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Lake County News
From
Craig Taylor |
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Craig Taylor, Representative District 19 | |
 I hope to see you tomorrow (3/17) at the Chamber Business Expo at LZHS (booth 79). It'll be a fun way to spend part of your St. Patrick's Day!
If you know of any activities taking place in District 19 or the county that may be of interest to our friends and neighbors in the area, please provide me the details and I will include them in the "UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS" section of my newsletter.
Please forward this e-newsletter to anyone you feel may benefit from its content. By helping me get the word out in this manner you're also helping me GO GREEN! Thank you!
If you've gotten this letter from a friend, please join my email list at the bottom of this page to receive future issues.
Should you need to contact me, my contact information follows:
Home phone: 847-438-2961
Cell phone: 224-805-6027
I consider it a honor and privilege to serve you!
Thanks!
Lake County Board Member & Lake County Forest Preserve Commissioner
District 19 Representative
Hawthorn Woods, Kildeer, Lake Zurich, Long Grove
(In the future, District 19 will include Deer Park and Barrington) |
| ELECTION DAY IS NEXT TUESDAY | |
This coming Tuesday, March 20th is Primary Election Day in Lake County and across Illinois. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. To find the location and directions to your polling site, visit the Voter Power page on the County Clerk's website and click "Where do I vote?". You can also preview your ballot options and candidates from the page. |
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LAKE COUNTY OPENS NEW VETERANS CENTER
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 Lake County Board Chairman David Stolman and Veterans Assistance Commission President Norm Arnswald will officially open the new Veterans Center of Lake County on Monday, March 19 at 1 p.m. Medal of Honor recipient and Gurnee resident Al Lynch will also attend the event. The center is co-located with the Veterans Assistance Commission (VAC) at 20 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Waukegan.
The center features an internet café for veterans and their families to check Veterans Assistance (VA) claim status and health care records, and receive one-on-on assistance from VAC employees, as needed. Also, by enhancing the ability for veterans to access records, such as proof of service, medical records showing an injury or illness in service, and records showing the current disability as a result of military service, the VAC can then submit all of the required documentation with the claim, which significantly reduces the amount of time for that claim to be processed by the VA.
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OPEN HOUSES IN MARCH FOR REZONING OF
PROPERTY AT U.S. RTE. 12, OLD McHENRY RD. | |
 The Dimucci Family has applied to Lake County to develop their approximately 109 acres of property at Rt. 12 and Old McHenry Road located in southwestern unincorporated Lake County. The request is for a rezoning from residential to commercial with a planned unit development to allow for up to 53 acres of high quality commercial development, surrounded by about 50 acres of open space.
On March 3, more than 80 residents attended Lake County's first informational open house on the project. Residents had an opportunity to ask questions about the proposal, learn more about the process, and provide input. There will be two additional open houses on Wednesday, March 21 and Tuesday, March 27 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Concorde Banquets, 20922 N Rand Road in Kildeer.
In this video, learn more about the information provided at the open houses.
You can also visit lakecountyil.gov/dimucciproperty to view materials from the open houses and submit comments.
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BOARD COMMITS TO WORK TOWARD
60% RECYCLING RATE BY 2020
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The average pounds per day of waste disposed of by each resident in Lake County is about 4.8 pounds (based on 2010 statistics). Most of that waste ends up in a local landfill and as a result, Lake County has an estimated landfill capacity of around 12 to 13 years.
That is why leaders from across Lake County have been working on a plan to reduce the amount of waste and extend the life of our landfills. The specific recommendations are outlined in the "60% Recycling Task Force" report recently adopted by the Lake County Board. The task force, which is made up of 27 members representing a wide range of stakeholders including two county board members, produced the report with 36 recommendations to achieve a 60% recycling rate by 2020.
To put the 60% goal in perspective, in 2010, Lake County achieved a 39% recycling rate. The goal is to reduce waste disposed of in the landfills to 40% of what is generated. The recommendations are grouped into three sectors: residential, commercial, and construction and demolition debris. The residential strategies include: enhancing existing programs, expanding use of franchising, implementing a pilot food scraps/organics collection programs and backyard composting, and other measures. Commercial strategies include: enhancing existing programs. For example, the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) will work with partners to implement an award program that promotes awareness of businesses that recycle. Also, SWALCO will assist local governments with use of franchising, developing model contracts for commercial businesses, and providing waste audit assistance. Also, the plan recommends strategies such as developing model ordinances. Additionally, SWALCO, in collaboration with its partners, will embark in a multi-faceted community outreach and education effort to provide information on how to recycle, why it is important, and the impact it has on our own community and beyond.
