Village Bulletins
- Electrical Aggregation. Recently, the Illinois General Assembly authorized municipal governments to bid for electrical service on behalf of its residents and small businesses as a way to reduce electric supply costs. This process is commonly referred to as municipal aggregation. The Village of North Barrington will be placing a Referendum for that authorization on the March 20, 2012 ballot. To become more familiar with electrical aggregation and what it means for you, please click here to view some frequently asked questions (FAQs).
- BACOG Private Well Water Testing. On March 13th BACOG, with their partner the Lake County Health Department, will offer local access to water testing for residents with private wells. Private well owners are responsible for testing their wells to ensure the safety of their drinking water and the test is recommended on an annual basis. The test will analyze residents' water samples for contaminates such as nitrates and bacteria, including E. Coli. Water test kits will be available for purchase the week of March 5-9th at participating Village and Township Offices. The county is making test kits available to residents at a special low "Groundwater Awareness Week" rate of $10.00 (exact change or check only). For a list of pick up locations, directions and office hours, visit www.bacog.org/level1event.html. Water samples need to be tested within 24 hours of collection - this means your water sample must be collected immediately before you drop it off on Tuesday, March 13th between 3:30 and 7:30 pm. Drop off will occur ONLY at The Garlands of Barrington, 1000 Garlands Lane, Barrington. A short presentation and Q&A regarding groundwater and wells will be held at 6:30 pm. Lake County Health Department will notify residents of the results. For the complete press release, please click here. For more information, please visit the BACOG website at www.bacog.org.
- BACOG. Think Before You Salt. If you use salt, or are thinking about it, during the winter months please read this informational article provided by BACOG. The article can be found here.
- New Electronic Recycling Guidelines. On January 1, 2012 a new State Law will take effect banning certain electronic items from being sent to landfills. The following items must be recycled beginning January 1st: TVS, Computer monitors, Printers, Computers (including tablets), Electronic keyboards, Electronic mice, Fax machines, VCRs, Portable digital music players, DVD players, DVD recorders, Video game consoles, Small-scale servers, Scanners, Digital converter boxes, Cable receivers, Satellite receivers. For your convenience Cuba Township offers electronic recycling programs as does SWALCO, with a drop off location in Wauconda. Please visit their websites for more information. On April 21, from 12:30 - 4:30, Cuba Township will be having a collection event at the North Barrington Village Hall. They will accept for recycling all types of paint and stain, old tires, batteries, light bulbs, computers and monitors, small appliances and other small electronics, including televisions. They will not accept household chemicals. They will also be able to do document shredding, limiting the documents to 2 Banker Boxes maximum per household. Contact the Township for more information.
- Septic Maintenance Ordinance. One of the goals of the Comprehensive Plan for the Village of North Barrington is to manage, conserve and protect the water resources of the Village in order to provide high quality surface and subsurface waters to serve the community needs. As you know, the Village has adopted a Septic Maintenance Ordinance to help educate homeowners regarding their septic system, prevent or detect failing systems and reduce the risk of contamination to the water resources within our Village. To view a copy of this Ordinance, please click here. The Ordinance is meant to be phased in over time in order for homeowners to be able to comply without undue hardship or cost. Homeowners will be notified when they are requested to provide information regarding the maintenance of their system via a letter from the Village. If you're planning on conducting maintenance to your system prior to receiving your notice please keep a copy of your receipt and any results as this will provide beneficial.
- Water Well News. This season is known for thorough cleaning around the home and yard. Use caution before you dump those old products left on the shelves down the drain, especially if you have a septic system. Avoid dumping old paints, harsh chemicals, medicine or any other products that will kill the bacteria in the septic tank. These products may also end up in your groundwater! For more information on protecting your septic system, well inspections, and well water testing please click here. BACOG has put together a brochure to help homeowners understand how their wells and septic systems work and how to properly maintain them. This guide is available for download by clicking here. Water Conservation. A family of four uses approximately 400 gallons of water every day, indoor use only. Click here to see tips on saving water and the life of your well.
