Loading...
Vol. 18, No. 1 - Mar 1996KISSING lJ�I�J`~ .fib vl. �' U v ZONE March 1996 Vol.18 No.1 NEW YARD WASTE STICKER PROGRAM You probably will want to save this article for future reference! There will'be a major change in this year's yard waste program - just when you had it down pat, right? But, the good news is, garbage rates have been substantially lowered. Here's the story: Beginning on Tuesday, April 2nd, yard waste service will resume each Tuesday and will continue through December loth. BUT..... > Instead of purchasing "Deerfield Recycles" bags, you will now purchase yard waste STICKERS. Stickers will be available after March 15th and will cost $1.25 each. You can get the stickers at the Village Hall, Deerbrook Jewel/Osco, Commons Jewel, and at Ron and Marty's Deerfield Hardware (formerly True Value). If you have some "Deerfield Recycles" bags left over, you may use them up to June 1st and, of course, they will not require the new stickers. After June 1st, you must use the stickers. > So, you get a regular 30 gallon paper garden waste bag (not plastic), place one of the new stickers on the bag so that it is visible to the driver - not inside, not on the bottom of the bag - and place it at the curb on Tuesday for pick-up. > Bundled brush will also be accepted on Tuesdays but will not require a sticker. Remember - brush must be no more than 4' long and 30" in circumference, tied in a bundle. Your yard waste MUST be in paper bags complete with the new stickers. > Remember, if you leave the clippings on the grass, you'll be doing those tender shoots a really big favor. You could also use a mulching mower. Each of these methods will be beneficial to your lawn and will save you some cash. The $1.25 sticker charge is a user fee, paying.for the pick-up and composting charge. Over all, scavenger rates have decreased approximately 25% under the new scavenger contract signed last October. Just in case you have any questions about this new yard waste program, please call the Village Hall at 945-5000. BLOOD DRIVE Deerfield residents Linda & Gil Antokat have agreed to serve as coordinators for the four blood drives held annually in Deerfield. The next drive is Sunday, March 3rd at the Jewett Park Community Center between 8 A.M. and 1 P.M. There is no need to make an appointment, but if you have any questions you may call the Antokals at 940-4335. -- ----- - -- - - - -i AREA CODE 847 REMINDER The three month "permissive dialing period," during which both 708 and 847 area codes will work, expires on April 19th. After that, people calling your home or business from outside our area code must use 847. If you haven't changed those business cards and stationery, or notified your family and friends of this change, you're running out of time! MUM15,111111 ii m M �'_, NEW TRAIN STATION OUTSTANDING YOUTH AWARD The Lake Cook Road train station has been operating ToInce mid -January with 276 parking spaces available o commuters. The fee is $1.00, and all of the parking is on a first come -first served basis. METRA operates and maintains the facility and collects the parking fees. At this point, due to the Lake Cook Road underpass project, it is difficult for pedestrians to walk to and from the station. The Village, working with the Northbrook and our respective Chambers of Commerce, has received a State grant for sidewalk improvements and shuttle van service in order to encourage reverse commuting at the station. The vans will begin operating this month and pedestrian improvements will be installed this summer. Between its two stations, Deerfield now has over 1000 commuter parking spaces. That will increase to about 1250 after METRA adds parking at the Lake Cook Road station this summer. IT'S A BIRD, IT'S A PLANE, IT'S OPTICOM! The Village has received many inquiries regarding the devices that have recently been installed on the top of traffic signals. Most have wondered if they are cameras for catching speeders. Actually, the �evices are part of the OPTICOM system which allows emergency vehicles to preempt traffic signals in order to travel safely through intersections. The Village and Deerfield -Bannockburn Fire Protection District cooperated in funding this project. ANNUAL BUDGET Work is underway on the annual budget for the fiscal year beginning May 1, 1996. 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 15th 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 +++ ELECTION JUDGES NEEDED! There is a severe shortage of election judges for the March 19th and November 5th elections. If you •t uld be willing to help out, please call the Lake unty Clerk's Office at 360-3610. Here's your chance to earn a little spending money and, at the same time, feel righteous about doing your civic duty. 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 April 1. 