Dear Neighbors,
The Lake County Board has spent a lot of time
over our recent meetings discussing ways to reform and improve government
transparency, accountability and changes to the way the County Board Chairman
is elected. This is all in response to legislation introduced in Springfield
last month by Senator Terry Link that would change the way the Lake County
Board Chairman is elected.
Currently the Board chooses one of its own
members to serve as chairman. Sen. Link’s bill would change the law so that
voters directly elect the chairman beginning in 2020. Voters choose county board chairs directly in Cook, DuPage, Will and McHenry counties. Currently,
Lake County is the largest county in our state that does not directly elect its
County Board Chairman.
The Board's and the Chairman’s response has
been to offer additional reforms and to place the question on a county-wide
ballot for a referendum. The questions to voters would be "do you want to directly elect
your chairman?” and also to ask voter approval for reducing the number of
County Board districts and changing the County Board redistricting process. I support these proposed reforms, but I would like to point out some
areas where as your representative on the Lake County Board, I have a different
view.
We don't need to wait for a referendum to
enact fair redistricting in Lake County or to reduce number of Board districts.
The Board already has this authority.
The Board has the authority to reduce the
board size and redraw their own boundaries, as was done after the last census
in 2010, which resulted in Deerfield now being represented by three board
members (including myself) instead of just one. I think the process used
previously could have been more transparent and more fair. The Board
should not wait for a voter referendum to improve our processes. We can
already do those things.
I will continue to work closely with all of
the members of the County Board as we work to improve our systems of
governance, and I'll communicate with you directly and more regularly on
this and other topics.
Thanks for reading my update!
 The April
4 Consolidated Election gives Lake County
residents some real voter power as they will be electing their local mayors,
presidents, supervisors, clerks, commissioners, alderman, councilmen, and
assessors. Also on the ballot will be park, library, and school board district
candidates along with eight public questions.
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For the April 4 Consolidated Election and all subsequent elections, residents who voted at Northwood Junior High School will now be voting at the Chinese Christian Union Church on Half Day Road, immediately west of U.S Route 41. Use the polling place locator to find your assigned voting site.
Grace voter registration is available at all early
voting sites, which are open now through April 3 as well as at the assigned
Election Day voting site and the County Clerk’s Office on April 4. Registered
voters are encouraged to log onto LakeVoterPower.info to confirm their registration records reflect their current name and
address.
Vote
by mail
Registered voters can request a ballot by mail until March 30. Voting by
mail is so easy that even a couch potato can do
it!
Early voting
Early voting will run through
April 3. Vote at any early voting site regardless of where you live. View
the early voting sites, dates and hours.
Election Day
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on April 4. Use the polling
place locator to find your assigned voting site.
Preview your ballot
Registered Lake County voters can preview their
ballot at LakeVoterPower.info after logging in to confirm their registration status.
Get up-to-date
election information by visiting the County
Clerk’s website as well as by following the County Clerk’s Office
on their Facebook
page and on Twitter.
 More
than 200 Lake County leaders, including myself recently came together to take a stand for
inclusion and unity and pledged to make Lake County an inclusive and welcoming
community. Following increased
reports of divisiveness, intolerance, and disrespectful actions across the
country, Lake County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor and State’s Attorney Mike
Nerheim, along with The Partnership for a Safer Lake County hosted the Summit
of Leaders to engage local leaders to have a meaningful discussion around
inclusion and building respect in all aspects of community life. Watch this video to learn more about
the summit.
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The Board approved two significant actions at its March meeting,
one that approves a half million dollars to support people with gambling
addiction and other behavioral health issues, and another that creates a
commission on governmental accountability and reform.
Lake County collects a portion of the revenue generated from
video gaming in the unincorporated areas of the county. Consistent with its
policy to allocate those funds to support social programs, the Board approved
$545,000 in grant funding to several local agencies for gambling addiction and
other behavioral health services.
The Board also took action to create a bipartisan commission to evaluate proposed reform measures and report on key findings that
enhance accountability to the public, provide for an effective and responsive
government structure, maintain strong professional and ethical standards, as
well as redistricting reform to mitigate political influence. The group
will consist of community members, elected officials, faith leaders, major
political party representatives, and other advocates of good government. The
action is in response to proposed State legislation that would require a
referendum for voters to decide whether they support a countywide elected
chairman--fundamentally changing Lake County’s current structure where the
Chairman is selected by county board members every two years. Learn more.
 Nearly 25 percent of Lake County commuters are finding ways to beat the
traffic with alternative transportation such as carpooling and commuter rail
service. Lake County now leads suburban Chicago counties in non-traditional
commuters. Learn
more about this transportation snapshot.
