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Dear Neighbors,
I am
always looking for feedback on my newsletter as well as what's happening in
Lake County. If you have any comments or concerns, feel free to send me an email. If this newsletter was
forwarded to you, please sign
up to continue to receive news about Lake County and District 21.
Also,
make sure to like my Facebook
page where you can get relevant and up-to-date information
important to District 21. Remember to hit "Like” at the top of the page!
Ann B. Maine
amaine@lakecountyil.gov
847-857-1732
Lake County Board, District 21
President, Lake County Forest Preserve District
Each year, an independent professional audit of Lake
County’s finances is completed. The audit firm of Baker Tilly recently issued a
“clean opinion” for the latest audit, which is the highest opinion
available.
The county board has a strong
track record of practicing fiscal responsibility. Lake County consistently has
a balanced budget, and for 20 years, it has maintained Triple A credit rating
from both Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s – the highest rating possible. Only
one other county in Illinois, and about 60 counties in the U.S have this
coveted rating (out of more than 3,000) from both of these rating agencies.
Additionally, the County has received the Government Finance Officers
Association (GFOA) award for “Excellence in Financial Reporting” for the last
two decades for the Audit, and the GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award
for the past decade for the annual budget document. The recent audit,
along with the credit rating and GFOA awards, collectively show Lake County is
financially sound.
 Learn Proper Way to Protect Yourself from Ticks
Protect
your dog and family from ticks! Dogs love to roll around in the grass, jump in
brush and walk in wooded areas – ALL places ticks may live. Watch this video to find out the proper
way to check and remove ticks from your dog from Heidi Johnson, who works in
Animal Care and Control for the Lake County Health Department and Community
Health Center.
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 Keep Your Pets Safe! Prepare for an Emergency
If an
emergency should occur, do you know how to protect your furry, scaly or
feathered friends? In observance of National Pet Preparedness Month, this is a perfect
opportunity to plan for your pet’s safety. Visit FEMA’s Pet and Animal Emergency
Planning web page to find tips on making a pet emergency plan, preparing shelter,
and tips for large animals.
One important
way to keep your pet safe is to keep the vaccinations up to date. The Lake
County Health Department provides pet vaccination clinics, a low-cost,
convenient way to keep pet’s shots and rabies tags up to date. View
upcoming clinic dates and cost.
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 Check Beach Advisory Page First
Before going to the beach, make sure your favorite spot is
open by checking our beach advisory page. The Lake
County Health Department monitors lake water in over 100 Lake Michigan and
inland beaches and provides updates daily now through Labor Day to let beachgoers
know if high bacteria is present in the water. Learn more,
including the health department’s tips to avoid hazards when swimming in our
lakes this summer.
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 Forest Preserves News
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 26th
Annual Civil War Days
History
comes to life at one of the largest reenactments in the Midwest, featuring
battles, period demonstrations, kids’ activities and Civil War-era shopping.
Civil War Days will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 8 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July
9 at Lakewood Forest Preserve. Purchase tickets online, and save $1 on
admission. View daily schedule
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 Summer
Concerts at Independence Grove
Bring
chairs and blankets for Tuesday outdoor musical performances, beginning
at 7:30 p.m. On July 11, come listen to the Adam Ezra Group,
a dynamic acoustic roots/rock band from Boston. Learn more
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 Gateways Grants Open the Door for Schools
As budgets shrink, field trips are increasingly out of reach for
Lake County schools, especially in low-income communities. Since 1991, Gateways
Grants have made field trips possible for tens of thousands of students. They
benefit from “school” in outdoor and museum settings, where learning is
experiential and profound. School districts with a low-income population of 40
percent or more are eligible. Gateways Grants cover program fees and provide a
bus stipend. Donations fully fund this program. Our goal is to raise $5,000 in
Gateways Grants by the start of the school year. Help make
field trips possible.
Little Sprouts: Planting a
Seed
Help
plant the garden at Bonner Heritage Farm in Lindenhurst and sow seeds
to take home. Join us down on the farm for fun and frolicking on select
Wednesdays through October. Get to know families while kids enjoy stories, hands-on
activities and crafts. Learn
more
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 Take a Hike
We’ve teamed up with
the Lake County Health Department and NorthShore University HealthSystem to
bring you Rx for Health: Walking in Nature, a free walking
program that brings together naturalists and physicians for guided tours of some
of our most scenic preserves. Learn more
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 Eat
Healthful Produce and Support Local Youth
Eat
healthful produce and support local youth when you shop at the Green Youth Farm
of Lake County market. The market is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Wednesdays through Oct. 12. Purchase fresh and nutritious organic
vegetables, herbs, honey and more, grown in Greenbelt Forest Preserve in North
Chicago by area students. Learn more
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Enjoy nature? Want to learn something new? Visit our Nature Blog, and if you enjoy history, be sure to read the History Blog by Diana Dreske. You'll be surprised at what you learn.
