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Forest Park Council receives clean audit, expands flood-relief grants and approves Republic Services contract
Summary
At its Nov. 14 meeting the Forest Park Village Council accepted an unmodified audit for FY 2021-22, voted to increase its flood roofing assistance program to $445,000 (about 30 grants at roughly $1,500 each), and approved an amendment/extension with Republic Services for municipal waste and recycling collection.
Forest Park's Village Council on Monday accepted an unmodified ("clean") audit for the fiscal year that ended April 30, 2022, approved an expanded flood-relief roofing assistance program and authorized an amendment to its municipal waste and recycling contract with Republic Services.
Jamie Wilky, the audit partner on the village engagement, told the council the auditors issued an unmodified opinion on the village's financial statements and found no internal-control deficiencies. "We have issued what we call an unmodified or clean audit opinion," Wilky said, and recommended that board members review the 13-page Management's Discussion and Analysis for a summary of results. Wilky said the general fund produced positive results for the year and that the village's long-term debt decreased overall.
On a separate item, Commissioner Nero presented and the council unanimously approved a resolution increasing annual funding for the Home Flood Roofing Assistance Program to $445,000. Nero said the village awarded 30 grants this year, translating to roughly $1,500 per grant, and that five applications were not funded because they arrived after the program's Aug. 31 cutoff; those late applications remain on the top of the list for consideration in the next funding cycle. "We were able to satisfy all applications this year with the exception of five that were received after August 31," Nero said.
The council also approved a resolution authorizing an amendment to the municipal waste, recycling and landscape-waste collection contract with Allied Waste Services of North America, doing business as Republic Services. Administrator Moses told the council the extension runs about three and one-quarter years, starting Jan. 1 and continuing through the end of the village's fiscal year in 2026, and said public outreach will be needed in advance of a successor contract planned for 2025: "A lengthy memo appears in tonight's Village Council packet'I encourage our public to read that'the deal with public services is going to be a three and a quarter year deal that starts Jan. 1 and will take us to the end of the fiscal year 2026." (Administrator Moses's summary paraphrases the memorandum presented to council.)
Other business was largely routine. The council adopted several professional-services agreements with Kane, McKenna & Associates, approved an intergovernmental participation agreement for the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), directed the Fire & Police Commission to fill one firefighter vacancy, ratified a raffle license and ratified the mayor's execution of contracts for senior trips. The council also approved an ordinance amending Chapter 3 (Liquor Control) related to licenses and fees.
Votes at a glance - Resolution R-99: dispense reading and adopt bills (aggregate total stated in packet: $51,988) ' Adopted (unanimous roll call). - Resolution R-100: amend municipal waste/recycling contract with Republic Services ' Adopted (unanimous roll call). - Resolution R-101: amend and adopt guidelines for Home Flood Roofing Assistance Program (increase to $445,000 annually; 30 grants awarded this year) ' Adopted (unanimous roll call). - Ordinance -41-22: amend liquor-license section (Chapter 3) ' Adopted. - Resolutions R-12 d22, R-103 d22, R-104 d22, R-105 d22: consulting services, financial advisor engagement, TIF reporting and MABAS participation ' Adopted (each by unanimous roll call).
Why it matters: the clean audit signals no material misstatements or reported internal-control failures for FY 2021-22, the increased flood-relief funding expands direct help to residents facing home flooding risks, and the Republic Services extension sets the vendor relationship and timetable for public outreach ahead of a successor procurement. The council adjourned after routine reports and commissioner remarks on community events, Altenheim public engagement plans and winter preparedness.
Next steps: the audit documents and a memo on the Republic Services extension are in the council packet; the administration said public outreach on the waste contract will be scheduled in advance of 2025 planning.
