For 10 years, Melinda Peterson has lived in River Forest, and she equates it a little to Mendham, the town in New Jersey where she grew up, in terms of size and income.
She had planned to run for village trustee in spring 2025, but a personal matter precluded that. So she sat out that election and instead focused on other things.
And then this summer came the proposed O’Hare Flyer, an express train that would connect downtown Chicago with O’Hare International Airport while passing through River Forest.
It’s the catalyst for why she’s again running for village trustee in the April consolidated election along with Nate Mellman and John Morrissey. The trio will be vying for spots currently occupied by incumbents Katie Brennan, Erika Bachner and Robert O’Connell, whose terms will expire. O’Connell said he hasn’t made a decision about running. Brennan and Bachner could not be reached to confirm their plans.
“I am very much against it,” Peterson said of the O’Hare Flyer. “It was the flip of the switch to get me to run.”
Peterson has been vocal about her disdain for the project, appearing on local television news and in the letter to the editor pages of the Chicago Tribune. She’s also attended meetings in both River Forest and Forest Park regarding the project.
“I think it’s a horrible idea and safety-wise, it’s very precarious,” she said. “I have many objections.
“Even if [the tracks] are elevated, the traffic nightmare is a horrible thing to contemplate. There are so many things around Thatcher Woods with the O’Hare Flyer. Are there burial grounds?”
Peterson lived in Forest Park from 2003 to 2016 after living in Chicago since she moved to the area from New York in 1990. After moving to River Forest, her son attended Lincoln School, Roosevelt Middle School and Oak Park and River Forest High School before moving on to Michigan State University.
After running her own recruiting business for advertising agencies for several years, Peterson worked for Legacy Sports Camp, an after-school youth sports program. She was also chair of the River Forest Mental Health Committee, which identifies local organizations for financial assistance for mental health, addiction and physical disabilities.
During the pandemic, she started the River Forest Running Club. As an avid athlete and cyclist, community safety is important to her.
“I would like to figure out some way to work on projects to make it more safe,” she said. “There’s been talking about connecting the Forest Park Prairie Path to the Thatcher Woods bike path. I would like to be part of that initiative. That is an area of great interest to me.”
Peterson said she’s also committed to community connection, which is why she has attended events related to the O’Hare Flyer and those involving the Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce, including a recent get-together at Good Earth Greenhouse & Cafe.
“I bring this energy and passion to the table,” she said. “l embrace the wonderful community we have, which is why I would like to help serve the citizens in the best ways possible.
“I have done previous work with and will continue to collaborate on programs with the park district, the schools and more. I support community communication both within the village entities and the community at large.”