Lake County Transportation

For week of 10/4, the contractor will continue installing timber piles and continue grading for the bikepath near Thornmeadow Rd. Also, they will start working on the boardwalk structure towards end of the week.

***Closure update: 4-day road closure on Deerfield Rd at Des Plaines River will start on October 19 and conclude on the 22^nd. Deerfield Road will be completely closed Oct 19th to Oct 22 for construction cranes to position the bicycle bridge over the Des Plaines River.

Impact to Drivers: One-lane traffic will be utilized from 9am - 3pm at times. Watch for flaggers. Be aware of trucks entering/leaving jobsite. Expect delays.

County Budget Hearings Start This Week

Last Friday, county staff released the draft 2011 budget. It proposes $9 million in cuts to our operating budget.

Since 2009, we have:

- Cut $15 million from the operating budget

- Eliminated/defunded 113 positions

- Reduced take-home vehicles from over 100 to less than 5

- Maintained a AAA bond rating

I think we need to look at additional cuts in these tough times and want to hear from you about what initiatives are important and what should be cut.

Budget Executive Summary

Budget Documents

Please take a moment to review the proposed budget and email me with your thoughts. I will be raising your comments during budget hearings and other meetings in the next few weeks.

If you don't have time to read the budget in detail, take a look at the executive summary and feel free to send your overall impression (i.e. what our funding priorities should be, if you have encountered a service or program that you disagree with, etc).

The State of Illinois continues to have a negative impact on our county finances and has shortchanged us by millions of dollars - a burden which the county has absorbed with spending cuts.

We stay fiscally strong by making sure we don't spend funds that we don't have. As your County Board Member, I am responsible for voting on the expenditure of 7% of your tax bill which funds county services that includes courts, jails, county roads, Winchester House, health department, elections, etc. The Forest Preserve accounts for 3% of tax bills.

We are receiving less income tax and sales tax revenue and like your budgets at home, we have to cut spending as well.

We are working with each department and will be prioritizing expenditures of your tax dollars and making the tough decisions. Unlike most units of government, our budget will decrease for the second consecutive year. In these tough times, all units of government need to join us in passing negative growth budgets.

Property Tax Appeal Update

Vernon Township residents should have received their property tax assessments recently.

Please take a moment to click on the link below and learn about the appeal process and what resources are available to you.

Property Tax Appeal Resources

Taxpayers are encouraged to discuss their questions regarding their property assessment valuation with their

local township assessor's office.

Remember that you only have 30 days from the publication date to appeal your property assessment valuation. The deadline for Vernon Township residents is October 25th.

Voter Registration Closes October 5

October 5 is the last day for local deputy registrars to register voters for the November 2, 2010 General Election. To confirm that you are registered at your current address in Lake County, visit AmIRegistered.info or call the County Clerk's office at (847) 377-2410 for verification.

A new registrant must be a U.S. citizen, 18 years old on or before the election, a resident of their precinct for 30 days immediately prior to Election Day, and must provide two forms of identification.

Registration is available at the County Clerk's office and at most municipal, township and library facilities. In addition, there are more than 1,200 trained deputy registrars available throughout the county in every local community. To find the nearest registration location, call the Voter Registration Department at (847) 377-2410.

The Clerk's link at GetRegistered.info offers a fellable online form for printing, signing and mailing. These mail-in forms must be postmarked by October 5 and be accompanied by a photocopy of identification.

Voting By Mail Proves Popular for 2010

Any registered voter can vote by mail and more than 7,000 voters have chosen this option before the first day to mail ballots. Lake County voters can make a one-time request for ballot by mail for the November election, or enroll in the Permanent Voting by Mail Program online at the County Clerk's website at VotingByMail.info or by calling (847) 377-2406.

Enrolling in the permanent program saves your tax dollars as it reduces the number of ballots needed for Election Day. The last day a ballot can be mailed to a voter is Oct. 28. Once a voted ballot is mailed back to the Clerk's office, voters can visit

LakeCountyClerk.info to track our receipt of the ballot.

Lake Voter Power Link

LakeVoterPower.info gives Lake County voters one-click access to all election information after confirming registration at one's current address. The Voter Power landing page offers links to districts serving your address, current elected officials, candidates running for office, your sample ballot, voting site information, online ballot by mail request and track ballot's return to the County Clerk.

Voter Information Guide

The Voter Information Guide is published in local newspapers approximately 30 days before every election. The guide offers a complete listing of all candidates and public questions for November's election. Addresses and hours for Early Voting sites are listed on the back cover. Election Day voting sites are sorted by precinct and have their address listed. Helpful facts and questions and answers about elections are also included.

Early Voting Still Growing in Lake County

This in-person voting option before Election Day is available at convenient locations throughout the county starting Monday, Oct. 11 and ending Thurs., Oct 28. All early voting sites are open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Check WhereDoIVote.info for your early voting site, as well as, to see a picture and get driving directions. Voters must first enter information to confirm registration at their current address.

2010 Flu Shot Clinic

A Walk-In Flu Shot Clinic will be held at Village Hall on Saturday, October 9, from 8:30 am to 12:00 am, or until the vaccine supply has been depleted. The Flu vaccine this year will contain both the seasonal flu vaccine as well as the H1N1.

This clinic is provided by the Village of Buffalo Grove Health Department in conjunction with Northwest Community Hospital.

The flu shot is provided free for those who have Medicare B coverage or Railroad Retirement Insurance and can present their card at the clinic. All other residents will be charged a $24 fee. Only cash and checks are accepted at the clinics.

Please note that children over the age of 3 and under the age of 9 will be required to show a physician's order indicating that the child may receive the flu shot and stating if the child has had a flu injection before. Children ages 6 months to 35 months will not be given a flu shot at this community clinic, but may schedule an appointment by calling Northwest Community Hospital 847-618-4358.

If you have any questions regarding this program, please contact the Village Health Department at 847-459-2530.