 Early Voting
In-person early voting for the Nov. 6 Election is now
available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Oct. 19 at the Lake County
Clerk’s Office, 18 N. County St., Waukegan.
Beginning Oct. 22 through Nov. 5, early voting will be available
at 16 early voting sites throughout the county. Use any early voting site
regardless of where you live. Some sites offer evening and weekend hours. Find
an early voting site near you.
Vote by Mail
Registered voters wishing to vote by mail must submit a completed
electronic application or paper application to the Clerk’s office by noon Nov.
1. Voted ballots must be returned to the Clerk’s office bearing a postmark no
later than midnight on Nov. 6. Complete
your vote by mail application.
More Information
Visit LakeCountyClerk.info and click on the “November 2018 Election” icon to find voter
registration information, preview your ballot, and details on how to vote
by mail, early, or on Election Day.
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The proposed Lake County 2019 budget is balanced and
the operating budget reflects a slight decrease from last year. The Lake County
Board will hold budget hearings on the proposed budget later this month and
will vote on it at its November meeting. In an effort to provide some relief to
taxpayers, the County Board directed that the budget be developed keeping the
County’s property tax levy flat (or not taking the allowable levy growth
based on the Consumer Price Index). This keeps $3.4 million in taxpayers’
pockets. The only increase in property tax revenue will come from growth
on new property. (As a reminder,
Lake County’s portion of your property tax bill is about 7%). The proposed FY19 operating budget—which funds the County’s
day-to-day operations—is $3.3 million less than last year (or 1%) as a result
of efficiencies from shared services with other governments, technology
enhancements, and operational improvements. The budget can be viewed at lakecountyil.gov/budget.
As it has for the past
decade, Lake County has received the “Distinguished Budget Presentation Award”
from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). Lake County
consistently receives this annual award that reflects the County’s commitment
to meet the highest principles of governmental budgeting and shows Lake County
satisfies nationally recognizes guidelines for effective budget presentation.
The award demonstrates that the budget serves as a policy document, financial
plan, operations guide and a communications device.
The Lake County Board has a strong track record
of practicing fiscal responsibility. Lake County consistently has a balanced
budget, and for 20 years has maintained a Triple A credit rating – the highest
rating possible. Lake County is one of only two counties in Illinois that have
a AAA rating from the rating agencies Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s, an
achievement held by approximately 2% of the nation’s counties.
Also each year, an independent professional
audit of Lake County’s finances is completed. The audit firm of RSM US LLP recently
issued a “clean opinion” for the latest audit, which is the highest opinion
available. The recent audit, along with the credit rating and GFOA
awards, collectively show Lake County is financially sound.
Following an
analysis of Lake County’s P-card program, an independent firm concluded that
there is not widespread misuse of Lake County P-Cards. However, the firm
recommended Lake County update its policy, processes and procedures. Lake
County has approximately 260 County-issued P-Cards used by employees, some
board members and elected officials for County business related expenses. The
firm analyzed a sample of Lake County P-card transactions representing 52% of
total spending for 12 months and reviewed best practices from across the
country. While the County has a policy that specifically defines appropriate
expenses, the study’s findings show there are gaps that can be improved with
stronger internal controls. Recommendations to be immediately implemented
include: updating current practices and refining procedures to better document
approvals and handle exceptions (including personal charges and late
submissions); implementing regular departmental reviews of active cards and credit
limits, as well as additional training. The Board will also consider
policy changes and updates to its rules that govern board members’ P-card use
and consider measures to improve transparency, including posting P-card
transactions to the County website.
P-Cards are a
valuable procurement and payment tool used by governments, as well as
businesses, because it reduces length of time to make a purchase or pay vendor,
can decrease transaction costs and earn revenue through rebates. The Committee
will review and discuss the action plan for implementing the recommendations at
its next meeting.
Watch this video
with Finance & Administration Chair, Mike Rummel.
In an effort to strengthen its already strong policies as it
relates to purchasing goods and services, the Lake County Board is considering
changes that will require vendors submitting proposals for more than $30,000 to
disclose familial relationships with County employees. The Board already
approved internal policy changes that require employees to annually review
ethics and purchasing rules, and attest that they understand and agree to
adhere to them.
The Board recently discussed a proposal that would require vendors submitting
proposals to submit a “Vendor Disclosure Statement” disclosing the names of
each owner/principal/officer of the company, along with those individuals’
immediate family members who are employed by Lake County. Purchasing officers
will compare the statement with the staff members serving on the evaluation
panel and verify that those employees are eligible to serve. The Board wants to
discuss further how to broaden this and make this information more transparent.
The Finance Committee will take up the item next month.
Mike Rummel, Chair of the Board’s Finance and Administration Committee, said,
“We already have one of the strongest Ethics Ordinances that govern our process
and protect against influence or impropriety. Our ethics standards set us apart
from other local governments and they view us as a model. Still, there are
examples of some other local governments doing additional disclosures, so we are considering adding these measures to enhance what we already do.”
The Lake County Board adopted Ethics Ordinance clearly outlines the ethical and
legal standards that county officers and employees must follow while conducting
county business. It also puts a process in place to reviewing complaints and
gives the county administrator authority to administer disciplinary action up
to and including termination.
In local
government, much of what we do and how we do it is dictated by State and
sometimes Federal laws. For example, Lake County government purchases a variety
of goods and services and there are different ways to procure those services
depending on what it is. For example, when hiring architects, engineers and land surveyors, Lake County (and local
governments) are required to use the
Professional Services Selection process and award these contracts through a
“Qualifications Based Selection.” This allows the County to evaluate a firm based on experience and expertise
relative to the project, and cost is negotiated after the most highly rated
firm is selected.
