Elevate: to raise or lift something up.

Elevate Oak Park: to come together as a community to raise or lift the quality of life for all.

Last night, our Oak Park community exemplified the definition of “elevate” by supporting both recreation ballot proposals, creating a defined pathway for new parks and recreation amenities and opportunities, including the building of a new community center and investment into our City parks.

Oak Park….THANK YOU!

Thank you for your support of such a large and transformative endeavor for our community’s future.

Thank you for the trust you have instilled in me and the Oak Park team as responsible stewards of your tax dollars, as innovators of the City’s future and as advocates for each and every one of you.

Thank you for engaging in the Elevate Oak Park project since day one—for attending town halls, reading our informational pieces, and creating dialogue in the community on how improved parks and recreation amenities will only make Oak Park better than it already is.

Thank you for taking the time to vote and having a voice in your future.

Thank you, Oak Park, thank you!

I take a great deal of pride in serving as your City Manager and the unofficial results of last night’s election once again highlighted what a supportive, engaged and wonderful community we have here in Oak Park. It is through the diverse pool of ideas that are fostered in our community that newfound successes are born and I am certain we will have many successes to celebrate from this day forward.

With the approval of Ballot Proposal No. 23-01 (Recreation Millage Proposition) and Ballot Proposal No. 23-02 (General Obligation Bonding Proposition) myself and my team are ready to get to work to bring you the parks and recreation opportunities you want, and you deserve. An internal team will come together for a project kickoff meeting in the coming days and will continue to meet weekly through the duration of these projects, ensuring thorough financial oversight, detailed project management and a communication strategy that will keep our residents informed on the projects from start to finish. The same approach was employed for the City Hall project and through such project management we were able to come in $1 million under budget. Make no mistake, we will remain just as diligent in our financial management and project oversight of the Elevate Oak Park Project.

As we continue to look ahead to our City’s future I would be remiss if I did not thank our City Council, who has supported opportunities to improve our residents’ quality of life at every step. Their dedication to this community is part of what makes Oak Park the wonderful community it is.

I am excited to welcome Marian McClellan back, as she enters her seventh term as Mayor. I am just as excited to welcome Council members Julie Edgar and Soloman Radner back to the City Council as well. These three, along with Council members Carolyn Burns and Shaun Whitehead will comprise the City’s 40^th City Council, a team that will continue to elevate Oak Park.

Elections are the crux of the democratic process, a culmination of each voice in a community. Oak Park is a diverse community that respects each individual voice and comes together for the greater good. This election not only reaffirmed that those elected to represent the best interest of Oak Park residents, but also have the vision to ensure long-term success.

So, thank you again Oak Park for showing up to support your community and helping us to continue down our path of excellence.  Helping establish Oak Park as a regional leader in everything from public safety to economic development and now parks and recreation, brings me incredible joy and fulfillment. These projects represent the single largest public investment in our community since its founding. 

We are moving forward in all ways, relentlessly pursuing our goals, and reaching new heights together.