The Village of Peoria Heights will enter a working agreement with the Peoria Fire Department to assist with emergency calls.
The plan passed narrowly during Tuesday’s three-hour meeting that also saw trustees override the mayor’s veto of an ordinance to establish a 1% grocery tax.
The fire department’s automatic aid agreement will see Peoria firefighters assist the village’s crews in responding to structure fires, cardiac incidents, and vehicle crashes involving extrication. The annual cost is estimated at around $54,000.
The village board passed the measure on a 4-3 vote, with Mayor Matt Wigginton breaking the tie.
“Our fire department is going nowhere. We will not — let me repeat, we will not — turn our fire department over. We will continue to govern ourselves,” said trustee Nathan Steinwedel, who was among those voting in favor. “This conversation isn’t about losing control. It’s about one thing: saving lives.”
Trustees Sarah Devore and Elizabeth Khazzam joined Steinwedel in supporting the plan, saying the agreement will help overcome staffing shortages and shorten response times.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that voting for this plan is 100% what we should be doing. People who do not recognize the importance of this, I simply cannot understand it. There is a very dangerous game being played with the lives of our residents and visitors to our community,” said Khazzam.
“As a board, we have made it clear that we support our fire department and our firefighters. By passing this, we are doubling down on our commitment to training for our existing firefighters, and are protecting them in the line of duty.”
The agreement passed after trustee Brandon Wisenburg proposed a series of amendments to the ordinance, although he still voted against approval.
“I’ve looked, and you will not find another town that has chosen to solve its challenges by writing a blank check to a larger city for fire service. Every other community relies on a proven cooperative system of mutual aid. I’m not saying it's perfect, but that is essentially how the state of Illinois operates,” said Wisenburg.
“This isn’t just a new idea. It’s a risky experiment that would make us dependent on another city for our most crucial emergencies, and dependency is the opposite of true, sustainable public safety.”
Grocery tax update
By overriding the veto on a 4-2 vote, the board authorized implementing the local grocery tax. However, village residents may still have a chance to weigh in on the issue before it takes effect.
At the next meeting on Oct. 21, the board will consider placing a non-binding question on the March 17 primary ballot asking voters if the village should create a local grocery tax.
Wigginton’s veto effectively eliminated the possibility for Peoria Heights to start collecting a local grocery tax in January, as it prevented the village from meeting the Oct. 1 deadline to file its ordinance with the state. The next filing deadline is April 1, in order to start collecting the tax on July 1.
The board basically had to decide between two paths. It could override the veto and establish the tax, then possibly rescind the ordinance before April 1 if voters oppose the tax in the March election. Or, they could let the veto stand and wait to act until after seeing the ballot results.
Wisenburg, a vocal opponent of the local grocery tax, supported the second option.
“I think this is an excellent opportunity to do something this board has always advocated for, and that is talking to our constituents, and it changes nothing. It changes absolutely nothing,” said Wisenburg, who was joined by Jennifer Reichert in voting against overturning the veto.
