Jack Bielak is the new director of public works for River Forest.
His appointment by Cathy Adduci, village president, was approved unanimously by the five trustees present at the April 8 village board meeting. Lisa Gillis did not attend. He replaces Jeff Loster, who resigned in 2023.
Bielak comes to River Forest from the village of Northbrook, where he served as village engineer for just over a year. He also served as assistant village engineer for a year and a half.
He explained that when he received his bachelor’s degree in applied science degree in civil engineering in 2016 from the University of Illinois at Chicago, he chose a career path in the private sector. Once there, however, he said he realized that he wanted to be in the public sector and work with people, so he joined the Cook County Highway Department. He worked there as a highway engineer and permits manager for more than four years before moving to Northbrook.
Bielak is completing his studies in the UIC master of public administration program and expects to graduate next month.
“I’m looking forward to working in River Forest,” he said after the meeting. “I’ve driven around the village and found it to be a nice community.”
Expected to be at the top of Bielak’s priority list is the village’s lead service line replacement program. The program will involve replacing all lead service lines in the village to fulfill a requirement of the Illinois Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act. At the presentation of the Fiscal Year 2025 budget earlier in the April 8 meeting, $2 million was allocated for the program.
“With the lead service line replacement program, we’ve got a lot in the works,” Bielak said.
With the new hire, village officials changed his title from director of public works and development services to director of public works and engineering.
“We felt it would be best to split it off,” Matt Walsh, village administrator, said, explaining that the change was led in part by feedback from Loster. He also noted that Jessica Spencer, assistant village administrator, has been “doing a good job at managing the Building Department” since Loster’s departure.
“Welcome aboard” Adduci said to Bielak after his hiring was approved.
His salary was not immediately available.