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Vol. 20, No. 2 - Mar 1998Deerfield BLOOD DRIVE The next blood drive is Sunday, March 1st at the Deerfield Park District Community Center, 836 Jewett Park Drive, between 8:00 A.M. and 1 P.M. No appointment is necessary.... just drop in and give the gift of life. TAX INCREMENT FINANCING Here is some good news about property taxes! In January, the Village Board passed a resolution reallocating over $6.6 million from the Lake Cook Road Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District. For .the eighth consecutive year, the Village has distributed funds to various local governments in Lake and Cook Counties. In Lake County, the allocations were: School District #109 - $983,541 School District #113 - $794,431 Fire District - $224,968 Village - $207,039 Lake County - $223,260 Park District - $189,110 Library - $ 82,389 The Lake Cook Road TIF District has been a huge success story with all local taxing bodies sharing in the benefits. Once again, the Village used its allocation to reduce our annual tax levy. This is the sixth successive year we've decreased our portion of the property tax bill. HIGHEST BOND RATING Moody's Investors Service has upgraded Deerfield's bond rating to AAA. This is the highest rating possible! The Village joins a select group of 60 municipalities throughout the United States •- which have the AAA rating. The upgrade ensures the --best possible interest rates in any future bond issues. March 1998 - VOL. 20 NO.2 TOLLWAY PLANS We are pleased to confirm that the Deerfield Tollway Plaza is scheduled to be torn down by Thanksgiving. This is the result of over two years of on -going negotiations with the Illinois Tollway Authority. However, the Village is still working with the Cook County Highway Department and the Tollway in an effort to secure a northbound entrance ramp at Lake Cook Road. That would complete the full interchange at Lake Cook Road and reduce traffic on residential streets in west Deerfield. TEST YOUR SMOKE DETECTOR IT'S °SOUND° ADVICE YARD WASTE PROGRAM Beginning on Tuesday, April 7th, yard waste service will resume each Tuesday and will continue through December 8th. 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, Commons Jewel and Dominicks in Bannockburn Green. > Bundled brush will also be accepted on Tuesdays (no stickers required). Brush must be no more than 4' long and 30" in circumference, tied in a bundle. > Both yard waste bags and bundled brush must be placed at the curb. PARENT UNIVERSITY ANNUAL SIDEWALK PROGRAM The Second Annual Parent University will be held on Saturday, March 7th from 8:00 A.M. (registration) to 2:30 P.M. at Highland Park High School (West Entrance). Parent University is an outstanding one day parent seminar with numerous workshops running throughout the day. The workshops cover parenting issues from pre-school through high school. The concurrent sessions range from "Engaging Children's Co -Operation", "Send Me a Life Jacket & Raising Children with Learning Disorders", "How to be an Encouraging Parent", "Parenting Through Divorce", "No Nonsense Stress Management for Parents", "Promoting Healthy Brain Development During Early Childhood" to mention just a few. All parents should plan on attending for the workshops, information, networking opportunities and resource fair. Register ($15 for first family member and $10 for each additional member) through School District 113s office at 1040 Park Avenue West, Highland Park. Fees include snack and lunch. Questions can be directed to Sheila Clements at 847-926- 9328. This is a one -day parenting event not to be missed. 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 Monday, March 30,1998. 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, 1998. 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 20th 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. Once again, the Village is offering its sidewalk replacement program whereby it shares, on a 50/50 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 April 15th. Ask about our Curb Replacement Program as well. 1998 STREET IMPROVEMENTS The following streets are scheduled for rehabilitation this summer. * Warrington Road (Cumnor to Deerfield) * Knollwood Road (Margate to Kingston) * Beverly Place (Margate to Deerfield) * Kingston Terrace (Warrington to Beverly) * Margate Terrace (Oxford to Meadowbrook) * Grove Place (Central to Shepard Jr. High) SHAMROCK HUNT The Deerfield Park District will hold its Annual Shamrock Hunt on Saturday, March 14th from 1:00 -2:00 P.M. at Jewett Park and the Community Center. Children from 5-7 years of age will look for shamrocks in Jewett Park, play leprechaun games, create a craft. project and have refreshments. The event is $2.00 in advance, $3.00 at the door. Call 945-0650 for additional information. MULTI -FAMILY PROPOSAL The Plan Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday, April 9th at 8:00 P.M. in the Village Hall on a proposal from the James Building Corporation to build multi -family housing in the area of Central Avenue and Waverly Court (east of the Milwaukee.