123 Madison Street

Oak Park, Illinois 60302

www.oak-park.us

Village of Oak Park

Meeting Minutes

President and Board of Trustees

Wednesday, March 18, 2026

6:30 PM

Village Hall

I. Call to Order

Village President Scaman called the Meeting to order at 6:32 P.M.

II. Roll Call

Village Trustee Wesley arrived at 6:33 P.M.

Village Trustee Straw arrived at 6:33 P.M.

6 -

Present:

Absent:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Eder, Village Trustee Leving Jacobson,

Village Trustee Straw, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village Trustee Wesley

1 - Village Trustee Enyia

III. Consideration of Motion to Adjourn to Closed Session to Discuss Purchase or

Lease of Real Property for the Use of the Village pursuant to 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(5)

It was moved by Village Trustee Leving Jacobson, seconded by Village Trustee

Eder, that this be approved. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote

was as follows:

6 -

AYES:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Eder, Village Trustee Leving Jacobson,

Village Trustee Straw, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village Trustee Wesley

NAYS:

1 - Village Trustee Enyia

ABSENT:

IV. Adjourn Closed Session

V. Reconvene to Regular Meeting in Council Chambers and Call to Order

The Regular Meeting reconvened at 7:05 P.M.

VI. Roll Call

6 -

Present:

Absent:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Eder, Village Trustee Leving Jacobson,

Village Trustee Straw, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village Trustee Wesley

1 - Village Trustee Enyia

VII. Agenda Approval

It was moved by Village Trustee Eder, seconded by Village Trustee Straw to

approve the agenda.

VIII. Minutes

MOT 26-134

A Motion to Approve Minutes from the March 10, 2026 Regular Meeting of

the Village Board

It was moved by Village Trustee Eder, seconded by Village Trustee Wesley to

approve the Minutes. A voice vote was taken and the motion was approved.

IX. Non-Agenda Public Comment

There was no Non-Agenda Public Comment.

X. Proclamation

MOT 26-136

A Motion to Approve a Proclamation Recognizing March 2026 as

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.

Village President Scaman read the Proclamation aloud.

WSSRA Executive Director Marianne Birko thanked the board for honoring

the disability community and described WSSRA’s 50 years of providing

inclusive recreation across Oak Park and neighboring communities.

OPRFHS Special Education Pre-Vocational Coordinator Brian Dubina

shared gratitude for the recognition and described his role helping students

with disabilities gain employment, committing to work with the community

to expand opportunities beyond the school system.

UCP Seguin Chicago President/CEO Joseph Mengoni thanked the board

for the proclamation and described his organization’s wide range of

services, including group homes, job readiness programs, and community

supports for people with developmental disabilities.

Oak Leyden CEO R.J. McMahon explained that his organization provided

day programs, group homes, and early intervention services, thanked the

board for the proclamation, and emphasized the need for collective

accountability.

L'Arche Chicago Executive Director Mic Altena expressed gratitude for

Oak Park’s inclusiveness and support for residents with intellectual

disabilities.

PACTT Director of Development & Communications Terry Herbstritt

expressed gratitude for living and working in a community that valued

people with developmental disabilities and supported them through group

homes and learning programs.

It was moved by Village Trustee Straw, seconded by Village Trustee Leving

Jacobson, that this Motion be approved. A voice vote was taken and the motion

was approved.

XI. Village Manager Reports

ID 26-193

Presentation of the Proposed Canopy Connection Neighborhood Registry

Program

Neighborhood Partnerships Administrator Paola Garibay presented the

Canopy Connection Program, explaining its voluntary neighborhood

registry with capacity-based tiers, available supports, and a planned

$30,000 pilot, while addressing questions about eligibility, equity,

accountability, and guardrails to keep the program focused on community

building rather than advocacy.

