Residents urge long‑range budget planning and rat abatement; Go Green Villa Park announces events

Multiple residents used the public comment period at the Jan. 26 meeting to raise issues and invite participation in community events.

Donna Knoxon urged trustees to adopt a 4–5 year minimum budget plan and to include 'days on hand' figures with financial reports. She also asked that the village present quarterly status reports from the economic development vendor (she said the village paid approximately $80,000 for that vendor) and suggested community promotion ideas to boost revenue and business activity.

Britney Russell, a resident on North Princeton, described persistent rat activity in yards, alleys and near the train tracks and asked the village to consider a coordinated rat abatement or baiting program similar to those in nearby Bensenville and Wood Dale. Russell said some apartment dumpster areas are inaccessible to collection and provided to staff that she could supply photos; she framed the problem as a public health and safety concern for families and pets.

Molly Cars of Go Green Villa Park announced three upcoming events and asked for volunteer support: a kids clothing swap at the library on Feb. 7 (10 a.m.–1 p.m.), a 'Bag It Forward' reusable bag collection program (collection sites at Ace, the library and Prairie Food Co‑op), and a Feb. 24 panel on data centers at the Downers Grove Library (6:30–7:30 p.m.). Cars said the group’s next meeting is Feb. 19 at the Villa Park Library.

Trustees acknowledged the comments. Trustee Kumar and others asked staff to look into rat mitigation strategies and trash/dumpster management; Trustee Constatos and Trustee Sabri committed to hosting upcoming 'Coffee with the Board' sessions to increase resident access.

No formal municipal program was adopted at the meeting; staff were requested to follow up with residents and to present options to the board.