WINTER – SPRING | 2019 – 2020
HOMETOWN HOLIDAY | SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2019 | 3:00 TO 7:00 PM
ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE & FESTIVAL | SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020 | 1:00 TO 5:00 PMNomination Letters for St. Patrick’s Day Queen Due FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2020
See Page 7 of this newsletter for more information.
Village News
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Message From the MayorAs we continue to emphasize our long-term financial stability, our focus moving into 2020 continues to center around economic development and upcoming opportunities as they arise in our Village. We will end this year with a very successful outlook for our business growth and expansion of developments throughout the Village.
Our business growth in the past two years has filled most of the downtown and uptown storefronts. In 2017, 18 storefronts sat empty, and today there are 5, with 3 of those seeking business licenses and/or building permits. This year, we issued 26 new business licenses. We welcomed Rosebud Lemont to the east end of town, Lemont Valley Market, B-Side Records and Corner Stone Tavern to the downtown and many business-to-business venues and home businesses opened in Lemont. In addition, we filled another iconic venue, the former Chipain’s, and are excited to welcome Pete’s Fresh Market to anchor their newly updated shopping center. This business growth is significant to retain existing businesses and attract new businesses. Of course, it goes without saying that businesses do come and go, but we are on an uphill climb to having most of our storefronts filled with businesses. Lemont has always been an attractive market for residential housing, and while other towns are seeing aging negative growth, home sales for
existing developments continue in Lemont and new housing developments are still emerging. All this together helps create the footprint needed to make Lemont the desirable community it is and to maintain and exceed the lifestyle that our residents deserve and expect.
FINANCIAL UPDATE Our overall financial position remains strong with adequate cash reserves. We operate with a balanced budget, and we have one of the highest possible bond ratings (AA2) that a non-home rule town can achieve. We are on track to address our rising long-term debt (LT Debt) which consists of outstanding bonds and unfunded pension debt. Over the past 12 years, LT Debt has increased from a low of $20M in 2007 to as high as $46M in 2016 (currently stands at $40M). Over the next five years we will make considerable strides in paying off the majority of our outstanding bonds ($3M per year) and then we will be able to address our unfunded pension debt. Currently, unfunded pension debt, primarily our police pensions, is over $10M and last year we allocated over 10% or $1.2M of our general fund budget to assist in funding this liability. Similar to our State financial challenges, unfunded pensions are a major concern of the Village Board. However, we are proactively addressing this issue with a plan to fill this gap in funding by streamlining operations and spending over the next five years.
1% SALES TAXThe 1% Sales Tax Referendum that passed in April 2019 has been assessed since July 1 and is projected to bring in over $1M annually. The sales tax was needed to fill our budget shortfall of $1M/year that we have been experiencing over the past several years which has caused the Village to underfund our infrastructure improvements. This additional sales tax stream is being leveraged to provide immediate funds for much needed overdue projects, including improvements to our roadways, alleys, sidewalks, water, sewer, and other capital projects. We are grateful to our residents who saw the need we had to fill this deficit and understood that these projects could no longer be delayed without causing additional negative impact on our infrastructure. The Village has created a webpage devoted to the revenues and expenditures associated with the sales tax for residents to view at www.lemont.il.us/InfrastructureSalesTax.
VEHICLE STICKERSThis year, we utilized a third-party vendor to help administer the vehicle sticker program for the Village. This program streamlined the process, reduced administrative costs for the Village and increased overall compliance with the program. The vehicle stickers purchased this fiscal year are for a one-year period and continue to fund the Village’s capital equipment needs. We would like to thank everyone for their patience during this transition, and we welcome the feedback as we look to improve this process along with others at the Village. Both the 1% sales tax and the annual vehicle sticker have added a pathway for funding to address our aging infrastructure and capital needs. As a board, we recognize the impact these two sources have on us as residents and we will continue to monitor this funding and make adjustments if we reach a point of excess funding.
