Manhattan Fire Protection District Meeting | October 2025

The Manhattan Fire Protection District Board of Trustees on Monday, October 20, 2025, approved the final major contract for its new fire station, awarding a landscaping bid for the 21-acre property to ICI Builds. The board also reviewed a draft operational budget that reflects significant increases in insurance costs, with health and workers’ compensation premiums rising 16% and 20%, respectively. For more details on these topics, please see the full stories.

In other business, the board approved its 2025 tax levy determination, which will capture a 4.99% increase, and received news of a federal grant award for Station 83.

News Briefs

District Approves 4.99% Tax Levy Increase:
The Board of Trustees unanimously approved the district’s 2025 tax levy determination. Accountant James Howard reported that while the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has dropped to 2.9%, the district is permitted under PTELL (Property Tax Extension Limitation Law) to capture a rate increase of 4.99%. The district’s Equalized Assessed Valuation (EAV) is $830,205,165 with $12.8 million in new growth. No public hearing is required for the levy.

Federal Grant Awarded for Station 83:
Deputy Chief Dave Piper announced that the district has been awarded an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) for a source capture system at Station 83. Source capture systems are designed to remove harmful vehicle exhaust fumes from fire stations, improving air quality and reducing health risks for firefighters.

Financials Remain Healthy at 9-Month Mark:
Governmental accountant James Howard presented a 9-month financial analysis showing that the district has collected 79% of its budgeted revenue. He noted that ambulance revenue and interest collection “looks good.” Bond revenue proceeds are expected to appear in the next month’s report.

Fire Marshal to Discuss Code Updates in Peotone:
The Fire Marshal’s report noted that he will be attending an upcoming Village of Peotone board meeting to discuss updating local fire codes. The report, from FLSE Jackie Palkovitz, also mentioned ongoing work on solar developments and a busy fire prevention month schedule.