[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6476919,"mediaKeyId","5716058-495b2db99704f37996ae209c2b0c7d32","parentId",5716058,"title","Oak Park staff propose clearer agenda and public-comment rules; trustees discuss deadlines and remote-attendance standards","audioSeconds",3817,"startMs",7373000,"endMs",11190000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5716058-495b2db99704f37996ae209c2b0c7d32&start=7373&end=11190","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5716058-495b2db99704f37996ae209c2b0c7d32/thumbnail_7373000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6476919/Oak-Park/Cook-County/Illinois/Oak-Park-staff-propose-clearer-agenda-and-public-comment-rules-trustees-discuss-deadlines-and-remote-attendance-standards","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6476919-e8490cb56c2e50eed59e90da1685adcf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771161702&Signature=mBs2PQwvFZJ8Ab~7wTQhlzsb2AVS~8KWMHY2Wqiue8GW3FzjRVd~ulTvZLpdyCLQoQMh2CKtX~4p-wCTj4h7fvgmLo03QTbxNswbXWAgMwNeqAw0P3NeydI8F9RMEFZJwxcl9FTbpvTjXRXb~CgcY6z-dWNsxpS9BtfENdin~Tu4RSi0A0We7PMdZkMtifcZ0nyvG23TQGbKrblrcdlIq5Hk44LAfCeeyKPzjNuXD3fCrsWCJZQ00H~aPjM6I~pibC8KT7AG5Rn8-6VTtOUtSkUw6PTYzP515fZ07MYkDjJTMBwP7TDjstYi0jGp2a3E8jtqWhDJ6kHPFx5iQ3Ow5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oak Park","date","2025-09-03T00:00:00Z","article","Village staff presented a set of proposed clarifications and modest revisions to the Oak Park Village Board's meeting protocols during Tuesday's session, focusing on how agendas are previewed, how items move between consent and regular calendars, public-comment limits, and the process for remote attendance.

Lisa Shelby, deputy director, summarized the staff recommendations and said the changes are primarily language cleanups and process clarifications. \"If you should agree, we will then come back with a document that you'll see then actually on an agenda for adoption with some suggested language,\" Shelby told the board.

Key staff proposals summarized at the workshop:
- Agenda preview timing: return to an earlier preview deadline so trustees receive the packet and can provide feedback before publication. Staff recommended moving the trustee preview deadline from Friday to Thursday (the packet would still publish after staff resolves any outstanding questions).
- Consent vs. regular items: clarify the process and timing for pulling items off consent; trustees may pull items up to the start of the meeting, but staff asked for earlier notice where possible so appropriate staff and presenters are available.
- First- and second-reading ordinances: add language that the village attorney will provide clarification and that first/second readings are typically procedural unless a statutory or substantive requirement triggers formalized steps.
- Public comment: restate the standard three-minute limit for non-agenda public comment and note the president may allow additional time to accommodate language-accessibility needs. Staff also proposed clarifying when a limit of five commenters per side applies (for matters where a commission rendered a recommendation without a formal public hearing).
- Remote participation: add a short policy recognizing permitted remote attendance for illness, employment obligations, family emergencies or unexpected childcare (consistent with the Open Meetings Act requirement to disclose the reason) and that the board must approve remote participation if any trustee objects.
- Trustee email and constituent-response workflow: staff described a long-standing practice of batching responses for trustees so the board receives coordinated replies; staff proposed sending responses in real time when feasible, with acknowledgments and a simple queue/status update for outstanding questions.

Trustees discussed operational consequences of the suggestions. Several asked for a clear, short flowchart or list that explains the difference between a preview comment (a brief heads-up about an item), a substantive request for additional information, and the deadline for moving items between consent and regular agendas. Trustees asked staff to add simple calendar alerts when the packet posts and asked staff to create or identify email groups so trustees do not receive duplicate replies.