Village Trustee Wesley clarified that although he co-led SEOPCO, he was

not involved in shaping the proposal, emphasized SEOPCO’s

long-standing nonpolitical focus, and strongly supported the program as a

way to give neighborhoods clearer pathways, staff support, and structure

similar to the organic organizing that emerged during the Barrie Park

remediation.

Village Trustee Straw praised the program’s ability to surface issues like

traffic and safety more informally, asked how new groups would be

identified and managed when overlapping, and urged staff to establish

guidelines to prevent conflicting or duplicative neighborhood organizations.

Village Trustee Eder supported the concept but questioned budget use,

annual eligibility, and whether small grants could introduce conflict or

administrative burden for volunteer groups; he stressed the need to

evaluate pilot year results to understand what motivated participation and

how funds were used.

Village Trustee Leving Jacobson supported the registry but raised equity

concerns, noting that established homeowner groups might benefit more

easily than renters or less organized areas and urging intentional outreach

to ensure resources reached neighborhoods with fewer existing structures.

Village Trustee Taglia agreed on the importance of equitable participation

but noted the challenges of forming renter based groups, questioned

whether small grants would motivate organizing, and supported proceeding

with the pilot while remaining cautious about its potential to require more

staff capacity.

Village Manager Jackson emphasized that the registry was designed to

support residents and strengthen coordination, not political activity, and

explained how clearer communication channels, expectations, and

boundaries would prevent duplication while enabling small staff supports to

boost community-led projects.

ID 26-249

A Brief Discussion on Highway Authority Agreements and Limited

Environmental Indemnity Agreements

Village Engineer Bill McKenna explained that the agenda included two

Highway Authority Agreements and two Limited Environmental Indemnity

Agreements for gas stations on Chicago Avenue, noting that the

agreements addressed contamination in the public right of way, required

worker notifications, and ensured property owners covered project related

costs. He summarized Oak Park’s long history with these tools, the roughly

25 affected sites, and the different circumstances of the two cases.

McKenna answered questions about soil removal, plume movement,

leaking tanks, and the difficulty of full cleanup in urban settings, and he

acknowledged risks from bankrupt owners while describing protections like

liens and one-time payments.

Village Trustee Straw asked how remediation aligned with future street

projects and whether construction could create opportunities to remove

contaminated soil. He expressed concern about the plume at 100 Chicago

Avenue and whether upcoming road work should incorporate additional

cleanup. He noted that both full remediation and maintaining contamination

under agreements carried risks of properties becoming brownfields and

warned that the Village could ultimately bear future cleanup costs, as often

occurred with gas stations and dry cleaners.

Village Trustee Eder asked why the two sites were being addressed now,

sought information on leak frequency, and asked how the agreements

supported remediation efforts. He noted that the agreements clarified

responsibilities and helped move cleanup forward, and he reiterated

broader concerns about whether gas stations fit Oak Park’s long-term

community vision given the contamination issues.

Village Trustee Leving Jacobson asked whether property owners ever

violated agreement terms and what happened in those cases. She learned

that violations could void the agreement and jeopardize the owner’s

remediation status with the state, and she noted that smaller independent

stations often struggled with compliance compared to large corporate

operators with established legal processes.

Village Trustee Taglia commented that older steel tanks nearly always

leaked, making contamination common, and he raised concerns about the

Village’s financial exposure if a property were abandoned or an owner

went bankrupt. He questioned whether the agreements inadvertently

shielded owners but concluded after staff’s explanation that, despite risks,

the agreements were the better option for the Village.

XII. Village Board Committees

XIII. Citizen Commission Vacancies

ID 26-250 Board and Commission Vacancy Report for March 18, 2026

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 23 vacancies.

XIV. Citizen Commission Appointments, Reappointments and Chair Appointments

None; no action was taken regarding this item.

