Landmark 050124

Riverside welcomes new nance director

Yvette Zavala, who took over as interim nance director in February, was promoted this month

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Riverside has filled its open position for a new finance director after a five-month vacancy. Yvette Zavala took on the role earlier this month after serving as the village ’s i nterim finance director since Fe bruar y. “I’ve been in finance for a very long time. I’ve basically done it all,” Zavala said in a phone interview Friday. “I’ve been in banking. I’ve been in tax. I’ve been in governmental, then I went back to private sector,

Trustee Nicole Gilhooley (middle, in red) held her Dancing

contestants, backup dancers and the emcees clapped for her.

DIREC TOR Promotion

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and now I’m back to gove r nmental. ”

Zavala’s experience in finance and a ccounting includes about two years of municipal wo rk at Cicero and as stints at the C onsolidated E mergency Response C C ook C ounty, a joint p olice dispatch c enter serving Cicero and Stickney, and the IRS.

After joining the village in Au g ust 2023 as an a ccounting manage r, Zavala said she took on some of the finance direc tor ’s responsibilities in December after for mer Finance tor Karin Johns left the position.

“It was ve ry unexpected that the previous finance direc tor left,” Zavala said. “I volunteered, not to be i nterim point. We we re n’ t at that decision yet. I j ust volunteered to take on more responsibilit y, j ust to help. I do n’ t li ke to see anyone struggl e, not that they we re, but I j ust know my ties, and I was li ke, ‘Hey, I can really, really be of some help

Zavala was for mally promoted to i nterim finance director two months later. Despite holding that p osition, Zav she had to apply online to be Rive rside ’s new finance director “just li ke everybo dy else” when the job was p osted to site in March

“We did solicit for applications and resumes, and rece ive 30,” Vi llage Manager Jessica Frances said in a i nterview T hursd ay. “Upon review of those, Yvette stood out amongst all the other c andidates b ased on her q ualifications ce rt ifications and experienc e. ”

T hose q ualifications include holding a master ’s de gree in business administration and being a ce rt ified public a ccountant in the Illinois CPA Society; Frances said Zavala, has been ce rt ified as an accountant for about 15 y ear s. Frances said Zavala is also bilingual, “which is hug e, given the c hanging demo gr aphic in Rive rside.”

Despite the number of applications that Riverside received, Frances said the village’s decision to hire inter nally was intentional.

“In evaluating the timeliness of g etting someone i nto that p osition — because we are in our audit process as well — and efficiency, I f elt it ser ve d the village b est to b asically promote from within,” she said. “Our recr uitment process c an sometimes be ve ry long and protracted, but we also f eel ve ry strongly about [promoting from] within if we have c andidates that c an do the wo rk and also assume those roles.”

In her new role, Zavala makes $134,000 per year. Frances sai d the salary r ange for Rive rside ’s finance director is $133,697.72$183,837.17.

F inding the fun in financ e

W hen Zavala spoke with the L andmark about her new role, it was clear from the tone of her vo ice that she was enthusiasti c.

“For me, I’m a big math person, numbers person, so the numbers and the financial statements are li ke a big p uzzle to me. T he p uzzle fit s, it ’s all p ut to g ether when the math a dds up,” she said. “Plus, I li ke using that info rm ation to help other s make infor med decisions. So, helping out other departments, li ke ‘ Hey, wh at ’s this budg et look li ke ? What ’s the forecast, ’ you know? Using that info rm ation to help everybo dy around me make infor med decisions about their department … I j ust

Yvette Zavala was promoted to be Riverside’s nance director in Apr il.

li ke it.”

Before c oming to wo rk for Rive rside, Zavala left her role at Cicero to rejoin the private sector to see what options were available to her, but she eventually decided it wasn’t the right fit

“I missed go ve r nmental accounting, li ke being in the pu blic service sector, so I knew I wanted to g et back i nto it. I looked at Rive rside before, but they we re neve r h iring, and I j ust looked , you know, j ust out of the blue, and they we re hiring, and I was li ke, ‘ Oh my God, I need to apply right now !’” she said. “Tha t was the only job I applied fo r, and I was li ke, I really want to c ome back to gove r nmental. ”

Frances said Riverside is well off with Zavala handling its finances “She’s ve ry meticulous,” Frances said. “Finding someone with her experience and knowledge is ve ry difficult to find, so we ’re really for tunate.”

Now that she’s with the village, Zavala said she hopes to work positively with residents and help lead Riverside to new heights “ I’m ve ry li ke a p eople-person, ve ry c ustomer service-oriented, and I j ust want to take the resident experience to a new level when they c ome in and i nteract with us. I j ust want everyone to leave having a p ositive experience and wanting to c ome back and talk to us and wo rk with us, or knowing, li ke, if they have a problem, they c ould c all us, and we ’re there to help,” she said. “I also li ke looking for new reve nue sources, either it be brands or some kind of outside f unding we c ould g et. I would really li ke to explore that avenue as well and take the village in a new direction.”

Govea

Designers Susan McKelvey, Vanessa Garza

Sales and Marketing Representatives ourdes Nicholls, Ben Stumpe

Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan

Circulation Manager Jill Wagner

EMAIL jill@oakpark.com

Publisher Dan Haley

Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair Judy Gre n Treasurer Nile Wendor f

Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Steve Edwards, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer

First Saturday Storytime

Saturday, May 4, 10 a.m. , Riverside Public Library

Is your week busy and you can’t make it to storytime during the week? Have no fear- head to the Riverside Library on the rst Saturday of the month for an all-ages storytime. Let your child immerse themselves in childfriendly stories with other kids in the community. 2400 S. Desplaines Ave

Beginners Chinese Calligraphy for Teens

Wednesday, May 8, 4 p.m., Linda Sokol Francis Brook eld Library

Dive into a new culture practice at the library. This is your chance to learn basic calligraphy strokes and test your knowledge by writing a few Chinese characters. How cool is that? Not many can admit that they know Chinese Calligraphy! Register for classes and events online at www.lsfbrook eldlibrary.org, by phone at 708-485-6917 or in person at the library. Walk-ins welcome, where applicable. 3541 Park Ave

COMPOST…

Nature’s Climate Champion!

Tuesday, May 7, 7 p.m.,

Linda Sokol Francis Brook eld Library

Compost is nature’s way of recycling; it’s quite a sustainable solution. You can celebrate International Composting Awareness Week with the Brook eld Conservation Commission at the Library. Discuss the bene ts of composting with local exper ts and cover various composting methods, from DIY to hired services. Do the planet a favor… after all, it was just Earth Day… 3541 Park Ave

Monday Mystery Games

Mondays, 5 p.m., Galloping Ghost Arcade

Ease your Monday blahs with a new game at Brook eld’s popular arcade. New drops each week. 9415 Ogden Ave.

