SYCAMORE — The City of Sycamore has named retired DeKalb Fire Chief Mike Thomas as interim fire chief, effective March 9. The move follows the as yet to be explained departure of Fire Chief Bart Gilmore, whose career in the fire service began in 1991. Gilmore joined the Sycamore Fire Department in 2022 and later accepted the role of interim fire chief before being sworn in as the city’s fire chief in June 2023. No reason was given for his leaving the position. He recently expressed his frustration at the department being short staffed after the fire that destroyed Tom and Jerry’s restaurant.
Gilmore said staffing levels remained a concern at a Sycamore City Council meeting last month, adding, “Sycamore is running very minimally, and it creates a hazard not just to the firefighters, but it hampers our ability to serve the citizens.”
