Village board meetings follow formal democratic procedures including calling the meeting to order, conducting roll call to verify attendance, taking motions with required second, and voting through roll call. The Village of University Park, Illinois, demonstrates standard municipal governance practices where elected officials conduct official business, approve resolutions, address public concerns, and maintain transparency through public comment sections and departmental reports.
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Village of University Park Regular Board Meeting May 28, 2026Added:
Thank you so much.
Thank God.
Take this.
How are you?
Keep going.
Hey, I'm walking away.
Let's go down.
is going to be the next.
So I just got stuck in my Hey, you can DJ. You can cut the music.
Let's go. Let's go.
Good evening. This meeting is now called to order.
Uh we have to do a roll call. We're going to have to get a nominee nominated a person from the board to actually take the minutes again.
So we're going to call this meeting order and then we take a motion. This meeting is now called to order. Trusty Lewis, would you do a roll call for me, please?
>> Trusty Karen Lewis here.
>> Trusty Fulture, I mean Trustee Gina Williams.
>> Trustee Sonia Jenkins Bell.
>> Trustee Fulture.
>> Trustee Thompson >> present.
Trustee Theo Brooks.
>> Okay. And before we do our pledge of allegiance, let's I need a motion and a second to nominate >> I'm present. I'm present. I'm sorry, Trusty Lewis.
>> Before we do our pledge of allegiance, I need a motion and a second to nominate.
>> Yes.
>> As clerk prom.
>> Second.
>> Look at them. They all >> motion by motion by who made the original motion?
You made the original motion, Trusty Brooks.
>> Okay. Trusty Brooks, for the record, made the motion. Trusty Thompson made the second.
>> Roll call, please. Or Yeah, roll call.
>> Hold on.
Okay. All right. Roll call.
This mayor, this is a motion to make Trust Lewis the pro Tim Clerk for the evening.
>> Okay. Trusty Lewis, that's myself. I vote I.
Trusty Thomas. I'm Trusty Williams.
Trustee Jenkins Bill, >> Trusty Fulture, Trustee Thompson.
>> I, >> Trusty Brooks, >> Mayor Rudz, >> votes. Let's stand for our pledge of >> allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the stand indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Is there a motion for approval of the minutes or is that going to be table?
>> Okay, motion to table. There's a motion by Lewis.
>> Second by Brooks and Thompson. Roll call. Madam clerk, this is to table the uh minutes.
>> Getting out of hand.
>> Trusty Williams, I mean Trusty Karen Lewis. Both I Trusty Williams.
>> Trusty Jenkinsville.
>> Trusty Fulture.
Trusty Joel Thomas >> Thompson >> Thompson >> bai >> trustee Theo Brooks >> Mayor Rudz >> uh votes tie the table the minutes uh here we are our general public comment section are there any comments regarding any items on the agenda if not we'll circle back at the regular time for our meetings uh new business item F2A is a resolution approving the fourth declaration ation of trust of the Illinois Metropolitan Investment Fund, otherwise known as IMAT, amended and restated, dated as of April 22nd, 2022, declaration of trust and authorizing the execution thereof and authorizing certain officials to act on behalf of the village of University Park. Is there a motion, please?
>> So moved.
>> Moved by Trusty Lewis.
>> Second. Second by >> question >> Williams. Yes, ma'am.
>> So, um, who are the certain officials that's listed on here?
>> Can you hear me?
>> Um, so this is on the form. This is the first form that is in the board packet and it has on here it's the it follows the same format as our bank accounts and our other accounts which should be the senior most trustee um has signatory authority which is Theo Brooks and it says Theodore but it should be the change they entered that um the clerk and the mayor has read only it has it on here that's how it is with all of our accounts I have full access as well as uh Chris Mirabali. So this is the same format. That's why I did include it so it would be clear. And what this is is this is an investment account. Um the reason why I'm just getting asking for approval to get on this is because we were unaware of it. We were not getting paper statements. It was coming electronically and from my what I understand it was several village managers ago um from 2018. Um he may be on this account but they wouldn't give me any information because I'm not on the account. So, they sent that standardized form. Um, Trusty Brooks just asked me a question outside about um there's an amended part on there about April 22nd that is included in all of their formatted uh resolutions and it was something that they updated in their bylaws. And to be honest, I don't know what it said years prior um to that because like I was not familiar with this account and whatnot and I never received the prior resolution, but this is just so that I can gain access. I can be on the account and I can see what's going on in that account. They wouldn't have any conversation with Chris or I because they didn't know who who we were and we don't have proper authorization.
>> Thank you.
>> Yeah. Uh Mayor Chris is there. So yeah, Chris, don't forget it's T H E A P L I S C.
>> So Trusty Brooks, you're asking for uh correction.
>> Yeah.
>> On the paperwork.
>> Yeah. So yeah, it got t and and I know everyone thinks it's the like theo theoridor or the no it's the uh t h e a p like an apple l i s and I just want to say for the record that I I am aware about this account. I just told Miss Scott that I heard of this account. Um I don't want to raise no inflammatory comments but I don't uh I guess someone may have been trying to take money out the account. This was before Elizabeth Scott or anything, but I heard I heard just remember I heard we did have this account and yeah, uh this is something that we definitely need to know what's in there. Uh because I heard that money was transferred out of that account when it was probably more like 20 20 like be before this board like maybe even this previous board when Shirley or what's her name >> when Shirley like Shirley and Tutu was on the board. So, that's how long ago I heard we had this uh account, but it was never attended to. Are you my time?
>> Thank you. Roll call, please, Madam Clerk.
>> Trusty Lewis, that's myself. I vote I.
Trusty Williams.
>> Trusty Jenkins Bill Donna Fulture. Trusty Fulture.
Trusty Thompson.
>> Hi.
>> Trustee Theo Brooks.
>> Mayor Rudz.
>> Motion pass.
>> So, let's give a a temporary uh resolution number 2026. It's a It's hard to do that. Okay. Yeah.
All right.
All right, we'll do it that way.
>> All right, item F2B is an approval of the adoption of Lexi Poolool policy system for the University Park Police Department. Is there a motion, please?
>> So moved.
>> Second.
>> Second.
>> Roll call. Madam clerk. Thank you, guys.
>> That's uh F2B.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Okay.
Trusty Lewis bow tie. Trusty Williams.
>> Trustee Jenkins Bale.
>> Trusty Fulture.
>> Trusty Thompson.
>> Votes eye.
>> Okay.
>> Trusty Brooks.
>> Mayor Rudz.
>> Uh, votes eye. Madame clerk. Thank you.
>> Motion pass. Mayor, >> thank you so much. Item F2C, approval of the Fortress Plus solutions for the University Park Police Department evidence room inventory. Is there a motion, please?
>> So moved.
>> Second.
>> Second by Brooks.
>> Roll call.
>> Trusty Lewis Bai.
Trusty Williams.
>> Trusty Jenkinsville.
>> Trusty Fulture.
Trusty Thompson >> votes eye.
>> Trusty Brooks >> Mayor Rudzai.
Keep on moving. Go ahead, Trusty Williams. All right, next one. I understand it didn't want to table item F2D. So, we need a motion in a second.
Trusty Williams.
>> Motion to table.
>> All right. Item F2D.
>> Second by Trusty Jenkins Bill.
>> Okay.
>> Roll call. Madam clerk.
>> Mayor, that's the table. Item F2D.
Trusty Lewis votes side.
>> Right. F2. Okay. Trusty Williams.
>> Trusty Jenkinsville.
Trustee Vulture.
>> Trustee Thompson.
>> Both.
>> Trusty Brooks.
Mayor Rudz.
>> Uh, votes eye.
>> Motion pass to table.
>> All right. So, so what?
>> All right. That's it. I'll do it when we get there.
>> All right. Motion item F2E, a motion to approve contractual services with the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police to conduct an assessment center for the position of deputy chief. Is there a motion, please?
>> So, move.
>> Moved by Thompson. Second by Brooks Jenkins Bale. Roll call. Madam clerk.
>> That's Thompson and Brooks.
>> Yes, sir. Yes, ma'am.
Okay, one second. I'm trying to write as quiet as fast as I can.
>> Yes, ma'am. You're doing a great job to be honest with you.
>> She's wonderful at it.
>> You know what, Jewel?
>> Trusty Lewis votes I.
Trustee Williams.
>> Trustee Jenkins Bell.
Trustee Fulture.
Trusty Thompson.
Trusty Brooks.
>> Mayor Rudz, >> vote I.
>> Mayor, item F2E.
Motion pass.
>> All right. Item F2F, a resolution authorizing the approval of a resolution declaring June 5th Gun Violence Prevention Day in support of the 12th annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day and Wear Orange Campaign as a part of a nationwide effort demanding an end to America's gun violence. May I have a motion, please?
>> So move second. Moved by Thompson, second by the Lewis and Williams. Roll call, please.
>> I got you. Trusty Lewis, both side.
Trusty Williams.
>> Trustes uh Jenkins Bale.
Trusty Vulture.
Trusty Thompson >> votes I.
>> Trusty Brooks >> votes.
>> Mayor Rudz >> votes I.
>> Motion passed. Thank you so much. Item F2G, a resolution repealing position of deputy clerk. Is there a motion, please?
>> So move.
>> Moved by Lewis, >> second by Jenkins Bale.
>> Yes, sir. Um I I I did read the email that madame clerk had sent and I think it's it can use a discussion these next two items. Um I just ask if we can table this until madam clerk show up and she's here.
We're waiting her. There is no >> make your motion to get a second. Let's keep on going.
>> Yeah. Um >> is that is that a motion to table this?
>> Yes, sir. If >> there's a motion by books to table and it's who got a second and that and that's the next two items. So we're going to So you're going to say item 2G and 2 H.
>> Yeah. To Madame Clerk shows up here.
>> So there's a motion on the floor from Trusty Brooks >> to table item 2G and two uh uh 2 H >> right to Madame Clerk. Hopefully she's here at this next meeting because I think it it needs to be discussed.