BIG WEEK The Buzz on Cicadas

Makerspace DIY Kits

The Spot, Riverside Public Librar y, Appointments available May 1 - 31

May 1-8

Monday, May 6, 7 p.m., Linda Sokol Francis Brook eld

Library

What ’s all the buzz about? Learn everything there is to know about cicadas, including their impact on the ecosystem, then dive into their astonishing world that bustles right beneath our feet. This presentation will be led by Brook eld resident, conservation commissioner and Forest Preser ve Steward Wyatt Widmer. 3541 Park Ave.

Brook eld Women’s Club

Monthly Meeting

Wednesday, May 8, 7 to 8 p.m., Zubar

Are you looking to meet like-minded women who make a positive impact on local organizations and communities? With philanthropy, social gatherings and community leadership as their foundation, Brook eld Women’s Club strives to be an integral support for local nonpro t organizations and surrounding communities. Curious to know more? Join the next meeting. You don’t need to be an active member to check out a meeting. For more information: www.brook eldwomensclub. com/member. 8436 Brook eld Ave., Brook eld

Cinco De Mayo

Sunday, May 5, 12 - 2 p.m. Nor th Riverside Mall is hosting a fun, culturally rich Cinco De Mayo celebration featuring: mariachi singer Luis Alfredo, folkloric dancers from La Academia, a Mexican dance academy and a juegetas workshop with artists Miriam Salgado and Alejandro Camacho for kids under 14. For more information: https:// northriversideparkmall.com/cinco- demayo -5.  7501 W. Cermak Rd.

Creating with technology can be intimidating. That’s why the Riverside Library created The Spot DIY Kits. For just the cost of materials, kits come with ever ything you need, along with easy-to-follow step-bystep instructions. The May project is wooden owers you can make using the librar y’s Glowforge. Each kit holds enough to make two owers at a cost of $2 per kit, with a limit of two kits per person. Make an appointment either by calling 708-442-6366 or by submitting an appointment request form at // riversidelibrary.org/spot. 2400 S. Desplaines Ave.

Dressing the Stars with Film Historian Annette Bochenek

Wednesday, May 8, 7 p.m. , Riverside Public Library Film stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age channeled glamor and in uenced fashion, thanks to the talented costume designers working in the studio system. Join Film Historian Annette Bochenek as she presents about classic Hollywood’s top costume designers, iconic costumes and the legacy of these designs today. The program will include a multimedia presentation consisting of photos, video clips and captivating stories. Registration is required at www.riversidelibrary.org or by calling 708-442-6366. 2400 S. Desplaines Ave

Cinco de Mayo & Chef Pepe’s Birthday

Sunday, May 5, La Barra Riverside Celebrate Mexico’s beloved holiday and say feliz cumpleaños to Chef Pepe in this special evening featuring authentic Mexican taquiza (a kind of buffet), music and Modelo (or your choice of bebida). For reser vations:www.labarrariverside.com/ or 708887-7700. 2 E. Burlington St. at Longcommon Road

Compiled by Grace Har ty

ANNET TE BOCHENEK

Riverside approves refurbishing aging retruck

e village will save more than $700,000 by not buying new

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Riverside is getting a nearly new firetruck — at a fraction of the cost of a factory-fresh one.

At its April 18 meeting, the Riverside village board approved the refurbishment of one of the village’s firetrucks, a move that will allow the village to use the truck for another decade while saving at least $700,000 compared to buying a new truck.

At the meeting, Director of Public Safety Matt Buckley said the truck is what’s known to firefighters as a “quint,” meaning it has five key capabilities to put out fires

“It’s got the main ladder. It’s got pumping capability and a water tank with over 500-gallon tank capacity. It’s got [a] firefighting hose, and it’s got ground ladders,” he said. “It has all the essential things we utilize for firefighting, but the biggest part and the most important part is that 100-foot ladder that’s on top of that vehicle.”

T he truck, wh ich was manufactured in 2001, is d ue to be refurbished or retire d because of i ts ag e. Buckley said most firetrucks last 2-30 years; however, the truck’s refurbishment had o riginally b een planned for next year, he said.

“A few months ago, I was in front of the board talking about this very item. My hope was that I was going to have a year to plan this and put this on our 2025 [capital improvement plan],” Buckley said at the meeting. “Unfortunately, this vehicle was involved in an accident at our Station #2 and as a result had to be brought to the manufacturer.”

The office of the manufacturer, Seagrave, is located in Clintonville, Wisconsin, more than 200 miles north of Riverside. Because the firetruck is already there, Buckley said the manufacturers were able to inspect the vehicle and identify it as “an excellent candidate for a refurbishment.”

The refurbishment will run the village about $383,000, although trustees approved

allocating $400,000 for contingencies.

In comparison, Buckley said that the purchase of a new firetruck from Seagrave, which is included in the village’s planned budg et for 2027, would cost about $1.75 million today. A new firetruck from another manufacturer would r un between $1.1 million and $2 million, he said. While Riverside did not explicitly budg et for the truck’s refurbishment in 2024, Buckley said Finance Director Yvette Zavala had confirmed the village would be able to af ford it

“I think it’s very prudent of us to look at this refurbishment where we’re going to get about another 10-15 years of service life out of this vehicle,” he said.

During refurbishment, the manufacturers will “go through the entire vehicle and, basically — I don’t want to say make it new, but they make it almost new again,” Buckley said. “The only thing that’s probably going to stay on there that isn’t going to get touched are the tires.”

Brookfield Chamber of Commerce Business Spotlight

Just Wallpaper Makes it Easy!

▪ Julia Hamilton and Kate Sanderson co-own and operate Just Wallpaper located at 9219 Broadway Ave suite A in Brookfield’s 8 corners district.

▪ Julia and Kate are friends and Realtors who got into wallpaper in 2022. They initially launched as at an home consultation service but quickly converted their office in Berwyn to a small showroom. Connecting with clients and seeing how overwhelming ordering wallpaper online could be, they began looking for a larger space to take the shop full time and share wallpaper with more clients.

Just Wallpaper

Julia Hamilton and Kate Sanderson 9219 Broadway Ave. Brookfield • www.just-wallpaper.com

• info@just-wallpaper.com • 312-702-0349

▪ We believe everyone should decorate their space to their own taste- and we have wallpapers for a variety of budgets and genuinely any style. Our knowledgable staff assists you every step of the way from finding your style, determining how to measure for success and deciding if you want to DIY or find an installer.

▪ We know choosing wallpaper can be daunting. The search for a storefront was as much about finding the right amount of space to house the library of huge books as creating a comfortable place to casually browse through those books. The 8 corners district is perfect. Parking is easy, there’s great food and plenty of walkable activities. We have felt so welcome and embraced by the town and the other small businesses.

