The Villa Park Village Board held a regular meeting on Monday, July 27. Trustee Khalid Sabri was absent from the meeting.
District 88 Superintendent Jean Barbanente gave a brief presentation during the meeting’s segment for public participation on non-agenda items. Barbanente’s presentation focused on the district’s consideration of placing a funding proposal on the ballot in this year’s Nov. 3 election. The proposal would ask district voters if they wanted to approve the issuance of $118 million in bonds to address facility improvements at Willowbrook High School and Addison Trail High School. Those improvements would include safety and security upgrades, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility and improvements to Career and Technical Education (CTE) spaces. Additionally, the bond issuance would address improvements to athletic spaces at both schools.
Barbanente said that the potential bond proposal would fund the improvements to the district’s two schools without a net tax rate increase. She said that some of the district’s debt will be paid off in 2027, allowing tax rates to stay the same if the bond proposal were approved.
Barbanente said she has met with hundreds of community members to discuss the proposal and develop priorities for district improvements. She said nothing has been finalized regarding the decision to place the proposal on the ballot this November, and that the district is still interested in hearing feedback from residents.
More information about the potential bond proposal is available on the district’s website at www.dupage88.net/Proposal. For more information, contact Dani Brink, the district’s director of community relations, at dbrink@dupage88.net or 630-530-3989.
Village and VFW Post 2801 present Fourth of July Parade awards
The July 27 board meeting featured presentations of awards to multiple participants in the village’s recent Fourth of July Parade. Village Manager Michael Rivas thanked Villa Park Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2801 for organizing this year’s parade to celebrate the USA’s 250th birthday. The 2026 parade’s theme was “Stars, Stripes and 250 Lights.”
The award for best crowd engagement was presented to Mike’s Market. The community choice award was given to Midland Plumbing and Sewer. Prism Seven Dance Company won the best performance award. Villa Park’s Community FUN (Focus on Unifying Neighbors) Commission received the best use of theme award.
Post 2801 Commander Jim Blankshain joined Senior Vice Commander Jim Urso and Rivas to present the awards.
Village’s human resources manager gives one-year review of parental leave program
The meeting included a review of the village’s parental leave program, which went into effect one year ago. Jackie Pierce, who has been the village’s human resources manager for the last few months, outlined the program’s benefits and challenges. In a memorandum to the board, Pierce stated that the village’s eight-week parental leave program “has provided a meaningful employee benefit and has strengthened the village’s position as an employer committed to supporting employees and their families. At the same time, the first year of implementation demonstrates that unrestricted leave scheduling creates significant challenges for 24-hour public safety operations, particularly when staffing levels must be maintained continuously.”
Pierce told the board that the program’s most significant impacts have been concentrated in the village’s police and fire departments, where employees on paid parental leave may require the village to pay both the employee on leave and another employee at overtime rates to maintain minimum staffing.
Pierce’s memorandum to the board stated that in addition to carrying direct wage costs, the parental leave program has “contributed to staffing strain, mandatory overtime, fatigue and burnout risk, delayed training, reduced proactive and preventive work, increased administrative workload, and reduced operational flexibility during periods of high demand.”
Villa Park Chief of Police Todd Kubish said during the meeting that the parental leave program is a positive program, but he noted that the police department already faces staffing shortages, and when anybody is away, the challenges increase. Kubish suggested that the parental leave program should probably be scaled down, offering four or five weeks of time off, instead of eight weeks.
“I’ll be a little more blunt,” stated Villa Park Fire Chief Steve Stapleton. “We’re here to do a job. I think public safety is held to a higher standard. We need to be here. I need people in the seats, and you know we’re short-staffed.” Stapleton mentioned that the department’s staffing shortage has been exacerbated by three long-term injuries. He recommended that the parental leave program offer four weeks of time off for mothers, and less time off for fathers.
“I can’t be forcing people back [to work overtime] all the time,” added Stapleton, who mentioned that the fire department’s firefighter/paramedics work 24-hour shifts. “That’s not sustainable long-term.”
Pierce told the board that better benefits for employees strengthen retention and loyalty, and reduce turnover costs. She also noted the challenges of the eight-week parental leave program, and recommended shortening the period of time off to five or six weeks, and shortening the window of available use. Trustee Tina Konstatos stated she would like to see the program’s number of weeks lowered, and that the parental time off should be taken in a block, at the time of the birth of a child. Konstatas asked Pierce to put together a proposal to present to the board at a future meeting.
Village explores building a dog park in 800 block of N. Harvard Avenue
The board meeting featured a discussion of the potential of constructing a dog park at the village-owned parcel at 823 N. Harvard Avenue, which is north of North Avenue. Brandon Nolin, Villa Park’s director of community and economic development, stated that an architecture firm estimated the cost of building a dog park at the site at $125,000 to $460,000. Nolin said the village recommends budgeting about $400,000 for the project. The parcel only covers about one-third of an acre, and there might have to be a limit on the number of dogs at the park at one time. Trustee Deepa Kumar said the proposed dog park is a good and positive idea and something that residents have been looking for.
Board approves resolution allowing remote attendance
Trustees voted 5-0 to approve a resolution allowing board members to attend board meetings, including executive session discussions, remotely. Trustees Cari Alfano, Jorge Cordova and Jack Kozar joined Konstatos and Kumar in voting in favor of the resolution. Village President Kevin Patrick did not vote on the proposal. Board members discussed the issue during their July 13 meeting before tabling the proposal to the July 27 meeting.
According to the proposal, board members may attend meetings from a remote location if they are unable to physically attend the meeting due to (a) personal illness or disability; (b) employment conflicts or the business of the board; or (c) a family or other emergency. Board members who are physically present at a meeting will hold a vote to allow remote participation for a member who is not present.
The board will hold its next regular meeting on Aug. 10.