>> All right, >> I'll second.
>> All right, roll call. Madam clerk.
>> Oh gosh. Where bill?
>> I know.
>> Trusty Lewis votes no. There's business to be handled. And we've been waiting and playing around with the clerk.
There's a lot of documents on the table that has not been signed. We're getting fined for things like this. I don't know.
>> I agree. Trusty, I just just >> let her be here to debate it. That's it.
Trusty Jenkins.
>> Trusty Fure.
>> Trusty Thompson.
>> Trusty Brooks >> votes eye.
>> Mayor Rud.
>> Votes no to table.
>> Motion uh to table has failed.
>> All right.
>> Moving on to F2G.
>> All right. There's been a motion and a second >> by Lewis and Jenkins Bale.
>> Yes.
Roll call, please.
>> Trusty Lewis votes I.
Trusty Williams.
>> Trusty Jenkins Bale >> votes I.
>> Trusty Fulture.
>> Trusty Thompson >> votes no.
>> Trusty Brooks >> votes no.
Rud, >> votes eye.
>> Mayor, motion pass.
>> All right.
>> Item F. And thank you, uh, Madame uh, clerk. Just for the record, the reason that we are repealing that ordinance for the deputy clerk, just for the record, the status quo, there's no way in the world that if the clerk is absent that we have a deputy clerk that does not fill in the void. Trusty Lewis has sat in that seat acting as deputy clerk over eight times so far in 2026. So, it's time for us to be a little more efficient and continue moving on in the right path. Those are my comments on that one. But now, Yes, sir.
>> Uh, let me just double check. Uh, >> yeah. No, I Yeah, I know cuz I wanted to just say um on on the resolution.
Oh, the resolution. I was just concerned. I I I mean, it passed. That's democracy.
>> I was just a little concerned on how the resolution was written because she is an employee. I mean, that's that was the only reason, man. I mean, the resolution was kind of I mean, even even if it was the truth, >> you know, we didn't say her name today, but it was it's in a resolution. And I mean, >> you know, I think we could just handle some things better. But you know, I yield my time.
>> Yeah. And and it is unfortunate.
>> But you have a point. I mean, if if it's eight times.
>> Yeah. And it's unfortunate that also in absence when the clerk and everybody understands we all have challenges. But when our city manager has to come in on Saturdays and assemble board packages and print them out, when Trusty Lewis has to continue being uh the clerk's keeper and stuff, it's time for us to be a little more efficient and remove that.
So that's the only purpose.
>> Yeah.
>> All right. Thank you. Attached for your approved is a listing of general operating expenses for the village of University Park.
>> Oh, did we did we vote it as both >> H? Oh, yes, we did. I'm sorry. Thank you. We need a motion to table.
>> Yes, we did combine those. So, we need a motion to table >> to table. I need a motion to table item 2H, which is an ordinance appointing an acting deputy clerk to sign documents within 48 hours.
>> I'll make that motion, mayor.
>> Thank you, sir.
>> I'll second.
>> Motion by Brooks, second by um Thompson.
Roll call, please, madam clerk.
>> Trusty Lewis, votes eye.
>> Trusty Williams.
>> Trusty Jenkins Bale.
>> Trusty Fulture.
>> Trusty Thompson.
>> Trusty Brooks >> votes.
>> Mayor Rudz.
>> Uh, votes. Madam clerk. Thank you.
>> Motion pass.
>> We'll spend that resolution number down the line. Attached for your approval is a listing of general operating expenses for the village of University Park that occurred on April 29th, 2026 through May 26, 2026. General fund 256,94971 cent road and bridge 32,64671.
Town center fund 5,77 and 36. University Golf Club 2 29,000 531-64 capital project fund 4,000 t five uh 578 and 25 t 7 uh 1,572 and50 and the payroll fund is 4,620 and84 with the grand total 335607 and 1 cent. Is there a motion to pay the bills tonight?
So move.
>> Moved by Lewis, second by Jenkins Bell.
>> Roll call. Madam clerk, >> any questions?
>> I'm waiting to hear it.
>> Any questions?
>> I guess life insurance.
hear what you say.
>> I said there are three life insurance policies and I was questioning that.
>> Thank you.
>> Can you hear me now? Okay. Employees do have the option of having different um coverage for insurance, life insurance.
That's an additional add-on. It's um other postalth employment benefits. So, yes. And they have the option to either take it or not, but it is there along with other stuff like AFLAC.
Yes.
Is is it because of the union they're in?
>> No.
>> And so there's a first layer of coverage that all employees receive and it's life insurance and the village covers only a small portion. Okay.
>> If an employee chooses to elect higher coverage, they have to pay more money and that's on the employee. Um so that's what that's for.
>> Thank you.
Yes sir.
>> Uh this is for um I want to say that what I'm glad that I am seeing and Antoine.
>> Yeah, there you go. Um he is doing a good job on these holes. I had received two phone calls and one was just crazy.
But I'm I'm glad um I talked to attorney Frasier and Mrs. Scott on these potholes in and the tire damage. Um, and I I don't know if the trustees got this email, but even one guy was persistent where he was trying to get the village to pay like 13 or 11 I think it was about 11,000 for the tires. And so I'm just glad that I'm looking here. There's a great reduction here. So, uh, Antoine, uh, Russell, thank you, sir, um, for for trying to, uh, fill that up, you know, take care of these holes. And uh thank you, Miss Scott, because I see that you put a limit on there, too.
Yeah, you put a limit on there and and I don't I don't want the residents constantly coming out their pocket for something that is totally avoidable.
So, uh winter time is almost over with and I yield my time.
>> All right, roll call, please.
Trusty Lewis to pay the bills.
>> Trusty Williams.
>> Trusty Jensen.
>> Trusty Vulture.
>> Trusty Joel Thompson.
>> Trusty Brooks.
>> Mayor Rudz.
>> Uh, votes side to pay the bills.
>> Motion pass.
>> All right. Thank you so much. Here we come to our general public comments. You got something?
All right.
Mary choice, please.
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Can you hear me?
You hear me? Okay.
How about now?
Okay. My name is Mary Truss and I'm here uh from the community uh block club here in University Park and uh we have a flyer out. It's called Here's the Scoop.
Keep talking. Okay. And uh what this flyer is about is the initiation of what some of us know as Children's Day. and that is paying attention and giving some uh attention to students and the children in our community. And most of the northern people don't know about it, but anybody from the south usually know about children's day. And this flyer says, here's the scoop. And what we're doing is we are having a ice cream social at the library in University Park and it has been distributed thankfully by the schools in 2011 for all the students and cit because they are students as well there from University Park. So, come to the library on June 6 from 1 to 3:00 p.m.
for a out of the school ice cream social.
It's free.
You bring your parents with you. You have to have a parent or guardian with you. And to make sure We have lots and lots of ice cream. We appreciate it if you give us a R SVP, which is only normal. So, we'll be able to feed our students.
And most of us, some of us of a certain age have heard of school's out for the summer. Well, school is out for the summer. So, that's celebrate at least. The other day when I was talking to the principal at Creek Elementary, she said that is so good that University Park is doing that because the Creek Library also had one for school is out for the summer for the children which is an ice cream social.
So it's all free. You can come and get ice cream for yourself and the children.
Love to have you. Love to see you there.
It's all about our children. They're not downtown disturbing anyone. So, we're going to give them ice cream free.
All right. Deborah J. trial.
>> Good evening, mayor, board, those present, those viewing. I want to encourage everybody, anybody who is a licensed driver in the state of Illinois, please take advantage of the AARP drivers course.
Um, it's a two-day course, four hours per day.
It gives you a great learning that you're not going to get when you're applying for your driver's license, but it gives you additional information. And the fact that it's open to any licensed driver in Illinois, go for it. The discount that I got on my premium, I've been praising.
I'm very, very thankful. So please any licensed driver a lot of people are not aware that AARP now accepts membership at 18 years old.
Yes. And this driver's course if you're a member you only pay $20.
If you're a non-member you pay $25.
So I just want to put it out there. Put it on blast. take advantage of this course. I know the same lady that teaches the course that we had here at 90 Town Center also teaches it in Park Forest and other locations. But perhaps Mr. Battles might know the date of the next course we're going to have.
>> July 9th and 10th. See, easy peasy. Ask and you receive. Okay. July 9th and 10th. Is it still 12 to 4?
>> And again, the members themselves, they pay $20 and non-members pay 25. Okay, PSA for tonight. Everybody make sure and take that class. It's very, very informative and it'll save you some coins. My savings now I can put more money in my gas tank.
Everyone have a great evening.
>> Thank you so much, Miss Stout. Jasmine Irvin.
>> All right, Jasmine.
>> Hello.
I am here to formally express my frustration and concern regarding the ongoing road closures and construction detours affecting access around University Parkway and the surrounding roads. The constant closures and lack communication have created a major inconvenience for residents and commuters. What normally takes less than two minutes to get home now from the s stop sign of University Parkway has now turned into an additional 20 minute drive every single day due to multiple detours and blocked routes. During a time when many families are already struggling financially because of the economy and rising gas prices, this situation is unacceptable. Residents were given little to no warning, no clear timeline for completion and no hope for updates regarding how long these disruptions will last. It feels as though the construction company is taking its time with no regard for the people being affected daily. First, residents were forced to route using the back roads, then Parkway was closed.
Now, additional surrounding routes have also been shut down, making traveling increasingly difficult and frustrating.
Something needs to be done immediately.
Residents deserve better communication, faster progress, and consideration for the financial burden these detours are causing. At the very least, for some, compensation needs to be considered affected residents, whether it's gas cards, toll reimbursements, or any other form of release during this excessive travel costs and time being wasted and posed at the community. We understand that construction and repairs are sometimes necessary, but the way the situation has been handled is extremely disappointing. The community deserves better accountability, transparency, and the realistic timeline for completion.
