Kudos to Cory Kazimour, Michael Hughes, and Nick Sandstrom for being the first three people to read the last edition of What's Happening!
Trying Something New
Last month we mixed up this email and asked you what you thought. Poll respondents either loved or were fine with the new format, so we're keeping this email in two sections - what you "Need to Know” and what's "Nice to Know." That way you can scan the key information and read additional information when you have time.

If you have suggestions for ways to improve this email or content you'd like to see included, please let us know!
Need to Know
If you only have a few minutes, scan this section for key takeaways.

Vehicle Sticker Sales Begin Next Week (Finance)

Vehicle stickers and parking permits go on sale next Tuesday, March 21. New for this year, the City Council approved the elimination of pet licenses. Learn more.
Multi-Factor Authentication (Innovation and Technology)

IT is making a push to finish rolling out Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to all City employees. Similar to how you would keep your bank account or Amazon account secure with a login push notification to your phone, we will be applying similar security to your City account. Unlike those two examples where you have to authenticate every time you login, our MFA will only be required every 90 days (4 times a year).

We will be providing different options for authentication for those of you who do not have a City issued mobile device. More information on this will be coming out shortly and as always we will be trying to limit the degree of interruption to your everyday workflow. We sincerely appreciate everyone’s involvement with ensuring the security of all of our technology in the City.
Nice to Know
These submissions are still important, but they’re not as critical if you’re scanning for the key information.

Office of the City Manager
Submitted By: Communications Manager, Dana Olson
  • Early Voting at City Hall begins next Monday, March 20 and runs through Saturday, April 1.
  • MC Squared Energy Services, LLC (mc2) mailed letters to some Lake Forest residents over the weekend about the City's municipal electricity aggregation program. If you receive calls please direct them to Reagan Walsh at (847) 810-3677.
  • Visit Lake Forest Love - you never know what you'll learn!
Community Development
Submitted By: Director of Community Development, Cathy Czerniak
  • Reminder that on Election Day, April 4, it will be a free-for-all with respect to election signs. Signs are permitted any where on Election Day. Beginning at or around 4 a.m. on April 5, Community Development staff will begin pulling and disposing of signs that remain on the parkways and at polling places. Election signs and political message signs are permitted year round on private property outside of the front yard setback which in most cases is 40 or 50 feet from the front property line depending on the zoning district.
 
  • 715 McKinley Road/361 E. Westminster – Site preparation is underway for the third condominium building in the McKinley Road Planned Development. The third building will be directly east of the two condominium buildings that were recently completed on the east side of McKinley Road, across from the train station. A fourth building, a single family home, is planned fronting on Westminster, just north of the third condo building. We anticipate issuing permits for excavation and the foundation any day now. This project will continue to generate controversy and is currently the subject of litigation filed by some of the neighboring residents. Please refer contacts regarding this project to Cathy Czerniak to assure that the City Attorneys are kept informed given the pending litigation.       
Finance
Submitted By: Assistant Finance Director, Diane Hall
  • The FY24 budget workshop was held on Monday, March 13. Preparations are underway to finalize the FY24 budget book to be approved at the Monday, April 17 City Council meeting.
  • Just a reminder that full-time employees are eligible for a complimentary Beach Sticker for the new season. Reach out to Claudia or Matthew for your application.
Human Resources
Submitted By: Human Resources Generalist, Brina Diaz
Innovation and Technology
Submitted By: IT Business Analyst, Cameron Burrell
  • New Computers and Monitors are on the way! If you are slated for a computer upgrade this year, you may start to receive communications from the IT Department about scheduling the switch of your device to your new one. Ahead of time, please make sure all of your important files are backed up via OneDrive.
  • Outlook Calendar and Meeting Rooms. We’ve had some questions recently about the inability to schedule meetings on the calendar for a specific room (i.e. the Training Room at MS). The rooms themselves do not allow for people to schedule meetings on their calendars. Instead, you need to invite the room to the meeting that you’re setting up when you send out the invites. Try utilizing the ‘Location’ and/or ‘Room Finder’ buttons in the meeting invite.   
Parks and Recreation

Cemetery
Submitted By: Cemetery Sexton, Phil Alderks
  • Funerals
  • Spring clean ups
  • Finishing up winter equipment maintenance

CROYA
Submitted By: CROYA Manager, Todd Nahigian
  • High School Spring Retreat is March 17-19 at Camp Henry Horner in Ingleside, IL.
  • Peer Training is in full swing at LFHS and Woodlands Academy.
  • CROYA is open for Spring Break (March 27-31) from 1-3 pm each day.
  • Save the Date: Middle School Donut Cup Floor Hockey with the Police is Tuesday, April 4 at DPM.

Forestry
Submitted By: Forestry Supervisor, Corey Wierema
  • Site/Species selection and Nursery visits
Upcoming
  •  Deerpath pump house planting – pump house/golf course
  •  Deerpath corridor planting – pump house/golf course

Parks
Submitted By: Parks Supervisor, Rich Paulsen
  • Spring athletic field planning
Public Works

Deerpath Community Park Improvement Project
Submitted By: Assistant to the Director of Public Works, Jim Lockefeer
  • Construction on the new fields and park amenities is slated to begin the week of March 27. Learn more.

Engineering
Submitted By: Superintendent of Engineering, Byron Kutz
  • Remaining work for the re-opening of the ComEd Bridge over Deerpath includes waterproofing of the bridge-deck and resurfacing of the bike path. The sidewalk is now back open for pedestrians.
  • The East Skokie Drainage District is installing 2 temporary crossings to get from the east to west side of the river near the Waveland Park staging area and from south to north at the pond outfall.
 
Sanitation
Submitted By: Sanitation Supervisor, Brian Pogachnik
  • The Compost Center goes to summer hours starting Saturday, March 18 Summer hours are Saturdays from 8 – 5pm and Sundays from 9-5 pm

Water & Sewer
Submitted By: Water & Sewer Supervisor, Rich Volpe
  • Setting up for Hydrant Flushing, which will begin in 2-3 weeks
  • Ravine Inspections and clearing of debris at the headwalls

Streets
Submitted By: Streets Supervisor, Matt Brugioni
  • City-wide street sign replacement
  • City limit sign repairs and painting
  • Mailbox replacements

Building Maintenance
Submitted By: Building Maintenance Supervisor, Erik Huston
  • Repaint, remove ceiling and new flooring in Public Safety areas
  • Installing camera lines at Recreation Center

Fleet
Submitted By: Fleet Maintenance Supervisor, Ron Gramer
  • Getting spring equipment prepped

 Water Plant
Submitted By: Chief Water Plant Operator, John Gulledge
  • Commissioning of Raw Water Pump 140’s VFD happening this week
  •  Check Valve rebuilds at Southwest Sewer Lift Station in progress
The City of Lake Forest, Illinois | Website