All right, good morning, everyone.

Good morning, really, everyone.

Um, today is May 27th, 2026, and I call the Lake County Public Works and Transportation Committee meeting to order at 8 30 a.m.

In addition to being able to attend in-person remote attendance has been made available to the public via Zoom at the link on the agenda.

This meeting is being recorded through Zoom.

Can you please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance?

I Pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Can I get a roll call, please?

Member Kasbin?

Here.

Chair Clark.

Here.

Member Hewitt.

Member Hunter.

Here.

Vice Chair Maine.

Member Roberts is absent.

Member Wasick?

All right.

Do we have any public comments today?

We do not.

All right.

Um don't have any chairs' remarks.

No unfinished business.

Our new business is our regular agenda.

Um, item 8.1 is a joint resolution authorizing a contract with Hometown Electric Inc., Antioch, Illinois, in the amount of 247,926 and 20 cents for the intersection improvements of Quentin Road at Highland Drive in appropriating $300,000 of the quarter percent sales tax for transportation funds.

Can I get a motion in a second?

Motion by Hunter, second by Hewitt.

Good morning.

Good morning, Minute Committee member.

Shane Schneider, County Engineer and DOT Director.

So this improvement is an interim improvement.

Um it's an intern traffic interim traffic signal improvement.

If we can get the location map, I think backed up one.

There we go.

So this is on the old McHenry uh grade separation improvement corridor.

Um so you can see up at the top of the page there, you have old McHenry Road, and then you've got the Canadian National Railroad that goes through there.

Um, and then Quentin Road is part of that uh improvement.

Um, one thing that we discovered during the public outreach is that the residents that live back and use Highland Lake Drive as an access out to Quentin Road, had a hard time getting out onto the highway.

So we did a traffic signal warrant, and that traffic signal is warranted.

Um, but that portion of the roadway improvements won't be completed probably for seven to ten years.

Um so doing this interim improvement allows us to install a traffic signal, allows the safety and operational benefits to be put in place until the ultimate improvement comes in about seven to ten years.

Any questions?

Yeah, this is really I think this is a great example of how public outreach really made you aware of this issue, and then I'm I'm really glad that we're addressing it now instead of waiting seven to ten years for a safety improvement.

So I'm I'm really good to see this today when we do this project.

Any questions?

All right, all in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carries.

Item 8.2 is a joint resolution authorizing a contract with Peter Baker and Sun Company, Lake Bluff, Illinois, and the amount of $2,243,701 and 47 cents for the resurfacing of Martin Luther King Junior Drive from Illinois Route 131 to Commonwealth Avenue and appropriating $2,695,000 of matching tax funds.

Can I get a motion in a second?

Motion by Kasbin, second by Hewitt.

So this is just a uh street preservation resurfacing project.

We'll be milling off the top inch or two of existing asphalt and putting back uh the same.

Um there is existing sidewalk along the entire corridor, so we'll be using this improvement to repair the ADA ramps that currently aren't in compliance, and we'll replace those so that they are.

Oh, that's good to hear at the ADA that the ramps will be uh made in compliance.

All right, any other questions?

All right, all in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carries.

Item 8.3 is a joint resolution authorizing an agreement with Sewarba Group Inc., Chicago, Illinois, for phase three professional construction engineering services for the resurfacing of Martin Luther King.

Wait, did I just read that?

Oh no.

Oh, it's the okay, professional uh for the resurfacing of Martin Luther King Jr.

Drive from Illinois Route 131 to Commonwealth Avenue at a maximum cost of 286,914 and appropriating 345,000 of matching tax funds.

Getting a motion, motion by Hunter, second by Hewitt.

So same project, uh, but this is the design or the construction engineering services that will be provided by a consultant.

They'll oversee the project in the field to make sure that it's constructed in conformance with the plans and specifications.

And we're doing the consultant because we don't have the capacity in-house.

Is that that's correct?

Yeah, we don't have the capacity to do this in-house, so we're using a consultant to do it.

Okay, good.

I'm glad we can move forward.

Any questions?

All right.

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carries.

Item 8.4 is a joint resolution authorizing a contract with Alliance Contractors Inc.

Woodstock, Illinois in the amount of $1,202,427.85 cents for the rehabilitation of Buffalo Grove Road from Illinois Route 83 to Deerfield Parkway and appropriating $1,445,000 of matching tax funds.

Can you get a motion in a second?

Motion my hunter, second by Kasbin.

So you can see on the location map, there's two locations.

So we'll be replacing those.

We'll be saw cutting those out and putting new ones in.

Then we'll also be uh patching the sidewalk and 80 ramps along the whole corridor.

Um and then because Wyland Road at Deerfield Parkway is in close proximity, and that's also a concrete intersection.

We put that scope of uh maintenance rehabilitation into this project for economical reasons.

So that uh intersection will also have pavement repairs um done done with this this summer as well.

So both projects will be kicking off here in the next month or two and be wrapped up by the fall.

Okay, it'll be a smoother, safer ride or after this is all done.

Correct.

All right, any questions?

All right, all in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carries.

Item 8.5 is a joint resolution authorizing a contract with precision pavement markings inc.

Pingree, Illinois in the amount of Pingree Grove, Illinois, in the amount of 934,302 for the removal and replacement of pavement markings and the removal and replacement of pavement markers on various county highways, which will be improved under the Illinois Highway Code and appropriating $1,121,000 of motor fuel tax funds.

Can you get a motion?

A second motion by Kasbin, second by Hunter.

So this is a uh uh maintenance preservation project that we do on an annual basis.

We're going out and we're replacing all the pavement markings that are on the highway system over time.

These wear out typical lifespans about five to seven years.

Um we have been recessing and grooving our pavement and then laying the pavement markings inside of that.

Uh that's extended the life of the pavement markings by about two to three years.

So that helps prevent from the snow plows scraping off the pavement or just general tire traffic over the top of them.

So that has been a good um preventive strategy.

Saves money and saves, I guess, all that paint and marking stuff too, which is better for sustainability.

All right, any questions?

The annual thing.

All right, all in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carries.

Item 8.6 is a joint resolution authorizing an agreement with Civil Tech Engineering Inc.

uh, Itasca, Illinois, to provide combined phase one and phase two professional engineering services for intersection improvements at Darrell Road and Roberts Road at a maximum cost of $1,517,304 and 53 cents, and appropriating $1,822,000 of motor fuel tax funds.

Can I get a motion second?

Motion by Wasick, second by Hunter.

So this is a project that we're looking to improve the intersection.

It's signalized currently, it was signalized around 20 years ago.

So some sort of improvements needed.

We hired Civil Tech previously to do a feasibility study to determine what would be uh a good improvement.

They came back with the recommendation that a roundabout would be the optimum improvement.

So that's what we're carrying forward into phase one and phase two design.

Uh a big part of the phase one engineering will be the public outreach.

So that's what we'll vet this option and confirm it is still preferred.

Uh we're also going to use this opportunity to connect up some of the neighborhoods in the area with non-motorized facilities.

There is some connections in the forest preserve.

You see, you see there to the south, the Fox River Forest Preserve, and then there's a uh a regional path along Port Barrington Road that goes into McHenry County.

So we'll look to connect those up with the neighborhoods, and you can see the green lines kind of indicate the the limits of where those improvements are being considered.

Um we'll carry this forward through phase two engineering and then uh out to construction in the next couple of years.

All right, so this will be for like design and all that things.

Member Wasick.

Uh she is there gotta get you off the oh sorry.

I'm gonna get you off the map for a little bit.

Uh is there a trail that goes through the Fox River Preserve that goes along Roberts Road that you're trying to connect to?

Kevin, can you speak to that, please?

Yes.

Or remember me.

Yeah, I'm looking at the map right now.

So Kevin Carrier, assistant county engineer with Lake County DOT.

Um, yeah, I can show you the map.

There is a trail that goes through um the Fox River Forest Preserve.

Um it doesn't look like it connects up regionally, but it kind of goes through that preserve um uh around the river and the lake.

But it doesn't go south along Roberts, it just goes in the preserve and kind of stops, right?

Correct, yeah.

Yep.

I think looks like there's access to the river there too.