You can also view a full calendar of Forest Preserve events for more information.
 Whether you’re looking
for a parade, live music and delicious food or a spot to set down your blanket
and watch the fireworks, Lake County has lots of ways to enjoy Independence
Day. Check out Visit
Lake County’s Guide to the Fourth of July, and
have a spectacular holiday.
The following are
details on celebrations near you.
Deerfield: Celebrate the holiday July 3 and 4
at Deerfield Family Days. Festivities will include games, live entertainment,
fireworks on July 3 as well as the parade on July 4. Learn
more
Grayslake: Enjoy
food provided by local vendors, children's rides and activities, live music and
a fireworks display at the Taste of Grayslake and Fireworks event from 4 to 10
p.m. July 1 at Central Park. Details
Gurnee: Celebrate Independence Day
at Six Flags Great America July 2 to 4. The fest will include music, food,
dance contests, and fireworks display each night before the park closes. Details
Lake Forest: Enjoy music, food, children’s
activities and fireworks starting at 6 p.m. July 4 at Deerpath Community Park. Learn
more
Libertyville: Enjoy the annual fireworks show beginning at dusk July 4 at Butler
Lake Park. The Libertyville Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Details
Lincolnshire: Come to the Red, White and Boom Fest July 3
and 4. Enjoy live entertainment, food and drinks, a carnival, games as well as
a pancake feast, 5K, parade, cardboard regatta and more. Details
Waukegan: On July 2 at Bowen
Park, enjoy the parade at 1 p.m. as well as a festival following the parade,
which will be highlighted by a petting zoo, skate expo, music and more. Then on
July 4, visit the lakefront for the fireworks show at 9:30 p.m.
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The
deadline is July 7 to complete the 2017 Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze
Application for
taxes payable in 2018.
The Senior Freeze provides eligible seniors (based on income
levels) protection against real estate tax increases due to rising property
values, as this exemption “freezes” your home’s equalized assessed value at a
base year value. The base year is generally the year before you first qualify
and apply for the exemption. For example, if you first qualify and apply in
2017, your property’s equalized assessed value will be “frozen” at the 2016
equalized assessed value. Please note that this exemption is not a tax freeze or
a tax reduction and does not protect against increased taxes due to tax rate
increases.
To qualify for this exemption, you must be 65 years of age or
older, own the property as your principal residence for the past two January
1’s, and have a 2016 total household income of $55,000 or less.
Applications can be filed at the
Chief County Assessment Office, 18 N. County St., 7th Floor, Waukegan or at
your local
township assessor’s office.
 Lake County Invests in
Renewable Energy
Lake County will now get 25 percent of its electricity from
“Green power” or electricity from renewable resources, such as solar, wind, and
geothermal. This is an additional 20 percent from its previous electricity rate
contract. Green energy has proved to be environmentally preferable to
electricity generated from conventional sources, including coal, oil, natural
gas, and nuclear. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, on
average, replacing each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of traditional power with renewable
power avoids the emission of more than one pound of carbon dioxide, a key
greenhouse gas. Lake County will purchase 9.98 million renewable energy kWH(h)
under this contract, which is the equivalent of more than 15 million
pounds of carbon dioxide. Lake County has received an Environmental Stewardship
Certificate for its commitment to investing in green energy.
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Des Plaines River Watershed Plan Update
Over the past year, a lot of progress has been made toward completing an umbrella Des Plaines River Watershed Plan in Lake County. This includes stakeholder meetings, stream, detention basin, and lake shoreline inventories, flood questionnaires; plan chapter writing, and consultant selection and coordination. View the one-year progress report to learn more.
 Watch Out for Turtles!
It's
egg laying season for turtles, so please watch out for the reptiles on roads
near wetlands. Thousands of turtles are killed by vehicles every year as they
make their way to and from nesting areas in the early summer months. If
you see a turtle on the road or near the shoulder and it is safe to pull over
and stop, help them cross in the direction they are facing. It is important
that you move the turtle in the direction it was heading because they are not
always headed directly to water and will turn around if you put them in the
wrong direction, so work with their instincts.
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IDOT To Shut Down Road
Construction Projects
The Illinois Department of
Transportation (IDOT) will be sending notice to their contractors
to stop all construction and prepare to make construction work zones safe for a
possible “long-term” shut down by June 30. This road construction
shut down is due to the lack of a state budget and an appropriation to fund
work after July 1.
