Evergreen Park ESD 124 board adopts $26.715 million FY26 tax levy, approves consent agenda

The Evergreen Park ESD 124 Board of Education voted on Nov. 18 to adopt its FY26 tax levy, approving a total 2025 levy request of $26,715,000 to capture the maximum allowable 2.9% local-tax growth under the district's tax-cap calculations. Finance staff presented the levy breakdown and the motion passed on a roll-call vote.

Finance presenter (identified in the meeting as Eric) told the board the recommended levy “is $26,715,000,” and walked members through line items including roughly $20,000,000 for the education fund, $1.5 million for special education, $2,250,000 for operations and maintenance, $1,400,000 for transportation, $200,000 for working cash, $400,000 for IMRF and $600,000 for Social Security. He noted timing differences in tax receipts this year compared with the prior year and the board was advised to adopt the levy at the meeting to capture the allowable growth.

The board also approved a consent agenda that included October monthly transaction and fund-balance reports, the November expenditure and projected payroll report, minutes from the Oct. 15 regular and closed meetings, destruction of closed-session tapes from July 2021, and personnel recommendations (several FMLA leaves and resignations). A motion to approve the consent agenda carried by roll call.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to approve consent agenda: approved by roll call (board members recorded in the meeting as Doctor Michael Thomas, David Shepherd, Lauren Dowden, Rachel Merriquin, Denise Jones, O'Neil Gray, Michael O'Miller/Michael Alderwick — recorded as "Yay/Yes"). - Motion to approve FY26 tax levy (capture 2.9% growth): approved by roll call (Doctor Michael Thomas—Yes; Rachel Merriquin—Yes; David Shepherd—Yes; O'Neil Gray—Yes; Denise Jones—Yes; Lauren Dowden—Yes; Michael Alderwick—Yay). The chair declared the motion passed.

After business, the board voted to recess into closed session to discuss personnel matters and collective bargaining. The chair cited statutory authority for the closed session: 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1) (appointment, employment, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees or hearing testimony on a complaint against an employee) and 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(2) (collective negotiating matters and deliberations concerning salary schedules). The public livestream stopped at that time.

What this means: The levy adoption sets the district's requested tax extension that district officials will document with the county clerk by Dec. 31, 2025, to capture inflationary growth and anticipated new taxable property. The board recorded votes publicly; next steps include filing the levy with Cook County as noted by finance staff.