▪ May 8th we are hosting an open house 10-7. The chamber ribbon cutting will take place at 4:30pm. There will be bites, drinks and specials. We want to welcome the community into the library. Come by and see Chicagoland’s largest selection of wallpaper books and samples.

According to a village memo, the firetruck’s refurbishment was brought before the village board for trustees to discuss whether the village should pursue it, with the option of taking action at the board’s discretion. Only one board member spoke up before the board unanimously approved a resolution to have the truck refurbished this year

“This is a no-brainer,” Trustee Jill Mateo said.

Presented by

GERALD BERNARD - ADOBE.COM

RBHS teachers’ contracts could be extended one year

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

Union officials and administrators at Riverside Brookfield High School are ne gotiating over whether to extend the teachers’ contract that is set to expire in about a year Superintendent Kevin Skinkis and Asst. Supt, Kristin Smetana have held about five meetings with Riverside Brookfield Education Association presidents Dan Bonarigo and Jessica Mauritzen since March after the school board and the RBEA entered into a memorandum of understanding about the talks. Skinkis disclosed the talks at the April 23 school board meeting when he said both sides are trying to determine whether a contract extension can be focused strictly on economic items. Skinkis said that an extension would change only the economic ter ms of the contract and pay. It would not deal with contract language.

The current, three-year contract expires at the end of the 2024-25 school year. In an email, Skinkis said that it was his idea to explore ne gotiating a contract extension more than a year before the cu rrent contract expires

email. “Both sides had an interest.”

The memorandum of understanding approved by the school board on March 12 states that the contract extension ne gotiations will terminate May 8 unless the parties ag ree otherwise. More ne gotiating sessions are scheduled.

“We are scheduled to conduct a few more meetings in the upcoming weeks to see if we can land on some ground for an extension,” Skinkis told the Landmark.

Neither Bonarigo or Mauritzen re plied to requests for comment by deadline.

Among the reasons Skinkis presented the idea of discussing a contract extension early is that RB is completing its first year under a new organizational model that features division heads instead of instructional coaches

“The new Divisional model, Peer Evaluation, and additional c ollaboration o pportunities through c ommittees have b een p ositive for all s ide s, ” Skinkis said in the email.

School b oard members have not b een involved in the ne g otiations.

“The superintendent has b riefed me, as w ell as the f ull Board,” said RB school b oard president Deanna Zalas in a text message. “We have not b een in direct c ontact with the RBEA.”

Under the cu rrent c ontract, teachers with master ’s de grees will rece ive raises of $3,300 to $4,500 next year assuming that inflation is less than 4.5%. Teachers with a bachelor’s de gree are scheduled to rece ive $2,800 raises next year.

HO Trains Run Here

HO Trains Run Here

HO Trains Run Here

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HO Trains Run Here OPEN HOUSE

OPEN HOUSE

OPEN HOUSE

OPEN HOUSE

MAY 4 12:01 pm to 5 pm Free admission!

MAY 4 12:01 pm to 5 pm Free admission!

MAY 4 12:01 pm to 5 pm

OPEN HOUSE

MAY 4 12:01 pm to 5 pm Free admission!

Free admission!

Oak Park Society of Model Engineers

Oak Park Society of Model Engineers

MAY 4 12:01 pm to 5 pm Free admission!

Oak Park Society of Model Engineers

Dole Learning Center Lower Level

Oak Park Society of Model Engineers

Oak Park Society of Model Engineers

255 Augusta, Oak Park, IL 60302

Dole Learning Center Lower Level

Dole Learning Center Lower Level

255 Augusta, Oak Park, IL 60302

Dole Learning Center Lower Level

Dole Learning Center Lower Level

255 Augusta, Oak Park, IL 60302

255 Augusta, Oak Park, IL 60302

Oak Park’s Model Railroad Club.

255 Augusta, Oak Park, IL 60302

Oak Park’s Model Railroad Club. New members always welcomed! youtube.com/@oakparkmodelrrclub

Oak Park’s Model Railroad Club. New members always welcomed! youtube.com/@oakparkmodelrrclub

Oak Park’s Model Railroad Club. New members always welcomed! youtube.com/@oakparkmodelrrclub

Oak Park’s Model Railroad Club.

Oak Park’s Model Railroad Club.

New members always welcomed! youtube.com/@oakparkmodelrrclub

New members always welcomed! youtube.com/@oakparkmodelrrclub

New members always welcomed! youtube.com/@oakparkmodelrrclub

Can you guess who won Brookfield’s Dancing with the Chamber?

10 chamber members competed, but only 1 could win...

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Trustee Nicole Gilhooley, who re presented Brookfield and i ts b oard of trustees, was c alled as the victor of the Brookfield C hamber of C ommerce’s second annual Dancing with the C hamber c ompetition April 27. S he beat out nine other business owners and chamber members with her American tango performance to “Cell Block Tango” from the musical “Chicago.”

A crowd of more than 400 p eople filled nearly ever y seat in Rive rside-Brookfield High School’s auditoriu m over the weekend to cheer on the competitors.

Aside from Gilhooley, who is the village b oard’s liaison to the chamber, those c ompeting included Marco Granja of State Fa rm I nsurance; Alberto Jaqu ez , an RB d ean of students; Mary Misch of Tischler Finer Foods; Wendy Moore of Daisy ’s Treats & Bake ry; Dan Parcel of More T han Hai r, Ltd.; Phil Richard of F irs t National Bank of Brookfield; Rev. Ka rl Sokol of C omp assion United Methodist C hurch; Christopher Valadez of Cycle Brookfield; and Aracely “Maria” Ve rduz co of Loca Mocha Café.

T heir performances we re choreo gr aphed once agai n by Brookfield resident Te resa S wanson, who owns Sw ay Dance Chicag o, wh i le three of Sw ay ’s professional d ancers — A lejandro Cruz, Sophia Papadopoulos and Ay nsley Pa rker — filled in as each c ompetitor ’s d ancing par tner

T he show’s three emcees we re A nne C lark, B ria n S harenow and Amy We i nert, the C hamber of C ommerce’s administrator, president and treasurer, respective ly. S wanson judged the c ompetitors alongside C huck Hitzeman, the owner of Hitzeman Funeral Home, and Héctor Freytas, RB’s principal, who b oth c ompeted in Dancing with the Chamber ’s first go

Ready for round tw

While the first Dancing with the Chamber took place in October 2022, Swanson said the Chamber of merce did not opt to skip the last year

“We decided just to try a different time of year,” she said in a phone interview Thursday. “I think da wanted to try to see if it was a little easier to schedule ers, or, you know, just to try the spring as the event time to see if that made a difference to the participants and ticket purchasers, too.”

