City Council
The Council meets first Monday and the third Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 220 E. Deerpath. View Agendas and Minutes.
The Mayor and City Council oversee the City Manager, the City's Chief Administrative Officer. The City Manager oversees the City Clerk, the Director of Community Development, the Director of Finance, the Director of Innovation and Technology, the Fire Chief, the Police Chief, the Director of Human Resources, the Director of Parks and Recreation, the Director of Public Works, the Assistant City Manager and the Communications Manager.
Regular City Council meetings are broadcast LIVE on City 17. You may watch a meeting live on Comcast Channel 17 or on AT&T U-Verse, Channel 99 (scroll to "Lake Forest").
DVD copies of meeting are available in the Reference Section at Lake Forest Library. City Council meeting video archives can be viewed on-line after the meeting.
- The City of Lake Forest Decision-Making Parameters
- City Council and Staff Principles
- Rules Concerning Public Comment and Participation
- Resolution Adopting Principles and Rules
The City of Lake Forest Mission Statement"Be the best-managed, fiscally-responsible and appealing community and promote a community spirit of trust, respect and citizen involvement."
| Name | Position | Address | Telephone | |
| Stanford "Randy" Tack | Mayor | 8 N. Western Ave. | (847) 810-3675 | stack@cityoflakeforest.com |
| Nancy P. Novit | First Ward Alderman | 55 Washington Circle | (847) 615-7029 | novitn@cityoflakeforest.com |
| Joseph R. Waldeck | First Ward Alderman | 184 Washington Road | (847) 295-5143 | waldeckj@cityoflakeforest.com |
| Edward ("Ted") U. Notz, Jr. | Second Ward Alderman | 44 E. Stone Avenue | (847) 830-6689 | notze@cityoflakeforest.com |
| John G. Powers | Second Ward Alderman | 685 Timber Lane | (847) 274-5809 | powersj@cityoflakeforest.com |
| Jim Preschlack | Third Ward Alderman | 1760 N. Knollwood Lane | (847)234-1950 | preschlack@cityoflakeforest.com |
| Ara Goshgarian | Third Ward Alderman | 1046 N. Cahill Lane | (847)494-8766 | goshgariana@cityoflakeforest.com |
| Eileen Looby Weber | Fourth Ward Alderman | 1053 Old Barn Lane | (847) 489-9894 | webere@cityoflakeforest.com |
| Richard Walther | Fourth Ward Alderman | 1296 Oak Knoll Drive | (847) 306-0510 | waltherr@cityoflakeforest.com |
Mayor Stanford “Randy” Tack
Term: 2023-2025
Mayor Tack was sworn into office on Monday, May 1, 2023. Dr. Tack earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois and attended the University of Illinois College of Medicine. Dr. Tack graduated with honors and completed his residency at the University of Illinois in Orthopedic Surgery. While in residency, he was recruited by Lake Forest Orthopedics and specialized in Spine Surgery, prompting a fellowship at Rush Medical Center. He moved to Lake Forest upon completion of his fellowship. Dr. Tack was founding board member of the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute. He was appointed Vice President of the Midwest Orthopedic Network and managing partner at the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute. Dr. Tack also served as President of the Lake Forest Club. Dr. Tack was elected as a Third Ward Alderman in 2011, serving multiple terms from 2012-2018. While Alderman, Dr. Tack served as the Chairman of the Public Works Committee and Fire Services Committee. From 2021-2022, he also served as Chair of the Central Business District Working Group.
Alderman Nancy P. NovitTerm: 2022-2024
Nancy moved to Lake Forest 30 years ago with her husband Kent, a former Alderman, and two daughters. She graduated from St. Lawrence University with a BA in Political Science and received a JD from University of Illinois Chicago Law School. A former Cook County Assistant Public Defender, Nancy has continued to practice law, now specializing in real estate transactions and corporate organization. Upon moving to Lake Forest, she became an active community volunteer, serving with the Sheridan School and Deer Path Middle School APTs, chairing numerous events for the Lake Forest Open Lands Associate Board and the Lake Forest Infant Welfare Society and Ragdale. Nancy was a Deacon at the First Presbyterian Church, and a Board Member for the History Center of Lake Forest/Lake Bluff and the League of Women Voters of Lake Forest/Lake Bluff. Nancy also volunteered when the Gorton Community Center went through a restructuring phase in 2010. Nancy recently completed a 5 year term on the Zoning Board of Appeals before joining the City Council in July 2022.
Alderman Joseph R. WaldeckTerm: 2023-2024
Joe grew up in Lake Forest, IL and attended School of St. Mary's, Loyola Academy, and Marquette University before obtaining his Juris Doctor from Lewis University (Northern Illinois University College of Law). Joe then joined the Lake County State's Attorneys Office in Waukegan, II, then entered private practice where he remained until his appointment to the bench as an Associate Judge in 1995. Upon his retirement from the Bench in 2014, Joe returned to private practice and remained active in the Lake County Bar Association {Member, Judicial Selection and Retention Committee, Member, Lake County Bar Foundation) as well as the City of Lake Forest (Board Member, Gorton Community Center, Legal Committee, Chairman, 2021-2022). Joe and his wife, Catherine, remain active in the community and are proud to call Lake Forest their home.
Alderman Edward "Ted" U. Notz, Jr.
