Congratulations to Deno Andrews, Simone Boutet and Dan Moroney on being elected to the Oak Park Village Board. We are pleased to welcome them to what we can guarantee will be a time-consuming, challenging, and extremely rewarding four-year journey.
We truly have enjoyed getting to know each of them, and we know that they come with exciting ideas, energy and enthusiasm. They are smart individuals who each bring a unique and valuable skill set to the board table.
Although we are aligned on so many issues, in the months ahead we may not always agree on everything. And that is OK. We have found that the board functions best when we challenge each other on the complex matters before us — a dialogue that also yields what is best for the community.
When they take office in May, three of our current colleagues will be stepping down: Colette Lueck, Glenn Brewer and Peter Barber. They have served our village with class, and they have made us better trustees.
Trustee Lueck has been a patient, brilliant public servant. She always came prepared and asked tough questions. Her years on Oak Park’s Plan Commission brought invaluable insight to the board table that was appreciated greatly. Trustee Brewer has a huge heart and was thoughtful and open-minded. No one can ever question his love of and commitment to our village. The job was never about him; it was about service to Oak Park. Trustee Barber has been a dedicated public servant to our community for many years. He always brought an inspiring energy, a sense of humor, and a keen eye to the bottom line.
They will be missed, and we thank them for their service.
We also welcome recently appointed Jim Taglia to the board. He has demonstrated his commitment to service in Oak Park through his tenure on the Oak Park Township Board. As a township trustee, he exhibited a kind, level-headed and thoughtful approach to his work, and we look forward to working with him in his new role.
A great deal has been accomplished in the village in recent years. We have made critical investments in our community’s roads and alleys, and the village building department has been remade to better serve our businesses and the broader community. We have cut red tape and delays. We are investing wisely in technology and improving transparency. And exciting development has come to Oak Park that continues to enhance our community as a welcoming place where people want to live, work and play.
Together, we can build on this positive momentum. We can always do better, and we know a great deal of work remains ahead. We are committed to a collaborative effort that empowers all of Oak Park’s residents and businesses to prosper, and we believe that our new colleagues and Village President Abu-Taleb share this commitment. We will continue to be champions for the values and causes that Oak Park holds dear. We will press for better communication and more transparency between the village and its residents. We will work for all of Oak Park.
Yet we do this work knowing that the overall tax burden in Oak Park can be daunting for its residents and businesses. Approximately 15% of the real estate tax bill goes to the village, and that money must be spent wisely. Just as importantly, we need to expand on our collaborative efforts with the other Oak Park taxing bodies to ensure that we are as efficient as possible with every tax dollar.
None of this is easy. But we thank Deno, Simone, Dan and Jim for stepping up to take on the challenge. We look forward to working with them in the years ahead.
Bob Tucker and Andrea Button-Ott are current village of Oak Park trustees.