Aside from the time of event was held, Swanson said she and the other organizers didn much about this year the Chamber after the success of the first one. The only other big change was to the judging panel, with tas and Hitzeman re Recreation Commissioner Mary kocil and for mer Ri Landmark Editor Bob Uphues.

“The other two judges are tually participants last experience with how it works and the work that goes into it,” Swanson said.

Of the contestants who agreed to this year’s competition, Swanson said “there’s kind of a specific personality type.”

“Even though they’re all very different, they’re all very willing, and they’re all very energetic, and they’re all great,” she said. “This is always really easy and fun for me because I enjoy it so much, and they’re all so into it. Their energy is amazing.”

Despite the contestants’ enthusiasm, Swanson said they each only got about six hours of training across three months of weekly, half-hour lessons.

“It’s not a lot of time at all, so we do a lot of work,” she said. “‘Dancing with the Stars,’ when you watch those shows, they have intensive training for, you know, a long time every day, so they get a lot more time with those dancers than I get. But for only having that amount of time, they do an incredible job.”

Get the winner ’s perspective

In a phone interview with the Landmark Friday — just one day before she took the stage to win Dancing with the Chamber — Gilhooley said her immediate reaction to being asked to compete was nervousness, but she agreed anyway.

“I love our Chamber of Commerce. I think they do an exceptional job connecting with the community, and I think one thing that drives them is just wanting to know their community,” she said. “That helped my nerves a bit, to know that people I would be dancing with and around would be people that I know.”

She said another factor that got her to agree to compete was hearing from Hitzeman about how much he enjoyed competing the first time around, so much that he wished

Chamber despite her lack of dancing experience, especially the dress rehearsal one week out from the event.

“To be on the stage and see the lights and experience what it’s like to be backstage, we got to do that during our rehearsal last Sunday, so that was really good practice,” she said. “I feel like I’ve had enough lessons for the show, and it’s been time well spent for sure.”

With only a day to go before her perfor mance — and with most of the other contestants’ performances under wraps — Gilhooley said she was looking forward to see it all come together.

“One of the coolest things was to be back in the dressing room with the other female dancers and just to see people’s costumers and just talk about it together, because we have been trying to keep it somewhat se parate,” Gilhooley said about the dress rehearsal. “The other part is, I just love how people are saying, ‘Oh, I can’t wait to come see the dance’ … I just love the whole of it, right? It’s not just the dance itself, it’s how it’s all bringing us together, which I think is really exciting.”

She added that she hopes the event spotlights the businesses that were re presented by dancers.

Gilhooley added that she doesn’t see a reason for Dancing with the Chamber to not get a third installment.

“Every single person I have talked to that participated in the first one and that went to watch it only has amazing things to say about it: how fun it was, how entertaining. And it’s not even just about who won or who didn’t win, it was just, what a fun time it was and how great the emcees were, and all of that,” she said. “You’re not just going there to cheer on strangers. You’re going to there to cheer on business owners that you know and community members, because many of our business owners also live here … I don’t see why it shouldn’t continue.”

TRENT BROWN

Trustee Nicole Gilhooley (le ) wowed the judges with her American tango performance of “Cell Block Tango”

Brookfield celebrates Arbor Day with Gross School tree planting

6th graders learned about the history of Arbor Day and helped village foresters with the planting

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Municipalities across the country celebrated Arbor Day Friday, and Brookfield was no exception.

This year, the village reco gnized the holiday dedicated to planting trees by hosting a public tree planting of its own Friday morning at S. E. Gross Middle School.

At the event, Village Forester Victor Janusz taught about 30 students from Katelyn Ralphson’s sixth grade ELA class about the history of Arbor Day, which originated in 1872 in the United States.

Janusz called on students to explain why they think trees are important and awarded a hat or bracelet to students who came up with original answers. Some of the reasons they gave included that trees filter carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen, provide habitats for animals and make people feel happier. Janusz also taught the class about how to plant and care for a tree.

Students waited in line and took turns shoveling dir t from the pile onto the tree’s base while Village Forester Victor Janusz (middle) obser ved. Once each stude nt took a tur n, v illage forestry sta nished shoveling the dirt onto the tree.

Gross School students raised their hands to shar e reasons why trees are important.Village Forester Victor Janusz (right) handed out bracelets and a hat to the students who could name a unique reason.

Five of the students each read a treethemed poem they had written in front of the rest of the class. Then, the whole class got

their hands dirty, taking turns shoveling dirt from a pile onto the base of the new tree. Once they were done, village forestry staf f finished the job.

Janusz said the tree is a triumph elm, which can also be called a “Morton Glossy.”

Triumph elms are hybrid cultivars from Morton Arboretum that are bred to be resistant to Dutch elm disease and elm yellows, which can devastate nonresistant elm tree populations.

After helping to plant the tree, students received gift bags that each contained an Arbor Day pencil, a pamphlet and poster about how to care for trees, a pinwheel and a bag of wildfl ower seeds, alongside a bag of dirt and a small planter for the seeds. T he Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago also provided 20 oak tree saplings that residents attending the tree planting could take home to plant themselves

E xtra g ift bags we re given to students

in other classes wh i le leftove r saplings we re ra ffled to students who we re n’ t present at the tree planting

T he observance of an annual A rbo r Day tree p lanting is one of the requirements for Brookfield to maintain it s status as a Tree City USA c ommunity, a d esignation gr anted to municipalities by the national nonprofit A rbor Day Foundation. T he other requirements to become or stay a Tree City USA c ommunity include maintaining a tree b oard, having a tree care ordinance, dedicating at least $2 per capita to an annual forestry budg et and proclaiming the last F riday in April as A rbor Day each year Vi llage President Michael Gar ve y read Brookfield’s proclamation for this year at the villa ge board’s April 22 meeting . Wi th all of the requirements in p lac e, Brookfield was named a Tree City US A c ommunity for 2024, marking the 43rd c onsecutive year it has ke pt the status

TRENT BROWN

PO LICE REPO RT S

Woman with drugs arrested after police find her sleeping in stolen car

A woman was ar rested April 19 in Riverside after a p olice officer on patrol found her asleep in an idling car that had been stolen.

At about 4:15 a.m., the officer saw the car pa rked next to the Rive rside trai n station; upon r unning the car’s license plates, the officer found them to be stolen plates from Oak Lawn. T he officer saw the drive r asleep in the ca r, bu t she “startled awake” after the officer knocke d on the p assenger d oor, a ccording to p olice. W hen the officer opened the unlocke d d oor, the woman said she had b een taking a nap before turning the car of f and p lacing her purse in her lap. W hen the officer asked if the car was her s, the woman said it was, but she was unable to provide any identification.