Term: 2022-2024
Ted took office on October 7, 2019. He attended Lake Forest public schools from Kingergarten through high school and returned to Lake Forest with his family in 1998. He graduated with a BA in Political Science from Denison University and received his MBA from DePaul University. He served six years on the Building Review Board, including four years as Chair, and five years on the Zoning Board of Appeals. He currently serves on the board of the Lake County Community Foundation, is an Elder at the First Presbyterian Church and served on the Lake Forest Preservation Foundation Board. Ted's professional background is in commercial real estate finance and development, and he is currently a Senior Vice President at Associated Bank. Ted currently serves on the Property & Public Lands Committee, and Public Works Committee.
Alderman John Powers
Term: 2023-2025
John grew up in Lake Bluff, IL and attended the School of St. Mary in Lake Forest prior to attending St. Mary Central High School in Neenah, WI. John moved to Lake Forest with his wife Robin in 1995. He graduated with a BA in Economics from the University of Missouri-Columbia and received an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management in 2000. John and Robin have a daughter and a son, both attended St. Mary’s and Lake Forest High School. John began his sales career in 1988 working for Scott Paper Company. Over the past 35 years he has held numerous executive positions in both public and private companies in the fields of distribution, logistics, business development, marketing supply chain, private equity and currently as Director, National Accounts at Abbott Diabetes Care. John served on numerous committees at both the church and school of St. Mary, a Ward 2 Member of the Lake Forest Caucus, an executive member of the Friends of Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Board, a trustee of Lake Forest Community High School District 115 and a board member at Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep High School in Waukegan, IL. 
Alderman Jim Preschlack
Term: 2022-2024 (Final Term)
Jim took office May 2018 as Third Ward Alderman. He first came to the community with his family in 1977 and has called Lake Forest home base ever since. Jim received a BA in Economics from Hamilton College and an MBA from the University of Rochester. In 1998, Jim moved back to Lake Forest and married his wife Paula Lillard Preschlack, who also grew up in town. They currently reside in the Knollwood Club with their two teenagers, Stanley and Lillard, and their standard poodle, Louis. Jim worked as a management consultant before and after business school with Accenture, Arthur D. Little and KPMG Consulting, where he specialized in helping companies define and implement large scale transformational change programs. In 2016, Jim co-founded InFlow Partners, a boutique business accelerator based in Lake Forest that helps early stage companies develop "go-to market" strategies, acquire new customers, and raise capital to scale their businesses. Jim has been active in the community, volunteering for the Lake Forest Caucus, the Historic Preservation Commission as a member and as its Chairman, the Vestry of the Church of the Holy Spirit, and Beacon Academy, a Montessori High School in Evanston. Jim currently serves as the Chairman of the Public Works Committee, City Host of the Lake Forest Collaborative for Environmental Leadership, and is a member of the Environmental Sustainability Committee
Alderman Ara Goshgarian
Term: 2023-2025 (Final Term)
Ara has lived in Lake Forest most of his life. He attended Everett School, Deer Path Middle School and Lake Forest High School prior to graduating from Carroll College and the University of Illinois, graduating with a DDS. He completed his orthodontic specialty program at Loyola University. Mr. Goshgarian returned to Lake Forest with his wife and four children to practice orthodontics with his father and has been in the community ever since. His children are currently attending and have attended both Districts 67 and 115 schools. Ara served on The Friends of Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Board, most recently as its Vice President. He is a past President of both The Illinois Society of Orthodontists and The Midwestern Society of Orthodontists. He is currently serving on the Council of Government Affairs and have served on the AAO's House of Delegates, which has financial, policy and bylaw oversight over his professional organization. Ara is active in the community, having served on the Lake Forest Caucus, and firmly believes the mechanism of the Caucus system best serves Lake Forest. Ara is liaison to Parks and Recreation, and currently serves as the Chairman of the Property & Public Lands Committee. He is also on the Ad-Hoc Golf Advisory Committee.
Alderman Eileen Looby Weber
Term: 2022-2024
Eileen was born and raised in Lake Forest and is a local business Vice President of Lake Forest Flowers. She served on the Cemetery Commission, Route 60 Corridor Working Group, is an active volunteer for the Church and School of St. Mary, and is a member of the Junior Garden Club of Lake Forest. She also served on the Waukegan Road/Settlers' Square Business District Working Group and the LF-LB Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. She is a past President of the Lake Forest Caucus and the Amberley Woods Condominium Association. An avid floral enthusiast, Eileen has taught workshops at Elawa Farm, Dickinson Hall and for other organizations. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Horticultural Production and Marketing from Purdue University and an MBA from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. Eileen and her husband Brian have two young sons. Eileen currently serves as Chairman and liaison to the Civic Beautification Committee, and is a member of the Property & Public Lands Committee and Environmental Sustainability Committee.
Alderman Richard Walther
Term: 2023-2025
Richard is a 17-year resident of Lake Forest who has served in various volunteer community roles, including member of the Lake Forest Building Review Board (BRB) 2018 to 2023, member of the 2018-2022 Strategic Planning Committee, Deer Path Road Streetscape Committee, and Route 60 Corridor – Vision for the Future Committee. Rich is a licensed structural engineer who specializes in the evaluation and repair of bridges, infrastructure, and buildings. After earning Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Civil Engineering from Purdue University, Rich joined the firm of Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) where he has recently completed his 34th year of employment. Rich and his wife, Leanna, have been married 29 years and have two adult sons, both of whom attended Lake Forest public schools. Both sons earned their Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Rich, a fervent advocate of Servant Leadership, also thrived within the BSA programs serving as Cubmaster for Pack 148 (Everett School) and Scoutmaster for Troop 46 (First Presbyterian Church). In these roles, Rich guided more than 90 youth to complete their Eagle Scout Award and values the positive contributions these young men made to our community. Effective May 2023, Rich continues his community involvement representing the citizens of Ward 4 as their Lake Forest City Council Alderman.