The September Conference Business Meeting will feature the Vice President of HR Consulting Services from Sikich LLP discussing the new health care law and how it affects municipalities. In addition, the Village of Hanover Park will give a brief presentation on their use of Leads Online software to track stolen property sold through pawn and resale shops for the Municipal Innovation Spotlight. The meeting will be on Wednesday, September 19 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Oak Brook. Click here to register or contact Kim Sumner, Member Services and Communications Manager, for more information.

The General Assembly has scheduled the 2012 Fall Veto Session for Tuesday-Thursday, November 27-29 and Tuesday-Thursday, December 4-6. We are currently recruiting a group of mayors and managers to join us for a Springfield Drive Down from 7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 4, to 12 noon on Wednesday, December 5.  Due to the unpredictable nature of Veto Session plans may change, but tentatively include an evening dinner with legislators on Tuesday and a half day of lobbying on Wednesday.  If you are able to join us, please notify Kate Buggy, Policy Analyst, as soon as possible.   

Applications for the FY 13-18 STP program were due on Friday, August 10. The Conference received 47 applications including 39 highway projects and 8 TCM projects. The applications amount to a requested total of $26.4 million. The STP Methodologies Task Force will meet on October 15 to discuss the details of the program and provide a recommendation for approval by the Transportation Technical Committee in October, and the Board of Directors and full Conference membership in November.   

Save the date for DMMC's fall bicycle and pedestrian workshop. It will be held Tuesday, October 9 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the Woodridge Public Library. This workshop will look at the benefits of bicycle and pedestrian transportation through a variety of different lenses. It will help municipalities consider and understand what resonates with your community and provide tools and knowledge to design, build and maintain low-cost, feasible bicycle and pedestrian projects. It will also offer ideas for creating a policy and planning framework to help your community envision its bike/ped future. Click here for registration. If you have any questions, please contact Mike Albin, Transportation Project Manager.     

Does your municipality have an innovative solution to a common problem? Submit it for our Municipal Innovation Spotlight series and you can be featured at one of our upcoming Conference Business Meetings. Presentations are short - just enough time to share what you've accomplished and help your fellow members out by giving them the tools they would need to implement a similar program. Now is your time to shine! Contact Suzette Quintell, Operations Director, if you are interested in participating in the Municipal Innovation Spotlight or have any questions.   

The City of Naperville was ranked No. 53 in the overall list of 100 cities in Money Magazine's annual "Best Places to Live" list. Other Illinois cities included in the rankings were Bolingbrook (61) and Wheaton (80).        

The Illinois Municipal League Annual Conference will be October 18 - 20 at the Hilton Chicago. DMMC Members will be presenting at sessions throughout the three day event. Support your fellow members by attending one of their sessions.      

The Governing Board of the Suburban Purchasing Cooperative has awarded the first of three posible contract extensions on the 2013 Ford Expedition 4 Door 4x4 Special Service Package Contract #117A with Landmark Ford, Illinois. They are the only SPC-authorized dealer in the state to offer this pricing for this 2013 model year vehicle. The duration of the contract extension is from October 5, 2012 through October 4, 2013. The contract price of $27,188.00 secured by the Suburban Purchasing Cooperative for the 2012 vehicle remains the same for the 2013 model. The SPC reserves the right to extend this contract for up to two additional one-year terms upon mutual agreement of both the vendor and the SPC on a negotiated basis. For questions or ordering information, please contact Lyle Snow at Landmark Ford, 800-798-9912 or lylesnow@msn.com.

The SPC Board is pleased to announce that pricing on the 2013 Ford F-150 Regular Cab Pick Up Truck Contract #111 will remain the same as the 2012 model and the agreement with Freeway Ford, Lyons, IL has been extended through November 12, 2013. The SPC reserves the right to extend these contracts for up to one additional one-year term upon mutual agreement of both the vendor and the SPC on a negotiated basis. For additional information or questions, please contact Peter DeMeis, 708-442-9000 or pdemeis@gmail.com.

For questions on SPC, contact DMMC Operations Director Suzette Quintell.