The Village of Park Forest will hold its final Rules and Regular Meeting of the month on Monday at 7 p.m. at the Park Forest Village Hall.

Before the agenda begins, the Park Forest Fire Department will conduct an oath of office ceremony, recognizing a promotion and a new member joining the department. After this ceremony, the Park Forest Board of Trustees will proceed with the Rules and Regular Meeting.

Currently, one item is on the consent agenda, and two are on the debatable agenda. The first item up for discussion comes from the Finance Department. Finance Director Mark Pries has submitted a memo to the Park Forest Board of Trustees, requesting an ordinance to amend Ordinance No. 2227. This amendment will adopt the annual budget for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025. 

Pries explained the mid-year budget amendments for the Village's FY 2024-25 budget in the memo. These amendments account for new revenues received and unanticipated expenditures incurred since the original budget was adopted. He noted to the Board that while not every financial event can be predicted, these amendments are relatively minor compared to the overall budget. Pries assured the Board that staff will continue refining budget accuracy, although some amendments will likely remain necessary.

The following item for discussion comes from the Economic Development and Planning Department. Assistant Director Andrew Brown submitted a memo to the Board and provided an update on the South Suburban Trades Initiative (SSTI). He requests authorization for the village manager to sell a recently rehabilitated home at 406 Sauk Trail, bypassing the usual extended approval process.

Brown explained that the next step is to identify a realtor based in Park Forest to manage the sale of 406 Sauk Trail. He highlighted the importance of the Village being prepared to act quickly when an offer is made on this property. Typically, selling Village-owned property begins only after a buyer is identified and requires the approval of an ordinance, which involves three board meetings.

Brown is seeking authorization for the village manager to proceed with the sale. He recommends a minimum price of $157,000 to cover real estate agent fees, closing costs, and the Village's investment in the property. He noted that setting a minimum price would give the village manager flexibility if the offers received were lower than expected.

The total cost of rehabilitating this house is estimated at $183,734, with $40,094 reimbursed by the Illinois Housing Development Authority's Strong Communities Program (IHDA-SCP) Round 2 Grant. This brings the Village's net investment to approximately $143,640. Any proceeds from the sale of this property will be reinvested to continue the SSTI program on a new, formerly vacant property starting immediately.

Finally, the Park Forest Board of Trustees is expected to vote on the consent agenda, which authorizes the village manager to award the FY 25-26 contract for carbon dioxide chemicals at the Park Forest Water Treatment Plant to Linde. The contract amount is $300 per ton, totaling $97,200.