708-366-2323 - contact@forestpark.net

Village Council News

Village Council Meeting Information

The next meeting of the Forest Park Village Council will be held on Monday, May 22, 2023, at 7pm in the lower level of Village Hall. As always, the public is welcome to join.

Can't make the meeting in person? Village Council meetings are streamed live and recordings are published to the Village website within a few days after the meeting.

To view the meetings live via Zoom, click here and then click on the Zoom link for the current meeting. Meetings will start at 7pm.

To view recordings of the Village Council meetings, click here, then click on the date you would like to view.

Volunteer Boards and Commissions

Seeking Volunteers

The Village of Forest Park is seeking qualified individuals to serve on the Youth Commission and Diversity Commission. Interested individuals should complete an application and email it to rentler@forestpark.net or mail/drop off at Village Hall, attention: Rachell Entler, 517 Desplaines Ave. For more information, please call 708-615-6203. For application, click here.

News from the Village Clerk's Office

Village Clerk's Office Hour Changes

Starting on Monday, May 15^th, the Village Clerk’s Office window will be open for walk-in traffic between the hours of 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Monday thru Friday. Residents and customers are encouraged to utilize the Village’s online resources available on our website (www.forestpark.net) as well as the secured drop box that is located outside of the front door of Village Hall. If needed, envelopes will be available for one’s use in the lobby of Village Hall to accommodate payments and paper submissions in the drop box. Also, all are encouraged to utilize the direct phone numbers and email addresses of applicable Village departments in efforts to provide remote assistance during those hours prior to 1 p.m.

**On Friday, May 26th, the Clerk's Office will be open from 8am- 2pm.

The Police Department and Building Department will continue to be open from 8am-5pm, Monday through Friday.

To purchase a municipal parking lot permit online, click here. New users will need to Register New User.

To pay your water bill, licenses, building department or accounts receivable, click here.

To purchase your vehicle sticker, click here. Use GUEST, do not enter VIN. Your Sticker will be mailed to you.

Memorial Day Village Hall Hours

In observance of Memorial Day, Village Hall hours will be as follows:

Village Hall Offices will close at 2pm on Friday, May 26.**

Village Hall Offices will be closed in on Monday, May 29.

**On Friday, May 26th, the Clerk's Office will be open from 8am- 2pm.

Employment Opportunities



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

Police Officer

Firefighter/Paramedic

Accounts Receivable Clerk

Public Works - Seasonal

Dispatcher (WESCOM)

Part-Time Parking Enforcement Officer (PEO)

Bus Driver

Childcare Worker

Crossing Guard

Click here for more information.

News from the Department of Public Health & Safety

News from the Public Works Department

Front Yard Fridays

In partnership with Public Works Week, May 21-27, and the Recreation Board’s Spring Clean-Up Event on Saturday, May 27^th we would like to invite you to participate in Front Yard Fridays starting on May 26th!

Public Works Week is a busy week for our public works department. Along with the usual work they do to keep the village beautiful and running smoothly, we have our Electronics Recycling event! All week long we are accepting electronics, furniture, scrap metal, motor oil and more! Folks love this amazing recycling event and often use it as a kick-off for their spring cleaning at home.

As we clean-up inside our homes, we are inviting folks to step outside and pick up around their front yards too. Our public works department cleans up litter all week long and it is one of those seemingly endless tasks. If we all pick up just the little bit in our yards, we reduce the amount that ends up blowing around all over town! While this can be done all week long, Fridays are especially helpful as we go into the weekend when there is not village staff on hand to pick up. We can keep this going all summer long and you may meet a neighbor or two while you are out there!

Public Works Week – If you see the crew out and about give them a big “Thank You!” for all of their hard work throughout the year.

Electronics Recycling

May 22- May 27

The Public Works yearly bulk pick-up and electronics recycling event will take place Monday, May 22 through Saturday, May 27, 2023. During that time, Village residents are encouraged to put any bulk items on their parkway to be hauled away. All electronics, batteries and oil can be brought down to the Public Works facility at 7343 W. 15th St. for disposal. Proof of residency is required. Public Works will be open that week from Monday – Saturday, 7am-3:30pm. Paint & light bulbs are not allowed. If you are trying to dispose of paint, you can open the lid and let it slowly dry or add cat litter to speed up the process. At that point, Republic Services will haul it away with your other trash in the alley. Light bulbs can be disposed of at these ComEd approved facilities. Home Depot will also accept small amounts of light bulbs.

News from the Community Center

Senior Newsletter

The March/April/May Senior Newsletter is now available by clicking here.

Groov'n In The Grove Returns This Summer!

Groov'n In The Grove returns this summer! Join us at the The Grove (7824 Madison Street) for an evening of FREE music under the stars. Feel free to bring your own chairs, food and drink. Concessions will also be available for purchase. The fun starts at 7pm.

