The first of six meetings to discuss the future of Oak Forest sparked conversation on business development and other specifics on how the city can improve.

About 40 residents attended the Strategic Planning Initiative meeting Tuesday night in the Acorn Public Library. The purpose of the meeting is to gather resident feedback, as well as input from different groups within the community, on the direction they want Oak Forest's future to go.

District 142 Superintendent Margaret Longo and Oak Forest Mayor Hank Kuspa led the meeting. People were asked what they thought were Oak Forest’s strengths, what opportunities there might be for improvement and what “threats” the city faces.

"Many of the comments that you have brought up today are things that the Council and I are well aware of,” Kuspa said.

Click here to see the full list of topics raised during the meeting and to leave your own thoughts.

Launching into strengths first, those in attendance pointed to the city’s family-orientated quality and emphasized a general sense of security.

Oak Forest has many opportunities to improve, according to residents. There is a need for more business and retail, as well as finding additional industrial park opportunities. Many emphasize the need for business growth.

Residents said they fear rising taxes and consider crime from bordering communities and failure to attract new business to be among some of the more pressing threats.

Sign up for Oak Forest Patch's daily newsletter to follow the ongoing planning initiative!

Want more government news?

• City Strategic Planning Meeting Series Launches
• 'Fixing' Oak Forest: What Would You Do?
• City of Oak Forest Buys Old Numero Uno