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Week Ending - May 20th, 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 on the final day of the electronic recycling program, the new Village attraction marker, new community notices from the Public Works department, new 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!
Final Reminder: Electronic Recycling Program (5/16-21)
The Village of Forest Park is proud to announce the return of the annual electronics recycling program as a part of National Public Works Week (May 16th - May 21st). See the flyer below for more information on the event and for a list of accepted items.
Update: COVID-19 Rates
The CDC has moved all collar counties in northeastern Illinois, including Cook, to the medium transmission level regarding Covid-19. While it is not mandated, IDPH is recommending that people wear facemasks in all indoor settings. Facemasks are optional and supported at Village Hall.
Local Hiring Opportunities
The Village of Forest Park and a number of community partners are hiring! Please see the links below for more information and to apply:


Forest Park Police Department
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. More information can be found here.

Childcare Worker Positions
The Village of Forest Park has immediate openings for its before and after school programs. Part-time hours are M-F 2-6 p.m. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a driver’s license and also must pass drug screening and background checks. $12.00 per hour. 

Applicants may apply in-person at the Howard Mohr Community Center, 7640 Jackson Boulevard, Forest Park, IL 60130. For more information, please contact 708-771-7737. Employment applications are available to download by clicking here.

Utility Billing Clerk
The Village of Forest Park seeks candidates for the union position of Full-Time Administration Utility Billing Clerk. Experience with data entry, customer service, administrative assistant skills, bookkeeping or accounting is highly desired. Must be flexible with work assignments and comfortable working with numbers and the public. Other qualifications include computer skills, the ability to meet deadlines, good knowledge of English language, general office skills, including handling of non-emergency calls and walk-up customer service, and good verbal and written skills.

Starting salary $32,487 annually. Generous Benefits Package, IMRF Pension and 10 Paid Holidays. Open until filled. Eligible candidates will be required to pass pre-employment ability testing and an extensive background check. Applications are available at Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Ave. or at www.forestpark.net and should be returned Attn: Vanessa Moritz, Village Clerk, Village of Forest Park, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130. Email: vmoritz@forestpark.net.   
Community Notice: Water Rate Increase
Beginning June 1, water rates for all Forest Park customers will increase by 5%. Please plan accordingly this summer when watering your lawn or garden, filling your pool, doing laundry or dishes, and other daily activities that use larger amounts of water. Be sure to check your toilet and sinks for any leaks that may unknowingly add to an increase in water consumption. This increase reflects an increase in water rates passed along from the City of Chicago from whom the Village of Forest Park buys water from.
Community Notice: Parkway Planting
As warmer weather is upon us and gardens and landscapes begin to grow, the Village would like to remind residents that if you are planning on placing plantings other than grass on your parkway (the area between the sidewalk and the street), you must submit an Application For Private Parkway Plantings in addition to a waiver. Applications must be notarized and can be mailed or dropped off at Village Hall.
Community Notice: Lawn Maintenance
Spring time and rain mean grasses and weeds grow quickly. As a reminder, the Village of Forest Park requires property owners and occupants to maintain growth of any grasses, thistles, ragweed, and other weeds at a height below 10 inches. Failure to do so can result in a citation.

For more information on trees, shrubs and vegetation within the village, click here.
Community Notice: Public Works Announcement
Yard Waste Disposal
Please be advised that home owners are responsible for disposal of all yard waste and leaves, unless it is during the village’s leaf removal program from October 1st – December 1st. Residents shall not put any debris into the street that can hinder water flow and cause flooding and blockage of catch basin lids. Spring is here and the threat for heavy rain fall is upon us. Please do your part in helping keep our streets clean. Thank you.
Community Notice: Rats
Spring weather also brings out pests and rats are no exception. Follow these tips to help Forest Park control rats in our village.

  1. Look for rat activity and food sources each month. Take actions right away before things get worse.
  2. Store trash in rate resistant toters and dumpsters.
  3. Rinse cans and bottles for recycling.
  4. Eliminate rodent hiding places such as tall grass, weeds and other ground covering vegetation. Wood piles, lumber, litter, old boxes, and junk in the yard must also be eliminated.
  5. Immediately clean up after pets in the yard.
  6. Remove pet food from the garage and store in heavy duty, tight closing containers.
  7. Clean bird feeders weekly and rake bird food on the ground.
  8. Weatherize your home. Seal all possible pest entry points.
  9. Work with neighbors by sharing information and lending a hand to combat pest problems.
  10. Contact the Village of Forest Park at 708-615-6276 when you see a rat or damaged rat bait station.
Community Notice: Harlem Ave Resurfacing/I-290 Bridge Work
The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that patching and resurfacing of Harlem Avenue (Illinois 43) from 26th Street, in Berwyn, Riverside and North Riverside to North Avenue (Illinois 64) in Oak Park, passing through Forest Park and River Forest, will require intermittent daytime lane closures, beginning, weather permitting, Tuesday, March 29.

