Thursday, September 28, 2023

Dear River Forest residents,

Now is the time to file your property tax appeals with the Cook County Board of Review, as the deadline to file is Tuesday, October 17. If you need assistance with your appeal, River Forest Township is hosting a Property Tax Workshop designed to help residents understand the reassessment process. Taxpayers will also be able to file an appeal at the Workshop. You can learn more about the filing deadline and the workshop in an article below. 

I am very proud to have served over the last year as President of the Illinois Municipal League (IML), which concluded this past Saturday. This statewide organization was founded in 1913, and represents the interests of the 1,298 communities that make up our great state. Serving as the IML President afforded me the opportunity to be a voice for the interests of all Illinois municipalities and our citizens within the State Legislature, and I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to serve Illinois. 



Lastly, The fourth annual Tour de Proviso will be hosted by the Village of Westchester and Village President, Greg Hribal, on Saturday, October 7. This annual bicycle tour was created as a way to bring neighboring communities together while showcasing the rich histories found throughout the western suburbs. Several of our trustees and members of our Police and Fire departments will be participating in this annual event. More information on the Tour de Proviso can be found here.

Sincerely,

Lake & Lathrop Project Update

Cleanup at the former Lake & Lathrop construction site is ongoing. The Cook County Circuit Court appointed receiver for the property is managing these efforts, which most recently included placing dirt and seed on Ashland and Lathrop avenues adjacent to the newly placed sidewalks that are now walkable for pedestrians. Additionally, dumpsters have been removed from the site, and the receiver is working with contractors to remove additional construction materials. Other improvements planned in the coming weeks/months are to have fencing around the site replaced, and the removal of cement silos on the property. All these site improvements are expected to be completed before the end of the construction season (end of November) and will help to prime and market this property for future development. 

When there are updates relating to this property, the Village will share them through this newsletter.

FEMA Alert

A nationwide emergency alert test is planned for Wednesday, October 4 at approximately 1:20 p.m. by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission. This alert will test the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts on televisions, radios, and cell phones to ensure public safety officials can deliver warnings during national emergencies. Learn more here.

Fall Leaf Collection

Fall leaf cleanup is now underway, which allows residents to rake leaves into the street where Village crews will collect them. The program runs through the first week in December. Leaves should be piled near, but slightly away from the curb, to ensure there is proper drainage during a rain event. Village crews will collect leaves throughout the workday based on the following schedule:



• Monday: Areas west of Thatcher Avenue, including Edgewood and Auvergne Place, River Oaks Drive and Lake Street, as well as all streets south of the railroad tracks.
• Tuesday: All streets between William Street and Harlem Avenue.
• Wednesday: All streets between Lathrop and Monroe avenues (north of the railroad tracks).
• Thursday: All streets between Park and Ashland avenues (north of the railroad tracks). 
• Friday: All streets between Thatcher and Forest avenues (north of the railroad tracks).

A map of this schedule can be found on the Village website here. Please note, this program allows for the pick‐up of leaves only. Grass clippings, brush and any other type of material should be disposed of by following the Village’s refuse and yard waste procedures. Anyone interested in participating in the Village’s Curbside Composting Program can find more information here.

Pink Out for Breast Cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Elementary School is playing a soccer game at Centennial Field against St. Luke School to raise money for breast cancer awareness. The JV soccer game will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 14, followed by the varsity soccer game at noon. Reservations are not required and you can learn more here. 

Repair Cafe

The Repair Café in Oak Park is part of a grassroots movement held on the first Saturday of each month to reduce waste that would normally end up in landfills and overconsumption by fixing items that would otherwise be thrown away. The next Repair Cafe will be held on Saturday, October 7 at the Fox Center from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The Repair Cafe helps to reduce the volume of raw materials and energy needed to make new products, which in turn reduces CO2 emissions. 

The work carried out in the Repair Café is performed free of charge by a volunteer repair expert. Residents can bring clothes, jewelry, furniture, electrical appliances, toys, and more to give them a new lease on life! For additional information, click here.

Village Adopts Foodware Ban

The Village Board unanimously passed a new ordinance in September to ban polystyrene (also known as Styrofoam) at businesses that serve food. The Village’s Sustainability Commission assisted with the development of the ordinance after the proposed State ban.

Polystyrene is difficult to recycle, slow to degrade and contains the chemical styrene, which is believed to be a “possible carcinogen” by the World Health Organization. It is linked to numerous negative health effects for humans, and damage to the environment. Many companies banned polystyrene decades ago, including McDonalds.

The new ordinance will be effective January 1, 2024, although smaller food establishments ($500k or less in revenue) will have until January 1, 2025 to comply. The ordinance also includes language that ensures any initial violations in the first four months of 2024 will result in education instead of a citation. For more information please visit vrf.us/StyrofoamOrdinance.

Mindful Family Management is a childcare-centered business specializing in event, travel and vacation care, as well as support around developmental milestones. The location is now offering an online workshop about potty training on Thursday, October 5 at noon. To learn more, or view a full list of their services, click here.



Please support local businesses whenever possible! You can find a listing of River Forest businesses on the Village’s Shop River Forest website. If you’d like your business to be featured in the weekly Business Spotlight, please send us an email.

Village of River Forest

400 Park Avenue

River Forest, Illinois 60305

708-366-8500

vrf.us