Dixon firefighter honored for 26 years of service with the department

DIXON — Deputy Fire Chief David Lohse of the Dixon City Fire Department was honored for his fire services career during the Dixon City Council’s regular meeting Monday, June 4.

Lohse retired May 10 after 26 years of service with the department and 32 years of working in emergency services. He began in the fire service as a volunteer firefighter in the Franklin Grove Fire Protection District. He was hired onto the Dixon City Fire Department on May 2, 1998. He was promoted to lieutenant in May 2008, captain in November 2009 and deputy chief in June 2019, Dixon Fire Chief Ryan Buskohl said.

“Throughout his career, he’s maintained a commitment to constant improvement for not only himself but the emergency service as a whole,” Buskohl said.

Lohse has served as an instructor at the Illinois Fire Service Institute; implemented MABAS Division 38 of Lee County and served as president for eight years; built a county hazmat team and acquired funding from grants to provide equipment and training; developed the department’s drone program; and previously served as president of the Dixon Firefighters Association Local 1943.

Buskohl presented Lohse with framed firefighter memorabilia. Nate McCoy, president of the Dixon Firefighters Association Local 1943, gave him a retirement axe.

In other business Monday, the council:

• authorized the sale of the street and property department’s Toro walk-behind mower, four zero-turn mowers, three John Deere zero-turn mowers, a John Deere 3120 tractor with bucket, a John Deere 2955 tractor with bat-wing mower, a John Deere H160 loader arms and bucket, a Frontier SB2164 snowblower, and a Polaris Ranger for an estimated total of $64,400.
• approved the street and property department to purchase a Stihl RZ972IK from Ace Hardware of Dixon, two John Deere Z960Ms with baggers and four John Deere Z950Rs from Prairie State Tractor for a total of $114,177; and approved the purchase of a 2024 John Deere Gator XUV835M from Prairie State Tractor for $27,811.
• authorized the sale of the water department’s 2019 Ram ProMaster van to Ken Nelson Auto Group for $13,500 and approved the purchase of a GMC Sierra 1500 from Ken Nelson Auto Group for $35,181.
• approved a memorandum of understanding between the city of Dixon and Dixon Firefighters Association Local 1943 to temporarily modify firefighters’ regular work hours. The agreement states that beginning July 22, 2024, Dixon City firefighters will work a schedule of 48 hours on followed by 96 hours off until July 22, 2025. Firefighters are currently on a schedule of 24 hours on followed by 48 hours off and are looking to see if this change in schedule would be beneficial to them because they would have a greater amount of consecutive time off to relax and spend time with their families, McCoy said while presenting the agenda item. In June 2025, the council will vote to make the 48/96 schedule permanent or return to the 24/48 schedule.
• accepted the low bid of $999,908 from Martin & Company of Oregon to complete the general maintenance portion of the fiscal 2025 street resurfacing project using funds from infrastructure and motor fuel tax budgets. Matt Heckman, Dixon’s assistant city manager, said they will get contracts written within the next couple of weeks. He expects road work to begin in late July.