This will impact several large projects in Lake County where
federal funding is administered by IDOT:
- Washington Street Grade Separation (LCDOT
Project)
- Deerfield Road – in the Village of
Deerfield and City of Highland Park (Municipal & LCDOT Project)
- Grand Avenue at US 41 in the Village of
Gurnee (IDOT Project)
- IL Route 59 at Petite Lake Road
intersection improvement and resurfacing (IDOT Project)
LCDOT will be working with resident engineers and contractors to
make sure that the roadways are as safe as possible for the traveling public.
Road construction projects that are locally funded will continue as scheduled.
For information about any of the projects in the
2017 Construction Program, view our interactive
construction map.
Transportation Links:
Tollway Construction
IDOT
Metra
Travel Midwest
Wisconsin Construction
 Lake County has so much to offer for outdoor family fun this summer, including
75 lakes, over 100 beaches, 500 miles of trails and bikeways, our beautiful
forest preserves, community festivals, and farmers markets! Watch this video as
we visit Illinois Beach State Park, which stretches for six and a half miles
along the sandy shores of Lake Michigan in northern Lake County. While there, Maureen
Riedy, president of the Lake County Visitor's Bureau, gives an update on all
the exciting things happening in Lake County this summer.
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 Warm weather means it’s time to visit the farmers markets!
Shop for fresh fruits, vegetables, baked treats and more while supporting local
businesses at one of Lake County’s farmers markets. Check out our Farmers
Market Finder to find a farmers market near you, including days and hours.
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Sheriff’s
Office Continues Fight Against Heroin Epidemic
So far in 2017, members
of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office have saved the lives of 16 people from
heroin overdoses. This number already surpasses the number of lives saved in
2015 (11) and 2016 (13).
The Sheriff’s Office
partnered with the Lake County Health Department in 2014 and trained all
Sheriff’s Office enforcement personnel in the administration of naloxone, an opioid antidote that counteracts the effects of heroin and
opioids in the brain and essentially “brings back” an individual from an
overdose. Nearly 100 doses of naloxone were administered
since then.
The Lake County
Sheriff’s Gang Task Force also continues to make strides, arresting heroin
dealers operating throughout Lake County as well as providing educational
presentations to school students, school staff, and community groups.
 This summer, join
the fight against opioid addiction. Here’s how:
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 Individuals who struggle with substance abuse can get
directed quickly to treatment through a pilot program called “A Way Out."
The program is offered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at participating police
departments in Lake County. Individuals, who possess narcotics or
paraphernalia, enter a participating police department and tell an officer they
are requesting help will avoid criminal charges if the participant seeks
assistance. Watch
this video to learn more about the “A Way Out” program.
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First-time, non-violent offenders now can keep a conviction from being
permanently entered on their record by participating in the Misdemeanor
Alternative Prosecution Program. The program holds offenders accountable and
addresses the needs of crime victims, but also gives deserving defendants a
second chance and the opportunity to avoid being labeled a convicted criminal. Learn more
 The
Lake County Courthouse Expansion project is well underway! Watch this edition of Lake County's Dirty Jobs as County Board
Chairman Aaron Lawlor tackles an important task and sprays fireproofing
material on the steel beams in the building, which will make it safer in the
event of a fire. This project,
which is anticipated to be completed in summer 2018, is designed to increase
the efficiency of the justice system and support growth of the justice agencies
out to the year 2030 and beyond.
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 Summer is the time for picnics, warmer weather, and salespeople
at your front door. Solicitors seeking door-to-door purchases or orders are
required to comply with a County Board adopted ordinance when working in
unincorporated Lake County.
Each solicitor must:
- Appear in person and register annually with the County Clerk’s
office. Registration is free. View the Solicitor Registration Information and Application web page.
- Work only between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
- Carry his/her own Certificate of Registration bearing the
salesperson’s name, employer’s name, manufacturer’s name, type of
business, and an embossed seal.
- Observe “No Solicitation” signs.
- Respect occupant’s request if asked to leave.
Residents should ask to see the vendor’s certificate
and report any violations to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 847-549-5200
where fines and penalties can be enforced.
This ordinance applies
only to unincorporated Lake County and provides exemptions for religious
groups, candidates, and minors under age 18 who participate in fundraising
activities. If you live within municipal or village borders, check with your
local officials for your specific ordinances.
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 Join the Team to Help the County’s Homeless
Make an impact on homelessness in Lake County. The Lake
County Coalition for the Homeless is seeking an individual to help plan the
2018 Homeless Point-in-Time Count, and work on initiatives to increase the
income of disabled homeless individuals. Learn more and apply
today.
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