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 The Highland Park Senior Connector now offers expanded services by extending operation hours from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and adding
additional stops to better accommodate seniors.
The expanded Senior Connector
hours provide transportation later in the afternoon for those residents
interested in participating in the afternoon activities at the Senior Center. Additional stops added to the route include Sherwood Forest, CVS and
Brooke Estates.
The Senior Connector is a
handicapped-accessible bus providing free rides to Highland Park residents ages 50 and older on a fixed route, with stops at residential, medical, retail and other locations within the community, including the Highland Park Senior
Center and the library.
The revised Senior Connector service also provide student transportation from
specific schools to the Firehouse Youth Center in the afternoons, which allows
the City to eliminate the Youth Center van. View the new Senior Connector schedule.
For information, contact Transit Coordinator
Lee Overholser at 847-432-3325 or Manager of Youth & Senior Services Laura
Frey at 847-926-1860.
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 Crooks use schemes to defraud millions of people. They
combine technology and tricks to get you to give money or personal information,
pressuring you to make important decisions on the spot. Stay a step ahead and
protect yourself with the latest
information as well as practical tips from the Federal Trade Commission. Sign up to get scam alerts right to your email.
Be aware of deeds scam in Lake County
The Lake County Recorder’s office has received calls from residents about official letters they have received regarding the deed to their home. The Recorder's office is urging you to be cautious, especially if you recently purchased or refinanced your home. Find out more
Sheriff's Office warns of telephone scam in Lake County
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has received reports
of residents receiving fraudulent telephone calls from individuals falsely
representing themselves to be from the Sheriff’s Office and serving the caller
with a collection notice to collect money. Residents should be aware the
Sheriff’s Office never calls to solicit money for any reason. Find
out more
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 Please join the Lake County
State’s Attorney’s Office in recognizing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week on
April 4 at the College of Lake County A wing lower level auditorium in
Grayslake. The resource fair will run from 5:30 to 6 p.m., and the program will
follow. This year’s theme of National Crime Victims’ Rights week reflects a
vision for the future in which all victims are strengthened by the response
they receive. Organizations are resilient in response to challenges, and
communities are able to seek collective justice and healing.
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Current
status of mumps in Lake County
On March 7, the Lake County Health Department announced an official mumps
outbreak after the third case of mumps was confirmed at Barrington High School.
The Health Department continues to monitor suspected and probable cases of the
disease in the county. The Health Department will regularly be updating its mumps web
page, where you can find the current status of mumps
in the county, information about mumps, and helpful resources related to mumps.
 Spring
pet vaccination clinics begin April 1
The Lake County Health Department will offer
spring pet vaccination clinics starting April 1 at locations across the county.
These low-cost clinics provide a convenient, affordable way to keep pets up to
date with their shots and rabies tags. Learn more about the clinics and all upcoming dates.
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 Junior high and high school girls, parents, and
role models are invited to join the annual Girl-Wise
Conference from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 8 at the College of
Lake County. This annual conference offers the girls an opportunity to attend
workshops that promote creativity, healthy bodies, healthy minds, and taking
charge of their lives. To
register, call the Girl-Wise Hotline at 847-377-7909, or fill out an online registration form.
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 University
Center to hold free open house March 30
The University Center of Lake County will hold a
free open house from 6 to 8 p.m. March 30 at the University Center's Grayslake facility,
1200 University Center Drive. The event will showcase the 130 academic programs
available in Lake County for adults who wish to complete a bachelor’s degree,
earn a graduate degree or pursue professional certificates. Register for
the event, or call 847-665-4400.
University Center honored for its college outreach program
The University Center of Lake County recently
received the Innovative Initiative Award from the Illinois Council on Continuing
Higher Education for its First Generation College Outreach Program. This
program works to help strengthen students’ path to college by collaborating
with schools, businesses and public libraries across the county. Learn more
about the program.
Apply for scholarships awarded by Illinois Counties
Association
The Illinois Counties Association is taking applications for its 2017-18
scholarships. Applications must be completed online before midnight April 28.
Eligibility is limited to applicants who live in counties that participate in
the Nationwide Retirement Solutions 457 program, of which Lake County does
participate. Learn more about the scholarships and the application process.
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 Meet Erin Cartwright Weinstein, who was elected the new Clerk of the
Circuit Court this past November. The office’s primary role is to handle court
documents as well as manage passports, civil filings, and more. Watch this edition of Lake County Update as Clerk Weinstein
discusses her priorities and shares more about the services provided in the
Circuit Clerk’s Office.
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 Forest Preserve News
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 Trout season opens April 1
Banana
Lake at Lakewood Forest
Preserve in
Wauconda opens for rainbow trout fishing on April 1, following the release
of roughly 500 to 600 rainbow trout. For details and a free fishing guide,
visit LCFPD.org/fishing.
