At the April 25 Forest Park Village Council meeting, commissioners agreed to hold a public forum on the controversial topic of video gaming in local bars by the end of May. Easier said than done, unfortunately. According to a May 4 press release from Mayor Anthony Calderone’s office, coordinating the schedules of all the desired panelists has proved more difficult than expected.
According to the release, “Ideally, the panel would consist of respected representatives, both in opposition to, and in favor of, the gaming law. Council members identified panelists they hoped to have participate, which included some members from a recent forum in Riverside, and added to the list representatives from towns similar to Forest Park who both allow and prohibit video gaming.”
However, “coordinating the availability of panelists and elected officials has been a struggle for staff, and the month of May proved impossible.”
June did, too, “given the fact that one elected official will be available for the entire month.”
As a result, the forum will be postponed “until sometime in July.” The date will be publicized as soon as it is nailed down.
