Thank you for the trust you placed in me by electing me your Mayor. It is a special privilege to serve you and represent our great city. In 2021, I’m running for re-election as Mayor of Oak Park and I’m asking for your support.
People are eagerly moving into Oak Park because it’s a great place to live – Catch the new energy
I am happy to report that my administration has made significant progress in addressing the problems I inherited. Like many other cities, we faced a huge budget deficit caused by the Great Recession. When I took office the city had a $3million deficit. In addition to bond money for the building, a $2.5 million loan had just been taken out. We had to make painful sacrifices in order to get on the right track, but today we’re operating under a balanced budget with a bright future.
The city is running a lean operation, and we continue to look for efficiencies. We combined several health care plans into one plan, saving $400,000 a year. We refinanced the street bonds, saving taxpayers $1.8 million over the life of the bonds.
Since economic development is crucial for Oak Park, I’ve worked closely with our City Manager to make sure Oak Park has the right leadership team for development. We’ve brought in business development, recruited dozens of additional residents to serve on our city boards and commissions, hired a Director of Business and Community Development for the first time in the city’s history, and partnered with the business community to fund exciting new city events.
Oak Park Mayor Marian McClellan is focused on the needs of Oak Park residents
With my leadership the City Council voted to permit beer and wine sales in restaurants as part of a
pro-growth plan so that our residents can dine in Oak Park instead of going to surrounding communities. 11 mile road is beginning to become an exciting dining and shopping experience inside of Oak Park. With economic development adding vibrancy to our commercial areas and community life, we will have the resources necessary to keep Oak Park safe.
Let’s re-discover Oak Park. Our doors are wide open to diverse groups who want to come enjoy our safe, walk-able streets and lovely parks. We want you to share your ideas for growth, please feel free to contact me at (248) 398-3429. We are running an efficient government that brings people together.
Thank you again for your time and support and please remember to vote in November.
Respectfully yours,
Mayor Marian McClellan