The plan has also been approved by many Lake County municipalities. The intent is to have Lake County government and all of the municipalities adopt the report and commit to begin implementing the recommended actions outlined in the plan. To view the report, visit www.swalco.org.
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SPRING CONSTRUCTION SEASON GEARING UP
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 As winter comes to an end, the Lake County Division of Transportation is gearing up for construction season. Take a look at the construction projects website to see what's coming. You can also sign up for real-time traffic alerts on Lake County PASSAGE , follow @LCDOT on Twitter, and get project updates on LCDOT's Facebook page .
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SENIOR CITIZEN ASSESSMENT
FREEZE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS
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The Chief County Assessment Office will be mailing the 2012 Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption Applications to all homeowners currently receiving the Senior Homestead, in the next few weeks.
The qualifications are:
- 65 years old or older during the tax year;
- Own the property as your principal residence for the last two Jan. 1st;
- 2011 total household income is $55,000 or less.
Need help filling out the application? Visit one of the scheduled Outreach Sessions. Applications need to be filed by July 2, 2012. For forms or additional information please visit the Chief County Assessment Office website.
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LAKE COUNTY'S SUSTAINABILITY PROGRESS
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 Lake County is committed to promoting a sustainable environment. In fact, it is one of the County Board's top strategic goals. A few years ago, Lake County adopted a plan to enhance our sustainability efforts and since then, departments have been working hard to turn many of our strategies into actions. For example, the Lake County Division of Transportation has built three new roundabout intersections that allow for more efficient traffic flow through the intersection thereby reducing emissions. Also, Public Works has enhanced its bio-solids distribution and the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) continues to have tremendous success with its electronics collections. In this video, learn more about Lake County's Sustainability progress. And, find out what you can do to live greener by visiting Lake County's Going Green website.
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FOREST PRESERVE NEWS
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Forest Preserve Summer Camps
Sneak some learning into your child's summer adventures. Lake County Forest Preserve summer camps and day programs meet the summer wishes of kids and parents alike. Programs are offered for ages 4 through 17. Choose from nature exploration, fun on the farm, fishing, canoeing and kayaking, history, theatre, or arts and crafts. Click here to browse available programs and register online.
Spring Burn Season
In March and April, Forest Preserve burn crews will use controlled fires to revive weakened natural areas. Before Illinois was settled, wildfires were critical to the survival of some plant communities. The need still exists, but wildfires that swept the countryside have been replaced with controlled burns managed by trained staff professionals. By mid-April, the program ends in order to protect wildlife such as birds beginning to nest and snakes emerging from hibernation. Click here for current information about controlled burns or call 847.968.3293.
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UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS
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Saturday, March 17
Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce Business and Community Expo
10am to 4pm (FREE Admission)
Lake Zurich High School, 300 Church Street, Lake Zurich
EXPO POSTER & INFORMATION
Stop by Booth 79, say "HI" and pick up a Lake County road and bike trail map! I look forward to seeing you there!
Saturday, March 17
St. Patrick's Day Dinner and Vegas-style Entertainment
6 - 11 p.m.
American Legion, Lake Zurich Post #964
51 Lions Drive, Lake Zurich
Tickets sold only in advance: call Mike, 847.438.7690
Sunday, April 1
Pancake Breakfast with the Easter Bunny
8 a.m. - noon
American Legion, Lake Zurich Post #964
All-you-can-eat breakfast! Adults age 20 to 54 $6.00 per person; Seniors 55+ and teens 13-19 $5.00; Youth 3-12 is $4.00; free to under 3 and anyone in current military uniform.
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| COMMUNITY "QUICK LINKS" | |
For community information check out these websites:
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| VIEW PAST ISSUES OF LAKE COUNTY NEWS |
I have archived my newsletters for your convenience. To view archived Lake County News from Craig Taylor click here. |
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