BUSINESS DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT GRANT The Village Board approved a Business District Improvement Grant program in which commercial business and commercial property owners applied to receive funds to make exterior and site improvements to their buildings. The program encourages investment into existing building stock, which in turn enhances community character while bringing value to the tax base. Eight businesses applied and were approved to receive grant funding in the first year of the new program, and a second call for projects will be communicated during the upcoming budget cycle. This grant has been widely successful in helping businesses and property owners make needed improvements to buildings and businesses. Through these and other initiatives, the downtown and uptown will be thriving, stable retail districts, which benefits the entire community.
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Example: Norton Sons Building Restoration of the 1891 Lemont Waterworks Sign
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Village of Lemont
Mayor
John Egofske
Clerk
Charlene Smollen
Trustees
Kenneth McClaffertyRick SniegowskiRonald Stapleton
Janelle KittridgeRyan KwasneskiDave Maher
Village AdministratorGeorge J. Schafer
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
page 2Mayor’s Message
page 6Communication Tools and ServicesVillage Meeting Information
page 7Census 2020St. Patrick’s Day Queen Nomination
page 8Seasonal Reminders
page 9News from the Police Department
page 10Winter & Spring Events
page 12Dates to RememberVillage Holiday Hours
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT – NEW BUSINESSES Through focusing on our various economic development initiatives, our historic downtown has come a long way in a few short years. We are more than proud to support the businesses that filled downtown Lemont over the past two years. Several new restaurants opened, including Wooden Paddle, Digs on Canal, Hughie McClafferty’s and Corner Stone Tavern. Other businesses expanded like Pollyanna Brewing Company, Bottles and Inspired Needle. Front Street Cantina relaunched as the fantastic Next Mex. Higher Grounds Coffee Company and Lemont Valley Market opened to meet a niche in our downtown. B-Side Records and Genuine Barbers add a vintage cool vibe. They all joined the many established restaurants, taverns, retailers, salons, and services here for you.
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT – FORMER PETERSON HARDWARE SITE The former Peterson’s Hardware site was purchased by Marbella LLC in 2018 which provides for another crucial opportunity to continue the community’s downtown revitalization efforts to provide necessary energy and foot traffic to support a vibrant downtown. Marbella LLC is the same company building several new historic looking homes on the southeast side of downtown and they also saved old St. Pat’s School from demolition through adaptive reuse and is reconstructing it into nine luxury apartment units under its original St. James Academy school name. The initial vision for the former Peterson’s Hardware site will include new downtown housing, along with potentially new storefront commercial space and covered parking. As with all developments, they will follow the required approval process for review. To date, the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) approved the demolition of the two purchased buildings. Next, when Marbella is ready to submit their plans to staff in early 2020, the plans will be processed through our HPC, our Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC), who then will submit their recommendations to the Village Board. Input will also be given regarding this and other projects from a newly formed downtown focus group, which held their first public meeting in November of this year. This group will help provide the necessary feedback on amenities and ideas to attract residents and families of all ages into our downtown area. Updated information on this project along with questions and responses can be found on our website at www.lemont.il.us/downtown-development.
SIGNAGE IMPROVEMENTSWe’re helping residents and visitors find their way around town with our new wayfinding signage. Many signs have been erected in the downtown directing people to parking areas. With parking being an ever-increasing issue with the influx of new downtown businesses, one of the most unknown parking areas is the Village owned parking garage (entrance located on River Street, which runs parallel north of Front Street). This is a free public parking garage owned by the Village with 200 parking spaces located in The Lofts condominium building.
Besides the directional signage, the first three gateway signs were approved and will be located at various entrance points to show our welcoming pride as visitors enter our Village; you will now know when you arrive in Lemont! Thanks to our Economic & Community Development Department for implementing the program and to our Public Works Department that made and installed the signs, savings us that expense.