And then goes up to the roundabout river at Roberts there.

Thank you.

Vice Chair.

Yeah, I can have my questions.

No, I've I've done that on the bike.

You can do it.

I wouldn't do little kids, there's not that much.

No, that there's one that goes through um up along the creek.

I think it's Flint Creek for a bit, but then you need to turn around.

Um, but I was just gonna say um I'm glad because I don't think it's it's been a harder area to to get some connections out there.

And in fact, at one point with the forest preserve, um, the villages out there with the trail system specifically said we want no bikes on the trail system out there.

Yep.

So um that has gotten changed in the last couple years, but the whole big connection, they were like, we don't want bikes going through here.

So um, so I'm glad that there's these um greater connections.

Um I was wondering um Shane, is this going to be do you know at this point?

Is it gonna be a one-lane or a two-lane?

Um we're pretty confident it'll be one lane based on the traffic volumes.

And I was just surprised that given um those acute angles that you could actually do a roundabout in there that they're not gonna you know jam up on one.

I mean, you know I'm a big fan, but I was just surprised with that that southeast quadrant that's pretty acute right there.

Yeah, so we'll we'll we'll work through the geometry, but likely we'll do some kind of localized um reconfiguration to kind of bring those closer to 90 degrees.

Great.

That was gonna be my question.

So you've already uh I got that.

All right, well, great.

So the right now it's gonna be design, public outreach.

Correct.

And then then um, and then incorporating that and then coming back for so it'll be ready to go after it's all designed.

The next action will likely be um a land acquisition um resolution in in a couple of years after we get through public involvement and then have the design far enough along to understand fully what those impacts will be.

So it's still gonna be a couple years before this improvement.

Okay, yes.

Good to know.

All right.

Any other questions?

All right, all in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carries.

Item 8.7 is a joint resolution authorizing an agreement with Alfred Bench and Company, Chicago, Illinois, for phase three professional construction engineering services for the rehabilitation of the Dilly's Road Bridge over Mill Creek at a maximum cost of 214,670 dollars and appropriating 258,000 of matching tax funds.

Can I get a motion in a second?

Motion by Wasick, second by Kasvin.

So you may recall we brought this item um for the award of the construction contract a month or two ago.

Now we're bringing um the engineering contract that'll oversee uh the construction in the field, similar to the last uh the item couple uh the a few items ago um with uh the resurfacing project.

This is same same concept.

We have an engineering firm that's a consultant that oversee construction to make sure everything is um put in place in conformance with plans and specifications.

So because we can't we don't have the key ability to do this in-house right now, we don't have the capacity, so we've got the consultants to do this part of that.

Correct.

Okay, vice chair.

Thank you.

So this is just a rehab, it's not a new bridge.

It's a partial new bridge.

This is uh replacing the deck.

Okay.

So is it is there the capacity for pedestrians slash non-motorized, or is there right now?

I don't know this bridge right here.

There are wide shoulders right now, but we did look at that.

And we think in the future, if there is a path that's constructed along one side or the other, probably um an independent bridge for the pedestrian would be the best cased here.

Okay.

Um, you know, potentially it could be uh put on the side.

Cantilevered yes, onto the bridge.

Okay, but uh at this point we're not sure what side it would be would be best.

So are the pieces and place that we wouldn't keep this an option of.

Yeah, that was thought of throughout the design process.

Great, thank you.

Yep.

Well, that is good.

Yeah.

All right, any other questions?

All right, all in favor.

Any opposed motion carries.

I am 8.8 is a joint resolution appropriating nine million six hundred thousand dollars of motor fuel tax funds for the acquisition of necessary right of way by agreement or condemnation and other right-of-way costs associated with the realignment of Cedar Lake Road from Hart Road to Nipper Sink Road.

Can I get a motion?

Uh second motion by Wasick, second by Hunter.

So um we're at the point with Cedar Lake Road that we need to begin land acquisition.

And just a quick recap on this project.

Um we're realigning Cedar Lake Road in downtown Round Lake.

The new alignment you can see there is kind of that curve piece that goes south of the metro station and then continues to line up with uh Cedar Lake Road going south of Nipper Sync.

We're also going to be improving the metro station.

We'll be reconfiguring the parking lots to make it easier for people using the train to park and get on the platform.

Currently, they have to cross a busy street, and a lot of them are walking right down the tracks to get on the platform because that's kind of the fastest way, unfortunately.

We'll be installing new platforms.

We'll be making it easier for bus drop-off.

And then the new alignment that Cedar Lake Road will be set on, will go through the downtown district, and the village intends to provide new commercial and business development along that corridor.

So they're very excited about the project.

A couple interesting things happening.

We have a large federal grant for this project.

It's about a $19 million raise grant.

Those funds need to be obligated by September of 2028, or we risk losing them.

So we've got about two years to get land acquisition done and get the project out to bid.

So along with the appropriation here today, this will allow us to begin making offers to the property owners.

We're concurrently working with IDOT to execute an agreement that'll allow us to use $4 million in federal funds to help cover the cost of the right-of-way acquisition.

And then we've also sent a letter to IDOT to ask them if we can use Quick Take Authority, IDOT quick take authority to secure land as a last resort.

So all of the right-of-way adjacent to 134 will need to be acquired in the name of the state.

So they may need to use Quick Take Authority for $134.

We're asking them to use it on portions of the county highway if needed, because if we don't acquire the right-of-way in time, we could risk losing that $19 million in federal funding.

So at some future date in a month or two, we'll be coming back with an IDOT agreement to use federal funding and also memorializing the Quick Tick Authority if IDAT does agree to do that for us.

It is a large amount of money.

Now 70% of that is village property that we'll be acquiring through the new right-of-way alignment, and the village is in strong support of that.

There'll be seven total property displacements.

So those are going to be businesses and one uh single family resident that will have to be completely uh relocated.

Um there's a total of 94 impacted parcels.

63 of those will have some sort of right-of-way take.

Um so I think I said there's 29 total acres of impact, 10 acres of that will be uh or 10 acres of the 29 is formal right-of-way take, and 70% of that is village property.

So that's a few statistics on just the complexity of the acquisition.

Ohseck, because I think this is your discussion.

Please remind me the quick tick, did you say?

It's quick take authority.

So that's state state law that grants IDOT the ability to take position, take possession of property uh prior to a final settlement of the fair market value that that there the two parties are gonna agree to.

So we'll we'll proceed as normal to start, you know, we'll have estimates prepared by land appraisers, we'll make those offers to the property owners, and there's typically some sort of negotiation that goes back and forth.

Um if we can't reach a negotiation uh negotiated price, then IDOT could step in and use quick take authority to acquire a deed to the property, and then that would allow us to continue with the project.

But after that time, the negotiations would still continue and usually through the court system, and then a judge would be involved to determine that final fair price.

Okay.

So ultimately, everyone, you know, is still compensated at a fair value that's agreed to, but a portion of that process could take place after we acquire the land and continue with the project.

Um, with 94 parcels involved.

Um, with 94 parcels involved, I mean, there is a chance that there could be just one parcel that would hold up the whole project, and then we would risk losing the 19 million dollars in funding.

So that's why we're you know suggesting we move in this in this fashion.

So is QuickTick the same thing legally as eminent domain?

It's it's very similar, it just uh expedites a portion of it.

It allows you to take possession of the land before that final price is agreed to.

So it just gives you a deed, but you still have to arrive at the selling price, right?

And it's and that process is overseen by the by the courts.

It's an interim stem.

It's an interim stem.

Okay, and some time ago we talked about moving the Metro station.

Is that still going to move or is that not in the planning now?

We're still moving the platforms and we're um preparing new um warming shelters.

And uh I believe the existing um station houses being removed as well.

And is that up to Metro and they have the funding for it, or do we have to get more funding for that?

Metro is contributing a portion of the funding along with the village.

Ultimately, it's the village of Round Lake that makes the decision on what they want the station house to be because the village owns the parking lot and the station house, and Metro owns the platforms.

But it's not a process where we have to go back to uh the state or Metro and say, hey, we need another 20 million dollars for this, or correct.

That's all included uh and everything we've been planning for.

So Metro has dedicated funding to the project, and then the village is also contributing a pretty significant amount as well.

