Spring Clean Up

Kim Stone

With Spring Clean Up coming up, it’s a good time to share information about how to best dispose of items you no longer need. Most of the items listed below will NOT be picked up during Spring Clean Up, or can be kept out of the landfill and put to better use.

Appliances: Call Lakeshore Recycling Systems at 773.685.8811 or email them to schedule pick up. There is a charge of $40 per item.
Arts and Crafts supplies: donate them to the Brushwood Art Supply Exchange.
Bicycles: Donate to Working Bikes.
Electronics: Leave one large, or several small electronics at the curb on your first trash pick up day of the month or drop off at the City’s Recycling Center (see Styrofoam for hours).
Household Chemical Waste: The SWALCO website has a schedule of Household Chemical Waste drop off events.
Medication:  Drop them off anytime in the disposal box at the HP Police Station, 1677 Old Deerfield Road. Details are here. 
Recyclables: Put these out on your regular trash day.
Shoes: Paired shoes (tie or rubber band together) can be dropped off at the City’s Recycling Center. 1180 Half Day Road, from 7 am – 1 pm any Tuesday or the first Saturday of the month. Details are here.
Styrofoam: Drop off at the City’s Recycling Center. 1180 Half Day Road, from 7 am – 1 pm any Tuesday or the first Saturday of the month. Details are here.
Textiles: Place in a sealed plastic bag and drop off anytime in one of the collection boxes located at the City’s Recycling Center or the Highland Park Metra Station (east of tracks and south of station).
Usable items: Donate to charity or use the Highland Park-Highwood Freebox page on Facebook to get unwanted but usable items to others in the community.

Learn more about how to recycle or dispose of unusual items here and here.  Here are some creative repurposing ideas for spring.

Chicago Regional Climate Action Plan

Kim Stone

The Chicago Regional Climate Action Plan was released this week, laying out ways in which municipalities of all sizes can fight climate change. The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Environment Committee has been working on the Plan for the past 3 years, and I’m proud to have played a part in its development. Working together as a region, we can have a big impact. This article summarizes the rationale behind the regional Plan. Stay tuned for more information on how to get involved.

Thank you!

Kim Stone

Thank you to everyone who worked so hard on this campaign. We have an incredible team of volunteers who did everything from gathering petition signatures to distributing door hangers, calling voters to emailing friends and family, writing letters to the editor, and helping with yard signs. I appreciate the endorsements of so many Highland Park residents, current and former colleagues and elected officials. I am honored that so many people offered to help with the campaign, and greatly appreciate all that you have done. Thank you!

After years of involvement in our community, I first ran for Council to accelerate the pace of change on environmental issues, make our streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians, and use my experience in nonprofit management to help our community. I am proud of the progress that we have made on these issues, but there is more to be done which is why I am glad to be able to serve another term on City Council.

In the near term, the City faces two significant issues – recovering from the economic impacts of the pandemic and addressing the effects of climate change. The City must continue to make tough financial decisions so that we can provide the high level of services our residents expect within tight budgetary constraints as we recover from the pandemic. We also need to bring innovative ideas to help our business community regain its vibrancy. 

Climate change has financial implications for the City as extreme weather causes damage to infrastructure. I will continue my leadership to make environmentally responsible choices that save the City money, and to ensure that the City’s infrastructure is built to withstand the stronger storms and bigger temperature fluctuations brought on by climate change. I will continue raising the bar to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and model sustainable practices for our residents and other municipalities. 

I am proud of the work that I have done so far, and honored to have the confidence of voters as we move forward to address these issues. I look forward to continuing to work with Mayor Rotering, my Council colleagues, and our two new members, Annette Lidawer and Andres Tapia. 

Thank you so much for your support, and for putting your trust in me!
Kim

Covid Vaccines in HP

Kim Stone

In the week before vaccine eligibility opens further, extra efforts are being made to make sure that everyone 65 years and older has received a vaccine. The City of Highland Park is hosting a vaccination clinic on Thursday, April 8 at the HP Country Club. Registration begins on Monday, April 5 at 9:00 AM for Highland Park seniors age 65+. Beginning at 11:00 AM, Highland Park residents eligible under state guidelines, including those in Phase 1a, Phase 1b, and Phase 1b+ may register. Appointment scheduling will be by phone at (847) 861-7559. More information is here.

Update: Drop Boxes for Mail Ballots

Kim Stone

Lake County announced this afternoon that there will be drop boxes inside early voting sites beginning on Monday, March 22 for this election. This is new information since I sent my email earlier today.

According to Lake County’s press release, “Voters may simply walk in with their masks and place their Vote by Mail ballot in any of these Drop Boxes located at each Early Voting site.” There are currently not any external drop boxes planned for this election.

