Frequently Asked Questions

Answer.

A complaint of wrong doing or inappropriate action on the part of any employee of the Oak Forest Police Department.

Complaints alleging disagreements on traffic or parking tickets, or probable cause for an arrest are examples of complaints that may not be taken. These decisions are for the court to decide and not subject to review by the Oak Forest Police Department.

In most cases, the employee's supervisor will conduct the investigation with the disposition of each case being reviewed by the Chief of Police.

Yes. As in the case with any potentially punitive process, the accused is afforded the right of knowing what he/she is accused of and who the accusers are. This is done in fairness to the employee just as it is for any other person.

Whenever possible, the investigation will be concluded within 30 days unless unusual circumstances warrant an extension. The department will make every effort to keep the complainant advised of the progress of the investigation. Once the investigation is completed, the complainant will be notified.

Both the complainant and accused employee will be notified of the results. Because of privacy laws, specific facts of the case will not be revealed. It is possible that some allegations may be sustained, and other not sustained based on the investigation.

If a complaint is made on a good faith belief of truth and the department member is later exonerated, the case will be ended. However, if it is determined that the allegation was intentionally falsely made or intended to discredit or embarrass the department member, you may be subject to criminal charges or a civil law suit.

Yes. Neither the researchers nor the police department will have information which can connect the survey results to the individual responding to the survey or to the officer involved in the police contact.

We ask community members who have had a recent contact with the police about the quality of that interaction. The survey asks whether they were treated fairly and politely by the officer, whether their questions were answered, and other aspects of the interaction. Community members are also invited to give their overall impressions of police officers who work in their neighborhood and the department.

This project is funded by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, with a grant to the University of Illinois at Chicago. This project has the full support and cooperation of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.

The Police-Community Interaction Survey is an innovative cutting edge initiative to measure police performance in new ways. Your department has been identified as one that would likely take a leadership role in the development and utilization of this new diagnostic tool. Our pilot tests have been highly successful and the results have been very positive for the departments which have been involved. No individual officer or community member is identified, so there can be no individual repercussions. By participating in this survey, you have an opportunity to have a voice in evaluating police services.

Curfew for children 17-years-old and under is 10:30 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and midnight, Friday and Saturday.

The hearing date will be on the notice you will receive in the mail seven to 14 days after receiving the ticket.

Nationwide, it's estimated that there are 9,000 crashes caused by red light running each year. Here in Oak Forest, we issue about 52 red light citations annually. It's a big problem and a leading cause of traffic fatalities.

Red light cameras will help us enforce traffic laws by automatically photographing vehicles whose drivers run red lights. The system continuously monitors the traffic signal, and the camera is triggered by any vehicle entering the intersection after the signal has turned red. Cameras record the date, time of day, time elapsed since the beginning of the red signal, vehicle speed, and license plate.

The Police Department is committed to keeping you safe, but no community can afford to police every red-light intersection every hour of every day. ?The cameras allow officers to spend their time protecting Oak Forest in other ways.

No, cameras are set so that only vehicles that enter an intersection after the light has turned red are photographed.

Yes. ?Trained officers review every picture to verify vehicle information and ensure the vehicle is in violation. Tickets are issued only in cases where it is clear the vehicle ran the light.

There is no cost to the city for installing, operating or maintaining the system. The program is funded by the violators.

Not really. The city's main objective is to deter violators, not to catch them. Signs have been posted at each intersection warning drivers that photo enforcement is in use.

Yes, cameras are already used for law enforcement in many U.S. cities, towns, counties, and communities of all sizes.

Most people support the cameras. Like anything new, there's bound to be an adjustment period. But soon, drivers here will get used to obeying the traffic rules, and see that everyone else is too. Over time, most of the community will agree that the benefits of increased safety make it worthwhile.

If sewage backs up in a toilet or basement tub, and you believe it is the result of a problem outside your house, call the Public Works Department at 708-535-4090, 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. weekdays, or the Police Department non-emergency line at 708-687-1376 after normal business hours and on weekends and holidays. Do not call a plumber until you have first spoken to someone at the Public Works Department.

The Public Works Department will immediately send someone to your home to check the city's main sanitary sewer for a blockage. If the city's main is blocked, the Public Works Department will clear it at no expense to you. If you call a plumber before you call the Public Works Department, the plumber's fee will be your responsibility even if the blockage is in the main sewer.

If the cause of the backup is somewhere in the service line that connects your home to the main sewer, it is the responsibility of the property owner to hire a licensed plumber to clear the blockage.

