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Oak Lawn fire chief to add Chicago Ridge to his duties
The Southtown Star recently published an article about the replacement for the Chicago Ridge fire chief, who stepped down earlier this month.
Oak Lawn Fire Chief George Sheets is set to take on a new role, but he won’t be leaving his current position. A deal was unanimously approved by the village board on Tuesday night, allowing Sheets to continue as Oak Lawn’s fire chief while also leading the Chicago Ridge Fire Department through 2016.
According to Oak Lawn Village Manager Larry Deetjen, the Chicago Ridge Village Board is expected to formally approve the agreement at its meeting on July 15. Deetjen explained that the idea came from Chicago Ridge Mayor Chuck Tokar, who approached Oak Lawn with the proposal. However, Tokar was unavailable for comment late Tuesday.
This development follows the recent resignation of Chicago Ridge Fire Chief Robert Muszynski, who cited “personal differences†with village officials, particularly Mayor Tokar, over potential changes to the fire department. Several Chicago Ridge trustees have since confirmed that Muszynski resigned at Tokar’s urging, and the board accepted his resignation last month.
The tension in the community escalated several weeks prior when the village board encouraged Tokar to explore more efficient ways to manage firefighting and ambulance services. This has raised concerns among firefighters, who fear job losses if the department is restructured. Possible changes include contracting out ambulance services or dissolving the fire department altogether and joining a fire protection district, according to Tokar.
Last month, Christ Schmelzer, president of Chicago Ridge Professional Firefighters Local 3098, expressed concern over the rising tensions in the firehouse following Muszynski’s departure and the potential restructuring of the department.
While Deetjen did not comment directly on the proposed changes, he acknowledged that there are opportunities to run fire departments more efficiently. He added that Sheets will soon meet with the 13 firefighters in Chicago Ridge to get to know them better and begin his new role.
Thanks, Dan.