The Bridge
October 1, 2020
Village Manager Resigns, Replacement Search Underway
Long Grove’s Village Manager David Lothspeich has resigned his position, and his last day of service to the Village will be October 23, 2020. David has accepted a position as the new administrator/comptroller for the City of Monroe in Wisconsin. The Village thanks him for his 18 years of service and wishes him well in his future endeavors.

The Village Board has already begun the process to fill this important leadership role, and will provide information to the community in subsequent communications when a replacement has been selected.
Cuba Road Resurfacing Begins October 5
Construction will begin on Monday, October 5, 2020, to resurface Cuba Road, starting at the intersection of South Krueger Road and continuing east to Old McHenry Road. The project is expected to run until mid-November, and is part of the Village’s yearly road maintenance program. The work will include asphalt removal, pavement patching, road resurfacing and restoration of roadway shoulders. Cuba Road is expected to remain open during the construction, though there will be times it will be reduced to one lane and traffic will be impacted. For more information, please click here or call Village Hall at 847-634-9440.
Increase In Vehicle Thefts
Attempted thefts from vehicles have been on the rise lately across the Village. In all instances, none of the vehicles were locked, and in some cases, the keys or bezels were left inside cars; personal property has been taken. The Lake County Sheriff has increased patrols in residential areas and parking lots, and is urging residents to take the following precautions:

  • Lock doors to homes, garages and vehicles
  • Avoid leaving keys/key fobs in vehicles
  • Avoid leaving valuables in vehicles and in plain view

Community members can do their part to stop or reduce the occurrence of this crime by remembering to lock your car doors and not leaving valuables in plain view. Please report any suspicious activity occurring around vehicles by calling 911 immediately. 
Sheriff's Partnership with Ring 
As a way to help protect the community, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with Ring, Amazon’s smart doorbell company, to allow Lake County Sheriff deputies and detectives to use the “Neighbors App” by Ring. The goal is to ask Ring customers for assistance in helping to solve crimes.

While this partnership does not allow access to any videos recorded by Ring devices without approval, it does give Sheriff personnel the ability to send messages to community members when they suspect a crime may have occurred. Personnel do not see a live view from the community’s Ring devices in these cases. Ring customers have the choice to share recorded videos with the Sheriff’s Office, or they can decline the request. Camera owners also have the option to decline receiving messages from the Sheriff’s Office. Learn more about Lake County’s partnership with Ring here.
Village Honors CSCC Member
The Village Board recently recognized Kathy Wiberg as a “Member Emeritus” for her significant contributions to the Conservancy & Scenic Corridor Committee (CSCC) after 19 years of dedicated service. This unique honor allows Ms. Wiberg to continue sharing her knowledge and expertise with the CSCC as a non-voting committee participant, while it creates an opportunity for a new member to fill the open position.

The CSCC has responsibilities in educating and assisting in the maintenance, renovation, and enhancement of Conservancy and Scenic Corridor Easements within the Village, and plays an essential role in maintaining the overall community character. The Village is always looking for talented volunteers to serve on its commissions and committees. If you are interested, please fill out a Volunteer Profile Form, which can be found here. Completed forms can be submitted to Sherry Shlagman via email at sshlagman@longgroveil.com.  Call 847-634-9440 for more information.
Temporary Road Closures for Half Marathon
The Annual Prairie State Half Marathon will take place on Saturday, October 3, 2020; traffic delays are expected on several roads throughout downtown Long Grove and the surrounding areas.

Between the hours of 7 a.m. until 11:15 a.m., the event will impact traffic along Route 53, Schaeffer Road, Cuba Road, Checker Road, Old Hicks Road and others that are nearby. To accommodate the race’s runners and walkers, some roads will have periodic closures, while others will have one-way traffic with limited access to subdivisions. Signs will be posted along the route and message signs will be located at major intersections providing advance notice. Click here to view a map of the affected roads.
Proposed South Gateway TIF District Public Meeting
The proposed South Gateway Tax Increment Finance District will be discussed at a public hearing on Tuesday, November 10, 2020, which is expected to be held virtually. Members of the public will have an opportunity to learn more about the proposed redevelopment plans and provide input to the Village Board on the TIF district. Those interested in attending are invited to join the meeting online via Zoom or via the phone through information found at this link.

