South Beloit Mayor and councilors on Oct. 6 said the city will move forward with a formal chief search and that restoring dependable ambulance and fire coverage will likely cost more than the city has paid in recent years.

The council said it has started a hiring process with the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association to recruit candidates for a permanent fire chief. “We hope to have that education process in place by the end of the week,” City Administrator Sonia said, describing plans to publish the job posting broadly and forward the most qualified candidates to an assessment center after a 30‑day posting period.

The discussion followed months of failed contract negotiations and public criticism over a previously proposed merger with nearby fire providers. Mayor acknowledged community frustration and said negative public campaigning had undermined earlier combination efforts. “We will be in a position now where it’s gonna cost us more money,” the mayor said, adding the city paid less than $1 million for fire service in the past year but faces higher costs going forward.

Council members and staff described four staffing options under consideration: hire a chief and staff the department with city employees; contract for a chief and personnel from a neighboring provider such as Metro; a hybrid model combining a city chief with contracted personnel; or other hybrid arrangements. Council directed staff to continue negotiating with the Chiefs Association and to meet with potential contract carriers later in the week.

Deputy Chief Snyder presented quarterly operations and maintenance updates. The department reported six fire calls in the past three months and 195 EMS calls for the quarter; September alone had 58 EMS calls. Snyder said ambulances passed state DOT and IDHP inspections and that recent maintenance work included a new diesel particulate filter, radiator repairs, brakes, tires, and installation of narcotics safes. He said both ambulances are undergoing regular preventive maintenance while the ordered replacement ambulance is delayed until 2026.

Public comment at the meeting reflected split views: some residents urged the council to accept volunteer offers from a local group with long service history, while the mayor and council emphasized the need for guaranteed, qualified staffing now rather than promises of personnel “trickling in.” Resident Don Hibber said the volunteer group had “over a hundred and fifty years of fire service,” while the mayor replied that proposals from outside groups were welcome to apply for the chief position but the city needed immediate, reliable staffing.

The council approved an ordinance that allocates funds to hire a chief if the council later chooses to do so; the ordinance authorizes spending but does not obligate the city to hire immediately. Council members said a new permanent structure for the department will likely cost the city more than the service levels purchased in 2024.

The council also noted an immediate operational detail: because the replacement ambulance is delayed until 2026, the city used capital funds originally set aside for the 2026 street sweeper to purchase that sweeper in 2025 and shift ambulance expenditures to 2026.

The council scheduled ongoing work with the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association on recruitment materials and public postings and said a final staffing decision — hire, contract, or hybrid — will follow further assessment and potential contract discussions.