In this episode of Lake County Update, Chief County Assessment Officer Marty Paulson talks about the complex subject of property tax assessments.

Get answers to your questions about property tax assessments, including how assessments impact your property tax bill, the appeal process, and how to access helpful resources.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) recently began a resurfacing project on US Route 45 in Mundelein, Indian Creek, Vernon Hills, and Lincolnshire.  Motorists are being alerted to traffic temporarily being reduced to one lane. The project has an anticipated completion date of November 15.

Drivers are urged to pay close attention to the signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits and be on the alert for workers and equipment. 

Find details on other construction projects at www.dot.state.il.us. 

Updates on the impacts to traffic are available at www.travelmidwest.com 

Sign-up here for personalized

 traffic alerts with Lake County PASSAGE by entering the roads and times you drive.

The Lake County Board has a goal to divert 60% of the waste stream away from landfills by 2030. The board recently approved changes to the Solid Waste and Recycling Ordinance incorporating specific recommendations toward achieving this goal, including requiring haulers (in the unincorporated area) to provide residents with containers for collecting recyclable materials, and information on how and what materials to recycle. 

What can you do? Lake County residents have access to single-stream recycling, which means no sorting of recyclables is necessary. Everything can be placed in the same container with no guessing games. For a list of what can and cannot be recycled in Lake County, visit www.RecycleFirstTrashLast.org, check out these recycling guidelines or watch this video about recycling.   

 The annual back-to-school fair for kids' health is being held at Miguel Juarez Middle School in Waukegan through a cooperative effort led by the Lake County Health Department, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science and United Way of Lake County. This is the 21st year for the event that provides physical and dental exams, immunizations and information about community resources for qualifying families. More Event Information Here

Learn more by watching this video from last year's Kids 1st Health Fair event. 

Whether it's the production of food, packaging of food, or wasting of food, more people are becoming conscious of their carbon "foodprint". If you are looking to reduce your carbon foodprint buying locally grown produce, purchasing minimally packaged foods, and eating your leftovers, are easy ways you can do it. 

Watch this video to learn more.

The Lake County Board recently adopted our strategic plan that serves as a road map for Lake County government over the next several years. The Board will continue to focus on the same five strategic goals identified in the previous plan. Lake County obtained input into the plan earlier this year at five community forums and through our website.  The public recommended the County focus more on communication and civic engagement, efficiency, partnership and collaboration, and prevention (as it relates to health and criminal justice programs), and those themes have been incorporated into the vision and values, as well as the strategies and actions.

The strategic goals include:

• Enhance Economic Opportunities - Foster balanced growth and a diverse economy to provide living wage jobs, housing, and economic opportunities.
• Promote a Sustainable Environment - Preserve the health of our natural resources and our drinking water through the widespread use of sustainable and environmental management practices, effective storm water management and the enhancement and rehabilitation of lakes, wetlands and other fragile ecological systems.
• Build Healthy and Resilient Communities - Maintain well-being of residents, focusing on the availability of accessible health services for families, the aging population, and other populations in need.
• Provide Public Safety - Enhance the safety of residents through an integrated criminal justice system, including law enforcement and other programs that reduce crime, recidivism, family violence and substance abuse.
• Reduce Congestion and Improve Transportation in Lake County - Promote development of State, County, and municipal transportation systems that provide for efficient, flexible and uncongested movement through an integrated network of road, rail, public transit, and non-motorized (bicycle, pedestrian) modes of travel.

See County Board Agenda for adopted plan. (The County is designing a strategic plan publication that will be published soon). 

Will you be 18 on or before November 4, 2014? If you answered yes, you will be able to register and vote in the March 18, 2014 primary election.  Beginning January 1, 2014, 17-year-olds are eligible to register and vote in an Illinois primary election if 18 years of age by the date of the next general election. This change in the law, referred to as "Suffrage at Seventeen," was the project of Stevenson High School students and their faculty advisor Andy Conneen.

Recently, Governor Quinn traveled to Lake County to sign House Bill 226 at the Stevenson High School campus in Lincolnshire where he praised students for putting their government classroom lessons into action.

To vote in any election, U.S. citizens must be registered 28 days before the election, 18 years old on or before the general election, a resident of the precinct for 30 days immediately prior to Election Day, and provide two forms of valid identification with one form of identification showing the current address for registration.

To find the nearest deputy registrar, call the Voter Registration Department at 847.377.2410 or find the location of a convenient site listed online. Registration forms are also available through the Lake County Clerk's website and the Illinois State Board of Elections' site.

New To The Work Force?

Did you know that the Job Center of Lake County has a "Tips to Land Your First Job" Handbook?  Itincludes guidance for employment issues that young people face, sample resumes for people with little or no work history, tips for finding jobs online, common interview questions and more. 

Check out their "Look Who's Hiring" page for special recruitment announcements from some Lake County employers. 

Try the My Skills, My Future website where you tell them a job that you've had in the past, and they connect you with new jobs based off of your work history.

Lake County Job Center Helps Veterans Find Employment

The Lake County Job Center, with Illinois WorkNet, helps local military veterans find a job.Veterans can explore career options, prepare for job interviews and receive job search assistance.Visit their website.

Veterans Services Network

The Lake-McHenry Veterans and Family Services program works through a network of agencies to help military personnel, veterans and their families face challenges, before, during and after deployments. Visit their website. 

LCP Starts VetLoan Advantage Lending Initiative

Lake County Partners proudly announces its participation in a VetLoan Advantage Initiative through the SBA 504 Loan Program, providing low-interest rates and long-term financing. Contact Patricia Fening at 847-597-1229 or e-mail her at 

pfening@lakecountypartners.com

Plans for the extension of Illinois Route 53/120 in Lake County are moving forward with the approval of funding for a Corridor Land Use and Transportation Plan that will be developed in partnership with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), Lake County, and communities along the corridor to integrate land use, transportation, economic development, and open space.

Click here to read the full press release

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 issues.