County Board Approves Extended Period for Property Tax Payments 

In recognition of the financial hardship that many Lake County taxpayers are experiencing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the County Board enacted an ordinance that allows taxpayers to spread their property tax payments over four installments, instead of the usual two installments. 

The payments were originally due on June 8 and Sept. 8. Under the ordinance, property owners must still pay the full amount of taxes due, but may spread them over four payments without incurring interest penalties, as long as the payments are made by the following dates:

• 50% of the first installment payment is due by June 8, 2020 
• 50% of the first installment payment is due by Aug. 7, 2020 
• 50% of the second installment payment is due by Sept. 8, 2020 
• 50% of the second installment payment is due by Nov. 9, 2020 

The office of Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim will mail a notice of the deferred payment plan to all Lake County property owners in approximately two weeks. While the Treasurer's Office remains closed to the public due to the stay-at-home order, customer support staff are available remotely to answer questions. To request that a staff member contact you, complete this form. 
Taxpayers may experience longer than usual wait times for customer service because of the volume of questions anticipated due to the change in the payment schedule.

This program may reduce property tax bills by freezing the property’s equalized assessed value, which impacts the total tax bill. Even if you have received the exemption in past years, you must apply every year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the application deadline has been extended to Oct. 1, 2020. 

To learn more about how to qualify, how to apply and how to get help applying, click here 

• Mark Pfister, Executive Director, Lake County Health Department 
• Donny Schmit, President, Lake County Municipal League  
• Kevin Considine, President and CEO, Lake County Partners  
• Andrew Tangen, Superintendent, Lake County Veterans Assistance Commission  

A recording of the meeting is available at this link.  

Exposure to smoke from open burning can increase serious health consequences during the COVID-19 pandemic in both people who have existing respiratory conditions and those who don’t. People who contract COVID-19 are more likely to develop more severe symptoms and/or serious complications due to smoke exposure. The temporary ban also reduces the risk of the uncontrolled spread of fire, which could impact fire departments and other first responders at a time when their resources are needed to assist with the community COVID-19 response operations. 

For more information about the temporary ban and alternatives to burning yard waste, please visit lakecountyil.gov/openburning. 

Board Establishes Special Committee to Oversee Use of Federal Coronavirus Funding 

At its May 12 meeting, the County Board voted to establish a special board committee focused on COVID-19 recovery and relief. The committee will provide timely guidance and strategic priorities to the County Administrator for the planning and distribution of the federal COVID-19 response funds provided to Lake County under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The special committee’s first meeting will be held virtually on Friday, May 15 and can be viewed online at lakecounty.tv. 

The board also approved the distribution of about $2.4 million in federal funds it has received so far under the CARES Act. The funds will be allocated to several Lake County nonprofit organizations that are working to provide help to those in need of housing, food and utility payment assistance. A list of organizations receiving the funding can be found at this link. 

How the Stay-At-Home Order Impacts Boating in Lake County  

Following modifications to the governor’s executive order on May 1, 2020, there have been many questions surrounding boating and how many people can be in a boat. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) issued guidance stating boating is permitted in groups of no more than two persons.   The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has been seeking further guidance from state officials and the DCEO on enforcement provisions of this, and whether it applies to families who reside together.  All the responses the Sheriff’s Office has received from these inquiries has indicated that local law enforcement has full discretion on enforcement of the boating provision.  Therefore, the Sheriff’s Office is exercising this discretion and will not issue citations to families who are boating on Lake County waterways. Read Sheriff John D. Idleburg’s message. 

Additional Testing Sites 

The Health Department provides COVID-19 testing by appointment only at its Respiratory Illness Clinic at the North Chicago Health Center, 2215 14th Street, North Chicago. Walk-ins are not accepted. Testing is currently available for symptomatic patients of the Community Health Center, and to Lake County residents who do not have a healthcare provider who would like to become a patient of the Community Health Center. Please call the Patient Access Center at (847) 377-8800 for an appointment. Patients must complete a COVID-19 telehealth screening to determine if they meet the criteria to be tested for COVID-19.    

Dozens of additional commercial testing sites are also available throughout Illinois. View an interactive map of testing sites in Lake County. 

Unemployment Benefits for Self-Employed/1099 Workers 

Starting May 11, self-employed and 1099 workers impacted by COVID-19 can apply for unemployment benefits online. This benefit expansion program, called the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), was created by Congress in the CARES Act stimulus bill.  PUA will provide up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits to workers who would not usually be eligible for traditional benefits. This includes 1099 employees, independent contractors, gig economy workers, sole proprietors, and self-employed workers. Learn more about PUA 

Cash Grants for College of Lake County Students 

Emergency cash grants are now available to College of Lake County students whose lives have been affected by the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19 in support of continuing their educational goals.  