Thank you.
>> Not up here. Not up here, K. Not up here. Not Um, Patricia Callaway.
Good evening. I'm here from Thornwood House. I'm here to please, please invite you to help us.
I've been to the office several times and talked to people. We need help about the water. We need help about the way We are being treated and we're being ignored, but we won't be ignored when it's time to vote.
>> Please, please help us. I've asked the administrator, the only one that seems to be help helping us, well, not the only one. We have had some, but Miss Sonia, thank you so much.
Thank you. We really appreciate the knowledge that you can give us. Mr. Mayor, I invite you and your staff to to please take the time and come over and sit down and really help us with these aqua papers. Miss Gina, we need some help. We are seniors and some of our disability and a lot of people don't understand. Miss Sonia can be my witness of what happened today. They don't understand. Some people that have been there since 2017 are not getting any paperwork.
All kind of rumors are going around.
rumors are going around which I don't want to repeat but it's hard once the rumors start to stop it unless you do something to stand up I'm going to say one more time Mr. uh chief of police, we need your help also because things are really getting ridiculous. And instead of just patrolling when somebody calls, patrol more than once when somebody calls.
If something happens on our property, please report it to the office. I went to the office today and they said they're not getting any reports. Don't mean it's true, but that's what he said.
I'mma ask you again. Please come and talk to us. Please come and help us. We have an agenda going. We're trying not to do that agenda like picketing, calling the media. We got We got petitions. Nobody's listening. We don't want to go to the extreme, but we will.
But we will. We're going to be heard.
And it's not just us that's with the rumors and the talk. There's rumors about the park district. What I'm not understanding is if the district was on the the voting thing and it was voted yes. What's the problem? You're going to tell me renters don't count? My god. Now votes don't count.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you, Miss Millie.
>> Thank those two ladies. Uh, the last two. Um, I'm disturbed as usual. Um, Miss Scott, can you please First, let me ask uh Joe, give her permission to do a job. Can you please have the um electrical wires?
That is dangerous. Have those uh repaired.
There's a also a great big box.
Great big box is right out there. I know you don't get a chance to get out much, but if you just go out there, it's a great big box out there. Anybody could get electrocuted.
Anybody.
Also, Mr. Mayor, you didn't call on me last week, the last time we had a meeting.
Please don't do that again.
My name is always first, second, third.
You didn't call my name. You did everything tonight trying not to call my name because that's what makes me act out.
Also, um how about um uh Sonia? How about um finance uh meetings? What's happening? Uh young lady, I don't know this lady here. How about some finance meetings?
We don't have no finance meetings.
There's nothing going on in this village. There's a area down there, Stunkle Road, going down Stunkle Road.
I'm sure the back road is sick and tired of all of us throwing out garbage and stuff. I've seen people out picking up paper.
They're picking up paper because we have to detour.
This here it just up. It happened. We have to detour.
What kind of village is this? What kind of administration is this?
I already know.
Um, what else?
There's trees falling all over the place. I've showed uh Mr. Russell. I tried to show Scott, but she stood me up.
Um, and I, you know, which I expected. I was where I was supposed to be. She over on Right Road.
Who does that? Um, what else? What else?
Oh, Miss Scott, please, please, for the sake of this village, can you get some some staff?
Mr. Russell have a minimal a handful of staff. The chief here hardly no staff but yet and still you all have money to go. And that's another thing I want to talk about.
>> Your time is up. Mrs. Morgan, >> you're going on our trip >> and things.
>> Mrs. Morgan, your three minutes.
>> You've been gone for a whole week and the trip was only for >> Mrs. Morgan. Please respect the time is up.
>> The um thing was only uh for uh three days.
>> Y'all was gone for a whole seven days.
Y'all have a good time, son.
>> Thank you. Your time is up, Mrs. Morgan.
>> Miss Scott, you have a good time. I know Mr. Rud.
>> He had a damn good time.
>> Lunel's >> Keith Griffin. I'm taking uh my time from uh the last >> Good evening.
Uh, Mr. Mayor, uh, two meetings ago I asked you, but you didn't. Maybe Miss Scott can uh, help me with this. Could you, they got a lot of stuff on social media? Social media meter media, sorry, that I don't uh, particularly agree with. Could you give a breakdown or a synopsis of the details of that agreement with Hakqua? Because a lot of people are saying a whole lot of stuff, a different stuff that I don't agree with. And uh about the park district, I want to say this.
I can say what I do and look you in the eye. I did not vote for the park district. I didn't.
But Pog District, they won. They won.
They had a recount at Will County. It passed again on the recount. They did a vet. They did a a a levy. It's been levied. is so it's in. Now, the thing I have a problem with, you have three trustees, Fulture, Brooks, and Thompson.
Now, they file a lawsuit that's going to cost the village between $600 to $800,000 to to defend this lawsuit.
It's easy to spend somebody else's money when it's not yours.
>> If you No, hold on. Wait a minute.
If you didn't want the if you didn't want the pause district, you should have voted it down. The park district won.
They had a recount. It won. So all this other stuff about this bickering back and forth, it won.
>> Plain pure and simple. It won. Now all this other stuff, you know, stop the dumb stuff. It won.
So now that being said, again, it's easy to spend somebody else's money when it's not yours.
Since we having this frivolous lawsuit, maybe they should pay for it.
>> I hope the people remember that come election time.
>> Thank you. That >> if I'm not mistaken, that concludes our public comment section.
>> Mayor, since my name was mentioned, may I have a rebuttal?
You have the um you have the right to rebuttal.
>> Okay.
>> Brooks, Brooks, Brooks, Brooks.
All right, let's let's have order. We've been doing decent meeting. Let's go ahead now.
I had a rebuttal, mayor.
>> Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Thompson. Go right ahead.
>> Since my name since my name was >> your microphone, Scott, >> um only part of what um former trustee Griffin said is really true. So, um it's true that um voters in the majority voted for the park district. That's fine. But you have to do thing my goal is to do things in order and not out of order. And to go to follow state statutes and laws and not just do things the way you want to do it.
>> So, also, former trustee Griffin said that it would cost the village $6 to $800,000 to defend and that maybe we should spend our own money or something like that. The park district is not a part of the village, >> right?
>> It's its own separate taxing body. It's its own separate. So, it's not the fact that whether or not we're going to have a park district. If if the voters voted for it, that's fine. I think everybody agrees with that, but you have to do things in order because when you start doing things out of order, they get more and more out of order. And that's the only real issue.
>> All right. Thank you, >> Mrs. Morgan. I've asked you respectfully over and over again to stop bellowing out in the audience. It's really not a good look for our community at all.
Nea Jenkins.
Good evening, Mayor Board.
Some of the uh key accomplishments for May for communications has been marketing, communication, and event support for numerous community programs, special events, and public engagement initiatives, including the Junth Celebration, marketing, space tournament, sound the alarm campaign for the University Park Fire Department.
Uh if you don't know about that program, the information is over here on the side where they are installing free smoke alarms to University Park residents. Um my coworker director, he's left the building. So >> fighting there's a fire.
>> He's fighting a fire, but there's a sound the alarm campaign for that to install um smoke detectors in your home.
Um, the question of the month, initiative by the University Park Police Department, Memorial Day celebration, back to school celebration, summer grass cutting program, the Nickerson family legacy foundation event was covered as well as uh the May Steppers event and Mother's Day extravaganza.
Um, also, uh, I was able to attend the University Park Lions, uh, program for their Chicago Bears training camp. I covered that as well.
And that's the end of my report.
>> Thank you so much, Miss Neva. Mr. uh, Battle, >> see you soon, Miss Callaway.
>> Okay.
Oh my goodness.
>> Good evening, mayor, trustees, and uh the residents of University Park. Uh this is my board report for May Community Outreach. Uh in May, uh last week, we just uh completed the University Park Basketball League. Uh we had six teams that competed over the span of two months. Uh congratulations to the Titans. They went undefeated uh and winning the championship in the first inaugural season. So congratulation to uh coach uh Thaddius.
Uh upcoming events taking place in University Park. Uh the youth dance uh program uh registration is open. We will have our first uh session for the summer this Saturday uh from 10:30 to 12:30. So we'll meet every Saturday. The fee is $60 for anybody to participate from the ages of 4 to 16. Okay, that would $60. That would cover from May 30th to August 8th.
If you had a kid that did dance before, it's $200 a week.
Also, another big event that's taking place is the two-day Junth celebration called Voices of Victory. We will have food vendors such as Chick-fil-A, uh Herolds, and uh a couple of other food vendors. We also have nonfood vendors as well. The first day on June 18th will be a gospel fest. We'll have the governor state transformational uh choir. There'll be a highlighted uh act.
Also, uh we'll have a spades tournament.
Registration for that is open. It is free. Uh for more information, give myself a call. Um, one of the things that I am very excited about and something we have not done in this village in 15 years to uh end this celebration, we will have fireworks.
So, that is a big ordeal. We're probably the only village in the Chicagoland area to have fireworks for Junth. So, that ends my board report.
>> Thank you so much, Mr. Battle.
>> One question. Uh, Mayor everyone that's presenting their uh board report, please uh email the clerk.
>> Okay. Okay. Thank you.
>> No problem.
>> All right. Go ahead, Mrs. Patel.
>> Mrs. Morgan, please refrain from yourself.
Good.
Go ahead, Mrs. Patel.
>> So, on behalf of the Nickerson U foundation, they would like to recognize Mayor Joseph Rudes, um, Trustee Karen Lewis, and Trusty Sonia Jenkins for coming out. Um, we have some gifts for them. I'll bring >> Oh, and this is from who?
>> The Nickerson Foundation.
>> Awesome.
you to the Nickersonson Foundation.
>> All right.
>> Miss Mattel, can you go back to the mic and say it one more time? Thank you.
>> I know.
>> Chief, do you have a report?
One second. One second. One second.
So, it was the 5K run that we did last Saturday. It was um Nickerson Foundation. They do scholarships for our students in University Park.
