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Vol. 22, No. 1 - Mar 2000'Deerfield CENSUS 2000 April 1, 2000 is the next National Census. Census forms will be mailed out in mid -March and are due back by April 1. The United States Constitution requires that a Census be taken to determine representation in the House of Representatives. Beyond the political representation, however, there is a great deal of Federal and State money at stake in the final Census numbers. The Census counts translate into government dollars which communities use for planning and improving public facilities and programs. Residents who are not counted mean lost dollars to Deerfield. Most residents will receive the short form questionnaire which will ask about seven subjects: name, sex, age, relationship, national origin, race and housing tenure. The long form, which will be received by one of six households, includes additional questions on housing, education and employment. Please make a difference by completing and returning the Census form! BLOOD DRIVE The next blood drive is Sunday, March 5th at the Deerfield Park District Community Center, 838 Jewett Park Drive, between 8:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. No appointment is necessary. COMMUTER PARKING Residents are reminded that there is ample commuter • parking available at the Lake Cook Road train station. Officially dedicated last Fall, the new facility has 700 parking spaces. All of the parking is daily fee and costs $1 per space. The train station and parking lot are owned and operated by METRA. E March 2000 - VOL. 22 NO. 1 YARD WASTE PROGRAM Beginning on Tuesday, April 4'h, yard waste service will resume each Tuesday and will continue through December 12"h. Remember: • Use regular 30 gallon paper garden waste bags (not plastic). • A recycling sticker must be placed on each bag. Stickers are $1.25 each and can be purchased at the Village Hall, Deerbrook Jewel/Osco, Highland Park Jewel/Osco, Dominick's, Lens & Lace and Walgreens. • Bundled brush will also be accepted on Tuesdays (no sticker required). Brush must be no more than 4' long and 30" in circumference, tied in bundles. • Both yard waste bags and bundled brush must be placed at the curb. "TRUSTEE IN THE TOWN" The Mayor and Board of Trustees have begun a program whereby every other month two elected officials will be available on a Saturday morning at a local business. Two such sessions have already been held and another is scheduled for Saturday, April 22nd at Firstar Bank from 9:00 A.M. to Noon. You are encouraged to stop in, ask questions and/or share your views on any issues. DID YOU KNOW? ➢ The Village Hall is open from 8:00 AM. to 4:30 P.M., Monday thru Friday. For your convenience, there is a depository on the south side of the building. ➢ Refuse is not allowed at the curb until sundown on the day before pick-up. HOME HHIyiHPROVEM ENTS SEWER BACK -NIBS This time of year brings a flurry of home improvements, most of which 1111h,"Ir require a building permit from the Village. They are required to assure that work will be completed safely and in compliance with all Village codes. Remodeling and construction projects such .as: room additions, electrical and plumbing work, fences, fireplaces and decks, roofing, siding, sewer repairs, pools and driveways all require a permit. Play it safe and call the Building Department at 945-5000 before you begin work. And, please remember that contractors are not allowed to put their business signs in your front yard while doing work on your property. OUTSTANDff CIO YON']1'IHI AWARD The Deerfield Youth Council would like your help in nominating deserving young men and women for the Jeffrey Werner Outstanding Youth Award. This award was first presented in 1969 as a memorial to Jeffrey Werner, a Deerfield teenager who, despite a terminal illness, distinguished himself in service to his community. Nomination forms are available at the Village Hall. Please return completed forms to the attention of Barbara Bishop, Village of Deerfield, 850 Waukegan Road, Deerfield, Illinois 60015. The deadline for accepting nominaticnc is March 31, 2000. The award presentation will take place at Jewett Park during the Memorial Day Ceremony. ANNUAHL ➢ U DOHET Work is underway on the annual budget for the fiscal year beginning May 1, 2000. Village staff will present a proposed budget to the Mayor and Board of Trustees in early March. A public hearing will be held on the document at the April 17'b Village Board meeting. Your comments and suggestions on projects and services are welcome. The proposed budget will be available at the Village Hall for inspection thirty days prior to the public hearing. TV TUNE OUT WEEK The Village of Deerfield Youth Council is sponsoring the fourth annual "TV Tune Out Week" from Monday, April 24th through Sunday, April 30th. The goal is to promote family and community oriented activities as an alternative to TV viewing. Deerfield joins many communities nationwide in holding TV Tune Outs to create a greater awareness of family viewing habits. Our records indicate that 70% of the sewer backup calls the Village receives are the result of roots in the homeowners' sewer lines. This typically affects homes • that are more than 30 years old, have mature trees in the front yard and have sewer lines that haven't been cleaned in several years. There is always confusion over who is responsible for the utility lines. By