Village Newsletter - Winter 2022 |
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Greetings!
Happy New Year! I’ve been reflecting on the world around us and what we have to look forward to this New Year. The COVID virus has been with us for almost three years, and the new strain has brought a resurgence to the number of cases and deaths. The last few years have taught us that the world we knew has changed, and maybe forever. Wearing masks, social distancing, working from home, no large gathering to celebrate life’s events, have altered and changed our way of living, and it’s hard to comprehend the toll it’s taken on all of us! My hope is that this coming year will bring a miracle to help us control or beat this vicious virus, and we get back to “normal”, however, we define that today!
Like other communities, the pandemic brought many changes in the way we do business, impacted our budget, and affected how we allocated Village resources. We had some businesses close and other establishments whose sales were not as productive as in previous years. That means we lost tax dollars which is our life’s blood to fund the services the Village provides. People either didn’t go to work or were working from home, therefore, gas consumption was way down, so our Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) receipts fell well short of the budget. This money is used to fix/repair roads, so we have less than needed to invest in these areas. We put off painting the water tower this current fiscal year because the bids were so high, but rebid in the current year as it’s something we just can’t put off anymore. I’ve asked our Congressman/Legislators to keep us in mind when they start to hand out the money from the new Infrastructure Bill Congress just passed. These funds could hopefully make up for what we lost during the pandemic and maybe the Village can replenish reserves to do some badly needed projects. Our Village Trustees, Village Administrator Steve Shields, Department Heads, and employees, trimmed the budget to the essentials while continuing to provide the services you expect from us. We have a great working environment amongst us and the Management Team is second to none.
We have various Commissions that citizens like yourself volunteer to work on and provide input to the Village Board on numerous items. I have ideas to reorganize some of these Commissions, and possibly put together one or two more. If you are interested in joining, please complete the Application for Village Boards and Commissions and email to [email protected] or return the application to Village Hall, 442 N. Cedar Lake Road.
Time is minimal, one meeting a month for maybe two hours, but your input is what’s valuable to us. Please consider becoming part of the Leaders in our Community; Service to humanity is the best work of life! Have a good winter and let’s stay safe and healthy!
If you have any comments, questions, or ideas you would like to see included in the e-newsletter, please email me at [email protected].
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Sincerely,
Mayor Russ Kraly
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Keep Up To Date With What's Going On! |
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Groot Announces Rate Increase for
Garbage & Recycling
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In partnership with the Village, Groot Industries announced a contractual 3% rate increase for residential garbage and recycling services. This rate increase will go into effect on February 1, 2022. Residents who have questions may contact Groot Customer Service at 847-693-2700. Below are the updated rates: |
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The residents and businesses of Round Lake showed their holiday spirit this year with spectacular holiday displays and light shows. The Village would like to thank everyone for decorating and especially those that participated in the contest. Gift certificates were generously donated by Baxter & Woodman for the top entry in each category. Visit the Village website to view the 2021 award recipients.
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Residential Rental Program -
Annual Registration Due January 31, 2022
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All owners of a residential rental unit, whether in a multi-unit building or a single-family home, must register annually with the Village of Round Lake and obtain a Certificate of Compliance prior to tenant occupancy.
How do I register?
Owners must complete the registration form as provided by the Village of Round Lake (recently emailed to all landlords) and pay the annual registration fee. Registration is accepted on the Village website, by selecting “Online Payments” from the homepage. The form may also be obtained by visiting Community Development at Village Hall, 442 N. Cedar Lake Road, and may be submitted in person, or by mail. |
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Round Lake Snow Operations |
Winter weather has arrived! The Village Snow and Ice Plan is available on the Village website.
During the snow season, our Public Works Department works hard to keep Village roads safe and passable. Most streets in the Village are plowed and salted by the Public Works Department however there are some that are maintained by the State, County, Township, or Homeowners Association.
If your street wasn't plowed or salted, please contact Public Works at, 847-546-0962 and they will direct you to the appropriate agency.
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Snow Removal Reminders
Please remember to remove basketball hoops, planters, and any other items away from the edge of the roadway or cul-de-sacs.