>> Also, they wanted to thank village manager Elizabeth as well to help coordinate this situation.
>> Thank you to the Nickerson Foundation.
>> All right.
You out of breath or you good?
>> You're good. Go ahead, Chief.
>> Good evening, residents, mayor, board.
Uh for the fire department, we're happy to announce that we received $25,897 in a uh grant through the state fire marshall's office.
Uh, with this grant, we're going to be buying little small thermal imaging cameras, and they're called situational awareness cameras to help firemen when they get lost to find their way back out. We're also going to be uh buying some battery powered saws to help with the green energy. Also, I don't know if anybody u has talked about, we did partner up with the American Red Cross for sound the alarm for all village residents. There are flyers in the back.
Um, if you scan the QR code, you put your information in there, we will contact you. Just be patient. We might have to put you guys on a waiting list because we only get so many smoke detectors at a time from the American Red Cross, but they've been pretty fast on replacing them, so there might be a slight little delay on actually getting them installed. Um, one of the other things that was pretty, uh, major within this area, uh, we were at the Bmoral Racetrack fire. We started at 6:00 a.m. We got done at 9:00 at night. Um, it's still under investigation at this time. Um, uh, we just had a small, uh, little oven fire. Please, please, please be careful when you're cooking, obviously. Um, with greases and different stuff like that, they do spill. We get it. It's going to produce a lot of smoke and it might produce a small fire. Um, by all means, give us a call right away so we can uh contain that and then help you guys out with uh getting the smoke out and everything. Um, there have been a lot of high-speed accidents within the last month where we are cutting people out of cars. Please slow down. Pay attention to stop signs, stop lights. Uh we don't want to have to cut people out and get have them seriously hurt. And that'll be my report.
What Mr. Russell? No, I'm sorry, Chief.
>> All right. Since the last meeting, um, I established a a prisoner mill agreement with the VP to Gold, which is a local business in town for our prisoner mills.
Um, I assisted a family member of a of a University Park missing person with getting their DNA entered into NameUS.
Nameus is the national missing unidentified person system. So, in case, you know, God forbid, uh, a body is found and the DNA is is recovered from that body, it may match this person. and is mainly meant to give them closure, you know, but there is a process you have to go through that with the state and with the county. So, I'm I'm glad we were able to to help them with that. Uh background checks on the police applicants are continuing. Uh you know, like I've always said, we need people, but we need the right people. I'm not looking for a shirt filler. I need someone that's going to come in and do the job and reduce the liability for the for the village. So, those those backgrounds are continuing. Uh, police answered 780 calls for service.
125 tickets ranging from parking to moving violations were issued. Seven arrests were made. And just just keep in mind, 15 guys 15 guys working a lot of hours. So, I'm I'm I'm I'm very proud of them. I give them all the respect in the world because they're working so and including all the other details that come up. So, they are putting in some heavy hours. So, I appreciate those guys. Um, I had two companies come out to examine and give quotes addressing the water issue at the station. I'm looking for a third now. Uh, I participated with Richton Park with the uh cop on top of Special Olympics. Uh, I got there about about 6:30 in the morning and it was a nice windy day, but it was a good turnout. It was it was a good turnout for a great cause. Um, I attended a meeting with Will County 911 regarding the June 1st start of the RAVE notification system. What the rave is, it's actually where the community can be notified through the county. So if there's a storm issue, if there's any type of issue, they can do a call tree or a text tree or an email tree to let you guys know what's going on. Also, in addition to the police, that's something that they're rolling out and that we're going to jump on a bandwagon with them. Um, I attended the layerway East Police Radio Group meeting. I attended the government communication master class, crisis communication and strategic social media course. I attended the burden of command leadership resilient and public safety.
I attended the medical and deescalation training for my allesby mandates. But allesby is the Illinois training and standards board. Even as a chief, I still have to keep my mandates up to date. So I I attended that. I attended a meeting with Enterprise regarding the police vehicles and the removal of old vehicles from the police lot. Some of those cars have been there eight, nine, 10 years from what I understand. So, I'm trying to clean a lot up and get that stuff out because we can turn those in and get money for them and that money can either be paid to us or it could be applied to things we need, for example, as outfeeding of a new squad, which which would save the village money in in that respect.
Um, I submitted traffic stop statistics to the Illinois State Police in regards to the uh the racial profiling requirements. All of that's been submitted. I attended the first responders breakfast sponsored by the Faith Mo Faith Movers Academy, which is actually extremely nice. Very, very, very delightful staff.
Some of the upcoming projects I'm trying to get done.
Uh, now that Lexiple has been approved, I'm going to apply for a grant and establish a start date. There is a grant available. I'm going to work I'm still working on the keys for the standalone speed detectors on University Drive and Blackhawk so I can service them and place them back in motion. A lot of things I'm doing myself to save the village money. I'm the speed trailer has been fixed. I fixed that. The uh the Bearcat, I'm working on that. fixing that, you know, and if I can do it, I figure I'm going to do it and that way it alleviates cost to the village. So, I'm just one of those I'm going to get it done.
Uh, let's see. Um, I'm going to establish an assessment process for the chiefs of police. We're going to get that start date going. We're going to get a start date now for the audit or the evidence room. Like I said, the speed trailer is is being is being tested. If you're coming out of Thorn Thornwood House and you coming out to Burnham, you'll see the speed trailer light up. So, I got it. I'm going to put it on the street probably next week because I wanted to make sure everything was working correctly. The solar charging, all that was working correctly and it seems to be. I'm working on getting the police Bearecat operational.
That's a uh that's a four-wheeler that they have that we can use like for events to transport water. If someone's hurt, we can get them out the crowd instead of trying to pull the whole car in. That's been down for a couple of years. I'm going to get that running.
Um, I'm still researching medical kits for squad cars, for officers, as well as the community.
I am still working on I'm waiting on a response from the South Suburban Humane Society so we can uh have an agreement with them to take our recovered dogs there. Uh, still researching equipment for incident command responses. Officers are receiving uh more training. I'm going to continue with the training because a better trained officer is a better equipped officer. I'm going to train as much as I can. As long as the scheduling allows and if I can find some things bargaining wise, that's what I'm going to do. Uh last but not least, I'm I'm still cleaning and and maintaining the station. I'm going to continue cuz I want the station to be somewhere where we can walk in and and we can be and we can be proud. And a lot of it is getting a lot of old stuff out, getting a lot of things repaired, and get a lot of things up to speed. And uh everyone that's my report >> Mr. safe.
>> Testing one, two.
>> Good evening, council, community members. Uh, I'm going to follow up on a few things that Chief Stark said. We're both working on that. Lexipole for you.
If for you that don't know, Lex pole is a standardized policy, industry standard, and what it's going to do, it's going to standardize everything from hiring to um pretty much everything in the police department. It's very important because the officers, it's uh legal, you know, all attorneys vet it.
If uh an example, if President Trump made a executive decision as we know he does quite regularly and frequently and something drastically changes overnight that would impact our policy.
Immigration might be one of those. The Lex pole policy would immediately notify us, update the policy. It would then be sent to our officers who would have to acknowledge the policy and um then it would be in our our handbook. They also have to review these policies monthly and take a test on it. So it is industry standard professional agencies, law enforcement. It's a it's a component of risk management. Very important that we're doing that. Fortress again, we've been both Vince and I have uh chief have both been working on that to make sure that we're again a riskmanagement component and our evidence is secure and legal. Uh actively reviewing all fire department policies.
I continue to work on a villages emergency operation plan. Again, that's a little bit more challenging than I anticipated because I'm working with two counties.
Me, uh, Chief Starks and I attended some classes. Like he said, we both have to retain our standards through the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Board.
So, that sometimes is just like regular police officers. We have to do that plus something else. Working with U.
Village Manager Scott on several internal matters. I'm going to keep keep on that. That's going to be ongoing for a while. Uh recruitment efforts. Vince and I continue to work on that daily.
That's that's communication all day long about a recruitment. Like he said, we're down 15. We have a meeting on June 1st with the police and fire commission.
We're going to see if we can figure out a way to streamline it. I believe the fire department is in the same boat we are with that. Working with the ILACP about that deputy chief's position. We continue to do that. that's going to be ongoing.
Uh and then the final thing is Chief Starks Knight will attend the Coffee with a Cop program and that's going to be next Saturday right here at 90 90 Town Center from 9 to 10. That's all I got, Mr. Mayor.
>> Thank you.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Oh, listen. Listen. Obnoxious.
>> Mr. Russell, go right ahead, sir. Miss Milly, we're not going to do that.
>> I'll talk to you after the meeting.
>> Good evening, mayor, village manager, trustees, department head, staff, residents of University Park. I first want to thank God for giving us an opportunity to serve this community. I also want to thank the board, village leadership, and our residents for your committed for your continued patience, support, and belief in the work being done every single day by the public works department. Tonight, I stand humbly on behalf of our department that continues to push forward under very challenging conditions.
According to our public works master board report, our department is currently operating with an act of eight employees out of 20 that we should have, which represent about 65% of our vacant our vacancy rate. Despite these challenges, our team continues to show up every day with pride, determination, and commitment to this village. Over the last two weeks alone, our crews repaired multiple streets using about 20 tons of asphalt. Trust me, we get every call about the potholes every day, all day.
But we you we've used about 20 tons of asphalt in the last two weeks. We've removed dozens of dangerous branches and debris, uh completing lighting and electrical repairs, handling residents complaints, supported board and rental events, completed park work, continued infrastructure maintenance throughout the community.
my department. They also completed over 62 utility locates in the industrial area, cut abandoned properties and open fields, begin installing speed bumps around our schools and parks to improve safety for our children and residents. I want to make something very clear tonight. Any criticism that comes towards the department, I accept with full responsibility.
