The Woodridge Park District board will take up its 2026 property tax levy and a new bond issuance when commissioners meet Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the Fred C. Hohnke Community Center.

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.

Under the business services portion of the agenda, commissioners are scheduled to approve a preliminary determination on the amount of money to be raised by the 2026 property tax levy. The item is listed as Tentative Ordinance No. 26-16 Levying and Assessing Taxes of the Woodridge Park District for tax year 2026, covering calendar year Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2027.

The agenda does not list the proposed levy total or the projected impact on homeowners. Last year, Superintendent of Finance Chris Webber told the board the proposed 2025 levy extension was 4.917% higher than the prior year, rising from $8,703,826 to $9,083,163, according to November 2025 meeting minutes. At that time, Webber said the average homeowner with a $399,000 assessed value would see the park district's share of the tax bill rise $25.18, or 3.78%.

State law requires the board to make a preliminary determination at least 20 days before adopting the final levy ordinance. A public hearing is required if the proposed levy exceeds 105% of the prior year's extension.

New bond series

Commissioners will also vote on accepting an engagement letter from Speer Financial Inc. to serve as placement agent for a contemplated issuance of Taxable General Obligation Limited Park Bonds, Series 2027. The agenda does not specify the dollar amount of the planned bond sale.

The district has used Speer Financial for prior bond work. In January 2025, the board approved $1,570,485 in Series 2025 taxable bonds, according to meeting minutes from that session. Aaron Gold, a vice president with Speer Financial, presented the issuance to the board at that meeting. In December 2025, the board held a public hearing on the sale of up to $5,500,000 in general obligation bonds, according to December 2025 minutes. No members of the public spoke at that hearing.

Capital projects and equipment

The agenda lists several capital items for board action:

  • A park entrance sign replacement project
  • Inclusive swing purchases
  • A design services change order for the Jubilee Point Park challenge course
  • Two truck body purchases for the parks department
  • A bid rejection and ratification of the executive director's approval on the Cypress Cove Emergency Gate Project

The consent agenda includes $733,490.16 in vendor payments and payroll ratification. Among the larger line items are a $275,526.87 payout to Schwartz Construction Group for Jubilee Point Park Phase 2 development and $108,306.90 to Hacienda Landscaping for the challenge course project.

Other business

Executive Director Knitter will ask the board to approve a 2027 organizational chart and present a draft of the district's 2026-2030 Strategic Master Plan for review.

President Bill Cohen is expected to recognize Customer Service Supervisor Lauren Clancy for five years of service at the ARC. The agenda also notes a State of Illinois Senate recognition from Sen. John Curran's office for the Jubilee Point Park grand opening.

The grand opening of the park's challenge course has been postponed until spring 2027, according to the agenda.

The meeting is open to the public at the Fred C. Hohnke Community Center in Woodridge.