'Fiscal Voices' Slate Wins Orland Fire District Board Seats

ORLAND PARK, IL — Voters have weighed in on those jockeying for seats on the Orland Fire Protection District Board of Trustees, with an incumbent trustee keeping her seat. A current commissioner with the fire district will also take a seat.

Two, six-year terms were up for grabs, as well as one unexpired two-year. Six are vying for the former, and three for the latter.

The Fiscal Voices for Fire Safety slate topped the contentious race—with incumbent trustee Beth Damas Kaspar, incumbent Commissioner Donald "DJ" Jeffers and candidate Bridget Tolan—taking the two six-year seats and unexpired two-year seat, respectively.

Results are unofficial until certified by county clerks.

Totals as of 9:10 p.m. 45 of 45 precincts reporting.

• Danielle Dorsey: 4,345
• Christian Barcelona: 3,737
• Jennifer May: 3,222
• Beth Damas Kaspar: 5,727
• Bridget Tolan: 5,887
• Donald Jeffers: 4,908
• Mark Mitchell: 4,405
• Paris Stirrat: 3,317
• Steven Troglio: 4,361

Also running on slate Together, Protecting & Supporting Orland Fire were Danielle Dorsey, Christian Barcelona, and Jennifer May.

Both Tolan and May sought the unexpired seat.

A third slate also had two candidates—Mark Mitchell and Paris Stirrat—running for the six-year seats, and candidate Steven Troglio reaching for the unexpired one.

Patch provided a questionnaire to candidates. Their responses have been published in candidate profiles, linked below. Candidates Mitchell, Stirrat and Troglio did not participate.

Together, Protecting & Supporting Orland Fire

• Danielle Dorsey
• Christian Barcelona
• Jennifer May

Fiscal Voices for Fire Safety

• Beth Damas Kaspar
• Bridget Tolan
• Donald Jeffers

Rumors of a merger of Orland Park and Tinley Park fire agencies have heavily politicized pursuit of the fire district's trustee seats.

The Together, Protecting and Supporting Orland Fire slate is publicly endorsed by Orland Professional Firefighters Local 2754, widely known as Orland Firefighters.

Fiscal Voices for Safety claim to be the sole slate against the proposed merger, issuing campaign rhetoric and robocalls saying such—but Together, Protecting, & Supporting Orland Fire have rebuked that statement.

Fiscal Voices for Safety allege that plans for a merger originated within the local firefighters union; leadership there says they were drafted by Schofield and shared with them for consideration.

Read Orland Park Patch's coverage of the consolidation rumors.

• Orland, Tinley Leaders Refute Rumors Of Fire Departments Merging
• Merger, Other Concerns Linger As Fire District Board Cancels Last Meeting Before Election