Okay, thank you.

Thanks, Jeremy.

Well, this is really exciting, and it's something that's been talked about for a long time.

And I know there have been bits and pieces done at times that made this more difficult to get to this this movement through some other piecemeal changes had been done that made this very difficult.

So it's really great that you were able to get this all get this all worked out.

I was just curious at the south uh southwest intersection there of Nipper Sink and Cedar Lake.

It looks like you're putting um along Nipper Sink, a little trail section, but I don't understand what that's connecting to because I don't think that they're on the on the south side of the road.

I don't think there's any forest preserve trail or connection there, it's all on the other side of the road.

Yep.

So that that area is where well, first of all, by the green lines, we're setting the limits, but that does connect on the east side all the way down into the forest preserve uh right, because there's there's the trail that heads out to Cedar Lake and goes under, right?

But I'm saying if you head north on Cedar Lake and then you're heading west on Nipper Sink, there's no trail system there.

Yeah, Kevin, you want to talk about the trail?

Yeah, Kevin Carrier, assistant county engineer.

Um so those the green line in the south, yeah.

Uh member main is just a sidewalk.

There's some there's a couple houses there.

Oh, the village is considered in a sidewalk just to connect people up to the main line trunk line.

All right, and then the north one will connect.

I think there's existing village sidewalk.

Do you hate to have people ride up and then be dumping them into the street where they think that they can get somewhere in the city?

Yeah, so it's really just a sidewalk to get those people on the south side over to the main line right now.

Got it.

Yep.

Thank you.

Yep.

Yeah.

Just one last question, Shane.

I don't see a delineation for the millennium trail that would come down Cedar Lake.

Where would that be on the west side of the alignment?

So Kevin, you want to talk about that too?

Other can we just show it all the green, I think it's non-motorized, but the the intention on the main line of Cedar Lake Road is to have bike path on one side and sidewalk on the other.

Okay.

So that um segment of the Millennium Trail will get will is still included in this project.

Yep.

It's on um it's on the existing is on the east side of Cedar Lake Road.

Uh and that goes down to 120 and then crosses over to the forest preserve.

So that yeah, that is there.

We're gonna pick that up and we're gonna extend it north through the project limits and then tie into the bike path on Washington Street or the bike lanes there.

So we'll kind of fill in that complete that gap, I guess the way I'm saying it.

Thank you.

Member Hunter.

Thanks, Jerry.

Um, I just want to congratulate you guys.

Like that, I mean, this project has been five years.

I mean, and the community outreach has been wonderful.

The people there are waiting for it, and the governments are are waiting for it.

Uh, it's good.

And and also I think member Wasick, you know this on that metro platform.

Every time a train stops in Round Lake, it shuts down the road.

Yeah, because the train is longer than the station's too close to the road.

So by eliminating that problem is gonna free up downtown huge.

But yeah, every time a train stops there, you're you're 10 minutes as that is across the road.

So there's a lot of issues there that are going to be resolved as a result of this.

So uh it's a great project.

I can't wait to see it get complete.

So thanks.

Yeah, I knew I know.

Dr.

Shannon, I really want to thank you and your staff for working on this.

And also the village around Lake, the our federal you know, representatives.

Like this is such a great example of all these different units of government working together to make such a regional improvement.

I mean, there's so many parts to this plan, and it's so well thought of, which shows all the input we took in.

So I'm really happy, and I really want to thank you for looking keeping an eye on those dates because obviously time is of an essence to make sure we can get this through, and also just because it'll be better to get this project done for the entire region.

I'm with you, Member Rodra.

I can't wait to see this to see the ribbon cutting when we get to that.

And moving the metro stuff.

I know in Libertyville, our train used to do that, and then they moved it down, and it's just like night and day because you don't have to, you know, it's sitting there for like 10 minutes.

So, what would be the completion, like just tentatively?

Are we looking thinking like how many years do you think?

So I would say today it's probably a two to three year project, start to finish, depending on you know what month we actually start in and how much of that first construction season we get.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So okay, maybe like three, four years.

We're targeting September 2028 out to bid.

Okay.

And I know it's gonna happen.

All right.

All right, thank you.

Okay, any of the questions?

All right, all in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carries.

I mean point nine is the um division of transportation annual department update.

All right.

We are excited to tell you a little bit about what we've been doing the last year and kind of what's coming up next.

Um, most of this you you're probably largely aware of.

Um, but we're excited to walk through here.

Uh so department purpose.

I'm not gonna read through all this.

You you know what we do, but um, these are kind of the six uh key areas that we focus in.

Um we've got an excellent staff.

That's the best part of my job is the 130 people uh at the DOT that we get to work with on a on a day-to-day basis.

Um we restructured recently and kind of separated out capital projects and operations, and that's been working excellent for us uh to keep things moving um efficiently.

I think probably one of our biggest struggles right now is um we have five open civil engineering positions that are are uh have been vacant for about six months or so, and we still uh struggle to get candidates to apply.

Um other than that, things are are working extremely well.

Um, a couple key things we've accomplished over the last year.

Our snow and ice season was a little bit above average this past winter.

We had 55 callouts on average, a 10-year average, we get about 50.

We had a little bit above uh average snowfall event.

Um, but what we saw this past winter was a lot of smaller storms, one or two inches or freezing rain, and that caused us to go out more than just the snow total itself.

Uh, it was also a biannual bridge inspection year.

So every two years, our in-house staff completes bridge inspections.

We do that for 70 bridges in Lake County.

That's including the county uh highway bridges, our pedestrian bridges, and then we also inspect the township bridges, and then we use those inspection records to determine what type of improvements might be needed on those bridges.

Annual maintenance.

So just a collage of pictures here to let you know what we're doing every day out in the field.

Uh we're we're mowing the ride away, we're patching potholes, we're pavement patching, we're street sweet uh street sweeping, we're doing drainage improvements, we're doing pavement markings, installing and fabricating new signs, we're doing fleet maintenance on the 700 vehicles in the county fleet.

Um, we're purchasing and building some of our own equipment, and then of course, we're doing uh snow and ice in the winter months, and then the summer months we're preparing for snow and ice.

Uh on the equipment side, you know, every year we're looking to replace vehicles that age out in their life cycle, and we do that based on total cost of ownership and a couple of the larger equipment that we replaced this past year is two sign trucks.

Uh, we use those to maintain traffic signals and things and uh things that are up high off the ground.

Uh, we also use that for tree trimming in the winter months.

Uh, those were delayed by three years, so we just got those in last week.

Um, the vehicle in the top right is a maintainer that goes out and services vehicles that break down in the field.

If a snowplow breaks down, it can go out and service it in the field.

It's uh basically got everything in there that you would need to maintain a vehicle or uh service elements on the on the highway.

It can go out and repair guardrail, there's a welding machine in there, there's a generator, there's a huge hoist.

So we use that on a very frequent basis.

We purchased two new mowers to maintain the right-of-way, a new vector truck to help keep our drainage system clean.

And then at the bottom right, those are attenuator trailers that we pull behind what we call a moving operation.

And those are extremely important from a safety perspective to protect our staff.

In the past year, two of our vehicles were struck from behind.

One hit our street sweeper that was going about 20 miles per hour, sweeping the gutter, and someone plowed into us behind.

And then our cone car that goes out behind our pavement marking operation.

That vehicle is going 15 to 20 miles per hour, and someone came up and struck it from behind at a high rate of speed.

Luckily, no one was hurt, but we are deploying these attenuators into our moving operations on a more frequent basis because of that.

And then on the vehicle side, on the passenger side, we have purchased five new or four new uh electric vehicles and put those in the DOT fleet, two uh SUVs that are used by our construction crews, uh, one uh EV pickup that's being used by our traffic department, and then an EV van that you see there in the bottom left.

That's a Ford Transit electric vehicle that's used for moving materials.

Umway.

You remember that we updated our ordinance this past uh year within the last couple of months, actually.

So that is now uh open for enrollment year-round.

That's a fully digital application.

We've already implemented that.

Uh all that's been codified into chapter 37 of Lake County Code of Ordnance.

The new process is taking one to two weeks from application till we're handing out the the cleanup bags.

So that's been a big success.

