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Week Ending - October 7, 2022

Welcome to the weekend and the latest edition of the Village of Forest Park's weekly e-newsletter! Please use this e-newsletter as a resource to provide you with the latest news, events and resources in and around Forest Park!

In this edition, please find updates from the Village Council, Public Works, the Forest Park Police, and Community Center, community news, job opportunities and more!

We want to hear from you! If you have news or events that you would like to include in future editions, please let us know. Have a wonderful weekend!

THIS SATURDAY!

OCTOBER 8, 2022

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

Constitution Court will be closed to vehicles on Saturday. Please do not park in the lot during the posted closed hours.

Village Council News

Village Hall Closed - Monday, October 10

Village Hall Offices will be closed on Monday, October 10, 2022.

Village Council Meeting

The next meeting of the Forest Park Village Council will be held on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 7pm in the lower level of Village Hall.

Backyard Hens Townhall Meeting

The Commissioner of Public Health and Safety Maria Maxham and the Village of Forest Park will be hosting a townhall meeting to discuss the possibility of changing current code to allow a limited number of backyard hens (no roosters). The meeting is open to the public. Presentations will include code from nearby towns that allow hens and information on safe chicken-keeping. There will be a chance for resident questions and comments. The meeting has been moved to the Lower Level of Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Ave., on October 18th at 7 p.m.

Condolences

Belinda "Lin" Scollard

9/29/54 - 10/01/22

We are saddened to announce the passing of former Village employee Lin Scollard. Lin spent over 25 years with the Village of Forest Park between the Clerk's Office and the Building Department. Lin retired from the Village in 2019. Our heartfelt condolences go out to her sons, Patrick and Dan and their families.

Obituary for Belinda "Lin" D. (Vossel) Scollard | Zimmerman-Harnett Funeral Home (zimmermanharnett.com)

A Message from the Village Clerk

Voter Registration Info

With elections coming up this fall, those who want to vote need to be registered. There are three ways to register:

Click here to register to vote online.

Click here to print out a paper form to mail in.

To register in person, visit the Village of Forest Park Clerk's Office during regular business hours. You must bring 2 forms of identification, one of which has to have your current address and one has to be a photo ID.

Employment Opportunities

The Village of Forest Park has the following employment opportunities available:

Police Officer

Police Desk Clerk

Part-Time Parking Enforcement Officer

Bus Driver

Childcare Worker

Crossing Guard

Click here for more information

A Message From Public Works...

Leaf Removal Program

The Village of Forest Park offers an opportunity for residents to dispose of leaves during the fall season. There is no added cost for this service. Leaves should be raked curbside into the street gutters and will later be removed by the Village's Public Works Department. The Public Works Department Leaf Removal Program spans from October 1 – December 1 each year. The leaf pick-up schedule follows the street sweeper daily schedule, which is available by clicking here. Residents shall rake their leaves curbside a day before their scheduled pickup day. No grass clippings, bags or tree limbs are allowed. Contractors illegally dumping leaves (from other sites) will be cited. Residents are also encouraged to bag their leaves and place them by their trash receptacles. Unlimited yard waste removal is included during spring, summer, and fall, in the Village’s refuse contract.

Jackson Blvd Construction

Lindahl Brothers, Inc began work on the IDOT-funded Jackson Boulevard Resurfacing Project (between Madison St. and Desplaines Ave.) on Tuesday, September 6th. Work is expected to take two (2) months, weather permitting. Work will consist of the removal and replacement of the existing asphalt pavement surface, curb & sidewalk spot repairs, detectable warning installation and all incidental restoration within improvement limits.

What are these?

The Village of Forest Park has started the process of painting the water tower on the north end of town. In the process, the water tower needed to be drained. This adds pressure to the water system when the pumps turn on. These devices attached to random hydrants are called pressure relief valves. They are designed to blow off any additional pressure to the water system to prevent water main breaks. There is one at 611 Harlem (has a slow leak) and one at 7419 Franklin.

