Minutes - 02/03/2022 - Fire Chief Selection Committee1 | Page
SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND
THE FIRE CHIEF SEARCH COMMITTEE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022
6:00PM
CALL TO ORDER
The February 3, 2022, special meeting of the Board of Trustees and the Fire Chief Search
Committee was called to order at 6:04pm, in the Upper Level Conference Room at the Butler
Government Center.
ROLL CALL
Village Clerk Pruss called the roll with the following persons:
PRESENT: Trustees Larry Herman, Michael Manzo, Suresh Reddy, James Nagle, and Asif
Yusuf and residents Jim Tomaselli and Alan Koren
ABSENT: Trustee Ed Tiesenga
IN ATTENDANCE: Village Clerk Charlotte Pruss, Village Manager Greg Summers and
Village President Gopal Lalmalani
Discussion with BC Kevin Fleege
Chairman Nagle gives a little background information regarding the committee to Mr. Fleege.
Trustee Herman then asks for BC Fleege’s perspective on some of the qualities needed in a Fire
Chief. BC Fleege starts by saying the candidate needs to be trustworthy, he says that there is a
perceived lack of trust with the previous chief, the trust needs to be reestablished on both sides.
He goes on to say that there were some requests coming from the previous Chief that did not
necessarily come from the department personnel and those demands painted the department in a
bad light. He goes on to say that staffing 12 PSI was not something the department needed. He
believes that hiring a chief without the institutional knowledge or understanding of what Oak
Brook needs or how they operate would be an issue. He continues by saying that the previous
Chief came from a large department and did not know how to run a department with fewer
resources, but he states that the department is working now. Continuing, he states that there are
changes that are needed, the department is very lean and on days when there is bad weather and
heavy snow there is not enough staff to ensure safety and expediency on critical calls. Trustee
Yusuf asks what the top three priorities an incoming Chief would need to address are. BC Fleege
begins by saying that morale is the top priority, his biggest concern is the possibility of a
department suicide. The stress the staff is under is compounded by COVID fatigue, and, now the
disagreements going on between the membership and the Village exasperates that. Personnel are
well aware of the studies happening regarding response time from OBT Station 49, and talk of
possibly closing Station 93, and lowering staffing numbers which just adds to the already
MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 3, 2022
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF
TRUSTEES AND THE FIRE CHIEF
SEARCH COMMITTEE, HELD IN THE
UPPER LEVEL CONFERENCE ROOM OF
THE BUTLER GOVERNMENT CENTER,
APPROVED AS WRITTEN ON
FEBRUARY 10, 2022
2 | Page
heightened stress level. He goes on further by saying that there needs to be more communication
between the Board, management and staff. He uses the example of Trustee Tiesenga’s request to
Chief Liss for the 16 data points. The BCs were unaware of the request; and when they did find
out, they suggested a meeting with Trustee Tiesenga. He doesn’t want there to be any perceived
deception, explaining that they can provide all the information but if it’s not what the Board is
looking for or it’s not explained properly it does no good. Al Koren asks BC Fleege to verify that
EMS calls are increasing while structural fire calls are decreasing and how that affects the make-
up of the fire force. BC Fleege begins by saying in coming years there is going to be a shortage
of paramedics. Due to COVID, training has been cancelled or postponed and in all facets of the
work force there’s an employee shortage. He shares that some of the notable fire departments are
getting very few applicants to even take the test and they are having a harder time finding part
time firefighters. Employee retention is going to be critical going forward. He continues by
saying that Oak Brook is a very well respected fire department and the recent mall incident is
one of the reasons for that. He suggests growing the department and offering services to outlying
areas and billing them for those services. Trustee Herman asks about the daytime vs. nighttime
populations and staffing the same number of employees for both shifts, BC Fleege agrees that
things need to change. Conversation ensues regarding power shifts, 24 hour shifts, swing shifters
and other issues. BC Fleege states that a Fire Chief who knows both sides and can relate to the
union members as well as management is what is needed to heal the relationship between the
Fire Department, Fire Chief and Village Board and have better communication. Conversation
shifts to sharing resources with surrounding areas and realignment of apparatuses and reserve
engine and the difference between mutual aid and auto aid and tollway calls. BC Fleege ends
with saying that communication is key and meeting in person is crucial and the Oak Brook Fire
Department has the ability to be an industry leader.
ADJOURN TO CLOSED MEETING -TO CONSIDER THE APPOINTMENT OF A SPECIFIC
EMPLOYEE OF THE VILLAGE (FIRE CHIEF SELECTION), PURSUANT TO SECTION
2c(l) OF THE ILLINOIS OPEN MEETING ACT.
Motion to adjourn to closed session made by James Nagle, Seconded by Michael Manzo. Roll
Call Vote. Adjourned to closed session at 6:37pm.
The Special Meeting of the Board of Trustees and the Fire Chief Search Committee reconvened
at 8:55pm. Motion to adjourn the Special Meeting of the Board of Trustees and the Fire Chief
Search Committee made by Trustee Yusuf, seconded by Trustee Herman. Voice Vote. Motion
Carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:55pm.
ATTEST:
__________________________________ ______________________
Charlotte K. Pruss Date
Village Clerk