Hot Air Balloon Festival Coming to Grayslake

The festival is slated for Aug. 24 in Central Park.

Picture this: It's a warm August evening. As the sun's rays fade, you're soon surrounded by glowing hot air balloons. Now imagine this taking place right here in Lake County. The Village of Grayslake is planning to host its first-ever hot air balloon festival, Color Aloft!, on Aug. 24 in Central Park. The event is set to feature six balloons, along with live entertainment and a few food vendors. "Our goal is to try to build community spirit, to make it a memorable event," said Grayslake Trustee Bruce Bassett. The hot air balloon festival idea came about almost as a joke, Bassett explained. He was chatting with recently-retired resident Pat Klemens at Emil's in Grayslake one day and "I said, 'We should put you to work, maybe get a new event…

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Grayslake Village Board Approves Balanced Budget

Residents' water/sewer, garbage/recycling and aquatic center rates are not increasing.

At the April 16 Grayslake Village Board meeting, the board approved the fiscal fear (FY) 2013/14 operating and capital budgets. The new fiscal year will begin on May 1, 2013. For FY 13/14, the village’s property tax levy did not increase from last year and water/sewer, garbage/ recycling, and aquatic center rates are held at current rates. “This budget continues to hold down operating spending. Lower operating spending means the village can hold the line on what it charges to its residents and businesses in the coming twelve months,” said Mayor Rhett Taylor. Operating Budget Total operating expense is $16,150,175 and total operating revenue is estimated to be $16,596,843. The operating budget has the following highlights: “This budget is …

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Libertyville Trustees Agree to Share Adjudication Program with Grayslake

The intergovernmental agreement between the two villages is expected to save both villages money.

Libertyville trustees voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve an intergovernmental agreement with the village of Grayslake to share Libertyville's Administrative Adjudication Hearings program. Joining forces to share Libertyville's program, which covers local parking and ordinance violations, will provide a cost savings for both villages. "It benefits both villages because they don't have to reinvent the wheel, and it helps share the cost of the expense that we already incur by them reimbursing us for about half of the cost," said Police Chief Clint Herdegen. The intergovernmental agreement will be in place for three years. Grayslake trustees approved the measure at their Feb. 19 meeting.  The program is expected to cost Grayslake about…

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Farmer's Market Place to Receive Facade Grant

The grant will fund up to 66 percent of the exterior renovations.

Farmer's Market Place, which is taking over the storefront previously occupied by Piggly Wiggly, will receive a façade grant up to $150,000 to help with its exterior renovations. Grayslake trustees voted unanimously Feb. 19 to provide the grant, which will cover 66 percent of the façade costs, not to exceed $150,000. The grant is being awarded at the recommendation of the village's Economic Development Commission in lieu of a sales tax reimbursement agreement. Mayor Rhett Taylor said the intention of the façade grant is to improve the economic climate and drive up property values in the area. "This is a corridor that hasn't received any attention," said Taylor. Trustee Ron Jarvis expressed concern about making sure the smaller businesses …

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Grayslake and Libertyville to Share Adjudication Program

The program is expected to save Grayslake money in staff time and prosecutor costs.

The villages of Grayslake and Libertyville will soon share an adjudication program. Grayslake trustees voted unanimously Tuesday night to authorize the administrative hearing system and operate the system in conjunction with another municipality. Trustees also voted unanimously to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with Libertyville to utilize the latter's adjudication system. According to previous board meeting agenda documents, "items that are currently administered in Lake County's branch court, such as building code violations, property maintenance violations, local police code enforcement items and parking enforcement, would all be administered utilizing Libertyville's adjudicator and clerical support staff." The program is …

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Grayslake Aims to Have Combined Plan Commission, Zoning Board

The same seven individuals serve on both boards.

The village of Grayslake is on track to have a combined plan commission and zoning board of appeals. The Grayslake committee-of-the-whole voted Feb. 5 to pass on to the village board a draft ordinance that would combine the plan commission and zoning board into one entity. Mayor Rhett Taylor said the two boards consist of the same seven members: Karl Molek, Fred Schaefer, Hal Nachenberg, Tom Morris, Greg Hansen, Gayle Cinke and Richard Ross. The plan commission and zoning board of appeals already hold their meetings at the same time, at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of the month. "This draft ordinance codifies the arrangement," said Taylor. The measure could be voted on at the village board's next meeting, slated for Feb. 19.

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Lake County Board to Hold Strategic Planning Forums

Forums will be held in five locations, including Libertyville and Deerfield.

The Lake County Board will soon hold a series of community forums as the board works on its strategic plan. Meetings will be held in locations like Libertyville, Deerfield and Waukegan. District 6 County Board Member Pat Carey spoke about the forums at the Grayslake Village Board's Feb. 5 meeting. Carey said the county board updates its strategic plan every four years. Carey said because it is important to collect information from residents and officials, the county board will hold five forums that will each start with an open house from 6 to 7 p.m., followed by a forum at 7 p.m. Carey said topics will include the economy, transportation, development, sustainability and public safety. The meetings will be held in the following locations:

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Grayslake May Use Libertyville's Adjudication Program

The committee-of-the-whole agreed to pass the measure on to the village board for consideration of the intergovernmental agreement.

The Grayslake Village Board is expected to vote at its next meeting on whether to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the Village of Libertyville to utilize the latter village's adjudication system. Grayslake's committee-of-the-whole voted unanimously Tuesday night to send the matter on to the village board for approval. "Through the proposed program, items that are currently administered in Lake County's branch court, such as building code violations, property maintenance violations, local police code enforcement items and parking enforcement, would all be administered utilizing Libertyville's adjudicator and clerical support staff," according to board meeting agenda brief documents. Mayor Rhett Taylor said using Libertyville's…

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Who's Running for Grayslake Office in April 2013?

Grayslake Patch provides readers the names of who has filed to run in the April 9, 2013, consolidated election for the Village of Grayslake, Avon Township, District 46, District 127, District 50, CLC, the Grayslake Library and Grayslake Park District.