Kudos to Joe Gabanski, Jim Lockefeer, and Biddy Boyer for being the first three people to respond to the poll in the last edition of What's Happening! Scroll to the bottom to share your feedback in this month's poll. |
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Where can you find the information you need to stay connected with what's happening across the City? Here!
Scroll through for department news and updates. There's a lot of information, so save this email to reference throughout the month or view the What's Happening archive. If you have questions about something included here, feel free to reach out to the person listed.
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OCM Updates
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After three years with the organization, Management Analyst Layla Werner is moving on from her position and has accepted a larger role with the Village of Arlington Heights. Her last day with the City will be Friday, April 22. Please join us in congratulating Layla and wishing her well as she makes this exciting transition.
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Chalet Nursery is coming soon to Market Square! Chalet Nursery will be occupying the vacant commercial tenant space located at 695 N. Western (most recently the site of the Lake Forest Station pop-up shop). Based out of Wilmette, Chalet is one of the North Shore’s leading designations for landscape design, gardening products, and home décor. Chalet Seasons, a smaller concept of their Wilmette location, will feature seasonal retail gardening products, landscaping essentials, and seasonal plantings.
Communications
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In case you missed it, read stories about the Water Plant, Fire Department Rescue Boat, Compost & Recycling Center, and more on Lake Forest Love! Have an idea for a department or project to highlight? Let us know!
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The Summer Dialogue Newsletter goes to print this Thursday, April 14. The newsletter will arrive in residents' mailboxes in early May.
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Notice a colleague going above and beyond? Nominate them for a City Star! Nominations will be used to create profiles to highlight City staff and services to the community. Nominees will be consulted before any information is shared.
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- Get in line, the Peanut Gallery plans to open by the end of the month.
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Lake Forest Saturday Market – planning is underway for an ongoing open market in the Settler’s Square Business District. Over 70 potential vendors have been contacted and with their input, we are working to finalize how often the market will be held (every Saturday, every other Saturday, once a month) and the best time of day for the market. If you are interested in helping to plan and/or be on site once or twice through the summer to help setup, oversee, and breakdown the market, please talk to your supervisor. We welcome your support.
- As you are out in the community, please keep an eye out for properties that appear to be neglected - tall grass, out of control weeds, and debris are all indicators. If you think a site needs attention or is likely to generate complaints from neighbors, please let someone in the Community Development Department know and we will follow up.
- If you see yard signs in the parkways, particularly in the business districts, help us out, please pull them and leave them with us. Thank you!
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Submitted By: Assistant Finance Director, Diane Hall
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Fiscal Year End – The City’s fiscal year end is quickly approaching! Just a couple of friendly reminders; Last day for FY22 PO entry Friday April 22, all goods and services received prior to April 30 will be charged to FY22, May 13 is the first payroll to include new pay rates. Please have your PA’s to HR for processing.
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FY23 Budget – The City Council is scheduled to consider approval of the FY23 Budget on Monday, April 18. This brings to close a 7-month budget development process that requires significant hours of City staff in all departments. A big THANK YOU to everyone for your support and dedication to the process. Check out the budget book and be on the lookout for the FY23 Budget in Brief!
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Thank you to all who came out to witness and celebrate the promotion of Deputy Chief Mike Gallo, Lt. Eric Farr, and Lt. Nick Savel. If you could not make it, watch the quick video of their swearing in.
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Trevor Chandler and Tyler Gates joined our department in January of this year as paid on premise firefighters. We are excited to announce both Trevor and Tyler accepted fulltime positions with the department and started their careers on Monday, April 11. If you see them around town, be sure to say hi! Meet Trevor! Meet Tyler!
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The HR Department has news to share - after 3 years with the City, Lauren is moving on from her role as the part time HR admin. Join us in wishing her well! We are recruiting for the Administrative Assistant position, so please share info with anyone who may be interested!
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Chili Cook Off is coming up on Saturday, April 23 and we need employees who want to bring the heat! Check out our Chili Cook Off flyer for details.
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Security Training – Annual Security Training is due by the end of April! The IT Department implemented a new platform to host our internal training offerings in 2021. This site (Brainstorm Quickhelp) has courses you can take at your leisure but it also is the home for our required Security Training. Navigate here to find the course and if you need to login/setup your account for the first time, do a search in your email for ‘Quickhelp’ and you should be able to locate the account setup email. Feel free to direct any questions to ITDepartment@cityoflakeforest.com.
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Cemetery
- Coordinating a lot of funeral services.
