Who Are We And How Did We Get Here?
First of all, the founding members found each other. Gloria and Steve
Backman had concerns about lack of parking and parking enforcement
in their neighborhood. Marcy Wozniak had concerns about overcrowding
and the 200+ unit Roos condo development being proposed smack in the
middle of her already congested neighborhood. Numerous attempts to
communicate with village officials about these issues were summarily
dismissed.
Trying to get the ear of fellow citizens, each wrote letters to the
paper and spoke out at village council meetings. In the summer of 2003,
their paths crossed. Ideas and concerns were exchanged and, with the
common notion that these serious issues could impact any neighborhood
in Forest Park, a partnership was formed. Shortly thereafter, other
like-minded thinkers also concerned about development, joined the group
and the concept of Citizens United in Forest Park was born.
All of the founders were long time residents of Forest Park and had
little contact with Village Hall. After the 1999 election, a political
change came to the village. A new mayor and his team took over and
quickly started to make costly changes with little or no oversight
by the public. When citizens tried to question the changes they were
in essence told by the five member council, “Don’t worry. We know what
we’re doing.”
As the 2003 election approached, questions arose about the condition
of the $5,300,000.00 reserve fund. In addition, the behavior of the
village council became combative and condescending as citizens started
asking tougher questions. The Mayor (who ran unopposed) and his slate
were forced to give up two commissioner seats to reform candidates,
but it takes three votes to effect any real change in Forest Park.
Two reformers were too little, too late. Nine months later, the village
was in the red and as a result, 12 employees had to be laid off, including
a policeman and fireman.
By November of 2003, the founders started to put the framework
for CUinFP in place. The formal declaration and incorporation would
not be declared until May 1, 2004 but important work was already underway.
It was late 2003 when the Forest Park Village Council amended the meeting
minutes from a previous meeting that essentially altered the context
of what had taken place. To our surprise, according to the village
attorney, we found out that the clerk’s meeting minutes were the only
legal record that was required by state law. In Orwellian fashion they
could be altered. In response, beginning on January 2, 2004, CUinFP
started taping Village Council, Zoning Board of Appeals and Plan Commission
meetings, in an effort to create an accurate and permanent public record.
Although we were initially ridiculed, we are now an accepted institution
that fills a market niche for those who want to purchase copies of the recordings.
In addition, an extraordinary by-product of our taping is the greatly
improved decorum of the officials. Beforehand, meetings often resembled
a slugfest amongst the uninformed, but now these officials appear to
be doing their homework and putting on their best behavior.
Another area we tapped into is fact-finding and information distribution.
In a reaction to our early letter writing and speaking out at meetings,
residents of the community started contacting us with questions and
interesting information. People dismissed by, or unwilling to talk
to village officials, wanted to share with us. With a little investigative
initiative, we found that what started as rumor could evolve into real
change for our community.
Recognizing the importance of the 2004 national elections and the 2007
local elections, some CUinFP members became Voter Election Registrars
and set up drives in hometown locations to conveniently pass on the
great power of voting. Seeing the success of the drives, we have become a “Bona
Fide State Civic Organization” which allows us to sponsor training
sessions for future Voter Registrars.
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Who Are We Today?
We are citizens of Forest Park just like you. As our numbers have
increased, our collection of beliefs, values and opinions has grown
too. Our goal is to assemble a dynamic organization that embraces these
differences while seeking out common ground and common sense solutions
to the issues facing our community. We are nonpartisan. Trying to form
any kind of a consensus for a single party or candidate would destroy
the most valuable quality of CUinFP, its diversity. By observing other
cities and towns, we are learning that revenue growth, smart development,
congestion and modernization can go hand-in-hand with preserving the
look and feel of our neighborhoods. A balance of public and private
ventures can serve the community at large. A government can openly
serve its people, but the key ingredient is the people. To make things
happen we need citizen participation, citizens speaking up. We ask
for what we want when it comes to food or clothing. Why not ask for
what we want from our village officials? Join us in asking for what
is right for our community. Join CUinFP.
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