Spring Clean Up Information

Kim Stone

Highland Park’s spring trash collection days are scheduled for April 24, May 1, 8 and 15. If you have a bulky item under 50 pounds, you can place it next to your trash cart for pick up on your regular trash collection day rather than waiting for spring clean up.

Here are some options for proper disposal of certain items, and ideas to help keep things that are still usable out of the landfill:

Appliances: Call Lakeshore Recycling Systems at 773.685.8811 or email them to schedule pick up. There is a charge of $40 per item.
Arts and Crafts supplies: donate them to the Brushwood Art Supply Exchange.
Bicycles: Donate to Working Bikes.
Electronics: Leave one large, or several small electronics at the curb on your first trash pick up day of the month or drop off at the City’s Recycling Center (see Styrofoam for hours).
Household Chemical Waste: The SWALCO website has a schedule of Household Chemical Waste drop off events.
Medication:  Drop them off anytime in the disposal box at the HP Police Station, 1677 Old Deerfield Road. Details are here. 
Recyclables: Put these out on your regular trash day.
Shoes: Paired shoes (tie or rubber band together) can be dropped off at the City’s Recycling Center. 1180 Half Day Road, from 7 am – 1 pm any Tuesday or the first Saturday of the month. Details are here.
Styrofoam: Drop off at the City’s Recycling Center. 1180 Half Day Road, from 7 am – 1 pm any Tuesday or the first Saturday of the month. Details are here.
Textiles: Place in a sealed plastic bag and drop off anytime in one of the collection boxes located at the City’s Recycling Center or the Highland Park Metra Station (east of tracks and south of station).
Usable items: Donate to charity or use the Highland Park-Highwood Freebox page on Facebook to get unwanted but usable items to others in the community.

Learn more about how to recycle or dispose of unusual items here and here.  Here are some creative repurposing ideas for spring.

Candidate Forum

Kim Stone

The League of Women Voters is holding a candidate forum on March 21 at 1 pm. Join this virtual event to learn more about the views of the candidates running for local office in Highland Park. Register for the zoom event and submit your questions here. You can learn more about my views on issues impacting Highland Park in the newsletter archive, and this post on the HP Patch.

Vote by Mail Ballots and Voter Registration

Kim Stone

Lake County will begin sending mail ballots in early March. If you plan to vote by mail, you may request that a mail ballot be sent to you by filling out a request on the Lake County website.  Further details and links are here.

Verify your voter registration and get information about how to register here. If you have recently moved to Highland Park, or have friends or family who will turn 18 before April 6, there’s still time to register. If you’d prefer to complete your voter registration at an outdoor location in Highland Park, let me know and I will connect you with a Deputy Voter Registrar who can help.

Sustainable Vehicles

Kim Stone

Transportation is currently the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the US. Electric and hybrid vehicles are better for the environment, and also cost less over their lifetime than gas powered cars. Electric vehicles require almost no maintenance, and the cost of electricity is less than the cost of gas. You can compare the ownership costs of different vehicles here to see how much money you can save with a more efficient vehicle.

When the City purchases new vehicles, I have asked staff to calculate the total cost of ownership and savings for cleaner models. As a result, the City has added hybrid and electric cars to the fleet and put in place a Sustainable Vehicle Policy to guide future purchases. At the February 8 City Council meeting, we approved the purchase of 4 new hybrid vehicles for the Police Department fleet. Each of these vehicles will save the City over $4,000 in gas costs annually, making up for the additional upfront cost in under a year. Purchasing sustainable vehicles saves the City money while reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

I am proud of my role in greening the City Fleet, but there is more work to be done. In 2021, I am working to add Electric Vehicle (EV) readiness to our building code, following the lead of Chicago and other cities around the country. Wiring new buildings at the time of construction costs a fraction of retrofitting later, thereby saving money for residents.  As more auto manufacturers announce the shift to electric vehicles, we should make sure that new construction in Highland Park is ready for Electric Vehicle charging.

Covid Vaccinations

Kim Stone

Illinois has begun vaccinating people over age 65, while continuing with vaccinations for health care workers and nursing home residents. You can sign up now through the Lake County Health Department to be notified when it’s your turn to get the Covid vaccine. They will ask your age and risk factors so they can let you know when it’s time to make an appointment. If you have friends or family in Cook County, they can sign up here to receive updates on vaccine availability and scheduling. Pharmacies and health care systems will also be distributing vaccines, so you may want to contact your pharmacy and your doctor’s office to make sure you are on their lists as well. The State of Illinois has this site where you can find vaccine locations.

There are approximately 3 million additional people eligible for the vaccine in Illinois as of this week, so it will take some time to get vaccines to everyone who wants them. Please be patient and continue taking precautions —  wear a mask when leaving your home, maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet from people of outside of your household, and stay home if you are sick.