This is the time of year we usually start thinking of snow. No thought required this year, it’s here!
The Village has over 50 center line miles of roads which is over 100 miles of two-lane roads. Many streets are wide enough to require two or even three passes and that number increases exponentially during a major snow storm. Our trucks’ combined mileage can easily exceed four or five hundred miles of plowing. We tackle that task with an impressive fleet of vehicles that include: four, five-yard trucks that have plow and wing, along with liquid de-icing capability, three 1.5 ton trucks and seven pick-ups all equipped with plows. We deploy a special skid loader to clear safe passage sidewalks for our students and downtown business district and we outsource two companies to plow and salt the Metra Parking Lots and Bright Meadows Subdivision. We contract to receive 14 hundred tons of salt per season.
Know that the Village of Round Lake through our Police and Public Works Departments puts public safety first. Please read details below regarding FAQ and our snow operations.
Season’s Greetings!
If you have any comments, questions or ideas you would like to see included in the e-newsletter, please email me at
dmacgillis@eroundlake.com.
Sincerely,
Mayor Dan MacGillis
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Enter Your Home in the House Decorating Contest!
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Think you've got the best holiday display in Round Lake? Sign up for the annual Holiday House Decorating Contest and you could be a winner.
The first place winner will receive a gift card for $150! Judging will take place the week of December 24th and registrants must have their lights turned on for judging.
To sign up, please complete the
sign up form
or contact the Village Hall at (847) 546-5400. The deadline to sign up is Friday December 21st at 5:00 pm.
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Round Lake Snow Operations
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Winter weather has arrived!
During the snow season, our Public Works Department works hard to balance public safety with preserving personal property.
Snow Removal Reminders
Please remember to remove basketball hoops, planters and any other items away from the edge of the roadway or cul-de-sacs. Occasionally, Public Works will need to push snow up into the parkway a few feet.
Garbage cans should be placed on the parkway or driveway apron; they cannot be placed in the road.
When clearing your driveway, please do not blow snow into the road. This can cause localized icing and can be very dangerous for motorists. Please push the snow to the right side of the driveway whenever possible so snowplows don’t drag large piles back across your driveway apron.
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Protect Your Water Meter
Public Works receives periodic requests to shut off the water at homes every winter because the water pipes freeze and then burst. This costly rupture can cause serious damage especially in vacant homes where it may go unnoticed for days. If your water meter is in a crawl space, check to make sure it’s insulated and heated.
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Snow Operations: Important FAQ's
My street wasn't plowed or salted, who do I contact?
Most streets in the Village are plowed and salted by the Public Works Department however; there are some that are maintained by the State, County, Township or Homeowners Association. You can call the Public Works Department at 847-546-0962 and they will direct you to the appropriate agency.
What are the rules for parking on the street during snow removal?
According to Village code section 10.16.120 “It is unlawful to park any vehicle on any public street or alley in the village at any time within twelve (12) hours after a snowfall of two inches or more has occurred, or until the snow has been removed.” This includes parallel parking your vehicle in front of your driveway.
Do I have to shovel the snow off my sidewalk in front of my house?
Village residents are required to remove any snow and ice on public sidewalks adjacent to their properties. If snow or ice cannot be removed, the surface should be treated to lessen the hazard for pedestrians.
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Lake County Passage
Round Lake experienced a historically large snow event in the month of November. As with any large snow event, traffic and electrical power are the two main items impacted.
Lake County
PASSAGE
allows you to view major intersections and road conditions from your computer or mobile device before leaving home. PASSAGE cameras provide real-time snapshots from major intersections. Visit
LakeCountyPASSAGE.com
, turn on camera images in “Layer Options” at the top right, find intersections along your route, and check road conditions in each direction.
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Reporting ComEd Outages
During a large snow event, power outages may occur. Having the correct phone number and other information during a power outage may be useful. Find out how to stay up to date on power outages or report an outage at:
www.comed.com
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Foreclosed and Vacant Property Program
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Communities in the region are starting to take a pro-active approach to foreclosures and vacant properties by requiring the property owner to register with the Village. Such properties generally become property maintenance problems as the grass does not get mowed, the house deteriorates and ownership accountability becomes a concern. The Village devotes a substantial amount of resources to address such problem properties.
To facilitate the process, the Village has entered into an agreement with ProChamps, a company that specializes in handling a registration process. They proactively research and track down properties that are headed to foreclosure and make the property owner aware of the registration process. Registration requires contact information for the owner and a property manager contact.
The registration process will assist the Village in taking a proactive role on foreclosed or vacant property to ensure the quality of the neighborhood is maintained.
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Tree Pruning
The Village has hired a contractor to work on pruning parkway trees during the winter months. The crews will be trimming branches to raise the tree canopy as well as to help shape the trees and ensure health. Winter is an ideal time for this type of work because the trees are dormant. The contractor will be focusing on the Lakewood, Lakewood Grove, Prairie Walk, and Madrona subdivisions first. The plan is to trim parkway trees throughout the entire Village in the next two to three years.
