Visitors Bureau

Community Links

City of Highland Park 

City of Highwood 

I am pleased to have been elected to the Lake County Board, District 11, which is most of Highland Park, all of Highwood, and a slice of Deerfield. I look forward to representing my district and all of Lake County. In this newsletter, you will find Lake County news and events. I hope you find it to be informative, and I welcome your input. Email, call, fax or write me with suggestions, questions or comments.

Best way to reach me is at 847.456.6933 or smandel@lakecountyil.gov 

Together we can make sure that Lake County remains a wonderful place to call home.

Sincerely,

If you've noticed driving around the Highland Park area is a little easier these days, it's not by luck. Through the use of federal congestion relief funds, the City of Highland Park and the Lake County Department of Transportation incorporated the traffic signals in Highland Park into the Lake County PASSAGE system, which monitors traffic across the county. The traffic signals have been retimed, monitoring cameras have been added, and a real-time connection to the Highland Park Police Department has been established. These upgrades will provide better guidance to motorists in this area of Lake County.  

Watch this video to learn more about the project.

Administering the criminal justice system is one of the primary functions of county government. Lake County's growing population has placed a huge demand on the court system, and the County currently has a shortage of courtrooms and facility constraints to meet this demand. 

After studying this issue for several years, the County Board approved an extensive courts expansion project that includes operational enhancements and adding new courtrooms. These changes will meet the system's growing demands and postpone the need for additional jail beds through the year 2030 and beyond, as well as provide for more efficient delivery of justice.  

The court expansion project includes:

• Criminal Courts Tower: A new 9-story, approximately 215,000 sq. ft. building with 17 new courtrooms and space for three future courtrooms located on the southwest corner of County and Washington streets.
• Washington Street Tunnel: Construct a tunnel connecting the jail and court to provide secure and efficient in-custody transfers from the jail to the court, and ensure public separation of detainees in elevator and corridor space within the court complex.
• Remodeling of Babcox Court (current court complex) and Jail Intake, Booking and Kitchen

This project is part of a larger $120 million capital improvement plan that also includes improvements to the Vernon Hills Juvenile Justice Center and completing renovations to the County Administrative Tower, including an energy retrofit.

The County planned and saved for this project, and will pay for it using about 30% cash, or $34 million, and borrow (bond) approximately $90 million keeping Lake County's overall debt extremely low. The full amount of the bond payment is in the 2013 budget.

Since early 2008, Lake County has been exploring options for addressing the criminal justice system and facilities in the most efficient and fiscally responsible way.  A judicial facilities committee, appointed by the county board, recommended this multi-year plan, along with several operational enhancements, which have been implemented.

What barriers are getting in the way of you reaching your goals? Everyone needs help from time to time, but chances are, there are resources available to assist you. Job Center of Lake County has compiled a list of common barriers to employment and the programs that can help you rise above them.

Need help with issues including transportation, housing, food and substance abuse? Find it here. 

Lake County is a Local Leader

The Lake County Division of Transportation is using new methods and technologies to more efficiently clear the roads during winter weather. GPS systems allow LCDOT to monitor snowplows during storms and more effectively deploy its fleet of plows. In addition, the County has been a local leader in using salt brine and beet juice, saving money on salt, man hours and fuel.

Watch a video about LCDOT's efforts to modernize its snow removal processes.

Outdoor Fun in a Beautiful Setting

Explore winter's wonder. When snow is on the ground, our preserves are an ideal setting for activities such as ice skating, ice fishing, sledding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and hiking. A 4.5-inch ice layer is required for ice skating and fishing, and a 4-inch snow base is required for snowmobiling. For current winter sports conditions, visit the Forest Preserves website or call our 24-hour automated winter sports hotline at 847.968.3235 for updated info. The Lakewood Winter Sports Area and an adjacent section of the Millennium Trail in Wauconda, and a trail loop at Old School in Libertyville are lighted, allowing for winter fun until 9 p.m., daily. For a complete list of activities and locations, visit the Forest Preserve's activities page. 

Annual Permit Sales

Annual permits for 2013 are available for purchase, including Dog Exercise Area permits, Horse Trail Use permits, Model Aircraft Flying Field permits, Dog Sled Area access and Horse-drawn Vehicle Use permits. Annual permits are good from the time purchased through the end of the calendar year (December 31, 2013). Permits can be purchased online or by phone at 847-367-6640, in person at our General Offices in Libertyville and our Operations and Public Safety Facility in Lindenhurst, or by mail or fax. Read more.

Steven W. Mandel
Lake County Board, District 11

2157 Saint Johns Avenue

Highland Park, IL 60035

847.456.6933 cell

847.831.0373 home

847.831.0374 fax

smandel@lakecountyil.gov 

stevemandel@comcast.net