July 16 Policy Committee Meeting:

Staff presented a summary of changes to policies 4.00 – 4.25 (general policies). Commissioner Beck recommended changes to policies 4.16 Compensation and 4.17 Transgender Park Patron. The recommended changes from Commissioner Beck will be shared with the Park District’s legal counsel. The Park Board Policy liaisons supported staff’s recommended changes to policies 4.00 – 4.21, with the caveat that legal supports Commissioner Beck’s recommendations.

July 16 Workshop Meeting of the Park Board:

Representative from aQity Research & Insights, Inc. presented the topline results from the 2025 Statistically Valid Community Interest and Attitude Survey. The findings included community rankings on key topics such as overall opinion of the Park District, the most frequently visited parks and facilities, and the types of recreational activities most commonly used by park visitors. The survey also measured user experience, satisfaction, and perceptions of safety when visiting parks and facilities.

Staff provided an overview of the Sustainability Plan (GreenPath) goals, performance measures, and objectives. Year one is focused on launching the brand and familiarizing the community with GreenPath, which will guide sustainability efforts at the Park District through 2035. 

The Park Board of Commissioners approved Resolution 2025-09 approving a Lease Agreement with Realgy, LLC for the installation, operation, and maintenance of a Photovoltaic Solar Power Plant on the West Ridge Community Center roof.

Staff provided construction project updates the Club Pickle and Padel facility, landscaping, parking lot improvements, and replacing the monument sign at Park Fitness (Recreation Center of Highland Park), the Highland Park Senior Center, the Preserve of Highland Park, and Moraine Events, aquatic center renovations at Park Fitness, renovations at Port Clinton Playground and Larry Fink Park Tot Lot, and New facility and Site Improvements at West Ridge Park. 

Staff reviewed the terms and financial impacts to extend the First Student Transportation Services Agreement for the 2026 and 2027 camp season.

July 21 Master Planning Committee Meeting:

Representatives from BerryDunn provided a progress update of the Park District’s Recreation Assessment, which is an exploration of recreation programs and services through a series of analyses that identifies what the District is doing well, strengthening and growth opportunities, performance measures and alignments with community needs. The assessment informs future direction.

Representatives from the Lakota Group provided a recap of community engagement share points and the topics discussed and identified Key Themes from the initial Engagement, Survey, Assessments, and Staff SWOC Analysis.

July 30 Regular Meeting of the Park Board:

The Park Board approved the 2025 GreenPath Sustainability Plan, the First Student Transportation Services Agreement Extension for Summer Camp, the Ordinance 2025-11- Authorizing and Providing for the Conveyance or Sale of Surplus Personal Property, the Total Base Bid from Cahill Heating and Cooling Electric Plumbing & Sewer, Inc for the 2025 Centennial Ice Arena RTU Replacement and authorize the Executive Director to enter into an agreement in the amount of $47,900, and the Resolution to Grant Temporary Construction Easement to Illinois Department of Transportation.

Staff reviewed summer 2024 – spring 2025 actual vs budgeted program participation for adult tennis, adult pickleball, and junior tennis, 2024 summer camp actual vs. budgeted participation and revenue and expenses, and the actual vs budgeted hours for tennis and pickleball court utilization and privatesbeginning June 2024 – June 2025.

The Park Board went into closed session pursuant to Section 2(c) 21: the discussion of minutes lawfully closed under the Act, whether for the purposes of approval of said minutes or for conducting the semi-annual review of the minutes as set forth in section 2.06 of the Act. The Park Board approved releasing the Closed Session minutes from January 29, 2025 for public inspection.

The Closed Session minutes from January 08, 2025 Finance Committee Meeting, January 15, 2025 Workshop Meeting, March 12, 2025 Workshop Meeting, March 18, 2025 Finance Committee Meeting, March 19, 2025 Regular Meeting, April 09, 2025 Workshop Meeting, April 15, 2025 Finance Committee Meeting, April 23, 2025 Regular Meeting, May 02, 2025 Finance Committee Meeting, May 13, 2025 Finance Committee Meeting, May 21, 2025 Regular Meeting, June 11, 2025 Workshop Meeting, and June 25, 2025 Regular Meeting shall not be released for public inspection, the need for confidentiality still exists as to all or part of those minutes.