The Village of Park Forest will hold a Special Rules and Regular Meeting at Village Hall on Monday, March 17, at 7 p.m.

Five items are on the agenda, and the Park Forest Board of Trustees will vote on all items included in the consent agenda, which originates from the March 3 Board Meeting. Among the new items presented to the Board by Village staff, the most anticipated is an update from the Recreation, Parks & Community Health Department, delivered by Director Kevin Adams regarding the Park Forest Aqua Center.

Last year, Adams announced that the Village was looking into options for addressing necessary repairs to the 70-year-old facility, which contains four pools and serves as a water park destination for families in the surrounding area. Park Forest engaged Williams Architects and the engineering firm Councilman-Hunsaker to assess the damages and develop a plan for the facility's future. The assessment revealed "significant" structural and operational deficiencies across all four existing pools.

In a memo to the Park Forest Board of Trustees, Adams indicated that the estimated cost for a complete renovation of the facility is between $18 and $20 million, an amount the Village cannot afford. He stated that the Village needs to find a solution that aligns with community needs, financial viability, and long-term sustainability. He will propose two options to the Board: securing grant funding for a new, smaller combined pool or a partial renovation that includes a splash pad addition.

Adams will recommend that the Board proceed with the second option, which involves partial renovations of the remaining pools along with the addition of a Splash Pad, all within a budget of $3.5 million. This funding will come from expiring debt service related to another capital improvement project and will incur no additional cost to residents. Adams mentioned that the next steps would include completing a comprehensive plan for the remodel and submitting the plans to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for approval.

In addition to presenting the Park Forest Aqua Center update to the Board, Adams will also request that the Board authorize Village Manager Tom Mick to contract with Shelton Landscape & Snow Management for seasonal mowing of Areas #1 to #10. The cost per operation will be $1,353, resulting in an anticipated total seasonal cost of $37,884.

One of the agenda items comes from the Park Forest Fire Department. Deputy Fire Chief Mark Cotrano submitted a memo to the Board regarding the FY27/28 Vehicle Services Fund budget, which includes plans to replace an aging ambulance. The project will fund the replacement of the oldest ambulance in the fleet, a 2018 F550 Horton. This ambulance currently has 113,000 miles and 11,525 hours of operation. Since 2023, it has served as the second "out" ambulance during concurrent incidents.

Cotrano will explain that there is a two-and-a-half-year wait time from commitment to delivery of the new ambulance. He will request that the Board approve the purchase of a new ambulance for $432,349. This vehicle has been pre-bid through the Suburban Purchasing Cooperative and reflects the lowest possible price. Additionally, it meets all state and local requirements. Cotrano noted that committing to the purchase now will also save money, as the cost of the vehicle is expected to rise as the contract ages.

The final two items on the agenda are from the Park Forest Police Department and the Public Works Department. Chief Brian Rzyski requests the Board's approval for a resolution allowing the department to participate in an auction to sell a vehicle.

Additionally, the Public Works Department will seek the Board's approval for a Certificate of Authority, confirming that the Village will participate in a joint salt purchasing program for the winter season of 2025-2026.

To read the complete agenda for the March 17 meeting, click here.