Village wins Bronze Medal Award from Clean Air Counts!

The Village received a bronze award from the Clean Air Counts program for a number of our initiatives for our clean air programs. The lady who runs the program Eye Pytel came up and gave us a plaque at the village board meeting last Monday.

Municipalities, government agencies, and authorities – including school board, park districts, and others – can play a major role in improving the region’s air quality. Government bodies can exercise a tremendous market influence, not only through legislation, but by choices they make as employers, purchasers, service providers, and property owners.

In addition to joining as a Clean Air Counts Adopter and implementing emission reduction strategies, all governing bodies can become a Clean Air Community. Becoming a Clean Air Community is an excellent way for local governments to demonstrate their commitment to clean air.

We are very proud of what we have done, which includes, diesel retrofits, solid waste programs, and electronic waste programs.

Comments on the Blog

I have been following a chain of comments between some with a screen name Al and "Dudley Do Right" on the blog, which has ranged so far afield thats it almost makes sense that it was in a post on the America's Cup Since neither of them, in there testosterone frenzy (they both have to be men, since a women would have kicked the man's butt long since in the argument) will let the other have the last word! I have been forced to have the last work and consquently have banned both of them from commenting.

I will let you back when I remember that I banned you in a few weeks. If I see you posting with other IP's I will ban those also, and I if I find one of you posting "secretly" and the other not posting, I will block the secret poster, and then un-ban the other person and let them get the last word!

Since "Dudley Do Right" in my mind is a much cooler screen name then "Al" I used a picture of the world's most favorite Mountie. This is no way reflects on the winner of the argument however...you are both wrong...benevolent despotism is the best form of government, as long as I get to be the despot! Joking obviously!

Hospital News from the Waukegan News Sun

This article appeared the Waukegan News Sun over the weekend written by Dan Moran. The actual report mentioned in the article can be downloaded here.

I think its instructive to see in a report, what we already know, its much easier to get to another Hospital from Lindenhurst. You have a 4 lane highway that takes you to the interstate in minutes or to state route 45 in seconds to get you moving to one.

Out here in Round Lake, its not that easy as we all know! The 45 minute drive for a Lindenhurst resident to the other hospitals mentioned in the report will be 60-75 minutes for residents in western lake county, which means Round Lake is a better site for the hospital.

WAUKEGAN -- The stars appeared to be lining up Friday against Vista Health's proposal to build a hospital in Lindenhurst with the release of a state report determining that the project "does not appear to be in conformance" with several key requirements.

A 42-page staff report from the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board, which is scheduled to meet July 24-25 in Chicago to review the Vista proposal, basically states that the 140-bed hospital proposed at Grand Avenue and Deep Lake Road would be too close to current hospitals to demonstrate a need for construction.

"There are 15 hospitals located within 45 minutes travel time which provide medical/surgical and intensive care unit services, and 12 hospitals providing obstetric service," the report states, adding that this represents "a computed excess of (services) and facilities" in the targeted area.

Among the hospitals listed as within 45 minutes of travel time were Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, Highland Park Hospital, Lake Forest Hospital and Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan. Also on the list are hospitals in Park Ridge, Schaumburg and Woodstock, along with the northwest side of Chicago.

The report added that several criteria must be met before a Certificate of Need can be issued for construction, including documentation "that travel times to existing providers is excessive (exceeding 45 minutes) ... Since none of the requirements for the criterion are met, a positive finding cannot be made."

The report also scrutinized the need to add 140 beds to the area's health-care roster, saying that Vista "(has) not adequately documented that the proposed new hospital is needed to serve an underserved population, (so) it does not appear that the project is the most effective or least costly alternative for meeting health- care needs in the area."

Attempts to reach Vista Health officials for comment late Friday afternoon, when the report was first available, were not successful.

Vista officials and backers of the project -- expected to cost $99.8 million -- have said travel times to existing facilities were dangerously high for residents in northern Lake County. When the Certificate of Need was applied for in March, Vista CEO Barbara Martin said, "There is an urgent need for a hospital in that area."

However, at a public hearing before the Health Facilities board in May, officials at several regional hospitals -- including Condell, Lake Forest and Northern Illinois Medical Center in McHenry -- argued that a Lindenhurst hospital would infringe on their "primary care zone."

Jodi Levine, Condell's vice president of marketing and business development, reiterated those sentiments after reading the state report late Friday.

"Lake County has a crying need for more advanced specialty services, not simply more hospital beds," Levine said in a statement. "A new hospital would completely undercut efforts to bring in Level I Trauma care, advanced cancer and neo-natal care or other high-level services. The staff has followed state rules, which are in place to protect health-care decisions from becoming political."

