Community, Local, Organizations, Park Forest, Politics

Tom Mick Reports: Village Stickers on Sale, Farewell to Long-Time IT Director


Village Manager Tom Mick at his desk, Tom Mick reports
Village Manager Tom Mick in his office. (Photo: Gary Kopycinski)

In Addition to Village Stickers, Manager Mick Reports on Baseball Registration, the Upcoming Beaux Arts Ball, and More

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- Village Manager Tom Mick gave the following reports during Monday’s meeting of the Village Board. This board meeting was in person and live. Look for this article every time Manager Mick reports from the Board Room.

Vehicle Stickers

Park Forest vehicle stickers for 2022/2023 went on sale on March 1st. Stickers are required to be purchased and posted on vehicles by no later than April 30th and can be purchased at Village Hall, online at the Village website, or at the Park Forest Currency Exchange.

PFBB Registration

Registration is now open for the 2022 baseball season for Park Forest Youth Baseball. Residents wanting more information can visit the Park Forest Baseball website to learn more details. Their web site is www.pf-baseball.clubCalls can be directed to 708-627-0586.

Master Plan Visioning Workshop

The Village is currently working to update the Master Plan for Downtown Park Forest. This work is integral to what the Village will be seeking to do with the central business district for the next decade and beyond. As this work unfolds, feedback from the business community and residents will be critical. A Visioning Workshop will take place on Wednesday, March 16th from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at Dining on the Green. The workshop is open to the entire community. Residents are encouraged to attend and offer their thoughts. Also, residents are encouraged to offer their feedback on a related community survey. More details can be found on the Village website.

Beaux Arts Ball

The annual Beaux Arts Ball fundraiser for the Tall Grass Arts Association is will take place Saturday, March 26th.  Details on ticket cost, location, etc. can be found on-line at www.tallgrassarts.org and the Tall Grass Facebook page.

Easter Egg-stravaganza

 An Easter Egg-stravaganza is scheduled for Saturday, April 9th from 10 AM to Noon in Central Park. For more details, please call Village Hall at 748-2005 or visit the Village website.

Tom Mick Reports: Park Forest Aqua Center News

The Park Forest Aqua Center wants residents to know that early bird registrations for the 2022 Swim Season will begin on April 1st. For more details, call visit the Village web site or call the Recreation and Parks Department at 748-2005. On a related note, recruitment is now underway for summer jobs at the Aquatic Center. More details can be found at www.AquaticJobs.Info.

Recognition of IT Administrator Craig Kaufman

And finally . . . . . . . I would like to close my comments this evening by officially recognizing IT Administrator Craig Kaufman. Tonight’s meeting is the last one where Craig will be with us. After nearly 20 years on the Park Forest management team, Craig has accepted a position in Florida. It is an exciting opportunity and I couldn’t happier for him as this has been an aspiration of his for quite some time.

In his time with the Village Park Forest, Craig has been a critical member of the Management Staff on so many different levels. As a full-service Village, we have literally hundreds of technology components ranging from PCs and laptops to tablets and servers. With more than a dozen facilities or satellite posts in the Village’s operations, Craig has overseen security upgrades, Wi-Fi access, fiber, and a host of dashboard and body-worn cameras and security cameras.

When you factor in more than 160 employees and their varying technology needs, it is clearly evident when I say that we have a complex IT system.

In my opinion, Park Forest’s IT infrastructure is second to none at the municipal level. And Craig has been the driving force to get the Village to this position. For residents who may be watching this meeting on cable access television or as we stream live on the village website, Craig spearheaded the technology upgrades to make it happen. Park Forest is a leader when it comes to transparency and Craig has been a tremendous influence and helping us do that. He has been the architect behind posting financial documents on the Village website and our paperless agendas. These are staples of Park Forest’s transparency and sustainability efforts dating back more than 15 years.

While I will be sad to see Craig leave our team, I am very happy for him and his family as they pursue this exciting next chapter. Craig – I thank you for your longstanding dedication and expertise. I wish you all the best in the years ahead.


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