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Village of Wilmette E-news
Enews
Sept. 25, 2020
It has been brought to our attention that the E-News sent this afternoon contained conflicting information about the Document Destruction Event happening tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 26 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. We apologize for this error and any confusion it caused. Content below has been updated to reflect the correct day.  
Updated Village Hall Hours

Beginning Monday, Sept. 28, Village Hall will operate under the following limited hours and with safety guidelines in place. Visit our website for more details.

Limited Hours:
  • Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
     

COVID-19 Safety Guidelines

  • Face masks will be required unless a medical condition prevents wearing one.
  • Social distancing will be required at all times, and spacing requirements for the public waiting in line will be clearly marked.
  • Any member of the public that exhibits any symptoms of COVID-19 will be asked to leave.
  • Plexiglass barriers have been installed at the front counters
Wilmette Police Department Crime Alert

The key to preventing vehicle theft starts with you! By simply locking the doors of your vehicle and removing or hiding valuable items, you can reduce the risk of being a crime victim.

This month alone, nine vehicles have been stolen in Wilmette. In four these cases, the vehicle was unlocked and the key fob to that or another nearby car was in the unlocked car. Read the Wilmette Police Department's Crime Alert for more details. 
COVID-19 Update: Let's Keep Moving in the Right Direction!

COVID-19 positivity rates in Suburban Cook County (Region 10) have been gradually declining over the past month from 6.8% positive tests in late August to 4.6% this week. At the same time, our nation passed the grim milestone of 200,000 COVID-19 deaths this week, reminding us that preventative measures remain critical. As cooler weather moves many activities indoors and we enter holiday seasons, please remember to do your part to protect yourself and others. 

Wear a mask. Watch your distance. Wash your hands.

COVID-19 in Wilmette:
  • As of Sept. 25, Wilmette's seven-day rolling average of confirmed daily cases is at 2.3 new cases per day. To date, Wilmette has had 316 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 16 new cases reported in the last week.
  • The Village's seven-day rolling average for test positivity (percentage of those tested who test positive for COVID-19) is at 3.3 percent.
  • Overall, there have been 8,222 tests for Wilmette, with 479 new tests in the last week.
Bring Your Papers to the Document Destruction Event on Saturday!


Join the Village and the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) this Saturday for the 8th annual Document Destruction Event! The event will be held in the southwest parking lot of the Centennial Park & Recreation Complex (2300 Old Glenview Road).

Event Details and Guidelines:
  • All Wilmette residents and residents who live in a SWANCC member community are welcome (bring your ID or proof of residence).
  • Paper documents must be in paper shopping bags or cardboard boxes - NO PLASTIC BAGS! 
  • Limit of six file-size boxes or paper shopping bags per vehicle. Staples and paper clips are acceptable, but binders and metal clips should be removed.
  • Workers will remove the paper documents while residents stay in their vehicles. 
  • Only sensitive documents are accepted (e.g. medical forms, bank statements, personal files, retired tax forms, etc.). DO NOT include magazines, greeting cards or newspapers, as these can be recycled curbside. 
For more information, contact Public Works at 847-853-7500 or [email protected].
Elmwood Dunes Reopening Sunday, Sept. 27

The Village will reopen Elmwood Dunes Preserve with safety guidelines in place on Sunday, Sept. 27. Please follow these guidelines as you safely enjoy this peaceful nature preserve:
  • Maintain at least six feet of distance from others and do not congregate.
  • Wear a face covering when within six feet of others. 
  • Swimming in the water off the dunes is prohibited according to Village code.
Thank you for doing your part to keep yourself and others safe as you enjoy all the scenic spots Wilmette has to offer. Visit the Wilmette Park District's web page for information on parks and beaches in Wilmette. 
Coming Up in Wilmette: Projects Move Forward & a Ribbon Cutting!

Infrastructure projects in Wilmette are making great progress and hitting significant milestones! Join the Village for these upcoming meetings and events for the Neighborhood Storage Project and Master Bike and Active Transportation Plan. Scroll to the "Events and Happenings" section at the bottom of this email for more details. 
  • Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. - Join the Village and the Neighborhood Storage Project consulting team at a virtual public meeting to discuss Phase 2 of the Neighborhood Storage Project at Hibbard Park. Sign up for the meeting here.
  • Oct. 3 at 10 a.m. - The Village is pleased to announce the substantial completion of Phase 1 of the Neighborhood Storage Project at Community Playfield and the Village is celebrating next Saturday with a small ribbon cutting ceremony at Community Playfield. 
    • If you would like to be included in a lottery to join the elected officials and project team at the ribbon cutting, please send an email to [email protected] by Wednesday, Sept. 30. Residents will be randomly chosen and notified on Oct. 1 if selected.   
Five Days Left to Complete the Count!