I understand what leadership is about. I understand that I will always accept all of the criticisms and not get any credit for any of the good, but I accept all the bad. That comes with leadership, that comes with the job. I am not perfect. We are not perfect. And there is always room for improvement. But I will never allow the hard work of my employees to go unnoticed.
The men and women, the men and women of public works have been working above and beyond expectation with limited manpower, aging equipment, increasing service demand. the continue and and we all continue to deliver services professionally while carrying workloads that normally would require triple the staffing levels.
So tonight I do not want to take credit solely. The credit belongs to the employees who come in early, who stay late, who answer emergency calls, repair streets, clean parks, respond the storm, prepare buildings, maintain equipment, and keep the village moving forward every single day. The credit belongs to the village leadership for continuing to work through difficult financial operational challenges. Our village manager is extraordinary.
I must say that she challenges me in ways I've never been challenged before.
We do have great grant opportunities coming before as a fact. And matter of fact, the county emailed me today at 5:00 from a grant that my village manager said file for now and I did that work and we did get approved for that grant.
So, we will have some great planning and scope work coming down the pipeline. So I do want to credit our village leadership for that because again like I I do want to credit give credit to our village manager v I want to give credit to our village manager when it is expected.
>> The credit belongs to the board the board for continuing to support infrastructure and improvements and operational decisions. It is because of the board of trustees that we are able to continue to do the infrastructure work that we do in public works. I do want to thank you board of trustees for your efforts in improving the bills and continuing to move public works forward.
And most importantly, of course, Miss Millie residents, the credit belongs to you for always calling and making the complaints which challenge us to be better. It challenges me to be better. Your complaints only make public works better. Miss Millie, we we do thank you for pointing out uh excuse my French mayor bastard trees that we are trying to cut and address.
So, we do want to thank all of you residents for pointing out potholes, trees, and other other things that we as a our public works department are trying to remove.
All right. So, public service is not always glamorous. I understand that.
Sometimes it means taking criticisms, which I always will. Quietly while continuing to serve professionally, which I always will. My village manager would not expect anything less.
Sometimes it means doing more with less, which I have been. But that is the continued commitment to the department and most importantly the community. As we continue to move forward, we remain focused on improving operations and increasing staffing, modernizing our equipment, enhancing safety, and delivering the level of service that residents deserve. On behalf of my PW department, we thank you again for your support, your trust, and patience as we continue to build a stronger university park. Thank you, board of trustees.
Thank you, mayor, and of course, our village manager. Thank you so much, Miss Willis.
Can you hear me? Yes. Okay. Good evening, mayor, board of trustees, and residents.
During the reporting period, the finance department continues supporting the organization's financial operations, compliance requirements, payroll administration, pension reporting, and committee coordination activities. Key efforts focused on completing monthly bank reconciliations, participation in training on complex bank reconciliations, processing and posting journal entries, managing payment processing, purchase orders, and check runs. We also processed monthly payroll deductions, prepared and submitted the fire pension, police pension, and IMRF reports.
This past month, we also created prepared the finance committee agenda and packets for the finance committee and distributed one packet to the attendee that was at the meeting.
We have to work on enhancing operational efficiency and workflow. Um, in conclusion, the finance department remains committed to maintaining strong financial controls and supporting the organization's operations. Thank you.
>> Thank you so much, Mr. Mayor Bali.
>> Okay, for my report, I'm going to go at a high level. Um, one of the things we did is we did get access into the secure door, Department of Revenue to find out what the 2.4 million two deposits you guys received in 2024, what that related to. I can't share it because we're not allowed to, but we did get finally a clear answer as to what that money was related to. Um, we did also work with submitting your DCEO grant quarterly reporting and closing that out. So, that way we should be getting those refunds um from the controller soon.
We worked with setting up the uh ASAP uh reporting site so that way that when the police grants are finally closed out, we can start having those monies received into the village accounts. We took care of your guys' golf course uh sales tax reporting. So that should have cleared out and we made those uh sales tax payments.
Um we started the FY26 OPED valuation so that way um you guys actuaries can figure out what is the liability for the vill's health insurance that it offers to full-time and retired employees.
We worked on reviewing the uh Will County levy edit reports to make sure that is all good for that extension.
On the financial side, one thing I do want to note, through the month of February, the village has received an interest income 1,464,232,000 dollar for this fiscal year.
>> And that's the summary of my report.
>> So much. All right, Trusty Brooks, you got something tonight?
Trusty Books, you got something tonight?
>> Yeah. Okay. Yeah, residents attending audience like to thank you for coming out tonight. Um I don't have much. I want to say that uh we had the community block club that gave away two awards. I was with Miss Trust as we gave away one at the Creek Mon School. Um we the second one that was for the high school. The person was not present. So they'll be getting their um award at the ice cream giveaway um that the community block club will be having in between time since we last spoke. Um of course always meeting and talking with residents. I just would like to make some clarity on some things on how I feel. I feel that when we hear the com the trustee comments shouldn't be a bully pull pit for nobody.
If you got something that you have to say or someone is negative, election season is every four years, really every two years. It's around petition time, September through April.
You can talk about everybody like you want to.
But what I don't like is when people say things and they're not factual.
Tonight, I won't go through my famous Milton Payton facts.
But I will say this. Here's a fact.
Theo Brooks never said renters don't count.
What Theo Brooks did say is when it was time for the Park District referendum to come again.
And tonight, because I feel we have done great by not arguing. We thought we was going to get out of here before sunset, but that's not true. But we almost out of here.
the person who was responsible for that referendum, it failed the first time.
So, they were smart. They picked a moment and someone even said it. If you read whether you looking at voters facts online, the census report, we have more renters than we do of homeowners.
When do they vote?
Most of University Park turnouts is during the presidential governors and sometime depending on who the mayor running is, they'll come out during the mayor election. Those three times in the time that they ran, they ran and they won. That's what I said.
They picked the time that renters really come out and vote.
I didn't say nothing else. As one trustee, former trustee used to say, "Check the tapes.
Check the tapes. See what I said because I didn't say that among other things."
Lastly, standing rule.
Tonight I was appalled because someone comes up and say, "I'm so disrespectful to women. I'm so disrespectful to Miss Scott." Let me say something. The people already made their choice, and I'm up here for my third term with no problem.
When I ran for mayor, I had all women on the ticket.
Right now, 56, yes, I'm kicking out facts.
56% of this village and those who vote are women.
Thornwood House, I hear you. The last time I was there, it was usually Thornwood House. And be honest with you, whoever's the mayor, and if you on their side, you get access to that building. I've not had access to that building since Mayor Coington.
That's a fact.
That's the truth. Because opposition knows that you all vote in that building and they would do anything for that precinct when you running to make sure oh he don't come here he don't have nothing he don't do nothing for us well let me tell you throw house if I if I have to I would throw the pictures where I had barbecues there for you all I have Christmas there with you all and if you all miss Callaway if you allow me to do that because I gave you my car last time I will come and pull it. Miss Millia tell you I have no problem spending money. I will come up there.
During the campaign, someone was calling me telling me you all were having problems. I instructed Chief Mitchell to please have a squad car in front of y'all building 5:30 every morning.
All of a sudden, that fell off. Now, Chief Mitchell is not here, but when you mention that that you all need help, Chief, they do have problems because this elect this past election that doing what house people did kept calling me and Chief Mitchell DIDN'T DO HIS JOB.
CUZ every morning I call, I say, "Did the squad come out there?" They said, "Trusty Brooks, no." It's not hard. All I just ask is a simple demand. And I don't understand why it can't be done, but it's called premise check where officers simply go to the Thornwood House. Primise check. No, I don't know what how y'all do it, but hey, I'd give my call sign. 8 for9 primise check.
Thornwood house 0530.
THAT'S ALL I ASK. BUT I COULDN'T EVEN GET THAT. So what I hate is the politics that's being played. Just like the person who sat here and said standing rules and respect. Now I don't like what I just seen back there with my wife. Now I don't think that that was a man talking to a woman. And see my thing is yes it was a man talking to a woman.
Now what I ask is is that if we all going respect no it was him. He shook his head. No. If he was for somebody else I'm saying yes. It happened.
The thing is is that if we gonna be up here respectful and have a decorum, I just ask is before we start spitting facts. I'm not even going to go because there were some things that was said last board meeting that I said no comment. I wouldn't give a report. They were not factual. I think we should be up here trusty comments saying what we have done and what we would do and what we can do to accomplish.
I'm not disputing anything Sonia Jenkins may said. The mayor may said none of that. What they say is what they say because at the end of the day it may be another situation like the water crisis.
We all had to come together and the way the country is going right now anything could come together because there are people out here right now when we say something my point is they become inflamed and it's too many political violence that's going on. Sonia just mentioned something. She mentioned something that dealt with violence.
So at the end of the day, why we can't come in this boardroom, conduct business, and leave.
Too much is happening where the police is involved.
So I say that that if we going to respect standing rule, let's respect standing rule.
Period.
And for that I yield my time and we will not have a trustee report next next meeting which is supposed to be the cow but I will wish those a happy father's day and I yield my time Mr. Mayor.
>> Thank you Trusty Thompson.
>> Hello residents. Um our meeting still is historically short.
I can't believe I can still see blue outside. Um, so I don't want to um prolong the time. So I'll say what I always say, ask questions and expect answers and don't give up until you get an answer because every question has an answer.
And um, like I said, I don't want to prolong the time. Happy Father's Day to all the fathers and to those who have been a father to someone. Stay safe this summer to everybody. Be safe.
All right. I'm Thank you so much. But I overlooked something. Manager Scott, please.
>> Good evening.
May 5th, I held a meeting with Susan Quasny regarding UPMS4. further discussion of continued needs and budget discussion for compliance. Attended the weekly legislative briefing calls with SSMMA and Taylor Anderson.
Held two meetings regarding the TIFF 7 adoption with Ryan LLC. Worked on the newsletter and held multiple meetings with NEVA regarding articles as well as photos.