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WAYFINDING SIGNAGE
RENDERING: GATEWAY SIGNAGE
Message from the Mayor – Cont’d
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THE FORGE AT LEMONT QUARRIESThe Forge Adventure Park broke ground this past summer with Phase 1 slated to open early summer of 2020. This land-use partnership between The Forge, Lemont Township and the Village of Lemont enables them to bring one of the most anticipated adventure parks in the Chicagoland area to Lemont. Nestled within nature, activities include aerial challenge courses, 1,000 foot ziplines measuring the longest in the region, the Skyscraper climbing tower named so because you can view the Chicago skyline from it, mountain biking, rappelling and so much more, right in our own backyard. To have The Forge group finally break ground this past summer is a testament to the drive and determination of the business owners and all those involved in the project to make it a success. The adventure park will bring much needed tourism to town, initially with awareness, spreading to increased foot traffic to our businesses, and creating Lemont as a destination location.
It’s imperative that residents understand that Lemont residents alone cannot financially sustain our big box and family-owned businesses. We must rely on outside visitors to spend their dollars in Lemont for our businesses to be successful. Increased traffic in our eyes is a good thing to have, and we will work to meet the infrastructure needs that come with it whenever possible. We must move forward to sustain our future, while maintaining the quality and character of our community and to preserve its heritage while fostering its growth. The Forge will incorporate the history of the land and preserve its natural beauty within an area in our quarries for everyone to enjoy. This brings a whole new level of recreation to our Village and we welcome them with open arms. Visit The Forge Lemont Quarries website to view all of the excitement they have in store, www.lemontquarries.com.
ROUTE 83 & MAIN PROPERTY INFORMATIONThe Village has been very active in pursuing development opportunities of our Village owned property of approximately 16 acres on the northwest corner of Rt. 83 & Main Street. During the period from 2011 through 2015 the Village invested over $7.5M to acquire and improve several properties located within the Main & Archer TIF District (established in 2013) and adjacent to the Gateway TIF District (established in 2009). These properties were purchased to control the development of our northeast gateway into Lemont, expand Village footprint, increase our tax base and bring in general fund revenues.
In May of 2019, the Village entered into a formal agreement with Bluestone Single Tenant Properties to provide master development services for a mixed-use commercial development site. The current proposal and plan consist of a fuel station, convenience store, retail outlots and light industrial use. The development has progressed to a point that formal sale of the property is appropriate to move the project along to make construction in 2020. The development is expected to yield an upfront payment to the Village of $2.7M along with in excess of $1M in annual revenues. Since 2016, the Village Board has been actively pursuing options on this very difficult site that is located in an industrial area that will require significant investment by the developer to complete their buildout. This option with Bluestone will provide a pathway to more than reimburse the Village’s original investment and provide a more attractive entranceway into the Village’s northeast gateway. More information on this site development along with questions and responses can be found on our website, www.lemont.il.us/83andMainVillageSite.
ADULT USE CANNABISThe Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (CRTA) became a law on June 25, 2019, and goes into effect on January 1, 2020. This law legalizes marijuana use throughout Illinois and provides regulation guidelines for the production and sale of recreation via local cannabis dispensary stores.
The Village Board held a public workshop on October 8, 2019, to discuss the legislation. Several issues and topics related to the new CRTA law were discussed at this meeting including general previsions of the bill, how it would impact Lemont and the Village’s ability to regulate impacts of the act. The information from
Rope Course Small Tower: View 1 Rope Course Small Tower: View 2 Rope Course Skyscraper Tower: View 1 Rope Course Skyscraper Tower: View 2
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Mayor John Egofske
this meeting along with additional information is available on the Village’s website. The bill does not allow municipalities such as Lemont to prohibit responsible consumption use of cannabis within our community, but it does allow us to enact reasonable zoning ordinances regulating and/or taxing of cannabis business establishments that may locate within a municipality, or to prohibit establishments entirely. Following the initial workshop meeting, the Village Board directed staff at the direction of legal counsel to prepare amendments to the Village’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) in relation to the act. As a Board, we must take proactive action by January 1, 2020, in order to limit, delay or stop the opening of a cannabis dispensary within our Village border limits. A meeting was held by the Planning & Zoning Commission on November 6, 2019, and the issue was discussed again at another public Village Board Committee of the Whole meeting on November 18, 2019.
