Voters approved a $1.6 million referendum that would allow the village to increase its tax levy by $1.6 million to hire 16 new public safety employees, firefighters and police officers, next year.
On Tuesday night, the public safety referendum was favored 2,370 to 2,199, according to completed, but unofficial, vote tallies. The polling is considered unofficial until a canvass of the votes on Friday.
The referendum asked village voters to exceed the levy limit to fund the hiring of four police officers and 12 fire-medics. Currently serving the village are 36 sworn police officers and 25 full-time fire-medics. “I think it’s really going to help the community. We’re very helpful and grateful and happy that it passed,” said Village Fire Chief Craig Roepke late Tuesday.