How does it work? When
professional services are needed, the department develops the project scope and
then publicly advertises the request for services. Interested firms submit a
Statement of Interest (SOI) and Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) and a
selection committee –made up of professionals from the
department—evaluate the proposals and select a
minimum of three firms to participate in an interview/presentation. They rank
the firms based on several criteria, including
their expertise and past related experience. The County then begins
negotiating the number of hours it will take to complete the scope of services.
The final contract is then presented to the Lake County Board for approval.
Following
this process is required by State and Federal law; it provides value to the
County and helps us deliver cost-effective, efficient
services to our residents because our Lake County team of professionals
has selected the most qualified firm to perform the work, and these firms are then qualified to do similar work in the
future, based on their past successful performance. Learn More: Qualifications
Based Selection FAQ’s
 One of the best things about saying farewell to summer is looking
forward to fall in Lake County! Enjoy autumn’s glows firsthand while getting
spooked, picking out pumpkins or getting lost in a maze of maize. View Visit Lake County’s guide to the top 10
things to do in October.
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 The Lake County
Sheriff’s Office is piloting a new collaborative program with the Lake County
Health Department called the Crisis Outreach and Support Team (COaST) to
support residents with mental or behavioral health illness who interact with
law enforcement.
Within approximately
three days of a law enforcement officer encountering a mental health
interaction or an opioid overdose, the COaST deputy will arrange a meeting with
the individual or “cold call” their residence. During that meeting, the deputy will check the well-being
of the person and determine if he or she has sought treatment or services since
the initial event. The deputy will then provide a “warm handoff” to the Health
Department counselor, who will conduct a brief assessment, and if necessary,
refer the person to appropriate services. Learn
more
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The public entrance of the Lake County Jail has moved from 20
South County Street, to the lobby of the Community Based Corrections Center
(CBCC) at 15 South Martin Luther King Jr. Ave, Waukegan. The relocation
is due to the ongoing renovations at the Lake County Jail.
Inmates being released from custody will be released at the CBCC
Lobby. Any visitors coming to the Lake County Jail should also utilize the CBCC
Lobby.
 Donate your new or gently used adult and children’s
coats and outerwear to help area veterans and their families as part of the Lake
County Law Enforcement Veteran's Coat Drive. The collection is running now through
Nov. 7. Find a collection
site near you.
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 Diabetes is a disease that affects how your body uses blood
sugar or glucose and is the sixth leading cause of death in Lake County. The
good news is diabetes is preventable and can be controlled. Watch
this video to learn about a new web page created by Live Well Lake
County to learn more about diabetes prevention and management. And, visit
DiabetesLC.org to find a class near you.
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 Starting January 1, 2019, the Lake County Health Department
will implement the new Illinois Food Code, based on the 2013 Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) model. The new code contains the most up-to-date food
safety guidelines based on science and research. It increases the
responsibility of food permit holders, ensures faster reporting of food-borne
illness risk factors, and strengthens food production and documentation
requirements of certain foods. The new state inspection form will replace the
current Lake County Health Department pass/fail system with a new re-inspection
standard to assure that food-borne illness risk factors are corrected.
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 As
you discover a growing pile of shoes that no longer fit, don’t throw them away!
Keep them out of the landfills and recycle it all instead. As part of the Solid
Waste Agency of Lake County's Reuse-A-Shoe program, new locations have opened
to bring your new and gently used shoes including drop-off bins in Deerfield,
Gages Lake, Port Barrington and Vernon Hills.
Learn more about the Reuse-A-Shoe program, including all locations
and what items are accepted. And, make sure to learn about all of SWALCO’s
recycling programs, including clothing and textiles, household electronics and household chemical waste.
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 Simba,
the newest member of the Lake County Public Defender’s Office, is the first
certified facility dog ever assigned to an American Public Defender’s Office! A
2-year-old Labrador Retriever, Simba will provide comfort, compassion and
companionship to children involved in abuse, neglect and dependency cases. Learn
more
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 Forest Preserve News
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 2018 Ethel Untermyer
Conservation Forum: Preserving Lake County
Lake County has a rich history of
preservation. Join Dunn
Museum curator Diana Dretske on Sunday,
Oct. 14 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. as we step back in time to meet the individuals whose
efforts preserved the county’s historical and natural heritage. Such as Robert
Vogel, pictured here in 1957 with the Museum’s 420 million-year-old fossil. Learn
more »
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 Halloween
Hikes
Join a guided group hike along a
candlelit path at Ryerson
Woods Welcome Center on Oct. 19 and 20 to
watch fun nature-themed skits, followed by donuts and cider. The hikes are not scary.
Even your littlest will enjoy this family favorite. Hikes begin every 30
minutes from 6 to 8 p.m. Total event time is 90 minutes. Total distance walked
is about 1.5 miles. Learn
more »
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 Free Senior Museum Admission
Senior admission to the Dunn Museum in
Libertyville is free for the entire month of October. Daily admission for
seniors (62 and up) is just $3 all other months and $1.50 on Discount
Tuesdays. Plan your visit.
Welcome REI
Our county’s first REI store recently opened in Vernon Hills. The retail and outdoor recreation services company has already forged a partnership with the Lake County Forest Preserves. In addition to offering recreation programs in various preserves, we are delighted to thank REI for its recent $20,000 grant to support two public access projects. With these funds, and the help of Youth Conservation Corps crews this summer, we extended an existing boardwalk at Ryerson Woods in Riverwoods and stabilized the Des Plaines River shoreline with native wetland plants at the Wright Woods Canoe Launch at IL Route 60 in Vernon Hills.
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