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CITY NEWS Updated August 30, 2010

The City of Highland Park strives to keeps its residents and visitors apprised of news and issues that may affect them. Whether it is to learn of the Summer Events Concert Schedule, or gain updates on ongoing parking improvements, there are many sources available for information. Highland Park publishes a monthly newsletter, The Highlander, for its residents, provides programming on Government Access Channel 10, and routinely updates this website.

Participate in Upcoming Walk, Run and Bike Events this Fall

On September 25, the North Shore School District 112 will host its annual 10k/5k Fun Run & Walk. Both the 10k run and 5k walk will occur in Highland Park. Visit the North School District 112 website for more information. On October 3, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and its Team in Training will host the Blood, Sweat & Tears Bicycle Rides of 5, 25, 47 and 62 Miles. The five-mile event and portions of the 25-, 47-, and 62-mile events will occur in Highland Park. Visit the Team in Training website for more information. For more information about these events, please contact the Police Department at (847) 432-7730.

Ravinia Business District Market Analysis and Playbook

On August 9, 2010, the City Council unanimously accepted the Ravinia Market Analysis Report and amended Playbook. The report and playbook outline several recommendations to revitalize the Ravinia Business District as a viable mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly, transit-oriented retail environment attracting new private investment, while maintaining its historic character. A project summary as well as copies of the report and playbook are available here. For more information about the Ravinia Business District, please contact the Office of Economic Development at (847) 926-1027.

Electronics Recycling Program

The City of Highland Park, in partnership with the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO), is pleased to announce a year-round drop-off program for outdated, broken, or unwanted household electronics. The drop-off collection will be open each week on Tuesdays and Fridays, from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Firearms Training Center, 1180 Half Day Road. The events are open to household electronics only; no commercial, governmental, or institutional materials will be accepted. Click here for a list of items accepted at Electronics Recycling Collection Events. For additional information, please contact Brian Bourdeau in the City Manager's Office at (847) 926-1043.

City Council Approves New Residential Solid Waste and Recycling Services Agreement on Monday, July 26, 2010

On Monday, July 26, 2010 the City Council approved the execution of an agreement with Veolia Environmental Services for the collection of single-family residential refuse, recyclable materials and yardwaste. The new agreement will take affect September 1, 2010, however the new services will not begin until October 1, 2010. Attached is a fact sheet outlining the new agreement. To view the full agreement, click here. Under the new agreement, residents choosing curbside collection will receive a 35 or 65-gallon cart for refuse and a 65 or 95-gallon cart for recycling. A 35-gallon cart for recycling is available upon special request. Residents may view the different sized carts on the second floor of City Hall. Veolia has distributed the attached survey to single-family households in Highland Park to sign up for services under the new agreement. Please complete the survey by September 1, 2010. If you would like to print the survey to mail into Veolia, it is best viewed on legal-sized paper. For additional information, please contact Renee Helm, Administrative Intern, at (847) 926-1030 or Brian Bourdeau, Administrative Intern, at (847) 926-1043.

Nominations Sought for Mayor's Beautification Awards

The Business and Economic Development Commission’s Beautification Work Group is currently accepting nominations for the Mayor’s Beautification Awards.  These Awards recognize Highland Park businesses whose overall appearance integrates aesthetics, and consistency within the environment of the community.  Given annually, award recipients will be granted a mayor Certificate and receive public recognition at a City council meeting, in the Highlander, and through a press release issued by the city.  Below is a list of business categories that are eligible for this award, and the criteria by which businesses will be judged.

Categories:  Retail; Restaurants; Automobiles Dealer; Office Buildings; Service Businesses.

Award Criteria:  Façade and Building Appearance; Cleanliness; Window Clarity; Adherence to City Code; Landscaping.

Nominations must be postmarked by September 20.  Nomination forms are available here.  For more information, or to receive an application by U.S. mail, please contact Scott Shamberg in the Office of Economic Development at (847) 926-1028 or sshamberg@cityhpil.com.

Register to Receive The Highlander Via E-mail

Beginning February 15, residents will have the opportunity try to opt-in to receive an electronic version of The Highlander newsletter. Residents who opt-in to receive an electronic version of the newsletter will continue to receive a paper copy through regular mail. Printed copies will also continue to be placed in City facilities. Residents should follow this link below to register through the Police Department's CitizenObserver software program and create an individual account. Thereafter, an e-mail will be sent to registered users on the 15th of each following month with an attachment of The Highlander. Registered users will also have the option to unsubscribe from future e-mails if desired through the CitizenObserver Web site. For more information, please contact Emily Palm, Management Analyst, at (847) 926-1046 or epalm@cityhpil.com.

If you have already registered for the CitizenObserver Police Department updates, please follow these steps to modify your profile and register for The Highlander: 1. Click "login" and enter your username and password; 2. Click "update profile" in the upper right-hand corner; 3. To add additional groups to your profile, click "add groups" and then select the Highlander newsletter group.

