Frequently Asked Questions

Where do you stand on lawn and leaf pick up?

Oak Park is known for its historical architecture, vibrant small business districts, many beautiful parks, and tree canopy covered streets. After all, Oak Park was named Illinois’ first municipal arboretum in 2015. When challenges regarding our decades old leaf pick-up program of raking leaves into the street came to the Village board table from residents and elected officials for safety concerns, driver visibility challenges, and sewer backup concerns I was cautious and understood from the beginning that if we were going to even consider changing how we handled leaf collection, we would need significant outreach to our community. Village staff presented on a number of leaf collection programs and I voted “no” on making any changes at this time. I lost that vote with a majority favoring the bagging of leaves for pick-up.

I voted against the leaf bag initiative because I recognized we had not done the work to learn from community feedback. I stated at the board table that if we had hoped years prior to encouraging residents to mulch leaves as much as possible into their lawns, we had failed at sharing this goal with our residents. I requested information on how we would assist aging or disabled residents if we were to move to a leaf bagging program - the village was not successful at implementing any such programs in the tight timeline that we created for ourselves. My vote “no” for any change in our leaf pick-up program was out of a genuine desire to hear from our community and either gain “buy-in” for a change with programs to assist our aging and disabled community or to respond to the feedback we would inevitably receive.

My vote is consistent with how I make my decisions. I seek to understand all unintended consequences and am more than willing to pause or change course on decisions when best for our community. After hearing from a significant number of residents against the leaf bag program, I worked with a colleague to bring the vote back to the village board table in hopes of gaining a 4th vote to reverse the initial decision.

Conversely, my opponent told the Wednesday Journal this kind of effort was a waste of time. He did not assist in gaining a 4th vote in response to resident concerns. He voted “no” without having participated in the village board study session, or sharing any concerns that might have assisted in swaying our colleagues to also want to learn more.

What events led to Oak Park’s emergency response regarding the migrant crisis?

On the evening of October 31, 2023 as the temperature was dropping significantly, I received word that migrants were being dropped off at our Village Hall. Upon notification, I met the Village Manager emergency response team at Village Hall and identified the best path forward to help us get through the night and the immediate days following. We needed an immediate course of action, families were going to be standing in the cold.

I called the Pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in the middle of the night, and she agreed to open their doors for the evening with the intention of working with the Village to identify a responsible long-term response. I stayed the night at Good Shepherd that evening and well into the next day. The very next morning, I called the Township for translation assistance, they were onsite within 20 minutes. I additionally called local business leaders, and they connected with our Village Manager’s staff that same day. Our community came together during those 36 hours and changed the lives for the better of nearly 200 people over the coming months.

Over the following several months, Village staff, the Community of Congregations, Housing Forward, Beyond Hunger, WestCook YMCA, the Carleton Hotel, and hundreds of community volunteers worked together to create a humane and cost-effective model for housing asylum seekers that is now used as a stellar crisis community response example for other communities to learn from. I personally leveraged relationships at every level of government, including Senator Dick Durbin, Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, and Cook County Board President Preckwinkle, to ensure that the Village would receive relief funds to reimburse the emergency costs inquired.

I am so very proud of our community for how we came together to address what was an emergency situation. The vote for funds at the Board table was always one step behind the guarantee for reimbursement further complicating a challenging time. I am happy with how I led those very difficult discussions. I led, working very hard to validate all concerns, recognizing that we had a duty to respond with compassion. Dropping migrants back on the City’s doorstep was not an option. City resources were also overwhelmed at that point in time - returning individuals would have not only been another confusing event for migrant families, but it would have jeopardized our relationships with neighboring community leaders.

The role of the Village President is different from that of Trustee. A trustee is able and arguably obligated to stand firm on their political stance for which they were duly elected. As Village President, I have to find a path forward, bringing all viewpoints together to solve a problem, in this case, respond to an emergency - respond to the call to lead a difficult situation. We have to value relationships with neighboring communities and all levels of elected officials. The City of Chicago and the US Conference of Mayors were asking for help at this moment in time. Long after, we are benefitting from those relationships and for our ability to deliver strategic solutions in an extreme time of need.

Why has there been such long delays with Pete’s construction on Madison and Oak Park Ave and what have you done to move the process forward?

Our current Village Board inherited a planned development contract passed under the leadership of my predecessor, with all good intentions negotiated under a very tight timeline before TIF expiration, but with little accountability to protect the residents of Oak Park.

In July, we let the previous contract to expire, allowing the Village to renegotiate. Village staff worked diligently to establish terms aligned with the direction set by the Village Board. As Village President, I had the opportunity to meet one-on-one with the owners of Pete’s Grocery. I was firm in advocating for terms that prioritize the best interests of the residents of Oak Park. These terms are designed to hold Pete’s Grocery accountable for adhering to a strict construction timeline, with a clawback clause to protect the financial investment of Oak Park taxpayers.

Under my leadership, we currently have the strongest planned development contract with a developer Oak Park has ever seen, requiring steady construction improvements and ensuring timeline benchmarks written into the contract since its passing in August of 2024.

Not only did I stand firm on the current planned development contract with Pete’s, but the protections used will be used for all future planned development, protecting the investment of our Village for all its intended value to taxpayers from the onset of approval.

What is C4?

One of the initiatives I am most proud of as Oak Park Village President is the Cross Community Climate Collaborative (C4) that I founded with Village of River Forest Mayor Cathy Aducci, Village of Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson, Founder and Executive Director of Seven Generations Ahead Gary Cuneen, and President of Urban Efficiency Group Darnell Johnson. C4 now brings together 14 communities to secure resources and drive large-scale projects within and across communities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reach equity and sustainability goals.

One year into my term in office, we had already received awards for that collaboration. And literally, millions of dollars have been granted to our combined communities to address climate change.

Check back later for answers to:

• Where do you stand on Village Hall reconstruction?

• What is your view of Vision Zero?

• What is your opinion on Single-Family Zoning?