Mokena Park District Increases Spending Authority to Align with New State Law

Mokena Community Park District Meeting | September 23, 2025

Article Summary: The Mokena Community Park District Board of Commissioners has updated its purchasing policy, increasing the executive director’s authority to approve purchases for supplies and materials from $30,000 to $60,000. The change, which also raises department heads’ purchasing limits, aligns the district’s policy with a new Illinois law that recently went into effect.

Purchasing Policy Amendment Key Points:

• The board unanimously approved amendments to its purchasing policy based on a new state law, Public Act 104-0114.

• The Executive Director’s authority to approve purchases for supplies and materials was increased to $60,000, with prior written or email approval from the Board President required.

• The bidding threshold for work remains unchanged at $30,000.

• Purchasing authority for department heads was also increased from $3,000 to $5,000.

The Mokena Community Park District Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, unanimously approved amendments to its purchasing policy to increase spending thresholds, a move designed to align with a new state law. The updated policy raises the Executive Director’s authority to approve purchases for supplies and materials from under $30,000 to a new limit of $60,000.

The change was prompted by Illinois Public Act 104-0114, which went into effect on August 1, 2025. The new law amends the Park District Code by establishing separate bidding thresholds, increasing the limit for supplies and materials to $60,000 while leaving the threshold for work contracts at $30,000.

According to a memo from Executive Director Greg Vitale, the district’s previous policy allowed him to approve all purchases under the single $30,000 threshold. The new policy specifically adopts the state’s higher limit for supplies and materials. However, it adds a layer of oversight, requiring the Executive Director to obtain prior written or email approval from the Board President for any such purchases between $30,000 and $60,000.

“The new policy aligns with the new law and increases this authority to $60,000,” Vitale stated in his recommendation to the board.

In addition to the changes for the executive director, the board also approved an increase in purchasing authority for department heads. Under the revised policy, department heads can now make purchases up to $5,000, an increase from the previous limit of $3,000.

The motion to approve the amended policy was made by Commissioner Robert Lindbloom and seconded by Commissioner Steve Jacobson, passing by a 6-0 vote. The policy continues to require multiple quotes for larger purchases, with a minimum of two quotes for purchases over $1,000 and three written quotes for those over $5,000, to ensure fiscal responsibility.