The Village Board recognized retiring Fire Chief Benjamin Wozney for his 26 years of service to the Village of Wilmette. Chief Wozney started his career serving as Firefighter/Paramedic and then ascending the ranks to Lieutenant/Paramedic, Duty Chief, Deputy Chief and then Fire Chief. Throughout his time with the Village, Chief Wozney immersed himself in many specialty areas in the department, becoming a juvenile firesetter intervention specialist and serving as Dive Master for Wilmette and Director of the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Division 3 Water Rescue Team. He worked tirelessly to secure grant funding for the purchase of a new tower ladder truck as well as numerous other improvements and enhancements to ensure Wilmette was a safer place for residents and firefighters alike. Chief Wozney navigated the Village through the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining staffing and operations while protecting Fire Department members and the community.

His commitment to the community’s well-being was most evident through the very last days of his tenure as he has worked tirelessly with Cook County to accelerate the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine to our residents and essential employees.

Join us in thanking Chief Wozney for his decades of exceptional service and wishing him the best in his next chapter!

Village Hall will be open during limited hours (due to COVID-19 mitigations) of 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and there will be no changes to the refuse collection schedule on Presidents Day, Monday, Feb. 15.

Visit our website for more information on limited Village Hall hours and services.

Visit the Village's Refuse, Recycling & Yard Waste Program webpage for the holiday collection schedule.

Vaccine distribution and administration in Wilmette is the responsibility of the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH). While the Village does not have direct access to vaccinations, the Village has and will continue to advocate on behalf of Wilmette residents to expedite the vaccination roll-out in suburban Cook County. Learn more.

Residents eligible under Phase 1a or 1b can register at any of the Community Vaccination Centers online at vaccine.cookcountyil.gov or by calling the Cook County hotline: 833-308-1988 (Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.). You can also register with individual providers, including pharmacies and health care providers – view a list here. All residents are encouraged to sign up with CCDPH to receive appointment notifications when your phase is eligible. Please note that vaccine supplies are extremely limited at this time.

While Governor Pritzker announced this week that Phase 1b would be expanded to include people with preexisting health conditions, Cook County announced yesterday that it will not expand eligibility due to limited vaccine supply and the need to prioritize available vaccines for frontline essential workers and those over 65 years old. Learn more.

With technology being the primary method to secure a COVID-19 vaccine, some of our more vulnerable neighbors may not have the technological ability to schedule a much-needed vaccination appointment. To help our vulnerable seniors, the Village is partnering with the Woman’s Club of Wilmette to reach out to residents to provide assistance in scheduling and/or driving to a vaccination appointment. If you would like to help with this effort, please visit the Village’s website and you can sign-up to be added to the list of community caretakers.

Based upon a recent cyber-attack on a water supply system in Florida, the Village wants to assure our residents and customers in neighboring communities that the Village’s water treatment system is secure. The Village follows industry best practices including the implementation of cybersecurity measures and has invested in systems and controls that are designed to protect the water system from intrusion. These controls are regularly assessed and tested by outside security firms. Lastly, water quality is continuously monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by our licensed and state-certified water treatment plant operators. The Village will continue to ensure the provision of clean and safe Wilmette tap water to over 100,000 residents and neighbors.

Sept. 19, 2022, will be the 150th anniversary of Wilmette’s incorporation. To mark this milestone, the Village Board has created a Sesquicentennial Planning Committee, whose mission is to plan a celebration that will promote community spirit and unity while honoring the village’s history and looking toward its future. Folks from throughout the community are asked to share their ideas for this historic event. Should there be concerts? Public improvement projects? Food and art festivals? History lectures? Other ideas? Watch for calls for feedback and follow the planning process on the Village’s website. If you have an idea to share, please email [email protected]. The Committee’s next meeting will be held remotely on Tuesday, April 13, at 6 p.m. Email the above address or visit the website for information on how to join the meeting.

In an emergency, every second counts. If there is a fire hydrant near your house, please do your part and help our Fire Department by making sure to clear a five-foot perimeter around the hydrant and clear a path from the hydrant to the street.

The Wilmette Park District is kicking off the community input process for the Gillson Park Comprehensive Plan with a Virtual Open House on Thursday, Feb. 18 from 5 - 6:30 p.m. Your feedback will create the foundation for the newly renovated Gillson Park! Register here.

Does this cold winter weather have you looking for a fun activity for the whole family? Meet up over Zoom to play Bingo and learn about Wilmette history! Winners will be mailed small gift cards from local businesses as prizes.

Join the Wilmette Historical Museum for virtual BINGO on Sunday, Feb. 21 from 4 to 4:45 p.m. The event is free, but be sure to reserve your ticket on the Museum website by Feb. 19. Sign up here.

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.

The Village Board will meet remotely on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be held via Microsoft Teams and broadcast live on the Village's YouTube and Channel 6.

The Village Board will meet remotely on Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be held via Microsoft Teams and broadcast live on the Village's YouTube and Channel 6.

The Village Board will meet remotely on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be held via Microsoft Teams and broadcast live on the Village's YouTube and Channel 6.