In the early 1950's partisan bickering, divisiveness, poor services, shoddy management, and patronage drove residents to replace this form of government with a more progressive administrative structure. In 1952, Oak Parkers voted to change their government to the current form. The village manager form of government, also known as the council-manager form, combines the leadership of elected officials with the experience of a professional manager who acts as the administrative and executive head of the government. The elected officials set Village policy, determine the tax rate and approve the annual budget. The manager serves in the capacity set out by State of Illinois statute as the Village Board's chief adviser, carrying out its policies, recruiting and hiring the government staff and preparing the annual budget for the Board's approval.
Oak Park continues to be incorporated as a village but under a village manager form of government.
As such the Board of Trustees retains power vested in it by the voters, and employs the manager as its full-time executive who carries out the Board's decisions. The length of each term is four years. With overlapping election terms, only one half of the Board of Trustees is elected every two years. This ensures some carryover in experience and background on the Board at all times. The Village President is elected at-large and separately from the Trustees.