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GET INVOLVED, OAK PARK !
Citizen volunteers embody long history of open government When it comes to citizen involvement in the process of making public policy, few communities can match the number of opportunities offered by the Village of Oak Park where volunteers on more than 20 separate boards and commissions advise the Village Board on a wide range of important issues. The issues dealt with by these citizen groups are many and varied. From proposals for new developments to plans to better manage Oak Park's limited supply of parking, the residents who participate on these bodies play key roles in making sure policy enacted by the Village Board has had thorough public review and is in the best interests of the community as a whole. As issues have grown more complex, the work of these citizen groups has become more valuable to the elected members of the Village Board. As part time lawmakers, the Village president and trustees rely on the boards and commissions to do much of the in-depth investigative work that a single board could never have the time or expertise to complete. In the area of economic development, for example, the Plan Commission typically reviews proposals from developers in an open forum designed to allow for maximum input by residents who have an interest in, or will be the most affected by, any new structure. Long established to provide the primary forum for public discussion on proposed major development projects, the Plan Commission's charge is to ensure that developers have prepared specific, detailed plans that preserve and enhance the character of the neighborhood and the community, and to encourage citizen input and participation throughout the review and approval process. Other boards and commissions operate in a similar fashion. They conduct in-depth studies, evaluate research and hold meetings that create the public record for citizen sentiments on possible future actions by the Village Board. The boards and commissions then make recommendations to the Village Board whose members have the statutory responsibility to take any appropriate actions that may be needed or required. When vacancies occur on these advisory bodies, the Citizen Involvement Commission interviews those Villagers who have volunteered to serve. The commission then makes recommendations to the Village president, who makes the formal appointments with the consent of the Board of Trustees. For more information on volunteering to serve on one of the commissions or boards call 708.358.5670, e-mail the Village Clerk or click here to download application materials. Click on links below to learn more about each commission, including meeting agendas and other related information. To read the ordinances or local statutes that established each board and commission, click here. Commissions with an asterisk have vacancies...
For an application or for more information about getting
involved in Village government on a volunteer basis, call 708.358.5670,
or e-mail the Village
Clerk
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Copyright © 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 Village of Oak Park, All Rights Reserved |
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