Dear Neighbors,
On Tuesday, July 3, the Fort Sheridan Nature Preserve will
reopen for public access! The Forest Preserve District thanks you for
your patience as the master plan improvements continue. All residents
will now enjoy a paved and fully accessible trail from Sheridan Road to the lake,
public bathrooms and updated parking. The southern trail will reopen next
week. The seeded northern trails are natural planted
trails. Those seedings require an extra season of growth. They will
remain closed to allow those plants to take better footing and to ensure their
survival and will reopen sometime in 2019.
As I wrote about in our last newsletter, the
County Board has been discussing our position regarding state legislation that
would place a binding referendum question on the ballot this fall to allow
voters to choose if the Lake County Assessor should be directly
elected by voters. I support this idea, and in Wednesday's Legislative
committee, I voted against a motion made by the County Board Chairman which
would formally ask the Governor to make an amendatory veto to the bill,
basically killing it.
Only a handful of members oppose the Chairman's
motion, and the full board is likely to approve it next week. As
always, I'd like to know your thoughts. Email me directly or share your comments
on my County Board Member Facebook page.
Celebrate the Fourth of July safely! Some
local Fourth of July events are listed below.
Paul
The Lake County Board voted unanimously at the June 12 board meeting to oppose federal
and State of Wisconsin decisions to reduce air pollution standards in five
southeastern Wisconsin counties where Taiwan-based Foxconn plans to manufacture
flat screen displays, citing special regulatory treatment and diversion of Lake
Michigan water, as well as impacts to air quality, increased flooding, and
other ecological impacts from this development. Read the full news release.
Assessment
notices for the 2018 tax year have been mailed to Moraine Township
residents.
What is A
Property Assessment?
It may help to think
of the property tax process like a pie. Taxing bodies, including school
districts, villages and the county (and many other taxing districts) determine
how much they need to collect in taxes. That determines the size of the pie,
and the property assessment determines how the pie is cut up. The assessment
process ensures property taxes are fairly distributed. Elected township
assessors are primarily responsible for appraising properties and determining a
property’s value, which ultimately determines the portion of the total tax
burden (or piece of the pie). If you have questions or concerns regarding the
assessed value of your property, you should discuss this with your
local township assessor’s office.
Meet with a Taxpayer Advocate
Individuals can get free one-on-one assistance with evaluating
your assessment at a tax assessment help center. Centers will be provided July 11 and 18 at the University Center of Lake County in Grayslake and at the College of Lake County Southlake Campus in Vernon Hills on July 17 and 24. These
centers will meet from 4 to 7 p.m. More dates will be released on the Chief
County Assessment Office website.
Taxpayer advocates also are available from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday through Friday at the Chief County Assessment Office, 18 N. County
Street, 7th Floor, Waukegan.
Should You Appeal Your Property Assessment?
View the five steps to determining if you
should appeal your property assessment.
 Filing
an Appeal? Use our Online System
The final filing date for assessment appeals in Moraine Township is July 16. Our
quick and convenient Online Appeal Filing System allows you to
get your appeal information to the Board of Review without the hassle of
mailing or hand delivering them to the Chief County Assessment Office in
Waukegan. Watch
this video to learn more about the process to file an appeal online.
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 Summer is here, and there is so much to do right here in
Lake County. In this video,
get a sneak peek inside the new Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee and find out all of
the “Must-Do’s” in Lake County this summer. Also, learn how tourism is big
business with more than 10,000 tourism-related jobs and adding more than $1
billion to our local economy annually. Watch now.
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 Boating
is one of the most popular activities in Lake County, and it’s no surprise as
the area has over 170 lakes, rivers and waterways to visit. Check out BoatingLakeCounty.com as your resource,
including maps of all the county’s public boat ramps, lakefront dining,
upcoming events and more.
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 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.
