Cory Wesley News Today

In a 5-2 vote Tuesday night, Oak Park’s Village Board of Trustees approved requiring residents to bag leaves starting in fall 2024.

In a 5-2 vote Thursday night, Oak Park’s Village Board of Trustees approved an additional $100,000 to be allocated to Community of Congregations to help resettle 17 migrants staying at Euclid Avenue United Methodist Church. 

Oak Park’s village board indicated it is supportive of an alternative leaf collection program that would allow residents to place an unlimited number of bags of leaves in their parkway, or the area between the sidewalk and street, for collection on a designated day, rather than collecting big piles of leaves in the street. 

Oak Park’s village board approved a measure to increase taxes on transient occupancy rental units such as Airbnb to support affordable housing.

The new shelter will be operational from Feb. 26 until June 30, according to the village. Migrants staying at the West Cook YMCA and The Carleton of Oak Park Hotel will be able to transition to St. Edmund between Feb. 26 and Feb. 29. 

In a 4-3 vote Tuesday, the board approved $150,000 more for short-term rental assistance for migrants coming from village funds. The board also approved, with six votes in favor and one abstention, allocating $300,000 from a Supporting Municipalities for Asylum Seeker Services grant to the Community of Congregations for migrant rental assistance.

Trustees Cory Wesley and Lucia Robinson questioned how the task force was chosen as a partner, why other organizations had not been considered and expressed frustration, saying this action was not communicated effectively. 

The Oak Park village board of trustees designated $1 million to Housing Forward for renovations at The Write Inn, a temporary shelter site for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. 

Oak Park’s village board of trustees unanimously approved the submission of a grant application for more than $1.94 million to provide aid to asylum seekers in the village.

The Oak Park Avenue project is set to include bluestone sidewalks, brick paver streets and colored concrete crosswalks. Oak Park’s village board of trustees approved an agreement with TERRA Engineering, Ltd. and subconsultants to complete the design for the Oak Park Avenue Streetscape and Utility Projects for $998,577.