W E D N E S D A Y
October 15, 2025 Vol. 46, No. 16
1980 - 2025
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J URNAL WJ45
@wednesdayjournal
@oakpark
of Oak Park and River Forest
Buzz Café is closing Page 3
What other towns have done when building a new police station Recommendations to village board expected next month
TODD BANNOR
Resident Patty Henek speaks in favor of term limits at the River Forest Village Board meeting on Oct. 13.
New referendum on term limits set for Nov. 2026 in River Forest Split vote reflects tensions over timing and need for a new vote By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter
River Forest voters will have to go to the polls again to resolve the ongoing
term limits controversy. Following an hour of sometimes contentious discussion at the Oct. 13 village board meeting, officials voted unanimously to direct staff members
By BILL DWYER Contributing Reporter
to prepare a resolution that places a binding referendum on the Nov. 3, 2026, election ballot. Village Administrator Matt Walsh said he expects the board to See TERM LIMITS on page 16
As village hall staff prepare to go before the Oak Park village board Nov. 20 with recommendations on how to proceed with planning and construction of a new police facility, Wednesday Journal took a look back to the last time the village sought to assess its needs and start the planning process. An informal review was conducted of how several municipalities in the greater Chicagoland area have gone about their planning for new police facilities. As part of that, we spoke to several current or former officials about their experiences. Oak Park officials have been discussing how to address numerous problems with both the village hall in general and the police department specifiSee POLICE STATION on page 8
A Collective Giving Group of the Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation Celebrating 30 Years of Philanthropic Giving to Our Community Learn more at www.oprfcf.org