See Who Is Running For Park District Board In Oak Forest

OAK FOREST, IL — The April 2021 Consolidated Elections are just months away. Candidates for various positions around Oak Forest are officially in the running for mayor, city council and of course, park board.

The Oak Forest Park District has two Board of Commissioners positions up for grabs. This year, incumbents James "Jim" Katula and Charles Wolf were the only two who filed to run. Both unopposed, Wolf, vice president and Katula, secretary, are slated to remain part of the five-member board after the election this April.

Park boards are responsible for creating and enabling park district policies. Commissioners are responsible for passing ordinances and resolutions, similar to village and city board members. The board also is responsible for adopting budgets, appointing committees and more.

The board meets on the second and fourth Thursday of each month, except for certain holidays. Meetings are usually held at the Central Park Building, 15601 S. Central Ave., at 7:30 p.m., and anyone is welcome to attend.

"It is very exciting to see so many people actively participating in the democratic process in their local communities," Cook County Clerk Karen A. Yarbrough said in a news release. "These elections are often overlooked although they have the most impact on our day-to-day lives."

The Consolidated Election will take place on April 6. Consolidated primaries are scheduled for Feb. 23. For more information regarding the upcoming election, click here.

Are you a candidate who is running for office? Reach out to Patch to fill out a candidate survey for a profile on you and your campaign. Contact yasmeen.sheikah@patch.com for more information.