Update January 20, 2025: Just days after this website went public, the Oak Brook Park District Board changed its policies on lifetime commissioner memberships at their January 20, 2025 board meeting. At this public board meeting, the Park District Board attacked my website calling it misleading and that I am spreading misinformation. Yet, the Park District Board at the end of this meeting, quickly amended its administrative policies, in an admission of guilt, deleting exactly what I exposed them on. Does the Park District Board operate with transparency? You decide.

Original Publish Date: 12/8/2024. Publicly Released on 1/16/2025.

The Oak Brook Park District violates Park District Code by giving commissioners free lifetime memberships, and each commissioner could give away EIGHT free memberships per quarter to friends and family.

This includes:

Free admission to facilities, property and programs
EIGHT guests per quarter get all the free stuff too, including memberships, facilities, special events, etc.
Family members of Commissioners get all the free stuff

Section 4.1 of the Park District Code specifically states that “…the members of such governing boards shall act as such without compensation…”

READ PARK DISTRICT CODE

Interestingly, back in 2010, then finalized in 2011, an ordinance was signed to make the free stuff for commissioners official, including commissioners emeritus. This ordinance was signed by current President of the Oak Brook Park District Commissioner Board, Sharon Knitter, who was on the board at the time.

Compensation is defined in statutes and case law. After receiving the information, Edgar Watchdog goes into more detail on how this ordinance is a violation of Park District Code.

READ EDGAR WATCHDOG ARTICLE

Here is the evidence from the FOIA request that was submitted in April 2024.