It remains to be seen what the board will do with the report's findings when it meets in 10 days, and what the findings might mean to Advocate Health System's competing proposal to build a hospital in Round Lake at Route 120 and Wilson Road.

Lets Run Away to the Circus

I went to Navy Pier last night to see the Cirque Shanghai at the Skyline stage. They are a troupe of Chinese Acrobats that are spectacular and quite limber! I would strongly recommend you go!

The pictures I took inside were awful, so the best you get is the shot of the outside of the venue! Which was quite nice and we need one here in Round Lake!

Bad Battery

My computer is sick so this one is coming from my phone! Computer electricity...socket...issues.

Nice Publicity for the Blog

I was interviewed by a reporter for MuniNetGuide recently and got a nice article in return about the blog on the website two days ago. It points out some interesting things, that the regular reader will already know. It's true about other mayors, they start and then die away which is a shame, because it is a great tool for keeping people aware of the community.

I had to credit the guy who gave me the idea Mayor Jim Wiley of Elburn who no longer posts regularly but still is the godfather of the process!

Local Bank Robbed

Attached is a flyer sent out to area law enforcement agencies regarding an armed robbery that occurred Monday at NorStates Bank at 301 Goodnow Blvd at 3:06pm. The offender fled with approx. $1,200. The FBI was contacted and is involved with the investigation. Please contact the Round Lake Police at 847-546-8112 if you have information on this ongoing investigation.

Belated May Mosquito Report

One of the fun things we get as Mayor and Trustee are reports on Mosquitoes! Here is the most recent one I have from May! Its actually interesting, but then again I like reading stuff like this!

SURVEILLANCE & WEATHER

The rainfall total for the month of May to date (0.72in.) is about an inch and a half a below the average for May to date (2.28in.) Across most of the northern part of the state, precipitation averages have been average since January. However, due to the recent lack of rainfall, we are likely to experience drought conditions. Increased temperatures with little rainfall create ideal conditions for Culex mosquitoes which are potential carriers of West Nile Virus.

2007 West Nile Cases

County	American Crow	Blue Jay	Other Birds	Mosquito	Horse	Human
DuPage	0	0	0	3	0	0
Tazwell	0	0	0	1	0	0
TOTAL	0	0	0	4	0	0

Last updated May 23, 2007

Brood Prediction
The floodwater mosquito, Aedes vexans, is the key nuisance species in the Chicago land area. Distinct hatches of floodwater mosquito populations, or broods, are triggered by significant rainfall events. The Clarke Brood Prediction Model calculates peak annoyance periods based on rainfall and temperature data collected from weather stations in your area.

Weather Station	Rain Date	Rain Amount	Brood Prediction
North Lake	Currently there are no predictions.

OPERATIONS SUMMARY

Upcoming June Operations:

1 Complete Inspection

1 Targeted Inspection

RECOMMENDATIONS
The CDC currently shows a risk category 1. Conduct entomological survey (inspections) and surveillance to monitor larval and adult mosquito density; Maintain vector and virus surveillance; Expand community outreach and public education programs focused on risk potential and personal protection emphasizing residential source reduction.

Operation and Surveillance Reports

Attached is a report outlining services performed year-to-date. These services could include the following:

• N. J. Light Trap Seasonal Service: Seasonal Light Trap Service for adult mosquito population monitoring.
• Complete Site Larval Inspection Service: Inspection service of all potential mosquito larvae development sites.
• Targeted Site Larval Inspection: Inspection of all targeted larval development sites.
• Culex Site Inspection Service: Inspection of Culex mosquito larval development sites for the prevention of West Nile Virus and other mosquito-borne diseases.
• Larval Site Service Call: Special inspection of standing water for mosquito breeding per hot line request.
• Backpack Larviciding: Backpack larviciding for biological control of mosquito larvae sites.
• Hand Larviciding: Hand equipment larviciding for biological control of mosquito larvae.
• Backyard Catch Basin Trmt: Backyard catch basin treatment for larval control.
• Catch Basin Appl: Treatment of street catch basins for seasonal control of mosquito larvae development.
• Backyard Catch Basin Touch-Up: Treatment of a backyard catch basin per the request of the community's resident.
• Helicopter Larviciding: Helicopter larvicide application for biological control of mosquitoes.
• Truck ULV: ULV application for adult mosquito control larvae.
• Truck ULV Service Call: ULV “touch-up” application for control of mosquito annoyance per citizen hotline request.
  