Having a possible dispensary store location in Lemont can be a very polarizing issue with residents. With one side questioning the reputation and possible issues of having such a store, to the other side favoring the ability to obtain additional sales tax funding to address financial issues such as unfunded police pension liability and debt obligations. Based on the significant feedback and support on both sides of the newly passed law, the Village Board would like to take some additional time to obtain a better understanding of this statute and receive additional feedback from Village residents. Therefore, the Village Board is recommending putting a non-binding referendum question on the March 17, 2020, ballot to ask residents if Lemont should allow a dispensary to locate within Village limits. The authorization to put the question on the ballot for the March 17 referendum will be voted on at the Village Board meeting on December 9. Additional information including questions with responses is located on our website at www.lemont.il.us/Adult-Use-Cannabis.
DEVELOPMENT TRANSPARENCY AND OTHER OPEN GOVERNMENT INITIATIVESLemont continues to be attractive for new development, both commercial and residential. A list of development projects that are reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission are included along with project information on our website, www.lemont.il.us/Development-Projects. All of our Commission and Board meetings are open to the public to attend and we encourage input from all of our Village residents. Agendas only and agenda packets can be found on our website 48 hours prior to a meeting being held. Visit our website for meeting agendas and minutes, www.lemont.il.us/Transparency.
As you can see, there are several items taking place in the Village and we direct residents to our website for the most current information. Please do not hesitate to submit questions to us and please attend Commission and Board meetings so that you hear the information from us.
RESIDENT COMMUNICATIONUnfortunately, newspaper print communication is no longer an economical timely tool so we continue to provide other ways to communicate and educate residents on development, various initiatives, financial updates, and other components of Village business. In 2018, we implemented ClearGov on our Village website for a clearer way to view the Village’s finances. Residents can access this information by visiting www.lemont.il.us/Financial-Transparency and clicking on the “View Now” button on the Financial Transparency Center banner at the top of the page. Beginning in January we will unveil an electronic check register through the ClearGov program, where you can view every check disbursement approved by the Village Board in an easily accessible and searchable format. We will also be rolling out our new website and agenda management system in the new year with easier access to the most used resources and news information. The agenda management system will allow for easier access to Board and Commission meeting agendas and minutes.
HOLIDAY HAPPENINGSAs we begin this holiday season, the Downtown Merchants Alliance and the Village of Lemont present “Lighting Up Lemont” with brilliant lighting displays throughout our historic downtown. You are not going to want to miss this illuminating holiday decoration display that includes an augmented reality app that features interactive games, photo creations and you can even create your holiday card. It’s going to be amazing and will be on display the entire holiday season.
Be sure to join us at our annual Hometown Holiday on Saturday, December 7, from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m., when we will “Light up Lemont,” hold our tree lighting ceremony, enjoy visiting Santa, take a wagon ride, shop at the Kris Kringle Market and so much more – visit www.lemont.il.us/Holiday. Get your holiday shopping done, visit friends in our many family-owned restaurants and taverns and patronize our businesses. Please support all our businesses uptown, downtown and all-around town this holiday season. Remember, keeping your spending in Lemont gives back to Lemont, spend online or out of town, nothing comes back to Lemont. Invest in your own community!
On behalf of the Village Board and staff, we wish you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and let’s make 2020 our best year yet!
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VILLAGE MEETING INFORMATION
Village Board meetings are held the second and fourth Monday of most months at 6:30 p.m. at Village Hall, 418 Main Street, in the second floor boardroom.Meeting agendas are required to be posted 48 hours prior to any meeting, including those of our Village Commissions. You can find meeting information at the following locations on our website:
• Transparency Link (green button located on the bottom feature bar) - Agendas and Minutes list to Village and Commission Meetings - www.lemont.il.us/Transparency
• Direct link to Village Board and COW Meetings - www.lemont.il.us/Board-Agenda-Packets• Calendar link to scheduled Village Board and Village Commission meetings - www.lemont.il.us/Village-Calendar
In addition, our Village Board meetings are live streamed on our Village of Lemont YouTube page. You can view the meetings live during the meeting time and view any past meetings - search for “Village of Lemont” on YouTube.
