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. 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.
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 as I talk further about this.
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.
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
Forest Preserve News
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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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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 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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With more than 200 lakes and rivers in the county, it’s
important to keep our water safe! Lake County Public Works has been working
hard to increase their sustainability efforts to their water operations, from
taking phosphorous and nutrients out of wastewater that can be harmful to aquatic
life, to performing energy audits performed in coordination with the Illinois
EPA. Watch video.
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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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