Village of Park Forest, Illinois, votes to annex properties; residents not pleased

On this Election Day, close to two dozen families in unincorporated Will County, Illinois, woke up to an outcome they didn't choose.

About 100 people who had been residents of unincorporated Will County woke up Tuesday as residents of Park Forest. This came after the village voted to annex their neighborhood on Monday night.

The Village of Park Forest — which lies mostly in Cook County with only a small portion in Will — said it has been paying for decades for roads, water lines, and other infrastructure costs for decades that serve not only the residents of Park Forest, but the residents of the section of unincorporated Will County that was up to be annexed.

The village also claimed the annexation was partially to ensure properties that use village utilities and emergency services are part of the community.

Homeowners were not happy with the result, concerned about a higher tax bill — and at least one village trustee agrees with them.

Park Forest Village Trustee Randall White Jr., who is running for mayor of the south suburb, said he didn't like the process and thought the families should have had more say in the decision.

"We must ask ourselves, have we truly listened? Have we considered the financial impact? Have we explored every alternative?" White said at the village board meeting where the vote was taken Monday night. "And most important, have we given these families the respect and consideration that you would want in a decision involving your homes?"

When the annexation proposal was approved, boos and jeers rang out in the Park Forest village boardroom.

This is an ongoing issue. The village will consider annexing more properties when it meets again on Monday, Nov. 16.