Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:
Carpentersville Fire Department Chief John Skillman is set to retire this spring after a long and distinguished career with the department. A native of Carpentersville, Skillman has dedicated 29 years to public service, working his way up through the ranks from lieutenant to deputy fire chief and eventually battalion chief before being named fire chief nearly a year ago. His leadership followed in the footsteps of former Public Safety Director Al Popp.
The village has already initiated an external search for Skillman’s successor, marking the third leadership change since longtime Chief John Schuldt retired in 2013. In addition to these changes at the top, recent personnel actions have seen Deputy Chief Kevin Rynders removed from his position, which has now been "civilianized." The reasons behind Rynders’ departure remain unclear, and officials have not provided further details on the matter.
Once a new chief is appointed, the village plans to conduct a comprehensive review of the fire department's organizational structure, including the role of the deputy chief position, according to Kathy Lamkin, interim director of human resources. Additionally, the village board aims to reduce overtime expenses within the department.
GovHR USA, a recruitment firm, will help identify potential candidates based on criteria provided by the village. The position offers a salary range of $125,000 to $155,000, depending on experience. Village Manager Mark Rooney emphasized the need for a strong leader who can align with the village board’s goals and foster positive relations with the International Association of Firefighters Local 4790.
Rooney described the ideal candidate as someone capable of driving cultural change, healing past tensions, and moving forward with a more unified approach. Union President Rick Nieves noted that firefighters had generally maintained good relationships with both Skillman and Rynders, despite occasional disagreements. However, he acknowledged that the relationship between the village and the union has often been strained, leaving the fire chief caught in the middle.
Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:
Members of the Carpentersville International Association of Fire Fighters Local 4790 are expressing strong concern over the planned layoffs of two full-time firefighters, scheduled to take effect on April 22. The union had just begun contract negotiations with village officials when they received the news, according to Union President Lt. Rick Nieves.
"This is very unfortunate news for our members," Nieves said in a statement. "We’ve made efforts to reduce overtime costs by agreeing to flexible scheduling, but it seems the village didn’t use those measures effectively. The union does not control the overtime that was approved and budgeted for the fiscal year."
Village Manager Mark Rooney, who had not yet seen the union’s statement, declined to comment on the issue. Nieves explained that in 2014, the village and union reached an agreement to implement a swing-shift system, allowing firefighters to cover shifts when others were on leave or vacation. At the time, the village promised that no full-time firefighters would be laid off during the term of the collective bargaining agreement, which expired in 2016. In return, the union dropped a grievance related to previous layoffs.
However, Nieves claims that the village opted out of the swing-shift program on the same day they issued layoff notices. This is the second time firefighters have made concessions to address staffing issues, he said, and he believes the burden should not fall entirely on them. "The village hasn't laid off any other employees and has given raises to others this year," Nieves added.
He also pointed out that the village has a history of delaying replacements for injured or retiring staff, which strains the overtime budget negotiated in the last contract. A recent staffing study commissioned by the village recommends increasing staffing to four firefighters per station. "We need to work together to adopt these recommendations," Nieves said. "We’ve always stepped up during crises, including financial ones. With the loss of a deputy chief, administrative assistant, and now the fire chief, our members—many of whom live in Carpentersville—feel there’s no real financial justification for these layoffs, as stated by Village President Ed Ritter. We hope this situation can be resolved positively."
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