123 Madison Street

Oak Park, Illinois 60302

www.oak-park.us

Village of Oak Park

Meeting Minutes

President and Board of Trustees

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

7:00 PM

Village Hall

I. Call to Order

Village President Vicki Scaman called the Regular Meeting to order at

7:03 P.M.

II. Roll Call

Junior Deputy Village Clerk Asia Paulenas Sierra called the Roll.

Trustee Enyia joined the meeting via remote participation per Village

protocols.

6 -

Present:

Village President Scaman, Eder, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Leving

Jacobson, Village Trustee Straw, and Village Trustee Taglia

1 - Village Trustee Wesley

Absent:

III. Agenda Approval

It was moved by Trustee Straw, seconded by Trustee Leving Jacobson, that this

be approved. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote was as follows:

5 -

AYES:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Leving Jacobson,

Village Trustee Straw, and Village Trustee Taglia

NAYS:

1 - Village Trustee Wesley

ABSENT:

IV. Minutes

A Motion to Approve Minutes from the June 3, 2025 Regular Meeting of

the Village Board.

MOT 25-196

Village Clerk Christina Waters introduced Junior Deputy Clerk Sierra and

presented her with a certificate.

It was moved by Trustee Enyia, seconded by Trustee Straw, that this Motion be

approved. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote was as follows:

5 -

AYES:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Leving Jacobson,

Village Trustee Straw, and Village Trustee Taglia

NAYS:

1 - Village Trustee Wesley

ABSENT:

V. Non-Agenda Public Comment

Paul Rubio: Spoke of his three years at Percy Julian Junior High School

and the enormous impact on shaping and defining him into the person he is

today.

Manolo Avalos: His bicycle got stuck in the turnstile at the Green Line CTA

Austin station because there is no accessible door. President Scaman

said CTA will re-do the Austin entrance and make it accessible in 2026.

VI. Appointments

Motion to Concur with the Village President’s Appointment of Derek Eder

to fill the Vacancy of Former Village Trustee Susan Buchanan

MOT 25-195

President Scaman thanked former trustee Susan Buchanan for her service

to Oak Park. She introduced Derek Eder.

Clerk Waters performed the official swearing in of Village Trustee Derek

Eder. Trustee Eder expressed his gratitude to Susan Buchanan, the Oak

Park Climate Action Network, President Scaman, and his fellow Trustees

and shared his background.

It was moved by Trustee Straw, seconded by Trustee Enyia, that this Motion be

approved. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote was as follows:

5 -

AYES:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Leving Jacobson,

Village Trustee Straw, and Village Trustee Taglia

NAYS:

1 - Village Trustee Wesley

ABSENT:

VII. Proclamation

MOT 25-197

A Motion to Approve a Proclamation Recognizing Juneteenth Annually on

the 19th of June.

Trustee Enyia read the Proclamation into the record. President Scaman

thanked the committee and staff for the activities last weekend and

announced that Village Hall will be closed on Juneteenth. She presented

Jeffrey Hines of the Juneteenth committee with the framed proclamation.

Committee member Hines expressed his gratitude.

It was moved by Leving Jacobson, seconded by Trustee Straw, that this Motion

be approved. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote was as follows:

VIII. Village Manager Reports

Review of the Tentative Village Board Meeting Calendars for June, July,

ID 25-400

and August 2025.

Village Manager Kevin Jackson presented the updated Board calendars.

A Report on Pedestrian (Field) Stop Data from the First Quarter of 2025.

ID 25-407

Police Chief Shatonya Johnson presented the Item.

IX. Village Board Committees

There were no reports.

X. Citizen Commission Vacancies

ID 25-409

Board and Commission Vacancy Report for June 17, 2025

There were no reports.

XI. First Reading

ORD 25-117

A First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 7 (“Building”), Article

2 (“Existing Building Code”) of the Oak Park Village Code to Adopt the

2024 International Existing Building Code as Recommended by the

Building Code Advisory Commission.

Development Services Director Craig Failor provided an introduction and

HR Green Consultant and soon-to-be Village Chief Building Official Sean

Lintow presented all nine Items.

