123 Madison Street  
Oak Park, Illinois 60302  
www.oak-park.us  
Village of Oak Park  
Meeting Minutes  
President and Board of Trustees  
Tuesday, March 3, 2026  
7:00 PM  
Village Hall  
I. Call to Order  
Village President Scaman called the Meeting to order at 7:01 P.M.  
II. Roll Call  
Village President Scaman announced that Village Trustee Enyia is remote  
for reasons within Protocols.  
7 -  
Present:  
Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Eder, Village Trustee Enyia, Village  
Trustee Leving Jacobson, Village Trustee Straw, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village  
Trustee Wesley  
0
Absent:  
III. Agenda Approval  
It was moved by Village Trustee Eder, seconded by Village Trustee Leving  
Jacobson to approve the agenda. A voice vote was taken and the motion was  
approved.  
IV. Minutes  
MOT 26-127  
A.  
A Motion to Approve Minutes from the Tuesday, February 24, 2026  
Regular Meeting of the Village Board  
It was moved by Village Trustee Wesley, seconded by Village Trustee Eder to  
approve the Minutes. A voice vote was taken and the motion was approved.  
V. Non-Agenda Public Comment  
Resident Jessica K. urged the board to schedule a study session on  
establishing a 60 foot maximum height standard for Rush Oak Park  
Hospital. She emphasized the need for a transparent approval process for  
taller construction near residential homes and expressed frustration with  
ongoing delays.  
Resident Bruno G. supported the request for a height limit study because a  
125 foot building could significantly affect his residents. He asked the  
board to honor its previous motion to review construction exceeding 60  
feet.  
Resident David O. expressed strong frustration that the board had not  
acted on its unanimous June 2023 vote to study lowering height limits in the  
hospital district. He insisted the delay was unreasonable and asked the  
board to either move forward or openly state if they no longer intended to.  
Resident Michael W. supported his neighbors’ comments and stressed  
that the board was responsible for setting the agenda and directing staff,  
noting that residents had been patient for 33 months. He urged the board to  
follow through on its prior commitment to schedule the study session.  
VI. Proclamation  
MOT 26-128  
B.  
A Motion to Approve a Proclamation Honoring the Life and Legacy of  
Reverend Jesse L Jackson, Sr.  
Village President Scaman asked Village Trustee Wesley to read the  
Proclamation aloud.  
It was moved by Village Trustee Enyia, seconded by Village Trustee Leving  
Jacobson, that this Motion be approved. A voice vote was taken and the motion  
was approved.  
MOT 26-129  
C.  
A Motion to Approve a Proclamation Honoring Women’s History Month in  
the Village of Oak Park, IL March 2026  
Village President Scaman read the Proclamation aloud.  
Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer Kellye Keyes invited the  
community to the March 21 event celebrating women who shape the world  
and thanked the board and staff for supporting the recent Black History  
Month program.  
It was moved by Village Trustee Leving Jacobson, seconded by Village Trustee  
Wesley, that this Motion be approved. A voice vote was taken and the motion  
was approved.  
VII. Village Manager Reports  
ID 26-215  
A Report on Pedestrian (Field) Stop Data from 2025  
D.  
Police Chief Johnson explained that the police department had compiled  
all 2025 field contact card data into a single annual report because delays  
during the year prevented quarterly reporting. She summarized that 569  
total cards were completed, most originating from calls for service, and that  
the stops resulted in 101 arrests. She also described her new strategic  
intelligence manager’s efforts to automate the process and improve clarity  
while the department awaited the new records management system  
(RMS).  
Village Trustee Wesley thanked the Chief for the transparency and  
reiterated his appreciation for seeing the data regularly. He explained that  
reviewing field stop information helped him understand trends, distinguish  
between self initiated and call for service stops, and assess their  
outcomes. He emphasized that the value of the information lay in  
monitoring demographic patterns and maintaining accountability. Overall,  
he supported continuing the quarterly reports and felt the current graphs  
greatly improved accessibility.  
