123 Madison Street  
Oak Park, Illinois 60302  
www.oak-park.us  
Village of Oak Park  
Meeting Minutes  
President and Board of Trustees  
Thursday, September 14, 2023  
6:00 PM  
Nineteenth Century Club, 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park  
I. Call to Order  
Village President Vicki Scaman called the Special Meeting to order at  
6:13 P.M.  
II. Roll Call  
Trustee Straw arrived at 6:15 P.M.  
Trustee Robinson arrived at 6:21 P.M.  
7 -  
Present:  
Absent:  
Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, Village  
Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, Village Trustee Straw, and Village  
Trustee Wesley  
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III. Agenda Approval  
It was moved by Trustee Wesley, seconded by Trustee Enyia, to approve the  
Agenda. A voice vote was taken and the motion was approved.  
IV. Non-Agenda Public Comment  
Pamela Tate: resident and representative of the Oak Park Climate Action  
Network (OPCAN). Urged the Village Board to accelerate its efforts to  
reduce emissions and ensure the highest priority items in the Climate  
Ready Oak Park (CROP) Plan make it into the budget.  
V. Regular Agenda  
ID 23-424  
A.  
Village Board Protocols  
Village Manager Kevin Jackson introduced the third and final goal setting  
session and review of Board protocols. A meeting to review the draft goals  
is tentatively scheduled for October 12.  
Strategic Government Resources Vice President Hilary Shine presented  
the Item for discussion.  
President Scaman said she does not believe most Board votes are  
unanimous yes votes, especially Regular Agenda items. Trustee Buchanan  
said the goal to always be unanimous sounds boring. VP Shine responded  
there should be intense deliberation and the yes votes often can come from  
compromise. Manager Jackson added that is the purpose of the study  
session is to go deeper, get feedback, and have staff present options.  
President Scaman noted the previous Board traded votes and this Board  
does not do that and respects the differences.  
Manager Jackson introduced the draft Board Protocols document.  
Deputy Village Manager Lisa Shelley read staff’s recommendations for  
scheduling regular meetings of the Board. If approved, these changes will  
take effect in the new year. Staff recommends moving regular meetings  
from Mondays to Tuesdays to provide an extra day to review materials and  
get questions answered. Agendas would still be published on Thursdays.  
Staff recommends three regular meetings a month, unless a fourth is  
needed. Regular meetings can include study sessions. Special meetings  
can be scheduled as needed. Commission meetings on Tuesdays would  
need to be rescheduled.  
Trustee Robinson wondered how capping the meetings at 10 P.M. would  
limit discussions. Manager Jackson said it has only been recently that the  
Board meets every week. The 10 P.M. protocol has always been in place.  
Trustee Robinson said she liked the changes.  
Trustee Parakkat said he is in favor of Tuesdays and three meetings a  
month. He requested that meetings not be scheduled on Thursdays, during  
spring break, and during August.  
President Scaman noted that if the meetings are moved to Tuesdays, the  
Wednesday Journal would always be a week behind. She requested that  
Trustees lump their additional requests to staff. She said it may be difficult  
to take August off and she felt stress from the staff in accommodating that  
this year. Manager Jackson agreed it is easier to plan ahead and noted  
that goal setting will not need to happen next year.  
Trustee Straw suggested moving the meetings to Thursdays, publishing  
agendas on Mondays, and sending the draft on Thursdays or Fridays so  
Trustees can review over the weekend. President Scaman said she has  
events on Thursdays and is comfortable meeting on Tuesdays. Trustee  
Straw said it is difficult for him to read the draft on Tuesdays before the  
agenda is published Thursdays. Trustee Parakkat agreed. Trustee Straw  
requested that if the meetings are changed to Tuesdays, the draft is still  
provided on Tuesdays. Deputy Manager Shelley noted that when the  
agenda used to be published on Fridays, it required staff to stay late on  
Fridays. The draft is intended to provide a sneak peek, not to expect the  
Trustees to have thoroughly read through everything.  
Trustee Robinson requested a way of knowing when items get removed  
from the agenda. Trustee Parakkat requested to also know when  
documents get added and to have a link between related items.  
Trustee Wesley said he is comfortable meeting on Tuesdays. The other  
Trustees agreed. President Scaman said it is staff's discretion whether to  
publish agendas on Thursdays or Fridays. The deadline for Trustees to  
submit their comments or questions will be end of day Thursday and no  
later than 8 A.M. Friday.  
Remote protocols are determined by the state. Child care has been added  
as a reason to participate remotely. President Scaman said the resolution  
can be updated.  
Staff recommends adding language that there must be a motion adopted  
by the Village Board in order to continue a meeting past 10 P.M. Trustee  
Parakkat said he prefers to have study sessions end at 9 P.M. and special  
meetings end at 8:30 P.M.  
Trustee Parakkat asked if proclamations can be handled differently.  
President Scaman said the Clerk’s Office and DEI Office are discussing  
procedures to limit requests, the number per meeting, and the length.  
Trustee Wesley recommended treating proclamations as regular agenda  
items to plan for their time. President Scaman noted they can now be  
spread out over three regular meetings each month.  
