The County Board works for all residents to deliver services
and solve problems that impact their daily lives, from property taxes to roads
to jobs. The Lake County Board recently updated its strategic plan, which
serves as a road map for county government and influences how we prioritize and
invest our resources. Residents and local leaders provided input on their
priorities through a variety of channels, including two telephone town hall meetings,
a survey of Lake County residents, and a series of Leaders Round Table
meetings. View a
summary of the input as well as highlights from the plan, and the entire plan.
Forest Preserve News
|
Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve Improvements Portions of Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve will close on May 30 as
construction for the first phase of public access improvements is scheduled to
begin in early June, following May Board review of bid proposals. Public access
improvements for Fort Sheridan were approved by the Lake County Forest Preserve
Board in November 2015 as part of the Master Plan for the
preserve. During construction, all portions of the preserve north of Fort
Sheridan’s historic district will be closed to public access. View site closure
status and project updates.
New features include:
- The main entrance (Gilgare Lane) will be widened to two
full lanes and will lead to a new 45-vehicle parking lot with five
accessible spaces and an evaporator toilet.
- The north entrance (Vattman Road) will have a new paved
trailhead and an evaporator toilet
- 1.6 miles of mown turf trails will be reconstructed
with improved drainage, durability and two new boardwalks.
- The Hutchinson Trail will become an accessible trail
from Sheridan Road all the way to the new lake overlook by adding two
new boardwalks and converting the woodchip section to a paved surface.
- View
Project Map, and learn about additional new features.
New Middlefork Savanna Trail Connection The Lake County Forest Preserve District is partnering with the City of Lake Forest and Lake Forest Academy to build a trail connection, which will link Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve in Lake Forest to other local trails and parks. Project elements include a 221-foot steel pedestrian bridge over the Metra Railway with a scenic overlook, new 10-foot-wide paved trails, and a revised crosswalk at IL Route 60 to improve access to Townline Community Park. View map. Construction started this spring and should be complete by late fall 2017. Learn more
Independence
Grove Beach Grab
your swimsuit, towel and sunscreen, and head to the beach at Independence Grove, open only on weekends May
27 to June 4. The beach will open daily beginning June 5. The beach offers
400 feet of sand along the lake's South Bay. Learn more
|
Wildlife in
the Preserves
By early June, coyote pups
begin to venture out of the den that has sheltered them since birth. In
early summer, we often receive reports of sightings due to increased daytime
activity. When dens are located near trails, staff will install signs to inform
trail users about coyote behavior and how to safely respond if you see a coyote.
Learn more
|
Property tax bills have been mailed and are on their way to
your mailbox. Tax bills are for the 2016 tax year and are due in two equal
installments on June 6 and Sept. 6. Visit the Treasurer’s Office
website to view
your property tax bill, get answers to frequently asked questions, and learn how
to make a payment. Keep in mind, while you send your payment to Lake County,
the County only keeps a small portion (about 7%), and the rest is distributed
to many other taxing districts. Visit Lake County’s
property tax information page to see
what Lake County does with its portion.
|
Get an inside look at what it’s
like to work in the Lake County Jail as County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor explores some of its
"tough" jobs. Watch this video and
see him do some of the daily tasks at the jail like laundry and food
preparation, and learn how the jail keeps clean.
|
This
week, we join the nation to celebrate National Correctional Officers Week and
recognize the work that these men and women do each day to help protect our
county. Recently, Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran went behind the bars,
completing a five-week corrections officer training at the Lake County Jail and
then was responsible for a 60-inmate pod for five days. Watch this video to learn more about
his experience and what a correctional officer’s responsibilities would be on a
typical day.
|
Learn
how to improve your resume, perfect your job search, overcome barriers and much
more at the series of workshops offered this month by the Job Center of Lake
County. The center also hosts various job fairs and offers ongoing services including
adult education, disability services, and legal services. View the Job Center’s May schedule to learn more.
Join
Lake County government’s workforce Lake County government offers career opportunities that cover a wide spectrum
of fields including law, law enforcement, corrections, nursing, finance and
budgeting, highway maintenance, and much more. View the
current job opportunities available.
|
Join Lake
County’s single largest gathering of business and community leaders to discuss
ways to strengthen, sustain and leverage the County’s economy. The Lake County
Partners Big Event will take place June 23 at the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort.
Registration is now open. Learn more
Unveiling a new vision, Healthy
Choices. Healthier People. Healthiest Communities, the Lake County
Health Department plans to use data to maximize resources and work with local,
state and federal leaders to shape policy, improve systems and advocate for
environmental change in the county. Watch this video to
learn more about the department’s exciting direction.
Free Health Fair on May 18 Learn more about hepatitis
prevention, care and treatment as well as information regarding overall health
at a free health fair from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. May 18 in the County Building
lobby, 18 N. County St., Waukegan. Free hepatitis C and HIV tests also will be
offered the day of the fair at the Lake County Health Department Sexually
Transmitted Infections program’s office, 2400 Belvidere Road, Waukegan. Learn more
|
Learn
to Manage or Prevent Diabetes
The Lake County Health Department offers a variety of
diabetes prevention and treatment programs, which help people with diabetes
learn how to take care of themselves and reduce their risk of developing
complications. Program staff provide group and one-on-one instruction, and
services are available in English and Spanish. Watch this
video to learn more.
|
City of Highland Park and library consider expansion
The City of Highland Park and the Highland Park Public Library are
exploring a possible expansion of the library to better meet community demand
for space and services as well as improve parking and traffic flow. In
addition, in an effort to improve efficiencies and provide the highest level of
services, the city is also exploring the relocation of youth and/or senior
services to an expanded library facility. Learn more
Discover benefits of native plants at annual sale Discover native plants and trees that not only can help the environment but can also help you save time and money as the City of Lake Forest holds its 14th annual native plant and tree sale. The sale will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 13 at Mellody Farm Nature Preserve in Lake Forest. Learn more
Listen to the Deerfield Community Band Save the date to come listen to the Deerfield Community Band as they present an
afternoon concert of classic silver screen gems and melodies at 2 p.m. May 21. Learn
more
|