The Case for Capital: LCP / LCTA Investors Forum April 28

Transportation and its need for capital in Illinois will be the topic of the morning on Monday, April 28 at Lake County Partners (LCP) / Lake County Transportation Alliance (LCTA) Investors Forum. Beginning with a breakfast networking reception, the forum will be held from 7:30 - 10:00 a.m. at the University Center of Lake County in Grayslake.

Alleviation of transportation congestion and enhancement of mass transit are clearly two high priority goals on Lake County's economic development agenda.

Key note speakers include:
State Representative Julie Hamos, Chair of the Illinois Mass Transit Committee, who will speak about "The Need for Transit Capital" and State Representative Sidney Mathias, Vice Chair of the Illinois Mass Transit Committee, who will address "The Need for Highway and Bridge Capital." Hamos was the chief sponsor of the recently enacted mass transit legislation (HB 656).

U. S. Representatives Melissa Bean and Mark Kirk are also invited (not yet confirmed) to provide transportation updates from the federal perspective - an important one since billions of federal dollars for transportation capital projects are at stake awaiting state match.

State Senator Terry Link and State Representative JoAnn Osmond will present updates at the state level on transportation legislative issues of interest. At the county level, Lake County Board's Vice Chair Mike Talbett will discuss Lake County's transportation-related legislative program.

In addition, local and regional updates will be presented on a range of topics:

• Bill Gentes, Mayor of Round Lake, on progress of the Route 120 Corridor Planning Council. Gentes is chair of the Route 120 CPC.
• Kent Street, Village Manager for Deerfield, on progress of U. S. Route 41 Corridor Planning Group. Street chairs the Route 41 CPG.
• Catherine Starostovic, Grant Township Supervisor, will discuss paratransit opportunities in Lake County, including current progress and future plans. Starostovic is Chair of the Lake County Coordinated Transportation Services Committee (LCCTSC).
• Diane O'Keefe and Marty Buehler will present updates on capital funding priority projects at the state and county levels. O'Keefe is the Illinois Department of Transportation District One Engineer, and Buehler is the Lake County Department of Transportation Engineer.

Illinois State Representative Kathy Ryg will close the forum with an update on her Task Force's efforts to align the DCEO Northeast Region's Economic Development vision and agenda with Lake County's 52 communities and LCP. Other sponsors for the event include Lake Cook TMA, Lake County Municipal League, and Lake County.