Trustee Taglia requested an explanation of the four risk categories, which

Consultant Lintow provided.

Trustee Eder inquired about the timeline for the energy code. Consultant

Lintow said the ICC has been published. Director Failor said staff analyzed

the stretch code and found that its components are very similar to what we

currently have so staff decided to hold off on the stretch code to see how

this adoption works for the electrification energy codes.

President Scaman inquired about community engagement. Director Failor

said it has been before the Building Codes Advisory Commission (BCAC)

and staff will go back to them one more time before bringing it back to the

Village Board. Community engagement will probably come after adoption.

She said she has received questions from residents about the sprinkler

system threshold and the challenges of it being cost prohibitive for some.

Director Failor said it has been on the books at 50% since 2015. An ADU

is considered a new unit and does not fall underneath the 50% threshold.

Generally putting in a sprinkler system lowers one's property insurance.

Trustee Straw noted it is not just the cost of the sprinkler system in the new

construction. It is the cost of trenching the whole length from the street to the

new coach house. Imposing costs like that will have a significant impact on

the development of new housing units. BCAC Chair Mike Lenz said the

Fire Marshal attended the BCAC meeting in March and they crafted the

language and kept it at 50% which the commission all supported at that

time, as well as the former and current fire chiefs. If the Village Board wants

to increase it, they can do that. Trustee Eder requested data on how many

sprinkler systems are going in and their costs. Manager Jackson said staff

will look at these questions and do the analysis and bring the data back to

the Village Board.

A First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 7 (“Buildings”),

Article 3 (“Electric Code”) of the Oak Park Village Code to Adopt the 2024

International Code Council National Electric Code as Recommended by

the Building Code Advisory Commission

A First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 7 (“Buildings”),

Article 5 (“Fire Code”) of the Oak Park Village Code to Adopt the 2024

International Code Council Fire Code as Recommended by the Building

Code Advisory Commission

A First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 7 (“Buildings”),

Article 15 (“Pool Code”) of the Oak Park Village Code to Adopt the 2024

International Code Council Swimming Pool and Spa Code as

Recommended by the Building Code Advisory Commission

A First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 7 (“Buildings”),

Article 1 (“Building Code”) of the Oak Park Village Code to Adopt the

2024 International Code Council Building Code as Recommended by the

Building Code Advisory Commission

A First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 7(“Building”), Article

16 (“Energy Code”) of the Oak Park Village Code to Adopt the 2024

International Code Council Energy Code as Recommended by the

Building Code Advisory Commission

A First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 7 (“Building”), Article

11 (“Fuel Gas Code”) of the Oak Park Village Code to Adopt the 1014

International Code Council Fuel and Gas Code as Recommended by the

Building Code Advisory Commission

A First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 7(“Buildings”),

Article 6 (“Residential Code”) of the Oak Park Village Code to Adopt the

2024 International Code Council Residential Code as Recommended by

the Building Code Advisory Commission

A First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 7 (“Buildings”),

Article 4 (“Mechanical Code”) of the Oak Park Village Code to Adopt the

2024 International Code Council Mechanical Code as Recommended by

the Building Code Advisory Commission

XII. Consent Agenda

Approval of the Consent Agenda

It was moved to approve the items under the Consent Agenda. The motion was

approved. The roll call on the vote was as follows:

5 -

AYES:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Leving Jacobson,

Village Trustee Straw, and Village Trustee Taglia

NAYS:

1 - Village Trustee Wesley

ABSENT:

A Motion to Approve the January 2025 Monthly Treasurer’s Report for All

Funds

This Motion was approved.

A Motion to Approve the February 2025 Monthly Treasurer’s Report for

All Funds

This Motion was approved.

A Motion to Approve the Bills in the Amount of $6,320,962.26 from May 2,

through May 29, 2025

This Motion was approved.

A Resolution to Approve the Community Relations Commission Work

Plan for 2025

This Resolution was adopted.