Streets
The Village owns and maintains over 50 miles of roadway mainly paved with hot-mix asphalt (HMA). Most of the roadways are original construction from when the developer built the subdivisions. A typical lifespan of HMA pavement is twenty years. If routine maintenance is done to the roadway including crack sealing, patching and resurfacing, the roadway can last even longer before it needs to be rebuilt. The Village last did a pavement study in 2015 which determined that 52% of the roads were considered Fair to Excellent while 48% were considered Poor to Failed. The Village spends approximately $500,000 per year on roadway maintenance. This money is the Village’s portion of the Illinois State Motor Fuel Tax. The Village will also spend money out of the Capital Project Fund to help complete larger projects. Parkview Phase I and Madrona neighborhoods 1 & 2 were resurfaced this past year and design is currently ongoing for resurfacing Madrona neighborhood 5 which is scheduled for the spring of 2019.
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Metra Parking Permits Available Online
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Parking permits for the Metra Commuter Parking lots are available for purchase online. To purchase parking permits for 2019 , please visit
Metra Commuter Parking Permit
.
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2018 Round Lake Citizens Police Academy
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Congratulations to the 2018 Round Lake Citizens Police Academy Graduates! Great work throughout the 10 week academy course. A new academy will start next fall!
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Waste Management Holiday Schedule
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All solid waste and recycling collection will be delayed by one day from your normal pickup day following the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays.
Holidays will be observed on December 25 and January 1, therefore there will be no solid waste or recycling collection on both Tuesdays.
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Q)
I often hear sirens going off at the beginning of the month, why?
A)
The outdoor warning sirens are tested on the first Tuesday of every month at 10:00 am. The warning sirens are used most often for severe weather events such as thunderstorms and tornadoes. If you hear the sirens and it is not 10:00 am on the first Tuesday of the month seek shelter immediately.
Q)
How can I keep my house warm in the winter?
A)
The best way and most economical way is to make sure your furnace has been inspected and cleaned by a reputable HVAC contractor so that it is operating safely and at peak efficiency.
Fireplace chimneys need to be cleaned and inspected to check for a build-up of creosote or blockages.
Portable space heaters should be plugged into an outlet (extension cords are not allowed) and be placed at least three feet from anything that can burn. Never use a kerosene or propane heater inside.
Check on a regular basis that all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly.
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Additional News and Updates
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Mayor Dan MacGillis was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation
from Round Lake Area Exchange Club member Terry Meyer for supporting the 15th Annual Chili Supper by building a basket for the Community Raffle Contest. The event was hosted by RLA B.E.S.T & the RLA Exchange Club.
B.E.S.T. is a Round Lake Area Community Coalition of individuals and organizations that network and collaborate together to advocate for services, programs, and resources to improve the quality of life for area residents. To learn more,
visit www.rlabest.net
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New Businesses!
Village Officials would like to welcome El Guerrero Western Wear located downtown at 413 W. Railroad Avenue. El Guerrero Western Wear is a family owned and operated business, who specializes in western accessories, boots, hats and clothing. Please stop in and welcome El Guerrero Western Wear to the community.
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Overnight Parking.....
Although the Village has a no parking ordinance on Village streets from 2:00 am to 6:00 am, we do allow overnight parking on a special request basis. To request overnight street parking, please contact Police Dispatch at (847) 270-9111. Please be sure to have the vehicle information and emergency contact information available.
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The Village would like to welcome and thank the following residents for their civic service
.
At the November 19, 2018 Village Board meeting, Brandon Gullifor was appointed to the Round Lake Police Pension Board.
At the December 3, 2018 Village Board meeting Cathy Ann Daniel was appointed to the Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals for a Term to Expire on April 30, 2023. In addition, Katherine Kristan was appointed Chairman of the Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals for a Term to Expire on April 30, 2019. Thank you
to John Gutknecht for his years of service chairing the Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals.
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Enjoy the Holiday Bustle - But Be Aware
With all the distractions and activity, we sometimes forget the basics about safety on the streets and at home.
Always be aware of your surroundings and remember to lock your vehicle and home doors. Don’t leave packages and /or valuables in your vehicle in plain sight. Please also be aware in parking lots, banks, and ATMs.
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The Village Hall will be closed on
Monday, December 24 and Tuesday December 25 and will close at 12:30 pm on Monday December 31.
From all of us at the Village of Round Lake, we wish you and your family a wonderful holiday and a Happy New Year!
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Village Officials
Dan MacGillis, Mayor
Debbie Perlini, Clerk
Trustees
Charlie Foy, Henry Frye Jr., Russell Kraly,
Don Newby, Jake Mandelman, Sanjay Patel
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