Occasionally, Public Works will need to push snow up into the parkway a few feet.
Garbage cans should be placed on the parkway or driveway apron; they should not be placed in the road.
When clearing your driveway, please do not blow snow into the road. This can cause localized icing and can be very dangerous for motorists. Please push the snow to the right side of the driveway whenever possible so snowplows don’t drag large piles back across your driveway apron.
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No Parking on Snow Days - As a reminder, all Village streets are under a parking ban when it snows 2 inches or more. This means no vehicles are allowed to park on the side of the road at any time until the streets have been completely cleared. It is difficult for plows to maneuver around parked cars and also causes a large area of snow to be left on the street. These areas often turn to ice and create a hazardous condition once the parked car eventually leaves. |
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Per the Governmental Account Audit Act, 50 ILCS 310/2, the Village of Round Lake is required to have an audit performed by a licensed public accountant. The Village has engaged Sikich LLP as the independent auditors.
As part of the audit process, auditors review the financial activities of the Village during the previous fiscal year and ultimately create the Village’s financial statements. Each year the auditors evaluate internal controls, review the recording of revenues and expenses, and perform tests in other areas such as fixed assets, debt, and the pension program.
Although the pandemic continued to spread some amount of economic uncertainty the Village’s financial performance was not severely impacted due to cost-cutting measures. We will continue to maintain financial discipline during this time and provide services as efficiently as possible.
The audit report was presented to the Village Board on November 15, 2021, and is available on the Village website.
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The late winter freeze/thaw cycle brings out the worst in asphalt pavement – potholes. These nuisances of the roadway are caused by water that seeps into the asphalt which then freezes and expands. This causes the pavement to buckle up slightly and crack. The repeated freezing and thawing over time will continue to crack and break down the asphalt until pieces break loose. Car and truck tires passing over the weakened spots kick up the loose pieces and the pothole is created.
Public Works crews have been working around town filling potholes on Village streets. The potholes are filled with a cold patch material that can be put down in cold temperatures with just a shovel and a hand tamper. It may not look pretty, but it gets the pothole filled and can be driven over immediately. If you see a pothole that hasn’t been filled, please report it to Public Works at [email protected] or call 847-546-0962. |
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It's budget time in Round Lake. The Village operates on a fiscal year, which starts May 1st and ends on April 30th. The budget is a document that communicates the Village’s plan for revenue and expenditures each year. The goal of the Village budget is to evaluate and direct Village departments, helping them make successful decisions in resource allocation, program evaluations, financial management, and long-range planning.
A draft budget document is prepared and presented to the Village Board in March. At that time a public hearing is also held to allow the public an opportunity to ask questions and/or provide input on the budget.
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Public Works receives periodic requests to shut off the water at homes every winter because the water pipes freeze and then burst. This costly rupture can cause serious damage especially in vacant homes where it may go unnoticed for days. If your water meter is in a crawl space, check to make sure it’s insulated and heated. |
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Teachers at Round Lake High School are committed to beautifying Round Lake and supporting the community. They planted flowers in the pots around the war memorial and clock in Downtown last summer. This year they have been working with a high school student to design a banner. The Village will partner with Round Lake High School to install banners on light poles on North Cedar Lake Road.
The Village of Round Lake is dedicated to making our community a great place to live, work, shop, and conduct business. Because of that, we have expanded on the teacher's and student’s idea of street banners and agreed to participate in a promotional streetscape banner campaign conducted by Community Showcase Banners, a division of CGI Communications, Inc. The community video that is on the Village website was created by CGI Communications.
This program will reinforce our Round Lake brand, brighten and invigorate our downtown. These banners, designed exclusively for the Village of Round Lake, will showcase our community's economic vitality and the support of our local businesses. The program will run for three years with new banners installed each year.
The program works through local business sponsorships, at no cost to the Village. A representative from Community Showcase Banners will be contacting local businesses to discuss the streetscape banner campaign. We encourage businesses to consider participating in this program as it provides an exciting new opportunity to showcase community pride and gives business owners the opportunity to market themselves with their name on a banner.