Village Trustee Leving Jacobson appreciated the work behind the report  
but said she struggled to interpret the data due to inconsistent formats and  
unclear terminology. She noted racial disparities in the figures but felt  
unable to draw conclusions without clearer presentation. She requested  
more standardized reports and definitions of acronyms and technical  
terms. She connected the issue to board goals around data informed  
policing and asked for future versions to be easier for both the board and  
public to understand.  
Village Trustee Eder commended the transparency but expressed concern  
that data inconsistencies and slow turnaround times. He encouraged  
building on the current foundation, potentially with support from CPOC and  
Pivot, to strengthen the village’s data transparency. He stressed that his  
feedback was meant constructively and rooted in an expectation that the  
village could meet higher standards.  
Village Trustee Taglia said he valued transparency but admitted he found  
the extensive report difficult to digest and did not gain much insight from it.  
While appreciative of the police department’s effort to compile such a large  
document, he questioned how much useful interpretation could realistically  
come from it. He reiterated his confidence in the police department’s  
overall judgment and practices.  
Village Trustee Enyia suggested focusing on outcomes such as search  
numbers, firearm seizures, drug seizures, and arrest rates to better  
interpret effectiveness. He supported involving CPOC to help analyze and  
simplify the information for broader understanding. He emphasized the  
need for clearer data.  
Village President Scaman emphasized shared goals around transparency,  
digestible data, and constructive partnership with the police department.  
She encouraged one on one discussions between trustees and staff to  
clarify expectations before future reports. She noted the village’s ongoing  
work with Pivot and the BerryDunn recommendations to improve policing  
data systems.  
ID 26-216  
E.  
Review of the Tentative Village Board Meeting Calendars for March and  
April  
VIII. Village Board Committees  
IX. Citizen Commission Vacancies  
ID 26-222  
Board and Commission Vacancy Report for March 3, 2026  
F.  
This report lists the expected number of members, current number of  
members seated and number of active vacancies for the Village’s 18  
citizen boards and commissions. There are currently 20 vacancies.  
X. Citizen Commission Appointments, Reappointments and Chair Appointments  
XI. Public Hearing  
XII. First Reading  
ORD 26-106  
G.  
First Reading and Possible Adoption of Ordinance to Amend the 2026  
Building and Construction Permit Fees of the Village of Oak Park  
Director of Development Services Craig Failor explained that the village  
needed to update its fee schedule to match increased elevator inspection  
costs and add a $50 administrative fee to cover staff coordination work. He  
also proposed adding penalties for contractors and homeowners who  
violate stop work orders and noted that sustainability related permit credits  
approved in January were included in the updated schedule.  
Board of Trustees agreed to waive Second Reading.  
It was moved by Village Trustee Wesley, seconded by Village Trustee Straw, that  
this Ordinance be adopted. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote  
was as follows:  
7 -  
AYES:  
Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Eder, Village Trustee Enyia, Village  
Trustee Leving Jacobson, Village Trustee Straw, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village  
Trustee Wesley  
0
0
NAYS:  
ABSENT:  
XIII. Second Reading  
XIV. Consent Agenda  
Approval of the Consent Agenda  
It was moved by Village Trustee Strawand seconded by Village Trustee Wesley  
to approve the items under the Consent Agenda. The motion was approved. The  
roll call on the vote was as follows:  
7 -  
AYES:  
Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Eder, Village Trustee Enyia, Village  
Trustee Leving Jacobson, Village Trustee Straw, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village  
Trustee Wesley  
0
0
NAYS:  
ABSENT:  
ORD 26-107  
H.  
An Ordinance Amending Chapter 7 (“Buildings”) By Adding a New Article  
16 (“Conveyances”) of the Oak Park Village Code to Adopt the Illinois  
Local Elevator Safety Program to Align with Section 140 of the Elevator  
Safety Act (225 ILCS 312/140)  
This Ordinance was adopted.  
RES 26-149  
RES 26-151  
I.  
A Resolution Approving and Adopting the Village of Oak Park Climate  
Ready Energy Rebate Program Guidelines  
This Resolution was adopted.  
J.  
