Director Seibert briefed the board on the Des Plaines River Trail South Extension, a multi‑jurisdictional project intended to close a gap in the regional trail network and improve bicycle and pedestrian connectivity through forest preserve lands and village right-of-way.

Seibert asked trustees for direction on three specific questions: whether the pathway should use the village right‑of‑way along Waubonsee Road or instead route within adjacent forest preserve property; whether the Village of Riverside would be willing to contribute $152,600 (identified as 20% of a particular segment, the 30 First Street connection) toward construction if grant funding covered the remainder; and whether the village desired continued participation in project discussions.

Seibert noted the project has been under an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) since December 2019 funding the Phase 1 engineering and that Brookfield is managing the overall project as it wraps up Phase 1. He said village staff raised concerns about a proposed change to the existing 5‑foot exposed‑aggregate concrete path on Waubonsee Road that would replace it with a 10‑foot asphalt path, which would conflict with the village's stated preference for exposed‑aggregate surfaces. Staff also flagged utility lines, including water mains, running beneath the current path and asked who would be responsible for relocating or repairing the path if utilities required work.

Seibert said the project design proposes routing some segments on forest preserve property adjacent to Waubonsee Road; village staff identified opportunities to "weave in and out of the trees" within forest preserve land as an alternative to widening the village path. He presented cost figures developed in earlier planning: a Riverside portion for the 30 First Street connector identified in project materials as $152,600 (20% share), earlier 2022 estimates that showed Riverside's possible First Avenue contribution at about $365,000, and Brookfield estimates that put the 30 First Street segment over $1 million if other funding sources are not secured. Seibert emphasized all numbers were contingent on grant funding and that construction would not proceed without external grants.

Trustees discussed the regional benefits versus the local costs. President Pollock said the village's share could "be closer to three quarters of a million dollars" when accounting for everything and argued that, because most benefits would be regional, county or state contributions should be larger. Several trustees said they would prefer to remain part of the discussion and regional planning but were not prepared to make a local financial commitment absent grant awards or greater county participation.

Manager Francis said she would coordinate further conversations with Brookfield and Cook County, including the Cook County Forest Preserve and Cook County Department of Transportation, to determine whether the county would increase its contribution to the local 20% share. Trustees gave direction for staff to pursue county-level discussions and return with a report; no formal vote or appropriations were made at the meeting.