Park Ridge
The recent news breaking here is the retirement of Police Chief Joseph Madden, after nearly four decades of dedicated public service. A council majority recently moved to revise the police organizational chart to only two lieutenants and one captain, versus the four lieutenants previously allowed. How the department will function in the future, at least in terms of organizational structure, remains an open question.
Lurking in the background is a recurring issue around how to fund a possible multi-million dollar dredging of Mill Pond (i.e. Electric Lake) and preserve the historical site.
Late in 2023, voters defeated a non-binding referendum that sought approval to bond for $15.5 million to dredge Mill Pond. The pond suffers from sediment buildup, declining storage capacity, and poor water quality. If sediment removed during dredging tests positive for toxic contaminants, future disposal costs would likely jump significantly.
Also on the back burner, whether a once-scuttled community center proposal moves forward remains uncertain, with future construction uncertain due to rising costs yet to be publicly disclosed and voted on.
Next, River Vale…