On public comment, staff reiterated that the practice of limiting 5 speakers per side has been applied in situations where an advisory commission has already gathered input and issued a recommendation to the board; the limit is discretionary (\"may\") and the president can exercise authority to extend time on a case-by-case basis. Trustees asked staff for clearer public-facing language so residents know how and when to use the different engagement tools (e.g., commission hearings versus direct board comment).

Staff said recommended protocol language would return in a future meeting packet as a draft ordinance or policy for adoption; no formal policy changes were adopted during the session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Oak Park - President and Board of Trustees 2025-9-3 6:00pm","oneSentenceSummary","Village staff presented a set of proposed clarifications and modest revisions to the Oak Park Village Board's meeting protocols, including earlier agenda-preview deadlines, clarified consent/regular item procedures, public-comment limits and a formalized remote-attendance process.","taxTitle","Oak Park, Cook County, Illinois","taxId",5134,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6476924,"Oak Park trustees hear governance workshop that flags trust and teamwork as priorities",6418,362000,6780000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5716058-495b2db99704f37996ae209c2b0c7d32&start=362&end=6780","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5716058-495b2db99704f37996ae209c2b0c7d32/thumbnail_362000.jpg","/articles/6476924/Oak-Park/Cook-County/Illinois/Oak-Park-trustees-hear-governance-workshop-that-flags-trust-and-teamwork-as-priorities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6476924-509257fb0307e840392c266e018d0556/orig.mp4?Expires=1771161702&Signature=l1ldPOr3~E55wp3N2YYGEef86RJ9qzDcZeU9b0mQXTcaPQTC4hmGJ4Bqn9dPOn-F21MFlSRES4K0d0jPlxgdwJ3O9xkG8jUUervYsOf17VaSZZi3UkbpQ3LCTQvjaOPRn~jqS4~ExIHp-DcPTqySBHEa-TKLTD6EiIQVa6S55SAAcxlZU-LEsn65EVecZA53J0U3VReMysn6hXQt-RodS8LPPFPeE9hKsjmLE4ZUyxQPYeo64J09pChtC4DIH46HBo8mdYblvpghvxMlbQ9c~FiTlc9V001DI3q1SmKad8AAUQjsllzQ-NxAdEsEuYy1bQcMVl0upuNldlSCatXFIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A governance consultant told the Oak Park Village Board on Tuesday that the village's strategic plan gives board members a strong foundation but that the board should adopt written governance expectations and team-building practices to turn the plan into sustained action. The presentation and ensuing discussion, during a workshop session, repeatedly returned to the topic of trust among elected members.

Mike Fletcher of Bridge Elk Group, LLC said his firm's Governance Relations System (GRS) is designed to spell out shared expectations between elected officials and the village manager so future boards can operate with clearer roles, fewer operational debates and more consistent follow-through. \"If you don't have strategic focus, these other two are nice, but this gets the work,\" Fletcher said in his presentation. He later added, \"The trust needs to be addressed. You really need to address it.\"

Fletcher described three core governance building blocks'teamwork, clear expectations and strategic focus'and reviewed survey results from the board. He said the survey showed the board has strong strategic material to work with but lower scores on interpersonal trust and recommended a structured program of team evaluation and exercises based on the five dysfunctions model (trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, results). Fletcher said high-participation surveys and annual evaluations of board performance and the manager help embed the practices over time.

Trust emerged as the dominant theme in discussion. One trustee said the survey'which four of seven trustees completed'was disappointing for its low response rate and urged the board to take the issue seriously. Other trustees said the newness of the current board and the recent election season likely contributed to uneven familiarity among members, and recommended off-site retreats or informal social gatherings (subject to open-meetings rules) as ways to build relationships.

Village Manager Kevin Jackson and deputy director Lisa Shelby took part in the session and described how written expectations could be incorporated into existing workflows'for example, tying the strategic plan to annual staff workplans and budget priorities so staff time is aligned with board priorities. Fletcher and attendees discussed evaluation models that ask the board to evaluate itself and the manager on the same set of expectations to strengthen the partnership between policy and administration.

