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Vol. 25, No. 2 - Mar 2003Deer ield,�__J March 2003 - VOL. 25 NO.2 ELECTION DAY 2003 Local elections will be held on TUESDAY, April 1 st. The following local government offices will be on the ballot: VoiE ELECTION REMINDERS VILLAGE; LIBRARY: PARK DISTRICT: SCHOOL DISTRICT #109 SCHOOL DISTRICT #113 ➢ The voter registration deadline for the April Ist election is March 4th. You can register to vote • at the West Deerfield Township office (immediately north of the Village Hall) from 8:30 A.M. to Noon and 1:00 to 4:15 P.M. If you have any questions, call 945-0614. ➢ You can vote in -person absentee beginning on March loth at the West Deerfield Township office. To accommodate voters, the township will be open on Saturday, March 29ie from 9 A.M. to Noon. ➢ While the Village recognizes that political signs are an important and legitimate way for residents to express their opinion, there are regulations governing such activities: . 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. BLOOD DRIVE The next blood drive is Sunday, March 2nd at the Deerfield Park District Community Center, 836 Jewett Park Drive, between 8:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. No appointment is necessary... just drop in and give the eift of life. Three Trustees (4 year terms) Two Trustees (6 year terms) One Trustee (2 year unexpired term) Two Commissioners (4 year terms) Four Board Members (4 year terms) Four Board Members (4 year terms) YARD WASTE PROGRAM Beginning the week of March 31 st, yard waste service will resume. Residents north of Deerfield Road will have yard waste collected on Mondays with south of Deerfield Road pickup on Tuesdays. Remember: ❖ Use regular 30 gallon paper garden waste bags (not plastic). ❖ A recycling sticker must be placed on each bag. Stickers can be purchased at the, Deerbrook Jewel/Osco, Dominick's, Walgreens and the village hall. ❖ Bundled brush will also be accepted (no stickers required) provided the bundles are no more than 4' long and 30" in circumference and tied. ❖ Both yard waste bags and bundled brush must be placed at the curb. DEERFIELI) :S CENTENNIAL This April, the village will mark its 100th anniversary of incorporation. Although settled as a community long before that. it commemorates the official recognition of Deerfield as a municipality-. Each issue of D-Tales this year mill highlight historical dates and events of this past century- (see page 3). A centennial celebration is being planned for fall. The specifics on that and other scheduled events will be aimounced in the next newsletter due out in May-. HOME ][M?ROVEMENTS SEWER BACK-UPS This time of year brings a flurry of home improvements, most of which 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 Department of Community Development to see if a permit is needed before starting that home improvement project. Also, remember that for any project of over $1,000, the contractor must provide you with a pamphlet entitled "Home Repair: Know Your Consumer Rights". This is a very important document that will help you ask the right questions in order to protect yourself and minimize the possibility of any misunderstandings about the work to be performed. Every effort is made to issue a building permit within four weeks of receiving an application. However, during the heavy construction season, it may take longer. And, please remember that contractors are not allowed to put their business signs in your front yard while doing work on your property. OUTSTANDING YOUTH 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 nominations is Wednesday, March 26, 2003. The award presentation will take place at Jewett Park during the Memorial Day Ceremony. ANNUAL BUDGET Work is underway on the annual budget for the fiscal year beginning May 1, 2003. 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 21st Village Board meeting. Your comments and suggestions on projects and services are welcome. 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 40 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 line 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 MEETING SCHEDULE The public is invited to attend village board and commission meetings, which take place at the village hall, 850 Waukegan Road Dates and times are subject to change. Monday, March 3rd: Board of Trustees 7:30 p.m. Energy & Recycling Commission_ 7.00 p.m. Tuesday, March 4th: Youth Council 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 5th: Village Center Development 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March l l the Safety Council 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 12th Comprehensive Plan Steering Comm. 730 p.m. Thursday, March 13th: Plan Commission 8:00 P.M. Monday, March 17th: Board of Trustees 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 19th: Cable & Telecommunications 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 24th: Appearance Review Commission 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 27th: Plan Commission 8:00 P.M. Tuesday, April 1st: Youth Council 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 2nd: Village Center Development 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 7th: Board of Trustees 730 p.m. Thursday, April loth: Plan Commission 8.00 P.M. Monday, April 21st: Board of Trustees 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 28th: Appearance Review Commission 730 p.m. 0 1903 - 2003 VILLAGE OF DEERFIELD The Village of Deerfield was incorporated as a municipality on April 14, 1903, 68 years after the first settlers arrived in the area. At that time, many of the original settlers still lived in Deerfield, and a number of their descendants remain to this day. The first President (Mayor) was John C. Ender who served from 1903 until 1910. He lived in the house on Waukegan Road which today is still standing and serves as the rectory for Holy Cross Church. In the early 1900's, there were three churches as well as the local cemetery. Shortly thereafter, a hotel •opened to serve as a rest stop for travelers between Chicago and Great Lakes. It became evident to those living here that incorporation was necessary in order to provide services for its residents. With incorporation came improvements such as plank sidewalks, streets and gas street lamps. By 1910, Deerfield boasted telephone lines, electric lights, a railroad station and a grand total of eight automobiles.