- Continued spring cleanup activities.
CROYA
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Check out a cool article a CROYA student wrote in the Lake Forest Scout (LFHS School Newspaper)!
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CROYA is hosting 2 guest speakers on “Body Positivity” on Thursday, April 14 from 5:30-7pm. Holly Curtis and Merrit Elizabeth are CCI Certified Speakers, and they will be sharing an uplifting message about building self-worth despite the challenges in the world and on social media.
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CROYA’s High School Executive Committee Elections begin on Wednesday, April 20. If you know a high school student who is interested in running, contact Catherine at CROYA.
- CROYA is doing an Earth Day service project for Middle School and High School youth on Friday, April 22 from 11am-3pm. Come help us clean up in honor of Earth Day! BBQ lunch will be provided.
- Paws for Patrick therapy dogs visit CROYA 2 times per month. The next visit from the dogs is on Monday, April 25 from 3:45-4:45pm.
- Activator Music Academy teaches music lessons at CROYA. Students of all ages can learn piano, guitar, bass, drums, vocals, strings and more.
- Follow CROYA on Social Media! CROYA has a Facebook page and Instagram @CROYALFLB.
Dickinson Hall
- Membership year is upon us, and the renewals will start pouring in for our May 1-April 30 membership year. We hope to receive 1,000 plus renewals for FY23!
- We have recently remodeled our lobby, library, and kitchen. The big unveiling of the Kitchen Remodel is taking place May 4-5 with coffee and sweets.
- Membership Appreciation Night is scheduled for Thursday, May 26 and will feature appetizers, beer/wine and the musical entertainment of Andrew Blendermann for all members of Dickinson Hall to enjoy!
Forestry
- Parkway stump removal and crews are concentrating on parkway tree removal.
- Tagging/Sourcing of plant material at multiple tree nurseries for our upcoming spring parkway tree planting program and for the Deerpath golf course corridor landscaping project continues.
- Species assignment for the upcoming spring parkway tree planting.
- Upcoming:
- Spring Parkway planting – In May, contractor Guy Scopelliti will be installing 125 parkway trees.
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GO Native! Tree & Plant Sale is Saturday, May 21.
- Installation of plant material for the Old Elm Lot planting project and the Deerpath Golf Course corridor landscaping project.
Parks
- After much community engagement and conversation on the topic of athletic field improvements, the City Council voted to move forward with the Park Board’s recommendation to pursue a synthetic turf placing surface at Deerpath Community Park. At the City Council Meeting on April 4, the Council voted to request proposals for design engineering for synthetic turf fields and City staff acted swiftly to post the RFP package by the end of last week. Proposals are due April 21.
- Thor Guard lightning protection installed in all Parks.
- Baseball diamonds have been conditioned and rolled.
- Dredging at the beach has begun, sod installation is complete at Beach and South Park, and the Boat Launch pier installed.
- Flowers planted in planters at various locations around town.
Recreation
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With huge help from Landon Luzar in Forestry, the Recreation Department has put together a new scavenger hunt that celebrates Earth Month along with the City and other local organizations. Our Tree Hugger Scavenger Hunt in the Parks starts on Earth Day, April 22 and ends on Arbor Day, April 29. Eight special trees in Lake Forest parks have been selected to be discovered - and there’s a raffle prize (a tree valued at $200!) for a random winner. Click here for all the details.
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Did you know that Lake Forest Fitness Center offers full time employees an incredible membership deal? Employee: $15/month, Employee + Spouse: $25/month, and Employee + Family, $35 month. Stop by or give them a call today - 847.810.3932.
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Upcoming May events include Kinderhaven Preschool Academy Art Show on May 1, our Athletics Department’s B-Bash Weekend is May 5-8, Family Drive-In Movie Night on May 13, and Lake Forest Dance Academy’s Spring Recital on May 15. View the event calendar.
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Building Maintenance
- Just finished stripping and refinishing the wood handrails in the Public Safety main stairwell.
- The spring start-up on all the City’s HVAC equipment has started, getting ready for warmer weather!
- Tuck-pointing completed on the masonry columns at the Townline Community Park Pavilion.
Engineering
Submitted By: Superintendent of Engineering, Byron Kutz
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Check out the new Construction Project Map to see locations and additional details for the projects listed here as well as Parks projects.
- Over the last month, much of the underground work for the City’s Deerpath Watermain replacement project between Ahwahnee Lane and Golf Lane has been completed. Now the focus shifts to restoration work, which will hopefully be complete by Memorial Day.