It is the property owner's responsibility - whether the blockage can be freed by power rodding or a repair is needed. If a repair to the house connection is necessary, the owner must hire a licensed contractor to perform the work, under permit from the city. In short, any service line problem that prevents the homeowner's sanitary sewer flow from entering the public main line is the property owner's responsibility. If the homeowner's lateral has a previous history of root problems, the Public Works Department's Sewer Division should be notified so we may televise the public main line.
View the sewer line diagram.

Yes. While blockages are far less predictable than sewer surcharges, the end result is essentially the same -- sewage in your basement. A backwater valve will prevent backups by allowing sewage to only flow in one direction (out of your home).

Yes. Sewer surcharges can occur when rainwater enters the sanitary sewer system. An overhead sewer will prevent backups as it discharges out of the home at a higher elevation than the manhole in the street.

The sewer tap is the physical connection point where the homeowner's sewer service line connects to the city municipal sewer line.

The service line is the sewer constructed by private owners for private use on their properties. In other words, the service line serves a single user, not the community. The service line connects your home to the city sewer. The maintenance and repair of the entire service line is the property owner's responsibility.

Municipal sewage includes sewage collected from residences, public buildings, industries, and commercial establishments. Municipal sewage is conveyed to a wastewater treatment facility.

The sanitary sewer system includes all public structures (pipes, lift stations, sewer lines and manholes) in the wastewater collection system designed to convey municipal sewage to a wastewater treatment facility. If a pipe conveys water which needs to be treated, it is a sanitary sewer.

An outfall sewer receives wastewater from a collection system or from a wastewater treatment plant and carries it to a point of ultimate or final discharge in the environment. These are commonly known as interceptor sewers that carry our wastewater to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. of Greater Chicago at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant.

When you contact our customer service center, a customer service representative will enter your concerns into a database for tracking purposes. A service request will be generated and an inspector will be dispatched to investigate the issues. Initial contact usually occurs within 24 hours.

City employees do not have legal authority to dispatch crews onto private property to perform work without a legal document granting temporary or permanent access. This legal document is called an "easement." The easement allows city employees or contractors to perform maintenance on a publicly owned structure within the boundaries of the easement.

Requests are prioritized based on three criteria: public health and/or safety, environmental impact, and severity of the problem requiring repair.

If you experience a sewer problem, please call Public Works at 708-535-4090 from 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. weekdays. After 3:30 p.m. or on weekends/holidays, you should call the police department's non-emergency phone number at 708-687-1376. The Public Works supervisor on call will be notified.

Spills on private property or inside a private building are the responsibility of the property owner. The city maintains its sewers on a regular basis, but because there is no way to control inappropriate debris placed into the sewer, the Illinois Tort Immunity Act exempts the city from fault of sewer back ups when there is no knowledge of the blockage or negligence on the part of the city.

We are here to help. Please call Public Works at 708-535-4090.

Many insurance policies do not cover sewer back ups. Please check your policy and consider adding a rider for sewage back ups if you are not covered. If you have sustained damage, please contact the Public Works Department at 708-535-4090 and your insurance carrier. Public Works will come out and inspect the mainline for potential blockages. We recommend that pictures be taken of any damage sustained to assist you with your insurance claim.

You are billed quarterly for your water / sewer usage.

Residential and commercial accounts are read every 90 days.

If your bill is not paid by the date due shown on the bill, a late fee of 5 percent of the outstanding balance will be added to your bill.

Your bill may be higher as a result of the increased rates. However, if your bill is unusually high, you may have a plumbing problem such as a leak.

You are responsible for fixing leaks and plumbing problems within the home or business plumbing system. Report the problem to Water Billing at 708-687-4050, ext. 1022 as soon as possible.

Yes. You can work with Water Billing to determine what a normal bill is for you, and pay this amount each month.

Water bills can be paid online (go to homepage and click Online Payments) or at the City Clerk's Office at City Hall, 15440 S. Central Avenue. A night drop box is available for payments after hours.

Service is generally restored within 24 hours of receipt of payment. Please be advised that all taps should be in the off position. Water Department personnel will not restore service if an adult is not home in a residence or business.

No. This is illegal. If we detect that you have restored your own service, you will be shut off and legal action may be taken to prosecute for theft of service.

Call Water Billing at 708-687-4050, ext. 1022.

Make sure all the water is off in your home (no washing machine or dishwashers running). Go out to your water meter in the ground, remove the lid and see if the dial is moving. If the dial moves at all, and you are sure the water is not on, then there is a leak somewhere in your plumbing between where it starts at the meter and your home. If you have a crawl space, be sure to check there also.

Call Water Billing at 708-687-4050, ext. 1022

We are here to help. Please call Water Billing at 708-687-4050, ext. 1022.

A storm water inlet is the metal grate which allows surface water to enter the storm water drainage system.

