March 3 City E-News: Spotlight on Community Character; 2-1-1 Resource and Ward Boundary Reminder

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Message from Mayor Andrew Goczkowski

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of joining hundreds of business representatives, chamber members, local elected officials and stakeholders at the Mayor’s Annual Address to Businesses. Sponsored by the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce & Industry, this event is always an excellent opportunity to connect with local businesses and share successes from the past year. Congratulations to the organizations recognized with Community Enhancement Awards for their contributions to our community and thank you for your partnership.

Andrew Goczkowski and Chamber Board President Rebecca Banks

We are continuing our video series focusing on the City’s four top Strategic Goals in an effort to help you better understand our priorities and investments and what they mean for the community. Our second video focuses on Community Character. We strive to build Community Character by creating a Sense of Community by engaging with residents, stakeholders and partners to enrich our collective well-being. Events, collaboration with local partners and even E-news are all tools to help us achieve that goal. Please find out more about what we're doing and ways to get involved by watching the video, and be sure to check out the first Strategic Goal video on Infrastructure and Mobility.

As always, feel free to contact me directly at agoczkowski@desplaines.org or 847-391-5301. Please share this E-News with your family, friends and neighbors and encourage them to subscribe.

City Council Preview

Council will meet on Monday, March 6 at 7 p.m. Here are some noteworthy items on the agenda:

• A proclamation recognizing National Women’s History Month
• City Council will approve of the re-appointment of Josephine Al-Naemy, Ronald Burton, Mary Dankowski, and Bob Neil to the Des Plaines Youth Commission. Thank you for being so committed to the youth of Des Plaines.
• A resolution approving the two-year renewal of an agreement for crossing guard services.

 Read the agenda here for more details and watch the livestream here.

Spotlight on Community Character 

Cook County 211

211 Metro Chicago is a free and confidential helpline offering 24/7 access to a trained, local specialist who will connect you to food, housing, utility assistance, access to health care and other vital resources.

Launched by the City of Chicago, Cook County, and United Way of Metro Chicago, 2-1-1 is now available to all Cook County residents.

Find the help you need today:

- Call 2-1-1

- Text your zip code to 898211

- Visit 211MetroChicago.org

Daylight Saving Begins

The beginning of Daylight Saving Time is approaching. The Des Plaines Fire Department wants to remind everyone of the simple life-saving habit of changing the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Change the batteries when you change your clock! Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 12 when clocks are set ahead one hour.

Reminder: New Ward Boundaries

In 2022, the City of Des Plaines was required to adjust our ward boundaries to meet U.S. constitutional and state regulations. The video below explains the changes that were made to address our growing population. As a result, some wards may have shifted.

Wards 2, 4, 6 and 8 are part of the April 4 consolidated election. Find out what ward you are in by viewing the maps online or using our Community Portal.

Emergency Management Volunteers

Have you ever seen a bad accident, large fire, or other incident and wondered how you could help? Do you want to make a difference in Des Plaines? If so, consider applying for the Des Plaines Emergency Management Agency (EMA) volunteer program! Orientation will be on Wed., March 22 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. To learn more about this volunteer opportunity and the requirements, please visit desplaines.org/ema.

Welcome New Businesses

• RSA Properties II LLC
• American Green Inc
• Bristol Hospice Chicago LLC
• Camburas & Theodore Ltd
• Care Providers of Illinois
• Crystal Home Care
• DesPlaines Mobile
• IFPC Worldwide Inc
• Leahu Law Group LLC
• Papa Rays Pizza 4 Inc
• Popsmoke
• Romanian-American Network
• Tax House
• UroPartners Surgery Center

March Meetings & Reminders

• 3/6 Council Meeting 7 p.m.
• 3/12 Daylight Saving Begins
• 3/20 Council Meeting 7 p.m.  

Visit desplaines.org and check out our calendar to see what’s happening at the City and around town.

City of Des Plaines
Phone 847.391.5300

1420 Miner Street
Des Plaines, IL 60016