Elmhurst Hiring Freeze May Still Affect Fire Department

ELMHURST, IL — The Elmhurst City Council is slated to vote on a measure Monday to continue to apply the city's hiring freeze to some top positions in the fire department.

In May 2020, City Manager Jim Grabowski announced a freeze on vacancies in the city because of the pandemic. In December, the council assigned one of its committees to review the city's services and staffing levels.

At its meeting, the council is expected to vote on a resolution stating that a need continues to exist to review the staffing levels in the fire department.

The resolution also said that it is in the best interests of the city that any vacancies that have occurred or may occur in the ranks of battalion chief and lieutenant should remain unfilled until the completion of the review.

The city often accompanies resolutions with memos explaining the background, but did not do so in this case.

According to the city's website, the fire department's manpower includes fire chief, deputy fire chief, three battalion chiefs, six lieutenants, 33 firefighters and 12 contract paramedics.

In April, then-Fire Chief Tom Freeman gave the city four days' written notice before he left the fire department's helm. Since then, Bill Anaszewicz, the deputy chief, has been serving as acting chief.