W hen the officer asked for her name, the woman said, “N o, ” and be g an mumbling before exiting the vehicle and fleeing on foot northwest toward the c ommuter pa rk ing lot, wh ich is enclosed by f ences. Police said the woman t ried to scale the f ence but c ould not g et over it ; the officer drew their taser and pointed it at the woman, who then g ot down from the f enc e. T he woman was then ar rested

Before taking her back to the station, the officer checked the car’s vehicle identification number and ran it, which revealed it had been stolen from Westchester.

After the woman was b ooked and

to the stolen vehicl e, the woman’s purs e and a butane lighter. I nside the purs e, the officer found two g lass pipe s, one of wh ich p olice said was “used to smoke methamphetamine” and another that p olice said was “used to smoke crack cocain e. ” T he officer also found two p lasti c bags with wh i te powder residu e, a p lastic vape and $15 in cash.

A supplemental p olice re po rt said officers who inventoried the stolen ca r discove red seve r al drive rs’ licenses, stolen license plates, burglary tools, stolen clothing, electronics, a g lass pipe and more inside.

T he woman was charged with p ossessing a stolen motor vehicl e, resisting arrest, p ossessing drug paraphernalia and driving on a revo ke d license

D riving under the influenc e without tail lights

A man was ar rested April 25 in Berwyn after a Rive rside officer saw hi m driving without operational tail lights.

Officers followe d him and p ulled hi m over near Maple Avenue. While talking with the drive r, the officer smelled alcohol on his breath and saw he had bloodshot, g lassy eyes, p olice said. T he man provided proof of i nsurance but did not provide a drive r’s license. T he man also told the officer he had drunk two b eer s that night. W hen the officer r an the name on the man’s i nsuranc e, it revealed the man had a revo ke d license he man ag reed to take a field sobriety olice said. During the horizontest, the officer asked the man ollow their finger with only his eyes, ut the man move d his head too. Accordolice, the man “was ve ry adamant that he was moving his eyes, wh ich he was not. ”

After the officer gave instructions on the walk-and-turn test, the man said he ould not perform it due to having been “shot in the back.” When the officer d onto the one-leg stand test, the man said the same thing before saying he

could take the walk-and-turn test. When the officer mentioned the man’s inconsistent responses, he started doing jumping jacks to show the officer he could take the walk-and-tur n test, police said.

W hen the officer resumed explaining the test, the man started on his ow n and did it improperly. W hen the officer further explained the test, the man was leaning on his car; when the officer asked the man to step aw ay from the ca r and c ontinued explaining, the man sai d he c ould not take the test d ue to havin g b een shot.

The man declined a portable breath test, and the officer placed him under ar rest. T he man was charged with ag gr avated driving under the influence, wh ich is a f elony, and driving under the influence.

He was also charged with driving with a revo ke d license and without tail lights A May 2 court date was set.

These items we re o btained from the Riverside Po lice Department re ports date d A pril 19-25 and the Brookfield Po lice Department re ports dated A pril 22-29; th ey re present a portion of the incidents to wh ich police re sponded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a c rime and cases ha ve not yet been adjudic ated. We re port the ra ce of a suspect onl y wh en a s erious crime has b een c ommitted, the suspect is still at large and police ha ve provided us with a detailed physical des cription of the suspect as th ey seek th e public’s help in making an ar re st . Compiled by Trent Brown

Opinion

THE L ANDMARK VIEW

Things we like

On this first day of May, here are four things underway in Riverside and Brookfield which make us feel enthusiastic about our neighborhoods.

Nothing but fun

T he Brookfield Chamber came back strong with its second Dancing with the Chamber event, April 27. Perhap s the ultimate in a small-town, feel-good event, this dance competition packed the house in the auditorium at RB High School as 10 locals took the stage

While all in on positivit y, this was also a legitimate competition, with professional choreogr aphers and costumers wo rk ing with contestants over weeks to put on a good show.

In the end, there can be just one winner and it was Nicole Gilhooley, the Brookfield village trustee and board liaison to the Chamber. She performed a tango to a piece from the fabulous musical Chicago.

Our Trent Brown was interviewing Gilhooley the day before the competition and asked her about Dancing with the Chamber. She enthused about why she loves the local group for its work connecting the village. And she said that strong sense of connection eased her nerves about performing.

Good for all 10 dancers. They re presented a range of local businesses, including a bank, a church, retailers and restaurants, as well as Gilhooley from village government and Alberto Jaquez, a dean at RB.

Can’t wait for next year.

A valued life

Betty LeClere died on April 21. Sh e was 79. Since 1998 she owned Betty ’s Fl owers & Gifts on Broadway. It was a successful and belove d business because Betty was the ultimate con-

nector. Ve ry active in the Brookfield C hamber, past president of the Brookfield-R iverside Rotar y, she knew p eople and drew them close — in the fl ower business often in moments of joy and of g rie f.

S he live d in Brookfield, wo rked in Brookfield and raised her family here. That connection was reco gnized last year when the village honored her with a proclamation and designated the 9100 block of Broadway as Honorary Betty LeClere Avenue

A well-lived life.

Promote from within

Riverside’s village government conducted the search and then Village Manager Jessica Frances made the call to promote from within and named Yvette Zavala as the village’s permanent finance director.

S eems to be a strong choice, give n Zavala’s wide career in finance, her enthusiasm for how well-manage d finances translate to public service, and her determination to be a problem-solving resource for her village hall colleagues

That Zavala comes to the permanent post with almost a year of experience in Riverside is always a plus as audits and budgets are a learned experience.

Rebuilding a retruck

Our head re gularly snaps as we watch communities we cover budget more than $1 million and up toward $2 million to buy a firetruck. And then wait more than a year to get delivery. Riverside’s decision to spend not quite $400,000 to refurbish, and not replace, its “quint” seems prudent and efficient. The truck is almost 25 years old but will return to Brookfield in almost new condition. That’s a win.

Betty LeClere, 79

OBITUARIES

Owner of Bett y’s Flowers and Gi s

Betty M. LeClere (nee Heavrin), 79, of Brookfield, died on April 21, 2024. Born on April 19, 1945, she was the owner and operator of Betty’s Flowers and Gifts for over 25 years.

Betty was the wife of the late Paul D. LeClere; the mother of David P. (Dawn) LeClere Sr. and April (Michael) Tralewski; Grammy of Kaylee LeClere, Emily Tralewski, Davey LeClere Jr., and Michael Tralewski Jr.; sister of Shirley LeClere, Robert (Sandy) Heavrin, Darlene (Larry) Petkus, the late Lester (late Lenora) Heavrin, and the late Carol (late John) Kuta. Visitation was held on April 25 at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield. Funeral service took place on Friday, 10 a.m. at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, followed by interment at St. John Lutheran Cemetery in Hodgkins. Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared with the family at www.johnsowww.johnsonnosek.com.