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 Move more in April
Every April, the American Heart Association celebrates physical activity and
encourages all Americans to commit to being more active on a regular basis.
Your forest preserves are the perfect place to hike or stroll while improving
your health. Join an Rx for Health walk, bringing together naturalists and health professionals
for guided tours of some of Lake County's most breathtaking scenery. Learn more
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Maple Syrup Hikes
Stroll
through a maple woodland while learning about the sweet sap of sugar
maples. Ryerson Woods in
Riverwoods is one of few places in Lake County where conditions are right
for maple syrup production and where trees grow to a diameter and height that
allows for tapping. Hikes will be offered from noon to 2 p.m. every half hour March 25 and 26. Registration is required. Learn more |
 Spring
controlled burns
Each
spring, our restoration ecologists conduct controlled burns across
hundreds of acres of forest preserve land. Fire is
the most effective and economical tool
available for managing natural communities and improving habitat. Learn
more and view an interactive map that shows where we
are burning each day.
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 Volunteer
with the Forest Preserves
Volunteers help the Forest Preserve District from public safety
and habitat restoration to historic preservation
and nature education. In 2016, volunteers contributed more than
36,000 hours. The value of this work exceeds $1 million and is
the equivalent of nearly 20 full time staff members. At a recent volunteer recognition brunch, we
introduced the Gilman Award to
recognize an individual who proves dedication through service. Congratulations
to the 2017 Gilman Award winner, Paul Klonowski! Paul,
who began volunteering 15 years ago, helps with our paddle sports program
and grew the Water TrailKeepers program from scratch. Learn how you can get involved.
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Book your event at a
Forest Preserve picnic shelter
Reservations for 2017
picnic permits are now available. Choose from 31 picnic shelters located
in scenic forest preserves throughout the county. Picnic shelter permits
ensure exclusive use of a shelter for your family reunion, company picnic or other
group gathering. Plan early to help ensure your first choice of shelter
and date. Learn more |
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 From reducing CO2 emissions on the roads to providing more ways
you can recycle, let us show you what Lake County departments are doing to make
this county a vibrant, healthy place to live and work and how you can help too!
Check our Sustainable
Lake County website!
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 Severe weather can happen anytime, such
as hazardous conditions produced by thunderstorms, including damaging winds,
tornadoes, large hail, and flooding, and winter storms associated with sleet, snow
and strong winds. Make sure you are prepared before severe weather occurs. Go to Ready.gov to learn your risks as
well as how to create an emergency plan.
Lake County also has resources to
keep you informed. Watch
this video to learn ways to receive emergency alerts. One way is have alerts
sent to your mobile device or email through Alert Lake
County. You can also stay alert by visiting Lake County government Facebook and Twitter pages.
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Highland Park presents 2017 Capital Improvement Plan
The City of Highland Park’s 2017 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is underway with an aggressive schedule to complete $12 million worth of infrastructure design and construction projects. Among the projects scheduled are the annual road rehabilitation program, scheduled to begin in May. Learn more about the city’s Capital Improvement Plan.
Highland Park to hold spring clean up
The City of Highland Park has announced its spring clean up days for city residents. If
collection is Monday, Spring Clean-Up Day is April 29. If
collection is Tuesday, Spring Clean-Up Day is May 6. If
collection is Thursday, Spring Clean-Up Day is May 13, and if collection is Friday, Spring Clean-Up Day is May 20. For information, call 847-432-0800.
Sign up for Deerfield construction project updates
Road construction and infrastructure improvement projects are about to start across the Village of Deerfield. Residents are encouraged to sign up to receive e-mail and text updates regarding the projects close to you or along your commute. Visit the village's Notify Me page to register for construction updates, and while there, look at other topics of interest to subscribe to.
Join Highwood's open gym
Open
gym is returning to the Highwood Recreation Center. Children of all ages are
invited to come from noon to 3 p.m. March 27 to 31. Children in second grade
and younger require supervision. Learn more
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If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at pfrank@lakecountyil.gov.
I encourage you to forward this update to others who may be interested in Lake County news. Residents who wish to automatically receive my bi-weekly newsletter can email me, or click the “Sign up for my mailing list here” button at the top of the newsletter.
Thank you,
Paul Frank
Mr. Frank, County Board member and Forest Preserve Commissioner, serves on:
Lake County Board, 11th District:
Lake County Law and Judicial Committee
Lake County Health and Community Services Committee
Lake County Ad Hoc Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Lake County Forest Preserves, 11th District:
Planning Committee
Ethics Committee
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