'No Coffee Or Cake' For Retiring Elmhurst Fire Chief

ELMHURST, IL — Former Elmhurst Fire Chief Tom Freeman gave four days' written notice before he left the fire department's helm last month.

In an April 26 email to City Manager Jim Grabowski, Freeman said that "as we have discussed," he would leave four days later after nearly five years in the position.

Freeman was complimentary of the city government.

"While not the planned exit strategy I was anticipating, the emotions are still very present ... a great opportunity to work with a dedicated team and for an outstanding manager," Freeman told Grabowski. "As you will recall, I told you (about) a comment made by a peer as I was going through the hiring process — 'if you are going to go back into municipal government from a fire district, this is the manager you want to work for.' An absolutely correct forecast."

Freeman said in the email he learned many lessons.

"Great opportunities as well as frustrations, but every day, I could not wait to get to work. It's the fire service, the greatest calling in the world," Freeman said.

He said he wished he could be in on his last day, but didn't explain in the email why he could not. He said he wanted "no coffee or cake" and no "damn rocking chair." But he said he would be open to an "impromptu" meeting of department heads at Egg Harbor.

Patch reported Freeman's retirement during his last day, April 30. The information was contained in the agenda packet for the City Council's May 3 meeting, where Mayor Scott Levin took the oath of office.

As part of a package of items, the City Council appointed Deputy Fire Chief Bill Anaszewicz as the acting fire chief. No one commented on the change in leadership.

Two days later, the city announced in a news release that the fire chief had retired the previous week.

Freeman became chief in October 2016, replacing Jeff Bacidore, who served the fire department for 31 years.

Before coming to Elmhurst, Freeman served as the fire chief for the Lisle-Woodridge Fire District for 22 years. He has been a firefighter for nearly 50 years.