Village of Oak Park

The Oak Park Public Health Department is partnering with the Oak Park Township to host a blood drive from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25. The blood drive will take place at the Oak Park Township office at 130 S. Oak Park Ave. and will help supply local community blood centers. Find more information and a link to register at www.oak-park.us/blooddrive. About every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood or platelets, and one blood donation often saves more than one life. Blood donations are needed now to alleviate a national shortage and ensure lifesaving medical procedures are not delayed in our local community.

Early voting for the April 1 Consolidated Election is underway and continues through March 31 at Village Hall. Suburban Cook County voters can cast an early ballot from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Voters are asked to enter Village Hall via the courtyard entrance on Madison Street. Grace-period registration is also available during early voting hours for individuals who missed the registration deadline. More info is at https://lnkd.in/gSWwbtU. #OakPark

The Village’s compost program recently got even greener when LRS began using its first Mack electric rear loader refuse truck for #OakPark’s compost collection routes. The all-electric refuse truck is one of the first in use in the United States. Learn more about the Village’s compost program and how to sign up at oak-park.us/compost.

Don't miss the Village's Women's History Month panel discussion at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 22 in the Veterans Room at the Oak Park Public Library. The free event will feature several generations of local difference makers discussing the national Women's History Month Theme: Moving Forward Together! Find more information, including bios of the panelists, at www.oak-park.us/WHM25. #OakPark

With the Village Board preparing to select an option for the #OakPark Municipal Campus Project at its March 18 meeting, community members wanting to learn more about the project can find a range of information at www.oak-park.us/campus. The page includes the stated project goals as the Village Board continues to explore a possible renovation of Village Hall to meet the needs of modern governance. The webpage also includes definitions of conceptual cost estimates and even a video originally produced in 2020 that provides a comprehensive look at the condition of Oak Park's police station. Village Board meetings are streamed live and archived at www.oak-park.us/boardtv. The page also includes comprehensive Village Board meeting agendas that are posted at least 48 hours prior to any meeting.

The Village’s Neighborhood Services Department addresses abandoned properties in Oak Park through the work of its Code Compliance Division. Through persistent enforcement efforts and legal processes, the Village’s housing inspectors have successfully brought many properties into compliance, improving the overall appearance and quality of living for the community. For more information about code compliance in #OakPark, visit https://lnkd.in/gsTs8ajR or email [email protected].

Fun things are happening in the #OakPark SouthTown Business District at Carnival Grocery! In case you missed it, Stern Glass Works and Carnival Grocery hosted a wine-tasting event last month. More good times await at the SouthTown Shamrock Shenanigans from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 15. Bring your little leprechauns to the free, festive family event for a morning filled with lucky surprises, exciting activities and community fun. More information is at https://lnkd.in/gUUEn3k4

A dedicated and decorated public servant to the Village for 40 years, Fire Chief Ron Kobyleski has announced he is retiring May 10. Since beginning his career in 1985 he has held every rank within the #OakPark Fire Department, including the past three years as Fire Chief. Under Kobyleski’s guidance the Fire Department has responded to more than 26,000 calls since 2022. He also helped oversee facility improvements at Oak Park’s fire stations and worked to replace aging equipment. Read more about his accomplishments at https://lnkd.in/gTSuTruF.

Following a comprehensive national search, Carrie Marckess is the Village’s new Finance Director. She started in her new role Monday and will be primarily responsible for managing the Village’s finances, including financial planning and analysis, budgeting, accounting record keeping and reporting, decision support and analysis, and assessment and management of financial risks and emerging trends. She arrives in #OakPark after a successful stint as Assistant Finance Director for the Village of Bloomingdale. More information is at www.oak-park.us/marckess.

The Village collected more than $300,000 in hotel/motel taxes in 2024, marking the highest total on record and an 18% increase compared to 2023. The revenue comes from a 4% local tax paid by guests who stay in Oak Park’s local hotel, bed and breakfast and short-term rental establishments. With construction for a new Holiday Inn Express on Lake Street in progress and other signs of #OakPark tourism strengthening, Village officials anticipate the tax revenue will continue to grow in 2025.