Snowbirds and Students Encouraged to Enroll in Vote By Mail Program
Lake County Clerk Willard Helander reminds Lake County registered voters who spend part of the year outside of the county (usually winters) that they can enroll in the Snowbird Voting by Mail Program.
Those enrolled will automatically receive an application for ballot by mail for the elections specified. Illinois law requires individuals voting by mail to complete an application for ballot before each election, and a ballot will be mailed to the voter only after the Clerk receives the signed application.
During the voting by mail period, voters will be able to visit LakeVoterPower.info to track the Election Department's receipt of their ballot.
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IDOT Public Meeting on Route 45 Widening
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The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will be hosting a public meeting on the widening of Route 45 from Route 22 to Route 60.
Tuesday, February 7
5:30 - 8:30 PM
Vernon Hills Park District - Sullivan Center
635 North Aspen
Vernon Hills, Illinois
Exhibits and audio-visual presentations will be available. IDOT staff will also be on hand to answer your questions.
As your county board member I only vote on county road projects. However, I wanted to make sure you were aware of important meeting.
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Construction Update
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ROUTE 21 PROJECT UPDATE
On March 1, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will resume work on the Route 21 road project, which extends through 2012.
During construction, there will be limited access to the Independence Grove Forest Preserve's Dog Exercise Area on Milwaukee Avenue, and for a portion of the year, the area may be temporarily closed. Details will follow as they become available.
As part of the project, the new 4-lane road will include a dedicated left turn lane into the Dog Area.
For updates on this and other projects, please check IDOT's construction status page.
LAKEWOOD TRAIL AND ROAD IMPROVEMENTS
Starting this summer, the Lake County Department of Transportation (LCDOT) will be working on realigning trails, constructing trail tunnels and making intersection improvements at Route 176 and Fairfield Road.
Details will follow as they become available.
I'll be updating you on other projects as the spring and summer construction session gets under way.
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Tax Refunds To Be Issued Late
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STATE TO BE LATE IN PROCESSING TAX REFUNDS
I was told this week the State of Illinois will be late in processing tax refund checks this year. They don't anticipate to begin processing refunds until February 7th at the earliest.
To track the status of your tax refund payment, please click here.
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| Forest Preserve Dog Exercise Area Hours Extended | |
EXTENDED HOURS
In response to public requests, all four Lake County Forest Preserve Dog Exercise Areas will now stay open daily until 7 p.m. or sunset, whichever is later. The areas open at 6:30 a.m. daily and a permit is required for entry.
I hope you take some time to visit the Lake County Forest Preserve's Dog Exercise Areas. Even my very shy Shih Tzu, Hercules (right), enjoys exploring at the Lakewood and Independence Grove Dog Exercise area.
My dog Hercules
DOG AREA PERMITS
Just a reminder: Our Rangers regularly patrol the dog areas and will issue a citation to anyone using the areas without a permanent, temporary or daily permit properly displayed in their vehicle's windshield. If you haven't bought your 2012 permit yet, do so quickly so your canine companion doesn't miss out, and so you can avoid getting a citation!
Annual permits can be purchased online, over the phone at 847-367-6640, or in person at the Forest Preserve General Offices at 1899 West Winchester Road in Libertyville. Daily permits can be purchased at a self-pay station located in the parking lot at each Dog Exercise Area.
The annual permit allows access to all four Dog Exercise Areas: Independence Grove (entrance off Milwaukee Avenue) near Libertyville, Lakewood near Wauconda, Prairie Wolf near Lake Forest, and Duck Farm near Lindenhurst.
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Is the State of Illinois Holding
Your Unclaimed Property?
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The Illinois State Treasurer's Office is responsible for holding unclaimed property and working to find its owner.
To see if you have unclaimed property being held by the State of Illinois, please click here.
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Board Room Brief
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Below is a brief update on key actions that were taken at this week's County Board and Forest Preserve District Board meetings.
COUNTY TO SAVE BETWEEN 65-76% ON COMMONLY PURCHASED SUPPLIES
We recently rebidded the county's contract for office supplies. The lowest bidder, Staples, Inc., will allow the county to save between 65% and 76% on the most commonly purchased items.
In addition to being the low bidder, Staples, Inc. fits into our
"Buy Local" initiative. They have several locations in Lake County including District 18. They employ over 500 county residents and are a significant taxpayer in the county.
LAKE COUNTY AWARDED MILLIONS IN FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS
Lake County recently received a number of grants that will benefit our veterans, homeless population and unemployed residents. These grants include:
- $1.9 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help ensure our homeless population has access to emergency shelter and other services. We coordinate with several local non-profits to ensure we are serving the homeless effectively and efficiently. I recently taped a segment on LCTV to highlight this effort (click here to watch).
- $50,000 from the Healthcare Foundation of Northern Illinois to provide dental services to low-income veterans.
- $476,746 from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to assist unemployed residents with job skills training, job search assistance and other services.
COUNTY BOARD MAKES 19 APPOINTMENTS TO KEY COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES
This week, the County Board voted to appoint 19 county residents to key committees and commissions including the Regional Planning Commission, Public Water District, County Public Aid Committee and various drainage districts.
Are you interested in volunteering on a county commission or committee? Please click here to see a list of county commissions and committees. The list is long, so don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions about the various groups or when vacancies might open up.
FOREST PRESERVE PRESIDENT APPOINTS OUTSIDE ETHICS OFFICIAL
 Forest Preserve Board President Ann Maine appointed a retired DuPage County Judge toserve as the Lake County Forest Preserve District's Outside Ethics Advisor.
I had the opportunity to serve as the Chairman of the Forest Preserve's Ethics Committee and worked to strengthen our Ethics Ordinance. One of the results was to create an Outside Ethics Advisor position. It's important that our staff and board have an impartial, outside individual to ask questions about ethics rules and report potential ethics violations.
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| Aaron Lawlor - Representing District 18 | |
Dear Neighbor,
I hope you find this information helpful. Please continue to ask questions and suggest topics for the e-newsletter.
With so much going on at all levels of government, don't hesitate to contact me with your questions and concerns regarding this or other issues. You can reach me via email or on my cell at (847) 971-0454.
It is an honor to serve YOU on the County Board and Forest Preserve Board.
Sincerely,
Aaron Lawlor
P.S. If this email was forwarded to you, please click here to sign up so I can get you information directly - especially in the case of a road closure, weather emergency or other issue.
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| Lake County Resident Resource Center | |
NEW Dental Discount Card
A new dental discount card program is now available that will help Lake County residents save money on their dental service expenses.
Individuals or families may opt to pay for a monthly or yearly membership. The cost for a yearly individual membership is $59 and $69 for families.
More than 200 providers in Lake County are participating in this program. Discount card holders will receive significant savings from these providers on dental cleanings, x-rays, braces, dentures, crowns, root canals and more. This plan is not insurance.
Cardholders can simply schedule an appointment with a participating dentist or specialist and present their card to receive a discount at the time of service.
To sign up for the Dental Discount Card Program, residents can download a registration form at: www.nacodentalprogram.com. A list of participating providers and more information is available.
Prescription Drug Discount Card
 County residents can take advantage of a prescription drug discount card program.
The card is free and accepted at most pharmacies. The average card savings is 20 percent off retail prices.
This is intended for people without prescription coverage or on medicines not covered by your plan.
The card may also be used where accepted to fill prescriptions for pets.
To receive a card, click here or email me your address and I will send you one!
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