Volume 1 | March 5, 2024

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Kathleen M. O'Connor

Supervisor

From the Supervisor's Office

Libertyville Township Board Meeting

March, 19 2024

7:00 pm at the Township

359 Merrill Court, Libertyville

The Township Office

will be closed on

March 29th

Food Pantry News

The food pantry operates on Tuesdays from 10 am - 3 pm for any Libertyville Township resident in financial need and provides proof of residency. If an individual is not a registered user of the food pantry, they will be asked to provide a photo ID and a copy of a current utility bill as proof of residency. The bagged food will be distributed via drive thru. Residents will remain in the car and Township staff will load the food items.

We are currently in need of shampoo and conditioner, ground coffee, canned spaghetti, canned stew or ravioli, canned tuna, liquid dish soap, liquid hand soap, baby wipes, and toilet paper.

*****WE ALSO NEED PAPER GROCERY BAGS!*****

Monetary donations can be made out to the Libertyville Township Gift Fund.

Food and/or monetary donations will be accepted during the regular business hours of 8:30 am - 4:30 pm.

Interested in volunteering?

The food pantry is looking for help unloading food deliveries on Monday and/or Wednesday mornings.

If you have an hour or two and would like to help out, please call Liz at 847.816.5989

Did you miss the last newsletter? Click here to view!

OPEN SPACE UPDATES

JOIN US FOR AN OPEN SPACE VOLUNTEER WORK DAY!

On Saturday, March 9, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. to noon, we will hold a volunteer work day at the Liberty Prairie Nature Preserve. No experience is necessary – we’ll show you what to do, and we’ll explain why it’s important. We’ll also provide gloves, goggles and hand tools (if needed), drinking water and snacks.

Wear layers of clothes that can get dirty. We strongly recommend blue jeans, sturdy boots, and three layers on top. We’ve learned that fleece jackets are just a magnet for sticky seeds and are best left in the car. We’ve also learned that if we’re cold we’re miserable, so we always recommend an extra layer of warmth – better to have it and not need it than the other way around.

We are a hardy bunch but workdays will not be held under the following conditions:

Temperatures of 95 degrees or higher
Lightning or extremely high winds.
Deep, heavy snow
Temperatures or wind chills of 10 degrees or lower

Directions to Liberty Prairie Nature Preserve

18295 W. Casey Road, Grayslake, IL 60030.

Located on the south side of Casey Road, one mile west of Milwaukee Avenue (Route 21).

Turn into the driveway and park/meet where the driveway crosses the trail. This is a private driveway. Parking is only permitted on volunteer work days.

Youth Guidelines

Children 12 and older are welcome if accompanied by a supervising adult. High school students who enjoy working in the outdoors are welcome with parental permission. Releases will be available at the work day.

Questions?

Please contact us at 847.362.9760 or email jhapp@libertyvilletownship.us

I see smoke. Where's the fire?

We want to bring to your attention an important practice that takes place in open space properties within Libertyville Township. This practice, known as prescribed burns or controlled burns, is conducted by township staff, volunteers, and contractors to manage and maintain the land. During these burns residents may see five or more people dressed in green and yellow working with multiple pieces of equipment including ATVs, side by side ATVs, or utility vehicles. Prescribed burns require a team effort and strict safety protocols. The team uses radio communication to maintain a safe and controlled operation. Once an area has been burned it becomes a safe zone and will not burn again that day.

Prescribed burns are typically conducted in two seasons, spring and fall, within different management units such as prairies, woodlands, and savannas The purpose of prescribed burns is to control invasive plants, reduce insect populations, reduce the build up of dead vegetation, and stimulate the growth of native prairie vegetation. The practice is highly effective and has been supported by research in promoting healthy ecosystems.

We hope that this information helps you understand the importance of and benefits from prescribed burns. If you have and questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the township staff.

News From the Highway Commissioner

Snow Removal Operations

The Libertyville Township Highway Department plows approximately 28 miles of unincorporated Libertyville Township roads, including centerline roads, cul-de-sacs and dead-end streets. The Illinois Department of Transportation plows state roads, including Routes 45, 21 (Milwaukee Avenue), 43 (Waukegan Road), 176 (Park Avenue), 60 (Townline Road) and 120 (Belvidere Road). The Lake County Division of Transportation maintains county roads, including Butterfield Road, Winchester Road and St. Mary’s Road.

Plowing generally begins when snow is more than one-inch deep and freezing temperatures indicate that the snow will not melt.

