December, 2025

Serving Our Community

Road District: 847-381-7793

Township Office: 847-381-1924

Assessor's Office: 847-381-1120

Season’s Greetings! I truly enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday with our family and friends, and a strong assist from Mother Nature delivering our first winter blast. The food was fantastic, but I may need a break from turkey…

Many families enjoy an abundance of food with family and friends, but, increasingly, many do not. We are grateful to everyone who supported the food pantry and Cuba Cares Fund last month.

Our residents once again stepped up to ensure no local family would go without food this season. The Barrington Area Youth Advisory Council, D220 National Honor Society students, Lake Barrington Shores, Roslyn Elementary School, Barrington Police and Fire Departments, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Barrington Area Public Library, Atonement Christian Day School, and local families throughout the township hosted food drives and contributed monetarily.

Lake Barrington's 3rd annual Thanks-Gifting food drive kicked off last week, with many local businesses collecting. You can check out their website for a list of local businesses collecting locally.

A special thank you to St. Anne's Project Hope and Blue Heron for providing Thanksgiving dinners to residents throughout Cuba Township. We are grateful for your steadfast commitment to our neighbors.

Firewood Fridays are December 5th and December 19th. Check the entire Firewood Friday schedule.

Throughout history, the world has been marked by its complexity and a persistent occurrence of geopolitical conflicts. Every December 7, we remember the tragic events at Pearl Harbor in 1941. The Imperial Japanese Navy - with 353 planes – attacked the US fleet at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii, killing 2,403 people. We declared war on Japan the next day and entered World War II, changing the course of history. This month, regardless of weather conditions, we will be participating in the Wreaths Across America program at White Cemetery to honor Cuba Township veterans by laying wreaths in their memory.

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones. Go tell it on the mountain and pray for peace. 



Warmly,

Chris Karam

Cuba Township Supervisor

****Appointments for services are REQUIRED****

Passport Services

Passport Applications: Passport processing takes 2-3 weeks for expedited processing and 4-6 weeks for standard processing. Expedited processing is an additional $60 per passport. Passport appointments are required - call 847-381-1924 to schedule an appointment. To check the status of your passport, click here.

Visit Travel.state.gov's renewal page if you want to renew an adult passport.

Food Pantry

The Tuesday food pantry continues weekly, by appointment only, from 10 AM to 1 PM. If you need food assistance, please email info@cubatwpil.gov or call 847-381-1924. You can also complete an online Intake Form, save it to your desktop, and email it to info@cubatwpil.gov, to sign up for the food pantry. A staff member will contact you within 24 hours (except on weekends).

If you are interested in organizing a food drive or donating to the food pantry, contact Ant at 847-381-1924, and we will assist in promoting the drive.



Below is a list of needed items:

• Canned chicken, spam, and tuna
• Bags of brown or white rice
• Canned meals including chili (mild), stew, and pork & beans
• Canned soups, including vegetable, chicken noodle, and any chunky soups
• Toilet Paper and Paper Towels
• 32 oz bottles of liquid laundry detergent
• Shampoo and conditioner

Visit the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Online Portal for Reduced Fare and Ride Free Customers

The RTA's Fare Programs Online is a web-based customer portal that allows residents with disabilities and seniors to apply for, replace, and renew Reduced Fare and Ride Free Permits. It's quick and easy to use - go to Fares.RTAChicago.org.

Cuba Township Half-Fare Taxi Program

The half-fare taxi program is available for Township residents who are 65 or older. The Township will subsidize half of the taxi fare up to $10.00. Please stop by the office to sign up for this program. Proof of age and residency is required. Limits may apply.

Metra Access Pilot Program

Metra Access is a pilot program running through July 31, 2025, providing a reduced fare on all Metra lines and zones for individuals enrolled in the SNAP program who live within the RTA six-county region (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties). To apply, you will need a SNAP eligibility letter, a government-issued ID, and a 2" photo of yourself. You may apply at Fares.RTAChicago.org.

Cuba and Barrington Township PACE Service

The Pace program is subsidized by Cuba and Barrington Townships, and the Villages of Barrington, Lake Barrington, North Barrington, South Barrington, and Tower Lakes.

The service is available to seniors and disabled persons. Service hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM. The fares are $2.00 each way. Advanced reservations are required. Call 1-800-451-4599, Monday - Friday, from 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM.

For additional assistance, call Pace customer service at 800-606-1282, option 2.

Ride Lake County - PACE Service

Seniors aged 60+ and people with disabilities interested in using Ride Lake County are encouraged to register by calling the Pace Call Center at 1-800-201-6446.

Registering early for Ride Lake County will allow riders to schedule trips. Seniors must provide their date of birth at registration, and individuals with disabilities must provide their RTA Reduced Fare Permit number at registration. Learn more

Utility Assistance Programs Begin - Appointments Required

Applications for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and Nicor Assistance begin October 1, 2025. View the income guidelines (above) and required documentation for applicants. Call 847-381-1924 or email Ant Simonian to make an appointment.

The following documentation is required:

• Proof of gross income from all household members for the 30 days prior the date of application.
• Most recent, original utility bills.
• Proof of Social Security numbers for all household members.
• Applicant Identification (Driver's License or State ID)
• Proof of residency (lease for renters; owners verified at Cuba Township)

For the latest updates on roads, please follow us on Facebook!

Firewood Fridays are December 5 and December 19, 2025 - Click here for full schedule

Must be registered – call Sue at 847-381-7793 if you need to register. Pick-up begins at 7:30 AM and ends at 2:30 PM or sooner if supply runs out. Firewood pick-up is subject to cancellation due to weather conditions. Limit 2 bundles per household.