Annette Penrod, 82

O ce administra

Annette Marie Penrod (nee Novotny), 82 of Brookfield, died on April 24, 2024. Born on Dec. 5, 1941, she worked as an office administrator for a warehousing company.

Annette was the mother of J (Amy) Penrod, St (Shelly) Penrod, Darrel Penrod, Jim (Lisa) Penrod and Mike mother of Stev Penrod, Dustin (Haley) Penrod, Justin Pen-

rod, Darrel (Kadie) Penrod, Miranda Baugh, Nicole (Nick) Kollintzas, Christy Penrod, Matt Penrod, Ryan (Liz) Penrod, Jake Penrod, and Ally Penrod; and the great-grandmother of Marcus Zalapa, Mariah Zalapa, Nick Penrod, Noah Penrod, Jaxon Penrod and James Kollintzas.

Visitation was held on April 28 at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield. The funeral Mass was celebrated at 10:30 a.m., April 29, at St. Barbara Church in Brookfield, followed by interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside. Memorials to the Hinsdale Humane Society, 21 Salt Creek Lane, Hinsdale, IL 60521 would be appreciated.

Kenneth Skisak, 69 Warehouse manager

Kenneth Skisak, 69, of Brookfield, for merly of LaGrange Park, died on April 24, 2024. He was full of life and a bright light in any room. He loved his children and grandchildren more than anything else. He worked hard his whole life as a warehouse manager, then as a delivery driver in later years. He took time to laugh and enjoy the simple things in life like catching up on old reruns and watching a thunderstorm from the garage. His relationship with God was an inspiration and helped others strengthen their faith. Bringing peace on earth was his lifelong goal.

Ken was the father of Lindsay (Justin) zen, Haley (Matthew) Jurjovec, and Dan Skisak; the grandfather of Theodore Pe zen, Sonja Pe zen and Wesley Jurjovec; the brother of Larry (Linda) Skisak, Chris Skisak and Barbara (Gary) Jacklin; and the uncle of many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Frank Skisak and Rose Marie Skisak (nee Spale).

A memorial gathering will be held on Thursday, May 2, 2024 from 9:30 a.m. until

OBITUARIES

the time of service, 11:30 a.m., at Hitzeman Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 9445 31st St., Brookfield, IL 60513. Interment is private

In lieu of fl ower s, his f amily asks that you take time out of your day to ste p back and breathe in the fresh ai r, help a neighbo r, and see the g ood in all that’s around us

If you wish to send a Sympathy Card to the family, please feel free to send it to Hitzeman Funeral Home, c/o the Kenneth Skisak family. We will gladly forward it on.

Ar vydas Algminas, 90

Ar t instructor

Arvydas Algminas, 90, of Brookfield, for merly of Riverside, died on April 23, 2024 in Brookfield. Born on Sept. 9, 1933 in Klaipeda, Lithuania, he was a U.S. Ar my Veteran and an art instructor at the American Academy of Art.

Arvydus was the husband of Diana (nee Radys), the brother of Leo (Dalia) Algminas; the uncle of Audra (Brian) Ebling, and Kristina (Joe) McGann; and the greatuncle of Everett Ebling, August Ebling and Dalia McGann.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 1 from 9 a.m. until the funeral service, 10 a.m. at Kuratko-Nosek Funeral Home, 2447 S. Desplaines Ave., North Riverside, followed at 12 p.m. by interment at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood. Family and friends are asked to meet directly at the cemetery Public Information Center by 11:45 a.m.

Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared with the family at www. KuratkoNosek.com.

Nancy Melanson, 78

Special education teacher, hospice volunteer

Connection

Nancy Ann Melanson (nee Reinhard), 78, of Riverside, died on April 20, 2024 at her home Married on June 22, 1968, she was a special education teacher at Brook Park School for many years, a Eucharistic minister to the sick and a hospice volunteer with St Thomas.

Nancy was the wife of the late Richard J.; the mother of Kristin (Jim) Burns and the late Brendan; the grandmother of Liam, Unna and Cecilee Burns; the sister of Eileen and Liz; and the sister-in-law of Barbara and Edward Melanson and Paula Shea.

A memorial gathering will be held on Saturday, May 11 at St. Mary Church, 126 Herrick Road, Riverside at 10 a.m., followed by Mass at 11 a.m.

The family respectfully requests no flowers. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude’s Research Hospital or Advent Health-Foundation for St. Thomas Hospice.

To run an obituary

Please contact Erika Hobbs by e-mail: erika@growingcommunitymedia.org, before Monday at noon. Please include a photo if possible.

Sports

Former Nazareth QB McCarthy gets NFL call from Vikings

Michigan’s NCAA championship quarterback taken 10th overall

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Nazareth Academy’s offensive coordinator Casey Moran knew of quarterback JJ McCarthy as an eighth-grader and then taught him in freshman math class. Moran quickly saw McCarthy’s attributes were adding up to a memorable football future.

“He’s always been mature beyond his years, but seeing him grow and mature in the spotlight and keep his humility is really special,” Moran said.

On Thursday night, he was among the 80plus Nazareth students, administration, faculty, parents, alumni and friends at the McCook Athletic and Recreation Center (MAX) who watched and celebrated as the for mer Nazareth standout was selected 10th overall by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the National Football League draft

McCarthy was a member of Nazareth’s Class 7A state championship team in 2018 and 7A state runner-up in 2019. With COVID-19 restrictions affecting the Illinois high school football season, McCarthy played for IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida as a senior.

On Jan. 8, McCarthy was the quarterback for the University of Michigan’s NCAA championship team — as a junior

“It’s exciting to see all of the people who are out here to support him,” Moran said. “He’s a great young man and great football player.

JJ McCarthy during the Wolverines’ CFP Semi nal at the Rose Bowl Game game against the University of Alabama Crimson Tide at Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA on January 1, 2024.

ethic, his intelligence is second to none. His willingness to study and continue to improve is the thing that takes him over the top.”

Nazareth head coach Tim Racki was on hand for the Wolverines’ 34-13 national championship victory over Washington and for McCarthy’s draft watch party in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

After the news of the Vikings trading up, Racki said there was anticipation of McCar-

“It was above and beyond what I expected. It was incredible. It was definitely a memory I won’t soon forget,” Racki said.

“I’d been hoping all along he’d go to the Vikings. I found out that was the preference, too. I was in good company. I’m a big fan of their coach [Kevin O’Connell]. He’s got a great offensive mind. Their receiving corps is good. They have a great defense.”

The draft party was at the home of a

family friend. The numerous well-wishers were distributed among three areas of the spacious house

Racki was among those nearby when McCarthy received the call. Almost immediately after, McCarthy went downstairs to celebrate with Michigan teammates.