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 The boom of cannons, the crack of rifles and the galloping of horse
hooves welcomes you at the annual Civil War Days encampment. Wander the camps
to see soldiers, civilians and tradespeople at work. Watch as union and
confederate forces collide in battle. A large-scale battle can be viewed on
both Saturday and Sunday. Visit the 1863 Summer Fair, meet President Lincoln
and shop Civil War-era vendors. Kids enjoy period crafts, games and more.
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 Events
in the Plaza is Independence Grove's outdoor summer concert series featuring
live music. Performances will be held Tuesday evenings to Aug. 7 (excluding
July 3). View the 2018 entertainment line-up.
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 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 the Fourth of July. Check out Visit
Lake County’s Guide to the Fourth of July to discover ways to
celebrate.
Here are some local celebrations to check out:
- Highland Park will hold a Fourth of July parade starting at 10 a.m. July 4. The route will include Central Avenue to St. Johns Avenue to Sunset Avenue to Sunset Woods Park.
- Join Deerfield's annual Family Days celebration on July 3 at Brickyards Park and July 4 at Jewett Park. View the full schedule.
- Beginning June 30 through July 4, join Six Flags Great
America in Gurnee at July 4th Fest. Learn more
- Be a part of the Great Lakes Naval Base's Fourth of
July celebration on historic Ross Field from 3 to 11 p.m. July 3 and 3 to 10
p.m. July 4. Celebrate our nation's independence with fire-cracking festival
fun. Learn more.
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 The Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) is
launching a data-sharing partnership with Waze, the free, crowdsourced traffic
and navigation app powered by the world’s largest community of drivers.
Partnering with the Waze Connected Citizens Program gives LCDOT traffic
engineers access to real-time road activity as reported by Waze users. Using
the data from motorist insights, with information already generated through the
Lake County PASSAGE system, operators can make well-informed decisions and act
to reduce congestion and help keep traffic moving. Learn
more
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Anatomy of a Safe Driver
Driving safely requires your attention from head to toe. It may seem obvious, but time and time again we see traffic crashes that would have been prevented if drivers were paying attention and/or following the speed limit. You have the power to make roads safer. Learn more
 “Fight the Bite” this summer and protect yourself and your family
from West Nile virus, an illness spread by mosquitoes. The Lake County Health
Department and Community Health Center says to follow the 4
Ds of Defense to help prevent mosquitoes from breeding and to
protect yourself from bites.
Since 2002, there have been 64 confirmed human cases of West Nile
virus in Lake County as well as two confirmed deaths. The Lake County Health
Department’s Mosquito Surveillance Program collects mosquitoes in traps around
the county and tests them weekly for West Nile virus. Visit the Fight
the Bite website to find more prevention tips and information on West Nile virus.
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 It’s time to lace up your walking shoes and GO
Lake County! Founded by the Gurnee Park District in 2016 and adopted by Live
Well Lake County, GO Lake County is a walking initiative that promotes healthy
and active living. Over 15 park districts and communities across
the County have partnered to create programs and events for children and
adults. These events are open to all Lake County residents. Visit the new GO Lake County web
page and navigate
the map and calendar to find a walk specific to your area. If you take a
picture at a GO Lake County program, share your photo!
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 Sheriff’s
Office Warns of Misleading Telemarketers
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has received calls from the public stating telemarketers are identifying themselves as calling on behalf of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and soliciting for donations and/or pledges. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office does not make phone calls soliciting money from the public. Learn more
Jury Duty Scam
The 19th Judicial Circuit
Court’s Jury Commission received notification of several occurrences where a
male identifying himself by phone as a Lake County Deputy Sheriff tells residents
they had failed to appear for jury duty and need to proceed to the Lake County
Courthouse in Waukegan immediately. Residents were told that they had failed to
appear for Jury Duty and needed to proceed to the Lake County Courthouse in
Waukegan immediately. Once at the Courthouse, they were instructed to call the
Deputy Sheriff stating that they had left their residence. Remember
these precautions to protect yourself.
