The Better Government Association has published an article from the Tri-State Fire Protection District, which is now available on their website:
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**More Smoke Rising From Tri-State**
*December 30, 2013*
Trustees Hamilton “Bo†Gibbons and Jill Strenzel / BGA photo
Firefighters know better than most: where there's smoke, there's often fire. And in the western suburbs, a growing number of firefighters are starting to smell something off—literally.
The Better Government Association has already uncovered troubling patterns within the Darien-based Tri-State Fire Protection District, including questionable spending, conflicts of interest, and even allegations of pension "spiking." Since those initial reports, more strange events have taken place, raising serious concerns about the district’s leadership and transparency.
One of the latest issues involves confidential audio recordings from closed-door board meetings. According to the Illinois Open Meetings Act, the three-member board of trustees is allowed to meet in private for sensitive matters like personnel or legal issues—but they must keep a full record of those sessions.
Until recently, these tapes were stored at the home of Trustee Jill Strenzel, who lives with Fire Chief Michelle Gibson, with whom she has been in a relationship since 2012. When Trustee Michael Orrico raised questions about the location of the tapes and the accuracy of meeting minutes during a public session, Strenzel claimed the tapes were being kept at her home due to ongoing renovations at the district.
But what followed was anything but straightforward. Seven special meetings were scheduled to review the tapes, and at least four were canceled. One particularly odd incident involved the police.
On November 21, Burr Ridge police responded to a reported burglary at the Tri-State station on Madison Street. According to police reports obtained by the BGA, Strenzel claimed someone had broken into a safe containing tapes and other notes. However, after an investigation, no items were found missing, and the case was reclassified as "suspicious circumstances."
Strenzel, who is the only person with access to the safe, reportedly asked a police officer what to do if the tapes had been erased using a magnet. The officer advised her to contact authorities, according to records. A second call came just hours later, this time asking the police to help move items from the safe to a new one. Though they declined to physically assist, officers watched as Strenzel moved several envelopes, plastic bags, and recording devices.
This bizarre event occurred just days after another strange incident. On November 18, before a regular board meeting, Strenzel fell outside the station and broke two empty tape recorders. Meeting minutes show that a district employee was sent to purchase a new recorder so the meeting could proceed.
Despite all this, the details of the closed sessions remain unclear. At the December 17 board meeting, the trustees voted (with Strenzel and Gibbons in favor, Orrico against) to keep the minutes from several closed sessions confidential.
Meanwhile, another development is unfolding: paramedics and EMTs employed by Public Safety Services Inc., but working out of Tri-State, are organizing to form a union. Over 50% of workers have signed cards seeking representation, and an election is set to take place at the end of the month.
In a related move, Fire Chief Michelle Gibson announced that Shelly Carbone, who oversaw the paramedics, would be moving to a corporate role at PSSI. No response was received from the company when contacted.
With all the recent turmoil, it seems the Tri-State Fire Protection District is under increasing scrutiny. As the smoke continues to rise, firefighters are watching closely, waiting to see what comes next.
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*Thanks to Dan & Scott*
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