Riverwoods board funds 10‑week resident yoga pilot, requires instructor insurance and waivers

The Village of Riverwoods Board of Trustees voted to approve a 10‑week community yoga pilot to run from June through August and authorized up to $1,500 in village funding to cover instructor fees.

Trustee Dickon, who proposed the program, said the pilot aims to build community connections by offering an early‑morning yoga class accessible to Riverwoods residents. The board discussed program logistics: classes would be resident‑oriented and publicized primarily by word of mouth, participants would bring personal equipment, restrooms at Village Hall are not available before 8:30 a.m., and the village would not certify or license the instructor. The instructor must provide a certificate of insurance and a resume or credential summary. The board recommended using a resident organizer model (similar to the community garden) to handle waivers and participant lists; Trustee Dickon suggested using a QR code for waiver signatures.

Several trustees supported using village funds for the pilot rather than charging participant fees. Trustee Jamerson and Trustee Smith explicitly said they favored making the program free to participants, noting the $1,500 village expense would be modest compared with other subsidies the village has provided for community programs. Director Witt said the expense can be categorized under administration village events. The board directed staff and the proponent to obtain required instructor documentation and to collect waivers; the instructor would be responsible for ensuring those forms are completed.

The motion passed on roll call. Follow‑up tasks include obtaining the instructor's certificate of insurance and a waiver mechanism before sessions begin.