Upcoming Alley and Sidewalk Improvements

Beginning Monday, October 17th, the 1100 Elgin - Harlem Alley will begin alley improvement construction.

Beginning Monday, October 31st, the 400 Elgin -Harlem Alley will begin alley improvement construction.

Sidewalk replacement will take place this Fall. For a list of sidewalks that will be replaced, click here.

Please be cautious when travelling in and around theses areas as large trucks and machinery will be present.

Tree Planting Event

On Thursday, October 27th, at 12pm, the Village of Forest Park’s engineering firm, Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd., will sponsor an event to plant an Exclamation Planetree behind the Altenheim, at 7824 Madison St., to celebrate The Morton Arboretum's 100th anniversary and The Conservation Foundation's 50th anniversary. Please join the Village of Forest Park and Christopher B. Burke Engineering Ltd. for this wonderful celebration.

Community Center News

Senior Newsletter

The October/November/December Senior Newsletter is now available! Click here for information on senior movies, trips and more!

Cindy Lyons Health Fair

News from the Police Department...

Neighborhood Watch Meeting

The October Neighborhood Watch meeting we will be on Tuesday, October 18 at 7pm at Village Hall. Forest Park residents and business owners are welcome to join.

Job Opportunity: Police Officer

The Board of Police and Fire Commissioners of the Village of Forest Park, Illinois is accepting applications for the position of police officer with the Forest Park Police Department.

Submit your application and $20 non-refundable fee application processing fee on-line no later than Monday, October 10, 2022 at 4:00 PM (CST);
Complete Mandatory On-line Written Examination Testing available between Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at 9:00 AM and Thursday, October 27, 2022 at 4:00 PM.

For more information click here.

Overnight On Street Parking Restrictions

Just a friendly reminder that there is no parking on any street in the Village between the hours of 2am – 5am. If overnight parking is needed, please call 708-366-7272 between the hours of 8 PM & 2 AM or click here to obtain a parking pass. Only five passes can be issued per month. You will need the license plate number, make of vehicle and where the vehicle is parked.

This parking restriction is in place for street sweeping and the safety of our residents. Please obey the restrictions. Violators will be ticketed and possibly towed.

Attention Vehicle Owners

Owners of some 2011 - 2021 Kia models and some 2016-2021 Hyundai models should be aware that there is a keying issue with these autos that make them easy to steal and vulnerable to theft especially with information being put forth on social media showing the glitch that makes certain autos easy to steal. Owners of Kia and Hyundai autos are encouraged to lock their autos and park in well-lit areas in an effort to curtail thefts. Owners are also encouraged to purchase and utilize auto theft prevention devices such as "The Club" to help discourage thieves from stealing Kias and Hyundais in our community.

Community News

Source Grow Grant Workshop for Forest Park Businesses

The Cook County Small Business Source has launched a grant designed to help small businesses who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Awarded businesses will receive $10,000 each. The application will only be open from 10/3 – 10/31.

Join the Berwyn Development Corporation at the Village Council Meeting Room (lower level) in Forest Park, IL on Wednesday, October 12th for assistance with your application for the Source Grow Grant.

For more information, click here.

Filming Notice

On Monday, October 10, the TV show Chicago PD will be filming on Madison Street. No parking signs have been posted to accommodate filming equipment and trucks. There will also be intermittent traffic closures during filming. Please be cautious while driving through downtown Forest Park.

Des Plaines River Trail Central Feasibility Study

Help make Forest Park a better place to walk and bike! The Des Plaines River Trail Central Feasibility Study is exploring how the Des Plaines River Trail can be extended from the CTA Forest Park Blue Line Station and Illinois Prairie Path to the Salt Creek Trail near 26th Street. The study will consider both on-street and off-street routes and guide improvements to sidewalks, paths, intersections, and streets to make it easier to bike and walk through Forest Park, Maywood, Broadview, or North Riverside. Take our short survey to provide your input! Click here to take the survey!