Excerpts from ChicagoTribune.com: Chicago Ridge and Oak Lawn have decided to put an end to their year-long experiment of sharing a fire chief. The arrangement, which aimed to save costs and improve efficiency, has come to a close as both communities move forward with separate leadership. Now that Chicago Ridge has hired a full-time fire chief, George Sheets will return exclusively to leading the Oak Lawn Fire Department. Sheets requested the change so he could focus solely on his role in Oak Lawn, a position he has held for six years. He has been managing both departments over the past year, splitting his time between the two towns by spending about two days each week in Chicago Ridge. Chicago Ridge Mayor Chuck Tokar expressed his appreciation for Sheets’ service, saying, “We’ll miss him, but he’s not leaving until we find a suitable replacement—whether that takes three or six months.†Despite the challenges of overseeing two fire departments, Tokar admitted the shared leadership model had worked well and wished it could continue. However, the demands of running both departments proved too much for one individual. Sheets took over as fire chief in 2014 after Robert Muszynski resigned due to disagreements with village officials, including Mayor Tokar, over potential changes to the fire department. At the time, Tokar wanted to reopen the 107th Street and Lombard Avenue firehouse without hiring the seven to eight full-time firefighters that Muszynski believed were necessary. Instead, part-timers were used to staff the station. A recent advertisement on the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association website highlights Sheets’ achievements in Chicago Ridge, including the reopening of the fire station and cost reductions. It also mentions that the new chief’s salary will be determined based on experience. In addition to re-opening the long-closed station, Sheets introduced a part-time firefighter program that now includes 11 members and is expected to grow to around 15. These part-timers allow Chicago Ridge to maintain six firefighters on duty during each shift—more than before—and the system has been functioning effectively. The station at 107th and Lombard is currently open 12 hours a day but will transition to 24-hour service by August, according to Sheets. Under an agreement between the two village boards last July, Chicago Ridge contributed one-third of Sheets’ salary, which amounted to $37,695. The town currently employs 13 full-time firefighters and 23 part-time or on-call firefighters. The fire department’s budget for fiscal 2015 was $2.7 million, and it responds to approximately 2,600 calls annually, most of which are medical-related. Oak Lawn Mayor Sandra Bury stated that neither she nor the city trustees pressured Sheets to return to full-time duty in Oak Lawn. “No, no, no,†she said. “Everyone benefits from shared resources.†Thanks, Dan Flat Wine Bottle,Glass Liquor Bottles,Glass Spirit Bottles,Glass Champagne Bottles ,Spirits & Liquor Bottles Wuxi Yogo Material Co.,Ltd , https://www.yogobottle.com