- Just west of there on Deerpath, removal of ComEd’s bridge that carries the Skokie Valley Bike Path is complete. ComEd is adjusting the design of their bridge which staff will review soon, the overall project will be completed end of summer or early fall.
- Coordination is ramping up for the Burr Oak Area Storm Sewer Improvement project which aims to reduce flooding on Western Ave and Burr Oak between Thomas Pl and Franklin Pl, as well as a small section of Alden Ln. The City Council awarded the project last week. Staff is hosting an open-house for the project on April 14 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at LFHS. Mobilization for the project will begin at the site week of May 2 with work in earnest starting on May 9, with work wrapping up in mid-October.
- Coordination continues for other various CIP projects such as the replacement of the Illinois and Woodland bridges with replacement currently anticipated in late summer for both bridges, as well as the annual resurfacing and patching project.
- Staff is performing permit plan-review and site inspections which is picking up a bit as the weather warms up.
Fleet
Submitted By: Fleet Maintenance Supervisor, Ron Gramer
- Transitioning vehicles and equipment from winter to spring operations.
- Continuing the refurbishment of Fire Squad #212.
- Preventative Maintenance on all city vehicles.
Sanitation
- Twice a week yard waste collection has begun and is in full swing!
- Compost Center is closed Easter Sunday.
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We are hosting a Styrofoam Collection Event this Saturday, April 16 from 8am to 12pm at MS and a Paper Shredding Event on Saturday, April 23 from 8:30am to 11:30am at MS!
Streets
- Preparing and planning for the next phase of gas light to LED street light conversions in the South Park area.
- The street sweeper program has begun.
- Working to complete all mailbox repairs from the snow season.
- Assisting IT with installing a camera system at Everett Park baseball diamond.
Water & Sewer
Submitted By: Water & Sewer Supervisor, Rich Volpe
- Hydrant Flushing is continuing. We are currently finishing up zone two of the five total zones.
- Ravine headwalls are being inspected and cleared of debris.
- On-going lead service line verification. We are inspecting meter pits to verify the lines are copper, iron or lead.
- Ready to assist Engineering with the valve replacement project due to begin April 18.
- Assisting the Fire Department with the ISO Fire Protection Classification survey.
Water Plant
- We complete Maintenance cleans and longer Recovery cleans on each of our membrane trains according to a schedule provided by our membrane manufacturer. When we are producing less water in the wintertime we may do 3 maintenance cleans each week on each train and then a Recovery clean every 21 days on all six trains. We are trying different cleaning strategies on one of our membrane trains at the direction of the manufacturer to see if we can improve the “recovery” of each train in-between their cleans when the trains are just backwashing. More on backwashing below!
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We are preparing the Consumer Confidence Report to be available May 4 on the City Website. This report details where our water comes from, what it contains, and the risks our water testing and treatment are designed to prevent. Check it out May 4 at: www.cityoflakeforest.com/2021WaterQualityReport.
- Each of the 6 membrane trains backwashes approximately every 30 minutes to shake, jiggle and wiggle (actual terms from the Training Book!) the accumulated solids off the membrane fibers using a combination of finished water, air, and feed water. This process removes the solids from the trains and the solids settle out in our settling basins. We clean these basins yearly at a minimum and collect all the solids into one tank. The sludge in this tank is removed by a contractor in the spring and we are currently receiving proposals for sludge dewatering work to be completed in May. We typically create about 47 dry tons of dewatered sludge every year.
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In honor of Autism Awareness Month, the Lake Forest Police Department has created a special commemorative patch to support local programs that help children and adults with Autism. These patches will be available through the month of April at the Public Safety Building Lobby for $20 (while supplies last). All proceeds will go directly to the Autism Program at the Special Education District of Lake County (SEDOL) Foundation. SEDOL is a local Lake County organization that directly helps provide physically, mentally, and emotionally challenged people from age 3 to 22 with educational opportunities appropriate to individual needs.
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National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital (Bays Medical Building Entrance, 900 N. Westmoreland Rd). As the prescription opioid epidemic continues to worsen, Lake Forest Police and Northwestern Medicine are working alongside the Drug Enforcement Administration to host National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The event aims to provide a safe, convenient and responsible way to dispose of unused opioids and other prescription medications, while also educating the general public about the potential for misuse of medications. For year-round disposal of expired or unwanted medications, the RX drop-box in the vestibule at the Lake Forest Police Department (255 W. Deerpath) is available 24/7.
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