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The Village Board recently approved a bid to have the elevated water storage tank (water tower) located off of Panther Drive repainted. This work will not only provide a fresh and inviting landmark to the surrounding area but is also a critical step in maintaining the elevated tower.
The project will include sandblasting the entire structure, inside and out. The contractor will then apply primer and a topcoat film. The paint provides protection to the metal structure along with an anode system to help prevent rust. The paint used on the inside of the tank is specially formulated for contact with drinking water. The tower must be drained while the work is being done so the Village has held off completing this project until the new water connection on Chardon Road was completed.
With this new connection, the Panther Drive tower can be taken out of service with no impact on water pressure to our residents.
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Q) What is the proper way to vent clothes dryers per the building code?
A) Exhaust ducts must terminate outside the building and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If the manufacturer’s instructions do not specify a termination location, then termination must be not less than 3 feet from any openings into the building. Exhaust termination shall be equipped with a backdraft damper, and screens shall not be installed at the duct termination. NOTE: Screens at the termination point outside can cause the vent to clog with lint and become a fire hazard. It is recommended that dryer vents be cleaned out periodically to avoid the buildup of lint which can cause fires.
Q) Do I need to install a radon mitigation system in my house?
A) Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, radioactive gas produced during the natural decay of uranium (an element that occurs in small amounts in rock and soil). As it decays, radon releases radioactive particles and energy into the air. Radon that decays while in the lungs can cause cell damage and potentially lead to lung cancer. Therefore, elevated levels of radon in a building or home can negatively affect the occupant’s health. Radon test kits are available and are typically placed in the basement. Follow the instructions of the test kits or call a Radon contractor who can do the test for you. If the radon levels are too high, a radon remediation system will need to be installed.
Q) Where do I need smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms in my house?
A) All dwellings in the state of Illinois are required to have smoke & carbon monoxide (CO) detectors. The smoke detectors shall be located as follows, one alarm in each bedroom and one alarm outside the bedrooms within 15 feet of the bedrooms, additionally, there shall be a minimum of one smoke alarm on each floor, including the basement. CO detectors shall be mounted outside bedrooms and within 15 feet of the bedrooms. There shall be a minimum of one CO detector in each dwelling unit. Beginning January 1, 2023, single and multi-family homes that are still using smoke alarms with removable batteries are required to install new alarms that feature 10-year sealed battery alarms.
Q) When do I need to remove my holiday lights and why?
A) Holiday lighting should be removed by the end of February. The National Electric Code limits the installation of temporary holiday decorative lighting to a maximum of 90 days. The wiring used in decorative holiday lighting is not designed for or approved for continuous exposure to the elements and over time can become an electrical hazard.
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New Lateral Officers Sworn In - In December, the Round Lake Police Department welcomed two new lateral officers to our community. Officer Tamburrino and Officer Lyons have prior experience at their former agencies and are currently completing the Field Training Program. We couldn't be happier to have these two Officers as part of our law enforcement family!
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New Businesses - The Village encourages everyone to support our local businesses. The Village would like to welcome Nova Luna Banquet Hall located at 1797 S Cedar Lake to Round Lake.
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4th Annual Food Drive - Village Staff from all departments donated a total of 112 items of food in 8 boxes/bags. Donations were provided to the Grant Township Food Pantry.
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Service Awards - The Village would like to congratulate and thank the following employees for their service and dedication!
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- Kurtis Schultz, Police Department - 10 years
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Nina Larson, Police Department - 10 years
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David Cheney, Police Department - 15 years
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Kraig Kapusinski, Police Department - 15 years
- William Donovan, Community Development Department - 15 years
- Steven Shields, Administration Department - 15 years
- Peggy Gustafson, Public Works Department - 30 years
- Peter Molidor, Police Department - 30 years
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Village Offices will be closed on Monday, February 21 in observation of Presidents’ Day. Normal business hours will resume on Tuesday, February 22, 2022.
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Village Officials
Russ Kraly, Mayor
Debbie Perlini, Clerk
Trustees
Charlie Foy, Henry Frye Jr., Sanjay Patel,
Jake Mandelman, Paul Law, Patrick Duby
442 N. Cedar Lake Road Round Lake, IL 60073 · 847-546-5400
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