* Looking north on Waukegan Road (then called Lincoln Avenue) from Deerfield Road in the early 1900's. The United Evangelical Church located on the east side of Waukegan Road north of Deerfield Road. It was later moved to the old site of the Masonic Temple (now where Blockbusters is located) and served for a number of years as the Deerfield village Hall. This picture is of Deerfield Road looking west from the railroad tracks before there was a viaduct. * Bicentennial +3 (A History of Deerfield) COMMUNITY FUNDRAISERS DRAISERS SENIOR ASSISTANCE ❑ On April 23rd, Highland Park Hospital Health and Fitness Center will hold a fundraiser "It's The Sporting Thing To Do" to raise awareness and money to fight Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), an autonomic disease which generally follows an injury and involves severe burning pain and the destruction of bones and muscles. The event will be held at Cubby Bear North at 21661 N. Milwaukee Avenue from 6:30-10:30 p.m. For more information, call 847-945-6677. ❑ "Three Guys and a Truck" are back. Working with West Deerfield Township, they are sponsoring a food drive event to benefit the Deerfield Food Pantry. For 24 straight hours, Carl Berg, Doug Bruss, and Paul Zavagno will circle the high school track continuously until a truck is full of donated food, paper goods, cleaning supplies and personal care items. They will begin running at 9 a.m. on May 31st. For more information call the township at 847-945-0614. ANNUAL PLANT SALE The Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District is having its 21 st Annual Plant Sale at the Lake County Fairgrounds in April. Many trees, shrubs, vines and grasses and perennials are offered as well as prairie plant kits. They are also conducting a live fish sale, including bass and bluegill. The deadline for plant orders is March 28th and the deadline for the fish sale is March 21st. For additional information, contact the District either by e-mail: davidcassin@sbcglobal.net or phone: 847-223-1056. VILLAGE OF DEERFIELD 850 Waukegan Road Lm Deerfield, Illinois 60015 Fire/Police Emergency ...................................... 911 Fire Department Non -Emergency ....................... 945-4066 Police Department Non -Emergency ..................... 945-8636 Village Hall ............................................ 945-5000 Public Works .......................................... 317-7245 Web Page ................................... www.deerfield-il.org E-mail ................................. deermail@deerfield-il.org STEVEN M. HARRIS, Mayor 940-7533 Senior residents who are at least 62 years old, maintain an independent household and meet certain income limits may be eligible for financial assistance under the Village's Senior Housing Subsidy Program administered by the Human Relations Commission. Also, this year, the Village Board has asked the Commission to consider requests from seniors who are struggling to meet higher than usual energy costs. Interested parties should contact Barbara Bishop at 317-2490 for additional information. TRUSTEES JERRY KAYNE 945.5320 DEREK RAGONA 945-2291 HARRIET ROSENTHAL 945-3545 WILLIAM S. SEIDEN 945-2442 VERNON E. SWANSON 945-0227 MATTHEW J. WYLIE 945-5149 ROBERT D. FRANZ, Village Manager `oP Printed on Recycled Paper WATER BILLS You are billed quarterly for water, sewer and refuse. Bills are mailed on or before the 10`b 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 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. ADDRESS THE PROBLEM Have you ever driven through a neighborhood at night • looking for an address? Imagine doing it in an emergency situation when every second is critical. Police and fire personnel too often experience this problem due to the fact that residents do not clearly display their addresses. Please take time to display house numbers (at least 4" in height) in a conspicuous place. Precious seconds spent searching for an address can make a difference! PRESORTED STANDARD U.S.POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 1 Deerfield, Illinois POSTAL CUSTOMER DEERFIELD, ILLINOIS 60015 Printed at SPS, The Printing Company, Inc. (847) 498-6126 HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION BUSINESS RECYCLING (Eleventh article in a series briefly describing the various volunteer boards &. commissions which advise the mayor and board of trustees) The human relations commission consists of seven members appointed by the mayor and board of trustees to study and recommend means of developing better relationships among all ages, racial, religious and ethnic groups with respect to housing, employment, recreation, health and other community activities. The most recent activity of the commission has been to find volunteers to help the elderly remove snow on their premises. Members are appointed for three-year terms and meet on call. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Work continues on updating Deerfield's Comprehensive Plan. The steering committee is concentrating on particular areas within the village that, due to their location, require more intense planning. It is expected that the committee will complete its work by early summer when a report will be filed with the village board. At that time, proposed changes to the plan will be the subject of public hearings by the plan commission before any final action is taken by the village board. The next meeting of the steering committee is March 12th at 7:30 p.m. BOND RATING Recently, the village issued General Obligation Refunding Bonds in the amount of $3.4 million, which will result in a net savings to the village of over $94,000. Moody's Investors Service reaffirmed Deerfield's Aaa bond rating, held by only 60 municipalities in the Unites States. According to their report, the rating is based on "the village's extremely strong financial operations characterized by sizeable reserves and significant operating flexibility, a very affluent residential base complemented by a considerable commercial presence, and a favorable debt position." CONGRATULATIONS! Whitehall North, located at 300 Waukegan Road, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Besides Alzheimer and dementia services, Whitehall North offers subacute care, medicare, hospice services, and respite stays in its home -like environment. During this past year, businesses located in the Deerfield Centre and Deerfield Square have been j participating in a pilot commercial recycling program which was implemented by the village along with the assistance of the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO). Over 45 businesses have successfully recovered and recycled approximately three hundred thousand pounds of material that may have otherwise been disposed of in our landfills. The "Green Zone" Pilot Commercial Recycling Program was developed by SWALCO. It is a two-year pilot program that provides recycling opportunities to Lake County businesses in an attempt to demonstrate cost effective recycling within business districts. HOUSEHOLD CHEMICAL WASTE Speaking of SWALCO, they will hold another household chemical' waste collection on March 29th from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Waukegan Public Works facility, 1700 McAree Road in Waukegan. The next chemical waste collection in Deerfield will be in May. Details will be announced in the next newsletter due out in early May. TV TUNE OUT WEEK The Village of Deerfield Youth Council is sponsoring the annual "TV Tune Out Week" from Monday, April 21st through Sunday, April 27th. 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. PROJECT UPDATES ♦ The new senior center in Brickyards Park is on schedule and should be ready for occupancy in the fall. This 16,500 sq. ft. facility is being jointly funded by the village and park district. ♦ The Great Indoors (Sears home improvement center) at the south end of Deerbrook _ Mall is scheduled to open in May. It will include a 242 space underground parking garage. TREE TRIMMING Sawvell Tree Service is under contract by the village to trim parkway trees. If you received a green door hanger in January, you can expect to see crews in your area. If you have special needs for a parkway tree, we will be happy to work with you or, if you have any questions, call public works at 317-7245 s-� r: . DEERFIELp-. , ff ¢LL ygl i} Y POLICE 1 POLICE HOMELAND SECURITY )BEGINS AT HOME In March 2002, the White House issued Homeland Security Directive-3, establishing five threat conditions for risk of terrorist attack: green=low risk, blue=guarded; yellow --elevated; orange=high; and red=severe. Listed below are recommended actions for Illinois citizens. Low Risk ✓ Develop an emergency communications plan which involves selecting an out-of-town contact that your family can call to check on each other and establish a meeting place for family members ✓ Assemble a disaster supplies kit, including a three day supply of water and food per person, first aid kit, medications, battery operated radio, batteries, clothing and bedding. ✓ Schools should develop written emergency plans addressing hazards, safety of students and staff, and a plan to notify parents in the event of an incident. C,uartipt] Rick Include actions at lower level. ✓ Be alert to suspicious activity and report it to local police, Illinois State Police or the FBI. ✓ Review stored disaster supplies and replace outdated items. ✓ Review emergency communication plan. ✓ Establish an alternate meeting place away from home with family/friends. ✓ Schools should conduct safety training/ emergency drills. FlavatPrl Rick Include actions at lower levels. ✓ Be alert to suspicious activity and report it to your local police department, State Police or the FBI. ✓ Ensure disaster supplies kit is stocked and ready. ✓ Check telephone numbers and e-mail addresses. in your family emergency communications plan and update as necessary. ✓ If not known to you, contact school to determine their emergency notification and evacuation plans for children. ✓ Develop alternate routes to/from work/school and practice them. High Risk Include actions at lower levels. ✓ Be alert to suspicious activity and report it to your local police department, the Illinois State Police or the FBI. ✓ Review disaster plan with family. ✓ Exercise caution when traveling. ✓ Have shelter -in -place materials on hand and review procedure in Terrorism: Preparing for the Unexpected brochure. ✓ Discuss children's fears concerning possible terrorist attacks. ✓ If a need is announced, donate blood at designated blood collection center. Severe Risk Include actions at lower levels. ✓ Be prepared to shelter -in -place or evacuate if instructed to do so by local government authorities. Be aware of neighbors who are elderly or have special needs and may require assistance. ✓ Listen to radio/TV for current information/instructions. ✓ Be alert to suspicious activity and report it immediately to local police department, the Illinois State Police or the FBI. ✓ Contact business/school to determine station of work/school day. ✓ Adhere to any travel restrictions announced by local government authorities. ✓ Discuss children's fears concerning possible/actual terrorist attacks. A copy of Terrorism: Preparing for the Unexpected brochure may be obtained through your local Red Cross Chapter or view it online on the American Red Cross website (www.redcross.org). Another recommended resource is Surviving Disasters - A Citizen's Emergency Handbook, published by the Illinois Department of Public Health. It can also be viewed online at: (www.idph.state.i1.us/pdf/SurvivingDisasters.pds)