Peter N. Silvestri

Peter N. Silvestri is currently a member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners representing the 9th district which includes the Norwood Park and Dunning areas of the City of Chicago as well as the surrounding suburbs of Des Plaines, Elmwood Park, Harwood Heights, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Norridge, Park Ridge, River Forest, River Grove, Rosemont and Schiller Park. During part of his tenure as Cook County Commissioner he was also the Village President of Elmwood Park, Illinois serving in that post from 1989 until 2013.

Early life

Silvestri was born January 12, 1957 in Brantford, Canada. Silvestri has lived in Elmwood Park since 1971, and is a graduate of Elmwood Park High School. He attended DePaul University during his undergraduate and its law school for his juris doctorate. In 1977, at the age of twenty, Silvestri became the then-youngest person in Illinois elected to a local school board when he won a seat on the Elmwood Park Community Unit School District 401. He served on that board for two years, and was president of the board when he left to serve in other offices. Following Silvestri's exit from the school board, he served on the Zoning Board, Plan Commission, Civic Foundation, and as village trustee before his election to village president.

Village President of Elmwood Park

Silvestri succeeded Richard G. Torpe as Village President, defeating Jo Ann Serpico and Jeanne Ohr. While village president, Silvestri oversaw numerous beautification projects in the village, as well as efforts to modernize the police, fire, and public works departments. Silvestri also holds a good financial track record with the village, which is seen through the village's high bond rating, minimal debt and a reduced tax levy during his final year. Other accomplishments while in office include an expanded recreation center, the creation of Mills, Torpe and Central Parks and an expanded Bambi Park.

Cook County Commissioner

In 1993, the Cook County Board of Commissioners announced a move from two multi-member districts that elect ten members from Chicago and seven from the suburbs to seventeen single member districts. Silvestri was first elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners in November 1994 over Commissioner Marco Domico. As a member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners he serves as the chair for the Finance-Litigation and Zoning & Building committees. He is the vice chair of the committees for Contract Compliance, Human Relations and Law Enforcement as well as a member of the committees for Capital Improvements, Environmental Control, Rules & Administration and Technology. Additionally, like all commissioners, he is a member of the board for the Forest Preserve District of Cook County which is responsible for the management of 68,000 acres of forest preserves.