathan Steinwedel at the May 24 special meeting regarding Decker’s contract.
“That’s not just a budgeting oversight. It’s a fundamental failure in leadership and planning. When our firefighters are asked to perform in life-threatening situations, we must be able to say we’ve given them every tool, every qualification and every advantage we can. Right now, we can’t say that.”
Steinwedel also claimed some department equipment was not up to certification standards, a workers’ compensation claim was not reported properly, and members were not registered with the State Fire Marshal.
Other board members mentioned similar concerns about budget allocation, while some took issue with claims that “disgruntled” members of the department had undermined Decker’s tenure of less than two years.
“I have had zero contact and conversation with any firefighter, any person on the fire department, with regard to disgruntled employees, stories or anything of that sort,” said trustee Beth Khazzam.
Several community members, including former staff of the Peoria Heights department, spoke in support of Decker at the beginning of the meeting.
“There is no one within this department that is certified or qualified to step up into that position and take over the reins,” said retired Peoria Heights chief Greg Walters. “You don’t have a succession plan. This is not, from my perspective, very well thought out.”
Decker did not attend the May 24 meeting, citing short notice, but wrote a letter to the board. In it, he outlines some accomplishments like a routine live fire training schedule and improved response times, and restates claims disgruntled members of the department undermined “the chain of command.”
“I care about the firefighters and Peoria Heights and I’m proud of the enormous improvements we have made in such a short time,” reads a paragraph near the end of Decker’s letter. “While I am proud of our accomplishments, there is much more to be done.”
The board voted 5-1 to not renew Decker’s contract, with trustee Jennifer Reichert casting the lone dissenting vote.
Ardis begins his role as interim chief today. The village board has not yet discussed plans to search for a permanent replacement.