--* Railroad tracks and north of Coromandel). The development would include 174 units: 120 condominiums, 33 rowhomes and 21 villas. DEERFIELD SQUARE In January, after several public meetings and unanimous recommendations of both the Plan Commission and Village Center Development Commission, the Mayor and Board of Trustees approved the above plan for the southwest corner of Deerfield and Waukegan Roads. The mixed use development consists of ten buildings including, as the focal point of the design, a four- story office building with underground parking for 100 vehicles. Most of the buildings will be two- story. There will be 136,000 sq. ft. of retail which will include a 40,000 sq. ft. grocery store, a free standing Walgreens with drive -through pharmacy, restaurants, a bank and a car wash. A Redevelopment Agreement has been signed between the Village and CRM Properties under which $18 million in Tax Increment Financing Funds will be committed to the $60 million project. The Village intends to sell General Obligation Bonds and will pay the principal and interest from increased property and sales taxes generated from the Village Center Tax Increment Financing District between now and when the District expires in 2009. The project will be phased in over a two year period. During the next several months, the Village will be acquiring properties needed to assemble this 17 acre development. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer. HOME IMPROVEMENTS WATER (BILLS 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, patios and decks, roofing, siding, sewer repairs, pools and driveways all require a permit. Play it safe and call the Building Division 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. COMMUNITY EVENT SCHEDULE Want to schedule a major community event? Well, you'll obviously want to encourage a large turnout to insure the success of your event. Check the Community Calendar before you plan your event to make sure that no other community group has something on the day you want. Call the Deerfield Park District, 945-0650, and tell Public Information Coordinator Brenda Segal the date you have in mind. She'll let you know if it's clear and place you on the calendar. There are so many worthy organizations and events in Deerfield, why compete with each other? YOU'RE DEFINITELY AN OLD TIMER IF ... you were around when the Village was incorporated. April 14th will mark our 95th Anniversary. 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 Public Works ............................317-7245 Web Page.......................www.deerfield-il.org BERNARD FORREST, Mayor TRUSTEES Marvin W. Ehlers John H. Neuberger Harriet Rosenthal Edwin B. Seidman Vernon E. Swanson Michael Swartz Robert D. Franz, Village Manager Printed on Recycled Paper Printed at SPS, The Printing Company, Inc. (847) 498-6126 You are billed quarterly for water, sewer and refuse. Bills are mailed on the 10th 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. SEWER [BACK-UPS If you experience a sanitary sewer back-up, please contact the Village before you calla lumber. 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. 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. CABLE CHANNEL 3 Cable Channel 3 gives you direct access to your Village. It carries all Board meetings live as well as communicating important messages regarding Village services and events. Bulk Rate U.S.POSTAQE PAID Permit No. 1 Deerlleld, Illinois CAR/PRE-SORT POSTAL CUSTOMER DEERFIELD, ILLINOIS 60015 Police Beat February 1998 Teenage Drivers: Helping Them Make It Home Effective January 1, 1998, the Secretary of State's Office began enforcing the Graduated Licens- ing System. In the December is- sue of Police Beat, we outlined the specifics of that new law. In this issue we will discuss the eight (8) driving rules every par- ent should enforce. According to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety research, 82 percent of 16 year -old drivers in- volved in fatal crashes made at least one driving error contribut- ing to the wreck (compared to 52 percent of drivers 25 to 49 years of age). 