Oakbrook Terrace and Park District negotiate longer lease; council moves park-use agreements to committee with added cleanup and staffing costs

Mayor Paul Esposito and the Oakbrook Terrace Park District discussed two intergovernmental park-use agreements — one for an Independence Day celebration and one for the 2026 Summer Concert Series — during the Committee of the Whole on March 10, 2026. The Park District asked for a longer lease term than the proposed 40 years and said a recent dredging assessment found "dredging the pond is not necessary at this time." The Park District also reported it has dedicated $1.5 million to shoreline restoration.

Council members moved Ordinance #26-42 (Independence Day celebration) and Ordinance #26-43 (Summer Concert Series) from the Consent Agenda to the Committee of the Whole for additional negotiation and amendment. For the July 4 event, the field must be cleaned by Monday, July 6; because Public Works staff will observe the holiday, the Mayor proposed the Park District hire two staff members at $35 per hour for eight hours to perform cleanup. For the Summer Concert Series, the Park District proposed providing a staff member from 4:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. and estimated the City's share of that staffing at approximately $3,000; the Mayor signaled he was not in favor of the arrangement as written and asked for amendments.

Why it matters: the two ordinances bind municipal and Park District responsibilities for public events on city property; staffing and cleanup costs affect the City budget and operational planning for holiday scheduling. The Park District's reported $1.5 million investment in shoreline restoration is a material capital contribution that the council said it would factor into lease and maintenance negotiations.

What's next: both ordinances were pulled from the Consent Agenda for further review in the Committee of the Whole; council members and staff will return with amended language to reflect agreed responsibilities and costs.