Jim Jackson was named chief of the Downers Grove Fire Department today, after serving as acting chief following the August 2009 retirement of Chief Phil Ruscetti.
Jackson was one of five finalists chosen to interview for the position following a competitive search. “Jim Jackson’s outstanding leadership qualities, organizational knowledge and demonstrated commitment to efficiency and innovation [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Public Safety'
Jackson named fire chief
January 28th, 2010 · 6 Comments · Fire and police, Public Safety, Village Hall
League slates “State Of” talks
January 23rd, 2010 · Comments Off · Fire and police, Public Safety
FYI.
These talks, presented by the League of Women Voters, are golden opportunities to hear and learn direct from department heads about where they are and what challenges and opportunities they see coming that will effect us all.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 – State of the Downers Grove Fire Department – Speaker: either the new [...]
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Good deeds to do, part two
January 7th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Fire and police, In the News, Neighbohoods, Public Safety, Village Council
The shocking aftermath of the Jan. 2 fire in the 4700 block of Main Street is plain to see: A burned-out shell of a house with boarded up windows, blackened siding and a gaping roof.
What isn’t so obvious is the huge outpouring of support that already is being extended to homeowner Beth Southworth and her [...]
Tags: house fire
Snow patrol
December 9th, 2009 · 11 Comments · Public Safety, Public Works, Traffic, Village Council, Village Hall
Public Works Director Nan Newlon gave a timely report on the village’s snow removal effort at Tuesday’s village council workshop meeting.
Residents can expect the same level of service as in previous years, Newlon said, with public works crews attacking the 170 miles of village streets on a triage basis.
Priority One streets, those with the highest [...]
Tags: snow removal
Information, please
November 19th, 2009 · 3 Comments · Community Events, Fire and police, Heritage Fest, Public Safety, Public Works, Taxes, Village Hall
Village Hall deserves credit for making this year’s budget process a little less painful — at least for residents seeking information about village operations and the various cost-savings proposals.
Members of the budget team, which includes personnel from the village manager’s office and finance office, have been posting a series of “budget responses’ on the village [...]
Tags: 2010 budget
Putting a face to it
November 19th, 2009 · 23 Comments · Fire and police, Public Safety, Village Council, Village Hall
It’s undoubtedly been a very long autumn for the village employees who stand to lose their jobs as a result of 2010 budget cuts.
For weeks the council has deliberated how to shore up the gaping $4.5 million budget shortfall, leaving employees on edge as they await the final vote in December. On the block: 10 [...]
Tags: 2010 budget·budget cuts
Cracked shell slated for demolition
November 15th, 2009 · 18 Comments · Park District, Public Safety
The Fishel Park band shell is scheduled for demolition as soon as possible after a structural expert determined it is no longer safe.
The park district has been monitoring a crack in the 50-year-old shell for some time. In October it was determined that the shell is leaning as far as possible before it risks falling.
Tags: Fishel Park band shell
Of burglars, coyotes and FOIAs
November 3rd, 2009 · 1 Comment · Public Safety, Village Council, Village Hall
Downers Grove Police Dept. detectives have identified those believed responsible for a series of residential burglaries, Police Chief Robert Porter told the village council at its Nov. 3 meeting.
He credited the community-wide notification system for alerting residents of the danger and generating many responses.
“We’ve identified a core group of individuals from another community that we [...]
RedSpeed exposed
November 1st, 2009 · 9 Comments · Public Safety, Traffic, Transportation
Although red light cameras are still viewed as a legitimate way to generate a lot of cash, our council seems to be camera shy of the whole idea, and for good reasons. Mayor Sandack has already expressed concerns that RLC tread into personal rights areas that might better be steered clear of (fourth, fourteenth and [...]
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Leaner and meaner
December 3rd, 2009 · Comments Off · Commentary, Community Events, Public Safety, Public opinion, Social services, Taxes, Village Council, Village Hall
If there’s something good to come from this agonizing budget season, maybe it’s the call by several commissioners for a debriefing where both the council and the community can discuss how the process can be improved.
“We need to look at the process and what we’ve done right and and what we can do better in [...]
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Tags: 2010 budget