Please do not shovel or blow snow back into the street after it has been plowed and salted. Snow that is deposited on the street can refreeze and cause hazardous conditions for you or your neighbors
When it starts to snow, park your vehicle off the street. This protects it from being plowed in. It also prevents receiving a ticket and being towed
Check that your mailbox and post are in good repair and that they are behind the curb, not leaning out over the street.
If there is a fire hydrant in front of your home, clear the snow around it. It is there for your protection and that of your neighbors.
Please remove portable basketball hoops from the right-of-way. The Township is not responsible for damages that occur during snow removal operations.
Please place garbage and recycling bins on the apron of the driveway. These bins are not to be placed on the roadway as they become hazards for plow drivers.

Lake County Passage

Know before you go! Check Lake County PASSAGE for real-time, local traffic information. Through PASSAGE you can also sign up for email traffic alerts, twitter alerts, and smartphone apps. Another feature that can be helpful when winter weather strikes is the ability to view camera images from intersections.

Protect Your Family and Home from Radon

Simple and inexpensive testing kits available through the Health Department

The air quality inside our homes is important, especially during the colder winter months as many people spend more time indoors. Radon gas builds up in homes overtime and can’t be seen, tasted, or smelled — making it easy for radon to go undetected in your home. The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center recommends that all residents test the radon levels in their homes and apartments.

“Radon is one of the leading causes of lung cancer among nonsmokers in America,” said Mark Pfister, the Health Department’s Executive Director. “Testing for radon is the only way to know if your home is exposed.”

The Health Department offers short-term kits for $10.00, available at 500 W. Winchester Rd., Libertyville. The cost includes return postage, laboratory analysis and interpretation by Health Department staff. Kits are also available from area hardware and building supply stores. If test results reveal elevated levels of radon in your home, contact a radon professional to evaluate and fix the problem.

Radon is an odorless and colorless gas that naturally occurs in rock and soil. It typically moves through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in your foundation. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up. Both old and new homes can be affected by elevated levels of radon.

For more information and to request a short-term testing kit, contact the Health Department at: (847) 377-8020 or visit lakecountyil.gov/2450

Flood Insurance Premium Discounts

Property owners residing in unincorporated Lake County may be eligible to save an average of $232 a year on their flood insurance policies. Currently, there are more than 654 flood insurance policies in unincorporated Lake County.

Through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Community Rating System (CRS) program, residents within unincorporated Lake County – who meet certain requirements – are eligible for up to 20% savings on flood insurance premiums. This results in a potential annual total savings of $151,708 overall for residents across the county. Property owners should contact their flood insurance agent to obtain individual savings information.

Since 2008, Lake County has participated in the CRS program and received favorable ratings saving property owners thousands of dollars on their policies. Lake County is required to create an Annual Evaluation Report to maintain the favorable rating.

Highlights from the report include:

Lake County issued permits for two projects for elevating the finished floor of an existing structure to be above the regulatory floodplain elevation and for one project for elevating utilities and/or adding foundation openings to bring the structures into compliance with the Lake County Unified Development Ordinance in 2022. This will help protect these structures from future flooding.
The Lake County Stormwater Management Commission's (SMC) Watershed Management Board cost-share grant program helps fund local stormwater projects. The highest funding priority is flood damage and prevention/mitigation, but other project benefits are also included in funding decisions.
Lake County works closely with residents and coordinates with other agencies such as the Township Highway Commissioners and Lake County SMC to respond to drainage complaints affecting private properties.
View details of the Annual Evaluation Report

The Veterans Assistance Commission of Lake County

The Veterans Assistance Commission (VAC) promotes the welfare of honorably discharged veterans of military service and their families. The VAC acts as a central service office for all veteran organizations and has general oversight of the distribution of emergency assistance to military veterans and their families.

Types of Assistance

· Assistance with rental and mortgage payments.

· Utility payment assistance.

· Emergency medical care is provided to any member of the veteran’s immediate family who qualifies. Medical care includes hospital payments, outpatient care provided by Lake County clinics, emergency dental, and vision care.

· Job service assistance.

· Food, clothing and other supplies at Midwest Veterans Closet.

· Proper burial for indigent veterans.

For more information, please visit their website: https://www.vaclc.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lakecountyvac/ or call 847.377.3344.

Ride Lake County

Ride Lake County is a borderless countywide paratransit service that provides seniors age 60+ and people with disabilities transportation to any area of Lake County for work, shopping, medical appointments and more.

As a dial-a-ride program, vehicles do not travel in a fixed route each day. Riders schedule their trips in advance and the vehicles provide curb-to-curb service from the rider's desired pick-up and drop-off destinations. Ride Lake County is a shared-ride service, so vehicles may make stops for other passengers.

Click here for Brochure

211 Is Here to Help

211 is a free, confidential, 24-hour information and referral helpline connecting individuals & families in need with access to available health and human services.

211 is Lake County's one-stop shop for help!

Lake County residents can connect to a wide range of services by phone or text, and an expert navigator will guide them to the help they need, regardless of the time of day, the language they speak, or where they live.

More Information