- NACo Rx Drug Discount Program. For several years the NACo Drug Card Program has been available in Lake County and is available for all county residents. Residents of Lake County have an average price savings of $11.18 or about 20% per prescription. Please visit www.lakecountyil.gov and click on the Prescription Drug Program button on the left for more information. You can print a card from the website, or visit Village Hall to pick yours up today.
- Lake County PASSAGE. What if you could know about a traffic accident, construction, or other kind of incident before you started driving, so you could take a different route? You can, and have it sent right to your email. The new Lake County PASSAGE Email Notification program allows users to sign up for real-time traffic alerts for designated roadways throughout Lake County. Go to www.lakecountypassage.com to learn more about the program. Visit the website and click on Email Notifications to sign up.
- Nicor Gas Energy Efficiency Program. Nicor Gas launched a new Energy Efficiency Program targeted at helping customers save energy and money. Please click here for a detailed description of plans associated with the program that are available through May 2011 or until funding is exhausted. These plans include both residential and business programs. For more information regarding the Nicor Gas Efficiency Program please visit their website at http://www.nicorgasrebates.com or call the customer rebate center at 877-886-4239.
- Lake County Curbside Recycling Guidelines. SWALCO advocated for one set of recycling guidelines for all of Lake County. The first set of new comprehensive Lake County Curbside Recycling Guidelines can be found by clicking here.
- Citizens For Conservation. Winter Schedule. The winter schedule has been launched! Volunteers will work every Saturday morning from 9 to 11 a.m., including December 24 and 31. Meet at CFC headquarters at 459 West Highway 22 in Lake Barrington. Bring work gloves and dress for the weather. CFC will provide the tools. For more information, call CFC at 847-382-7283. Beauty of Barrington CFC 2012 Calendar. The CFC 2012 Calendar is now available for purchase. All photos are of the natural beauty of the Barrington Area and are by local photographers, who are listed. Please click here for more information about how to purchase your calendar! Invasive Species Removal Campaign. CFC's Community Education Committee has produced flyers that show area invasive species in multiple stages of growth and tell how to eliminate them from your property. CFC volunteers who are experienced in eradicating invasive species are also available to visit residential and municipal properties to identify these weeds and advise on removal procedures. For flyers and more information please visit www.citizensforconservation.org or call 847-382-SAVE.
- Regional Water Plan. The Lake County Board endorsed a landmark water supply/demand plan meant to ensure the availability of clean water for the future. For more information on the report and the primary strategies please go to water-2050. To learn more about what you can do to save water please click here.
- Disposal of Old/Unused Medication. In Illinois, a pilot program with the IEPA provides local law enforcement with assistance in setting up a medication disposal program by providing barrels for collection, and free pick up and disposal of unused and expired non-controlled pharmaceuticals. The two closest police departments currently participating in this program are the Fox River Grove Police Department and the Johnsburg Police Deparment, both located in McHenry County. For more information on the McHenry County Medication Waste Disposal Program contact Cassandra McKinney, McHenry County Water Resource Manager at clmckinner@co.mchenry.il.us.
- Heritage Tree Ordinance. A Heritage Tree Ordinance was adopted on 10/28/09 for the purpose of preserving the Village's many heritage trees. A "Heritage Tree" is defined as any tree having a Diameter Breast Height of twenty inches (20") or larger. The preservation of these trees offers numerous benefits to the Village such as enhancing the Village's scenic beauty and preserving property values among others. Removal of any Heritage Tree is prohibited and subject to violation penalties. To view the ordinance in its entirety, you may come to the Village Hall or click here
- SWALCO. Household Chemical Waste Event. On Saturday, February 11th, SWALCO will host a household chemical waste event at their Gurnee location. Appointments are required for this event. SWALCO hosts mobile events held from spring through fall at locations throughout Lake County, residents can drop-off their household chemical waste, quickly and easily, year-round (on selected dates and by appointment only), at the Gurnee facility, 1311 N. Estes Street. Visit the SWALCO website found here or call 847-336-9340 for more information about upcoming HCW collections and for a list of items that are accepted at these collections. Electronics Recycling. SWALCO provides residents with a variety of ways to recycle and reduce waste. There is NO cost to drop off accepted household electronic items at many locations. For your convenience, Cuba Township Road District (28070 W. Cuba Road, Barrington) accepts household electronic items on Fridays from 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (excluding holidays).