The list is active and current on our list, so or on our website right now.

You can see all the available sections, all the sections that have been adopted with the name of the entity that has adopted them.

There's also an interactive map with two colors so you can see which segments are available and which has been adopted.

Um, so we're in the 70-ish percentage ranges for total adopted uh 79% on on the on the roadway system, 71 on the path.

So during COVID, those were in the 90s.

So we'd like to try to get back up to that 90% adopted range.

Um of the things we're doing this year is reporting out on new program requests that we have uh implemented over the last uh few years.

In fiscal year 2025, we had a department reorg.

It was cost neutral, but we made some staffing changes to improve our operations, and those are fully implemented and things have been going very smoothly.

One of the things we did was form a new maintenance crew uh that allows us to repair the storm sewer structures, and that's what you see happening in those two pictures.

Underneath one of those grates you see in the roadway is a drainage structure, and we didn't have the staff uh to keep up with all those repairs.

And if you don't repair them, then you ultimately just have to replace the structure.

But because we have this new crew, uh last year we were able to repair 80 different structures before they required uh total replacement, which ends up being a cost savings in the long run.

Uh we also modified um the way our org chart is handled through our design engineers, and we created some additional positions that will allow staff to move up in their career career path and become a manager and then ultimately a supervisor of a certain function.

And we had a good success story with that after we implemented this uh process.

One of our principal engineers moved up into a manager role.

He served in that role for over uh well, about 12 to 18 months, and then one of our supervisor roles opened up due to retirement, and then that person was able to move into that role.

So it's really worked well for us to help train people for these larger management management roles and also give them incentive to uh continue to develop their career here at Lake County.

Just a few key accomplishments.

Um Deerfield Road Corridor is something we'll be talking about in detail next week at committee, but we did receive over the last 12 months an additional 4.9 million dollars in federal funding.

That brings our total up to 29 million dollars in federal funding for that project.

So that's a that's a huge project that we've been working on for a very long time that we're gonna report out in detail next week.

We also completed the highway uh safety action plan.

We did that in concert with CMAP and all the other collar counties.

So now we have a Lake County safety action plan that identified the high injury network.

So that's a small percentage, about 7% of the roadway miles in Lake County where the large majority of the accidents are occurring.

And we were using that information to plan future projects, and that data is available for any other entity in Lake County, a municipality or a township that wants to use this plan to apply for federal grants, and they're eligible to apply for federal grants because we have this report prepared.

Um we also delivered our 2025 construction program.

Um I've got a few examples on the next slide of those, but that was 24 projects valued at about 100 million dollars.

And some of those highlights are here.

Uh we wrapped up the Illinois 59 and Grand Avenue intersection improvement, Miller at 12, Winchester at 83, Wadsworth at Lewis.

Uh we paved the Robert McClurry bike path.

That was 12 miles of paving, and I can tell you anecdotally just from being out there and looking around.

There's a lot more activity on that path.

Uh I think people are taking um advantage of that and getting out with um with bikes and using the trail.

So that's great to see.

Um projects that we received awards on uh Deerfield Road concrete patching.

So not super exciting, but uh a little techie.

We put in basically think of like a hockey puck.

We put a hockey puck with a lot of sensors into the concrete when we poured it, and that device could tell us how strong the concrete was.

So over time, as you after you pour concrete, it has to cure and um it has to reach a certain strength before you can put traffic on it.

And the traditional way of knowing that is you you take a core of concrete out after a certain number of days, and you bring it back to our lab and you test it to see how strong it is.

And if it's a certain strength, then you can open it up to live traffic.

This device gave us real-time information, so you could see the strength of the concrete by the second.

And as soon as the strength was reached, we were able to open it to live traffic.

And we did use some different concrete mix that was a high uh high achieving concrete, and it achieved its strength in about six hours.

So normally that road would have been closed for seven days.

Um we were able to open it the next day.

So this received a national award for that technical innovation.

So a minor detail, but kind of a cool thing.

So we'll evaluate that for future application.

And then the Dero Road roundabouts.

I've mentioned this previously, but we did construct three new roundabouts of the Darrow Road Corridor, and um that received uh a national uh institute of transportation engineers corridor of the year project.

Things we're looking forward to over the next year or so.

So we've got our 2026 construction program underway right now.

That's 30 projects uh at about 98 million dollars in value.

Uh we've completed our draft update for our next five-year plan.

We're planning to present that next week at committee.

Uh we've been keeping you informed on the status and progress of our envisioned 2050 long range plan, and that's moving forward.

One thing we haven't talked a lot about, but that we are working on in the background is our DOT facility replacement feasibility and space needs.

So we've been going back and forth with an architect and our in and then Lake County Facilities Department for about the last 18 months.

We're getting close to having a draft that we'll be ready to share.

Then we can all review that together and determine if that's something we want to advance into design.

And then a few of the highlights that we have on the construction side.

Um hunt club at Washington, that's underway and hopefully wrapping up in the next couple of months.

Arlington Heights Road should be largely complete in the next two months.

Deep Lake Road at Depot Street, that's a new roundabout that's just getting started, and we'll take the rest of this year.

We've got two roundabouts that are under construction on Russell Road, Washington and 21 will be in safety improvement that we'll be bringing for um award in the next month or two.

The Dillies Road Bridge we just talked about, Butterfield Road Bike Path is something we've been working on for the last couple of years between Greg's Parkway and Gulf Road.

That is on the June letting, and we'll be bringing that for a contract award in the next month or so.

Uh Robert McClory bike path.

I mentioned the 12 miles of paving that we've already done.

Now we're coming back to look at three crossings along busy roads.

We're gonna improve the uh pedestrian crossing on the highway system.

Uh Washington Street bike path or and sidewalk, that's underway, and that should be wrapped up the next month or two.

Um Deerfield Road Corridor Improvements, we'll be talking about that in detail next week.

And then for the full list of uh all the projects, those are available on our website.

There's an interactive map.

If you click on one of those little segments, it gives you information about the status, completion time frame, and most of the larger ones have a dedicated link that goes to a project specific website.

And that's the quick rundown for the DOT.

Happy to um take any questions.

Um so the civil engineers that you're having trouble recruiting for, do you know why that is?

I mean, we have suspicions, but we're we're vetting out a few options right now with with HR.

We're trying to make our um advertisement, you know, um a little bit more appealing and talk more about all the different opportunities that are available if they choose to come work for us and the variety of tasks they can complete and try to make that more of a marketing piece and an attention grabber.

So that's something that we're working on right now.

Um but there is a lot of competition in the market for new grads or or folks with experience.

It's a challenge, it's not unique to us, you know, in Lake County.

I'd just be interested to know.

I mean, if there's anything we can do.

Um the other thing is um the re-org.

Have you found is it too soon to tell, or have you found that that will be an element that will help you retain staff?

We we think it definitely will be an element that will help us retain because um we've got opportunities very early in someone's career to move through basically three steps, but then after that, unless someone retires, there's not a lot of additional opportunities.

So this change does allow people to move up, take on additional responsibility, try out a management role to see if that's something they enjoy, and then potentially move up even further in the organization.

So we view it very positively, and we've heard good feedback from staff on that.

All right, I just appreciate your willingness to look at that from the ground up and um make the innovations.

Thank you.

Member Wasick, thank you.

And Shane, piggybacking on Chris's question about filling those five positions.

Have you changed your recruitment um methods at all?

I mean, are you going into engineering schools or working with CLC?

I know um you're present at the workforce development fairs, but are you doing anything different?

I mean, it's a such a competitive market.

I mean, if I run into a young person said they're studying engineering, it's like have you considered civil engineering as a career?

Yeah.

Um we we have, you know, we do try to get our name out to college campuses, and when they have career uh fairs, we we s submit our information to them.

Uh we are investigating actually going physically to some career fairs in the area.

Yeah, um, outside of CLC, we haven't done that much, but that is something that we're considering doing over the next year.

I mean, that's there's so many opportunities out there, and and there's just such a lack of civil engineering graduates.

And I I would think that you know what we have to offer is is something that's really appealing, and we have a great staff, so who wouldn't want to join?

Yeah, it's really just getting that awareness out.

