CCFPD Board Meets at Volunteer Resource Center

Forest Preserve District of Cook County Board Meeting
July 7, 2026, Mathew Bieszczat Volunteer Resource Center, 6100 N. Central Ave., Chicago
Highlights notes, Deborah Stone
All other items on the agenda not addressed below, passed (or if reports, were received and filed as appropriate).
Item 26-0118:  Laurel Ross gave the monthly report of the Conservation and Policy Council Monthly Report. She noted the Consent Calendar item recognizing two volunteers is the tip of the iceberg of the extensive volunteer activity at the Preserves which has been ongoing for many decades. She cited some of the many other good things going on at the Preserves which were not included in the General Superintendent’s report. They included work with state agencies on restoring Blandings Turtles and inventorying rare plants, a successful winter restoration season, and participation of 143 young people in Conservation Corps summer. She wanted the fact that the Referendum funding is making a difference, such as in the recent addition to Thorn Creek Meadow, an important bird area, to be publicized.
Item 26-0328: The area designated for operation of Brookfield Zoo was temporarily expanded by 3.37 acres of low ecological value, for temporary overflow parking while construction work is going on at the Zoo.
Item 26-0330: Proposed Amendments to the Forest Preserves Land Use Fees were sent to the Real Estate Committee.
Item 26-0327: The annual Energy Expense Report, now required by the 9/25 contract with Ameresco, was sent to Finance.
Item 26-0271: Report on status of achieving the goal of a Model Forest Preserve Police Department was sent to the Law Enforcement Committee.
Item 26-0268: Contract with two solar energy vendors to provide on-site ground-mounted solar through a Power Purchase Agreement at the Central Maintenance Compound in Maywood, was approved after the Board suspended the rules to take up the item directly instead of sending to Committee. Annual cost estimated at $32,500, which, while it exceeds the estimated cost for non-solar power, does provide price certainty, and is expected to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions from this facility by over 43%.
Several grants were accepted, including:
Item 26-0308: $200,000 from Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources for improving the boat launch on the Little Calumet River.
Item 26-0316: $100,000 from the Prairie State Conservation Coalition for acquisition of 42 acres in Glenwood to protect the Deer Creek Floodplain and to advance the Southeast Cook County Land Acquisition Plan.
Several contracts were approved, extended or amended.  The largest were:
Item 16-0311:  Approval of 3 year Contract with Christopher B Burke Engineering, Ltd. For $1,239,837.50 for Phase III Engineering services to oversee rehabilitation of about 1.3 miles of the Des Plaines River Trail, which among other improvements will add a signalized crossing at Strieby Drive and a couple of new connections to additional nearby locations.
Item26-0283: Extension for two years of contracts with 20 outside counsel law firms, with the additional cost not to exceed $2,300,000. This two-year renewal was allowed by the original three-year contract.
Item 26-0318:  Amends previously approved item 25-0296, Resolution granting General Superintendent Authority to Approve and Execute Utility Agreements. Relates to contract with Ameresco approved in 2025 to administer agreements with energy suppliers, and increases amount of this contract from a maximum of $1m to $1.75m to cover items such as electrical transformers needed when the District upgrades buildings. Board member  comments on this item included recognition of significant rate hikes by ComEd, and questions about whether the District could get any accommodations from ComEd to reduce the cost of new transformers and the like.
Also,
Item 26-0307: Proposed Calendar of Events, presented to be Received and Filed. Notable for the several dozen varied programs planned for the period 7.7.26-9.14.26.

​Observer - Deborah Stone