In the days leading up to April 30, we’ll all see the most recent take by the architects on options for a new Oak Park police station, a renovated village hall, and estimates of the costs associated with those options. We also expect to see village staff assessments of how this project can be paid for and what the property tax impact will be on taxpayers.
While all of this would have been more clarifying in advance of the April 1 election, this is when all the pieces ended up coming together. It’s the right move by Village President Vicki Scaman to make sure this defining issue comes before the village board, which has long discussed these plans.
But it will be the newly constituted village board that will make the actual decisions in the months ahead. We are looking for stronger presidential and board leadership in setting the priorities and spending limits for staff and hired contractors in making this essential project move forward.