ordinance, the Village operates and maintains the main sewer that passes by your house. The individual service lines from the house to the main are the responsibility of the homeowner. You may want to consider calling a plumber to clean your sewer service he to prevent sewer backups. However, if you experience a sanitary sewer back-up, please contact the Village before you call a plumber. During normal working hours (weekdays from 7:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M.), call the Public Works Department at 317-7245. After hours, call the Police Department at 945-8636. We will dispatch a crew to check the Village's lines to make sure they are free and clear, and advise you whether or not a plumber is required. WATER BR LHLS You are billed quarterly for water, sewer and refuse. • Bills are mailed on the 10`h of the month and are due on or before the first day of the following month. The penalty for late payment is 10% of the total bill. If you don't know your billing cycle, call us and we'll give you the dates. Then, if your bill gets lost in the mail, you will still know when it is due and be able to avoid a penalty. There's a depository on the south side of the Village Hall where you can put your bill and payment if the Hall is closed. NURSES SCHHiIOHLARSHffP The Deerfield Nurses Association will be offering a $1,000 scholarship for future nurses. In order to be eligible, the nursing student must have lived in Deerfield, Bannockburn, Lincolnshire, Highland Park or Riverwoods for at least one year. Applicants must have been accepted to a full or part time Nursing Program. Students will be judged on the basis of academic • competency, leadership, nursing interest and need. For an application, call Lois Bums at 945-1591 before April 15`h. TOLLWAY CONSTRUCTION VISION 2000 Construction work continues on the three redevelopment projects in the Village Center. The retail building on Osterman Avenue in Deerfield Square is fully occupied. Bart's Barbershop, Commons Cleaners, IL-Fornos and Osterman Cleaners have all relocated there from their old locations within the quadrant. The new office building will soon have its first occupants and Walgreens and Bank One will soon move to their new buildings. Barnes & Noble and Elizabeth Arden have signed leases to occupy space in phase II of the project, which is now under construction. The Deerfield Centre project is making great progress in the southeast quadrant. Leases have been signed with Alley Cleaners, Blockbuster Video, Sopraffina Marketcaffe and Starbucks Coffee. There also has been significant interest in the 58 apartment units which are a part of this mixed -use development. The James Company expects to begin construction this month on the villas and rowhomes south of Central Avenue. Several units have been sold, and occupancy could occur as early as September. Construction will begin later this year on the two condominium buildings at Osterman Avenue and the railroad tracks. SISTER CITY PROJECT Web Leslie, a long-time resident of Deerfield, spent several months last year in Croatia where he served as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He worked in two cities: Knin and Bankovac. They each have approximately 12,000 people and are within one- half hour of each other. Both towns were decimated by war. For years, Deerfield has maintained a relationship with its Sister City in Luedinhausen, Germany. For the most part, our contacts have involved an exchange of culture and customs unique to our respective communities. Now, consideration is being given to establishing a relationship with one or both of these cities in Croatia. The basic objective will be to determine how we might assist them in their efforts to • recover from the war. Anyone interested in joining a committee to explore this new Sister City arrangement should contact the Village Hall at 945-5000. The Illinois Tollway Authority reports that it will resume work as soon as weather permits on the Deerfield Road bridge project. They must provide slope stabilization on two sides of the bridge before they can finish the roadway paving, traffic signal modification and striping. They estimate that the entire bridge project will be completed by June 1'. Construction of the Edens Spur ramp and the new northbound ramp at Lake Cook Road is scheduled to begin in July and will take over a year. They estimate that the overall project will be completed by October, 2001. THANKS!,!, West Deerfield Township and the Village would like to thank residents who responded to the appeal for donations to the Deerfield Community Emergency Fund. This voluntary partnership was created to meet the needs of area residents who are experiencing financial difficulties resulting from critical health problems, loss of a job or other crisis situations. Over $6,400 has been collected. Once again, Deerfield residents have demonstrated the real meaning of community by reaching out to help their neighbors. TAX INCREMENT FINANCING In late December, the Village Board passed a resolution reallocating $6,790,795 from the Lake Cook Road Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District. For the tenth consecutive year, the Village has distributed funds to various local governments in Lake and Cook Counties. The major allocations in Lake County were: School District #109 - $1,161,449 School District #113 - $ 887,336 Fire District - $ 253,390 Village - $ 206,291 Lake