Trustee Robinson said she doesn’t think people elected us to do  
proclamations. She suggested limiting them to 3 minutes and inquired how  
presentations get decided. Manager Jackson said staff can look at doing  
ceremonies prior to the meetings, though not everyone will be able to  
attend. A 3-minute time limit can be set for presentations. Trustee Parakkat  
suggested they be put at the end of the meeting. President Scaman said  
she does not want to make recipients wait that long. As chair, she has the  
right to engage further if it is in the best interest of the community.  
There was consensus to increase the Village Manager’s spending authority  
from $25K to $50K, which is standard and will decrease the agenda items,  
staff time, and executive session time. The Village Manager is still guided  
by the budget. Trustee Parakkat requested to continue to see the  
agreements, which Manager Jackson confirmed can be done.  
Regular items presentations will be limited to 10 minutes and study  
sessions will be limited to 20 minutes. Trustee Wesley noted he is more  
engaged and efficient when staff attach the presentations. Trustee Straw  
requested to receive updated presentations before the meeting.  
Trustee Parakkat said it may not always be feasible for Trustees to have an  
advance call with the Village Manager. Manager Jackson said the intent is  
to talk it through and get additional information to help inform the motion as  
opposed to staff just putting it on the agenda and inquiring about it at the  
meeting. Trustee Wesley suggested making the motion, then having the  
call with the Village Manager, then making the second.  
Trustee Straw recommended changing the requirement from a call to some  
form of communication, which can include an email. Trustee Robinson said  
having an advance call with Manager Jackson makes her motions better  
and she has never had difficulty scheduling a call. President Scaman  
agreed and said this is about trust-building. She noted the provision that  
motions requiring more than a certain number of staff hours require a  
majority of the board's support.  
Staff recommends a single public comment period at the beginning of the  
meeting for all agenda items. Trustee Wesley agreed with that. Trustee  
Straw said he thinks it is helpful to have the public comment right before the  
agenda item. President Scaman said commenters can still do that if they  
prefer. Staff can craft language around disability access for commenters.  
Trustee Straw suggested a portable microphone.  
Staff recommends giving the Village Manager 24 hours' notice regarding  
an opinion piece authored by a Trustee so the Village Manager can  
provide information and ensure accuracy. Trustee Parakkat said he feels it  
should not be a requirement and should be at the Trustee's discretion.  
Trustee Enyia shared a recent example of the bomb threat at Oak Park  
Public Library where a Library Trustee posted incorrect information on  
social media that the Executive Director then had to correct. Manager  
Jackson said the intent is about collegiality and to prevent an awkward  
situation where the Village has to speak to the media in opposition to a  
Trustee to ensure the public has accurate information.  
Trustee Parakkat gave the example of the proposed demolition of Village  
Hall and said Trustees need to have the ability to make their case to the  
community. President Scaman said her intention is to respect the Village  
Manager's position in helping Trustees be successful and have information  
that is not undermining his work. Trustee Parakkat said his only intention is  
to serve the community that elected him and he needs to be able to use this  
tool. Trustee Straw noted that staff are not proposing to take away the tool.  
Trustee Parakkat said he is objecting to it now so it does not become an  
issue when his next editorial piece is perceived as offensive.  
Manager Jackson said in this case of the op-ed, it is in the spirit of  
collegiality to think of the Village Manager's Office as a resource. This is a  
recommendation as a way to be proactive and is not about trying to change  
anyone's opinion or try to stop them from putting something out.  
Trustee Wesley wondered if emailing a draft op-ed would be able to be  
released in a FOIA request. VP Shine said to write "DRAFT" on it. Trustee  
Wesley requested clarification on whether the advance notice is to be sent  
to all Trustees as well. Chief Communications Officer Dan Yopchick said  
the notice to Trustees can be taken out. President Scaman said she likes  
the inclusion of Trustees in the spirit of team-building but she also respects  
individual opinions. Manager Jackson suggested rewriting it to be about  
ensuring facts and figures are correct. President Scaman noted the other  
boards in the community have policies against speaking out.  
Trustee Parakkat said he was provided no knowledge about the formation  
of a facilities committee regarding Village Hall. President Scaman  
responded that what has been discussed has been at the Board table and  
in the press. She said she has met with some residents and it is within her  
role as Village President to work with staff to form committees. Topics will  
go in the Village Manager's Report. Trustee Straw inquired if Trustee  
Parakkat wants to also see a Village President's Report. Trustee Parakkat  
said he feels that per the policy, Trustees should have been informed of any  
significant interaction. Manager Jackson noted the committee has not yet  
been finalized. President Scaman said when the process has been  
formalized and it is determined how the committee will work, she will work  
harder to ensure every Trustee is made aware.  
Manager Jackson said the Village is updating its social media policy.  
Trustee Wesley recommended a separate Trustee Facebook page so your  
personal account is not subject to FOIA. Trustee Straw noted there is also  
a campaign finance-related issue. Trustee Robinson requested Attorney  
Stephanides re-circulate his social media memo.  
VP Shine presented the Input-Output Processing Template (I-OPT) and the  
Trustees' and Village Manager's results.  
VI. Adjourn  
It was moved by Trustee Parakkat, seconded by Trustee Straw, to Adjourn. A  
voice vote was taken and the motion was approved. Meeting adjourned 10:04  
P.M., Thursday, September 14, 2023.  
Respectfully submitted,  
Deputy Clerk Hansen