A Resolution Approving the Renewal of an Independent Contractor  
Agreement with Revcon Technology Group, INC. for the Service and  
Maintenance of Parking Access and Revenue Control Systems at the  
Holley Court and Avenue Parking Garage for Fiscal Year 2026, in an  
Amount Not to Exceed $110,000  
This Resolution was adopted.  
RES 26-154 A Resolution to Approve Certain Citizen Commission Work Plans for 2026  
K.  
This Resolution was adopted.  
XV. Regular Agenda  
RES 26-148  
L.  
A Resolution Approving and Adopting the 2026 Special Events Fee  
Schedule  
Village Manager Jackson noted that a full, in depth review of the special  
events system was scheduled for April. He emphasized that the village had  
been doing considerable work to evaluate the process and would present  
broader recommendations soon.  
Neighborhood Partnerships Administrator Paola Garibay explained the  
special events permitting process, including when permits were required  
and how multiple departments reviewed applications for safety and  
coordination. She outlined application requirements, the 50% upfront  
payment structure, and emphasized that all fees were based solely on cost  
recovery. She also described the SPARK Oak Park grant program and  
ongoing work with staff and peer communities to assess best practices.  
Village Trustee Wesley expressed appreciation for the detailed overview  
and asked what the village viewed as the purpose of special events -  
specifically whether they supported economic vitality or simply community  
engagement. He requested an analysis of what it would cost the village to  
reduce event fees by 25% and 50% to explore options for better supporting  
organizers.  
Village Trustee Straw asked whether the village analyzed how assigning  
ambulances or fire vehicles to special events affected overall service  
delivery. He expressed concern about response times if multiple special  
events required emergency presence at the same time. After hearing  
explanations from staff and chiefs, he said he found it helpful to understand  
how off-duty staffing, reserve vehicles, and limits on certain requests  
helped prevent service gaps. He also asked about how police staffing was  
handled under similar circumstances.  
Fire Chief Terry explained that the department reviewed each special event  
to understand route impacts and increased visitor volume, but that on-duty  
crews were not pulled from service for events. He said any requested fire  
or EMS presence was filled using off-duty personnel and reserve vehicles,  
ensuring emergency coverage remained intact. He also noted that impacts  
from traffic rerouting were considered, but emergency response capacity  
was not reduced.  
Police Chief Johnson stated that special event police staffing was similarly  
handled through voluntary extra shifts, and when insufficient, through  
reassignment from support units. She added that the department was  
exploring private security options to supplement staffing when needed due  
to department capacity. This ensured adequate coverage both at events  
and across the village.  
Village President Scaman said the discussion was helpful and reflected  
common municipal practices around impact recovery fees. She  
emphasized that, beyond cost recovery, she was most interested in how  
the events process aligned with board goals around economic vitality and  
tourism. She requested information about the budget for grants and the  
financial “profit and loss” reality of village supported events. She highlighted  
the need for balance between supporting community events and  
maintaining fiscal responsibility. She also encouraged exploring new  
revenue sources, like museum or liquor taxes, to support future decisions.  
Village Trustee Taglia agreed with the economic vitality perspective but  
cautioned that any fee reductions should be paired with identified revenue  
sources. He said the board would need a clear understanding of the  
financial impact and a plan for replacing lost revenue if adjustments were  
made.  
It was moved by Village Trustee Wesley, seconded by Village Trustee Eder, that  
this Resolution be adopted. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote  
was as follows:  
7 -  
AYES:  
Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Eder, Village Trustee Enyia, Village  
Trustee Leving Jacobson, Village Trustee Straw, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village  
Trustee Wesley  
0
0
NAYS:  
ABSENT:  
RES 26-109  
M.  
A Resolution Approving the Village Board Goals for 2026-2028 as  
Reviewed at the July 29, 2025 Village Board Meeting  
Village Manager Kevin Jackson introduced Deputy Village Manager Lisa  
Shelley to lead the discussion on the updated goals document, noting that  
staff had incorporated feedback from the prior summer’s planning session  
and providing a handout with minor economic vitality updates. He  
emphasized that department leaders were available for questions and  
explained that the purpose of the meeting was to review and finalize the  
board’s goals. He also stressed the importance of measuring community  
belonging, supported adding clearer survey metrics, and focused on  
aligning community feedback with ongoing village initiatives.emphasized  
the importance of measuring community belonging and understanding how  
village initiatives impacted residents.  
