2025 Highlights
As your Commissioner of Streets and Public Improvements, I’m proud to reflect on my service to the village and our community in 2025. It’s been a busy and eventful year, for many reasons. Collaborating with the council, village staff, and our community, I helped Forest Park address pressing concerns and continue to meet village needs in 2025.
Village Infrastructure, Finance, and Street Safety:
I worked with our Traffic and Safety Commission to develop and receive council approval for our commission’s strategic plan. We continue to review, act on, and follow up on resident input and address street-safety questions.
With Director Sal Stella, we worked to promote street safety at our Public Works open house, our Bike Safety Carnival, and again at Fall Fest and Trunk or Treat, distributing materials (free reflectors, free bike lights, and other resources.
Held the second annual Forest Park Bike Safety Carnival, distributing 45 free bike helmets to participants and training kids to ride their bikes safely.
Served as a panelist at the Illinois Municipal League’s annual conference on Lead Line Replacement municipal policy and implementation, September 2025.
Promoted flood relief assessment and program registration with the Cook County Emergency Department for FEMA insurance after floods in July and August 2025.
Supported education and resident Q&A for the water meter replacement program during the summer and fall of 2025.
Supported programs to recover village revenue and benefit residents (parking ticket amnesty program), which was implemented in the fall of 2025.
Provided substantive assistance with federal grant contract administration for police and fire awards.
I was one of 30 selected for a national program called Strong Towns to educate and invest in local leaders who are advancing infrastructure and finance policy at the local level. I will be working on street safety to identify low-cost and high-value solutions for Forest Park.
I was selected and completed an environmental sustainability leadership program through the Chicago Academy of Sciences/Nature Museum, where I received 3 months of training to become a leader in citizen-led local sustainability programs.
Public Policy and Community Engagement:
I traveled to Springfield twice in 2025 with Commissioner Voogd, Mayor Hoskins, and Fire Chief Lindsey Hankus to specifically advocate for the needs of our EMS and fire department first responders at the CTA blue line station.
I promoted Know Your Rights education programs, assembled and disseminated kits to educate Forest Park and Proviso residents, and supported local businesses by answering questions and addressing concerns.
I regularly promoted information and resources and coordinated with other local elected officials on food access, housing, and shelter availability, and managing utility costs throughout the year. I actively promoted and disseminated program information regarding grants and programs for Forest Park residents.
I promoted information and the availability of grant programs to reduce property tax costs for residents and advocated for the Illinois circuit breaker program. I also provided information about how our property tax system works in Illinois and advanced notice of the decisions the Forest Park village council would make regarding the property tax levy to encourage input.
It's an honor to serve you, and I look forward to continuing our work together in 2026!