County - $ 250,093 Park District - $ 196,872 Library - $ 94,668 The Lake Cook Road TIF District has been a huge success story with all taxing bodies sharing in the benefits. Once again, the Village used its allocation to reduce our annual tax levy. This is the eighth consecutive year we've decreased our portion of the property tax bill. ELECTRON RIEENiII[10IERS FINE ARTS COMMISSION ➢ The Primary Election is on Tuesday,, March 21st. ➢ You can vote in -person absentee at the West Deerfield Township office, 858 Waukegan Road through March 20th. Along with their regular hours (Monday thru Friday from 8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.4:15 p.m.), the Township will be open from 6:30-8:30 P.M. on Thursday, March 16`h and from 9:00 A.M. to Noon on Saturday, March 18". If you need any further information, call 945-8317. ➢ If you wish to vote absentee by mail, applications for absent voter's ballots must be received 'in the mail by the County Clerk's office no later than March 16`h. ➢ While the Village recognizes that political signs are an important and legitimate way for residents to express their opinions, there are regulations governing such activities: Cl No signs are allowed in the public right-of- way (this is generally the parkway between the curb and sidewalk). ❑ Signs are restricted to 20 sq. ft. of total sign area per lot on private property. ❑ All signs must be removed within 7 days following the election. The Deerfield Fine Arts Commission was established in 1998 to promote the arts and educate those who live in our community about the arts. We would also like to give the artists who live here the exposure their talent warrants. Specifically, we want to spotlight the talent residing in our town — the photographers, actors, painters, dancers, musicians, sculptors, writers, architects and poets. Simply put, we ask experienced artists who have obtained some level of accomplishment in a chosen medium to connect with the Deerfield Fine Arts Commission. Throughout the year, the commission will be showcasing the arts. Chosen participants may be asked to display their work, perform in their field, demonstrate their craft, or lecture. Those interested in being considered should contact Diane Mikula at the Village Hall (945-5000 or dmikula e,wwa.com). We think this will be a way to help make the new millennium culturally enriching for the residents of Deerfield. IFI11\IANC1E COLLEGE 'li'NII'II'IION College Illinois is the state's prepaid tuition program administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. The program provides a tax -advantaged Is way to lock in college costs and to spread the costs over several years. The plan is flexible and can be used at public and private institutions in -state and out- of-state. Detailed information and forms are available by calling 1-877-877-3724. COMPOST IB M14S FOR SALE On Saturday, April 15"', compost bins will be available for purchase at Deerfield High School. The cost is $20.00 VILLAGE OF DEERFIELD 850 Waukegan Road IM Deerfield, Illinois 60015 Fire Department...............................911 Fire Department Non -Emergency .............945-4066 Police Department.............................911 Police Department Non -Emergency ............945-8636 Village Hall .............................945-5000 Public Works............................317-7245 Web Page.......................www.deerfield-il.org BERNARD FORREST, Mayor TRUSTEES Steven M. Harris John H. Neuberger Derek Ragona Harriet Rosenthal William S. Seiden Vernon E. Swanson Robert D. Franz, Village Manager Printed on Recycled Paper Printed at SPS, The Printing Company, Inc. (847) 498-6126 Bulk Rate U.S.POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 1 Deerfield, Illinois CAR/PRE-SORT POSTAL CUSTOMER DEERFIELD, ILLINOIS 60015 pEERFIElO Jtn �l� ' POLICE Police. Beat March 000 The New Universal Child Safety Seat System The Universal Child Safety Seat System (UCSSS) three-year phase -in began in September with the requirements for upper anchorages for new vehicles and tethers for new child safety seats By September 1, 2002, all new vehicles and child safety seats will be equipped with the new system. The new performance standard requires a significant increase in head protection. To meet this standard, most forward -facing child seats will be equipped with a tether —a strap from the back of the child seat which attaches to the vehicle A national goal has been set to increase seat belt use and reduce child fatalities 15 percent by 2000 and 25 percent by 2005. The National Highway Transpor- tation Safety Authority estimates that once the universal system is completely phased in, as many as 50 children a year may be saved and injuries may be reduced by 3,000. All child safety seats will be required to meet the more stringent head protection require- ments. For passenger cars, 80 percent of those manufactured after September 1, 1999, must be equipped with top attachment points, and all new passenger cars and light trucks must be equipped by September 1, 2000. The final stage of the system will provide for two lower attachment points in vehicles and child safety seats, in addition to the top tether attachment points. The lower attachment system will be phased in over the next three years and will be in all vehicles and all safety seats manufactured on or after September 1, 2002. However, expect to start seeing the new lower attachment points