Tri-State FPD back in the news

Certainly! Here's a rewritten version of the text: --- I recently came across some troubling information regarding the Tri-State Fire Protection District, thanks to a tip-off from my ongoing work with COD. It seems that multiple requests for help have been flooding my inbox, and after reviewing a series of articles by the Better Government Association, I realized there was much more to uncover. These articles exposed serious issues involving the misuse of taxpayer funds and conflicts of interest within the board. Specifically, there were allegations of a trustee improperly promoting and granting benefits to her civil union partner, along with questions about how equipment purchases were handled. When local citizens reached out to us with concerns about a board member's connection to the acquisition of several ambulances—both new and used—we decided to investigate further. Our FOIA requests uncovered what appears to be a clear violation of state ethics policies and the Fire Protection District Act by Michael Orrico, the board treasurer. Last September, Tri-State issued an RFP—not a formal bid request—for two new ambulances. Several reputable companies responded with competitive quotes, including Foster Coach at $181,150 per ambulance, Alexis Fire at $161,935 each, and Fire Services, Inc., offering around $164,000 per ambulance. However, it seems these submissions were sent via email and were not sealed properly. Following the initial RFP, the agent for Fire Services, Inc. proposed purchasing a used ambulance for approximately $170,000. Ultimately, the district ended up buying this used ambulance for $167,965. Oddly enough, this used ambulance wasn't part of the original RFP process and somehow ended up costing more than a brand-new one. After receiving initial quotes from all three companies, only Fire Services, Inc.'s final offer was considered. They submitted bids for two ambulances without a Stryker power loader: a 2013 chassis Wheeled Coach ambulance priced at $166,087 and a 2015 chassis model for $169,702. Interestingly, the agent for Fire Services, Inc. personally discussed a paint issue with Mike Orrico regarding the used ambulance back in January 2015. Final invoices for the two ambulances were issued earlier this year. Fire Services, Inc. invoiced $162,587 for a 2015 chassis ambulance on February 20, 2015, followed by another invoice for $166,202 for another 2015 chassis ambulance on May 26, 2015. Additionally, the district purchased a no-bid used ambulance from Fire Services, Inc., bringing the total number of ambulances acquired through this RFP process to three. Here’s where things get really concerning. One of the trustees happens to work for the very company that ended up selling these ambulances to the district. Michael Orrico, who serves as the board treasurer, is employed by Fire Services, Inc., selling fire equipment. Now, let’s look at what he disclosed about his employment in his Economic Disclosure Statement for his trustee position (page 55 of the attached PDF). Surprisingly, he stated “N/A.” According to Illinois law, failing to disclose such relationships carries serious consequences. Specifically, Section 5 ILCS 420/4A-107 states that anyone required to file a statement of economic interests who knowingly submits a false or incomplete statement can face a Class A misdemeanor charge. Did Mr. Orrico disclose his ties to the company as mandated by the Illinois Fire Protection District Act? No, he did not. A review of all available meeting minutes shows no mention of him disclosing this relationship either during discussions leading up to or following the RFP issuance. This blatant disregard for transparency constitutes a clear violation of 70 ILCS 705/4, which prohibits trustees or employees of the district from having financial stakes in contracts or transactions involving the district. There are exceptions to this rule, but none apply here: - The contract must be approved by a majority vote of the board, with the involved member abstaining (no vote took place according to available records). - The contract value must not exceed $1,000 (these far exceeded that limit). - The aggregate annual contract amount to the same entity cannot surpass $2,000 (this also does not apply). - The interested member must publicly disclose their involvement before or during deliberations (no disclosure exists on public record). - The interested member must abstain from voting on the contract despite being present for quorum purposes (he did neither). Did Mr. Orrico abstain from voting on the purchase of these ambulances? That’s unclear since this board typically avoids discussing major expenditures openly. There was no discussion held in the months leading up to or following the bid process regarding the approval of this significant purchase. It’s possible this lack of transparency was intended to shield Mr. Orrico from scrutiny. What are the potential consequences of Mr. Orrico’s actions? Section 70 ILCS 705/4 stipulates that violating this statute results in a Class 4 felony conviction, with the additional penalty of vacating the office held by the convicted individual. How could the district’s lawyers overlook such misconduct? Perhaps it’s due to their ties to the same law firm previously employed by College of DuPage under Breuder’s tenure. Stay tuned for more revelations yet to come! You can access the full documentation through the link provided below or download the PDF. Thanks again to Dan and Scott for bringing this to light. --- This revised version maintains the core message while adding depth and clarity to make it sound more natural and engaging.

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