A storm water sewer is a pipe, conduit or open channel (sewer) that carries runoff from storms and surface drainage. Storm sewers do not convey waste water from homes or businesses.

You may opt out before the program begins, at no cost. Eligible resident and small commercial accounts will receive an opt out letter which they must sign and return within 14 days if they do not want to be in the program. Otherwise, they will automatically be enrolled.

Yes. Contact FirstEnergy Solutions at 866-636-3749 for information about how to enroll. We suggest you check your contract to review any early termination fees you may be liable for; you may wish to wait for your current contract to expire before enrolling in the aggregation program. You may join the program at any time during the two-year contract, for no fee.

A Municipal Electric Aggregation Program was approved by voters in a March 20, 2012 referendum allowing the city to seek pricing from an ARES for residents and small commercial accounts.

Yes. In 2011, 19 Illinois cities undertook an aggregation program, and their residents have enjoyed savings off the ComEd rate for the past year. In 2012, nearly 250 additional Illinois municipalities passed a referendum to contract for lower electric rates on behalf of residents and small commercial accounts. Several million residents will be enrolled in similar programs across the state.

The State of Illinois deregulated energy markets. Exelon is no longer the sole electric supplier as over 20 new suppliers now offer electricity to residents. Deregulation, and new technologies in electricity procurement have driven prices lower.

The effective ComEd rate for the period June 1 2012 - May 31 2013 is 8.5 cents per kWh. This includes a fixed charge of 8 cents (which includes supply and transmission services) plus a variable charge, the Purchase Electricity Adjustment (PEA), which, as of spring 2012, was 0.5 cents.

There is simply one fixed rate that covers both electric supply and transmission services, and no other charge for that portion of your electric bill. You will not be charged a Purchase Electricity Adjustment by FirstEnergy.

No. ComEd will continue to bill you for electric supply, delivery and taxes. ComEd delivers electricity, and will continue to bill you for that, but they no longer supply it. They will pass along the fees you pay for the supply of your energy to the new supplier. ComEd will retain the fees you pay them for delivery.

No. ComEd has not generated electricity since 2007. A government agency, the Illinois Power Agency (IPA) has contracted your electric supply for you. Now you can choose a new supplier.

Call ComEd with reports of outages or downed power lines at 800-334-7661. For questions about your supply, you can call the customer service number for FirstEnergy at 866-636-3749. This number will also be listed under ""Electric Supply Services"" on your ComEd bill.

Your new supplier's rate of 4.82¢ will be indicated on your ComEd bill along with the customer service number. Subtract that number (4.82¢) from the total current ComEd effective rate of 8.5¢ and the difference, multiplied by your kWh usage for the month, is the dollar amount you will have saved that month.

The rate is fixed for two years. The city can go back to bid for new rates when this term expires. You will automatically be included in the program again, or you can choose to opt out.

The Residential Electric Space Heat rate will increase on June 1, 2012 to a price to compare of 6.2 cents per kWh. Thus, at the Oak Forest aggregation program rate of 4.82 cents, you will save 22 percent off the ComEd price increase.

Yes, you may opt out now and join the program later, at no fee. Simply contact FirstEnergy and ask to enroll in the aggregation program.

Yes, you can later leave the program and move your account back to ComEd or another ARES. There is no early termination fee to leave the program.

The rate contracted for residents of the City is $0.0482 (or 4.82¢) per kWh for a term of two years.

Your account will be enrolled in the aggregation program sometime late summer with the savings reflected on the following month's bill.

Please note ComEd has rules that prohibit customers from switching accounts frequently. If your account was with an ARES and you moved back to ComEd more than two months ago, you are under a 12-month ""stay"" and may not switch to a new supplier for that time.

If you are automatically enrolled in the City's aggregation program, and later switch back to ComEd, you must switch to a new supplier within two months or you will be subject to that 12-month stay.

If you have never chosen a supplier and choose to opt out of the aggregation program, you are not under a 12-month stay and may switch to another supplier at any time.

FirstEnergy Solutions is a wholly owned subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp, an Akron, Ohio based, NYSE listed company. FirstEnergy Solutions is certified by the Illinois Commerce Commission as an Alternate Retail Electric Supplier in the State of Illinois. FirstEnergy has significant experience in municipal aggregations for electricity, serving over 1.5 millions residential accounts across several states.

Call FirstEnergy Solutions at 866-636-3749 for information about how to enroll in the aggregation program to receive the more favorable rate negotiated on your behalf by the City of Oak Forest.

No. If you currently receive assistance via PIPP or LIHEAP, that status will not change and you can continue to get these benefits for your ComEd bill.

No, your budget-billing plan will not change. You will continue to receive your electric bill from ComEd, and your budget-billing plan will not be affected.