June 20 - Sundance

July 18 - Lakeside Revival

August 15 - R-Gang

Food Pantry

Residents who are in need of assistance with groceries can visit the Forest Park Food Pantry located at the Community Center. For hours and more information, call 708-771-7737.

News from the Fire Department

Firefighter Testing

The Board of Fire and Police Commissioners of the Village of Forest Park, Illinois is accepting appointment(s) to the position of firefighter/paramedic with the Forest Park Fire Department.

Will be hiring 2 immediately and 3 additionally in the next 2-3 years to staff ambulance Staffing rotation - only 4 shifts a month on the ambulance!!

Salary range: $64,931.94 - $99,969.84 (does not include holiday pay, stipends, or education pay) Paramedic Stipend 2.75% of top FF pay ($2,749.17)

13-14 Kelly Days

All Applicants Must Meet the Following Minimum Requirements established by the Village of Forest Park:

• At least 21 years of age and under 34 years of age at time of written examination (June 15, 2023), except per Illinois Statute 65 ILCS 5/10-2.1-6. Proof of date of birth is required;
• U.S. Citizenship;
• No felony convictions;
• High school graduate or GED equivalent;
• Possess a valid driver’s license with good driving record;
• Possess a valid Paramedic License from the Illinois Department of Public Health - (IDPH) (at time of offer of conditional employment);
• Present a valid CPAT card with Ladder Climb with your application with an issue date within 12 months of the date of the application deadline (June 5, 2023) -AND- CPAT card must also be valid at time of hire;
• Must successfully pass a written examination with a score of 70% or better; 
• Must successfully complete an oral interview, background investigation, medical examination, drug testing, polygraph, and psychological examination;
• Submit your application by June 5, 2023;
• Participate in on-line remote testing offered between June 13, 2023 and June 15, 2023;
• Pay a $25.00 non-refundable application processing fee. 

Preference Points will be awarded by the Village of Forest Park and will follow the Illinois Firefighter Hiring Act.

To apply for this position or obtain additional information, please visit the following website: http://www.applytoserve.com

The Village of Forest Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the continuing policy of the Forest Park Fire Department to afford equal employment opportunity to qualified individuals, regardless of their race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability, and to conform to applicable laws and regulations. Equal opportunity encompasses all aspects of employment practices to include, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, compensation, benefits, promotions, transfers, and discipline.  

Outdoor Grilling



The nicer weather means grills will be fired up. The Fire Department reminds everyone that grills must be placed on non-combustible surfaces at ground level and are not allowed on balconies (Ord. 5-2-11).

News from the Police Department

Memorial Day Weekend Parking



In observance of the Memorial Day Weekend, the overnight parking ban will be suspended starting at 5:00am, Friday, May 26^th until 5:00am on Tuesday May 30^th. Residents/Non-Residents will need to call their car in starting at 8pm on Tuesday, May 30^th for overnight street parking on Wednesday, May 31^st. 

Police Officer Openings - Now Hiring

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.

Salary: $71,017.18 - $105,495.21 (7 years)

Population: 15,000

Sworn Police Officers: 38

For more information, click here.

FPPD Remembers Officer Nick Kozak during Police Week

Chief Ken Gross, Lt. Dan Miller and Ofc. Benny Marti traveled to Washington DC to visit the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial during Police Week. This year, Ofc. Nicholas Kozak of the Forest Park Police Department was added to the memorial wall as he died on November 27, 2021 from complications from COVID-19. Below are photos from the memorial wall and from the Candlelight Vigil that took place in the National Mall on May 13, 2023.

Annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics

On Saturday, June 3rd, Law Enforcement agencies, BROADVIEW PD, BELLWOOD PD, FOREST PARK PD, HILLSIDE PD, MAYWOOD PD and WESTCHESTER PD will be teaming up for the Annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.

To prepare and have everything we need for the event, the agencies are seeking monetary or in-kind donations of any amount to offset the costs for the event.

Items needed as in-kind donations: water (bottled and gallons), fruit (clementines, bananas), healthy snacks (granola bars), small cups (for runners to grab throughout the route).



Monetary donations will go towards the purchase of Torch Run T-Shirts and lunch celebration for the participants after the event.

If you would like to make a donation for any one of our participating agencies, click here.

We (and the Special Olympics of Illinois) appreciate and thank you for your kind support!

See you on June 3rd! 

