Fire Chief Jim Dominick believes Illinois House's recent vote will make system more sustainable.
A pension plan overhaul approved by a 95-18 vote in the Illinois House last week to address underfunding won't be felt until next year, Wilmette fire and police chiefs told Patch. "It goes in effect after January," Fire Chief Jim Dominick said. "Will it have an impact? I'm sure. But we don't expect it to hurt hiring. The changes were necessary to make the system sustainable." Dominick said the department hires about two new employees a year. The initiative would raise the retirement age for firefighters and police officers hired in 2011 to 55, up from 50. "I am reluctant to predict the overall effect of the recent pension legislation on long-term police recruitment," said Police Chief Brian King. "What I know now is that we are in the …
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Wilmette Police Department
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Chief Brian King tells Patch that Wilmette's looking to hire new officers.
Despite a sour economy and spending reductions in other nearby municipalities, the Wilmette Police Department expects to hire at least two or three new officers early next year. Although the department has had to make some capital budget cuts, such as keeping aging squad cars in use longer, it hasn't had to relieve any of its 46 sworn officers, said Police Chief Brian King. King added that the department expects to hire from a pool of at least 200 men and women, an above average application pool that's reflective of the recession. Salaries in the department start at about $60,000. "When there's a good economy we don't have a large pool to pull from, but when there's a bad economy we tend to have a bigger pool of applicants," Comdr. …
