Big City Access Small Town Charm | | |
Week Ending - October 4, 2025
Welcome to 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!
Joke of the week: What do you call fake spaghetti?
An impasta!
| News From the Village Administrator's Office | |
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which holds a very personal meaning for me. Breast cancer has not only affected me directly, but also my mom, sister, aunts, and cousins. This month is a powerful reminder of how important early detection and education are in the fight against this disease.
I encourage everyone to take time for your health—schedule regular screenings, talk to your doctor about your risk factors, and practice self-exams. Parents, please also teach your daughters how to perform self-exams, as awareness and early habits can make a lasting difference.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is also about standing together. Wear pink, support local and national fundraising efforts, and take part in community events that promote awareness and research. Together, we can support survivors, honor those we’ve lost, and continue to push for advancements in treatment and prevention.
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Rachell Entler
Village Administrator
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Village Council News
The next regular Village Council Meeting will be Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at 7pm at Village Hall. If you missed the last meeting, a recording can be found here.
Last week, Commissioners Melin-Rogovin and Voogd had the chance to attend the Illinois Municipal League (IML) Annual Conference, which brought together over 2,000 local leaders from across the state. Over three jam-packed days, they connected with fellow elected officials, exchanged ideas, and learned from some of the best in the business. The conference offered more than 60 educational sessions, with everything from tax policy to community development, tailored to help local governments thrive. Highlights included in-depth seminars on Municipal Law and Tax Increment Financing (TIF), providing fresh insights into critical issues like recent legislation and best practices. Commissioners Melin-Rogovin and Voogd are eager to bring all the valuable knowledge and new ideas they gathered back to Forest Park to continue improving our community.
| News from the Village Clerk's Office | |
Village Hall will be closed on Monday, October 13, in observance of Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
📢 Notice from the Village Clerk’s Office
Starting Tuesday, October 14, the Clerk’s Office will be closed daily from 2 PM to 3 PM due to a temporary staffing shortage.
🚗 Parking & Records will remain open during this time to assist with police and parking matters.
We appreciate your understanding and patience! 🙏
| News from the Mayor's Office | |
At the most recent Village Council meeting, it was announced that Village Clerk Vanessa Belmonte has retired after more than 20 years of dedicated service. While the Mayor is thrilled for Vanessa as she begins this new chapter, her presence and leadership will be greatly missed. As highlighted in the Forest Park Review,, Vanessa wore many hats over the years and was instrumental in keeping village operations running smoothly for two decades. Moving forward, the duties of the Clerk’s office will be managed by Deputy Clerks Village Administrator Rachell Entler and Executive Assistant Megan Roach. Both served alongside Vanessa and will continue handling recordkeeping, clerking meetings, and other responsibilities until a decision is made on permanently filling the vacancy.
In other news, the Village continues its work to update aging infrastructure, and the Mayor is grateful to residents for their ongoing patience. Public Works is partnering with engineers to replace lead service lines, while also coordinating with the Water Department and Clerk’s Office on the installation of new water meters, which will introduce a modernized billing system.
Lastly, the Mayor will be participating in the Tour De Proviso bike event tomorrow and hopes to see many of you there.
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News from the Public Works Department
🌳 Tree Planting Ceremony – Thursday, October 23 at 9:00 AM 🌳
Celebrating Our Grant from Trees Forever
We’re thrilled to share that the Village of Forest Park has been awarded a tree planting grant from Trees Forever, a nonprofit organization dedicated to planting and caring for trees in communities across the Midwest.
To celebrate this exciting opportunity, we invite you to join us for an informational Tree Planting Ceremony on:
📅 Date: Thursday, October 23, 2025
🕘 Time: 9:00 AM
📍 Location: 1028 Beloit Ave. Forest Park IL. 60130
This educational event will feature:
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🌱 Fun and fascinating tree facts
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🌿 A hands-on tutorial on how to properly plant and care for a tree
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🌎 Insights into the environmental and community benefits of urban forestry
Whether you're a seasoned gardener or simply curious about how trees enrich our village, this is a great chance to learn, connect, and grow together.
Let’s root for a greener Forest Park!
