Elmhurst Fire Department Cuts Costs, Socks Away Cash For Trucks

ELMHURST, IL – The city of Elmhurst is facing tougher budget choices, and the fire department is no exception.

At a City Council meeting this week, City Manager Jim Grabowski said he asked every department to submit cuts that would amount to 5 percent.

"Some of those were enacted here, others were not," he said.

In the fire department, the city is looking to cut spending on training and fire prevention.

This budget year, the department has cut $100,000 in overtime. The city is budgeting about the same amount for overtime next year.

Alderman Mike Brennan wondered why overtime wouldn't be further cut, asking whether the department was fully staffed.

Fire Chief Dick Dufort said the department was fully staffed "so to speak." This year, he said, the department was short two firefighters, one of whom suffered a long-term injury.

The fire department's budget also allocates $1 million for trucks annually for the next two years.

This money is part of the city's new "central fleet fund." Officials say such contributions to the fund allow Elmhurst to sock away money for vehicles, smoothing out budgets from year to year.

"The reason that (the fire department's) contribution is substantial is because fire trucks are substantially expensive," said Christina Coyle, the city's finance director.

Alderman Michael Bram questioned the expense.

"I get that they are substantially expensive, but I'm a little surprised to see $1 million for the two years shown for that line item," he said. "A million a year just seems excessive in my mind."

Coyle said trucks are costlier now.

"The goal is to set aside a fraction of each vehicle every year, so that when we need to purchase those larger vehicles, the dollars are there to purchase them," Coyle said. "It smooths out the impact on the operating fund."

Through the fall, the City Council plans to review each department's proposed budget.