the residents of North Riverside, Mayor Hermanek pitched the idea of contracting the fire department positions to a private contact company, Paramedic Services of Illinois, Inc.. The Village currently contracts with the company to provide paramedic services, but the plan was to contract the fire fighter positions as well. The plan has drawn significant opposition from the Fire Fighters Union Local 2714, as well as village residents, and department supporters. At the July 24 Special Meeting of the Village Board to adopt the annual appropriation, there was no vote on the privatization proposal, but the Appropriation Ordinance passed by a vote of 4 to 1. The Fiscal Year 2014-2015 (which began May 1, 2014) budget includes slashed salaries for the fire fighters. "The negotiations are not going to go on forever," said Hermanek. "This will be done by the end of the summer." On September 12, 2014, in a press release from the Village, Mayor Hugh Hermanek stated that he has instructed Village attorney's to file suit with the Cook County Courts, for the right to terminate the Firefighter's Contact, which expired April 30, 2014. The press release in part reads: References External links Landmark weekly newspaper, serving North Riverside, Riverside and Brookfield Villages in Illinois Villages in Cook County, Illinois Chicago metropolitan area