708-366-2323 - contact@forestpark.net

There was a great turnout at Monday's Council Meeting, and it is always encouraging to see residents engaging with our elected officials and Village staff. I’m especially grateful to a resident who shared a concerning situation she encountered as a landlord, reminding us that rental scams can affect both renters and landlords. As discussed, it's crucial for everyone to stay vigilant against such scams, including those involving fake identities applying for rentals.

As a reminder, Election Day is on Tuesday, and it's vital to exercise your right to vote! If you’re unsure of your polling location check here.

If you haven't visited the new Espresso Cafe at 7501 Roosevelt yet, I highly recommend stopping by. They just had their grand opening, and I've already been there twice. Their refreshers and empanadas are delicious, and my husband Eric can attest to the guava cheese danish being a must-try.

Tomorrow, I’ll be out on Madison Street for the Arts Alliance Fiber Flash event, kicking off at 11 AM at Constitution Court, followed by the annual Wine Walk. I encourage all residents to join in the festivities. I hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween - we had some fun at Village Hall. Also, reminder to all: Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 3, so don't forget to set your clocks back one hour!

Rachell Entler

Village Administrator

Village Council News

Village Council Meeting Information

The next meeting of the Forest Park Village Council will be held on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, 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.

October 28, 2024 Village Council Meeting Recap

The Village Council approved the following at the 10/28/24 Village Council Meeting

• An ordinance authorizing the sale or disposition of surplus property, specifically a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado, was approved.
• An ordinance amending Section 3-3-6 of the Village of Forest Park Code regarding “Liquor Fees and Number,” affecting Aldi at 215 Harlem Ave, was approved.
• A resolution authorizing the waiver of the hiring freeze for IMRF employees to hire a full-time Public Works Chauffeur was approved.
• A resolution approving a collective bargaining agreement between the Village of Forest Park and the Forest Park Patrol Officers and Sergeants, represented by the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council, was approved.
• A request for membership in the Strong Cities Network was approved.
• The Council recessed into closed session pursuant to 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(11) to consider litigation.
• A motion to reconvene the open session meeting was made.
• A resolution approving the execution of a Settlement Agreement, General Release, and Covenant Not to Sue was approved.

News from the Village Clerk's Office

Voter Information

Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Voter information on registration status, where to early vote, ballot status, click here.

How to request a mail ballot or get more information on mail ballot. Click here.

Where can I register? Click here.

Where and when can I vote early. Click here.

Where can I find information about voter accessibility and assistance? Click here.

Where can I find information for Cook County residents who are military and are stationed out of state? Click here.

Where can I find election results? Click here.

Information for Forest Park Residents

On election day, Nov 5 – you must vote at your local polling office from 6am – 7pm Find your local polling place here.

Need to vote early?

Until 11/4 voters can go to one of the locations below, 9am – 5pm

Maywood Public Library 121 5^th ave, Maywood

Oak park Village hall 123 Madison, Oak Park

Brookfield Village hall, 8820 Brookfield Ave, Brookfield

Cicero Community center – 2250 S 49^th St, Cicero

Elmwood park Rec center – 2 Conti Pkwy. Elmwood Park

Stickney Library – 6800 43^rd St, Stickney

News from the Mayor's Office

This week, Mayor Hoskins had the opportunity to visit Garfield Elementary, where he joined the Police Chief, library staff, and D91 Superintendent Alvarez to interact with a second-grade class. The visit highlighted the Forest Park schools' commitment to fostering lifelong learners and responsible citizens, highlighted by hands-on experiences in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math.

The Mayor participated in the Cindy Lyons Health Fair at the Community Center, which continues to play a vital role in promoting the well-being of residents through various programs for seniors and youth. During the fair, he connected with residents and received his flu and COVID vaccines. The staff at the Community Center work diligently to organize our annual health fair, and the Village is grateful to everyone involved in making it a success, including Walgreens, and especially our first responders who were on-site to provide blood pressure checks and other vital services.

The Mayor also attended the West Suburban Building Owners meeting, where he actively engaged with local building owners, listened to their concerns, and addressed a range of questions regarding community development and building regulations.

News from the Department of Public Health & Safety

Free COVID and Flu Shots at Cook County Health Sites

Children (6 months and up) and adults can receive COVID-19 and flu vaccines at no cost, regardless of insurance coverage, at walk-in clinics offered by Cook County Department of Public Health, Cook County Health and County Care. The clinics are open on certain Saturdays now through February 22, 2025, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at five different locations in suburban Cook County. A person’s immigration status will not impact the ability to receive immunizations.

