I am writing to establish, as a candidate for the office of village commissioner for the village of Forest Park, that I will not accept remuneration from the village for my services should the residents of Forest Park choose to elect me to this position.
I have not discussed this with anyone in village hall, but it is my preference that the stipend allocated for my services should be allocated to the pension funds for our police officers and firefighters. However, I have not been elected, so I will not put the cart before the horse.
It would have been my preference to handle this after the election, but I recently learned that I should have public documentation of my intention (transparency) for my employers. I am not permitted to accept remuneration and it is my preference not to.
I work at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, where I partner with our faculty to develop grants to raise funds for medical research; Northwestern does not endorse or have anything to do with my activities in Forest Park.
It should be noted that those who accept funding for their work with the village as commissioners should, and indeed it is a time commitment worthy of compensation. When we compensate elected officials we are opening the door to an increased level of representation and equity in our community.
Michelle Melin-Rogovin
Candidate for village commissioner
