History of the Glenbard Fire Protection District
What is a fire protection district?
It is a local government formed to provide fire protection and emergency medical services for district residents paid for by levying a local real estate property tax.
How does it work?
It functions through the establishment of a Board of Trustees, whose members are appointed under state law to establish a budget for such services and then levy a tax by ordinance to finance them.
Where is it?
There are many fire protection districts throughout the State of Illinois with their own fire departments and ambulances. Some districts are too small for complete full-time, part-time or volunteer departments. They contract out these services to nearby fire departments in larger cities and villages. The Glenbard Fire Protection District falls in this category.
At one time, it was known at the Glenbard Fire Department, a volunteer force with one station on the south side of Roosevelt Road at Main Street, Lombard. The department was disbanded in the 1960's, and fire fighting and emergency medical services were assumed by the Lombard Fire Department through a contractual agreement with the Village of Lombard. Taxes levied in the district pay Lombard for these services. This is the situation today.
Generally speaking, the district includes a number of small unincorporated enclaves near Lombard. The largest two being in an area centered on Roosevelt Road and Lawler Avenue and the other generally between 22d Street and Butterfield Road west of Finley Road. A small area of the Village of Glen Ellyn is also part of the District.
All told, the district is about 2 square miles with some 700 mostly single family homes with a total population of around 1,700. The district is served by the Lombard Fire Department's two stations, Station 1 on East St. Charles Road near Main Street and Station 2 on South Highland Avenue at 22nd Street.
In addition, the department has mutual assistance agreements with departments of surrounding communities to aid Lombard should help be needed in answering calls in the Glenbard Fire Protection District.
Through the years, the district's total area has been slowly declining. The reason is that district property owners whose lots abut the Village of Lombard are, at their request, being annexed to that community in a desire for expanded municipal services. As a result, the scope of the district is under constant change. Those wishing to view the most current map should go to the Du Page County Clerk's office on County Farm Road in Wheaton, where it is on file.
How is it organized?
On a governmental level, the district board has three trustees, all appointed on three-year staggered terms by the chairman of the Du Page County Board. The trustees during their annual meeting appoint among themselves a president, secretary, and treasurer to conduct district business.
The board's annual budget hearing and public meeting is held the second week of September in the conference room of Station 2, 2020 S. Highland Ave., Lombard, Illinois 60148 to consider a proposed budget for the year ending June 30 and an appropriation ordinance followed by a tax levy ordinance.