Since Aug. 19, Forest Park’s Village Hall has run without a village administrator, since Rachell Entler is on leave for surgery and won’t return until Oct. 6.
Megan Roach, who’s served as executive assistant to Mayor Rory Hoskins and Entler since March 2024, has largely filled in for Entler — who manages the village’s day-to-day operations, since the mayor is a part-time position.
“He’s been stepping up, too,” Roach said of Hoskins. “It has been challenging. I feel like I have a new appreciation for the role of village administrator,” Roach told the Review.
The village administrator oversees all departments, makes or approves purchases of supplies and equipment for them, manages maintenance and operation of village-owned property, and implements regulations and directives approved by the village council.
Roach said she regularly communicates with Entler by phone or email on pressing matters or those she’s uncertain about. That includes preparations for council meetings, ensuring commissioners have required documents and that every agenda item can legally be discussed and passed. For example, at the last council meeting, commissioners unanimously approved four items involving TIF districts.
“After that, there’s a lot of things that have to happen. Certified copies have to be filed with the county, they have to be sent out to all taxing districts, and it all has to happen in a timely manner,” Roach said. “I was able to contact her, and there was something she was able to walk me through that I had missed.”
In Entler’s absence, Roach said employees working in Village Hall have been incredibly helpful.
“All village staff have been stepping up trying to make sure nothing falls through the cracks,” Roach said. “I’ve just been running more things by the mayor and the department heads.” She added that Finance Director Letitia Olmsted has been especially helpful, since she knows the ins and outs of Forest Park’s economics and has worked for the village for over 20 years.
Roach said, besides Entler’s workload, the most challenging part about stepping up to fill her role has been communicating with people outside the village giving sales pitches, “people who want an answer immediately, and it’s not an emergency.”
After getting more of an inside look into village administration, Roach said she’s happy in her behind-the-scenes position as executive assistant. In that role, Roach writes and sends out the village’s weekly newsletter, interacts with residents, serves as deputy clerk in council meetings, and handles public relations for Hoskins and Entler.
“I thought I was busy,” Roach said. “There’s a lot going on that [Entler] takes care of. …She wears many hats.” She added, “It will be a wonderful day when she comes back.”