Like, I don't think a lot of college kids know that maybe there even is a county that has engineering jobs.

So, like, how do you get the word out?

And so um, word of mouth is huge, so pass it on.

Okay, thank you.

Yeah, yeah.

And I as someone who works at a college, I think going if you can go and talk to the students.

I think I know I've seen my students go to career fairs at our college, and then you know, that's where they they literally they like the person, they applied and got the job, and it's all because they met the person at the career fair.

I think especially now where applying for jobs can seem like online so disconnected with like AI and everything for my students, at least getting to see somebody makes all the difference.

So, whatever we can do to help make that happen.

And you've got a good internship program, too, right?

So, like you're doing you got all that going on.

Yep.

The intern started last week, and we've got another good batch, and a couple of them are repeaters, so that's that's good.

Yeah, it's a good sign.

I had one question.

So I thank you for the bike path.

I know I want to thank you and your staff, the state's attorney's office, everyone for not ever giving up on the bike path on Butterfield Road.

I know for it's gonna be a huge safety improvement for the region where we live between connecting Vernon Hills and Libertyville, it's gonna make it so much safer.

It's gonna be so many happy people, and I'm so glad it's gonna be let and it's gonna be built this year.

That's right, it's gonna happen.

Okay, that's great.

And then is there any update on the because I've been getting a lot of questions about the Patriot path.

People are like, when can I ride my bike to Independence Grove?

Um, do you know?

Because they live like right across from Independence Grove and they can't get there, but they will once the patriot path comes.

Is there any update?

So both stage one and stage four, which are the western and eastern uh uh limits, excuse me, both of those are in land acquisition.

So there's a number of parcels.

I I can't remember the exact total, but I think it's around a hundred.

Okay, that will need to acquire some interest in um easements and things like that before we can go to out to be.

So we're talking like years.

Hopefully, we saw what happened on Butterfield.

Hopefully, you know, one or two years, but it's really, you know, how long it takes to negotiate all those parcels.

Okay.

The design is done, the approvals are there.

We just need to get the rest of the land.

Yep.

All right.

And then um, for your space needs, are you when you're looking over the overall space needs?

Is that for your for the staff inside, or is this like for equipment?

Because I know we looked at storage of equipment also.

Is it both or just one?

For the feasibility study, we're looking at both.

Okay.

We started out looking at equipment and then you know, we got feedback from the architect that said, you know, your whole building's from the 1950s.

Yeah, you know, you should at least look at it and see what makes sense.

So we're looking at it, but we haven't made any decisions about what you know we should or shouldn't do yet.

Well, it makes sense to look at it all since it's all one thing.

Thank you.

Do you have a yes vice chair me?

Yeah, I just wanted to say it's really important for us.

Uh I say this all the time for us as board members, looking at our districts in the unincorporated area, but also really paying attention to development that's occurring in our villages to look for these opportunities to secure easements.

There is uh property on 137, and they needed something else done.

This is about 15 years ago.

And I went to PB and ZA said, Oh, get a bike easement there.

They're like, this never happening.

I said, get a bike easement there.

So there is one fewer property that you need to get that from because when they needed something else, and like secure that now.

So uh it seems piecemeal, and it often is piecemeal, but you've got your your your toe in the ground there if you start connecting these things.

And it is on the correct side of the road, by the way.

Thank you.

Member Kasman.

I was gonna wait till member remarks, but I just want to thank you.

Um, both um all of you uh at LCDOT for working so patiently with my community members on a number of different projects now.

Um we've had you know, people at times upset, um worried about how improvements were gonna affect their neighborhoods, and each time we've been able to um hammer down sort of exactly what was what they were worried about.

You guys have taken that list and have painstakingly worked through to see what you could accommodate, and you're able then to demonstrate to the community members um what you've done to accommodate their requests, and I think that is a level of dedication, and frankly, um it shows a desire to live harmoniously with our communities.

It it shows a care for the people who live here, and I just want everybody to know out there and you know, the the millions of people watch our PWT meetings, um, just how you all go above and beyond to demonstrate your willingness to take in feedback.

Um, and then you follow up, you deliver, and it builds trust with our community between our community members and the county government.

And I think um I wish uh every entity of government were as um responsive as you.

So thank you.

Thank you very much.

And congratulations again on your awards.

I think that shows the innovation that we have here at Lake County and going with our strategic plan of being true national leaders.

So well done.

So thank you.

All right, any other questions?

All right, thank you very much.

All right, on to public works.

Item 8.10 is a joint resolution authorizing execution of a contract with Burger Contractors Inc.

of Wakanda, Illinois, in the amount of 2,226,344 and 85 cents for the countryside manor water main replacement phase two project.

Can I get a motion in a second?

Motion by Kasmin, second by Hunter.

Good morning.

Good morning, Chair.

Uh committee members Austin McFarland, public works director.

I have Emily Carey joining me this morning, the assistant director.

Good morning.

So this is uh phase two of this uh water main replacement project in the countryside manner.

The phase one project was completed last year.

Um what the department is doing is targeting those communities throughout our 12 water system where we've had a number of main brakes, and in addition to that, where we have some H bipes.

So the goal here is to remove the H bipes from this section of this community and also reduce the service disruptions that come along with main brakes.

So the bid from burger uh contractor was selected.

The project is within budget and is included in our department's CIP, and I recommend approval.

Thank you.

Yeah, it's good to see um this project.

I know it's a big project.

Is there going to be a lot of, I assume, like outreach to the neighbors and because I you know, just to let them know like the time frame and everything.

Fortunately, we had a meeting with them about uh a month ago or so, and so we shared some of that, and prior to that we have been working with them so the neighbors are fully aware of the um community association group are very engaged in what we're doing, and we've been we've kept them informed as to every stage of this uh project.

All right, well, good member hunter.

Thanks, Chair.

Is this project?

Is there any lead lines in here that we're replacing, or is this post-lead line?

No, there's no lead lines in this.

We did go through all of our systems, and we only discovered lead line in one of our water system, and that piece of uh service lines has been removed.

Okay, thanks.

Yeah, I'm gonna see this.

Obviously, water service is very important.

So glad to see this project.

Any other questions?

All right, all in favor?

Aye, any opposed?

Motion carries.

Item 8.11 is a joint resolution authorizing execution of a contract with Morrow Sewer Construction of Des Plains, Illinois, and the amount of $2,118,943 for the Dating Decker water main replacement project.

Can I get a motion and second?

Motion by Casman, second by Hunter.

So Daty Decker is one of the many areas in the wildwood water system that has H pipes, and certainly is one of the concerns for this department.

Keeps me up at night sometimes because of the challenges associated with this section of town.

As you look at that section that goes across Lakeshore Drive, there are portions of the water main that's under the lake and it's old.

Um the concern is that if we have a break in any of those two sections on the water, it would be a total nightmare for us to repair that.

So we're fortunate to have received approximately one million dollars in community project funding for this project, and that's courtesy of Congressman Brad Schneider.

This will allow us to go in and remedy that situation.

Hopefully, I can have some restful night after this project is completed.

Um it will be supplemented from the department's um approved contingency fund to fully supported project, and I recommend approval.

Yeah, it does make you wonder what people were thinking sometimes in the past.

Member Hunter.

Thanks.

This is a perfect application for a situation.

Yes, because we did this.

There's in Fox Lake from one end of Fox Lake to the other, there is a similar pipe that runs and it's from connects because it was easier to then go on up the hill, down the hill.

It was done decades ago.

And so, yeah, there's a half a mile of that underneath the chain of legs, and that product worked great.

Thank you for saying that because that's exactly what we're gonna be doing with this section.

It worked, it worked great.

You will be live.

Yeah, it would be lined.

Yeah, sleeping is good, yes.

Let's get to now.

Member Kasbin.

Yeah, I want to thank you for this project.

Um, for those of you aren't who aren't familiar with this area, it it developed uh organically a long, long time before the surrounding areas because it developed around the lake.

And so um, I was talking to the highway commissioner, they only took over the roads in like 2018, and a lot of them were dirt roads.

So um it's a big deal to replace this water main.

I appreciate all of the time and sweat and probably tears that have gone into this.

Um, all of the infrastructure is sort of you know um organic.