Additional details:

·    Clinics offer COVID-19 and flu vaccines for children and adults

·    Walk-ins welcome, no appointment necessary

·    Resource coordination and referrals available

·    Bring a form of I.D. and insurance card (Note: insurance is not required)

For more information: email healthycook@cookcountyhhs.org

News from the Public Works Department

Autumn Leaves: What You Need to Know About Leaf Pickup

Reminder to all residents: Landscape contractors must haul away brush, leaves, and grass clippings. They are not allowed to leave them in the street. Failure to remove leaves properly may result in a fine to both the resident and the contractor.

Additionally, contractors caught dumping leaves on Forest Park village streets from another location will also face a fine

Residents have several options for leaf disposal: you can bag leaves for yard waste pickup, utilize bulk curbside collection, or compost them for your garden. From April 1 to November 29, 2024, leaf and yard waste pickup is included in your monthly refuse charges on your water bill. We encourage everyone to bag their leaves to keep roadways clear and prevent storm drain blockages. Yard waste should be disposed of in 32-gallon paper bags or clearly labeled cans. 

Our curbside leaf collection runs from October 1 to December 1, 2024. To participate, please rake leaves to the curb, avoiding storm drains, by the evening of your collection day. Note that hired landscape contractors must properly dispose of all debris and cannot leave leaves in the street, as this may result in fines. For more details and to view the schedule, please click here.

News from the Fire Department

The Village of Forest Park Fire Department is now accepting applications! For more details on how to apply, please click here.

9-1-1- Emergency and Non-Emergencies

Anyone requiring immediate assistance from the Forest Park Police and Fire Departments should call 9-1-1; this also includes non-emergency situations which require a response. The Village’s 9-1-1 dispatch center will route your call to the appropriate personnel to assist with the matter at hand. The Village’s 708-366-2425 number is not to be used to request service for public safety personnel.

This change is a result of the State's dispatch consolidation requirements that went into effect in May 2017. If you call Village Hall in need of police or fire personnel for either non-emergency or emergency response, you will be transferred to our WESCOM dispatch center where a dispatcher will route your call to the appropriate police or fire personnel. WESCOM services Forest Park, Oak Park, and River Forest. Since three towns are being serviced, you may be asked a series of questions in order to confirm your location.

Please share this news with your neighbors. 9-1-1 is for both emergencies and non-emergencies requiring police or fire personnel assistance.

News from the Police Department

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

This week, the Police Department welcomed two new auxiliary officers, Marque and Gabriel. Mayor Hoskins conducted their oath of office, while Chief Gross extended a warm welcome to the new officers. Auxiliary officers play a vital role in our community, assisting with all village events and receiving training in traffic and crowd control. They also conduct foot patrols in the Madison Street Business District during peak times, providing support to citizens and businesses with various calls for service. We’re excited to have Marque and Gabriel on board!

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.

November 6, Board of Health, 7pm

November 12, Village Council Meeting, 7pm

November 14, Recreation Board Meeting, 7pm

November 18, Planning & Zoning Meeting, 7pm

November 19, Neighborhood Watch, 7pm

Recreation Board Pumpkin Smash is Back!

Don’t toss that Halloween pumpkin—SMASH it! After the fun, we’ll compost the remains, keeping things eco-friendly. 🌍 Let’s turn pumpkins into compost and have a smashing good time!

Can't Make it to the "smash"? Fill out this form and we will pick up your pumpkin!

Planning & Zoning Commission

The PZC meets as needed on the third Monday of the month at 7pm in the Lower Level of Village Hall. The next PZC Meeting is Monday, November 18.

Community News & Events

Fiber Flash Alert!

Join the Arts Alliance of Forest Park on Saturday, November 2nd at 11 AM for the Fiber Flash ribbon-cutting at Constitution Court (7426 Madison Street). Experience the community's creativity as trees, streetlights, and benches are adorned with handmade scarves, hats, mittens, and quilts. Don’t miss the whimsical farm animals and scarecrows at this year’s event! After the week-long display, all items will be donated to the Forest Park Library’s comfort box for those in need. Make it a full day on Madison Street by participating in the Chamber of Commerce Fall Wine Walk, featuring Fiber Art Stops. Get your wine tasting ticket here or grab a Fiber Art Stop map at the event.

Senior and Veteran Resource Fair

November 9 at Proviso Math & Science Academy

Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch will host his 12th annual Senior and Veteran Resource Fair on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event will be held at the Proviso Mathematics and Science Academy in Forest Park. 

Proviso Handyman November 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. More information can be found here.

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:



• 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