COMMENTARY-- Four Coynes Decision from the Illinois Liquor Commision

What happens if you run a gambling den for years, serve underage minors in your bar, and have illegal slot machines in your bar and get caught!

Here's how you handle it, appeal appeal appeal, the Illinois Liquor Commission (ILC) will let you off the shut-down hook and keep you open. According to other Mayors I talked to in the last few days, it's the way they do it! They all told me there horror stories. So now we are in the club!

Of course the owner has to pay a fine, because of course the municipality does it right, the owner admits to everything at the liquor hearing. Even then you get to remain open! Here is the decision in PDF format for you to enjoy.

Excellent!

The ILC did not overturn my decision they just called it overly harsh! The penalty was changed to a $10,000 fine, which is one of the largest levied in a long time by the ILC.

Other then a few old timers, the vast majority of residents here were supportive of my aggressive stance on this issue. So despite the fact that this train wreck of a bar is open, we are still going to continue aggressive action with our liquor licenses throughout the village.

We are not going to tolerate underage drinking of any kind, nor are we going to tolerate illegal gambling either in our fine bars and restaurants.

If you want to read the back story to this story go here.

Triple 7's

To bad we don't have a place to play the numbers, because I bet this one get's a lot of play today ! Oh wait we do have a place....the Illinois lotto stores throughout this fine town. Gee did you think I was going to say somewhere else?

Big bath tub races tomorrow! I am racing the other Mayors it seems! Not sure how I got conned into that, anyway its at Beach Fest at 4pm.

Mount Everest it was'nt...but still up there!

The annual trip to the top of Round Lake was yesterday. If many of you recall I summited the East water tower last year. Last year I had our Director of Public Works Davis Clark along this year I was joined by Trustee Michael Blum who was seriously willing! He was even game enough to allow me to take the picture at the right of him with a giant growth on his head!

I am not fond of heights, but last year I was so tired by the time I got to the top, I had no room to be uncomfortable! This year was no difference, my arms were so tight when I got down, they barely fit in my shirt sleeves!

Anyway we made our way to the top, where Davis casually revealed that he had already climbed the tower with the Village Engineer Erika Frable earlier in the day, which is why there was cold water at the top for us!

The view was spectacular, not as clear as last year, but great. I took some good shots which I have below in high resolution of Silver Leaf Glen and parts of Wooster Lake as well. If you click on it it should blow up to full size!



I also have one of Valley Lakes as well, same format. The sun was at an awkward angle to get shots eastwards, but these are not to bad.



Finally the two climbers at the top. Proving that fat guys can climb! Many thanks to Davis for being so helpful!

An Explosive Fourth

Had my usual great time at the Fourth of July parade. My driver Daniel Rude (whose parents bought the right to drive the golf cart for the Village School PTO) and his sister staffed my car and threw some serious candy into the crowds. I walked about 2/3rds of the route, and saw lots of friends!

The highlight was a bucket of candy falling out of the cart on Washington and kids diving on it in a frenzy!

The fireworks were something else again. One of the largest crowds in along time, no wind and a slow cadence on the shells meant a huge smoke cloud, and the tilt of the fireworks slightly towards the crowd meant ash was coming into the crowd, lots of it! My white shirt was spotted everywhere.

But the finale was started by a dud shell that shot out sideways igniting the whole finale into the lake! If you can imagine a grand finale, majestically towering over you, now visualize one 15 feet off the ground coming right at you. We saw people moving afterwards but we also saw some ambulances as well, so hopefully that was a precaution, nothing more.

July 4th Parade and Fireworks Today!

Parade starts at 9, fireworks are this evening, weather permitting!

Relay for Life Team Sign-up

Our local relay will be on Saturday the 28th of July from 6pm to 6am in the morning at the Grayslake Aquatic Center there will be the Grayslake/Round Lake Area Relay for Life 2007.

I have created a team for us! The link to the team is here. So if you want to sign up to volunteer please do so at this website. I set a goal of $1,000 for us, but I am guessing we can go higher! I have numerous volunteers from my earlier post about the Relay. Off the top of my head I had about 10 people say they would come help which is exciting. So please go sign up for the team, make your pledges, and write the dates and times into your calendar.

July 4th Week Update

Awkward placement of the 4th of July, you can't take one day off to get a four day weekend, which stinks.

The area schedule for the 4th is the parade at 9am starting at Hawthorne and Cedar Lake south to Washington, east to Hainesville.

Then the Round Lake Area fireworks will start around 9 at Hook Lake, which is behind the movie place, or the post office, the parking lots will be crammed! But the fireworks are great!

I will be at both places, I love parades and firworks so I will be a happy camper!