Sustainability Plan Approved August 23

On August 23, the City Council approved the City's Sustainability Strategic Plan. The Sustainability Plan is a 20-year “road map” that provides direction in ten specific goal areas as to how the Alliance partners can improve levels of sustainability.  The ten goal areas are: community engagement, governance, energy and built environment, mobility, materials, water, ecosystems, culture and legacy.  This Plan also includes a greenhouse gas inventory and collection of data indicators that provide a baseline for the community’s current practices pertaining to sustainable lifestyles. The City's Sustainability Strategic Plan is available for review. For additional information, please contact Emily Palm, Management Analyst, at (847) 926-1046 or through email.

Implementation of Automated Red Light Cameras Commences

The City of Highland Park and its red light camera vendor, Redflex Traffic Systems, has moved forward with the installation of automated red light enforcement cameras at the highway intersection of U.S. Route 41 and Park Avenue West. The Illinois Department of Transportation has issued a permit to authorize automated red light enforcement cameras for the south bound U.S. Route 41 approach at Park Avenue West and for the west bound Park Avenue West approach at U.S. Route 41. Construction on automated red light enforcement camera infrastructure commenced on June 1, 2010. The red light enforcement cameras will be operational in early July of 2010. A two-week written warning period will be conducted prior to citations being issued to red light camera violators.

Historically, this intersection has had one the highest number of vehicle accidents and associated injuries in the City. In an effort to improve traffic safety and compliance with traffic laws, automated red light enforcement cameras are being implemented and have obtained the support of the Traffic Commission and City Council during public meetings. Residents with questions about this matter can contact Sergeant Chris O’Neill or Officer Richard Rash at the Police Department non-emergency telephone number (847) 432-7730.

New Parking Lot Maps Now Available

The City Manager’s Office recently completed upgrades to the parking portion of the City’s website. A new enhancement is the interactive map using the familiar Google-based mapping function developed with the City’s GIS Office that allows browsers to clearly identify the parking designation of any parking space within all of the public parking lots located throughout the City. The new parking page also offers specific maps for different types of parking needs, such as Commuter, Employee or Overnight parking.  These easily printed maps give a snapshot of all the public lots in Highland Park that offer that particular type of parking.  An application for purchasing parking permits is available for download.  The new parking page also includes answers to questions about holiday and weekend parking, beach and lakefront parking, and temporary handicapped parking permits. Visit the new parking page here. For more information, please contact Jennifer Dotson, Executive Assistant, at (847) 926-1006.

Sign Up for Citizen Alert System

The Highland Park Police Department transitioned to the CitizenObserver citizen notification system on January 1, 2009. Residents may now subscribe to the service. Residents are encouraged to sign up for this effective and efficient means of being alerted to significant events that may effect them and the community. For more information, please contact Police Deputy Chief David Schwarz at (847) 926-1112.

Healthy Highland Park Task Force Promotes Health Education on Comcast Local Access Channels

The Healthy Highland Park Task Force, established by the Mayor and City Council, aims to foster well-being, health, and a healthy life style among the citizens of Highland Park.  Part of this effort is a TV series of health and medical interviews of local doctors and health professionals.  The series is produced by the Task Force, interviewed and taped by the HP Senior Center's Senior Producers, and broadcast on Comcast Cable Channels 10 and 19.  If a show is missed, or wished to be seen again, a DVD copy is available at the HP Public Library.  The Task Force plans to present additional educational videos and the timing and content will be publicized.  The Local Access Channel Schedule contains scheduling information for the health education programs. For more information, please contact Emily Palm, Staff Liaison to the Healthy Highland Park Task Force, at (847) 926-1046.

Connect with Local Social Services Through Comprehensive Community Resource Guide

FindHelpLakeCounty.org is a comprehensive guide to community resources in our local area. It includes an overview of social services, how to obtain community services, and some examples of major service providers in the area. A Service Index is also provided classifying services according to their specializations. Agency profiles include address, phone numbers, web and e-mail addresses, hours, fees, eligibility requirements and service descriptions.

Highland Park Municipal Services Wish List

The City of Highland Park has created a Municipal Services Wish List to assist residents looking to make charitable donations to Highland Park. The list includes items designed to assist City staff in delivering high quality services to Highland Park residents. Click here to view a copy of the Highland Park Municipal Services Wish List. For additional information, please contact Chuck Meyer, Administrative Intern, at (847) 926-1043.

Public Access Channel Playback Schedule

For programming information for cable channels 10 and 19, please see the weekly schedule. For additional information concerning cable channel 10 please contact Renee Helm, Administrative Intern, at (847) 926-1030.

Police Department's TERF Program

The Highland Park Police Department would like to remind residents of the Traffic Education Report Form (TERF) program. Residents who observe abnormal or dangerous driving behavior are encouraged to call the police department when the activity is observed. However, there are times when making an immediate report of this behavior is not possible. The TERF program offers residents a method to report driving behavior via the website. The Highland Park Police Department will follow up on submitted reports when enough information is available (i.e. license plate). For questions concerning this program, please feel free to contact Traffic Sergeant Chris O'Neill at (847) 432-7730.

 
 

 
 
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