November 4, 2022
www.ssmma.org
Don't Forget to Vote on November 8!
Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, and there are a number of important races and measures on the ballot in Cook and Will County!

  • In-person early voting takes place until Monday, November 7.
  • Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Election Day (November 8) in order to be counted.
  • Registered voters can only vote in their home precinct on Election Day.
  • Residents also can register to vote at an Early Voting location (Grace Period Registration and Voting) or at their Polling Place on Election Day (Same Day Registration and Voting). Those who participate in Grace Period Registration or Same Day Registration and Voting must cast their ballots at the same time they register.


COOK COUNTY RESOURCES

  • Vote By Mail Drop Boxes are open across Cook County from 9am - 4pm until November 7. Locate your closest drop box here.

  • Click here to check your voter registration status, see what's on your ballot, find your polling place, check the status of your mail-in ballot, and more.

WILL COUNTY RESOURCES

  • The Vote By Mail Drop Box outside the Will County Clerk’s Office will remain open through the close of the Polls on Election Day, which is 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8. Closing times for other Will County Drop Boxes can be found here.
  • Curbside voting, allowing people with disabilities to vote from their cars, takes place until November 7 at the Will County Clerk's Office. Call (815) 740-4615 to schedule an appointment.

  • Click here to check your voter registration status, see what's on your ballot, find your polling place, and more.
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Village of Riverdale Celebrates Installation of Green Stormwater Infrastructure at Pekny Park
Last week the Village of Riverdale's Park District took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the rain garden installation at Pekny Park in Riverdale, Illinois. The installation of these green infrastructure elements at Pekny Park is a part of the Center for Neighborhood Technology's mission to provide innovative solutions to local municipalities in the area of stormwater management in partnership with the Rain Ready Calumet initiative. This project has been funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Cook County CDBG and The Nature Conservancy.

In 2016, the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), in partnership with Cook County, IL, and the US Army Corps of Engineers, conducted a resident-driven community flooding assessment in Riverdale. Riverdale Park District President, Betty Ervin-Robinson, enthusiastically spoke about the completion of the project as Pekny Park has been prone to flooding for several years. Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle also spoke at the ribbon cutting, along with commissioners from Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.

SSMMA has partnered with CNT for the Urban Flooding Baseline Project to identify flooding in south suburban communities by having residents participate in collecting photos of flooding after heavy rainfall. CNT is currently using the data to develop a visualized map of flooding indicators and urban flooding locations in the Calumet region of Cook County.

Upcoming Meetings and Events


Click here to view SSMMA's 2023 meeting schedule.

Housing and Community Development Collaborative Meeting - Thursday, November 10 at 9:00am
REGISTER NOW!

SSMMA'S Annual Jingle and Mingle will be on Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 6:00pm. This year's event is hosted by the Village of Alsip and will be held at the Alsip Double Tree Hotel.

Sponsorship opportunities are available.

Public Health Information
• Monkey Pox vaccinations are now offered at several clinics throughout suburban Cook County. Learn more.

• Cook County Department of Public Health will be releasing the Cook County Health Survey to learn more about the environmental, neighborhood, and social factors related to health.

• On November 4, CCDPH will partner with the Village of Hazel Crest to offer Monkey Pox and COVID-19 vaccinations. Find a clinic.

• Will County Health Department offers vaccination clinics for residents. Learn more.
COVID-19 Updates
• SSMMA's COVID Vaccine Tracker shows that the current regional vaccination rate is 56.8%, compared to 74.5% statewide.

• As of November 4, the positivity rate for Suburban Cook County reports low according to the CDC level.

• IDPH Urges All Who Are Eligible to Get Up to Date With Newly Approved Bivalent Booster Shots. Learn more.

Business & Residential Resources
• Cook County Small Business Source offers programs and opportunities to help businesses emerge from COVID-19 intact and positioned for growth.

• Pritzker Administration Announces up to $30,000 in Mortgage Relief per Eligible Homeowners. Learn more.
• Pritzker Administration Relaunches "Opening Doors" Homebuyer Program. Learn more.

• Gov. Pritzker Announces $300 Million in Funding for Energy Bill Assistance for Illinois families. Learn more.

• Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) offers a list of FY23 grant opportunities for eligible organizations. Learn more.

• Check out the latest list of Federal and DCEO grant opportunities here.

• Check out Will County's small business assistance resource page.
News from Community Partners
CCDPH Announces Open Call for Over $14 million in Community Grants for Behavioral Health Interventions  
• Cook County Department of Public Health will be awarding over $14 million in grant funding across four years to expand mental health and substance use prevention, treatment and support in suburban Cook County.

• Grants will range from $250,000 to over $1 million each and are part of the Building Healthy Communities Behavioral Health Initiative, funded under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).The application deadline is December 7.

Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Offering Programs for Local Governments
• The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning have limited availability for free technical assistance in housing planning through Homes for a Changing Region. The deadline is TODAY, November 4, so complete this short online application form ASAP if you are interested in receiving assistance.
• The new Metropolitan Mayors Caucus EV Readiness Program will prepare communities to meet the growing demand for EVs and EV charging infrastructure. Working in a collaborative fashion, EV Readiness cohort members will follow a pathway toward EV Ready Bronze, Silver, or Gold designation by completing several fundamental tasks presented in the newly refined EV Readiness Checklist. Municipal leaders will develop clear permitting for EV charging infrastructure, analyze zoning and parking codes to address barriers to EV infrastructure, engage the community, and participate in technical and safety training for staff. Applications to join one of the two cohorts are due Nov. 16, 2022. The first cohort will kick off in early December. 