Deputy Village Manager Lisa Shelley reviewed how the pillars, priorities,  
and strategic initiatives reflected updates based on the board’s summer  
discussions. She highlighted new additions, such as references to  
changing demographics and expanded public health priorities. Lisa  
clarified that staff aimed to present two-year goals that were ambitious but  
achievable and invited trustees to raise concerns or request adjustments.  
She said updated language would be included on the next consent agenda.  
The revisions would focus on clarity and alignment with board discussion.  
Chief Communications Officer Dan Yopchick explained that the village’s  
national community survey already included standard questions on  
municipal services, though some topics were less relevant due to separate  
taxing bodies. He noted that staff updates the survey each cycle and can  
include local questions as needed. He confirmed that new metrics could be  
added if the board directed.  
Village Trustee Wesley agreed that belonging should be measured more  
intentionally and supported improving methods to capture resident  
experiences. He emphasized that meaningful data was essential for  
evaluating the success of village initiatives.  
Village Trustee Straw noted that many goals were interconnected and  
appreciated how affordability and revenue considerations aligned across  
the plan. He encouraged using surveys to gather resident feedback on  
these baseline services and to reach those who rarely contact the board.  
Village Trustee Enyia supported exploring prioritization and emphasized  
the importance of civic engagement across the goals. He praised efforts to  
expand public participation, including through the Welcome Center.  
Village Trustee Eder reiterated his interest in developing a structured  
prioritization process and shared that he created a spreadsheet listing all  
goals for ranking. He proposed that the Reimagining Government  
Committee review it before it is shared with the full board.  
Village President Scaman praised the strength of the goals and highlighted  
the potential role of the Reimagining Government Committee in refining  
prioritization. She reminded the board to remain attentive to accessibility,  
especially for older adults. She also noted cultural and economic  
opportunities, such as pursuing a cultural arts center, and stressed aligning  
ambitious long term plans with consistent daily service delivery.  
The Village Board declined to approve RES 26-109 and agreed to revisit  
at a later date.  
XVI. Call to Board and Clerk  
Village President Scaman announced that early voting was underway and  
encouraged residents to make a plan to vote. She later thanked trustees  
for supporting the Julian family and highlighted an upcoming proclamation  
for Faith Julian.  
Village Clerk Waters reported record early voting turnout, noting that 204  
voters participated on the first day- far higher than in previous gubernatorial  
years. She thanked staff for their welcoming environment.  
Village Trustee Enyia shared heartfelt remarks about Faith Julian’s terminal  
illness, expressing the community’s love and support for her and praising  
Trustee Taglia’s assistance to the family. She emphasized Julian’s lifelong  
dedication to Oak Park and asked for continued thoughts and prayers.  
Village Trustee Straw praised the DEI staff for an impactful Black History  
Month event and encouraged residents to make a solid plan for voting  
during the early voting period. He emphasized the importance of submitting  
mail ballots early and understanding voting deadlines.  
Village Trustee Taglia echoed support for the Julian family and thanked  
colleagues for visiting Faith Julian. He also raised concerns about the  
village’s structural deficit and the need to address potential revenue losses,  
emphasizing the importance of identifying sustainable financial solutions.  
Village Trustee Leving Jacobson praised the recent Black History Month  
celebration. She also noted that March is National Colorectal Cancer  
Awareness Month and urged everyone to stay up-to-date on screenings.  
Village Trustee Eder highlighted upcoming meetings on the sustainability  
fund and Roosevelt Road, noting that March would be full of significant  
discussions. He ended by expressing concern about U.S. involvement in  
Iran, urging an end to what he described as an illegal war.  
XVII. Adjourn  
It was moved by Village Trustee Straw, seconded by Village Trustee Enyia  
to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 9:53 P.M.  
Respectfully submitted,  
Deputy Clerk Carswell