Week Ending - February 11th, 2022 |
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Happy Friday and welcome to the latest edition of the Forest Park e-newsletter, providing you with the latest news, resources and events happening in and around Forest Park!
In this week's edition, please find Black History Month events at the Forest Park Public Library, community notices, Police Department awards, local job opportunities and more!
Please note, bill pay options are available on line. Visit www.forestpark.net to pay your water bill, parking permits and more.
Have a wonderful weekend. Please stay safe and warm!
Special Note:
On Friday, February 18th, the Clerk’s Office will be closed and on Monday, February 21st, Village Hall will be closed in observance of President’s Day.
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Forest Park Covid-19 Vaccination Site Info |
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Free KN95 masks are being distributed to visitors at the Forest Park Covid-19 vaccination site, located at 7630 Roosevelt Road. Visitors are being given a limited number of masks while supplies last.
The last day of operations at the Forest Park Covid-19 vaccination site will be February 13. If you or a loved one is in need of a Covid-19 shot or booster, walk-ins are being accepted.
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Village of Forest Park Public Works -
Snow Removal/Cold Weather Tips
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The snow season is upon us. Please assist the Public Works Department in its snow removal efforts by obeying the snow route signs. Every street in the village has visible snow route signs, typically on the same side as the street lights. Parking needs to take place across the street from the posted snow route signs. Snow routes are in effect up to 48 hours after the completion of a snow event of 2” or greater.
When the weather dips below freezing for an extended period of time and during bursts of extreme cold, please follow these tips to help you avoid frozen interior water pipes:
- Let the water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe, even at a trickle, helps prevent pipes from freezing because the temperature of the water running through it is above freezing.
- Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
- Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
- If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home or business set to a temperature no lower than 55ºF.
- Shut off outside water.
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Garbage and Recycling Can Information |
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A friendly reminder, please make sure garbage and recycling cans are easily accessible for the garbage and recycling trucks. Homeowners, landlords and tenants need to make sure cans are not buried in snow or ice. Cans that cannot be accessed will result in delayed service until they can be accessed by the garbage company.
Remember to store garbage and recycling cans away from the alley way. Receptacles cannot impede traffic or be located in places where they can cause issues for travelling vehicles.
We appreciate your help with keeping our alleys safe!
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Community Notice - Forest Park Fire Department |
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Forest Park Police Department Unit Awards #1 |
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On November 22th, 2021, police responded to a report of a shooting on the Des Plaines Ave/I-290 exit ramp. Upon arrival, one of the vehicles involved abruptly took off, leading several Forest Park officers on a chase down southbound Des Plaines Ave. The vehicle eventually crashed into a building in North Riverside.
Officers quickly realized the driver had been shot several times. Forest Park officers secured the vehicle, rescued a young child from the backseat and attended to the child while simultaneously administering lifesaving measures to the driver while waiting for paramedics to arrive. In January, Police Chief Ken Gross awarded the officers involved with a Unit Award for their coordinated efforts in rescuing the driver and child.
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Pictured from left to right: Chief Gross, Officer Riglos, Officer Calamus, Officer B. Reilly, Sgt. Hall, Lt. Morrissette and Mayor Hoskins. Not pictured: Sgt. Miller. |
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Forest Park Police Department Unit Awards #2 |
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On December 16th, 2021, the Forest Park Police Department responded to a call of a car in the Des Plaines River. Officers arrived on scene at Roosevelt Road between Des Plaines Avenue and 1st Avenue to find a vehicle partially submerged with the driver still in the vehicle.
While the driver was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher, several officers, along with a Good Samaritan, entered the icy cold river water and swam out to the vehicle. As the car was starting to drift down river and continuing to sink, and with the driver now fully submerged, officers and the Good Samaritan broke through a window and pulled the driver out from under the water and out of the vehicle. With the driver on top of the vehicle, police officers worked diligently to get the driver safely to shore. The Forest Park Officers successfully moved the driver from the top of the sinking vehicle to shore where she was then was transported to the hospital by the Fire Department.
On January 26th, 2022, Chief Ken Gross presented the officers involved with a Unit Award for their swift action and bravery in rescuing this driver. An award of appreciation was also presented to the Good Samaritan who instinctively jumped into action with the rescue efforts and heroically helped the police officers get the driver to safety. Chief Gross recounted that in his many years with the department, he does not recall the department ever having to do a river rescue. We are extremely grateful for our officers, the Good Samaritan and all those involved in this incredible rescue!
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Celebrate Black History Month with
the Forest Park Public Library
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Join the Village of Forest Park's celebration of Black History Month! Please see the flier below or click here for more information.
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Community Notice - Forest Park Police Department |
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Forest Park Police Department to motorists:
Make the right play, designate a sober driver for the Super Bowl
The Forest Park Police Department will conduct special patrols throughout Super Bowl weekend to crack down on impaired drivers and encourage people to wear their seat belts. If your Super Bowl plans involve alcohol or marijuana, make the right play and pass your keys to a sober driver.
“At parties throughout the country, friends will gather to cheer on their favorite team and raise a glass or two,” said Chief Ken Gross. “We urge our residents and visitors to enjoy Super Bowl parties responsibly and remind them that we’ll be out in force to help ensure everyone makes it home safely.”
The campaign will run February 11-14.
