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Now on Twitter!
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Follow Commissioner Goslin on Twitter to find out what he's been reading in the news and for live updates during County and Forest Preserve Board Meetings.
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Now on Facebook!
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Connect with Commissioner Goslin on Facebook and let him know what's on your mind!.
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Forest Preserve District Budget Approved
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Following November's public hearing filled with testimonies of overwhelming support for the District, the FY2010 Budget for the Forest Preserve District of Cook County was approved today. The final budget does not reduce any existing services or programs, nor does it increase fees of any kind. Additionally the Forest Preserve District did not raise its property tax levy or borrow money.
The total proposed appropriation for FY2010 is $160.1 million. This includes:
- $58.3 million District operating budget
- $14.8 million for Brookfield Zoo
- $9.3 million for the Chicago Botanic Garden
- $3.5 million for land management and restoration efforts.
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Veteran PTSD Screening and Benefit Fairs
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It is estimated that more than 300,000 of the nearly 2 million U.S.
servicemen and women deployed since 9/11 suffer from the often debilitating condition of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the number of cases of PTSD is expected to climb as the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan continue. Mental health experts say PTSD is the primary reason suicides in the
military are at an all-time high--256 soldiers took their own lives
in 2008, the highest number since that data was first tracked, in 1980.
The economic downturn is also hitting Iraq and Afghanistan veterans harder
than other workers--in April 2009, the jobless rate for veterans who served in Iraq and
Afghanistan was 11.2% while the corresponding rate for non-veterans
was 8.8%. There is a crisis with our young veterans who are in need of metal health
services and employment assistance.
As part of a national effort to reach out to local veterans, I co-sponsored a resolution directing the Cook County Veterans Assistance Commission to organize PTSD screening and benefit fairs for veterans in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs, veterans organizations, area hospitals and not-for profit organizations.
These fairs will be held in each Cook County district
every two years and will include employers seeking candidates
for employment, assistance with developing resumes, mental health screenings,
information on follow-up mental health services, and information regarding
veterans insurance and other benefits.
I will send out information on the PTSD screening and benefit fair for the 14th District when details become available.
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Highway Haul Permits Procedures and Fees Amendment
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The Illinois Vehicle Code establishes maximum
wheel and axle loads as well as gross weight
limitations for vehicles traveling on "non-designated" highways (the entirety of the County Highway System). Overweight and oversize vehicles traveling on County Highways cause
excessive wear and tear and as such, the owners and operators of overweight vehicles are required to contribute to the
care and maintenance of the roads they use by way of highway haul permits and corresponding fees.
As of January 1st, 2010, new legal weight requirements for trucks from 73,280 to 80,000 pounds will be in effect through the Illinois Vehicle Code. In order to maintain uniformity with
the Illinois Department of Transportation requirements, an amendment the Cook County Code regarding highway haul permit procedures and fees was introduced today. This amendment was approved.
For more details on the changes in the Cook County Code, please refer to Item # 23 on the December 15, 2009 Board Agenda, available on the Clerk's website.
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Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo
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The Brookfield Zoo's Holiday Magic offers a unique and
exciting way to celebrate the holidays. Events include singing to the animals, zoo
chats, magicians, ice-carving, photos with the animals and storytellers. This year I am
happy to host families from the Palatine Opportunity Center to enjoy the
festivities. Holiday Magic is held each Saturday and Sunday in December, as
well as the entire week of December 26 - 31 from 5:00 - 9:00. For
more information about each day's special plans click here.
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Let's
have a conversation! As always, feel free to
reply to this newsletter, send me an email or give me a call about any
Cook County issue.
Sincerely,
Gregg Goslin, Commissioner
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