The Collinsville City Council’s June 23, 2026, regular meeting opened with an invocation from Warren Hirsch of South Bay Adventist Church and the Pledge of Allegiance.
The first item was the swearing-in ceremony for new firefighter-paramedic Dawson Winkleman. Fire Chief Bailot introduced Winkleman to the mayor and council, calling the moment “a little bittersweet” because it would be the last time he would introduce a new firefighter-paramedic before his “looming” departure. An inquiry was sent to the Chief for a statement, and the Collinsville Daily News was informed to inquire of City Manager Derek Jackson. At the time the article was written, there had not been a response from the city or Jackson.
Chief Bailot said he always enjoys sharing “the great things that the fire department is doing,” and described Winkleman as an excellent addition to the department. He told the council that Winkleman came to Collinsville from the Maryville Fire Department with more than two and a half years of experience and also works part-time in the emergency room at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Bailot noted that Winkleman is a nationally registered paramedic and holds advanced firefighter and fire instructor certifications through the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office. “Dawson scored number one on our recent hiring list and is an excellent addition to our high-caliber staff,” Bailot said. Mayor Jeff Stehman joined Winkleman for the ceremony and joked that the new firefighter already had “the firefighter mustache” and “the look.” Winkleman then took the oath of office, pledging to support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Illinois and to faithfully discharge the duties of firefighter-paramedic to the best of his ability. Following the oath, Chief Bailot invited Winkleman’s girlfriend, Kayla, to pin his badge, calling the badge pinning “a pretty important part of a new firefighter’s career.”…