Medication Disposal Information

The Forest Park Police Department takes part in the Cook County MEDS Disposal Initiative. If you have expired, unused or unwanted prescription or over-the-counter medications, you can bring them to the Forest Park Police Department located at 517 Desplaines Ave, Forest Park, IL. Police department staff will dispose of the medication in a secure receptacle that is emptied regularly by staff from the Cook County Sheriff's Police. More information can be found at: https://cookcountymeds.org/

Neighborhood Watch



Neighborhood Watch meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. The group is always looking for new members. If you are interested in joining, please call 708-366-2425 for more information.

The April Neighborhood Watch meeting we will be on Tuesday, May 16 at 7pm at the Village Hall. Forest Park residents and business owners are welcome to join.

For more information about the Forest Park Police Department, visit their website by clicking here.

LOSS (Loving Outreach to Suicide Survivors)

LOSS is a well-regarded non-denominational program funded and run by Catholic Charities. LOSS provides services for anyone affected by suicide loss, including spouses, parents, children, siblings, other relatives, and friends. For more information, click here.

Boards & Commissions

Upcoming Board and Commission Meetings



All meetings are held at Village Hall unless otherwise noted.

Dates and Times are subject to change- check the village website for the most up-to-date information.

May 24, Environmental Control Commission, 7pm

June 8, Recreation Board 7pm

June 15, Safety & Traffic Commission, 7pm

June 20, Neighborhood Watch, 7pm

Environmental Control Commission (ECC)

Grass, tree and brush clippings, flowers, houseplants, and leaves can all be put out as yard waste. You may label a garbage can as yard waste with stickers (available free at Village Hall) or use a marker. You may also use brown compostable yard waste bags available at most hardware and grocery stores. Refrain from putting grass clippings or leaves in the street as it clogs up the sewer system.

Coming soon: info on Plastic-Free July!

Recreation Board



We are excited to announce our Spring Clean-Up Day on Saturday, May 27th at 9 AM. We will meet at the Roos Rec Center Pavilion at 9 AM. Once everyone has checked in, we will head out and help keep Forest Park clean and beautiful. Around Noon, volunteers are invited back to the Roos for a tasty treat! 

We welcome folks interested in joining us to register here.

Registering ahead of time helps us get a more accurate count of volunteers. This helps to ensure we have enough supplies AND plenty of treats! It also allows us to contact participants directly should we have to cancel the event due to rain. 

We look forward to seeing you on May 27th! 

Planning & Zoning Commission

The PZC meets as needed on the third Monday of the month at 7pm in the Lower Level of Village Hall. Please check the website for more information.

Volunteer Boards and Commissions

Seeking Volunteers

The Village of Forest Park is seeking qualified individuals to serve on the Youth Commission, and Diversity Commission. Interested individuals should complete an application and email it to rentler@forestpark.net or mail/drop off at Village Hall, attention: Rachell Entler, 517 Desplaines Ave. For more information, please call 708-615-6203. For application, click here.

Community News & Events

Important Notice regarding the

Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)

Due to grant funding, application Intake for LIHWAP (Low Income Household Water Assistance Program) will end on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. New LIHWAP applications will not be accepted after May 31st at 7:00 p.m. The last day that CEDA Energy Services may accept eligibility documentation for LIHWAP applications is Tuesday, June 6, 2023.

Forest Park's Arts Alliance Inaugural

48 Hour Film Festival and Red-Carpet Gala

Where: Fearon Hall of St. Bernardine School, 815 Elgin Avenue, Forest Park

When: Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Tickets: $25 General Admission, $15 FPAA Members - Get your tickets here

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/628611462807

Enjoy the Arts of Forest Park: music, fine art, and short films by local artists presented in a casual setting for an evening’s entertainment.

Mingle, meet and chat with the filmmakers and artists and have your photo taken along the Red Carpet Walkway.

A 48-Hour Film Challenge requires the film-making team to meet parameters issued just 48 hours before the short films are submitted. Watch for the assigned prop, line of dialog and film genre while enjoying the story line and visual composition of each short film.

MWRD Open House & Tours

Saturday, May 20

You are invited to attend a free in-person tour and open house at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant and/or Stickney Water Reclamation Plant between 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Ride a bus throughout our properties to see how two of the largest wastewater treatment facilities operate. See first-hand how we transform water.

All ages are welcome and no advanced registration is required.

Please dress for an industrial environment (no open toe shoes or shorts).

Free and plentiful parking.

*Bring unwanted medications and/or electronics for environmentally-friendly disposal.

Stickney WRP, 6001 W. Pershing, Cicero

Calumet WRP, 400 E. 130th Street, Chicago

Forest Park Theatre's presentation of

Sarah Treem’s The How & The Why

Where: Exit Strategy Brewing Company, 7700 Madison St. Forest Park

When: Sunday, May 21, 2023 from 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Tickets: 20 in advance, $25 at the door - Get your tickets here

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/630784091197

This play is about two women scientists: the acclaimed evolutionary biologist who gave up her daughter for adoption when she was 6 days old, and her now adult, equally brilliant, daughter who has tracked her down.