Through the Lancers Keep Learning Fund, eligible students will be provided with up to $1,500 over spring, summer and fall semesters in financial assistance and resources to cover critical basic needs, including food, housing, course materials and more. Learn more and apply 

COVID-19 Safety in the Workplace 

In early April, the Office of the Illinois Attorney General proposed a cooperative effort to address employee and public concerns about the transmission of COVID-19 in businesses. Since then, the Lake County Health Department has been working with the Attorney General's Office, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, municipalities, and local law enforcement to mitigate issues at businesses with COVID-19 cases among employees and where concerns are reported. 

Anyone with concerns about safety in their workplace because their employer is not following social distancing guidelines can contact the Attorney General's Workplace Rights Bureau at (844) 740-5076 or through 
emailworkplacerights@atg.state.il.us to file a complaint. 

Workforce Development Small Business Grants 

The Lake County Workforce Development Board recognizes that COVID-19 has put a difficult burden on our business and non-profit community. As a response, the Workforce Board is working with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity(DCEO) to provide small businesses and non-profits with reimbursement grants during this health crisis. These grant funds can help you equip your business with strategies that mitigate layoffs and adhere to “social distancing” provisions established by state and federal health entities. Read details.  

Illinois Low-Interest Bridge Loans for Small Businesses  

The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office announced it is increasing to $500 million the amount of money available to small businesses for low-interest bridge loans to help employers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The money will be made available to small businesses via community lending institutions, such as local banks and credit unions. In turn, the lending institutions agree to loan the money to small businesses at below-market rates. Read more 

Help for Local Businesses 

Lake County Partners, a non-profit corporation that supports Lake County businesses, has compiled helpful resources for area businesses.  View it here.  

Guidance on Cleaning and Disinfecting  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has put together guidance for cleaning and disinfecting public spaces, workplaces, businesses and schools, which can also be applied to your home. The virus that causes COVID-19 can be killed if you use the right products. The U.S. EPA has compiled a list of disinfectant products that can be used against COVID-19, including ready-to-use sprays, concentrates, and wipes. Learn more 

More Than $338,000 Distributed Through COVID-19 Community Response Fund  

As of May 1, United Way of Lake County has awarded more than $338,000 to 22 Lake County non-profits that are on the front lines of responding to the COVID-19 crisis in Lake County.  The most recent grant recipients focused on agencies meeting the COVID-19 related needs of seniors and those providing critical behavioral and mental health services for children and families during this time of crisis. Additional grants will be awarded on a rolling basis to quickly respond to urgent and evolving needs, as funds are available. Read more  

For more information about the Lake County COVID-19 Community Response Fund, visit LIVEUNITEDlakecounty.org/covid19. 

Masks Distributed to Students and their Families in Waukegan   

Leaders United, a group of young professionals supporting the work of United Way of Lake County through volunteerism and philanthropy, launched a mask donation drive to support Waukegan Public School students and their families. The community can donate unused disposable and homemade masks through May 28 by bringing them to the collection bin near the front desk of the Waukegan Police Department, 101 N. West Street in downtown Waukegan.   

The City of Waukegan recently contributed 14,000 disposable masks to the effort acquired through the Community Development Block Grant Program. The masks were distributed in conjunction with the district’s mobile meal distribution program to 80 locations through Waukegan. Teachers from this district will also benefit from the donation.   

For instructions on making homemade masks, a list of  locations where you can donate masks and other ways you can volunteer, view the United Way volunteer opportunities web page. 

Volunteer Opportunities 

For a list of other ways you can help your community, including meal delivery, phone checks on older adults, office assistance and more, visit the How You Can Help and United Way of Lake County Volunteer Opportunities pages. 

A new traffic pattern along Buffalo Grove Road and IL 83 has been set. Temporary traffic signals are in use along Lake Cook Road and IL 83. Please be alert and drive with caution through the work zone. 

There will be daily lane closures from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday along Lake Cook Road and Weiland Road. Learn more about this project at
cookcountylcr.org. 

Ethylene Oxide Update  

The Health Department, in partnership with the Village of Gurnee and City of Waukegan, continues to address concerns of ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions from Medline Industries in Waukegan and Vantage Specialty Chemicals in Gurnee. The final phase of outdoor air monitoring concluded on May 2, 2020, and the Health Department is awaiting the final sampling results. These results will be posted to the Health Department’s website at www.lakecountyil.gov/eto when they are received. 

Results will be sent to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) which has regulatory authority over EtO emissions permitting in Illinois.  The ATSDR has agreed to conduct a health risk assessment for Lake County based on the results, and IDPH has agreed to complete a cancer incidence study that includes Lake County. These assessments are expected to take several months.