Hello Lake County District 3 Residents,
Spring is starting to rear its head, and I hope that will encourage everyone to take advantage of all of the outside activities that our local parks and Forest Preserves are famous for.
In this edition of my newsletter, I include information for voters for the April 2 Consolidated Election, new steps towards consolidation, stormwater management, electronics recycling, changes in zoning to encourage increased solar energy usage by residents, school safety, a Driver's License Reinstatement program, pet vaccination, Forest Preserve news and more.
I also wanted to let you know about my trip to Washington DC earlier this month for the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference. It was a terrific opportunity to meet hundreds of fellow County officials from across the nation. I met with Federal Representatives and Senators as well as Federal Agency contacts, including a one on one with Secretary of HUD, Dr, Ben Carson, with whom I discussed issues related to Affordable Housing availability and quality in Lake County.
Each day of the conference, typically from 7:30 AM until 11 PM, was filled with senior official presentations, learning seminars, workshops, and networking opportunities to discuss challenges that affect our respective counties and strategies to address them.
Seminars of particular interest to me related to Property Taxes, Economic Development, opioid epidemic, and mental and behavioral health. I drafted a report of my time at the conference, which is publicly available for you to review at this link.
As always, please always feel free to reach out to me and let me know what I can do to help you.
Sincerely,
Dick Barr
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Voter Registration
Grace Registration is available through April 2 at any early voting site when open and at the voter’s assigned Election Day site. Applicants must meet all voter registration requirements, provide valid identification, and vote at the time of registration.
Vote Early
Early voting is available through April 1 at sites throughout Lake County. Find an early voting site near you by using this locator. Hours vary at the different sites, and some locations even offer weekend and evening hours.
Vote on Election Day
Those choosing to vote on Election Day, April 2 must go to their assigned polling location. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Find your assigned voting site.
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Property owners and customers of the Lakes Region Sanitary District will soon see real savings as the Lakes Region Sanitary District and the Lake County Board are close to entering into an Intergovernmental Agreement that will consolidate sanitary sewer services.
The District collects and transmits wastewater for more than 5,500 customers in the northwestern part of Lake County. Consolidating District operations and allowing Lake County to assume all future operational services will streamline resources and eventually eliminate the District Tax levy. All operations, maintenance, and customer service will be handled by Lake County Public Works.
Operational and maintenance services are anticipated to be ready by May 1, 2019, and customer service will transition over to Lake County Public Works by June 3, 2019, pending mutual agreement by both Boards. District and County employees are working to ensure customers do not experience any reduction or interruption of service. Additional information will be made available as this consolidation process moves forward. Find out more
The Senior Freeze provides seniors with limited income protection against real estate tax increases due to rising property values. Because this exemption provides for a base year frozen assessment, it will potentially provide increased savings each year a senior is eligible.
Seniors are invited to attend an upcoming outreach session to learn more about this exemption, and receive assistance filling out the 2019 Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Application for taxes payable in 2020 as well as assistance on other homestead exemptions available. Residents will work one-on-one with a staff member to complete the necessary forms. View Upcoming Outreach Sessions.
New this year, you may also submit homestead exemption forms electronically using the Smartfile E-Filing Portal.
Lake County Stormwater Management Commission Presents Upper Des Plaines River Watershed Impact Analysis Findings
The Lake County Stormwater Management Commission (SMC) recently presented initial findings from a study of the potential impacts to the Upper Des Plaines River Watershed (DPRW) in Wisconsin and Illinois due to development in the region. The study area includes the Foxconn Technology Group development site. Areas of concern are outlined in the study which could lead to increased flooding and impact the health of the DPRW in both Wisconsin and Illinois if they are not addressed.
Initial results from the study are available on the SMC website. Any comments about the draft report should be sent to Stormwater@lakecountyil.gov.
2018 Stormwater Awards
Congratulations to the 2018 Lake County Stormwater Award winners! These individuals, communities, groups and organizations exemplify SMC’s core mission of flood damage reduction, water quality improvement, natural resource protection, and enhancement. Meet this year’s winners.
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Lake County Creates Solar Energy Task Force
As the cost of solar energy goes down, the interest of solar energy from residents and communities increases! Lake County is creating a Solar Energy Task Force in partnership with local communities to develop a solar energy model ordinance that will serve as a template for communities to use when adopting solar specific zoning codes. Lake County and our partners aim to modernize regulations to adapt to emerging trends in solar technology. Further updates will be provided in my future newsletter.
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Special One-Day Electronics Recycling Collection Planned
Lake County businesses, schools, churches, non for profits and units of government are invited to bring broken and unwanted electronics to be recycled at a special collection event from 8 a.m. to noon April 9 at the Lindenhurst Village Hall.
The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County also provides free opportunities for residents to recycle electronics through a network of drop off locations. However, State law limits these locations to accept only residential electronics. Learn more about this special collection, including what items will be accepted.
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Lake County Public Works will begin its semi-annual water hydrant flushing program April 1. The expected completion date is April 26. Hydrant flushing enhances water quality because it removes any residue buildup in the mains. Residents are urged not to do laundry during periods of flushing in your area to avoid staining of clothing, which may occur due to the disturbance in the water main. View the hydrant flushing schedule.
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Low-cost pet vaccination clinics provide a convenient and affordable way to keep pets up to date with their shots and rabies tags. The Lake County Health Department will begin its spring pet vaccination clinics on March 30. Only cash will be accepted on site. Find a pet vaccination clinic near you.
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Fremont School District 79 is teaming up with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in a new pilot program that will enhance school safety efforts when seconds matter. The program will focus on information sharing between County schools and the Sheriff’s Office. Through the partnership, the Sheriff’s Office will maintain an internal website which will provide live-video feeds of cameras within the school (for schools with installed cameras), aerial views of the school and surrounding area, floor plans of each school building, and other updates to first-responders in a critical incident. Find out more.
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Lake County residents who are unable to pay outstanding fees and fines may be eligible for Lake County’s Road to Reinstatement Pilot Program. This program will provide individuals an opportunity to reduce outstanding costs to get their licenses renewed or reinstated. To apply for the program, individuals must submit an application for waiver of court fees, personal information form, and their driving abstract by March 29. Find out more.
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Forest Preserve News
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Volunteers Lend Hands and Hearts to Help Forest Preserves Grow and Thrive
Helping with fishing camps, planting native gardens, monitoring wildlife and assisting at the Dunn Museum are just a few of the volunteer efforts performed by single individuals or groups. A total of 1,921 volunteers spent 25,910 hours in forest preserves throughout Lake County in 2018. Playing key roles in operations and public safety, habitat restoration, education and cultural preservation, the hours had a value of $674,000. Learn more »
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