1996. The award presentation will take place at Jewett Park during the Memorial Day Ceremony. WEATHER THE STORM The Orphans of the Storm still needs newspapers to use during these cold weather months. They are located at 2200 Riverwoods Road and are open seven days a week from 11 A.M. to 5 P.M. The papers can also be left by the gate after hours.... just be sure to bag them so they don't blow around. We understand (from a usually reliable source) that the animals read the sports page - especially the information about the Bulls' games. But maybe we're barking up the wrong tree! ANNUAL SIDEWALK PROGRAM Once again, the Village is offering its sidewalk replacement program whereby it shares, on a 50150 basis, repairs to public sidewalks along residential properties. Many of our residents have already availed themselves of this program, and we would like to encourage others to take advantage of it. By combining several sidewalk replacement projects under one bid, the Village can secure far better prices for this work than if they were contracted for individually. More importantly, we will do all of the work, from preparing the specifications to awarding the job and guaranteeing the quality of the work. All residents are urged to check the sidewalk in front of their. homes. Together, we can make sidewalks safer for pedestrians and, at the same time, enhance the appearance of your property. If you would like to participate in this program, call the Engineering Department at 317-2490 as soon as possible, but no later than May 1st. Ask about our Curb Replacement Program as well. TAX INCREMENT FINANCING LOCAL ORGANIZATION SPOTLIGHT We know that Tax Increment Financing can be very confusing - and we also know it's downright boring to some of you. Unless, that is, there's good news to report .... and here it is! Last December, the Village Board passed a resolution reallocating over $6.7 million from the Lake Cook Road TIF District. For the sixth consecutive year, the Village has distributed funds to various local governments in Lake and Cook Counties. In Lake County, some of the allocations were: School District #109 - $938,969 School District #113 - $770,277 Fire District - $234,846 Village - $218,307 Lake County - $215-1000 Park District - $183,913 Library - $ 77,317 The Lake Cook Road TIF District has been a huge success story with all local taxing bodies sharing in the benefits. The Village used its allocation to reduce our annual tax levy. This is the fourth successive year we've decreased the amount of property taxes. HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE DAYS Although we had hoped to publish the household hazardous waste drop-off sites for this year, as of the print date for this newsletter, the Illinois E.P.A. had not announced the locations or dates of the drop- offs. They should be available in early March, and you may contact the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County at 336-9340 for dates and locations. VILLAGE OF DEERFIELD 850 Waukegan Road 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 BERNARD FORREST, Mayor TRUSTEES Marvin W. Ehlers Edwin B. Seidman John H. Neuberger Vernon E. Swanson Harriet Rosenthal Michael Swartz Robert D. Franz, Village Manager Marjorie Emery, D-Tales Editor % Printed on Recycled Paper Printed at SPS, The Printing Company, Inc. (708) 498-6126 The Newcomers Club of Deerfield was founded in 1949 to foster friendship among its members and newcomers to the community. Forty-seven years later the organization is still providing opportunities for newcomers to do just that. The Club has expanded its membership to include Bannockburn, Highland Park and Riverwoods. Meetings are held monthly in the form of day and evening programs. Special interest groups include Book Review, Bowling, Bridge, Coffee and Kids, Craft Group, Diners Group, Golf, Ladies Night Out and Tennis. Our special events are designed for families or adults and include Pool Parties, Wine Tastings, Cultural Events, Holiday Parties, Casino Night, Cooking Classes and other fun activities. Each summer the Club sponsors the Family Days Pancake Breakfast and, though it is primarily a social group, left -over funds are contributed to local organizations, which in 1995 included: Care-A- Thon, Highland Park and Deerfield Public Libraries, Deerfield Area Historical Society, Ryerson Woods, Habitat for Humanity, Family Network, Deerfield Committee of Arden Shore and Deerfield Family Days. If you have any questions or would like to receive a newsletter, please contact Ann Mott at 405-9118. DID YOU KNOW? Most speeders ticketed on residential streets actually live within the neighborhood Garbage cans can not be placed at the curb before sundown on the night before pick-up. Bulk Rate U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 1 Deerfield, Illinois CAR/PRE-SORT POSTAL CUSTOMER DEERFIELD, ILLINOIS 60015 OU pEERFIE�O J V POLICE Police Beat • • As of January 1, 1996, a number of new criminal and traffic statutes became law. Some of these statutes create new of- fenses, while others make major revisions to existing statutes. The remainder of this Police Beat will summarize those laws that most impact you and your fami- lies. Approaching, Overtaking and Passing a School Bus - En- hanced Penalties Amends the offense of approach- ing, overtaking and passing a school bus by increasing the pe- riod for which an offender's driver's license must be sus- pended by the Secretary of State from the current 30 days to 3 months for first time offenders, and from the previous 60 days to 1 year for the second or subse- quent offenses that occur within five (as opposed to three) years of the first offense. Provides for a mandatory $150 fine for first time offenders and a $500 fine for the second or subsequent of- fenses. Prohibits a judge from giving a sentence of court super- vision for this offense. Driving Under the Influence - Mandatory