Questions? Contact Sal Stella sstella@forestpark.net or visit https://www.forestpark.net.
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News from the Department of Public Health & Safety
Measles Alert: Third Case Confirmed in Cook County
Cook County Public Health has confirmed a third case of measles this year. The latest case involves a man from suburban Cook County whose vaccination status is unknown. It’s believed that he contracted the disease after exposure linked to the county’s previous measles case reported on September 16, 2025.
Health officials have identified an Aldi store in Crestwood as a potential exposure site.
Residents who may have been exposed are urged to:
- Check Vaccination Status: If unsure about vaccination history, consult your healthcare provider. If symptoms develop, contact a doctor before visiting medical facilities to prevent further exposure.
- Unvaccinated Individuals: Those who are unvaccinated and have been exposed should talk to their doctor about receiving the MMR vaccine. It’s safe to get the vaccine after exposure, and it may help prevent the disease.
Most people are vaccinated in childhood and are not at high risk. The best protection against measles is vaccination, and two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% effective.
| | News from the Fire Department | | |
This week, the Fire Department was proud to welcome its newest member, Douglas Krakau. Mayor Hoskins officially swore Douglas in at the firehouse on Tuesday, marking the start of his service to our community. We are excited to have Douglas join the team and look forward to the dedication and commitment he will bring to protecting and serving Forest Park.
Pictured below are Deputy Fire Chief Maylath, Douglas Krakau, Fire Chief Hankus, and Mayor Hoskins.
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October is Fire Prevention Month
October is Fire Prevention Month. This is a time to raise awareness about fire safety and help keep our homes, families, and community safe.
Throughout the month, we’ll be sharing helpful tips each week to remind residents of simple but important steps. A little preparation can make a big difference in an emergency.
Weekly Tip: Create a Home Escape Plan
Make a fire escape plan with at least two ways out of every room. Practice your plan with our family so everyone knows where to go and how to get out safely.
| | News from the Police Department | | |
Police Blotter: 09/19/25 - 10/02/25
Tomorrow is the Tour De Proviso, and the Police Department reminds residents to use extra caution between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., as cyclists will be riding through the village. Please be especially alert along Madison Street and other areas included in the 20-mile route. Forest Park is proud to co-host this event with Oak Park and River Forest, and we appreciate everyone’s cooperation in helping ensure a safe and successful ride.
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Recreation Board
Community Clean Up Huge Success!!
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Photo above: Todd Bannor
The 2025 Fall Clean-Up was a success! The Village and the Rec Board send a huge thank you to everyone who volunteered their time. We also want to thank U3 Coffee Roasters——Printing Plus for their support and generosity and our awesome neighbors who donated the t-shirts and donuts.
A special shout-out to our Rec Board members, Amy Binns-Calvey and Meghan Hunt, for helping organize the event and serving as zone captains—
and of course, to our amazing volunteers!
It’s truly wonderful to see so many members of our community come together with the shared goal of keeping Forest Park a beautiful place to live, work, and play.
We plan to host at least two clean-up events each year and would greatly appreciate your feedback to help us make future events even better and more engaging. Thank you again for volunteering—we look forward to hearing from you!
SURVEY LINK HERE
If you have any photos from the event, we’d love to see them! Please email them to recboard@forestpark.net
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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.
October 9, Recreation Board, 7pm
October 14, Village Council Meeting, 7pm
October 15, Safety & Traffic Commission, 7pm
October 21, Neighborhood Watch, 7pm
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Forest Park Public Library Sock Drive!
The Forest Park Public Library is holding a sock drive to help increase our stock for the Comfort Cabinet. Socks are one of the top items the Library supplies. Our sock drive in 2024 brought in enough socks to keep us stocked throughout the winter. From October 1-31, please drop off new socks at the Library or send socks through the Library’s Amazon WishList. Find out more at fppl.org/sockdrive.
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Proviso Handyman October News
Proviso Handyman department is here to serve the needs of our senior residents over the age of 60 and /or disabled residents who are homeowners in our community.
| | 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:
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Important Phone Numbers
Police, Fire and Medical Needs
Emergency and Non-Emergency - 911
24/7 Mental Health Crisis Support - 988
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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.
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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
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