XV. Public Hearing

XVI. First Reading

XVII. Second Reading

XVIII. Consent Agenda

Approval of the Consent Agenda

It was moved by Village Trustee Eder and 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:

6 -

AYES:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Eder, Village Trustee Leving Jacobson,

Village Trustee Straw, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village Trustee Wesley

NAYS:

1 - Village Trustee Enyia

ABSENT:

An Ordinance Approving a Highway Authority Agreement and a Limited

Environmental Indemnity Agreement between Hargobind Inc. and the

Village of Oak Park for the Property Located at 100 Chicago Avenue and

Authorizing their Execution

This Ordinance was adopted.

An Ordinance Amending Chapter 18 (“Administration”), Article 2

(“Farmers’ Market”), Section 4 (“Location Of Market; Market Dates And

Hours”) Of The Oak Park Village Code To Change The Length Of The

Farmers Market Season

This Ordinance was adopted.

An Ordinance Approving a Highway Authority Agreement and a Limited

Environmental Indemnity Agreement between Hargobind Inc. and the

Village of Oak Park for the Property Located at 330 Chicago Avenue and

Authorizing their Execution

This Ordinance was adopted.

A Resolution Authorizing the Purchase of Two 2026 Ford Hybrid Maverick

Pick-Ups from Currie Motors of Frankfort, Illinois, in an Amount not to

exceed $63,454.00 and Waiving the Village’s Bid Process for the

Purchase

This Resolution was adopted.

RES 26-157

A Resolution Approving the Purchase of Four 2026 Ford F-250 Pickup

Trucks from Sutton Ford of Matteson, Illinois, through the Suburban

Purchasing Cooperative Joint Purchasing Program in an Amount Not to

Exceed $230,121.00

This Resolution was adopted.

RES 26-160

RES 26-161

A Resolution Authorizing the Use of Motor Fuel Tax Funds in the amount of

$1,883,933.00 for the Maintenance of Streets in the Village of Oak Park for

Fiscal Year 2026

This Resolution was adopted.

A Resolution Approving the Purchase and Installation of One 6.5 RRU

Body Insert and Upgrades for a 2026 Ford F-250 Pickup Truck, from ESI

Apparatus Division of Montgomery, Pennsylvania, in an Amount Not to

Exceed $121,289.02 and Waiving the Village's Bid Process for the

Purchase

This Resolution was adopted.

RES 26-162

RES 26-163

A Resolution Approving a Contract with Nardulli Construction Company,

Inc. for the 26-4 Alley Improvements Project in an Amount not to Exceed

$2,392,460 and Authorizing its Execution

This Resolution was adopted.

A Resolution Approving a Task Order for Professional Engineering

Services with Edwin Hancock Engineering Co. for Construction

Engineering Services for Alley Improvements in 2026 in an Amount Not to

Exceed $203,720 and Authorizing its Execution

This Resolution was adopted.

RES 26-167

MOT 26-126

A Resolution Authorizing the Submission of an Invest in Cook Grant

Application for the 2027 Chicago Avenue Safety Improvement Project

This Resolution was adopted.

A Motion to Approve the Payment of the Bills in the Amount of

$8,417,626.25 from February 1, 2026, to February 28, 2026

This Motion was approved.

XIX. Regular Agenda

ID 26-229

A Study Session Presenting Option to Increase Revenue for the

Sustainability Fund and Seeking Board Direction

Chief Sustainability Officer Lindsey Roland Nieratka summarized the

Sustainability Fund’s history and growing deficit, explaining that early

grants, aggregation revenue, and the bag fee once supported programs

but rising costs for grants, rebates, staffing, and Climate Ready Oak Park

created a $1.5 million shortfall that would deplete the fund by 2027. She

recommended increasing the bag fee, raising transfers from Environmental

Services Fund fees, and shifting additional sustainability costs to the

General Fund, asking the Board for guidance on fee structures, tiering, and

overall direction.