XIII. Regular Agenda

A Study Session On An Ordinance Amending Chapter 12 (“Housing”),

Article 2 (“Residential Rental License”) And Amending Chapter 12

(“Housing”), Article 6 (“Residential Tenant And Landlord Ordinance”),

Section 4 (“Rental Agreements”) And Amending Chapter 12 (“Housing”),

Article 6 (“Residential Tenant And Landlord Ordinance”), Section 11

(“Security Deposits”) And Amending Chapter 13 (“Human Rights”),

Article 5 (“Unlawful Management Practices”), Section 1 (“Unlawful

Management Practices; Regulations”)

ID 25-392

Henry Fulkerson: Oak Park is mentioned unfavorably in the National Fair

Housing Alliance report. He asked the Village to reveal the names of the

other five owners of these properties.

Assistant Village Manager/Neighborhood Services Director Jonathan

Burch presented the Item.

Trustee Straw inquired about the inspection process. Director Burch said

the Village inspects 1/3 of the units. Changes are being made now in

CityView to truly randomize it. They also do inspections based on receiving

community complaints. Staff can review the language about requiring

security deposits. Trustee Straw said he wants to make sure the Village is

taking seriously providing paths for individuals to pursue claims against

folks who are violating tenants' rights, especially for repeat offenders.

Trustee Leving Jacobson noted a concern about how the barriers to

participation to the process might overlap with the barriers identified by the

original study to the fair practices. She inquired about data from the tenant

workshops and the current study with HOPE. Director Burch said staff were

not planning to bring that back at the same time because it is part of the

ongoing contract with HOPE but it can be if desired. HOPE provides the

Village with a report every six months so we continue to change the content

related to that. She inquired about fair housing enforcement. Director Burch

said the Village HOPE is continually testing and they can take separate

legal action.

Trustee Eder said he would like to learn more about the current

mechanisms for a tenant to file a complaint. Manager Jackson noted the

Village hired a new Chief DEI Officer and will do a comprehensive review

of our human rights ordinance. Trustee Eder asked how the actual

residency is defined. Director Burch said it would be based off of what they

used to physically register with the Village. Trustee Eder inquired about the

training. Director Burch said the Village is moving to a system where it will

be on the renewal anniversary rather than all at the end of the year so the

trainings will be smaller with more engagement.

Trustee Taglia inquired about the demographic survey every four years.

Director Burch said it would result in more frequent and granular

information than what is provided through the current process. The trustees

were in consensus that they would be interested in getting the information

more frequently.

Trustee Straw said he would like to see the organizations that may be able

to help with fair housing issues be posted and maintained. He requested

more specificity around when information has to be provided to the tenant

in the eviction process and whether the property owner or agent is the best

messenger for such information or whether the Village's ECHO team might

be better.

XIIV. Call to Board and Clerk

Clerk Waters said recently her minor daughter was physically and unjustly

handled by a security guard at a supermarket. Tomorrow the city of

Chicago will vote on a curfew targeting youth. She asks all to pause and

reflect what's driving how they feel about the curfew. Let Oak Park be a

community that chooses reflection over reaction and justice over comfort.

Trustee Straw welcomed Trustee Eder to the Village Board. The

Juneteenth flag raising was incredibly powerful.

Trustee Taglia thanked Susan Buchanan for her service to the Village and

community and offered his support to Trustee Eder.

Trustee Leving Jacobson expressed gratitude to Susan Buchanan and

congratulated Trustee Eder. She attended the Juneteenth flag raising and it

is a call to action for those of us that still have all of this work to do.

Trustee Eder said he is grateful to be a part of it and looks forward to

serving with his colleagues. The energy efficiency grant program is open.

Trustee Enyia thanked Susan Buchanan for all of her hard work on the

Board and in the community. Juneteenth makes us realize where we come

from and how far we still have to go to achieve what true equity means here

in the U.S. He expressed his gratitude to the Juneteenth committee, staff,

volunteers, and speakers.

President Scaman said she is grateful for a very powerful Village Board

where we respect the skill sets we bring to collectively move forward.

XV. Adjourn

It was moved by Trustee Straw, seconded by Trustee Leving Jacobson, that this

be approved. A voice vote was taken and the motion was approved. Meeting

adjourned at 9:31 P.M., Tuesday, June 17, 2025.

Respectfully submitted,

Deputy Clerk Hansen