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The Elmhurst Park District Board held its first regular meeting of 2018 on Jan. 15 at the district’s administrative office at 375 W. First Street. Commissioners Doug Ennis and Patricia Morissette-Moll were absent from the meeting. There were no public comments. The board voted unanimously to approve an ordinance adopting a policy prohibiting discrimination, harassment and retaliation in the workplace. Shortly before the vote, Elmhurst Park District Executive Director Jim Rogers noted that a new Illinois law required local governments to take legislative action on a harassment policy by Jan. 16, 2018. Rogers said the park district already had a related policy in place. He stated that after consulting with the Illinois Association of Park Districts, the district made some minor tweaks to its policy. After the board approved the ordinance, Julie Bruns, the district’s division manager of human resources and risk management, gave a brief presentation outlining the district’s harassment policy. Bruns said the district takes all harassment reports seriously. She also said the district takes appropriate action in dealing with false reports. The meeting included a discussion of the City of Elmhurst’s consideration of a new Tax Increment Finance (TIF) district in downtown
Elmhurst that would replace the existing TIF. Rogers told the board the existing TIF expires in 2021, and the city would like to create a new one. The city is suggesting that Wilder Park and the district’s property at 135 Palmer Drive be included in the new TIF. Rogers said there is no downside to the properties being included in the new TIF. He said the city would have no rights to dictate or pressure anything the park district would do at Wilder Park or 135 Palmer Drive. Rogers also said including the two properties wouldn’t guarantee anything for the park district, but it could create the potential to utilize TIF dollars for development. Kari Felkamp, the district’s director of marketing and communications, noted during the staff announcements segment of the meeting that the district has reached out to the public to get feedback about the district’s community events. The district released its survey about its community events last week. According to Felkamp, the district received nearly 640 responses within 72 hours. At the end of the meeting, Commissioner Kevin Graf said the Elmhurst Public Library was the only warming center in the city on extremely cold days. Graf asked if a park district facility could serve as a warming center on such days. Rogers said he would make a note of Graf’s suggestion. The board will hold its next meeting on Jan. 29.
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2018
Park Board discusses new downtown Tax Increment Finance (TIF) district By Chris Fox
, IL 60126 • 630.433.23
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