For the first time in 14 years Carla Sloan will be missing from the River Forest Township offices.
Sloan has announced her retirement as township supervisor after 11 years at the helm. Before becoming township supervisor, she was township clerk for three years.
The River Forest Township Board of Trustees is expected to name John Becvar as Sloan’s successor at the board’s May 21 meeting. Becvar has served as township clerk since being appointed in May 2023 to fill a vacancy.
The developments were announced at the board’s March 19 meeting.
“Since moving into our community, John has jumped in with both feet,” Sloan said. “He is committed to service, including the importance of delivering quality human services. He’s also done an exemplary job as clerk and will be a wonderful supervisor.”
Becvar is semi-retired after spending more than 30 years in the private sector. He lived in Chicago for over 20 years before moving with his husband in May 2021 to River Forest. He said intends to run for a full four-year term in April 2025.
“I’ve been very fortunate to spend the past year as township clerk,” he said. “It has helped me get to know the community.”
Sloan said her resignation will enable her to spend more time with family, which includes four adult children, one with autism, and two grandchildren, including one who arrived early on the morning of April 15.
“I will miss the dedicated and passionate people with whom I have worked in human services,” she said. “I have several projects and hobbies which have been on hold and which I plan to pick up again.”
Sloan said the township has “actually been my third career.”
After a corporate-based career in product management, she changed her focus to volunteer work related to autism.
“My passion is government/political science,” she said. “While I never held public office before the township, I had a wide variety of financial, marketing, non-profit and disabilities-related experiences which were key steppingstones to the township. The township, with its focus on human services, was a perfect fit for me.”
Becvar said he’s always been involved in the local community and always enjoyed serving local residents.
“I want to get people involved at any level, whether it’s volunteering on a project, being on one of our committees or serving as a clerk,” he said. “I’ve always had this drive to give back.”
The board is accepting resumes to fill the soon-to-be vacant township clerk position. The supervisor and clerk positions are both part-time.
River Forest Township funds dozens of agencies and programs related to older adults, youth, mental health, developmental disabilities and financial assistance, plus the assessor’s office. The Township has six part-time employees at its offices, located on the second floor of the River Forest Community Center, 8020 Madison Street.
