Save the Date: Meet the City Event |
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The City of Highland Park is committed to open dialogue around important issues of diversity and inclusion. Mayor Rotering, City Manager Ghida Neukirch, Chief Lou Jogmen, Commanders Gerald Cameron and Jenny Olson, and Sergeant Sean Curran, as well as one of the department’s Police Beat Coordinators, will meet with residents to share highlights of the City’s initiatives, practices and procedures, and address questions of residents. Due to COVID-19 health precautions, the meeting will be held virtually on Thursday, October 8, 2020, at 7:00 PM via Zoom. This event will provide highlights of the City's diversity and inclusion practices and programs, and more.
Registration information and program details will be posted on the City's website in advance of the meeting and shared via the City's social media and eNews. Information regarding the City's diversity and inclusion initiatives may be found at cityhpil.com/diversity. Questions may be directed to the City Manager's Office at 847.926.1000.
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Complete the Census Today!
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The time to complete the Census is now! Self-response and Census-taker data collection will end on September 30, 2020. You will not be able to respond to the Census after this date.
Complete your Census questionnaire online at my2020census.gov, call the free hotline at 844.330.2020, or return a paper response to make sure your family is counted during this once-a-decade opportunity to shape the future of Highland Park and Illinois. Census data informs Congressional representation, allocation of federal funding for schools, hospitals, and infrastructure, and more.
Census field workers have begun visiting households that have not completed the Census self-response. Information about recognizing a Census worker is available here. All Census field workers wear proper personal protective equipment, including face coverings, and follow COVID-19 health precautions.
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In response to concerns regarding reported burglaries and vehicle thefts in North Shore communities, the Highland Park Police Department encourages residents to keep in mind the following safety tips:
- Report any suspicious activity immediately to the police.
- Lock all doors, including car doors, even if your car is parked in your garage.
- Ensure your home has proper lighting and that shrubbery is trimmed.
- Leave your outside lights on overnight, especially if parking your vehicle outside.
- If you have an alarm system, remember to set it. Consider a system with cameras.
Click here for additional tips to prevent vehicle burglaries and theft. If you have any questions about public safety and crime prevention, please contact the Highland Park Police Department at 847.432.7730.
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National Preparedness Month |
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September is National Preparedness Month. FEMA's Ready Campaign provides a four-step approach to keeping your family safe during an emergency such as flooding or severe weather. Disasters don't wait - make your plan today.
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Make a household-specific plan using the resources and templates at ready.gov/plan. Be sure to consider any medical or dietary needs, as well as the needs of your pets. Ready.gov/plan provides additional resources for various types of emergency situations, as well as templates for families to complete.
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Build a kit. Stock your emergency kit with essential items based on your plan, including COVID-19 personal protective equipment, such as face coverings and hand sanitizer. Kits should include enough supplies to last several days. FEMA recommends creating small emergency kits to keep at home, in your car, and at work.
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Prepare for disasters or emergency situations using the resources at ready.gov. Be sure to sign up for Smart911 to receive emergency alerts from the City. Creating a profile at smart911.com will provide dispatchers with important information, such as your address, medical conditions, and emergency contacts, that can help emergency services respond to your call faster.
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Teach your family, especially children, about your preparedness plan. Use the Ready Kids online resources to approach these important topics in an age-appropriate way.
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...learned that vehicle stickers are no longer required by the City.
In April, City Council approved the immediate elimination of vehicle sticker sales and enforcement and all associated fees and penalties as part of an effort to provide financial relief to residents in light of COVID-19. More information is available here.
...browsed the agenda center and meeting calendar.
Information is available at cityhpil.com/agendacenter. From the agenda center, browse upcoming meetings by group and view details for future or past meetings. Agenda packets are also available for download, providing further detail and context on agenda items. For City Council, Committee of the Whole, Plan & Design Commission, and Zoning Board of Appeals, video recordings of past meetings are available. During a live meeting broadcast, the video appears alongside an interactive agenda, to assist viewers in following the discussion.
...submitted a non-emergency service request.
Did you know you can report a pothole, a street light outage, a fallen tree branch, and a variety of other concerns straight from your smartphone or computer? For non-emergency requests, residents may use the City's non-emergency request tracker located at cityhpil.com/service. Any issue reported through the tracker will automatically be directed to staff.
Note: Residents must create an account to track their submitted request and receive follow-up emails from staff.
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Backflow Prevention Device Reminder |
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The City is committed to providing the highest quality drinking water, and your help is essential in preventing cross-contamination. Drinking water normally flows in one direction, from the meter to the house. Under certain circumstances, it can flow in the opposite direction or “backflow.” Lawn irrigation systems (sprinklers) are required to include a backflow prevention device prior to connection to the drinking water system. Chemicals, animal waste, and bacteria can potentially enter the drinking water supply unless the irrigation system is protected by an approved backflow prevention device.
Prior to shutting down lawn irrigation systems for the winter season, please ensure the system is drained completely and the backflow prevention device is properly stored to prevent system damage from freezing temperatures. Visit cityhpil.com/backflow or contact the Public Works Department, Water Production Division staff at 847.433.4355.
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State of Illinois Announces Second Round of BIG Program Funding |
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The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) has announced that the second round of Business Interruption Grant (BIG) Program funding is now open. This grant is available to small businesses in Illinois with $20 million or less in annual revenue in 2019 that have experienced losses due to COVID-19. Grants will be awarded and funded on a rolling basis until funding is depleted; $220 million in grant funds is available.
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Commuting Safely with Metra |
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Metra encourages commuters to learn more about its efforts to provide clean, safe, and comfortable commuting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Metra has implemented several changes to promote a safe environment for riders and staff, including:
- Deep cleaning railcars and electric highliners with high-pressure power washers, steamers, and other disinfectants
- Implementing a new cleaning regimen to clean, sanitize, disinfect, and inspect all cars at least once a day, with an extra emphasis on disinfecting high-touch areas
- Requiring face coverings for riders and staff members on all trains
- Requiring social distancing with one rider per two-seater (unless traveling with a family member)
- Discouraging crowding in the vestibules by extending wait times at all stations to allow sufficient time for all riders to disembark
- Adding touchless hand sanitizer to all cars
In addition, Metra has launched a new website feature at metra.com/dashboard to assist riders in tracking rider volume. Learn about these and other initiatives from Metra in this fact sheet.
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The City is sharing regular updates regarding the developing coronavirus (COVID-19) situation on its website at cityhpil.com/covid-19. Resources on the City's website include:
These pages will be updated as information becomes available.
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