mokena fire protection district logo graphic.5

Mokena Fire District Approves Annual Budget After Public Hearing

The Mokena Fire Protection District Board of Trustees unanimously adopted its budget and appropriation ordinance for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, finalizing the district’s spending plan after a formal public hearing during its June 10 meeting.

The approval of Ordinance No. 2025-3 sets the legal appropriation for the district for the fiscal year that began June 1, 2025, and ends May 31, 2026.

Accountant James Howard, attending the meeting via Zoom, presented the tentative budget to the board. District attorney John Motylinski was also present to advise the board on the legal requirements of the process.

Trustee Robert Hennessy motioned to open the public hearing at 7:34 p.m., which was seconded by Trustee Craig Warning and approved by a unanimous roll call vote. No members of the public were in attendance to comment on the budget.

With no public input, the board immediately moved to close the hearing. Immediately after, Warning made a motion, seconded by Trustee Ken Blank, to formally adopt the budget ordinance. The motion passed with a unanimous roll call vote from Trustees Haas, Blank, Hennessy, Burkhardt, and Warning.

The newly adopted budget includes a previously discussed $15,000 line item for firefighter cancer screenings, a health and safety benefit added by Fire Chief Joe Cirelli to support early detection for personnel.

Following the vote, the board signed the necessary documents. The district’s legal counsel, Ottosen Dinolfo Hasenbalg & Castaldo, Ltd., will now publish and file the ordinance with Will and Cook counties as required by law.

In other financial news, Chief Cirelli reported that the district’s annual audit is “well underway.” He told the board the process will take a few months and that the auditor is expected to present the final report in the fall. The board also approved the payment of monthly bills totaling $165,680.52.

Events

No events

Latest News Stories

SSUCv3H4sIAAAAAAAACnSRz07DMAzG70i8Q5XzKpY10I0jB248wcTBdcwaLUum/AGhae9O0rQjB7jFP9uf/cWX+7umYQN4hey5ueQoxUrr6IODoKxJeL2auSMjydWEpArWKdA1HCDgaOBECZqodcbXKcl8gBA9+TxsRgiBDkmjwJtE2Whf4mZJTMnUkVKMrSrm4zCxBRXxfzpfoleGvH94VQYM0l9Kb8ojaQ2GbPS/suXxvliFAxn8ntxULh1pguJyX0rZ8SuQO9W+IUplK8ufFkHngq5SOjuFyhyqNhvG6QRLG9pogssr3D6EaWvPMOj8/x9JkxY+gvepXC68GoTp4PZUzTE2TAZmVSbTmXLIu023E6Lre7HlohNPYi4opx1V0pnWWYRSjEcla+sqb8AIibbYb1qOXLZih7wdeNe3m+6Ry4H3fECRPv76AwAA//8DAJrJGBCkAgAA

Township Appoints Temporary FOIA Officer During Trustee’s Leave of Absence

ARTICLE SUMMARY: The Green Garden Township Board appointed resident Belinda Olszewski as a temporary, non-paid Administrative Assistant and FOIA Officer to fill the roles while Trustee Sarah Boxer is on a...
Meeting-Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Green Garden Township Board for August 11, 2025

The Green Garden Township Board pushed forward with plans for a new town hall and approved key budget transfers to support the assessor's office during its August 11th meeting. Supervisor...
Windmill Media Logo

About Us

Your Community, Your News. Welcome to Windmill Media! Our name was inspired by the windmills that once stood as centers of town life, harnessing a natural force to power and...
Everyday Economics: CPI takes center stage as tariff-driven price pressures mount

Everyday Economics: CPI takes center stage as tariff-driven price pressures mount

By Orphe DivounguyThe Center Square The economy was already slowing, and that was before higher tariffs kicked in last week, raising import taxes to the highest level since the Great...
Net negative migration is harmful to the economy, economists say

Net negative migration is harmful to the economy, economists say

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square Though the economy and immigration were issues that helped President Donald Trump secure the White House, some economists have said that too steep a decline...
Details pending on billions in foreign investments coming from trade deals

Details pending on billions in foreign investments coming from trade deals

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square When President Donald Trump announced a string of trade deals with key U.S. trading partners recently, he touted pledges for billions of dollars in U.S....
WCO-Finance-Aug-5.1

Will County Health Department Seeks $1 Million to Avert ‘Drastic’ Service Cuts from Expiring Grants

ARTICLE SUMMARY: The Will County Health Department is requesting an additional $1 million in county funding for its 2026 budget to prevent the elimination of 11 critical staff positions, warning...
WCO-Cap-Imp-8.5.1

Will County’s “First-in-Nation” Veterans Center to House Workforce Services, Sparking Debate

ARTICLE SUMMARY: The new Will County Veteran's Assistance & Support Center will also become the home for the county's Workforce Services department, a move officials say will save approximately $250,000 in...
WCO-Finance-Aug-5.2

Improved Vendor Service Creates $1.2 Million Shortfall in Sheriff’s Medical Budget

ARTICLE SUMMARY: The Will County Sheriff’s Office is facing a more than $1.2 million shortfall in its budget for inmate medical services, a problem officials attribute to an ironic cause:...
WCO-PZ-Aug-5.1

Will County Public Works Committee Unveils 25-Year Transportation Plan, Projects $258 Million Gap

ARTICLE SUMMARY: Will County officials have presented "Our Way Forward 2050," a new long-range transportation plan that provides a 25-year vision for infrastructure projects while forecasting a $258 million shortfall in...
WCO-Public-Safety.4

Will County Animal Protection Services Seeks New Facility Amid “Gaping Wound” of Space Crisis

Article Summary: Will County Animal Protection Services is seeking approval for a new facility, telling a county committee that its current building is critically inadequate for housing animals, leading to...
WCO-Cap-Imp-8.5.2

Board Confronts Animal Services Crowding, Explores Future Facility Options

ARTICLE SUMMARY: Will County officials are grappling with an ongoing animal housing crisis that has overwhelmed the county’s Animal Protective Services facility, prompting discussions about expansion, new construction, or even repurposing...
WCO-Finance-Aug-5.3

Will County Board Members Demand Transparency in Cannabis Tax Fund Allocation

ARTICLE SUMMARY: A debate over transparency and process erupted at the Will County Board’s Finance Committee meeting regarding the distribution of local cannabis tax revenue. Board members called for more...
WCO-PZ-Aug-5.2

Homer Glenn Residents Push Back on 143rd Street Widening as Officials Signal “Tentative Agreement”

ARTICLE SUMMARY: A Homer Glenn farm owner voiced strong opposition to the planned widening of 143rd Street during a county meeting, while committee members indicated a "tentative agreement" is in the...
WCO-LEG-8.5.1

Will County Forges 2026 Federal Agenda Amid D.C. Policy Shifts, ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Impacts

ARTICLE SUMMARY: The Will County Board's Legislative Committee is reshaping its federal priorities for 2026, adding new language on environmental justice and LGBTQIA+ rights while creating a more transparent process for...