Board of Fire & Police Commissioners
May 27, 2026
The lede
- Approved background check for police candidate Neal Rossi (ranked #1 on eligibility list) and authorized him to proceed to polygraph testing
- Approved contract with Cops and Fire Testing Service for promotional examinations (following attorney review of language changes)
- Authorized Fire Chief to establish 2026 firefighter/paramedic eligibility list using National Testing Network for online testing throughout June 2026
- Approved contract with I Chiefs Assessment and Consulting Services for 2027 fire officer promotional process at estimated cost of $17,900 (pending attorney review)
Decisions & votes
Approval of May 22, 2026 minutes
- Approved unanimously (Villareal: Aye, Menge: Aye, Hunter: Aye)
Police candidate Neal Rossi background approval
- Approved unanimously (Menge: Aye, Villareal: Aye, Ventura: Aye)
- Note: Candidate had Marine Corps reprimand for dating relationship while separated, which violated regulations; completed required six-month separation order
Neal Rossi polygraph authorization
- Approved unanimously (Menge: Aye, Villareal: Aye, Hunter: Aye)
Cops and Fire promotional testing contract
- Approved unanimously (Menge: Aye, Villareal: Aye, Hunter: Aye)
- Attorney Holsworth reviewed and approved language changes before submission
Fire Department 2026 firefighter/paramedic examination process
- Approved unanimously (Menge: Aye, Villareal: Aye, Hunter: Aye)
- Motion to include required statutory language in meeting minutes per Section 5/3 of department rules
I Chiefs fire officer promotional assessment contract
- Approved unanimously (Menge: Aye, Villareal: Aye, Hunter: Aye)
- Estimated cost $17,900, pending attorney review of agreement
Discussion items
Police staffing levels: Currently down 3 officers from full staffing. Fully staffed would provide 6-7 officers per 12-hour shift; current minimum is 4 officers on patrol. Officer training updates: Two officers in Step #1 of Field Training Officer (FTO) program, one in final Step #4, one recently released to civil patrol, and one in Week #4 of Sauk Valley Police Academy.
Fire Department eligibility list process: State statute requires new 2-year eligibility list every two years; current list expires August 2026. Process involves 11 steps including application, written test, and prescreening interview. National Testing Network allows online testing throughout June 2026 (June 17-26, 2026 mentioned), replacing previous single-day Saturday testing format to improve candidate accessibility. Requirements: age 21-35, legal work authorization. Preference points given for paramedic certification, experience, Boone County residency, and department internship completion.
Fire officer promotional process: Three-year promotional cycle due February 2027. Selection criteria: 10% seniority points, 10% chief points, 40% assessment center, 40% written test. Estimated 18-21 potential candidates (21 total firefighters, minus those without required 5 years service). Assessment center includes tactical command scenario, “in basket” exercises, and simulated training presentations. I Chiefs selected over RMA Resource Management Associates due to larger pool of certified assessors, nonprofit status, and positive recommendations from other departments (e.g., Cherry Valley). Process expected to span 3-4 days total (1 day written test, 2-3 days assessment center).
Financial / operational notes
I Chiefs promotional assessment contract: Estimated cost $17,900 for 15 firefighter candidates testing for Lieutenant and 3 lieutenants testing for Captain. Includes tactical scenarios, evaluation criteria design, two planning meetings, exercise development, facilitators/assessors, travel expenses, printing fees, and written examination. Alternative vendor (RMA Resource Management Associates) quoted $14,000-$16,500 depending on variables.
National Testing Network: No specific cost mentioned for 2026 firefighter/paramedic eligibility list establishment.
Cops and Fire Testing Service: No specific cost mentioned for promotional examination contract.
Bills payable: None reported for this meeting.