There are 24 separate and independent Boards and Commissions in the City of Oak Park operating in an advisory capacity to the City Council and City Administrative Staff. All are primarily composed of citizen volunteers and perform vital functions for our City.

Section 4.18, Independent Boards and Commissions, of the City of Oak Park Charter, states: "The Council may not create any board or commission, other than those provided for in this Charter, to administer any activity, department or agency of the City government except (a) a municipal hospital, (1)) recreation or (c) any activity which by statute is required to be so administered. The Council may, however, establish (a) quasi-judicial appeal boards and boards or commissions to serve solely in an advisory capacity. The following Boards and Commissions have been created.

To be a member of a Board or Commission, you must be a two (2) year resident of Oak Park. If you would like to volunteer for a position on one of the Boards or Commissions, please contact the City Manager at 248-691-7410 or complete the e-mail form in the forms and brochure page.

Arts and Cultural Commission: 691-7480
The Arts and Cultural Commission performs the following functions: considers, studies and recommends plans for City-wide cultural programs; promotes, coordinates and develops the performing and creative arts with the objective of bringing together the arts of the community; makes recommendations for cultural opportunities to facilitate communications with the Michigan Council of the Arts.

Beautification Advisory Commission: 691-7497
The Beautification Advisory Commission considers and advises the City Council on the following: consider and propose programs which would improve the physical appearance of the community; annually organize and carry out a short term campaign to encourage citizen participation in activities designed to beautiful the City.

Board of Review: 691-7550
The Board of Review hears citizen’s assessment complaints. If the Board determines that any person or property has been wrongfully assessed or omitted from the roll, the Board may act in any manner it deems just.

Board of Trustees - Employees Retirement System: 691-7410
The Board is vested with the general administration, management and responsibility for the proper operation of the retirement system, as well as for construing and making effective the provisions of the retirement system.

Building Board of Appeals: 691-7410
The Building Board of Appeals has the duty, responsibility and authority to hear and decide such appeals under the Building Code of the State of Michigan.

Cable Television Advisory Commission: 691-7589
The functions of the Commission are: strengthen locally originated programming in order to meet the need and desires of its audience; assist in developing guidelines for integrating local C.A.T.V. programming with community needs; encourage and coordinate the best use of public facilities and channels of the system; prepare an annual report outlining the accomplishments of the commission; perform advisory functions to the City Council.

City Board of Canvassers: 691-7544
The Board of Canvassers convenes on the day following each City election, at the usual time and place of meeting of the Council, to determine the results of the City election upon each question and proposition voted upon. Once the Board determines which persons are duly nominated or elected to the several offices, it then gives each candidates or nominee written notification of their nomination or election.

Compensation Commission: 691-7410
The Oak Park Local Officers' Compensation Commission shall determine the salaries of all elected officials of the City of Oak Park.

Down Spout Board of Appeals: 691-745
The Down Spout Board of Appeals is authorized to exempt property owners from disconnecting their down spouts from eaves trough on buildings (Ordinance 85) because the property will be damaged out of proportion to the benefit sought.

Economic Development Corporation: 691-7410
The Economic Development Corporation's purpose is to alleviate and prevent conditions of unemployment; assist and retain local industries; provide means and methods to encourage and assistance industrial commercial enterprises in locating, purchasing, constructing, reconstructing, modernizing, improving, maintaining, repairing, furnishing, and expanding in the City.

Election Commission: 691-7544
The Election Commission appoints the inspectors for each precinct and controls all activities relating to elections in the City.

Emergency Services Council: 691-7504
The Emergency Services Council advises the City Manager and the Emergency Services Director on matters pertaining to emergency management, especially in plan development.