Betty Alzamora, Tim Gillian elected to park board
The Park District of Forest Park’s Board of Commissioners has a new member – and a re-elected one.
Out of 1,441 ballots cast for the park board on April 1, Maria “Betty” Alzamora got nearly 36% of votes, Tim Gillain received over 33%, and Sammiejo Oswalt got over 30%.
Gillian, current president of the park district’s board of commissioners, will return to the board for his second term. And Alzamora will join him on the park board, marking the first time she’s run for an elected race.
Alzamora said she’s humbled and a bit stunned to join the park board.
“I’m just so incredibly grateful for the support that I’ve received from the community – their trust and their confidence. The conversations that I had along the way were incredibly enriching,” Alzamora told the Review. “I’m just thrilled to be a part of something that is so much a representation of things that I value and that a lot of people in our community value.”
“I was obviously glad,” Gillian told the Review about his reaction to finding out he was re-elected. “Being Irish, I don’t like to lose anything. I was very happy that people decided to come out and vote.”
Gillian previously told the Review that his park district goals include having dedicated personnel help with social services and mental health resources, starting a free swim lessons program, and adding on to the Roos Recreation Center – a project for which the park district is currently working with architects
Gillian said he’s looking forward to “continuing the work that this board and executive director started.”
Alzamora’s goals for the park district include understanding what’s logistically possible in terms of development when it comes to the Altenheim property and the land at H&R Auto. She also wants to create more opportunities for older teens and start hosting town halls or office hours.
Alzamora is most looking forward to getting to know and work with those on the park board and their institutional knowledge, “being able to understand the nuts and bolts of a lot of the issues that people have spoken with me about,” she said. Then, of course, communicating what she learns to residents, remaining connected and engaged with the community.
Though Oswalt – a fourth-generation Forest Parker who started working for the park district when she was 15 and, for nearly 20 years, has worked the No Glove Nationals softball tournament as an announcer and statistic-keeper – won’t sit on the park board this term, she previously told the Review that she will continue to remain involved in the village.
“At the end of the day, win or lose, it doesn’t dictate my standing in the park district or my association to No Gloves,” Oswalt said.
Alzamora will be a new face on the board, a success that she said isn’t so much a reflection of her as it is of the community.
“This whole process was all about being able to have new, fresh perspectives coming in,” Alzamora said. “Election results come and go, but it’s community engagement that matters.”
In Tuesday’s election, voter turnout was nearly 14% of over 10,332 registered voters.
“There’s a story to be told about the fact that we had such low turnout,” Alzamora said. “I will forever be grateful to the 901 people who put me as one of their choices.”
Gillian said the same of his 838 votes: “Thank you to everyone who came out and voted.”