“That speaks volumes about the type of teammate he is,” Racki said.

“I had a lot of great alone time with him. We talked about memories and talk ed about the future. It was an incredible moment being able to catch up with him and his family in an intimate setting.”

Nazareth organized a similar watch party when 2016 graduate Julian Love of the Seattle Seahawks was drafted by the New York Giants. Racki attended Love’s draft watch party in Chicago.

McCarthy grew up minutes from Nazareth in La Grange Park and attended Park Junior High School.

“This is unbeli evab le and to go in the top 10, li ke a dream come tr ue for JJ, hi s f amily and for N azareth. Just amazing,” N azareth President Deborah Tracy said.

“He’s just a great hometown hero. Everyone who knows him is behind him because he and his family are just amazing. We know he’s a great quarterback, but we would not be this excited if he wasn’t just an outstanding young man. That’s what represents our school the best.”

Bulldogs’ Murphy makes pitch for a great nish

RB baseball gets help from a snowboarder

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Riverside Brookfield High School pitcher Wyatt Murphy has no aspirations of playing college or professional baseball — which has helped him approach his senior season with excitement and freedom, like

snowboarding, one of his favorite pastimes

“I’m enjoying [baseball] more, definitely,” Murphy said. “I’m g etting the bittersweet feeling of it going away, but just kind of playing more loose because it’s my last year.”

Following his last outing Thursday at Ehlert Park, Murphy didn’t even realize he

delivered four no-hit innings in the Bulldogs’ 12-1 five-inning Metro Suburban Conference victory over Elmwood Park

RBHS (11-9, 4-0 in M SC) has won four straight and six of i ts last seven, heading i nto a busy week, including F riday’s 2 p. m. g ame against L ibe rt yville at A merica Family Field, the home sta-

dium of the Milwaukee Brewer s. Admission is free

Cooper Marrs was 4 for 4 Thursday with a home run, triple and four runs batted in. Sean Campbell was 3 for 3 with two RBIs, and Tohma Tucker had an RBI double. Murphy had five strikeouts. One unearned run came in the third after one walk,

ERIC BRONSON / UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Krueger nds new spot as Bulldogs’ starting goalie

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Riverside Brookfield High School senior Annabel Krue ger already has proven her athletic talents in girls volleyball and gymnastics. For her final year, Krue ger star ted considering a spring spor t.

Senior girls soccer standout Hazel Hall had the answer.

“We didn’t have a goalie. We needed one. I love Anna, too, so I wanted to have a friend on the team,” Hall said.

“I obviously had known she played many sports before, so I knew she was athletic. And she’s very smart so she’s a quick lear ner.”

During morning announcements about girls soccer at the start of the school year, Hall asked Krue ger about becoming the new varsity goalie. T he 5-foot-9 Krue ger ag reed and has put in the work to make herself a good one.

T he Bulldogs (10-4-1, 3-1 in Metro Suburban Conference) have eight shutouts, including one streak of three in a row. T hey’re 5-0-1 over their last six g ames with three shutouts

“The defense is amazing. I g et credit for all of the shutouts but it’s really them. T hey don’ t let the other teams get a lot of shots on me,” Krue ger said.

“It’s like a sisterhood. Everyone’s really accepting. Everyone’s really nice to me. T hey always tell me I’m doing a good job or pick me up. T hey tell me to shake it of f. T hey’re really supportive so that’s been a big help.”

On T hursday, the Bulldogs moved into

one hit batter, a wild pitch and a run-scoring ground out. Robert Drake threw a 1-2-3 fifth with two called strikeouts to end the game

“I had a few flukes and walks. N ot the b est start for me, but it was all right, ” Murphy said.

Murphy has a 4-1 record, 1.39 earnedr un average and 45 strikeouts in 35.1 innings with a five -inning no-hitter against Westmont on April 18. He’s most pleased about his one loss — five strikeouts and five hits allowe d over four i nnings with no earned r uns in the 12-3 loss to twotime defending C lass 3A state champio n N azareth Academy on March 26.

“It’s definitely the b est g ame I’ve had either in a wh i le or ever,” Mur phy said.

a first-place tie in the MSC with a 4-2 victory at Elmwood Park that avenged their 2-1 over time loss on April 4.

Hall scored twice and junior Ella Caputo and senior Niamh Larson also scored with two assists by Larson and one from senior Maddie Bisiules

Defensive standouts include senior C assi dy Erb, j unior Lu cy Drenth, sophomores A bigail Fo rd and Au drey Raymond and senior defensive m idfielder Kate Newber ry.

“[Krue ger is] doing wonderful, adapting really well, kind of progressing g ame by g ame. She makes some incredible saves,” RBHS coach Ivek Halic said.

“She’s just an athlete, just that work ethic. She goes with the fl ow but so determined. It’s something you can’ t teach.”

Hall’s second goal in the 70th minute, T hursday, was after a rebound that deflected of f her face and rolled into the net. With her mouth bleeding, Hall wanted to go back into the g ame

“I have prom tomor row [was Hall’s reaction],” RBHS assistant coach Kevin Gawne noted.

This past f all, Krue ger was a 2023 AllMSC volleyball player. As a gymnast, she was a 2023 individual sectional qualifier as a junior

She spent the winter of fseason preparing for goali e.

“I kind of thought, ‘Yeah, this could be a fun idea,’ but I didn’t know if it’s actually going to happen,” Krue ger said. “But then as we trained more and more, it star ted becoming a reality.”

Halic welcomed Krue ger and be ga n

P ride in his pitching is a trait he’s developed from older brother Owen, who is pitching professionally with the Rome (Georgia) Emperors, the A tlanta Br aves’ high Class A af filiate.

“It was i nsane motivation for me with b aseball and j ust stuf f outside of school, j ust seeing him succeed and the amount of wo rk he p ut in made me want to pu t more wo rk in,” Mur phy said.

“[Owen] kind of motivated me to c ontinue b aseball, high-school-wise, but it motivated me to kind of look i nto my own i nterests. It made me look i nto myself more. I know I really do n’ t want to do b aseball as a jo b. I started learning guitar, looking i nto engineering, started

Riverside-Brook eld’s Annabel Krueger (1) watches the action around the goal during a nonconference game against Nazareth Friday, March 15, 2024 in Brook eld.

wo rk ing with her, along with assistant c oach Carlos Hernand ez S he pl ayed g oalie twice with the RBFC club team. S he also rece ived g oaltending pointers from friend Ben Bieliauskas, a 2022 RBHS gr aduate.

building stuf f. ”

A nother of Murphy’s i nterests is to build spaceships. He plans to study aerospace engineering at A rizona State or C olorado Stat e.

“I’ve always love d snowboarding, so I’ve always wanted to go out west, j ust be in the mountains,” he said.

