 The Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) will be closing
Rollins Road, from Fairfield Road to Wilson Road to through traffic starting
Monday, Oct. 15 at 6 a.m. and will reopen by late afternoon on Monday, Oct. 29.
The closure is necessary to replace the Eagle Creek culvert. View detour information.
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The Lake County Public Works Department replaced the East
Main force main in 2017. As part of the original contract, there is a
requirement to televise the force main to verify that the work completed a year
ago has passed the warranty period. To complete this review, a temporary
diversion of sewage is required to clear any flow from the pipe. During the
week of Oct. 15, 2018, there will be a 36-hour shutdown period where the flow
from the East Main force main will be diverted to the nearby lagoon site.
During the shutdown trucks will be parked on Larkin to access a structure in
the eastbound lane. Limited traffic access on Larkin will take place for
12 of the 36 hours. This public notice is for information purposes only
and nearby residents don’t need to take any action. This work is weather
dependent so please visit the project website for updates.
If you have any questions, please contact the project
manager:
Dave Humbert, Principal Civil Engineer
Email: dhumbert@lakecountyil.gov
Phone: 847-377-7145
 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,
early voting will be available at 16 early voting sites throughout the county. Use
any early voting site regardless of where you live. 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 Election Day. 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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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 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.
Don't miss these local festivals:
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Fall Festival: Enjoy hay rides, a pie-eating contest, music and more from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7 at the Grant Township Center, 26725 W. Molidor Road, Ingleside. Learn more
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Fox Lake Pumpkin Jubilee: There will be pumpkin carving, an artisans market and entertainment from 3 to 7 p.m. Oct. 13 at the Community Garden. Learn more
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Lakemoor's Trunk or Treat: Come for treats and stay for the fun from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 20 at Heritage Park. Learn more
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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.
 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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 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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 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 foodborne 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 foodborne illness risk factors are corrected.
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 Forest Preserve News
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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.
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 Teacher Open House
Lake County educators, learn about exciting programs and resources for your
class, tour the exhibitions and take part in guided teacher training sessions
with our education staff on Oct. 11 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Dunn Museum in Libertyville. Professional development credits will be
available. Learn more
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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 Keep informed about Lake County government! Watch County Board meetings live at 9 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. You can watch meetings live online or on Comcast channels 18 and 30, or AT&T channel 99. You can also view archived County Board meetings anytime.
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Shred it and Forget It
Bring your documents to be securely shredded at Grant Township's next Shred It and Forget It event from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 13 at the township center. Learn more
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