Because your supply costs will decrease significantly, several months into the program you should contact ComEd and request your budget bill plan be re-calculated to a lower amount.

The City of Oak Forest entered into a contract with FirstEnergy that offers price protection with the two-year fixed rate. FirstEnergy will match the ComEd rate, should the ComEd rate drop below the contracted rate during that period.

Residents of the 19 municipalities that enrolled in aggregation programs last year are reporting no negative issues and are very pleased with the savings on their electric bills.

No. You need do nothing to automatically be enrolled in the program. If someone calls or visits your home claiming to be the City's power supplier, please report such activity to City Hall or file a complaint with the ICCl.

No. Since 2007, ComEd no longer generates electricity but is responsible for delivery. ComEd rates are delivery rates only. Your new supplier rates are for the supply only.

ComEd must request a rate hike from State of Illinois regulators. No matter whom you select as supplier, it won't affect whether or not ComEd increases its delivery rates.

If you stay within the city limits, you can remain in the aggregation program. If you move outside of the area, you will not be subject to an early termination fee. Check your new community to find out if they have a municipal electric aggregation program for which you can sign up. New residents moving into the community after the program begins will not be automatically enrolled in the program, but may contact FirstEnergy to enroll, for no fee.

By combining the purchasing power of all residents and small commercial accounts, the City of Oak Forest was able to negotiate rates lower than residents can achieve when switching individually to a new supplier. Oak Forest combined the purchasing power of resident accounts to negotiate a very favorable rate.

No. By law, ComEd remains the Provider of Last Resort (POLR), so if there is an issue with securing electric supply, ComEd will be required to deliver it, regardless.

The aggregation program will not impact your utility tax due. You are taxed on energy usage in kilowatt-hours, not the dollar cost of supply.

Yes. One hundred percent of your energy supply usage is represented by renewable "green" energy resources via the purchase of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). This represents the full portion your electric use. These renewable resources may include, but may not be exclusive to solar, wind, hydro and methane gas energy sources. RECs are certified credits for the actual production of renewable energy.

All streets within the community have been evaluated by the city engineer and the director of public works. The streets are ranked by the severity of repairs needed. The budgeted amount is then used to determine the number of streets the city can pave in any given year. There is no preference given to any particular ward.

The city is working to eliminate the high barrier curbs that were installed in the past. As part of the road program, the high curbs are being replaced one block at a time. Low curbs which are structurally sound will not be replaced.

It is the homeowner's responsibility to maintain the driveway apron. However, if the city replaces the curb and gutter of a street, it is usually necessary to remove a portion of the driveway apron. When this occurs, the city replaces only the portion which has been removed. On rare occasions, it is necessary to remove the entire apron due to serious deterioration.

Because the city uses state motor fuel tax funds to pay for the road program, we cannot require contractors to offer this option to residents. However, some contractors are willing to offer this service to homeowners. Once a contractor is selected, we will inform affected homeowners if this option becomes available.

Following initial construction, pavement begins the process of oxidation. Over time, it becomes dry, brittle, more rigid, and less flexible. The aggregate starts wearing away, causing cracks. Some small cracks can start to show in the first year of new pavement. The City of Oak Forest provides a quality maintenance program to extend the life cycle of asphalt up to 30 years, saving taxpayers money while providing safe and efficient roadways.

Crack seal is a hot, sticky, petroleum-based pavement crack and joint sealant. It does not resurface the entire street – it just fills cracks. The sealant forms a long-lasting, resilient seal which is flexible and expandable in varying and extreme pavement temperatures.

Crack seal is a treatment to maintain and extend the life cycle of the roadway. Research shows that crack sealing programs are cost effective in extending the life of pavement, as opposed to the cost of extensive pavement repairs for streets left unsealed. Crack sealing assists in the prevention of water between the layers of asphalt and sub-grade, thus preventing premature pavement failures, deterioration, and potholes.

City staff evaluates and updates a multi-year plan annually. Each year, we crack seal on those streets with cracks 1/4'' inch wide or wider that are scheduled for a surface treatment then continue to other roads as needed and as funding allows.

Where necessary, the sealant will be covered with a fine layer of sand to limit tracking. However, caution is still advised. When the material is first applied, it is extremely hot (400°), wet, sticky, and very difficult to remove from skin, shoes, and floor coverings. For the safety of children and pets, please keep them off the streets on the day your street is sealed.

You may drive on the street, but on-street parking will be prohibited. Sidewalks will not be closed.

Water interferes with the crack-sealing process, so we ask residents not to water lawns, wash cars, or engage in similar activities that may cause water to enter the street on the day their street is crack-sealed.