Attended the countrywide mass notification system systemformational session through Will County. held a meeting with Robinson Engineering to discuss the demolition of Hickok Pool and uh Robinson Engineering subsequently went to Hickok Pool to assess the building and the impending demolition.
The funding for the demolition, by the way, is coming from a grant that we received from Will County that I applied for last year, which um part of the money we also were able to to uh pay fire station one. So, it's the same um portion of that grant.
On May 6, I was interviewed for about an hour by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning for the Grant for technical assistance, which I submitted last month, specifically the capital um improvement plan. Held a meeting on May 6 with Lauren Dorman of IPRF regarding the grant plus program. spoke with uh Tai Stlair with Lexapool regarding the Lexapole process, their grant reimbursement program and spoke with the chief of Zion um Eric Bon who I ran into at the ICSE economic development conference and we had good conversation regarding his experience with Lexipole and some other software systems and swapped ideas and discussed departmental challenges. Uh May 7th held a staff meeting with department heads. I had a separate meeting with uh Patrick Simson uh public safety director on multiple occasions throughout this month to discuss various projects, workflow concerns, and upcoming events. Had a meeting with key personnel regarding vehicle and motor uh motorcycle sticker sales. Um sticker sales are on sale now.
They weren't supposed to start until June 1st, but we had several residents that came that wanted to purchase their stickers. So sticker sales, um they are going on now. Please um make sure that your vehicle stickers are on display no later than July 1st. Fees double on July 2nd. We have added extra hours um at Village Hall to accommodate those who are unable to purchase stickers during the normal business hours. So those um hours additional hours will be Saturday, June 6th, June 13th, Saturday, June 20th at Village Hall. We will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
On May 7th, I attended the Will Cook Enterprise Zone Council meeting to discuss projects ongoing in University Park and hear from adjacent municipalities on their projects, including um Park Forest. Filled out and emailed several grant compliance documents with the assistance of Chris Mirbali and submitted to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
held a meeting with engineers, owner and staff regarding the 200 applied building for site plans and engineering.
Um met with a prospective tenant for town center regarding amending the lease and other questions she had. On Saturday, May 9th, I attended the UP Lions game at Palmer Park where the Chicago Bears had a training cap camp with representatives from the organization who came out and showed love to our youth and donated equipment to the team. Um, I was so impressed by the number of former players that came back um to give their time to donate and their skills to the Lions with over 200 young people who attended.
Congratulations to the UP Lions on 50 years of service and legacy to this community. Very impressive.
>> Uh there are new pay boxes at both metro stations. We now accept credit cards in addition to cash. Uh we also placed new updated signage on both lots. Held a meeting with TurningPoint Energy for Kings/Nackie Road Lo's Lane. The repaving uh is going to begin shortly and we will be sending out notification on when that's slated to begin. Meeting with Performance Food Service for the golf course to review uh food pricing. We currently use Cisco. So I just wanted to take a look at the contract and try to find the best uh bang for our buck. had a meeting with the engineers for street resurfacing for um we're going to do major res street street re resurfacing in the industrial corridor uh for tiff five although tiff five that was stated the other day there is money owed from the general fund that doesn't mean that we can't resurface roads we still have money in the coffers and tiff 5 but it has to be used specifically for street resurfacing and that's what I plan on doing uh review design plans and cost estimates for the resurfacing of Thornwood Mall Drive in and Burnham. I also had an introductory call and intro introduce myself with the owner of Thornwood House to discuss the street resurfacing which um as I've stated many times is going to be Thornwood Mall Drive which connects to Thornwood House, connects on to Burnham, crosses over University Parkway, and it'll end right there um at Sandra Drive. So, I had a meeting with them uh because I did review the warranty deed for that building and in doing that I found out that Thornwood House is supposed to pay for a portion of Thornwood Mall. So, I did have a discussion with him about him paying his portion and he agreed. Last week, the mayor and trustees, Sonia Jenkins Bell and Karen Lewis, attended the ICSC conference for economic development.
There were many other suburbs from Illinois in attendance. Uh was really impressed with Matson. They had a huge uh setup and a huge conglomerate. They had a lot of people and a lot of buzz.
Um they actually rented this huge booth uh to garner business. Um as well as Cal Park. Uh the joint review board for the boundary extension of uh of TIFF 7 was initially held on May 19th. Uh because we were at ICSC, we continued it. By law, we can't cancel it, reschedule it.
Uh so we did um the the continuence and it continued on to the 27th yesterday.
Uh we'll be having a public hearing on the matter on June 23rd at 6:30 p.m.
That's going to take place before our regularly scheduled board meeting. And subsequently in July, if everything goes well, the board will be approving the ordinance.
Uh the standing finance committee, I'd like to address that because I saw a lot of things or heard a lot of things. um I don't participate in Next Door because I have a lot of work to do and oftentimes a lot of the gossip and everything that I I've heard is not true. Um but I don't have time to combat that. So I wait until time like this. So the standing finance committee is an advisory committee. Although it's an advisory committee, it's still an integral part of the process for budgeting. Um it's important to the point that when I came here, I made sure that we implemented meetings every third Thursday. However, we make sure the doors open. We come. It is members of the public, and there's several members. I'm not going to put them on blast or mention their names.
They know who they are. It is your duty and your responsibility to show up for your community. You signed up for this.
I don't think that it's fair that the village gets blamed. The village government gets blamed when the residents don't show up to participate.
In order to have this meeting, we have to have a quorum. So there has to be certain number of members present. So if people try to decide they're going to sabotage, which is political, which is not what I do because I run day-to-day operations, a way to be political and to make us look bad is to not show up for the meetings. So I'm asking the members of the public who volunteered for this position to please show up because it is very important and we do need your assistance and I do value your input at those meetings. So please show up.
Uh on May 21st, I attended the SSMMA business meeting via Zoom. Uh reviewed documents from Revier Consulting for the fiscal year 27 budget. Discuss that with Chris Mirbali as well for incorporating projected energy revenue from electric vehicle usage from our three charging station locations. So there's going to be an additional line item coming on the budget and it's going to be for revenue for anticipated um money that we'll be receiving from that. I would like to um also clarify something that came up about flyers saying that I would not allow uh Mary Trust to place her f flyer in the village hall. That is actually not true.
I actually did tell Mary Trust she could place it in the vestibule. Um however, we typically we do not promote other companies uh outside entities on our marquee or in the glass. And I and I explained to her and I So, I did tell her that she could place her flyers out with all the other flyers. However, we just do not, as long as I've been here and I have asked, uh, we do not put other governments, other organizations. We don't promote tax services. I've had many people ask to leave, things like that. We don't, if it's a village event, as long as it's not political, I don't have an issue.
but it won't go on our marquee. So, she proceeded to insult me, tell me that she's in the vestibule more than I am.
Okay. But you're more than welcome, for the record, if you'd like to place the flyer, you're more than welcome to do that.
We have done uh we have road closures along University Parkway for the BP gas pipeline work being done. That is not village work. Um from my understanding, it was to do some work, urgent work. Um, but we did put our information out, the information that was provided to us on our social media and all available outlets. Sometimes we do receive the information months in advance like we did from Aqua. However, there are times like in this case when we may receive it a week before at the last minute and we try our best to put the information out um and we'll continue to do so. Also, the PACE bus shelter on the corner of Sandra Drive off of Burnham has finally been replaced. um as many of you have probably seen also um coming out soon.
The mayor can speak more to this, but there's going to be uh documentation coming out in the mail regarding the aqua water settlement. It's very important that um that you look out in the mail for that and a lot of more information and I'll hand it over to the mayor from there. Thank you.
>> Uh thank you, Trusty Jana.
Good evening everyone. Can you hear me?
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. Um, I want to say first of all, I went to the Mother's Day event. It was my first time ever going and when I say that was spectacular. It was the food, the guests, everything. I love to dance.
That DJ was playing every song I thought about and I got up on there and did what I do. Um, I also want to say I went to the career day at Faith Movers and it was so nice seeing all those young people with their aspirations of want to be doctors, nurses, lawyers, firemen.
They were out there at the fire truck ringing the bell, doing all that. It was excellent. Uh, myself and Karen Lewis, Trusty Lewis, we left there. We went to cop on top, but I think Starks was on his way to uh Faith Movers. Um I want to give a extra special thanks to our director of public works, Anwine Russell. The other day a tree fell on Pen Oak over the weekend. So when I was able to call him because Monday was a holiday, he said, "Say no more." when I knew anything. The truck was out there.
They were getting that tree up. I mean, they didn't leave no stones unturned. I tried to call Ry Property, but I unfortunately didn't get an answer. But he got right on it. And I also want to congratulate him on being the um what is it? The the the first black commissioner, highway commissioner. Hats off, sir. You're doing it. and your staff. They are awesome.
Then I want to address Miss Callaway.
Miss Callaway, you know, I'm there for you. Um, I don't make as many trips as I could possibly because I have a brother I tend to, but you know, I come over there, I sit with you all, we get in that room and I try to give y'all as much information as possible. Now, with this new Aqua and Zimmerman, I'm going to make a special trip over there. I had to get permission from Zimmerman to do what I do. So, I have to follow protocol, but I do have their phone number. I'm going to give that out to anyone that needs it. I myself haven't even got a claim form, and I understand a lot of people didn't get claim forms, but the claim forms are in the mail. We had the holiday, so that was uh a reason for them not receiving it. I also want to give um special thanks to the new police chief on having chat with the chief. That was a good program we had before and I look forward to coming to that and speaking uh with him and finding out what they're going to do as far as the summer with all the kids being out of school. This is another reason why we need a I definitely need some type of park district or something for these children. I want to thank Aean Nickerson because he's one of the people that I'm bringing to the park district. Him and his partner Maya High Totower, they are there for the children. They want to present scholarships and do programs and things. So, I'm glad that he's not letting any grass grow under his feet.
He's already coming to our village and doing things to make sure that programs are getting kept and going underway. Um, and as as Trusty Brooks pointed out, respect goes a long way and it should go both ways. Um it's unfortunate because one of the people have already left and it's very disrespectful how they carry out you all. This is a business meeting.
