Thursday, October 16, 2025 | | |
Dear River Forest residents,
One of the Village Board’s top priorities is to ensure our yearly budget is balanced. At Monday’s Village Board meeting, an audit of our budget showed we are exceeding standards to continue to keep River Forest on solid financial footing. The Village Board has balanced our budget for the last 13 years. You can learn more in an article below.
Also during the last meeting, the Village Board unanimously voted to have our staff draft a resolution for term limits to be placed on the ballot for Village President, Trustees and Clerk in the November 2026 General Election. You can also find more information below in a separate article.
And finally, congratulations to Assistant Finance Director Keke Boyer for finishing the Chicago Marathon last week! As someone who has run in marathons, I know this achievement takes months of preparation and training. Great job, Keke!
Sincerely,
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Cathy Adduci, Village President
Village of River Forest
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At Monday's Village Board meeting, the Board voted to have staff prepare a resolution to place a binding referendum for term limits in the November 3, 2026 General Election. The Board will vote on this resolution at the Monday, October 27 meeting.
These discussions have taken place due to Village Attorney Lance Malina advising the Board during previous meetings that the petitions for the April 1, 2025 referendum had contradictory wording that included both “binding” or “advisory” - which could cause legal challenges due to this lack of clarity.
The Village Board will use the exact language and effective date included in the previous referendum to ensure consistency.
Click here for the term limit section of our website with the updated information.
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Two of the Village Board’s main priorities are to act with financial responsibility and maintain a balanced budget each year. At Monday’s Board meeting, an independent auditor presented the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, noting the Village is exceeding standards in nearly all areas of financial reporting and fiduciary responsibility. This commitment to strong financial management extends to how the Village approaches new projects. For example, the total cost for the solar panel installation at the Public Works garage cost more than $150,000. However, through grants and rebates, the Village reduced the net cost to roughly $14,000 - significantly lowering the taxpayer burden while advancing sustainability.
Additional Village Board goals are to stabilize property taxes and provide the highest level of services to the community, while continually seeking new revenue sources and available grants.
| | | Construction for New EV Charging Stations | | The Village is charging ahead toward a greener future! In August 2024, River Forest received more than $678,000 in grants and rebates from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and ComEd to fund the installation of new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at three Village-owned parking lots. Construction is now underway, featuring five dual-port Level 2 chargers at the West Metra Commuter Lot, four direct current (DC) fast chargers at 418 Franklin Avenue, and an additional four DC fast chargers at 7929 W. North Avenue. Site work is progressing, and all charging stations are expected to be operational over the next several weeks. | | Join the Casual Conversation | Residents are invited to join Village President Cathy Adduci for the next “Casual Conversation with the Village President” on Saturday, November 15, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the River Forest Civic Center Authority Building. This informal gathering will offer a welcoming space to connect with Village leadership, learn more about ongoing initiatives, ask questions, and share ideas - in a relaxed and informal setting. | | |
Trick-or-Treating
in the Village
| Get ready for a spooktacular Halloween in River Forest! Trick-or-treating will take place on Friday, October 31, from 3 to 7 p.m. Residents are encouraged to join the fun during these designated hours. As you make your way through the neighborhoods, please be respectful of those who choose not to participate and only visit homes with their porch lights on. For helpful tips to ensure a safe and enjoyable Halloween for all, click here. | | | Contest: Name the New Snowplows | | The Village is thrilled to announce a new community contest: help us name our two brand-new snowplows arriving next week! Residents are encouraged to get creative and submit their proposed names here. Village staff will select the top five finalists, and the community will have the final say by voting for their favorites. Keep an eye on Village communications for details on how to participate - and yes, “Plowey McPlowface” has already made the list! | | Attend the Community Safety Meeting | Join the Police Department for the next Quarterly Community Safety Meeting on Wednesday, October 22, at 6 p.m. at Village Hall. This meeting is designed to keep residents informed and engaged with community safety topics, while working together with the Police Department to help prevent or stop crime in our community. Attendees will hear presentations from special guest community partners and members of the Police Department, learn about current safety initiatives, and have the chance to ask questions, share ideas, and provide feedback during an open forum. Click here to learn more. | | | Safely Dispose of Medications | Safely dispose of unused or expired medications during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Police Department. If you are unable to attend, a secure drop box is available year-round in the basement of Village Hall during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Proper disposal of prescriptions and medications helps to prevent misuse and protects the environment - so please don’t throw them away or flush them down the toilet. Learn more here or contact Crime Prevention Officer Megan Drake with any questions. | | | |
Do you love seeing fireflies light up summer nights or butterflies fluttering around your yard in the warmer months? One simple way to welcome more of them next year is to “leave the leaves” this fall. Fireflies and butterflies rely on fallen leaves and natural debris for shelter and protection during the winter months, and studies show removing leaves entirely can reduce the following year’s populations by nearly 50%. The National Wildlife Federation also recommends leaving leaves in flower beds to support wildlife, provide natural mulch, protect plants during winter, conserve water, and enrich the soil. You can even mulch leaves with a lawn mower and leave the clippings on the lawn. Learn more here. Residents can also choose to have their leaves picked up. The Village’s Fall Leaf Collection Program runs now through the first week of December.
| | River Forest Business Spotlight | | |
New Rose Catering is your local, full-service catering partner for any occasion, including weddings, birthdays, retirements, baby showers, fundraisers, and more. They also offer weekly dinner delivery with a rotating menu of three entrées and two soups, including vegetarian options, that change seasonally. This week, offerings include curried carrot and lentil soup, chicken with wild rice soup, handmade pasta with vodka sauce, and Chimi pork tenderloin or chicken. For more information or to place an order, call 708-261-6908 or click here.
Please support local businesses whenever possible! If you have a business located in River Forest with a valid business license, it can be featured in the Village’s business spotlight. If you’d like your business to be featured, please send us an email. You can find a listing of River Forest businesses on the Village’s Shop River Forest website.
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What's Happening in River Forest?
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