- Flint Creek Watershed Partnership. North Barrington started last fall to restore 10 acres adjacent to the Flint Creek. Chicago Wilderness Magazine highlighted the Partnership's work in their summer issue just released. The article can be found here. For more information about the restoration efforts, contact either the Village of North Barrington or the watershed coordinator, Patsy Mortimer at 847-381-8663, or via e-mail at pmortimer@earthlink.net or access their website found here. The partnership meets on the last Wednesday of odd numbered months. The next Flint Creek Watershed Partnership meeting will be on Wednesday, March 28th.
- Leave No Child Inside Initiative. Leave No Child Inside is an initiative created by The Chicago Wilderness Alliance that "promotes a culture in which children enjoy and are encouraged to be outside in nature, and as a result are healthier, have a sense of connection to their place, and become supporters and stewards of local nature." Also implemented through this plan is the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights. Further information regarding the Leave No Child Inside initiative or the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights can be found here.
- Barrington Area Community Calendar. To find out what is going on in your neighborhood as well as surrounding area, consult the online Barrington Area Community Calendar found here. You can even sign up for email notification! A great tool!
- Conservation@Home. Conservation@Home is a partnership between Barrington Area Conservation Trust and Citizens for Conservation to encourage homeowners to maintain their properties using conservation practices that benefit the environment. Conservation@Home volunteer consultants provide simple, easy-to-implement steps to encourage conservation-friendly practices on private land. There is no fee for the consultation. If you would like to learn more about how to implement environmentally friendly practices on your property, please schedule a Conservation@Home consultation with one of their representatives. More information can be found by visiting Citizen's For Conservation's Website or Barrington Area Conservation Trust's Website.
- New Handbook Provides Information for Private Well Owners. To help private water system owners develop and maintain a safe, adequate and dependable water system, the MidWest Plan Service has published a booklet "Private Water Systems Handbook" and is available through local University of Illinois Extension offices or on-line www.mwps.org. Some of the topics in the publication include planning for water usage, well construction, care and location; cisterns, ponds and springs; water testing and treatment; maintenance of the system and other related topics. Lake County Health Department also has informative information on their website found here.
- Culverts and Storm Sewers. Please keep culverts and storm sewer areas free from debris to aid with water conveyance from the recent rains. If there is a storm sewer near your property, kindly check to make sure the cover is free from debris in order to aid with drainage.
- Culvert 50/50 Cost Share Program. The Village has a 50/50 cost share program for under driveway stormwater culvert replacement. The Village will pay half of the cost of the replacement, with the homeowner paying the remaining half. The work is performed by Cuba Township's Road Department. It is important for all property owners to maintain their culverts for proper stormwater conveyance. A clogged or collapsed culvert can cause flooding problems on the homeowner's property as well as neighboring properties, and in some cases force water to spill over roads causing washout situations. Keeping ditch lines clear of all obstructions is equally important. The replacement program is just starting for the season. Sign up now to get in early. If you have questions about this replacement program contact the Village Hall.
- Rain Gardens. A rain garden is simply a shallow depression in your yard that is planted with native wetland or wet prairie wildflowers and grasses. It is designed to naturally collect water that runs off from your roof or is discharged from your sump pump. Rain gardens make good use of stormwater runoff; conserving precious water supplies and helping protect water quality in downstream lakes and streams. Rain gardens provide food and shelter for birds, butterflies and beneficial insects, such as mosquito eating dragonflies. More information can be found at Lake County's website found here. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources also has an informational website found here. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and th U.S. Botanic Garden produced an online video "Reduce Runoff: Slow it Down, Spread it Out, Soak it In" that highlights green techniques such as rain gardens, green roofs and rain barrels to help manage stormwater runoff. Click here to see the video.
- COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS (CFL) RECYCLING. Waste Management offers a Think Green From Home program in which many items, such as light bulbs and batteries, can be safely recycled. They are offering home recycling kits that provide streamlined mail-in solutions for these and other household materials. For more information, please visit their website at www.ThinkGreenFromHome.com. The Village of Barrington is one of several communities participating in a recycling program for CFL bulbs. The program is designed to help residential consumers property dispose of burnt-out CFLs because of the small amounts of mercury they contain. Drop off locations include the Barrington Village Hall, 200 S. Hough Street, (847) 304-3400; Barrington Public Works Building, 300 N. Raymond Avenue, (847) 381-7903 and Barrington Public Safety Building, 400 N. Northwest Highway, (847) 304-3300. More information about recycling bulbs and proper cleanup if a bulb should break can be found here.
- Vehicle Stickers. Residents are reminded that vehicle stickers are required for all vehicles in the Village. Every owner of a motor vehicle or motorcycle that is registered to a North Barrington address is required to have a vehicle sticker. These vehicle stickers are not only mandatory, but also provide an important source of village revenue, and the fees from these stickers are used towards road improvements on the Village roadways. Applications for the 2012/2013 stickers were sent out in late November, if you have misplaced yours or need an additional one, please use the PDF version found here. If you need a schedule of fees it can be found here. A Penalty Rate will apply to stickers purchased after March 31, 2012.
- Garbage Pick Up If your service day falls on or after a holiday, your service will be one day late that week. Regular service resumes the next week. Observed Holidays Include: Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Pick up after the Memorial Day as well as Independence Day holidays will be one day late (Wednesday instead of Tuesday). For customer service call (800) 796-9696 or visit their website found here.
- Residential Addresses. It has come to our attention that the fire department recently had difficulty responding to a fire call because the home did not have the address prominently posted on the mailbox or residence. For your safety, please make sure your residential address is visible from the roadside.
- Overnight Parking. Residents are reminded that there is no overnight parking allowed in the Village between the hours of 2 a.m and 6 a.m. Tickets for parking violations will be issued by the Lake County Sheriff's Department. This is especially important during the winter snowplowing season. If a vehicle impedes snowplow equipment, the vehicle may be towed in order for proper street clearance.
- DOGS. Residents are reminded that every person who owns a dog and allows the dog to run at large, other than on the premises of the owner, shall be guilty of a violation of Village Code and the offending dog will be declared a public nuisance and shall be apprehended and impounded. Also, any dog owner who fails to remove excrement deposited by his dog upon any premises, public or private, other than on the premises of the owner, shall be guilty of a violation of Village Code. Both violations are subject to fines.
- Illinois Environmental Protection Agency National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Phase II. The Village of North Barrington is authorized to discharge stormwater under IEPA General National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit No. ILR40. As part of the Permit, The Village is required to set goals over a five year period to reduce pollution to its receiving waters. These goals are described in the Notice of Intent (NOI) found here. After each year (March - March) the Village must document status of compliance with the NOI and any changes to the NOI in an Annual Report found here. If you have any questions, please contact the Village Hall.
- Potential Stormwater Ordinance Violations Please contact the Village Hall (847) 381-6000 to report potential stormwater ordinance violations, construction site erosion and sediment control problems, suspected illicit discharges to the stormwater system, and maintenance issues.
- A Citizen's Guide to Riparian Area Management From the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission. A Riparian area is the shoreline and immediate adjacent area to a lake, stream or creek. This guides gives steps for stabilizing shorelines and streambanks, as well as outlines successful stream management practices. This guide can be found here.
- A Citizen's Guide to Maintaining Stormwater Best Management Practices - For Homeowners and Property Owners. Published by Lake County Stormwater Management Commission can be found here.
- Living with Wetlands. Published by the Wetlands Initiative, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to restoring the wetland resources of the Midwest to provide environmental and economic benefits to both society and the landowner. Through research, education, public policy analysts, and large scale wetland restoration demonstration projects, TWI aims to restore one million acres - 2 percent of the wetlands lost in the Midwest - by the year 2010. This handbook for homeowners in Northeastern Illinois can be found here. The informative handbook explains the purpose of wetlands, ways to protect and manage wetlands, as well as how to seek help in maintaining the quality of the wetland area.