This is a meeting where residents are supposed to come and the board is to come together. We're trying to communicate. We should be trying to join forces, not tear each other's house down, not get up here and and outburst and everything. It's disrespectful. So when we say that, say it to the main one, too, who sits there on a regular base constantly making us look bad. But I don't hear too many people speak on that. But that needs to be brought out.
This is not the place for that. Other people, this is not a social hour. You want to socialize, socialize before or after the meeting. But when you come in here, give us your ears. Give us your respect so we can get something done.
Because all this hypocritical stuff that that doesn't take us anywhere.
You make us look bad and then you wonder why people aren't coming here. You say you want new officers. You want new people working for public works. Well, show them. Don't just talk about it. Be about it. And I know for a fact that Miss Scott has listed those positions, so people have to apply for it. Angela is not here tonight, but when she gets qualified people, she interviews them.
She's making sure that she's going to get the best of the best to serve this community. So, we need to give applause to people like that. It's not that we're not hiring people, but people have to apply for the position. And then you have to have the skill set. I mean, I worked at companies where it's a revolving door because they hired somebody, but then we find out they couldn't cut the mustard. So, we had to say the Lista, baby child. So, when you come, come with your guns loaded, do the job, show us that you got what you say you got on that resume because anybody can put I can do a z and then they can't do x, y, and z. Sure.
>> So, we want to make sure we're getting the best of the best. Um, I just want to thank all my fellow board meetings and I want to say to Miss Scott, I called at least eight times for that Pace Bus shelter. They got my name written in stone cuz I kept pushing. We need that shelter. It's right on the corner of my block and I'm watching people come out of governor's house shivering in the rain and the cold and the snow. It was not fair. And now I'm going to do the same with Metra cuz you're not going to keep our station looking raggedy. We are the first and the last. We're alpha and omega. Why everybody else station looks nice and ours look like something throwed away. I'm not taking that. So I'm going to just like I was on Metro's case and they got my name written in stone. I'mma do the same for Metro. So um that's pretty much I think all my report. Oh, and I did come to the joint council meeting that was held here on yesterday with all the tax and bodies.
It was a very good meeting and I hope that we can continue to come together and do things cuz I do want to see growth. I do want to see things developing in our community, not just wet land, blank land, boring land. Let's get something in here that's going to bring commuters, retail people, shops, businesses. Let's look out for our college kids because they it's a college town. They don't have a whole lot to look forward to. We want to make that happen. Housing, stores, all of the above. So, I just want to thank you all and happy Father's Day to all the men in the building and all of you that's watching on YouTube.
Trusty Lewis.
>> All right. Trusty Lewis clerk.
>> Yes. I'm sorry, Madam Clerk.
>> Um, let me say this. I want to say good evening to the residents board. Um, those watching online, I did I've always attended the ICSC conference recon to bring retail to University Park.
um thank uh the mayor, village manager and myself as we went as well years prior we brought in the quick trip. Quick trip is doing phenomenal in the state of Illinois. Many of you here go and patronize Quick Trip and they came from the ICSC. You know the party that everybody talks about that we went to.
We also brought in the Dollar General.
We met those guys at the ICSC. They're here in this town. We had a lot of good prospects that was going on this time.
We went to the party in Las Vegas at Recon, the ICSC. I had a chance to sit next to Trusty um Jenkins Bale on the plane. It was her first time flying and she did a phenomenal job and she got to see the party that we go to to bring businesses in this time. So, I just want to say it's not a party in University Park. I mean, um, down in Las Vegas, it's not a party. It's a lot of walking.
It's a lot of classes. It's a lot of talking and negotiating to bring businesses to our town. You all ask for a lot of things and we go out there and we try and try. We have things that are coming. Be patient. Wrong was not built in the day. You all want stores and banks and this and that. We have to we have to crawl before we can walk. We had those things back in the day. We are working diligently when we go to the party in Las Vegas to bring those things back. the village manager, the mayor, Sonia, she saw Sonia was everyone was working. The village manager and the mayor, well, they left us cuz they walk fast. Okay, we can't walk fast. It's like we walk seven miles a day with there's two locations that we had to go to to and from to attend and meet people to bring them to this village. It is not a party. It's it's it's work.
I also attended the Mother's Day extravaganza.
That Mother's Day event was off the chain. It would We had a wonderful time.
A wonderful time. And let me say this, I volunteered as well as Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Ruez. We gave away great prizes to the residents because we love you all.
We like when you attend. Keep showing up. Keep showing up. Attend these meet.
Attend the functions. You all went home with some great gifts and those were out of our own pockets. Nothing. It wasn't paid for by the village. Let me get that clear cuz everybody say we using the village money. No, no, no, ma'am. I work a whole full job and I do this also as well as Juel Thompson. She works a whole full job as well. So those gift and and Miss Martin as well, Commissioner Martin, Mr. work. We gave those things out of our own pockets because we want you all to feel loved on days like that.
That Mother's Day event, hats off to everyone who put that together to the um Linda Rudes and the Moles committee, Miss Martin, Mr. Martin, the mayor. It was and myself and myself and the city manager. She always and Kush Boo. Let >> Kush Boo. Kush Boo. And she looks so pretty in her dress. She came. That was her first time. And Kush Boo. Okay. Let me also say we went to a careers day.
Myself, the mayor, Chief Stark is on his way up there and Trusty Williams. And it was amazing to see those kids see us show up as individuals with jobs and they can look forward to when they get older to be individuals in their own employ being uh working at a job. They were glad. It was nice talking to the pastor, first lady. We had a great time and and chief, thank you for having the fire truck out there and the fire hats.
Them kids was in heaven. and they was like, "I need two hats for MY FRIEND BACK IN THE CLASSROOM." It was really nice to see those kids so excited about having people come and show them they can be whatever they want to be. Little babies, you can be whatever you want to be. If you want to be the president, Barack Obama was the president. So can you. Okay. Let me also say thank you to code enforcement, Mr. Benny Edwards. I had several several residents call me and I called Mr. Benny. He was Johnny on the spot taking care of every every call that I had and it was over 10. I will say there were complaints and he took care of those things. Thank you, Mr. Benny. You don't get enough credit for that, but uh we as the board, we thank you for taking care of that uh those residents.
Chief, thank you for being uh uh doing the uh top cop on top that we missed you, but we got you. Okay. Okay. And then thank you, Mr. Antoine Russell, for going over there on Hamilton a Avenue, right, and picking up the trash that was uh complained about by several residents. Antoine, know I was calling him like I think his ear might be bleeding right about now because I was calling him so much. Thank you, Mr. Russell.
Let me also say thank you to the UP Lions on 50 years.
>> Yes. Good to you.
Oh, and thank you to Aean Nickerson and Maya High Tower for the 5K run. Uh Kushbu, the mayor, village manager.
Thank you all for putting in your time and the moles committee and Gina Williams for bringing them to the board.
Um that 5K run, they did their thing.
Thank you. We appreciate that. We like people to come and help us out. And hopefully he has some more programs ready for these children as well. So I would like the elders in the community come on and participate with us. We can't just have five of us out there. We need 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40. We need y'all to Uh-huh. Don't do that, Miss Pat. Come on to come on out there with us. Um, let me also say I did attend and chair the joint review board and it was good to see all of us come together and express our concerns without it being a fight. We had good conversation. Y'all y'all didn't get to see that, but we didn't film that. But we did have good conversation among each other. We don't always fight all the time. I know y'all hear that. We be battling it out, but don't always believe what you hear.
Um, also let me see. Let me finish on up. I know y'all like, "Dang, Trusty Lewis, she ain't never talked this much." Okay. Uhhuh.
Um, yeah, I got that far. And happy Father's Day to all the fathers and those who are fathers to other people. And that ends my Let me make sure. That ends my report.
much the Jenkins bail. And just for the record, we're gonna have to have a brief executive session. I was just notified.
So that goes to Oklahoma City and uh San Antonio Spurs game for me. Trusty Jenkins Bell.
>> Uh good good evening boardust.
>> Okay. I had the pleasure of going to the first trip, first conference when I became trusted years ago.
I love this community of my trusty seniors and whoever needs some help whoever whoever needed some help inside the village.
So when people come here and say that this village is not working toward bringing economic development in it's a true it's a terrible terrible statement to even begin to say it is very difficult high pitch salesman high pitch marketing and no we were not there for seven days we were only there for three and so you have to set your own booth up you don't have the money we don't have the money to set people set up our booth. We're not there yet. We have a lot it was a lot of different smaller municipalities than ours that was there supporting um that that conference and bringing business back to their communities. So when you guys go into the quick trip and you get your slushy with your children and your economical gas, remember that that is what came from the ICSC and the acronym is the international council shop of shopping centers. It was a wonderful trip. It was good. We did get some bites, but it's when I tell you it's highowered, it's highowered and it's a lot of walking. Also, I'm going to go into this. I'm very disappointed when I got back and I saw this um lawsuit that the village is that some of my colleagues decided that they wanted to do in reference to this park district.
So, when I found out about it, I sat down and I wrote a few words and I'm going to read that tonight. And this is truly truly from my heart and what I see as a trustee that have been sitting on this board for a year. And this is something that we have to get together and we have to fix this because our children are at a disservice. Not us as adults not getting politically along with one another. But this is affecting our children. When it also before I read this, I'm going to say this. I've been going to Thornwood House way before I became a trustee.
Many, many years. I moved out here in 2010. My girlfriend moved in the building at that time. She lives in Iowa now. I spent a lot of time in Thornwood House, cleaning out their garbage shoots, making sure that the children had things and bringing Christmas to their to their to their community before I became a trustee on this board.
what is in your heart comes out in the work that you do. Always remember that.
And not only did I do Thornwood House, I did this entire community before I I was a member, one of the first members of the block club community. And my daughter was as well with the kindness club. So, we did a lot of things to support this community and none of it was politically motivated to get me on this board tonight.