Please be sure to check the Village calendar for meeting schedules, as times may change, or meetings may be combined or cancelled. If you have additional questions, please call our Administration Department at 630-257-1590 or email [email protected].
Sign Up to “Stay Informed” to Receive Important Messages
1. Visit our website at www.lemont.il.us.2. Click on “Stay Informed” on the bottom feature bar.3. Follow the instructions to sign up and select the information you want to receive and how you want to receive it – via email and/or mobile text.
Creating a login eliminates any potential spam. Note to AOL users: Due to AOL’s outdated security protocols for their email service, emails may not get through to you from our system.
4. Once signed up, you will receive a verification message(s) from CivicPlus, our webhost company, that you must respond to in order to start receiving messages.
5. Afterwards, you can sign in at any time to view previously sent messages, update your personal information and modify what notices you receive.
Report a ConcernThis is a non-emergency reporting and tracking tool that allows you to submit a concern from a list of items, i.e., pothole reporting, streetlight outage, vacant property concern, public safety issues, etc. To report a concern, select it from the feature bar across the bottom of our website page or from our app using a mobile device. Click on “Login” at the box on the right. Either sign in or create an account. An anonymous login is also available. Once logged in you simply click on any topic related to your issue, complete the information and submit the form. This information is sent to the assigned department to address the issue. Please call 911 for any safety issue that needs to be addressed immediately.
Community CalendarOur Community Calendar is packed with information submitted from organizations and businesses all around town. Visit our website at www.lemont.il.us and scroll down the front page to the calendar. Click on “View All” to go to the main calendar page. You can also subscribe to iCalendar which allows users to import Internet calendars and/or events into their personal calendar applications, like Google Calendar, Apple iCal, Microsoft Outlook, etc.
Like us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedInBe sure to visit us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn as we post topics of interest during the week along with event happenings and other information. It’s a great way to find out what’s going on around town.
For further communication information or suggestions, please email [email protected] or call 630-257-1590.
COMMUNICATION TOOLS AND SERVICES FOR RESIDENTS
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VILLAGE SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR ST. PATRICK’S DAY QUEEN
The Village of Lemont is seeking nominations for Queen of the St. Patrick's Day Parade to be held on Saturday, March 7, at 1:00 p.m. in historic downtown Lemont.
Nomination letters must be received by Friday, January 31, 2020, submitted to the Village of Lemont, 418 Main Street, Lemont, IL 60439, Attn: St. Patrick's Day Parade. The contest is open to Lemont residents, high school juniors through second year college students, preferably of Irish heritage. The candidate must demonstrate an active involvement in school service organizations and/or community service activities.
The nominee who is chosen will reign as Queen of our 29th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade and lead the parade in a horse drawn carriage (weather permitting).
For more information, please contact Donna at (630) 243-2700.
Anyone who has an email address can provide input no matter where you live. Your input matters to us.
Polco is a public participation tool for people to provide input on current ideas, initiatives, events and issues facing Lemont.
Visit polco.us/lemont or download the Polco App for Android or iOS and create an account.
You can begin giving input right after you create an account.
WHO?
WHAT?
WHERE?
WHEN?
With Polco’s strict privacy policy, your individual data and votes are never shared with us. You remain anonymous.
THE 2020 CENSUS IS COUNTING ON YOU
The United States Constitution mandates that the country conduct a count of its population once every 10 years, and the 2020 Census effort begins in April 2020. This count provides a basis for reappointing congressional seats, redistricting and distributing more than $675 billion in federal funds annually to support states, counties and local communities’ vital programs. The valuable statistics impact housing, education, transportation, employment, health care and public policy. Federal funds, grants and support to states, counties, and communities like Lemont are based on population totals and breakdowns by gender, age, race, and other factors. Lemont benefits the most when the census counts everyone.