It sort of just kind of grew as it needed.

There wasn't like a grand plan for like the way it just it happened, you know.

Um did we install those original pipes, or was that something that was local or um like that?

Yeah, I believe in talking to the project manager, those probably were original from around 73, 1973 or so.

So, and we can't find some of the core details information on it.

So we're hoping as we go into the to some of these areas, we don't encounter any more problems.

You might have some surprises.

I'm just it passed his prologue.

Yeah.

Most of the roads you're there do not have ditches.

They're just so when something floods, it floods everywhere.

It's just not a particular area.

Um there was not that great.

It's very unusual.

You have to go through it and see it.

And I know there's some intersections where the property for the lot for that home is in the middle of the road.

And that's one of the reasons why we it's very difficult.

I don't remember.

Um they put the water and to everything through there.

I think that was before my time.

Yeah, as I said, you know, we when we look back at the plan, this from around 73 when the the this was constructed.

I can go back to the 70s, and some of that was still there.

So it's how important permits are like like having permits and having a process.

But I can tell you that there was um some of the deeds for some of the homes in that area said that uh you couldn't be Protestant, you couldn't be this, you couldn't be that they were like you couldn't have an outhouse, you couldn't have there was all kinds of you couldn't have those things because it was all summer cottages when they were put in.

And some of those details were just mind-blowing.

Yeah, because you just don't see something like that anymore.

Which is good, yes.

Um restrictive covenants.

Yeah, this wrap up.

Yeah, you go.

So I I've seen pictures from when it was first developed, and it really just did happen.

And I I really appreciate how over time you're working to bring this sort of um circuitous mass of um homes um into a place where they can have dependable secure water and sewer service.

I I really I appreciate all the effort that that's gone into it because it's absolutely it's noticed and appreciated.

Thank you.

I hate to even yeah, I won't ask about the sewers.

I assume they have sewers here.

Yeah, I think both all of these sewers in the area goes right to our interceptor, and and all the sewer in this community is treated at the North Shore Sanitors or good treatment plan.

I'm just glad that's a that's good.

All right, well, I think it's just how important access to water again and clean water is and I'm and we think Congressman Schneider's office, you know, and it's a really good partnership getting these grants and I mean providing this essential service to this area.

And so when is this?

Um I should have looked.

When is when will this be completed?

I believe we're getting ready for the summer, right?

So the summer?

Okay, right.

This summer.

Yes, and then we'll all sleep better once this is done.

There's like a list of things we're like, okay, this is done, we'll sleep better.

That's the goal.

Yes.

All right, thank you.

Any other questions?

All right, all in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carries.

Item 8.12 is a joint resolution authorizing a contract contract with matrix imaging solutions LLC of Coppel, Texas for printing and mailing of utility bills for the Lake County Department of Public Works in the estimated annual amount of 144,910.

Can I get a motion?

Motion by Hunter, second by Casbin.

So the department uses an outside vendor for all bill printing and mailing and um as well as some late notices.

Uh this impacts our retail water and sewer customers.

It should be noted that we do have um our system in place that does provide electronic mail-in, but there are still a good portion of our customers who want that paper copy in their ads.

So Matrix Imogen was the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, and I recommend approval.

Do you know do we have any kind of outreach like on the envelopes or anything to like encourage people to sign up to to make sure they know how to do it?

Absolutely.

As opposed uh as a matter of fact, I believe we've seen an increase with the new my meter software in place that does consolidate those two individual system that we have.

We've seen an uptick in people going and using that services a little more.

But again, you still have those folks who prefer to have.

Some people like paper.

Umber Hunter.

Thanks, Jerry.

Huge believer of this.

That this is great.

I mean, that's this is a manpower nightmare.

I mean, it truly is, and it's another FTE.

My question is who's the company that's doing it right now?

Data pros, I believe they are still part of this matrix overall.

Right.

So all right, because that can always be kind of funky.

That was a worry of changing databases and things like that.

Yeah.

And you want a better way to really tick off our residents.

That's the way to do it.

And it's amazing how many people still use the envelope.

I always wanted to get rid of the envelope, the return envelope, and they kept every vendor will tell you don't do it.

Don't do it because there are still a ton of people that use those.

Absolutely.

Thanks.

All right.

Any other questions?

All right.

All in favor?

Motion.

Any opposed motion carries.

Item 8.13 is our public works annual update.

All right, so you're getting DOT and public works on the same day.

So we're looking celebration.

It's a celebration.

So we're gonna do our best to keep you entertained.

So we'll always do uh we'll start by just letting you know that's this is the annual update for public works.

Uh gee, I forgot we have a uh just briefly want to cover just a few items with you on this update.

We'll look at the actions, the FY25 actions and projects.

Um we'll also look at the F the 2025 intergovernmental agreements, and we'll take a sneak peek at the actions and projects for FY26.

25 was a very, very busy um year for the department.

We add over 25 projects to manage.

Uh, of course, the White Dare run was one of the bigger ones that we had for the year.

This project, um, the goal here was to provide and still is to provide resiliency to the water system with Vernon Hills being our largest water system.

And when we talk about water resiliency, we're talking about having the ability to provide water service to our customers despite losing services from our main provider, and having the ability to do so for more than a week.

So we started this project for water resiliency for this system, and just as just as a note, we're doing it for all of our water system, looking at resiliency.

Um, so the first phase one of this project was to secure an interconnection with the village of Lincolnshire that was completed.

Phase two was to build this two million gallon water reservoir for the system.

Phase three is a another interconnection that we're seeking to bring online with the village of Buffalo Grove.

That's on the way, and the last phase of this hopefully that will give us the the level of resiliency that we're looking for is to ask selected wells scattered throughout the system at strategic point that will give us the big push that we need.

So we're excited about this one coming online, and we're working out and targeting those other two um goals.

Similar to the Vernon Hills project, Gage's Lake is our second largest water system.

Again, we're looking to ensure that we have resiliency water for more than a week if we lose CLC Java service.

Um ironically, a few weeks ago we did lose clockjaw with service, and we were excited that this tower kicked on provided water service to our customers, no interruption, no one knew what was going on, and it was just beautiful to watch it work.

So we're excited about that.

Um this was phase one of the Wildwood resiliency project.

Phase two is again to look at the opportunity to bring in some shallow wells in and around the system to support that effort.

This was a fun project.

The c the cover in of our clarifiers at our treatment plant, each plant does have a series of clarifiers, and I I want to thank Matt Myers uh for his input and guidance in this one.

These clarifiers are these round um tanks that are used to treat the water after the biological process.

The water enters these round basins or tanks, and the solid settles at the bottom, the clear supranate stays at the top, and then it goes over into these little channels, and then before it goes to tertiary treatment in the summer uh when it's warm, the clear suprinate is just loaded with nutrients.

And our good little friends, the algae love that they're in paradise when this when it gets warm, and they grow exponentially in this clear suprinate to the point where they become a problem for our operations as well as equipment.

You'll need at least an operator at each of these stations on a daily basis in the summer, just removing pounds of algae just to keep the operations moving.

So this white material that you see, circular material that you see at the top is the cover for this clarifier.

It blocks sunlight, the algae from receiving sunlight, which it does need to grow and reproduce.

And this starvation has certainly helped.

And it's a beauty now to go to any of these, pop onto those lids, and you see it's nice and clear.

No algae growth, especially this time of the year when summer is started, and all the operators now will be able to take that person and move them somewhere else in a facility to do work and not have to worry about the algae burden.

And ironically, this is an ARPA project, and it's fully completed at all the plants.

The precarious system, another ARPA project is fully completed.

We're excited about that.

Our customers in the Baccaria subdivision have been receiving Lake Michigan water since January.

No major complaints.

We're still working through the IEPA concerns, making sure that everything that they required of us is being done.

That's been done so far.

The testing just to ensure that there is no negative impact from the change in water source are still ongoing, and all the results point to no negative impact from the lead from elevated lead in any of our customers.

So this has been a success so far, and we're excited to see that this particular project is completed, and we're moving forward with servicing our customers.

Just going back to what we talked about, the the water main projects that we've looked at last year.

Again, the goal is to get after those H pipes and to limit the service interruption that customers get as a result of main breaks.

