February, 2026

Serving Our Community

Road District: 847-381-7793

Township Office: 847-381-1924

Assessor's Office: 847-381-1120

ERROR CORRECTION:

Cuba Township Board Meeting is set for Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 6:00 PM

Dear Residents,

The frozen tundra will only be frozen for so long, and spring breaks will be here soon enough. We have significant plans this year, and our hibernation season has been full of strategic planning as we execute on our priorities to improve our physical and IT infrastructure. Our estimated budget for our next fiscal year, beginning March 1, 2026, will be presented at our February Board meetin,g and it will reflect the importance of these priorities. Moreover, our General Township levy, once again, requested no year-over-year increase from taxpayers. We have been creative and judicious with our expenses over the last 5 years and are now prepared to reinvest in our residents’ experience with the township.

You can expect building upgrades to occur throughout the spring and summer months as we respond to the growing needs of our community coupled with a vision of long-term operational excellence. We could not think of a better year for improvements other than 2026, as we honor America’s 250th birthday. Planning is well underway for our 5th annual Land We Love Run, set for Sunday, June 28th. Our registration site will be launched in February with early bird specials, and you can expect more announcements in the coming months.

Our road district has been handling our various weather events this winter with tremendous professionalism, and I know they have been put to the test this season. Firewood Fridays are scheduled for February 6th and 20th. Here is the entire Firewood Friday schedule.

February is an opportunity to celebrate African American history and culture, Super Bowl Sunday and Valentine’s Day. 

Public Safety Reminders

Our office encourages the public to:

• Check smoke and CO detector batteries
• Drive cautiously during variable winter weather
• Encourage your friends and neighbors to sign up for our newsletter at https://cubatwpil.gov/
• The Lake County Sheriff’s Office encourages the public to report suspicious activity through their “See Something, Say Something” initiative. Citizens can submit non-emergency tips using the Lake County Sheriff IL Mobile App.

These small steps help keep our community safe all season long.

Upcoming Events

• Reminder: Township Officials of Illinois Scholarship Fund awards funds to graduating high school seniors to continue their education at Illinois colleges or universities. Learn more about the scholarship and how to apply here.
• The 5th Annual Land We Love Run is set for Sunday, June 28th. Our goal is to have 250 participants to celebrate our Country's 250th Anniversary.
• The annual Spring paper and electronics shred event is set for Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM.

Thank you for staying connected and engaged. Your involvement helps us strengthen our community and improve the services we provide. I look forward to continuing our work together throughout February and beyond.

Warm regards,

Chris Karam

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 - Appointments Required

Applications for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and Nicor Assistance began October 1, 2025, and are continuing. 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 February 6 and February 20 - 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.

Spring Paper and Electronics Shred event is set for April 11, 2026, from 8:30 to 11:30 AM. Recycling trucks fill up quickly - arrive early.

Spring Brush Pickup Set for Week of April 13. Contact Sue no later than Friday, April 10th if you will have brush at the roadside. Email info@cubaroads.com with your name and address or call 847-381-7793.

Snow Plow Action Items & Safety Protocols

• Pushing driveway snow into the right-of-way is prohibited.
• 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.

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.



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

As we deal with these frigid conditions, it is sobering to recall what our predecessors in Cuba Township and similar areas had to contend with in their time.

Fortunately, to keep us in perspective, there are the personal reminiscences of early residents, some of which were published in " Tales of Old Barrington" at the time of the Bicentennial in 1976. Cynthia Baker Sharp gathered a remarkable collection of memories from many who were only second- or third-generation descendants of pioneer families.

Among them was Robert Miller, whose family farmed; and gave their name to Miller Road. He was born in 1900 would grow up as the old century faded and new technology crept into peoples' lives:

"In 1913 we purchased our first automobile, a Ford touring car priced at $360 and no sales tax. The tire sizes were thirty by three and one-half with sixty pounds of air. The best diamond tread tire carried a warranty of 3,500 miles. The front tires were smooth - no treads.

In the wintertime, the cars were put up on jacks and not used due to road conditions. Some winters, the roads would be impassible due to the conditions. Snowplows were unknown. We would then drive through the fields with a team of horses and a sleigh to deliver milk to Cuba Station at Kelsey Road and the railroad. In the winter, horseshoes would be equipped with sharp calks to prevent slipping on ice and snow."

Dairying and cheesemaking were significant components of the Cuba economy through the later 19th and early 20th century. The roads were poor, mostly rutted trails difficult to travel in bad weather, but especially in snow and ice. It was necessary to get their milk production to Cuba Station for shipment to Chicago.

Later, Robert Miller married Carrie, a sister of William H. (Bill) Klingenberg, our fondly remembered Cuba historian. Born in1904, he was witness to the changing landscape and the consolidation of smaller dairy farms into gentlemen farmer estates.

Bill's contribution to Tales of Old Barrington was a vivid one:

"Our biggest snows were in 1917 and in 1918. Trains were stopped by snow over by Deer Grove. On the E.J. and E Railway (now CN) every engine had a snowplow on the front and the only way they could get through was to plow constantly. Switchmen shoveled switches round the clock.

Children came to school on skis that winter over the tops of fences buried by snow. No trunks of trees showed.

When the snow melted in the spring the water was so deep out on County Line Road it was like the Fox River going through. Not an automobile could operate all that winter because of the snow.

I remember some snowbanks so high I could stand on them and touch the telephone wires. We didn't have thawing during the winter in those days, so the snow would just keep piling up all winter."

The late George van Hagen, in writing the histories of our country schools for a 1997 Barrington Courier-Review article, included a story from Pearl Olumstad Estes about the Kelsey School. In the very bad winter of 1936 many students had not been to school for weeks because of the snow. Finally, a team of horses and a sleigh volunteered to collect them and get them to the school at Kelsey Road and Route 22. That must have been a lively "school bus".



Improvisation was ever the story in those earlier days. Today, we are grateful for the reliability of our Cuba Road District crews and their trusty plows. And good neighbors too, as it ever was in times past.

• 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)