The success of the census depends on everyone’s participation. Every household will have the option to respond online, by mail or by phone. Beginning in March, census invitations will be mailed to addresses directing you to complete the form online. Some households will also receive paper questionnaires. The 2020 Census marks the first time participants will be able to respond online with forms available in 13 languages. For those who prefer speaking to a census representative, telephone response will be available in 60 languages. Public computers are available at no cost at the Lemont Library for those wishing to complete the online census form. Learn more about the 2020 Census online at www.2020census.gov.
Respond by mailor online this year!
______Online forms are availablein 13 different languages.
SALTING AND SNOW REMOVALThe Public Works Department begins ice and snow control measures even before hazardous road conditions are expected. As soon as conditions warrant it, the salting process begins on major streets designated as primary routes, hills, curves, and all intersections. Residential streets that are relatively flat will be salted only at intersections. Salt remains the most cost effective means of breaking the bond between ice and the street, especially with Lemont’s unique topography.
Plowing commences after snow accumulates to an inch or more. Village roadways are divided into 9 zones for the plowing process with primary routes, including hills and school bus routes, being plowed first. As soon as primary routes are cleared, crews will move on to the secondary routes. After all streets are open, trucks will begin the curbing operation.
The goal of the Public Works Department is to remove snow from all streets within six hours after the conclusion of a significant snowfall. Your cooperation in removing vehicles from the street and observing the odd-even parking regulations will make this job easier and more efficient.
GET WINTER WEATHER & TRAFFIC ALERTS SENT DIRECTLY TO YOUR PHONE OR EMAILDon’t be left out in today’s age of instant communication. Our “Stay Informed” alerts make it possible for Village of Lemont departments to get information out to the public immediately through text messaging, e-mails and web access at www.lemont.il.us. Sign up to receive notification via “Stay Informed” – Public Works Notifications.
WINTER PARKING REMINDERDuring and after any snowfall, please try to remove vehicles from Village streets if at all possible to facilitate clearing. If removing vehicles is not possible, AFTER a snowfall of 2 inches or more, please park on the ODD-numbered side of the street on odd calendar days, EVEN-numbered side of the street on even calendar days. The day is considered to begin at 9:00 a.m.
EMERGENCIES DURING A WINTER STORMIf an emergency arises during a winter storm, residents should dial 911. All Public Works plowing vehicles maintain continuous two-way radio communication with the Police Department. Snow removal equipment can provide immediate support to ambulance and fire equipment.
DAMAGED PROPERT YThe Village replaces mailboxes that have been damaged through direct contact with a snow plow, if the original mailbox was installed in compliance with Village regulations. If your mailbox is struck, a temporary repair will be made so that you can continue to receive mail delivery. When winter ends and the ground thaws, final repairs will be made. If replacement of the mailbox or post is required, a standard metal rural size mailbox and 4 x 4 wooded wolmanized post kit will be utilized. All final mailbox repairs are typically completed by early spring.
SEASONAL REMINDERS
HOW TO REPORT A STREET LIGHT OUTAGETo report a street light outage, go to our Village website’s bottom feature bar, and click on, “Report A Concern.” Navigate to Streets & Public Places, Streetlights. Please report the tag number located on the pole. The yellow tag number will start with either a C or V, maintained by ComEd or the Village of Lemont. You may report the ComEd lights to the Village, who will then report the outage to ComEd. Residents can also call Public Works at (630) 257-2532 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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Lemont residents may notice some less than clean-shaven police officers over the next few months. Members of the Lemont Police Department will be participating in “No Shave November” again this year. “No Shave November” is an annual event involving the growing of beards and mustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of various cancers.