Oak Park Climate Action Network Organizer Pam Tate supported staff’s

revenue proposals-including bag fee increases, higher Environmental

Services transfers, and General Fund support-and urged consideration of a

natural gas use tax. She called for dramatically accelerated electrification

efforts and backed exploring a General Fund supported revolving loan

program to help residents electrify homes, describing it as a scalable

solution aligned with the village’s climate goals.

Village Trustee Eder reiterated his concerns about the fund’s depletion,

supported raising the bag fee to $0.15, and remained open to

Environmental Services or water/sewer adjustments while seeking more

information on vehicle related revenue options. He favored a natural gas

tax, supported classifying sustainability as a core General Fund service,

and strongly encouraged pursuing a home electrification revolving loan

program given the scale of the village’s climate targets.

Village Trustee Straw supported a higher bag fee and opposed raising

Environmental Services or water/sewer fees due to their regressive impact.

He backed differentiating vehicle sticker fees to incentivize electric

vehicles and supported shifting sustainability activities to the General Fund,

arguing the climate response should not be limited by the size of the

sustainability fund.

Village Trustee Taglia warned against regressive fees and rising resident

costs, especially through water rates, and sought explanations of special

revenue fund rules and the conditions that might merge the sustainability

fund into the General Fund. He questioned raising the bag fee due to

potential revenue drops, pushed for improved vehicle sticker enforcement

and parking related revenue, and urged caution about over-reliance on the

General Fund amid competing priorities.

Village Trustee Wesley asked for clarity on defining core services and

agreed that sustainability staffing belonged in the General Fund given its

long-term function and growing scope. He expressed discomfort with

regressive revenue options and questioned raising the bag fee, supported

exploring a loan program with potentially modest interest rates, and

stressed coordinating electrification efforts with housing strategies.

Village Trustee Leving Jacobson supported shifting salaries to the General

Fund, exploring differentiated vehicle sticker fees, and raising the bag fee

while noting the need to mitigate impacts on low-income shoppers. She

strongly supported advancing the electrification loan program and asked

about future grant prospects and regional collaboration, urging continued

updates despite a challenging funding landscape.

Village President Scaman affirmed that sustainability was a core service

and supported moving staff costs-and potentially grants-into the General

Fund. She backed raising the bag fee with equity considerations,

encouraged improved vehicle sticker enforcement, and acknowledged the

loss of federal support while highlighting Oak Park’s participation in

regional networks. She urged the finance committee to evaluate revenue

options while balancing sustainability goals with affordability.

Chief Financial Officer Kevin Bueso clarified legal and financial constraints,

noting the state transportation lockbox limited how vehicle related revenues

could be used and confirming that Highway Authority Agreement

obligations stayed with properties. They explained that special revenue

funds could not run long-term deficits and would need to be merged into the

General Fund if unable to sustain their operations, providing trustees with

legal context on enforcement, fee limits, and fiscal risk.

Village Manager Jackson confirmed that staff would follow up on vehicle

sticker analysis, the loan program, and revenue strategies. He emphasized

clarifying core services during the finance committee process, maintaining

financial stability, and avoiding over reliance on fund balances. He stated

that staff would soon release a meeting schedule and expected a

fast-paced set of discussions beginning in early May.

XX. Call to Board and Clerk

Village Clerk Waters thanked staff, election judges, the Welcome Center

team, and the Township for their roles in a successful election. She

highlighted strong early-voting turnout.

Village Trustee Wesley reflected on how difficult it was to balance revenue

needs with the impact on residents who could least afford it. He also

emphasized that housing intersected with nearly every village decision and

noted the tension between improving sustainability and maintaining

affordability.

Village Trustee Taglia publicly wished a happy birthday to longtime

community member Faith Julian, expressing appreciation for her

contributions and legacy.

Village Trustee Leving Jacobson echoed birthday wishes to Faith Julian

and thanked Clerk Waters and the Welcome Center team for their work on

early voting and Election Day.

Village Trustee Eder wished Faith Julian a happy birthday and expressed

gratitude for the productive conversation on sustainability. He reaffirmed