Highwood Voters Pass 'Shared Services' Referendum

HIGHWOOD, IL - Voters in Highwood overwhelmingly supported a referendum measure that will dissolve the city’s fire department and instead partner with the city of Highland Park on shared fire and EMT services.

With 924 votes counted as of 9 p.m., 649 ‘yes’ votes were counted on the referendum, while 275 confirmed to have voted ‘no.’

With partial totals from both city precincts and a 70 percent margin, the ‘yes’ side will win for the first time since the state of Illinois began requiring a referendum in the plan of a shared fire or emergency service.

“This decision was not taken lightly by the city’s staff, elected officials or the Highwood voters,” says Scott Coren, Highwood city manager. “Its passage shows residents’ confidence in Highland Park’s internationally accredited fire department.”

The official language of the referendum is “clearly slanted to push residents to vote against it,” a spokesperson for the city of Highwood said in a news release. “Highwood is the first municipality in Illinois to successfully pass this referendum question despite facing these obstacles.”

The shared services between Highwood and Highland Park will be in effect July 1.