for child safety seats on some vehicles soon. Child restraints, when used prop- erly, reduce the chance of death in an automobile crash by 71 percent. NHTSA estimates that as many as 80 percent of child safety seats are incorrectly used. The agency also estimates that the universal attachment system will eliminate as much as half of the misuse associated with the improper installation of the child safety seat in the vehicle. We would like to remind parents of these safety points: • The safest place for all children to be properly re- strained is in the back seat, and that infants and children should never be placed in front of an air bag. • Children weighing less than 20 pounds and younger than one year old should be in a rear -facing safety seat placed in the back seat. Children weighing more than 20 pounds (but who are not yet one year old) should be in a rear -facing safety seat approved for larger infants and placed in the back seat. Children at least 20 pounds and one year old, and up to 40 pounds should be in a forward -facing child safety seat placed in the back seat. Children weighing more than 40 pounds who can not prop- erly fit in an adult safety belt system should be in a booster seat in the back seat, properly restrained by using both portions of the lap and shoul- der belt. Children may be placed in an adult lap/shoulder belt system (usually around 4 feet 9 inches) if (1) they sit high enough so that they can wear the adult shoulder belt com- fortably across their shoulder and secure the lap belt across the pelvis; and (2) their legs are long enough to bend over the front of the seat when their backs are against the vehicle's back seat. "I Page 2 Police Beat N Rlmteirlmet Sums The Police Department has received inquiries regarding some scams that normally are conducted over the telephone, but are now being solicited over the Internet. These solicitations come to you in the form of an e-mail, offering some type of service, or perhaps an advisory or warning. It may pertain to a family member, a sweepstakes, a job offer or something that you may have won. These e-mails will provide a phone number to call to obtain the purported in- formation. The scam is that they give you a phone number to call beginning with the area code "809". This area code is located in the British Virgin Islands. Not only is the call itself a long dis- tance call, but that area code can be set up as a toll number, not unlike the "900" area code calls here in the U.S. Charges have been reported as high as $25 per minute. If you choose to dial a number with this, area code, be prepared to pay. There is very little, if anything your phone company can do for you. This is considered an international call, and may not be under the author- ity of any U.S. laws. If you're new to the World Wide Web, the amount of "spam" you may start to receive can be a bit intimidating. "Spam" is unsolic- ited e-mail. These e-mails can be anything from multi -level marketing scams, to special web - site offerings, not to mention so- licitation to visit a pornographic website. You can check with your individual service provider to find out what filtering soft- ware they recommend for your e-mail program. Last but not least, in keeping with e-mail hoaxes and scams, the first rule of thumb is to remember that if it sounds too good to be true ... it is. One of the most widely circulated types of hoaxes are the type that encour- age you to "forward this to all your friends". These generally promise some type of reward, or prize if you can forward your message to say, 100 people. Some offer "good luck" or "bad luck" if it's not forwarded. Remember, just because you received a message from some- one you know, that does not make it legitimate. e-mails offer- ing incredible deals can circulate several times and it's not unusual to see the same message 2.or 3 times from different people. The best thing to do if you receive an email asking you to "forward this to all your friends" is to do a lit- tle research yourself before send- ing it out. We've listed some sites here that you can visit to find out their legitimacy. It's best to check things out before sending them, and perpetuate the cycle of the scams. If you do find one that's a hoax, take the time to respond to the friend who sent it to you with a link or infor- mation about how you know it's a scam. Do a little investigating yourself. We have obtained some web sites from a computer show on a Chicago radio station, and from educational sources that you can visit. Although this information was received from credible sources, as with any web source proceed with caution and use your own good judgment. These sites contain up-to-date in- formation about scams, hoaxes and urban legends currently making the rounds on the Inter- net. You might want to book- mark them for future reference. • http://www.tourbus.com/ archives.htm • http://urbanlegends.about. com/culture/urbanlegends/ mbody.htm • http://urbanlegends.about. com/culture/urbanlegends/ library/blbyolix.htm • http://www.ay.ibm.com/ • http://www.snopes.com • http://www.netsquirrel.com Home Addiresses Is your home properly numbered? It's important to have your address clearly visible for police and fire personnel to see. Your home should have... • 3" numbers or larger, visible from the street. • The numbering should be in a contrasting color to your home. • The numbers should not be in script or roman numerals.