Unfortunately for Murphy, a snowboarding injury to his left shoulder affected his pitching last season. While it was his nonthrowing shoulder, the separation and partial tear affected his mechanics.

“I was still probably throw ing the same speed but way of f to the left, way of f to the right,” Mur phy said.

“He didn’t really start throw ing hi s

“It worked out actually perfectly She’s done amazing,” Hall said. “You wouldn’ t even know she started this season from how she’s been playing. It’s insane that she started this season.”

b est until his last c ouple of starts,” RBHS coach Mark Ori said.

“He’s throw ing harder. He j ust looks a lot stronger this year. Since g ame one, he’s j ust had a little extra, a little go on his f astball. He looks p olished. He c ould [play in colle ge]. ”

Marrs (.371, 3 HR, 14 RBIs) and C ampb ell (.351, 1 HR, 10 RBI) remain among the Bulld og s’ top hitter s, with Gino Pig oni (.385, 13 RBI) and Jaden Despe (.306, 12 RBI).

Marrs (3-0, 1.07 ERA, 20 strikeouts in 18.2 i nnings) also has b een pitchin g strong after battling an of f season wris t injury. Drake is 2-0 with 24 strikeouts in 18.2 inning s.

STEVE JOHNSTON

PUBLIC NOTICE

On Monday, May 06, 2024 at 8:30 a.m., Oak Park Elementary School District 97 will be conducting a “timely and meaningful consultation” meeting to discuss plans for providing special education services to students with disabilities who attend private/parochial schools and who are home-schooled within the district for the 2024-2025 school year. The meeting will be held at our Central Office located at 260 Madison Street.

If you are a parent/guardian of a home-schooled student who has been or may be identified with a disability, and you reside within the boundaries of Oak Park Elementary School District 97, you are urged to attend. If you have further questions about this meeting, please contact District 97’s Department of Student Services at 708-524-3030.

Published in Wednesday Journal

April 17, 24, May 1, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on 20 May 2024, at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of the Village Hall, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois, the Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing to consider a conditional use permit to allow a drive thru facility for a muffler shop.

LOT 5 AND THE SOUTH 28 FEET OF LOT 4 IN BLOCK 18 OF THE RAILROAD ADDITION TO HARLEM IN THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER

ODF SET/ON 12, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. Commonly known as 157 Des Plaines Ave., Forest Park, IL PIN# 15-12-415-015-0000 The applicant is Joe Salem.

Signed: Marsha East, Chair Planning and Zoning Commission

NOTICE

The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00p.m. local time until 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 for the following: Village of Oak Park Variable Frequency Drive Installation Project Number: 24-124

Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oakpark.us/bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.

Published in Wednesday Journal May 1, 2024

LEGAL NOTICE

The Village of Oak Park --Office of the Village Engineer, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302-- will receive electronic proposals until 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 23, 2024 for Project: 24-12, North Pumping Station Generator Addition. Bids will be received and accepted, and bid results posted via the online electronic bid service listed below. This project consists of the addition of an exterior standby natural gas generator on top of a concrete equipment pad, new natural gas service to the North Pump Station, as well as various site improvements consisting of a new privacy fence, sidewalk, concrete retaining wall, and hardscaping.

Plans and proposal forms may be obtained via the electronic service starting on Thursday, May 2, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. Plans and proposal forms can be found at https://www.oak-park.us/yourgovernment/budget-purchasing/ requests-proposals or at www. questcdn.com under login using QuestCDN number 8997091 for a non-refundable charge of $64.00. The Village of Oak Park reserves the right to issue plans and specifications only to those contractors deemed qualified. No bid documents will be issued after 4:00 p.m. on the working day preceding the date of bid opening.

The work to be performed pursuant to this proposal is subject to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, 820 ILCS 130/0.01 et seq.

THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK

Bill McKenna Village Engineer

Published in Wednesday Journal May 1, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

CALENDAR NUMBER: 08-24-Z

HEARING DATE: May 22, 2024

TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits

LOCATION OF HEARING: Room 201 (Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60304

APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) will conduct a public hearing on an application filed by the Applicants, Mirth Hoyt and Andres Padua, seeking a variance requests for an increase in the maximum impervious surface area of the lot to 62%, where the maximum impervious surface area allowed is 60% per Section 4.3 (Table 4-1: Residential Districts Dimensional Standards) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance to permit a two-story addition to the singlefamily residence located at the premises commonly known as 246 Iowa Street, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Number 16-05-316-028-0000 (“Subject

Property”), in the R-3-50 SingleFamily Zoning District.

A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses by submitting a cross-examination form or by emailing Zoning@ oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing.

The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

CALENDAR NUMBER: 07-24-Z

HEARING DATE: May 22, 2024

TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits

LOCATION OF HEARING: Room 201 (Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302

APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) will conduct a public hearing on an application filed by the Applicant, Catherine Bendowitz, seeking a variance from Section 9.3 (A)(5)(c) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance requiring a four (4) foot setback from the rear lot line to construct a new two-car, 20’ x 20’ garage featuring a rear yard setback of 2.5 feet at the northeast corner of the structure. The variance would permit the demolition of the existing one-car garage featuring a 1.57-foot rear yard setback at the northeast corner of the structure and replaced with a standard two-car garage at the premises commonly known as 1018 N. Harvey Avenue,

CALENDAR NUMBER: 06-24-Z

HEARING DATE: May 22, 2024

TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits

LOCATION OF HEARING: Room 201 (Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302

APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) will conduct a public hearing on a special use permit application filed by the Applicant, Mastec, Mathew Fitzgibbon, on behalf of AT&T Mobility, to install wireless telecommunications antennas pursuant to Section 8.3 (Table 8-1: Use Matrix) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance at the property located at 408 S. Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Number 16-07-418-0010000 and 16-07-418-005 (“Subject Property”) in the NC Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District. In addition, the Applicant seeks a variance from Section 8.4 (V) (Wireless Telecommunications Antennas and Towers) (3) (Height) (b) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance (“Zoning Ordinance”), which prohibits antennas from increasing the overall existing height of the structure by more than seven feet above the roof, to authorize the installa-

Published

tion of 12 antennas, four (4) antennas per sector (typical of three (3) sectors) at a height of sixty-five feet (65’) to the top of antennas located on the 56 foot tall roof of 408 S. Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Numbers 1607-418-001-0000 and 16-07-418005-0000 (“Subject Property”) in the NC Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District.

A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses by submitting a crossexamination form or by emailing Zoning@oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing.

The public hearing may be adjourned by the ZBA to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Number 16-05-115-004-0000.

A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses by submitting a crossexamination form or by emailing Zoning@oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing.

The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

Published in Wednesday Journal, May 1, 2024