Politics & Government

Cross to Introduce Bill to 'Reshape' Plainfield Park District Board

The legislation would increase the board from the current five to nine members.

State Rep. Tom Cross (R-Oswego) said he's introducing legislation he says will reshape the Plainfield Park District board by increasing it from five to nine members.

House Bill 5593 calls for park district boards like Plainfield's to have five elected members, and four members who would be appointed by municipal officials for initial two-year terms.

According to a synopsis of the bill, the legislation "Amends the Park District Code. Provides that a park district that serves a population within at least 2, but no more than 4, municipalities and serves within a county with a population greater than 100,000 but less than 200,000 shall have a board of commissioners consisting of 9 members (instead of 5 members) that includes 4 appointed commissioners. Sets forth the procedures for appointing the commissioners and the length of their initial and subsequent terms."

Click here to read the full text.

“Government, at all levels, needs to be accountable and responsible to taxpayers and the Plainfield Park District Board is failing at those duties right now,” Cross said in a press release. “After consulting with local Mayors and elected officials, it was determined that the right action was to take bold action to address this problem and prevent further abuses.”

According to Cross, State Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant will file a similar Bill in the Senate.

Cross is slated to discuss the legislation with the media during a Friday afternoon conference call. 

Check back with Patch for an update after the call.


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