This neck of the woods and wild woods have been a problem for us, more main breaks than probably any other areas that we've had in our 12 water system.

And so it was great to see us having the ability to get after these sections of pipes in the wildwood area and to replace these problematic pipes.

And hopefully the number of main breaks on our uh for operate our maintenance team will be reduced.

So this particular project is completed.

We talked earlier today about countryside manor phase one, phase two.

This is phase two that was completed again.

Not as many main breaks as we saw in the wildwood water system, but a fair amount.

And again, the same H pipes.

Again, the goal is to get rid of these H pipes to minimize the disruption and to ensure that our customers receive continuous uninterrupted service.

So this project was completed, and we were excited about the engagement that we received from our customers from our customers in the area.

Another ARPA project, the Mel Creek UV installation is fully completed.

The Mill Creek plant does have will add a UV system in place from the very onset, but that UV system is aged, old, can't get parts for it.

So with this ARPA funding, we were able to secure a new UV system.

The picture that you're looking here is the vendor just given some training to the team to bring them up to speed and full on operation.

So all the numbers so far has been fantastic, no violations.

We have uh well below and beyond the uh permit limit for E.

coli and fecal colifore monitoring.

So we're excited about that.

In addition to getting good kill on the bacteriological, we're also uh getting some good better energy efficiency out of this unit as well.

So that's been a great investment for the department.

Want to talk a little bit about the intergovernmental agreements.

These, you know, you can have agreements that can take you know two to three months, and you can wrap it up, nail it down, and you're good to go.

And then you have those that can take several years to get completed.

And so um grateful to our municipal partners for working with us last year to get these ironed out, as well as Steve Rice from the States Attorney's Office and Vic Filippini for coming alongside of us and working with our staff to get these critical um agreements completed.

As you may recall, we talked about the fact that as part of the USCPA pre-treatment program, we must submit as many of our wholesale IGAs to them as uh as possible.

So we're glad that we've got some done last year.

We're working to get some done this year.

So kudos to staff for the work done and getting these problematic and uh sometime tricky agreements done and getting them off to this to get them off and done, and we'll be available for shipment and delivery to the state.

Just a quick summary of what we're doing for 26.

The Antioch Sanitary Sewers project is still ongoing.

It's an APRA project.

That one, uh the target there for that funding is to get the design engineering completed.

I would say most of that will be done by the fall of this year.

One of the things that we have tasked the engineers with is to, because this is such a large project, is that can we get it down into bite sizes that will be practical for the department?

And so they're looking at moving these into small phases that will be manageable.

We're excited about that, and we'll have a chance to come back and share that with you at a later day.

The West Pumping Station is something that we brought to your attention um earlier, early last year.

That is a big project for us this year.

The new Central Town treatment plant is serviced by two large pumping stations, one on the east, which is on Milwaukee Avenue, and this one on the west, which is over by the Deer Park, Deer Pat area.

We are we have a couple pipes in this two 16-inch pipes in this system that are pretty much close to capacity.

And so the goal is to install new pipes that will raise the the service level of the of that area.

Most of the flows from the mall area goes to this pipe.

So we're just concerned that if we don't do this on a timely basis, if we have large rain events, we may have some problems with this.

So we're excited about this project, and I would say we're past 50% in this.

So we're we're on track with this one.

So this is a very important project for the department.

The countryside lake consolidation.

Um the department does own the countryside lake water system, the Forest Lake Water System, the Althorne Woods Glenshire Water System, and the goal here is to consolidate all three of those into one system.

This will reduce the operation burden, the EPA tasking, and the monitoring.

This will be a great project for us.

There are two phases to this project.

Phase one will bring all three systems on their well water usage.

There's there are four wells in the countryside lake system.

We're looking to add a fifth well, either in the Author and Woods or Forest Lake area, as well as in other storage.

Once we have that in place, we will consolidate these three systems.

We do have the blessings of the IEPA to move forward with that.

And as you know, that the both the Forest Lake Water System and the Author and Woods Glenshire system has no wells, no storage.

They're currently served by Aqua Illinois.

So once we have that fifth well in place, we will no longer be using this using the services of Aqua, Illinois for Author and Woods Glenshire and the Forest Lake System.

Phase two of this project will look to bring Lake Michigan water to this consolidated system.

We have met, uh we did meet with the the um ID and our officials to present this project.

They're okay with us doing the consolidation and moving forward.

And so we're in the process now of submitting an application for our allocation.

We do have clockjawa reserve water for the three systems.

And so as most of you know, um Lake Zurich is looking to secure uh Lake Michigan water from CLC Jawa, and so that pipe will be coming close to this neighborhood, and so we're looking to have our pipes and our um engineering design teed up to work with Clock Jawa to provide that Lake Michigan service to this consolidated system around 2028.

So we're excited about this project.

It's moving quickly and more to follow on it.

The West Oak Middle Schools, about over 300 kids, one well, no storage.

Again, one of those pain points that keeps me up at night.

The Oak Terra is a very bad system, if I should say that.

But this has been this two systems has been a problem for us.

So I'm excited about the fact that we've received ARPA funding to consolidate these two systems.

So like the countryside lake um water system, these two systems will be consolidated.

We have a new well and on site, and all the water mains for this project are completed.

All the homeowners and schools have received new water meters.

And so we did get the blessings from the IEPA to consolidate these two systems.

What you see pictured here to the right is the contractor.

Generally, we have the well houses built on site.

The contractor opted to prefab this well house offside, bring it back to so what you're seeing in these pictures is them laying down the prefab well house for this consolidated system.

Inside this well house is a large storage tank that will provide four to five days of water storage for this system.

So I'll never have to worry about the school running out of water again.

We'll also have chemical treatment in this um system in this well house for declorate for chlorination as well as lead sequestering, and we'll also have the ability for filtration system inside this building that will remove some of the problematic and nuisance um elements that tend to create poor water taste.

So we're excited about this project project.

We anticipate that this will be completed by early fall, and it will remedy some of the the major concern if if um if Bacura was uh nightmare part one, this certainly is nightmare part five, and so we're glad to see Grimity bring brought to this um this system, and we're looking forward to to having it completed in a timely fashion.

All right, I'll pause there and entertain any questions that you may have.

Thank you.

I have lots of questions.

You mentioned like three different systems, right?

Correct.

Are those interconnected now or part of the consolidation is to hook them up together?

They're not connected as yet, but during phase one of the consolidation, all three systems will be connected.

And they'll be working off the same wells or we're adding there are four wells in the countryside lake system.

We're adding, we're looking at locations where we can add a new well, uh, a fifth well and storage.

So once those are in place, then all three systems will be on the same water source.

And I think I heard you say that once this is done, then you can disconnect from Arkwell, Illinois.

Absolutely.

Okay.

And that would ensure more reliability for the system.

That's our goal.

Okay, thank you.

Yeah.

Member Kasbin.

I just want to thank you so much again for the Gauges Lake Water Tower celebration.

Um, it was really lovely.

Um and uh and a great, I think, time for the community to come together.

Um, this started off um a very rocky road, I think it's fair to say.

And um, through your care and patience and um helping me work with the community.

Um we ended up with the first named water tower in Lake County.

Well, first water tower named by residents in in Lake County, and that took two rounds of voting.

Um, that you you guys sent out something, people voted, and and so they they actually got to choose it.

And then um once that that uh name had been chosen.

We I found out that the people to the north who aren't in the Gauges Lake um neighborhoods thought that the water tower was going to be blank.

So um they were upset that there were gonna be words on it because they thought it was gonna blend in with the sky, and um at that point, um Austin figured out and his team figured out how to make it so that the words are only visible to the areas facing the south.

So that is the level of detail and and care that they put into this, and I think um what started off as um a pretty thorny conversation ended up being this.

I mean, they're very proud of it now.

Um and they they thanked me for that.

I mean, they thought the font was cute, they thought um the color was beautiful, um, it that it evoked the lake.

Um, so um just want to thank you again for going above and beyond to deliver this needed infrastructure.

I'm very excited also and will sleep better knowing that they're not gonna run out of water.

Um but doing it in a way that incorporated their feedback fundamentally on the design and really made them proud that it's now it's it's now um their water tower.

