Village Clerk, Chicago Ridge, Illinois (IL)

Clerk

Village Clerk

Village Clerk Charles Tokar Charles Tokar is currently the elected Village Clerk and Budget Officer for the Village of Chicago Ridge. He attended Our Lady of the Ridge grammar school in Chicago Ridge, Marist High School in Alsip, and Knox College in Galesburg, receiving his BS in Political Science and International Relations with Honors. He went on to graduate from Northern Illinois University Law School in 1978 and received his Masters Degree in Public Administration with Honors from Governors State University in 1992. After spending 12 years practicing law, and 14 years as a Village Trustee, Chuck was elected Clerk in 1989.

That same year he started, and still is Chairperson of the very popular annual RidgeFest celebration. He also initiated the annual Local Government Education Night, during which 8^th grade students sit in the place of the Mayor, other Elected Officials, Department Heads and other appointed personnel. This program, which has taught our young people about how their local government works, has been well received by the students, their parents and teachers.

Chuck was instrumental in pushing for Home Rule status for his hometown, which has been essential to keeping property taxes low and shifting the tax burden to the sales tax.

After a number of years of advanced study, Chuck received the designation of Master Municipal Clerk in 2002, becoming one of only 26 MMC's in Illinois. In May of 2005, Chuck was elected as the Vice President of the International Institute of Clerks, an organization of over 10,000 members worldwide. IIMC's mission is "Professionalism in Local Government through Education," and its purpose is to enhance the professionalism, status, and image of Municipal Clerks throughout the world. Chuck is very much looking forward to being sworn in a President of IIMC in May of 2007.

He has been a lifetime resident of Chicago Ridge, where his family operated Tokar's Supper Club for over 25 years. Chuck is extremely proud of his son Charlie, a senior Honors student and two-time MVP of the varsity basketball team at Morgan Park Academy.

Additional information about the Clerk's Office is located in the Services section of our website. Click here to go there.

Village of Chicago Ridge
10455 S. Ridgeland Avenue
Chicago Ridge, Illinois 60415
(708) 425-7700

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