The Frankfort Square Park District Board of Commissioners met on April 17 to approve its annual budget, discuss new projects, and hear departmental updates. The district approved a nearly $5 million corporate budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, which will fund ongoing work at Hunter Prairie Park and The Square, as well as a new $122,000 list of capital improvements including paving, new flooring, and park upgrades.

The board also acknowledged the results of the April 1 election. Four new commissioners—Lauren Breedlove, Frank Florentine, Joseph King, and Denis Moore—will be sworn in at the May 15 meeting to begin their terms.

Park District to Award Eight Scholarships: The Frankfort Square Park District will award eight college scholarships to graduating seniors from Lincoln-Way East High School this year. Executive Director Audrey Marcquenski noted the 2025 applicant pool was impressive. The scholarships are made possible through the generosity of donors and funds raised during the “Beat the Board Member” contest at the district’s annual College Scholarship Golf Classic held at Square Links Golf Course.

Major Project Updates: Work is progressing on the new dance studios at The Square, with flooring and mirrors scheduled for installation in the coming weeks. However, the Hunter Prairie Park Redevelopment project is waiting for Will County to complete its permit process before work can get fully underway. Both are priority projects for the district in the coming year.

Staffing Needs to be Reassessed in Fall: Following a question from Commissioner Phil Cherry about adding a full-time maintenance staff member, Executive Director Audrey Marcquenski stated that the current goal is to complete the three main contracted projects for the season. She said that overall staffing needs will be reassessed in the fall.

District Addresses Community Concerns: The board addressed several resident concerns, clarifying its jurisdictional limits. Officials stated the Park District has no authority over AT&T subcontractors working in the area, low water levels in Brookside Glen basins which are a Village of Tinley Park matter, or the Lincoln-Way Mega Band’s decision to lock stadium gates at the high school campus.

New Phone System Installed: A new phone system from Rival5 was successfully installed at the Community Center and the Square Links Golf Course clubhouse on April 16. Officials commended Superintendent of Office Administration and Technology Nicolette Jerik for overseeing the project, which is expected to improve connectivity and performance, including the ability to transfer calls between the two main facilities.

District Appreciated for Donations: The Park District received notes of appreciation from several community organizations for recent donations. The Lincoln-Way East Music Boosters, Molly’s ALS Miracle, and UCP Seguin of Greater Chicago all thanked the district for providing rounds of golf at Square Links Golf Course to be used in their respective raffle and silent auction fundraising events.