The proposed TIF is related to long-range plans for the redevelopment of commercial properties north of Lake Cook Road, along the east and west sides of Route 53. More information and a map of the proposed TIF can be found here.
Daffodil Bulbs - A Long Grove Tradition
Long Grove is continuing the tradition which began many years ago, and was started by former Village president Robert Parker Coffin and his wife Betty. The two came up with the idea to help beautify the Village by distributing daffodil bulbs at no charge to residents, in exchange for them committing to planting the bulbs along public right-of-ways. There are two choices of bulbs that will be available, including Carlton, a yellow bloom, and a mixture of yellow and white daffodils called Fragrant Meadow.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the procedure for picking up bulbs has been modified. If you would like a bag of bulbs, please email Sherry Shlagman at sshlagman@longgroveil.gov or call 847-634-9440. When requesting bulbs, please indicate your name and the choice of bulbs. The bag will be marked with your name and set outside Village Hall’s Meeting doors, 3110 Old McHenry Road, for you to pick up. Happy planting!
Paper Shredding & Household Recycling Event
A document-shredding and household recycling event will take place on Saturday, October 10, 2020 from 8 a.m. - 11 a.m. at the Ela Area Public Library in Lake Zurich.

The event is free if participants donate a non-perishable food item. The secure document-shredding service is limited to three boxes. Please note: it is possible the event could end early if the shred truck fills to capacity.

Acceptable items:
  • Computers
  • Keyboards
  • Printers
  • Copy machines
  • Cell phones
  • Routers
  • Gaming consoles
  • Small household appliances

Unacceptable items:
  • Tube TVs
  • CRT monitors
  • Projection and flat-screen TVs
  • VHS tapes
  • Non-rechargeable batteries

Click here for a complete list. Please call the library at 847-438-3433 for more information.
Guidelines for a
Safe Halloween
As Halloween approaches, parents are encouraged to follow the latest safety guidelines when planning activities for their families. Click here for information from the CDC, and here for guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health, on how to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and for suggestions on alternative ways to celebrate the holiday. As a reminder, the Village of Long Grove does not have set hours for trick-or-treating; hours are left to the discretion of HOAs and to parents. Other safety tips to consider:

  • Wear appropriate face covers and maintain safe social distancing.
  • Wear costumes that are flame-resistant, bright and reflective.
  • Only visit well-lit homes; remind children never to enter a home.
  • Travel in small groups accompanied by an adult. 
  • Have children bring treats home to have them inspected by a parent or guardian. Discard unwrapped candy and food.
 
Drivers need to be extra cautious and watch for pedestrians on Saturday, October 31, 2020. If suspicious activity is observed, please call 911 immediately.
Halloween Town Returns This October
Due to the pandemic, the Historic Downtown Long Grove Business Association has retooled ‘Halloween Town’ to provide visitors with a safe and fun way to celebrate the season with the downtown business community. Please check www.LongGrove.org for updates. 
 
DIY Scarecrow Day, Saturday, October 10, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. At Brothers Field (next to Fred Astaire Dance Studio), with a socially distanced set up! For $10 you get a wood base, straw for stuffing and building guidance from volunteers. A clothing drive is also being held September 23–October 8. Clothing can be dropped off at the Long Grove Visitors Center.
 
Witches Night Out, Thursday, October 15, 5 – 8 p.m. Downtown Long Grove businesses will be open late for grown-up witches and warlocks to shop, sing and dine! Participating businesses will feature specials, discounts, giveaways and more. Witches who register will be entered to win prizes donated by merchants throughout the night.
Upcoming Village Meetings

Village meetings continue to be held virtually until further notice. Information on how to participate remotely is included in meeting agendas - found under 'View Details' below.

For more information on the Village's commissions and committee meetings, click here.
PCZBA


October 6
CSCC


October 7
N. Krueger Rd. Meeting

October 12
EDC


October 13
Village Board


October 13