Participating officers must make a donation to be allowed to grow facial hair and be excused from the Department’s strict uniform/appearance guidelines. Female officers and staff can also participate by painting their fingernails, which is also restricted by the guidelines. A portion of all proceeds will be matched by the Lemont Police Benevolent Association. This year, “No Shave November” will be extended through the months of December, January and February. Proceeds raised through January will benefit three Lemont families that are currently battling cancer. February proceeds will be donated to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation which raises funds to help find cures for childhood cancers. Last year, the Lemont Police Department, with the help of other village employees and members of the community, raised over $9,000.00.
Anyone wishing to donate to this special cause can drop off or send donations to the Lemont Police Department, Attn: Commander Dykshorn, 14600 127th Street, Lemont, IL 60439. Checks can be made out to the Lemont Police Benevolent Association with “No Shave November” in the memo section.
Lock It or Lose It
Leaving your home or vehicle unlocked puts you and your family at risk! Don’t provide criminals with the opportunity to burglarize your home or vehicle. When thinking of crime prevention (or specifically how to keep your things safely yours) always remember the three elements that must be present in order for a crime to happen:
DESIRE | ABILITY | OPPORTUNITY
If just one of those three elements is removed, the crime simply cannot occur.
You cannot eliminate a criminal’s desire to commit a crime. You have no control over a criminal’s ability to commit a crime. But you can remove the criminal’s opportunity to burglarize your home or vehicle by locking your doors and windows and securing your property out of view.
No Shave November Extends Through February
Lemont Police Department and Lemont Tractor Club will hold the second annual “Tractors for Toys” event on Saturday, December 7, 2019, with tractors at several locations in town from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to collect much needed, new, unwrapped toys for girls and boys in our community. For many of these children, this is the only gift they will receive. Tractors will be at two locations, Target Plaza and Pete’s Market Plaza, both locations from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with their final destination being the Hometown Holiday event in downtown Lemont at 5:00 p.m. Come on out and join in the fun and make wishes come true for children in our community. Visit www.lemont.il.us/Holiday for more information.
TRACTORS FOR TOYS
Remove Your Valuables | Lock Your Vehicles
NEWS FROM THE LEMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT
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Hometown HolidayWe’re “Lighting Up Lemont”
Saturday, December 7, 3 to 7 p.m.Historic Downtown Lemont
Kick off the Holiday Season with a day of Shopping, Children’sActivities, Tree Lighting, Visits with Santa, Wagon Rides and More!
Enjoy our Holiday Scene . . .Throughout the Season, Stroll through our Beautifully Illuminated Downtown.
Take Selfies and Play Games with Loomie,an Augmented Reality App.
Shop, Dine and Play!
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December 1: 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Lemont Historical Society’s HolidayOpen House and Cookie SaleLocation: Historical Society Museum, 306 Lemont Street. Featuring the St. Patrick’s Catholic Church Choir, St. Alphonsus Catholic Church Choir, and the Montessori Children’s Choir plus a special guest, Santa Claus at 3:00 p.m.
December 6: 7:00 p.m. Doors Open at 6:30 p.m. Lemont Historical Society Presents a Showing of “Save the Last Dance”Location: Historical Society Museum, 306 Lemont Street. For more information contact the Historical Society at (630) 257-2972.
December 7: 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Lemont Park District’s Breakfast With SantaLocation: The CORE, 16050 127th Street. Enjoy a delicious breakfast with your family to kick off the holiday season! Children will visit with Santa, make a holiday craft, play holiday games and more! Please register in advance. For more info, contact Lauren Hanson at (630) 257-6787, X 3031.
December 8: Beginning at 8:00 a.m.Lemont Park District’s 11th Annual Frigid 5KMeet at Lemont Park District’s CORE Fitness & Aquatic Complex, 16050 127th Street. Bundle up and join us for the 11th Annual Frigid 5K. Break out those Santa hats and ugly Christmas sweaters for this festive 5K race through the Lemont Park District’s Centennial Campus. Plus the Frigid After Party including a hot chocolate bar! Please register on www.active.com. For more info, contact Lauren Hanson at (630) 257-6787, X 3031.
