The City of Highland Park has installed a public Electric Vehicle Charging Station in Port Clinton Garage. More information is here.  If you are looking to install an electric vehicle charging station at home, work, or in your community, grant assistance is available. The application deadline has been extended into April 2014.  Click here for details.

If you are interested in serving on a City commission, you can find a list of commissions and application forms at www.cityhpil.com. Commission applications are being considered this month for terms starting January 1, 2014. High school student commissioner applications are due December 6.

Do you know an environmental hero in Highland Park? The City is accepting nominations of HP residents and/or businesses for the meritorious service award through November 8.  Details on how to submit a nomination are here.

The budget is the most important policy document of any organization — where you put your money is where your priorities are. We welcome your participation in the process. Council and neighborhood meetings are scheduled to discuss priorities for our City, and get input from you. Budget Workshops will be held at 6:30 pm on September 16 and October 21 at City Hall. Neighborhood meetings are scheduled for September 26, October 9, 16 and 23 at various locations.  Further details are here. All meetings are open to the public, and I encourage you to attend and participate.

Volunteers are being sought by Moraine Township to work as in-person counselors helping residents navigate the new Illinois Health Insurance Exchange. Moraine Township is partnering with the Lake County Health Department/Community Health Center to assist southeast Lake County residents to enroll for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Training sessions will take place during August and September in Waukegan and Chicago. The training to become an “in-person counselor / navigator” consists of an online training portion, a two-day in-person training course, and a criminal background check. “The process to determine what a person or family may be eligible for could be daunting for the average person or family,” commented Moraine Township Clerk Gail Feiger Brown, who has completed the training. “That’s why the Township has stepped up to assist. This program is important to our residents and will impact our community.” notes Moraine Township Supervisor Anne Flanigan Bassi, Enrollment in the Insurance Exchange begins October 1, 2013 and extends through March 31, 2014, for coverage beginning January 1, 2014. The Health Department estimates that well over 100,000 Lake County residents are uninsured, which impacts the broader community in multiple ways. Under the Affordable Care Act, residents whose income is 138% or less of the federal poverty guideline (about $27,000 for a family of three in 2013) will be eligible for the expanded Medicaid program; those with higher incomes may be eligible for subsidies to help offset the cost of health insurance based on a sliding scale. The Township is planning to assist residents in its office at 777 Central Avenue in Highland Park during weekdays with existing staff and trained elected officials. Volunteers will be deployed into the community during weekend and evening hours so that opportunities are convenient regardless of residents’ work schedules. For more information call Supervisor Bassi at 847-432-3240 or email by clicking here. Moraine Township’s website is morainetownship.org.

The state is in the process of developing a bicycle transportation plan. Help the state prioritize future bicycle projects by providing input through this survey. The Plan will become part of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s long range plan, and will guide efforts to improve bicycling in Illinois.

This is what my son said after we attended a conference on climate change this spring. I was surprised to hear in a recent NY Times article that he’s not alone.  “The End of Car Culture” states: “recent studies suggest that Americans are buying fewer cars, driving less and getting fewer licenses as each year goes by. ” A combination of alternative modes of transportation are getting us where we need to go, with less reliance on cars.  Read the full story by clicking here.

At our May 28 meeting, City Council voted to purchase $775,000 of electricity over the next year to power our street lights, water plant, and other city buildings. I am proud that my questions on this issue ultimately led to changes that will reduce our City’s environmental impact this year.  While low carbon electricity sources were not included in the original proposal, we will be purchasing 100% renewable energy for 4 of the 10 contracts included in this purchase.

According to the National Academy of Sciences: “Climate change is occurring, is very likely caused primarily by human activities, and poses significant risks to humans and the environment. These risks indicate a pressing need for substantial action to limit the magnitude of climate change and to prepare for adapting to its impacts.” The report is available here.

In 2005, Mayor Belsky signed the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement. A total of 1,060 mayors in all 50 states have signed on — including those of Evanston, Lake Forest, Northbrook, Waukegan, Wilmette and Chicago. The agreement commits the City to reduce carbon emissions to 7% below 1990 levels by 2012 and to support a national emissions trading system.

I will be working with City staff, Mayor Rotering and the City Council to ensure that we increase the percentage of renewables in our future electricity purchases, and increase the energy efficiency of City buildings. Highland Park can lead the way in sustainability by taking concrete actions that will save us money and reduce our environmental impact.

The Great Lakes are the largest freshwater ecosystem on the planet. The Lakes provide 18% of the world’s supply of fresh surface water and 90% of the U.S. supply.  Lake Michigan, by volume, is the second largest Great Lake and its water level has been near record lows for several years now. Highland Park recently adopted a new conservation pricing plan for water (click here for information). Now is a great time to look at your water usage and find ways to reduce. Remember that Highland Park has an odd/even sprinkler restriction in effect for the summer months — sprinkle on odd days if your address is an odd number, or even days for even addresses.  It’s more effective to water early in the morning, so that the water goes into the soil instead of evaporating with the midday sun.  Native plants don’t require as much water as lawns, since their roots reach deeper into the ground.  More water saving tips can be found by clicking here.