It's it's in their community, and um I'm I'm really grateful to you for it.

It's it's it's a source of community pride now.

You're welcome.

Yeah, I'm really excited.

This countryside lake consolidation.

I remember saying that.

So that'll be great.

So that you're saying we're working with the deadlines along with the Lake Zurich, Clickjawa uh uh thing.

So are we uh it's really exciting to see it.

It'll be obviously long run, you know, getting people on Lake Michigan water, getting those three systems connected, we'll add all that resiliency.

And then are we keeping the wells fore.

Yes.

So they'll help like back up every our whole system.

That's right.

Yeah, and so that's kind of part.

So adding this well is really not just for this consolidation, but it's for like the future too.

Well, it's for the consolidation.

We would not have sufficient supply if we just move forward with the four existing wells and countryside lake.

So we need a fifth well.

But then then also that well will help us going forward.

Definitely.

We'll get under the train tracks.

Excellent.

And I really want to say, I mean, I I hope looking at all these ARPA projects.

I think as a board, our ARPA committee, and you know, in in your work deciding to do these projects, it is amazing.

I mean, I was keeping track.

I mean, they're so like the UV thing, the uh clarifier covers.

I mean, all these through, I think I had like five projects.

ANIAC, thinking of can we bring you know sanitary sewers to ANIAC?

I hope there's some kind of you know report or something at the end that's really gonna really celebrate these projects because they are so good for long run term investment for our infrastructure, but also they're so sustainable, you know, less power being used by these new lights, less chemicals being used, you know, with the algae thing, which is really cool.

Thank you again for the tour when we took the tour.

Um, just to see how just science blocking light can help us use less, you know, work and everything.

So I'm assuming we will, but I do think the board should we should be kind of proud of the fact that we use this money and our ARPA money so strategically.

So I want to just thank everyone for that.

And and you and uh W County Minister Met Myers.

I know you worked really hard on these projects too.

Um really excited to see this.

And then talking about water going forward, so we can all sleep, Austin.

I mean, eventually we're all gonna sleep better.

So we've got um you've got you've got wells that are gonna be coming in.

I remember when I first got on this board, there was like five days where Clickjaw was shut down, and it was an absolute panic for those of you.

I mean, it was a panic because we didn't have these water towers.

Right, right.

There wasn't any backup, and we're all like, oh my goodness.

It was like literally, people were like, here's a water bottle.

That's all you can use.

And so looking now, all the improvements we've made with the water storage.

So I guess it's like a combination, right?

We've got the water storage, we're gonna bring back these wells.

So are we gonna get to a point where we'll be in the cli one of the other click job members where we can be like it's out for two months, no problem.

Like, is that the long-term long-term goals?

And when we talk about resiliency, we want to make sure that these systems have water supply for more than a week.

Yeah, currently they don't.

Are we getting closer?

What would you say?

We're getting closer.

Are we like two to three days?

If we can solve the agreement with Buffalo Grove to connect and have another interconnection, and then that will push us forward to start the well development for Vernon Hills.

We want to tackle that, get that off the books and able to move slowly into wildwood.

We're already addressing the resiliency in Fox Lake Hill.

So where we have Lake Michigan water in some of our areas, I mean, Grandwood Park is set for life.

They have at least six wells there, so we'll never they can go and they're well serviced.

So Grantwood Park is great, and we want our all our system to look like Grandwood Park, where if we lose Flackjawa service, we have a backup system that can keep us going.

So that's our goal.

And I really thank you for that goal.

I think that should have been the goal, but I'm so glad to go.

And it's so really, I think to celebrate that we're getting closer to that goal is very exciting.

So hopefully um soon we'll be able to sleep well.

And uh well, actually, right now we're sleeping pretty well, so it's definitely gotten better.

And I'm excited to see that.

I think women, all right, well, great.

Um, I look forward to oh, my last question, Antiak.

For this, is there a once you finish this study this year for the potential for sewer?

Is there gonna be, I know you said you're looking at dividing it up into smaller bits.

Are we gonna be working with our state and federal legislators?

Because a project of that size seems like we're gonna be needing to.

I know if we need to add it to our legislative agenda.

I don't know what we need to do, but it's a really important project because there's obviously issues of water quality and um septic issues out in that area.

So um, you know, I guess that'll be part of the plan is how we move forward looking for grants.

Yeah, we did receive one million um dollars in grant again from Snyder.

Yeah.

And we we want to look at that once the design is completed.

Can we invest this in some of the construction going forward?

But we want to make sure that the consultant is complete with their work and finish all these multiple phases that we're talking about.

And is it manageable?

And and we also have a consultant looking at funding.

Are there other areas that we could look at for funding as well?

So we're working on all these pieces to see what makes sense.

And our goal is to try and bring that back to committee um to see what we've done.

I know we've been in constant conversation of member Peterson and Member Under as to where we are, but we'll we'll bring that back to the full committee to see that final work, a final design from the engineering team.

And then we'll be able to maybe apply for grants.

I know member Hunter and Member Peterson, I feel like if I'm working on this, I know Linda was like, this is the one, you know, I need this to go forward.

Member Hunter, did you want to say something?

Thanks, Chair.

Yeah, thanks for bringing that up.

This project is north of 150 million dollars.

I mean, we just don't have that kind of money, but we got the grant to get the study done.

And it's in three different sections.

You've said you now even asked for more, you know, to see if we can reduce to the ridiculous, is I want to say.

But it it's going to be talked about for a lot of years in this committee because there's so many different phases to it.

And while it's geographically is a huge challenge, it's not just going down a road, you're going around lakes.

And which is probably part of the reason it was never done.

Um, so it it's there more to follow, but yeah, we have no choice.

It's a it's gonna be a heavy financial lift.

Yeah, this is it's a federal water, it's a federal waterway that's getting affected via the chain of lakes.

So the federal government's got to get involved.

More that I mean, in the when we start building, or we're even able to.

Yeah.

So there's something I think feel like something needs to be done.

So I'm glad to see we're moving forward um with that.

And I'll be interested to see what our next steps could be.

Sure.

Vice Chair mean.

Yeah, I just wanted uh to add to that that the sorts of water conservation actions that we've taken with um with our pricing, with um just things have happened at state and federal level so that there's a water conservation, because I don't think this would have been possible to really, it wasn't really possible to talk about 25 years ago because we did know where the growth was going to go in Lake County, and you weren't gonna get the allocations, you know, and I've mentioned before to get uh a clickjawa allocation for countryside manor, which is a very small and terrafair, no countryside manor, very small and defined area took a was a real battle through click Jawa because everyone, they're like, oh, then the county's gonna want more, and and we all know, and they did then what a precious resource it was, and they didn't know what was gonna happen with their own own development.

So they wanted to hold on to those water allocations and those resources.

So without other long-term measures that were taken because they were the right thing to do, not necessarily with an eye to getting additional allocations, but by taking those measures by having you know the the smart use, and I know it makes um our budget trickier because people pay for the water and they're using less water, but that conservation of resources has made it possible that we can look at um things for Antioch for Lake Zurich.

That was never gonna be considered.

I mean, it was kind of out there, and you know, they were looking at all sorts of things, but with their their deep wells and their um radium and those other things there.

So um by husbanding our own resources, we are we allow more people to be able to share in that and still take care of our natural resources, and I think that's really important.

Good point.

Yeah, and it's interesting again, Click Jawa, the the water use goes down even as the number of households are increasing because of low-flow devices and things like that.

And so that it does allow more people to be served.

And two or a teenage.

Yeah.

As we get older, apparently we take less.

I don't know.

All right, thank you.

All right, any other questions?

Okay, thank you very much.

Very interesting update as always.

Thank you.

All right, do we have a county ministrator's report?

We do not.

All right, and then we do not have an executive session, correct?

All right, do we have any members' remarks?

Member Kasbin.

Just real quick, I want to um point out again um Congressman Brad Schneider came through on just on this agenda too, funding for two different items.

So I just want to give a shout out to him and his team for having our backs on on these issues.

Appreciate it.

All right, anything else?

All right.

I declare this meeting adjourned.

Our next meeting is June third, 2026.

Have a great day, everyone.