About
River Forest Township Organization
Townships are considered a local unit of government dedicated to human services and assessor services. Townships focus on programs and services which are generally not provided by other units of government. Townships operate at a very low cost to property taxpayers; in River Forest, the Township represents 1% of a property tax bill.
The River Forest Township can be reached at:
8020 West Madison Street, 2nd Floor
River Forest, Illinois 60305
Phone: 708.366.2029 x11
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Township Elected Officials and Staff
Township Elected Officials: The elected Township officials include a Supervisor, Assessor, Clerk, and four Trustees. The Township Supervisor is also a member of the Board of Trustees. The Supervisor and Clerk are the FOIA and OMA Officers for the organization.
Township Assessor
Pamela Kende
Phone: 708.366.2787
Email:
[email protected]
Township Supervisor
Carla Sloan
Phone: 708.366.2029 x11
Email:
[email protected]
Township Clerk
John Becvar
Phone: 708.366.2029 x12
Email:
[email protected]
Trustees
Trustees are elected to their position and are volunteers. They can be reached at [email protected]
Helene Connolly
Keith Strom
Deana Herrman
Karen Taubman
Township Staff
The Township staff are all part-time employees.
Deputy Assessor
Kathy Elliott
Phone: 708.366.2787
Email: [email protected]
Mental Health Services Administrator
Sarah Schwarting
Phone: 708.366.2029 x14
Email: [email protected]
Senior Outreach Coordinator
Betsy Kelly
Phone: 708.366.2029 x13
Email: [email protected]
Township Committees
The Township appoints resident volunteers to serve on its committees for rotating three-year terms. If you are interested in serving on a committee, please contact the Township Supervisor. Please note that residents who are appointed to serve on the various Township Committees receive no compensation for their service.
Mental Health Committee (MHC)
Melinda Peterson, Chair
Kathryn Schmahl, Secretary
Phillip Buta
Elizabeth Davies, PhD
Jonathan Howard, MD
Kristin Sneeringer
Jessica Starck, MD
Angie Grover
Deborah L. Borman, J.D., LCSW
2024 Meetings:
1st Tuesday of most months (1/9, 2/6, 3/5, 4/2, 5/7, 6/4, 9/3, 10/1, 11/5 ) at 6:30 PM
River Forest Township Office (8020 Madison Street, River Forest) and via Zoom.
No meetings in July, August and December.
For further information please contact Sarah Schwarting, Mental Health Administrator, [email protected] or 708.366.2029 x14
Youth and Family Services (YFS)
Committee
Cal Davis
Colleen Norton
Angelika Rupp
2024 Meetings:
1st Wednesday of most months at 6:00 PM
Oak Park Township Office (105 S Oak Park Ave., Oak Park) and via Zoom.
2024 Meetings beginning : 1/10/2024.
The Township Youth and Family Services Committee is a joint committee made up of River Forest and Oak Park residents. Minutes from the committee meetings can be requested from Oak Park Township Youth and Family Services.
For further information please contact Megan Traficano,
Director of Township Youth & Family Services, [email protected].
Jean Buckley
Jim Flanagan
Ruth Reko
Briselda Gjikondi
Senior Services Committee
2024 Meetings:
3rd Wednesday of most months at 7:00 PM
Oak Park Township Senior Services (130 S Oak Park Ave., Oak Park) and via Zoom.
The Senior Services Committee is a joint committee made up of River Forest and Oak Park residents. Minutes from the committee meetings can be requested from Oak Park Township Senior Services.
Lydia Manning
Carolyn Foster
Mike Carioscio
For further information please contact Pamela Mahn, Director of Township Senior Services, [email protected], or River Forest Senior Outreach Coordinator, [email protected] or 708.366.2029 x13
Efficiency Report Committee
In addition to the Township Supervisor and Trustees, there were three resident volunteers who served on the Efficiency Report Committee (June 2023 - Mar 2024):
Barbara Hickey
Melinda Peterson
John Phelan
Township History
The River Forest Township was founded in 1917 when the then residents (population 3,000) voted by referendum to create their own township, thereby separating from Proviso Township.
The River Forest Village Board passed the necessary resolution in June 1917 and the Cook County Board formally approved the new River Forest Township in October 1917.
Since 1917, the River Forest Township has increasingly supported and funded human services in the River Forest community, through a separate and dedicated property tax levy. The Township celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 2017 and continues to serve seniors, youth, those with mental health challenges and disabilities, and those in financial need.