Trustees asked for concrete next steps: draft GRS language they could review, a schedule for team-building, and a simple board policy that would codify how the village approaches strategic planning and performance monitoring. Fletcher said he would supply clients a simple template and a suggested process; the village said staff would bring revised protocols and, if the board approves, present formal adoption language in a future packet.

The session also covered related governance tools Fletcher recommended including a structured agenda preview process, clarified public engagement expectations and clear staff-manager deliverables tied to the strategic plan. Trustees and staff discussed how those process changes could improve transparency and make it easier for new trustees to onboard.

The board did not take final votes on changes during the workshop. Trustees directed staff to return draft protocol language for further review and possible formal adoption at a future meeting.","Consultant Mike Fletcher led a workshop on effective governance and the village's strategic plan, telling trustees that clear expectations and a formal \"governance relations\" framework can reduce operational friction. Board members acknowledged trust gaps and committed to follow-up work including a possible adopted policy and team-building.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6476914,"Oak Park resident urges reinstatement of license-plate camera system, saying police relied on recordings in assault case",262,58000,320000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5716058-495b2db99704f37996ae209c2b0c7d32&start=58&end=320","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5716058-495b2db99704f37996ae209c2b0c7d32/thumbnail_58000.jpg","/articles/6476914/Oak-Park/Cook-County/Illinois/Oak-Park-resident-urges-reinstatement-of-license-plate-camera-system-saying-police-relied-on-recordings-in-assault-case","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6476914-1d78cfd19783477ee1d2314aa054325a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771161702&Signature=BeKnA70bWj1-vCAcFKGah9HVKW-cN8xWYAsPoM5raK1SKWECGmNQgz0r7NbtOmTFa0HyD0XDlbuJtAIyGs-Z9B9gzw1-MxLowXaVykKEgZApn3tgBhWZhFkjdoOvmlbchAphaUX5sHJqnzDqCYB4r2QOyC9cu9IOpkiMoBAcuOx0YivMsRF6w2YLEGVxg2UkqFa6fxdbO1nDh5j1yHgpEAmIHJ3JJ3JdoE0hMWfAcH5AoMKQ3CntAHz1CJftkFr6NO100pN-rALdqcfO19J~kTdje2~tCcLCEUuoTICzD05JjqjiMci2ZyWnWD~xzNkW-PLUPjkHK1YF30xsluYmWA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Melanie Weiss, an Oak Park homeowner, addressed the village board during the non-agenda public comment period and urged trustees to ensure the police have access to automated license-plate recognition (ALPR) camera technology.

Weiss described witnessing a December 24 assault on a UPS driver and said the camera system played a \"critical role\" in the case, helping police identify a repeat offender and in other incidents such as locating stolen vehicles and finding missing persons. \"Without that [system] in place, I don't believe the rest would have been happening the way it did,\" she said.

Weiss acknowledged concerns about misuse and said she understood the village's hesitancy, but asked trustees to pursue a system that preserves accountability and privacy while allowing police to carry out investigations. She noted that a neighboring community has cameras mounted on poles and patrol vehicles and urged the board to study comparable systems and track crime trends to evaluate impacts on public safety.

The board did not take immediate action on Weiss's request during the meeting; staff did not report a follow-up item on the meeting packet. Weiss provided her address in public comment (215 Clinton Avenue) and framed her remarks as a resident request for further study and possible procurement of a technology solution that balances operational needs and accountability.","A resident urged the village board to give the police a license-plate recognition system similar to other nearby jurisdictions, saying the technology helped the department identify suspects and recover stolen vehicles in prior incidents.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Oak Park staff propose clearer agenda and public-comment rules; trustees discuss deadlines and remote-attendance standards

Oak Park trustees hear governance workshop that flags trust and teamwork as priorities

Oak Park resident urges reinstatement of license-plate camera system, saying police relied on recordings in assault case