36 percent of all 16 year -old drivers in fatal crashes were reportedly speeding, 41 per- cent of the fatal crashes involved only the teen's vehicle when it left the roadway and overturned or struck an object, and 36 per- cent of fatal accidents involving teens occurred with three or more passengers in the vehicle. With these facts in mind, here are the 8 "house rules" parents can implement to help reduce their teens exposure to risk. 1. Your teen should drive six to twelve months in the learner's permit phase. Your young driver must remain crash and conviction free before receiving a license. 2. Implement a night driving curfew. Studies have shown that night driving tends to be recre- ational and carries a much higher risk than daytime purposeful driving. Research indicates that enforcing this one rule could re- duce nighttime accidents by up to 69 percent. 3. Limit passengers. Teen pas- sengers pose a huge risk for fel- low teen drivers. Teens tend to "egg on" one another's risk tak- ing tendencies - such as speed- ing, dangerous passing and tail- gating. 4. Don't rely solely on driver's education. High School driver's education programs can and do successfully teach basic driving skills, however, teenage risk tak- ing attitudes seem to be largely unaffected by this program. It is. your teenager's risk taking atti- tudes that will determine how driving skills and knowledge are put to use. jN 5. Adopt zero tolerance for alco- hol and drugs. Prohibit teens from driving after drinking any alcohol, period. Prohibit your teen from riding with anyone who has been drinking. 6. Require seatbelt use for your driver and all passengers. Buck- ling up is not yet seen as "cool", so don't assume that they are al- ways used. 7. Choose a safe car. Never put your new, inexperienced driver in a high-performance vehicle. Page 2 Police Beat 8. Maximize the life-saving ben- efits of air bags and anti -lock brakes. Remind your teen to sit as far from the steering wheel as possible (a minimum of 10 inches) but in a position that al- lows them maximum control and comfort. For cars equipped with anti -lock brakes, teach teens not to pump the brake pedal, but to apply firm, even pressure when braking - even in emergency sit- uations and on wet pavement or gravel. Remind them that brake pedal pulsation and a grinding sound accompany activation of the anti -lock brake system. Senior Service Officer This past week, Master Officer Jack Yagecic completed a state - certified 40 hour course which addressed the unique needs of our growing senior population. The course was designed to ex- pand communication skills, in- crease knowledge of the law as it applies to senior citizens, and teach crime prevention initiatives of specific concern to elderly cit- izens. The course supports the Deerfield Police Department's efforts to encourage a permanent relationship between law en- forcement providers, AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) and the Lake County Sheriff, to form advisory coun- cils, utilize seniors as volunteers, and to act as partners in community -oriented policing ini- tiatives. Jack is excited about his new responsibilities and will be out and about sharing informa- tion on a number of topics. Emergency Medical Dispatch Prior to the Department's imple- mentation of Emergency Medical Dispatching, our Communica- tions Center, like others in the Midwest, followed the traditional practice of using the police dis- patcher as a telephone switch- board operator. Today, Deerfield 911 telecommunicators provide immediate medical assistance and are the first link in a chain of responses that includes paramedics and hospital emer- gency room staff. During 1997, police 911 telecommunicators processed over 971 medical'calls. When you call 911 with a medi- cal emergency, please understand that you will be asked a number of questions relating to the condi- tion of the victim. While this is occurring, the paramedics are be- ing dispatched to the scene. Your observations about the vic- tim and actions we may ask you to take, provide valuable infor- mation and assistance to the ar- riving paramedics. Although some of the questions asked may seem unnecessary, we encourage you to answer them as com- pletely as you are able. Thank you for your ongoing assistance in this lifesaving program. Solicitors It is unlawful for any person to solicit at a private residence if.the residence is posted. Displaying this placard satisfies the legal no- tice requirement. ************************* NO SOLICITORS OR PEDDLERS ************************ L. Patrick Anderson Chief of Police Deputy Chief Tom Skrabala Investigation; Youth and Social Services Deputy Chief John Shozis Operations Division 945-8636 Emergency Number - 911