The play encompasses their first meeting, their passion for science, specifically how it impacts the world's view of women (yes, the words menstruation, menopause, and pathogen, among others, are frequently used in the play's dialogue), the competition that erupts between them, their misinterpretation of each other's intentions, and their quests for love. It's "2 Women Talking" but so much is at stake!



Thank you to our host Exit Strategy Brewing Company.

Local Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer opportunities are available at various local agencies. Click on the links below for more information.

Forest Preserve District of Cook County

Foster Parent Recruitment Picnic

This free family-friendly event is for individuals and families interested in, or curious about, fostering or adopting youth of all ages in foster care in Illinois. This event includes presentations on the licensing process and criteria for becoming a foster parent, a panel of former youth in care who will discuss the impact of safe, supportive foster homes in their lives, and informational tables and agency representatives from all eight agencies to answer attendees’ questions.

Food, games, activities for kids, raffles, and music will also be provided.

This picnic is Saturday, May 20th, from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm, with the panel presentation at 11 am, at the Thatcher Woods Pavilion at 8030 Chicago Ave. in River Forest, Illinois.

The Eventbrite information for this event is https://FPRthatcher.eventbrite.com

ComEd EV Rally

Young women can now apply to participate in the annual competition that challenges teen girls to build and race high-tech, electric-powered go[1]carts. Participants will work and learn from ComEd mentors, connect with peers from other communities and put their STEM knowledge to the test while building an electric vehicle (EV). Every participant receives a $2,000 scholarship upon completion of the program.

The application is now open until June 1 to any female Illinois resident between the ages of 13 and 18.

Apply Now at: ComEdEVRally.com or Scan QR code on this flyer.

With the end of the school year in sight, ComEd is excited for the return of the ComEd EV Rally, its signature summer program to support more women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Young women in Illinois can apply to participate in the annual competition, which challenges teens to build and race high-tech, electric-powered go-carts.

ComEd has expanded this year’s pool of program participants by 50 percent, giving 45 students the chance to work with female mentors from ComEd to explore career pathways in STEM. Participants will learn from ComEd mentors and peers apply their STEM knowledge while building an electric vehicle (EV). The program will culminate with a once-in-a-lifetime experience as participants race their vehicles at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago on Saturday, July 29. Every participant will receive a $2,000 scholarship upon completion of the program.

Educating the next generation on the value of zero-emissions vehicles and clean energy solutions is needed in the transition to a cleaner energy future. ComEd believes the next generation of the STEM workforce must be a more diverse one. Participants in the EV Rally come from diverse cultural and geographic backgrounds, with an emphasis on those from equity investment eligible communities—or EIECs, as defined by the Climate and Equitable 2 Jobs Act in Illinois. Today, women make up 50 percent of the workforce, yet hold only 27 percent of jobs in STEM fields in Illinois, according to a study by the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition. The same study found that the share of women in Illinois in STEM jobs has grown by less than 1 percent since 2012. 

Illinois Youth Investment Program



Illinois residents between the ages of 16-24 can apply to get connected to hundreds of companies for full-time employment or internships. Competitive pay starting at $15/hour or more based on employer.

For more information, contact the Proviso Leyden Council for Community Action, Inc (PLCCA) at 708-450-3500.

Proviso Handyman May Flyer

Local Hiring Opportunities

The Village of Forest Park and several community partners are hiring. Please see the links below for more information and to apply:



• Village of Forest Park
• Forest Park Public Library
• Forest Park School District 91
• Village of Forest Park

Important Phone Numbers

Police, Fire and Medical Needs 

Emergency and Non-Emergency - 911

24/7 Mental Health Crisis Support - 988

Text to 911 Now Available

West Suburban Consolidated Dispatch Center which provides emergency response services to Forest Park, along with Oak Park and River Forest can now receive 911 texts from a cell phone to report an emergency.

While calls to 911 will best assist emergency responders in being able to locate a caller, texting is an option for those who may need it. Text should only be used when some is unable to voice call to 911.

A text to 911 cannot include any other recipients. Texts to 911 may also take longer to reach the dispatch center.

Texts to 911 should be brief. Please include the type of help needed and the location where help is needed. Be prepared to respond to follow-up questions via text to better assist emergency responders.

Village Hall/Clerk's Office - 708-366-2323

Police Department - 708-366-2425

Parking/Records - 708-366-7272

Fire Department - 708-366-1234

Community Center - 708-771-7737

Forest Park Public Library - 708-366-7171

Park District of Forest Park 708-366-7500 

School District 91 - 708-366-5700

Proviso Township High School - 708- 338-5900