The Village this week welcomed Lindsey Roland Nieratka to the role of Chief Sustainability Officer. Lindsey is a leader in developing and implementing climate-focused sustainability programs. A native of Peoria, Ill., she has spent much of her professional career in Florida prior to arrival in Oak Park, including her most recent position as Sustainability Manager for the City of Boca Raton, Fla., since 2018. More information is at www.oak-park.us/cso24.

The Grants Division of the Neighborhood Services Department is now the Community Services Division in preparation for Neighborhood Services taking on management of the Village’s alternative calls for response initiative. Three new staff positions will be added to the Community Services Division in the coming months – a program manager and two care coordinators. Vanessa Matheny will continue to oversee the division under the new title Community Services Administrator. The title change is a recognition of Vanessa’s expanded role and the leadership she has shown in recent months taking on special assignments ranging from migrant assistance to alternative calls for response.

At its meeting on Tuesday night, the Village board adopted an ordinance approving a sixth amendment to the redevelopment agreement between the Village and Pete’s Fresh Market, and an ordinance granting an extension of time for the Planned Development associated with the project on Madison Street near Oak Park Avenue. The permit for the earth retention system, (to begin construction on the underground parking) and core shell of the store’s building was also approved on Tuesday. Grocery store representatives issued a check for the permit fee of $157,377 and picked up the permit today (Aug. 2). Notable changes included in this amendment and not in the original agreement or previous amendments include: the addition of electric vehicle charging stations, a $22,000 donation to the Oak Park Area Arts Council for temporary public art along the construction fence, a reduction in project incentives from the Village in the amount of $100,000, a claw back provision for the site, and performance payments to the Village in the amount of $16,000 and/or $45,760 if specific construction milestones are not met within the approved timeframe.  The amendment illustrates continued partnership with the grocer, and the Village is excited to welcome a business that can provide groceries and products to the community and region anticipated at the end of 2025.

The Village’s Development Services Parking Division has been successful in obtaining a $100,000 grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate and Equitable Jobs Act EV Charging Infrastructure Grant Program. This funding will be used towards the procurement and installation of 10 dual-port Level 2 EV Charging Stations in various Village-owned parking lots. The Grant Agreement with the Illinois EPA and the subsequent construction contracts will need to go before the Village Board for future consideration. If approved the project could move forward in 2025 to help the Village continue in its efforts to expand EV charging station infrastructure in the community.

The Village collected $149,102 in hotel/motel tax revenue during the first six months of 2024. This represents a 15% increase compared to the same time period in 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. The Airbnb-style short-term rental establishments continue to drive the record-breaking tax-collection growth, underscoring the strength of Oak Park’s hospitality industry.

The Public Health Department is hosting a free Opioid Overdose Prevention training open to all community members from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 611 Randolph St. Participants will learn about the principles of harm reduction, the signs and symptoms of opioid overdose, how to respond to an overdose using Narcan nasal spray and more. Each trainee will also receive a free opioid overdose prevention kit, which includes Narcan. To RSVP, please email the Public Health Department at health@oak-park.us with your name and intent to participate. More information about the Health Department’s opioid overdose prevention initiative is available at www.oak-park.us/overdoseprevention.

Community members are invited to help raise awareness and eliminate the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health care by picking up a free 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline yard sign and participating in a social media photo contest. The signs are available in both English and Spanish and can be picked up during business hours at Village Hall, 123 Madison St., and the Community Recreation Center, 229 Madison St., and during the Oak Park Farmers’ Market. Anyone who picks up a yard sign is encouraged to post it at their residence so it is visible from the sidewalk or street and make a public post with the photo on Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #YouMatterOP. At the end of September, four eligible contestants will be randomly selected to win a gift certificate to local restaurants and retailers. The initiative is part of a collaboration between the Public Health Department, Community Mental Health Board and Thrive Counseling Center leading up to Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September.