Thank you, Mayor Board, for listening to me tonight and esteemed residents. I want to speak plainly and honestly because I believe that what residents electing me to do, important issues affecting this comm community should be discussed transparently right here in public where residents can hear the discussion and elected officials have the opportunity to respond, not just on social media, neighbors, or other platforms. many residents may never use.
Tonight, I wanted to address two issues.
First, the newly created park district and what I believe are continued efforts by some of my colleagues to undermine its ability to move forward. And second, the need for accountability regarding funds connected to youth baseball in University Park. Let me me begin with the park district. Trustees Fra Thompson and Brooks have aligned themselves with former mayor Vivian Coington and in opposing the new park district. We've seen that in the meetings. And that's right. It's okay. In a democracy in a democracy, people are free to always disagree. But there's a difference between disagreement and obstruction.
When political alliances work together, a referendum residents already approve that needs to be called out plainly, honestly, and constructively. The question of whether to create an independent B park district was debated, discussed, and approved by the voters of University Park.
They voted for a $800,000 tax levy. They voted for better parks, stronger programs, and more activities for their families. The referendum language was clear. The $800,000 levy was not hidden.
It was not a secret. It was printed on a ballot for everyone to read. I didn't personally vote for the referendum, as I've said before, but I support it now because it's my duty as an elected official to respect and help carry out the will of the people in University Park. And let me remind my colleagues of something else. The vote wasn't close.
Out of 2,395 votes cast on the referendum, 138 residents voted yes. And one I mean, I'm sorry, 1,338 residents voted yes and 1,57 voted no. That's 56% to 44%. That's clear. That is a mandate from the people of University Park. But apparently the will of the people meant very little.
Instead of filing frivious lawsuits and searching for ways to stall the voters already approved, my hope is that we can put politics aside work together to make one of the best park districts in the Southland area. Trusty Thompson, you were quoted in the south in Southtown on October 24th of 2024 saying you warranted parks and recreation.
Department reinstated under the village former mayor Coington made the same argument at the last regular board meeting, but the voters rejected that position because we already tried operating parks through the village budget. I like to use the old saying as I've used it before. facts are very suffering things. During Miss Coington's first six years in office, the village budgeted has spent roughly 1 million per year on parks on the parks department.
So I ask residents tonight, what exactly did we receive for the $6 million that was given? Regal farm has been shuttered and it has been left in disrepair.
Hickcock pool was closed, allowed to deteriorate so badly that it has to be demolished with and at the taxpayers's expense. The golf course was was was losing nearly a million dollars annually because of gross mismanagement. But by the time Miss Coington was removed from office because in 2019, the parks department had been dismantled, defunded, facilities were deteriorating, and programs for children, seniors, and families had disappeared. That is the failed model, my three colleagues, that their political mentor, Miss Coington, would have us to return to, and that's exactly the concept voters rejected. For homeers like myself, many and many others, the average cost of the park district levy is roughly between 15 and $20 a month, depending on the value of your home. That pales in comparison to the this year's district 2011 levy increase after the school board approved the $35 million bond issue for expanded classrooms and their newly developed sports facility. So, I have a question, and this question is very important to me. Did any of our colleagues speak against the property tax increase? Did they file lawsuits blocking the $35 million funding? Or any of the political allies who regularly come to this board and criticize the park district? I'm listening. But suddenly there's outrage over a $800,000 levy for park programs and facilities our residents will actually use and enjoy. I don't even have children in the school district anymore. who will benefit from the 35 million tax hike. But I do know that improved parks strengthen the quality of life, create opportunities for children and families, and also improve property values and help build stronger communities. Because when you step back and look at all of this honestly, it's no longer appears to be simply about taxes. It it appears to be politically motivated. Because when you strip away the politics, this issue becomes very simple. We have a serious board who is committed to improving our community, restoring our parks, bringing back programs and activities for our residents, and these are very good things. Yet, the decision made by the 2,395 residents who supported the referendum at the ballot box is now being undermined. Go figure. I'm confident the new park district will prevail and when it does the district will need to address the condition of the baseball fields at Regal Farm in Palmer Park.
That bring me brings me to my second concern which we always preach about is accountability.
Trusty Fulture seven years ago the University Park Baseball Organization was created to support children in University Park. The organization raised $56,000 from hardworking families contributed money. The University Park and Mon Township also provided taxpayer funded grants from the Major League Baseball.
Those funds were later removed from the organization's authorized account into a separate account under your control, Miss Fulture. That was about three years ago. I have the bank statements and records, all of that, right here if anyone would like to see them. Trusty Fulture, I send this question to you.
Where's the $56,000?
Where did it go? Where did it go? And where is our money? I did not go toward improving the baseball fields at Regal Farm or Palmer Park, which I went to see today, which are in horrible shape. And today along with the money, no, we no longer even have a local team.
Understand that because the team was moved to Cree despite the fact that the village invested $300,000 into Craig Park's new ball field concession stands and their facilities.
That is very unfortunate. But the larger issue here is accountability. Trusty Filter, where is our money? You speak about transparency all the time. We need to know where is our money. To date, you have been asked to account for the funds, provide receipts, verify expenditures, and document any refunds.
Our only explanation I'm personally aware of from you, Miss Fulture, is I gave the money back. But the Village University Park alone contributed more than 15,000 to that fund. And I have not seen records showing that village taxpayers receive any form of a refund.
I have not seen documentation showing Mooney Township or contributing families receive refunds or from the $56,000 transferred into your control. Residents deserve answers. Our children deserve better. And this board has duty to protect public funds and respect the trust of the people we represent.
Because village grants and taxpayers dollars were included in that $56,000 account. And because these funds remain unudited and unaccounted for, I intend to place an item on the next agenda requiring Trustee Fosure to provide a full accounting. That agenda item will require documentation for all remaining funds associated with University Park youth baseball organization, verification of all expenditures and records of the refunds that were given back to Major League Baseball, University Park and Mooney Township and our contributing residents. This is not personal. None of this is personal. This is accountability. that is about our children, our parks, our taxpayers, and the public's trust. Also know that when we sit and we talk about all of the park district and we're not doing things decent and in order, this proves to us that things need to be done decent and in order. So, if we're going to hold this board and hold the park district's board accountable for doing things decent and in order, we as elected officials that govern this village need to do things decent and in order as as well. Thank you and good night.
>> All right.
Thank all those I'd like to thank all those who made their comments and I'm going to ask for your undivided attention because I'm going to take a different twist and I'm going to talk about something that each and every resident that's in attendance tonight and viewing in our T TV audience needs to clearly understand and this is regarding aqua water settlement.
This is called your legal rights and options in this settlement.
The first thing is to submit a claim form by July 6, 2026.
This is the only way to get a payment.
The second thing, exclude yourself by July 6, 2026.
Get no payment from the settlement. This is the only option that allows you to ever be a part of any other lawsuit against the defendant about the legal claims in this case.
Number three, object by July 6, 2026.
If you do not if you do not exclude yourself from the settlement, you may be object to it by writing to the court about why you think the settlement is unfair, inadequate, or unreasonable.
Step number four, go to a hearing August 24th, 2026.
You may ask the court for permission to speak about the fairness of the settlement at the fairness hearing.
The fifth thing, do nothing, get no payment, give up the rights to ever sue the defendant about the legal claims in this case and other related cases. For questions, for those in the audience who want to take their time and write this number down and for my TV audience, I'm going to give this number very slowly and the website to start your claim process.
Call 1877 2-68.
Again, 1877 2-68 2976.
Again, I'm going to repeat that number again because it's extremely important.
The window time frame claims must be filed by July 6. But again the phone number is 18772682976 or you may visit www do capital U everything else is lowercase university capital P as in park everything else is lowercase capital W everything is lowerase waterer setle ment.com.
Again, I'll read this again. To visit the website, it's www.university parkwaterettlement.com.
One more time, you can visit the website www.
University Park www.university University Park watcher settlement.com.
Cameraman, can you show up? Can you bring the camera a little closer because this is extremely important. This is what the claim form will look like.
Everyone should anticipate receiving one in the mail.
Neighbor, you want to get this?
>> Yes.
So, again, there'll be more information coming out. We're going to try to get PSAs out to every single resident in this community. So, it's extremely important that these claims are filed.
Manager Scott, would you just give me that tidbit about the postal service and what the pre our current president has done as far as trying to suppress the votes, why it's important to us that July the 6 is the deadline. But go ahead, Manager Scott, please.
So, um, the federal administration, um, changed some laws as it relates to postmarking mail. And that was done in order to suppress voters. And, and if now when you turn your mail in, it won't necessarily get postmarked that day. It might not get postmarked for two days.
So, it's very important that although the deadline says it must be postmarked by July 6, given the new administration and the laws they put in place so that you that the US Postal Service no longer has to postmark the mail when it's received, it's highly advised that you get these settlement claims in as soon as possible. I would not wait until two or three days before just given the circumstances and everything going on right now. So, I highly encourage everyone to get it in as soon as possible. So in other words, don't wait till the last minute because you'll be left out. So in the village of University Park, we all need to collaborate, come together because as you know, look at today's date and these claims must be again submitted by July 6 of 2026.
All right. So pass the word, you can get more information from village hall and I greatly appreciate your time, your patience, and your understanding for tonight's meeting. Unfortunately, we have to go into a brief executive session. So again, thank the residents who came out tonight to understand how local government works in University Park. Again, is there a motion for adjournment >> and we going but and I got it?
>> I Yeah, that's what I got to say.
There's a motion and a second, but we're going into executive session for the purpose of litigation.
>> All in favor?
>> And also, we're going to adjourn. So, we're not going to reconvene when we come back from executive session. We're going to adjourn strictly from executive session. So, thanks again. There's a motion in a second. All in favor?
>> Opposed by the same sign? None. All right. Thank you so much.
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