The $5.7 million project consists of resurfacing the 4.5-mile stretch of Harlem Avenue, installing new ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps and replacing deteriorated curbs, along with deck repairs to the bridge carrying Harlem Avenue over the Eisenhower Expressway (Interstate 290). Access to residences and businesses within the work zone will be maintained throughout construction, which is expected to be completed in late October.

Des Plaines Ave and Circle Ave Bridge work is also expected to begin in April. Cleaning and painting of the existing steel structures will take place along 290

Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to flaggers and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits and be on the alert for workers and equipment.
Community Notice: Mobile Payment App Scams on the Rise
In the latest scam trend, scammers contact ComEd customers by phone, text or email to demand payment to a particular account under the threat of immediate service disconnection. The imposter then instructs the customer to use a mobile payment app, which often have higher transaction limits than prepaid cash cards. The full release is posted here.

To help customers identify and avoid scams, ComEd offers the following tips:

1. ComEd will never call or come to a customer’s home or business to:
  • Ask for direct payment with a prepaid cash card, cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin, or third-party payment app like Cash App, QuickPay, Venmo or Zelle.
  • Demand immediate payment.
  • Ask for a ComEd account number or other personal information, such as a Social Security number, driver’s license number or bank information.

2.  To identify an actual ComEd employee or communication, remember:
  • All ComEd field employees wear a uniform with the ComEd logo and visibly display a company ID badge with the logo and employee’s name. ComEd recently changed its logo, so you may continue to see the former ComEd logo on uniforms, badges and vehicles until it is phased out.
  • Check the name on email or websites and make sure they match the name and address of the company you do business with. Look for misspellings or slight alterations.
  • Make a call to verify the suspected email or website is from a trusted source. Use a phone number from your personal business records or the company’s official website and not the number provided in the email.

ComEd urges anyone who believes they have been a target or victim of a scam to call ComEd at 1-800-EDISON-1 (1-800-334-7661). To learn more visit ComEd.com/ScamAlert.
Community Notice: Mail from the Assessor's Office
In response to COVID-19, the Cook County Assessor’s Office will continue the automatic renewal of the Senior Freeze, Veterans with Disabilities, and Persons with Disabilities Exemptions; the Homeowner and Senior Exemptions will continue to auto-renew every year. If a homeowner received any of these five exemptions last year (tax year 2020), they do not need to reapply this year (tax year 2021). 

Homeowners were mailed either a postcard or letter last week confirming which exemptions will be automatically renewed. If you received a letter or postcard, no action is needed on your part. However, homeowners are encouraged to scan the QR code with their phone and fill out the short online form to continue receiving updates about their property tax exemptions next year. 

To verify which exemptions were received last year, homeowners can visit the Cook County Property Tax Portal at cookcountypropertyinfo.com, enter their PIN and look under the exemption tab.

For first-time applicants, the 2021 tax year exemption filing period is now open and homeowners are encouraged to file online. To learn more about property tax exemptions and eligibility, click here.
Community Notice: Applications for Property Tax Savings
Please see a press release below from the Cook County Assessor's Office regarding new for applications for property tax savings.

New, Easier-to-use Applications for Property Tax Savings are Now Available Everything Homeowners Need to Know

Cook County - Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi announces property-tax-saving exemptions for the 2021 tax year are now available online in a new, streamlined application. Exemptions are savings that contribute to lowering a homeowner’s property tax bill. The most common is the Homeowner Exemption, which saves a Cook County property owner an average of $973 dollars each year. Before existing and new homeowners apply, there are a few things to know that will save them time and effort.

First, existing homeowners should determine which exemptions they received last year (tax year 2020) and determine if they will automatically renew this year (tax year 2021). The Assessor’s Office will continue the automatic renewal of the Homeowner, Senior, Senior Freeze, Veterans with Disabilities, and Persons with Disabilities Exemptions. Homeowners can check their exemptions by visiting the Cook County Portal and reviewing the Exemption History section. (Read more English/Spanish.)
CEDA Low-Income Water Assistance Program
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 click here.
Reminder: Village of Forest Park - Utility Payment System Change (Effective Immediately)
Take care of your water and sewer bill quickly and efficiently by paying online.

Beginning in January 2022, the Village of Forest Park began 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.

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* – If you sign up for auto pay after the invoice has been generated, it will not go into effect until the next billing cycle.
Free White Sox Tickets for Veterans
Cook County Clerk Karen A. Yarbrough is teaming up with the Chicago White Sox to offer game tickets to Veterans, Active-Duty Military, National Guard and Reserves. See the flyer below for more information.
Upcoming Event: Rep. Chris Welch Annual Job Fair (6/11)
Join State Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch for his annual job fair on June 11th. Please see the flyer below for more information.
Forest Park Senior News and Resources
The newest edition (April/May/June) of the Forest Park Senior News is now available. Please click here to read more.