Oct. 16 City E-News: 2025 Proposed Budget, Harvest Hoot, DEA Drug Take Back Day

City of Des Plaines sent this bulletin at 10/16/2024 04:00 PM CDT

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Message from Mayor Goczkowski

Autumn is in the air here in Des Plaines. The leaves are changing colors, and before we know it, they will be on the ground as we head into the 2024 holiday season.

October is a busy month for the City. The Des Plaines Police Department is starting the final phase of a multi-year remodel of the Police Station, our City Hall team has introduced the 2025 annual budget with many exciting upgrades for the community, and we are also preparing for exciting fall activities throughout the rest of the month.

The Des Plaines Police Department, located next to City Hall, will turn 50 years old next year. Remodeling that began in 2023 will be finished next year. The station will have all new facilities for our Police Department, including a new jail, new space for our patrol officers, updated locker rooms, and new training facilities. These improvements will be a tremendous asset to the men and women of the Department as they work to keep our neighborhoods safe.

The 2025 Proposed Budget had its first public meeting on October 10, and we have another meeting scheduled for this evening at 6 p.m. at City Hall. I’m very proud of this year's budget, and I sincerely thank our hard-working staff for putting together such a resident and business-focused budget. There are many great aspects of this year's budget, but I am specifically very proud of the City’s continued focus on fiscal responsibility. This year's budget has no increase to the property tax levy, which means we are not asking our residents or businesses to pay more.

Lastly, I encourage you to read through the rest of this newsletter to learn more about the fun activities happening this month, including Harvest Hoot this Saturday at Oakton College starting at noon.

I hope to see you this month. Until then, feel free to contact me directly at agoczkowski@desplainesil.gov or 847-391-5301. Please share this E-News with your family, friends and neighbors and encourage them to subscribe.

Yours in service,

Andrew Goczkowski, Mayor

Email Mayor Goczkowski

City Council Preview

City Council will meet on Monday, October 21, at 7 p.m. Here are a few noteworthy items from the agenda:

0% Property Tax Levy Increase
Discussion Regarding Business Assistance Grants
Discussion Regarding a Pilot Program for Bee Hives & Apiaries
Discussion Regarding Recreational Vehicles

For more details, visit the City's website here and watch the livestream here.

Harvest Hoot Event

Join us for a festive fall celebration at Harvest Hoot on Saturday, October 19, from noon to 4 p.m. at Oakton College in Des Plaines! Experience live performances, navigate a playful inflatable corn maze, marvel at a live pumpkin carving demonstration, and participate in family-friendly activities. Be sure to browse through our artisan market featuring over 25 distinctive vendors and savor delicious bites from a variety of food trucks. It’s the perfect way to enjoy the season with the whole community. We’re looking forward to seeing you there! Visit desplainesil.gov/harvesthoot for more information.

Curbside Leaf Collection

The City's collection (separate from the LRS weekly pick-up) begins October 21. Leaves must be raked by 6 a.m. on the scheduled pick-up date. The leaf pick-up zone numbers are the same as the refuse pick-up. Please position the leaves into one neat, continuous row, one foot (12") from the curb. Grass, branches, brush, rocks, and other debris will not be collected. Visit desplainesil.gov/leafcollection for more details.

DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

The Des Plaines Police Department is hosting a free prescription drug take-back event on Saturday, October 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Des Plaines Municipal Complex lobby as part of DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. For more information visit dea.gov/takebackday

Halloween in Des Plaines

The City of Des Plaines does not have designated hours for trick-or-treating on Oct. 31. Those homes interested in welcoming trick-or-treaters are asked to turn on porch or outdoor lights. Those who are not interested are asked to keep outdoor lights off. The City also has flyers available online to let your neighbors know if you are participating. Visit desplainesil.gov/halloween.

Pumpkin Smash

Looking for a sustainable and fun way to dispose of your pumpkin after Halloween? Community members are encouraged to bring their pumpkins, jack-o’-lanterns, and gourds to the Des Plaines Pumpkin Smash composting event on Saturday, November 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Prairie Lakes Fitness Center North Parking Lot, 515 E. Thacker St., Des Plaines.

Co-hosted by the City of Des Plaines and the Des Plaines Park District, this event allows attendees to toss their pumpkins into the designated dumpster, and WasteNot Compost will haul them away for composting. Painted pumpkins are fine, but please remove any non-biodegradable materials like candles, googly eyes, stickers, plastic, and yarn.

Please don’t put your pumpkin in the trash; bring it to the smash and green your Halloween!

October Meetings and Reminders

10/16 Special City Council Budget Meeting 6 p.m.
10/19 Harvest Hoot Noon to 4 p.m.
10/21 City bulk curbside leaf pick-up begins
10/21 City Council Meeting 7 p.m.
10/24 Special City Council Budget Meeting 6 p.m. (if needed)
10/26 DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
10/31 Halloween

Visit desplainesil.gov and check out our calendar to see what’s happening around town.

City of Des Plaines
Phone 847.391.5300

1420 Miner Street
Des Plaines, IL 60016

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