Incarceration if Child in Car Provides that the penalty im- posed on a person for driving un- Legislative Update der the influence of alcohol or drugs will be enhanced by 48 hours of imprisonment for the first offense, ten days of impris- onment for the second offense, thirty days of imprisonment for the third offense and 90 days im- prisonment for the fourth offense if the driver had a child under the age of 16 in the car at the time of the offense. The imprisonment shall not be subject to suspension and the offender shall not be eli- gible for probation in order to re- duce the sentence of incarcera- tion. Railroad Crossing - Pedestrian or Vehicle - Mandatory Fines Creates a mandatory fine of $500 or 50 hours of community ser- vice for pedestrians who fail to obey crossing signals and for drivers who fail to obey cross - buck signs. Mandates local au- thorities to impose the penalties. Discretionary Transfer - Age 13 - Cannabis - School Zone Allows for the discretionary transfer to adult criminal court of juveniles at least 13 years of age for felony violations of the Cannabis Control Act committed within 1000 feet of a school or on a school bus. Expansion of Student Expulsion Authority - Weapons Expands the general authority of local school boards to suspend or expel students for a definite pe- riod of up to two years. Addi- tionally, mandates a minimum one-year expulsion for students who have brought a weapon to school. Notice to Schools -Arrest of Mi- nors - Various Offenses Allows law enforcement to pro- vide information to schools re- garding minors from that school, arrested for unlawful use of weapons, forcible felonies, and violations of the Controlled Sub- stances Act or the Cannabis Con- trol Act. Unlawful Possession, Use and Sale of Nitrous Oxide Creates the offenses of posses- sion, use and sale of nitrous ox- ide, with intent to breathe, inhale, or ingest for the purpose of caus- ing a condition of intoxication, elation, euphoria, dizziness, stu- pefaction, dulling of the senses or changing, distorting or disturbing the audio, visual or mental pro- cesses, or, who is intentionally under the influence of nitrous ox- ide, commits a Class B misde- meanor. Any business that sells or gives away nitrous oxide for any of the above purposes com- mits a Class B misdemeanor. Exempts medical purposes. Page 2 Police Beat - *1 Residential Burglary Update No single type of property crime carries a higher investigative pri- ority than residential burglary. The Police Department realizes that the victim of a residential burglary can find little solace from the fact that the Village of \ Deerfield continues to have one �►-�.'�' of the lowest rates of home bur- glary in the Northern Suburban Area. The Village experienced an increase in the number of resi- dential burglaries during the fi- nal quarter of 1995. The Police Department's response has been one that stresses the importance of communication and coopera- tion. The importance of cooper- ation within the Department and with other police agencies is ob- vious. Less obvious is the im- portance of community coopera- tion in acting in partnership with the police. This involves the po- lice communicating the impor- tance of crime prevention and prompt reporting to the police of any suspicious activity. The Po- lice Department has accom- plished this in a variety of ways including neighborhood commu- nity meetings, information re - leases to the press and one on one communication with citizens. The goal is to harden the targets by stressing adequate lighting, locks and hardware and other physical security precautions. The Police Department also seeks to encourage residents to promptly report any suspicious activity or circumstances that may in any way be related to bur- glary. The importance of timely reporting of even minor instances of unusual occurrences cannot be over stressed. This approach has consistently proven to be the most effective strategy in dealing with patterns of residential bur- glary. Deerfield has experienced no burglaries since December 14, 1995. Do not hesitate to call us if you have any concerns. Aggravated Home Repair Fraud On September 20, the Deerfield Police began an investigation of a criminal conspiracy that in- volved the bilking of an 85 year old Deerfield man of $65,000. The conspiracy involved the criminal actions of several tradesmen and included the "laundering" of the victim's checks through a Chicago cur- rency exchange. Police efforts resulted in the arrest of two tradesmen and the eventual clo- sure and prosecution of the cur- rency exchange owners. Home- owners should remember that ev- ery person engaging in the busi- ness of peddling or commercial soliciting must obtain a license from the Village. All building contractors must obtain a permit for the construction, repair or al- teration of any building. Anyone who does not have a solicitors permit or who offers to complete construction work without get- ting Village approval, is acting il- legally and may be cheating you. Please call the Police Department or the Village's Building and Zoning Department for further information. L. Patrick Anderson Chief of Police Deputy Chief Tom Skrabala Investigation, Youth and Social Services Deputy Chief Gary Stryker Administrative Division Commander John Shozis Operations Division 945-8636 Emergency Number - 911