NBC Chicago has published an article and accompanying video that raises questions about the decisions made by the Tri-State Fire Protection District's board of trustees regarding the retirement of Fire Chief Michelle Gibson.
The former fire chief of the Tri-State Fire Protection District left her position under a cloud of unanswered questions.
Michelle Gibson, who is in a civil union with Jill Strenzel, a woman who serves as one of her supervisors and one of only three trustees overseeing the district based in southwest suburban Darien, stepped down after a contentious tenure.
Two weeks ago, Strenzel and her two fellow trustees unanimously approved a retirement package that will see Gibson receive approximately $136,000 at the end of the year — mostly for unused sick days and vacation time.
Shawn Collins, an attorney specializing in employment contracts and disputes, called the agreement “ridiculous.†He pointed out that he has never seen a case where someone was paid for unused sick days from 1989. Collins suggested that the Tri-State Fire District seems more like a “fiefdom or a private family business†where people who know each other decide how to distribute money among themselves.
Gibson’s resignation came after a year-long investigation by the Better Government Association and NBC 5 Investigates revealed a significant increase in spending on equipment, entertainment, and legal costs over the six years she served as chief. The same trustees, including her partner, approved each annual budget.
When BGA investigator Katie Drews asked the three trustees about the details of Gibson’s retirement deal, the new fire chief, Jack Mancione, responded with emails stating that “the trustees feel it is fair and reasonable to the taxpayers.â€
Local Republican leader Jim Durkin, who represents the area, said the situation “calls for public accountability.â€
Thanks to multiple sources
For more information, check out previous reports here, here, and here.
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