Snow Plow Action Items & Safety Protocols

• Remove cars from the street and cul-de-sacs during a snow event.
• Many snowplows apply liquid treatments to prevent snow and ice from bonding to the road. These liquids can be corrosive. Maintain a safe following distance (50 feet) for your safety and to protect your vehicle.
• Don't crowd the plow - snowplows require the right of way for your protection and for more efficient and environmentally safe snow removal.
• If it snows on garbage day, DO NOT put the totes in the street - leave them at the end of the driveway.
• Drive slower, brake sooner.
• Stay off electronic devices.
• Stay off the roads during severe snow events, if possible.
• Cuba Township Road District appreciates your cooperation during snow and ice removal.

The Cuba Township Road District operates 24/7 during inclement weather. You can call us if the matter concerns falling trees blocking roads. Please get in touch with your utility company for power outages.

"Light Up" Cuba Township

Days are getting shorter, and we want our residents to be safe when walking, running, and cycling. We highly recommend reflective gear and bike/running lights, so you will "light up" for passing motorists.

Instructions for Trees or Limbs Touching Utility Lines or Power Outages

If you have issues with trees or limbs touching utility lines, contact the utility company directly. The Township cannot trim trees or limbs within 10 feet of utility lines.

If trees are blocking the road, dial 911.

Need to report a pothole?

• Lake County roads - (847) 377-7400 or visit the LCDOT site.
• Unincorporated Cuba Township Roads - 847-381-7793

Self-Serve Mulch

Self-serve mulch is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The mulch pile is next to the textile recycling bin in the same lot as the road salt.



Mulch Madness!

Mulch is available for delivery to Cuba Township residents ONLY, for a delivery charge of $125.00 per truckload. Mulch is delivered on Fridays from 7:30 AM - 2:30 PM. Each load is 6-8 yards. The mulch is a double-ground mixture of hard and softwoods from removed Cuba Township trees. Email Sue at info@cubaroads.org or call 847-381-7793 to schedule your delivery.

The Road District does not offer year-round electronics recycling. Visit LRS Recycling, Wauconda Recycling, or the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County.

For the last two years, in the month of December, historic White Memorial Cemetery has been given the colors of the festive season, colors, thanks to the extraordinary dedication of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and their adoption of the Wreaths Across America program are now associated with remembrance of veterans nationwide.

For the last 8 years, the Signal Hill Chapter of the DAR has organized the laying of over 850 wreaths on the graves of veterans in Evergreen Cemetery in Barrington. This happens on the second Saturday in December.

Two years ago, the White Cemetery managers talked to members of the DAR, and while we could not directly participate in the program without formal application, they graciously informed us that they would have some leftover wreaths.

It was a miserably cold and rainy Saturday in 2023, but the volunteers turned out in force for the Ceremony and Wreath laying at Evergreen. The spirit of the day was inspiring. We waited until all the wreaths had been laid there and received almost a dozen that were available. We drove over to White Cemetery and had our own informal wreath laying. We had first chosen a gravesite from one veteran of each of the seven wars that are represented in our cemetery with a couple of wreaths left over for the gates. There was one obvious first choice, Francis Kelsey, veteran of the War of 1812.

In recent years it has been encouraging to see many relatives and descendants of those who are buried in the cemetery taking care of gravesites, and so in December the Veterans wreaths add an extra brightness to December days and signify that even those of long ago, who no longer have descendants in the area are not forgotten.

Last year we followed the program and did it among ourselves. And this year we plan to do the same. Members of the Cemetery board and others from Cuba Township will gather at Noon on December 13th, in the Cemetery and we will again have our informal ceremony.

We invite residents of Cuba Township to join us. We would like to expand interest in this event and see it expanded to where we also can decorate every grave of a veteran. We will need some help with that, but it is part of our wish to keep White Memorial Cemetery a revered center of our history in Cuba Township.

As we now travel into America 250, and you are a resident with longtime connections to Cuba Township, I would like to hear if you have a family history that takes you back to the American Revolution. After watching Ken Burns' monumental series, I was reflecting that it was only 53 years after the decisive Battle of Yorktown that the first known settler, Amos Flint, arrived in Cuba Township in 1834. It would be an important preamble to Cuba Township history to know of any such connections to that tumultuous past, and the stories that go with them.                 

If you would like to email Barbara, send it to Barbara, and we will share your thoughts with her.

• Village of Lake Barrington
• Village of North Barrington
• Village of Barrington
• Village of Port Barrington
• Village of Barrington Hills
• Village of Tower Lakes
• Lake County Permit Facility
• Lake County Sheriff's Office
• Barrington Countryside Fire Department
• LRS Recycling
• Wauconda Recycling
• Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO)
• Barrington Area Council on Aging (BACOA)
• Barrington Area Volunteer Connection
• Barrington Youth & Family Services
• Nicasa Behavioral Health Services
• PADS Lake County
• Barrington Area Council of Governments
• GiGi's Playhouse
• Smart Farms
• Citizens for Conservation
• Flint Creek/Spring Creek Watershed Partnership

County Board Commissioners

• Commissioner Mike Danforth – District 17

Illinois State Legislators

• State Senator Darby Hills – 26th Senate District (includes all areas of 52nd and 51st House Districts below)
• State Representative Marty McLaughlin – 52^nd House District (Cary, Fox River Grove, Port Barrington and parts of Lake Barrington, Barrington Hills, and Barrington)