Before kickoff, remember to designate a sober driver. If you don’t have a designated driver, call a cab, use a ride-sharing service, ask a sober friend or family member to pick you up, or stay where you are and sleep it off. Never let a friend leave your sight if you think they’re about to drive impaired and always buckle up – it’s your best defense in a crash.
Remember, pedestrians are at risk, too. If you are walking, keep an eye out for cars. If you’re a designated driver, be alert for impaired walkers who may not obey street signs and pedestrian signals.
The Super Bowl enforcement effort is made possible by federal traffic safety funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation.
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Beginning Tuesday, February 22nd, the Clerk’s Office will be temporarily changing hours due to a staffing issues. The Clerk’s Office window will be open to the public from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, until further notice. All other Village offices will remain open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Skip the line, pay online! Many of our services can be completed online! Pay your water bill, purchase parking permits, pay tickets, and more by visiting www.forestpark.net.
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Exelon Foundation STEM Leadership Academy |
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The Exelon Foundation is excited to announce that applications for the 5th annual summer Exelon Foundation STEM Leadership Academy are now open! The 2022 Exelon STEM Leadership Academy is a free, week - long, residential program for 10th and 11th grade girls interested in STEM and gives them the opportunity to learn from women working in STEM and other leaders.
The 2022 application can be found here. In addition, any interested students, educators, or parents are welcome to join the STEM Leadership Academy for an Information Session! These sessions will take place on February 9th and March 3rd.
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You can quickly and easily report your outage via text message, mobile app, ComEd Facebook app, or by calling customer service at 1-800-EDISON-1 (1-800-334-7661). The online services and phone number are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may also visit Check My Outage Status or View Outage Map.
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You can report your electric outage online at Report an Outage.
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Use the free ComEd Mobile App to quickly report an outage from an Apple ® or Android™ device. The app will also provide notifications as the outage status is updated.
- Subscribers to Outage Alerts can quickly report an outage by texting "OUT" to 26633 (COMED). You will also receive notifications when an outage has been reported at your address, and get ongoing updates as the status of your outage changes.
Enroll: Enroll by texting ‘ADD OUTAGE’ to 26633. You will instantly receive a text message confirming your enrollment.
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AARP Tax Aide - Tax Preparation Services |
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AARP Tax-Aide provides free tax preparation help to people with low to moderate incomes. Tax-Aide is the nation’s largest free tax assistance and
preparation service in the United States — giving special attention to people over age 60. Services are available every Monday and Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please see the flyer below for more information.
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CEDA - Low-Income Water Assistance Program |
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The Illinois Low Income Household Water Assistance Program is a crisis program for water and wastewater. Eligible customers may receive a benefit of up to $1,500 total for:
- Reconnection Assistance
- Disconnection Prevention
- Past Due Balance
- Disconnection Fees
- Late Fees
For more information, please see the flier below, or click here.
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Sarah's Inn Youth Voice Award |
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Sarah’s Inn is excited to announce its 2nd Annual Youth Voice Award! The organization is inviting all local high school students (ages 14-18) to write, sing, dance, or create a work of art to share their voice to end the cycle of relationship violence in their community.
For more information and for the requirements for the project, please click here. Submissions are due on or before March 6th, 2022.
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Reminder: Village of Forest Park - Utility Payment System Change (Effective Immediately) |
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Take care of your water and sewer bill quickly and efficiently by paying online.
Beginning in January 2022, the Village of Forest Park will begin phasing out use of the e-Pay portal and is asking customers to use the Springbrook Civic Pay portal to pay water bills online.
Springbrook Civic Pay portal allows water customers the ability to view and download their water account activity, including usage, billing, and payment history. The portal enables 24/7 access to accounts, with the option for safe collection of payments commonly made in person. Payments are posted in real time. Users can make one time payments or create an online profile, choose paperless billing as an option, and sign up for auto pay.
The e-pay portal will continue to be available only for a limited time. When you pay your next water bill, please click here to create a new account in Springbrook Civic Pay and have access to bill payment and account history. You will need you water account number when creating your account.
Customers will still be able to use the Village's Automatic Debit Program. This free and convenient method pays your water bill from your checking or savings accounts. For information on the automatic debit program, contact us at 708-366-2323.
*Special Note* – The payment links noted above will take you away from the Village’s website.
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Community Alert: Identity Theft |
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Identity theft can cause lasting damage to those who become victims of this serious crime. If you see suspicious withdrawals from your bank account, you do not receive your bills in the mail, you find unfamiliar accounts or charges on your credit report, or medical providers bill you for services you didn’t use, you may be a victim of identity theft.
To learn more about how to protect you and your loved ones from identity theft, or to learn what to do in the event you become a victim of identity theft, click on any of the following links:
You can file fraud reports with the following agencies if you are a victim of ID theft:
Social Security Administration: 800-269-0271
Credit Bureaus:
- Transunion: 800-680-7289
- Equifax: 800-525-6285
- Experian: 888-397-3742
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Local Hiring Opportunities |
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The Village of Forest Park and a number of community partners are hiring! Please see the links below for more information and to apply!
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West Suburban Consolidated Dispatch Center - Job Opportunity |
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The West Suburban Consolidated Dispatch Center is looking for a full-time telecommunicator. For more information, please click here or here for the job posting.
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Forest Park Senior News and Resources |
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The latest edition (January/February/March) of the Forest Park Senior News is now available. Please click here to read more.
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