Community members are invited to show off their baking skills and celebrate the bounty of summer by participating in the Oak Park Farmers’ Market’s sixth annual Pie Bake-Off. Registration is now open for the contest, which will take place Sept. 7 and is open to amateur bakers. Contestants age 16 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Sign up to participate at www.oak-park.us/pie-registration. More details and the contest rules can be found at www.oak-park.us/2024piebakeoff. Entry forms may be submitted through Aug. 29.

The Farmers’ Market recently introduced a new program where patrons can take or leave a reusable bag while shopping. Individuals looking to donate clean reusable bags that are in good condition can leave them on the clothesline hanging from the Farmers’ Market cooling tent. Anyone who needs a bag is encouraged to take a bag from the clothesline. The Market takes place from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday through Oct. 26 at 460 Lake St. More information is at www.oak-park.us/farmersmarket.

Members of the Community Development Citizen Advisory Commission (CDCAC) visited Beyond Hunger to gain a deeper understanding of the services provided to the Oak Park community. This visit marked the beginning of a series of liaison visits by commission members to various local organizations. During their visit, the commissioners explored the range of support and resources Beyond Hunger offers, including food assistance and nutrition education, aimed at addressing food insecurity and promoting well-being in the community. The CDCAC is committed to fostering strong partnerships with local organizations to better serve and meet the needs of Oak Park residents.

Last week the Village announced the launching of its new Pick Oak Park Report on Economic Vitality, a monthly e-newsletter. Click here for a link to the first e-newsletter, which was sent earlier this week. The e-newsletter will allow the Village to more readily share important economic vitality information with the community. If you would like to sign-up to receive this newsletter in your email inbox, please sign up for this and other Village e-newsletters at www.oak-park.us/enews.

A ribbon cutting was held this week for Oak Park’s new Ace Handyman Services business at 207 N. Harlem Ave., just north of Randolph Street. Pictured here on the left is business owner Sid Canchester with the Village’s Economic Vitality Administrator Cameron Davis. Canchester brings more than a decade of experience in real estate, property management and franchise operations to his handyman services business. Examples of services provided by this new business include door repair and installation, floor installation and repair, interior and exterior painting and gutter cleaning. Click here for more information about the business. For a full list of new Oak Park businesses, visit www.pickoakpark.com/newbusiness.

Visit Oak Park Executive Director Annie Coakley this week hosted a FAM (Familiarity) Tour of Oak Park attractions with Janes Journey’s, a vacation tour company that plans vacation and get-away tours across the globe. The Visit Oak Park organization is working to re-establish bus and overnight tours to Oak Park by promoting the community to international travel influencers and tour companies. Jane’s Journey representatives Ester and Dale Julian visited the Carleton Hotel, Ernest Hemingway Birthplace, Pleasant Home, the Oak Park Conservatory, Civente Candles, LaNotte restaurant, Unity Temple, Egg Harbor restaurant, Lou Malnati’s restaurant, the Cheney Mansion and Gardens and Rustico restaurant. Pictured here are Ester and Dale Julian (center) as they tour Civente Candles in the Southtown Business District.

Madison Street improvements –The contractor removed and replaced the curb along the south side of Madison Street. The electrical work for the new street lighting along the south side of Madison began this week and will continue through to next week.

Water & sewer improvements – Construction on Linden Avenue started this week as part of this year’s water & sewer improvement project. Work will begin at Thomas Street and progress south toward Augusta Street. The crew on South Boulevard installed new water main between Kenilworth Avenue and Home Avenue. Pressure testing and chlorination for the new main will start at the end of this week. Traffic control remains in place around the site.

Lot 10 construction – The contractor is pouring the colored concrete crosswalk this week at North Boulevard and Marion Street. The curb and gutter along North Boulevard will be replaced as well. The crosswalk will be poured in halves, starting at the north end of the street. One lane of traffic will be maintained at all times.

Austin Boulevard sewer improvements – Work is in progress under the viaduct on Austin Boulevard between North Boulevard and South Boulevard. Removal and replacement of the existing pavement will occur this week. Once the new pavement has been poured and tested, the traffic control around the site will be removed. This work is expected to be complete early next week.