Thank you to the nearly 86% of Wilmette residents who have responded to the census! Census counting will end on Sept. 30, so there are only a few days left to make sure our community receives the funding and representation that reflects our population for the next 10 years!

Don't delay! Complete your census today! 
  • Respond by phone by calling 844-330-2020. 
  • Respond by mail. If you did not respond online this spring, you should have received a paper census form. Complete your census and mail it to: U.S. Census Bureau, National Processing Center, 1201 E 10th Street, Jeffersonville, IN 47132. 
What if I lost the letter with my reporting instructions? Call the U.S. Census Bureau's toll-free customer help line at 1-800-772-7851, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. CST.
Tour Your Wilmette Neighbors' Sustainable Yards - Virtually!

Throughout the Village, Wilmette residents have been adding native plants, such as Joe Pye weed and coneflowers to landscaping, which provide vital habitats for birds and insects. You've also been creating some beautiful vegetable gardens. Way to go Wilmette!

Check out Go Green Wilmette's YouTube channel, which features video tours of four of your neighbors' beautiful and sustainable yards. Check out their great ideas and creative solutions to gardening challenges. You'll also find vegetable gardening tips in the video on Wilmette's Community Garden plots!

Basia's Sustainable Yard Tour
Wilmette Sustainable Yard Tour
Village Construction Projects
The Neighborhood Storage Project is the Village's largest ever infrastructure investment and will bring flooding relief to thousands of Wilmette residents while improving access and safety for our entire community. Visit the project website for construction updates. 
  • Phase 1: Community Playfield stormwater storage vault
  • Phase 1A: Storm sewer and watermain improvements
  • Phase 2: Hibbard Park stormwater storage vault
The Central Avenue Reconstruction and Downtown Streetscape Project will enhance lighting, sidewalks, roadways, plantings and amenities on Wilmette and Central avenues within downtown. Visit the project website for more information.  
Traffic Impacts: 
  • Central Avenue is closed to eastbound traffic between Sheridan Road and Green Bay Road. Please follow the detour and allow extra time for travel.
  • Expect congestion, temporary lane shifts and temporary blocking of parking stalls in the work area.
  • Downtown parking on Central Avenue now accommodates vehicles traveling westbound.
Every year the Village completes road, sidewalk and alley repairs, brick street maintenance, sewer lining and many other infrastructure improvements. View project timelines and completion status, and check out an interactive map of all Village construction projects.
Wilmette Events and Happenings
Sept. 26 - Document Destruction Event
The Village and the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) will host a one-day Document Destruction Event on Saturday, Sept. 26 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the southwest parking lot of the Centennial Park & Recreation Complex (2300 Old Glenview Road). All Wilmette residents and residents who live in SWANCC member communities are welcome (bring your ID or proof of residence). 

Sept. 29 - Municipal Services Committee
The Municipal Services Committee of the Village Board will meet remotely on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. to review the Village's draft Master Bike and Active Transportation Plan. Visit walkbikewilmette.com for more information on the plan. Meeting agenda and materials will be available here. 

Sept. 30 - Neighborhood Storage Project Phase 2 Virtual Meeting
Join the Village and the Neighborhood Storage Project consulting team at a virtual public meeting to discuss Phase 2 of the Neighborhood Storage Project at Hibbard Park. The meeting will be held virtually via Zoom on Wednesday Sept. 30, at 7 p.m. Sign up for the meeting here. Learn more about Phase 2 on the project website.

Oct. 3 - Neighborhood Storage Project Phase 1 Ribbon Cutting
Residents may enter a lottery to join elected officials and the project team for a small ribbon cutting ceremony marking the substantial completion of Phase 1 of the Neighborhood Storage Project. Ribbon cutting will be at 10 a.m. at Community Playfield. Residents can enter the lottery to attend by emailing [email protected] by Sept. 30. The Village will randomly choose and notify those selected by Oct. 1.