• For additional information, please contact Cheryl Scott, 312-386-8654 or cscott@mayorscaucus.org.
Moving South Cook County: Truck Routing and Communities Study
• Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways is conducting a study to improve truck routing and infrastructure and address community concerns and safety issues.

• The two study areas, are North of I-80 and South of I-80. Learn more.
Cook County Launching Heavy Equipment Donation Pilot Program
• Cook County will be donating heavy equipment for free to suburban Cook municipalities and townships. Government entities with the highest need will be prioritized.

• Municipalities can view available equipment during open houses held on November 9 from 9am-11am or November 10 at 10am until 12pm. Learn more.
• The Village of Park Forest Veterans Commission will be hosting a Veterans Day program Thursday, November 10th at Freedom Hall and Central Park.

• The event will begin at 11:00am followed by the landing of a Vietnam-era helicopter in Central Park at 12:30pm.
• Do you have thoughts on how to extend the Old Plank Road Trail from Illinois to Indiana?

• The Old Plank Road Trail Extension Feasibility Study is assessing the potential to connect the existing Old Plank Road Trail eastern terminus
in Chicago Heights, Illinois to the Pennsey Greenway in Schererville, Indiana via an inactive rail line.
Office of the State Fire Marshal Grant and Loan Application Programs Now Open
• The Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is accepting applications for the Small Equipment Grant Program (SEGP).

• SEGP was established to provide grants up to $26,000 for the purchase of small firefighting and ambulance equipment. The application period ends on November 30. Learn more.
FEMA Announces Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Programs
• The BRIC program funds capital projects that reduce the risk of future disasters, including flooding.

• The Flood Mitigation Assistance Program funds are available to local communities to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings and structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

• The application for both programs opens on September 30.
Job Postings & Requests for Proposals
• SSMMA offers a list of local job opportunities and RFPs throughout the south suburban region directly on our website.

• Municipalities and organizations can send job openings and proposals here to be publicly posted.
SPC News

SPC Approves Ambulance Price Increases

Like other industries, ambulance production continues to experience price increases and suffer from supply chain shortages. Based on the current environment, the Suburban Purchasing Cooperative (SPC) Governing Board has approved the following price increases submitted by Foster Coach on Type I Additional Duty Ambulance Contract (#174) and Type III Medium Duty Ambulance Contract (#177):

TYPE I ADDITIONAL DUTY AMBULANCE (Contract #174)

• Ford F-550 4x4 - Current: $370,252.00 – New: $396,169.00 (7% Increase)

Alternate F-series Chassis Options:
• Provide 2WD (4x2) Diesel Chassis - Deduct $2,597.00
• Provide 4WD (4x4) Chassis with Gas (7.3-liter V-8) Engine - Deduct $8,096.00
• Provide 2WD (4x2) Chassis with Gas (7.3-liter V-8) Engine - Deduct $10,693.00

• Freightliner M2 - Current: $400,676.00 – New: $428,723.00 (7% Increase)

Alternate Freightliner Option:
• Provide Liquid Spring Suspension - Add $12,305.00

• International MV607 – Current: $398,583.00 – New: $426,484.00 (7% Increase)

Alternate International MV607 Option:
• Provide Liquid Spring Suspension - Add $9,665.00

• International CV 4x4 – Current: $381,154.00 – New: $407,835.00 (7% Increase)

Alternate CV Chassis Option:
• Provide 2WD (4x2) Chassis - Deduct $2,950.00

TYPE III ADDITIONAL DUTY AMBULANCE (Contract #177)

• Ford E-450 Cutaway (7.3-liter Gas V-8) - Current: $340,092.00 – New: $363,898.00 (7% Increase)

• Chevrolet G-4500 Cutaway (6.6-liter Gas V-8) - Current: $333,164.00 – New: $356,485.00 (7% Increase)

For questions or additional information, please contact staff or P.J. Foster, 630-470-5687 (cell), 815-625-3276 ext. 7 (office) or pj@fostercoach.com.


SPC to Host Mandatory Ambulance Vendor Meeting

The Suburban Purchasing Cooperative (SPC) will hold a mandatory vendor meeting for prospective bidders in advance of issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a new 2023 Type I Additional Duty Ambulance contract. The in-person meeting will be held on Thursday, December 1 at 9:00 a.m. at the Morton Grove Fire Department Training Room, 6250 Lincoln Avenue. Only vendors who participate in this meeting will be allowed to submit proposals. Contact Ellen Dayan for more information.

Thank you to the following members of the SPC Fire Core Cost Containment Committee for making this happen: 

Tom Doonan, Schaumburg Foreman/Engineering & Public Works Fleet Services
Marin Feld, Niles Fire Department Chief
John Fordon, Elk Grove Village Fire Department Lt. (Retired)
Dan Friberg, Mundelein Supervisor Fleet & Facilities
John Giannetti, Niles Fleet & Facilities Superintendent, CPFP
Dennis Kennedy, Morton Grove Fire Dept. District Chief Administration & FCCCC Chair
Justin Schuenke, Hoffman Estates Fire Department Firefighter/Paramedic
Tim Spencer, Mount Prospect Public Works Vehicle Maintenance Foreman
Art Schweitzer, Thornton Fire Department Chief
Kevin Welch, Glenwood Fire Department Chief
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