December 10: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Lemont Park District’s Senior Holiday LuncheonLocation: The CORE, 16050 127th Street. Come join in the fun at the Lemont Park District’s Senior Holiday Luncheon. Enjoy your favorite Christmas music and a catered lunch. Lunch will be followed by Bingo for all. Please register in advance as space is limited. Contact Zach Price, (630) 257-6787, X 3009.
December 10: 7:00 p.m. Lemont Historical Society Presents “Finding Our Lost Heritage” Location: Historical Society Museum, 306 Lemont Street. Presenter: Lorraine Gerhart. For more information contact the Historical Society at (630) 257-2972.
December 31: 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. OR12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. NEW THIS YEAR... Two Times to Choose From!Lemont Park District’s Family New Year’s Eve Bash at The CORE! Join us to ring in the New Year during the day instead of midnight! We’ll celebrate with party favors, a DJ, balloon drop, pizza and fun New Year’s activities and games for the whole family. Must pre-register by December 26 - No “day of” event registrations will be taken.
For a listing of ALL Lemontevents and the most
up-to-date eventinformation, go to
www.lemontevents.com.
Lemont Events
SATURDAY, MAY 9, 20207:30 AM
Challenge Yourself! Register beginning January 1, 2020, at www.GetMeRegistered.com
for this unique race through the streetsof Lemont with the best hills
in the Chicagoland area!
Postal Customer Lemont, IL 60439
Village of Lemont 418 Main Street Lemont, IL 60439
PRSRT STDECRWSS
U.S.POSTAGE PAIDBOLINGBROOK, IL
PERMIT NO. 89
418 Main Street Lemont, IL 60439www.lemont.il.us
(p) 630.257.1550 (f) [email protected]
DON’T MISS . . .DON’T MISS . . .ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE | SATURDAY, MARCH 7ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE | SATURDAY, MARCH 7
F O R CO M M U N I T Y S E R V I C E O R G A N I Z AT I O N S , P L E A S E S E N D I N YO U R E V E N T I N F O R M AT I O N . . . A N D U S E O U R C A L E N DA R TO AV O I D CO N F L I C TS .
EVENTS & DATES TO REMEMBER IN THE NEW YEAR!
JANUARY
23 LAHS “Abraham Lincoln: A New Birth of Freedom”
FEBRUARY
7 LAHS Drinkin’ With Lincoln Historic Pub Crawl
14 LAHS Love in the Old Stone Church
MARCH
1 Lemont Park District CORE Sprint Triathlon
7 St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival
14 Community Business Expo
19 Mayor’s State of the Village Address
29 LAHS Presents “Our Town: A History of Lemont”
APRIL
3 Lemont Park District’s Grown-Up Moonlight Egg Hunt
4 Lemont Park District’s H2O Egg-Venture
8 Lemont Park District’s Senior Egg Hunt
MAY
2 Lemont Park District’s Touch-A-Truck
9 Quarryman Challenge
14 Mayor’s Drive for Charity | Afternoon Tee Time Only
30 LEAC’s Spring Recycling Day
SAVE THE DATE: Lemont’s 30th Annual Heritage Fest - July 11, 2020
It’s important that we continue to support our local businesses. For
a community our size, we truly have a diversity of businesses, from
boutique shops, to full service grocers, to great restaurants. They
all need our support. Please patronize our local businesses for your
shopping needs. One of the best marketing tools to help attract new
businesses to our community is support of our current local businesses.
So shop local and support Lemont! Visit our website for a complete list of
licensed local businesses.
For every dollar you spend in Lemont, a portion of that dollar returns to our community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. Spend it in another town or spend it online and nothing comes home.
REMEMBER HOW IMPORTANTIT IS TO SHOP LOCAL!
Village Offices will be Closed on:Christmas Eve Tuesday, December 24, 2019Christmas Day Wednesday, December 25, 2019New Year’s Day Wednesday, January 1, 2020Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday, January 20, 2020
VILLAGE OFFICES – 2019 WINTER HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
For an up-to-date listing of ALL Winter & Spring events, go to www.lemontevents.com