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The Lake County Coalition for the Homeless is looking for an
individual to help serve those who experience homelessness in Lake County. This
individual will help plan
the 2019 Homeless Point-in-Time Count and work on initiatives to ensure the
homeless have access to needed services. Apply
today.
Learn more about this position by reading
this blog about a VISTA member sharing his experience coordinating the 2018
Homeless Point-in-Time Count.
 This summer, the Lake County Health Department
reminds you to take action to protect yourself from illness and prevent the
spread of germs when swimming. Here
are ways to protect yourself from illness at pools and water parks.
The Health Department monitors lake water for
bacteria in over 100 Lake Michigan and inland lake beaches to ensure that the
water is acceptable for swimming. Through Labor Day, beach closure information
can be found on the Health Department’s Beach Advisory web page, which is
updated daily by 10 a.m.
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Children don’t need to go hungry this summer. Children ages 18 and under
can receive free summer meals as part of the Summer Food Service Program,
funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by the
Illinois State Board of Education. To find the closest meal sites, visit summermealsillinois.org, text
FOODIL TO 877877 or call 800-359-2163.
 Lake
County, along with the Lake County Opioid Initiative is working to combat
the increasing opiate problem. Hear from Lake County State's Attorney Michael
Nerheim and Bill Gentes, who talk about what is being done to combat the opioid
epidemic and learn about programs such as prescription drug disposal boxes and
the “A Way Out” program, which are part of the county-wide effort to prevent
opioid abuse, addiction, overdose, and death. Watch Now
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 Those who struggle with substance abuse now have two more locations they
can go to seek help 24/7 as part of the “A Way Out” Program. With the additions
of Waukegan Police Department and Lake Zurich Police Department, there are
now 13 “A Way Out” police entry points 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 as long as the
participant seeks assistance. Learn
more
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 Forest Preserve News
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 Family Fun Fridays
The
beach at Independence
Grove in Libertyville gets better Friday afternoons with games,
contests and prizes around a different theme each week. Everyone can
participate in the fun. Prizes awarded in age categories for kids 15 and under.
The program is FREE with beach admission. No registration is
required. Learn more
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 Lunchtime
Tours: Civil War Stories
Tour
the exhibition galleries of the Dunn Museum in Libertyville and hear
stories of how men and women from Lake County were involved in the American
Civil War: The tours will be offered at noon July 11 and 20. Learn
more
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 Annual Fund Spotlight
When you give to the Annual
Fund, you help us do more. The Preservation Foundation board
recently approved a $24,000 grant from the Annual Fund to monitor the
population and health of Blanding’s turtles this summer–data that directly
strengthens our ongoing Blanding’s Turtle Recovery Program. Learn
how you can help.
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 Much of the infrastructure owned and maintained by Lake
County Public Works is underground. In order for Public Works to monitor and
evaluate the condition of the overall system, they need to see what’s going on
underground. In this video,
travel along the pipes and learn more about the process for televising and
inspecting the sewer lines. This inspection identifies areas in need of repair
and sets in motion the planning and engineering needed to maintain the
infrastructure. Public Works uses this information to develop a multi-year
maintenance schedule to make sure they are investing in the system at the right
time and in the most efficient way.
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 Did
you know solicitors seeking door-to-door purchases or orders are required to
comply with a County Board adopted ordinance when working in unincorporated
Lake County? Door-to-door salespeople must carry a solicitor’s certificate
while on the job and are allowed to work only between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. If
a solicitor comes to your door, ask to see the certificate before conducting
any business. You may report unregistered vendors to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office
by calling 847-549-5200.
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 in a municipality or village, check with your local
officials for your specific ordinances. Learn more
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If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at pfrank@lakecountyil.gov or visit
my Facebook page.
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 Ad-Hoc Legislative Committee
Lake County Forest Preserves, 11th District:
Planning Committee
Ethics Committee
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