Do Aggregation with Green Option!

Highland Park is looking at electric aggregation and is working with 7 other communities on putting out an RFP for an electric provider. Issue is on the March 20th ballot. I asked if people were going to have an option of Green energy or Brown energy. The answer was that the community would pick the option and my concern is that it will be cheap and brown. There will be an opt out provision but I would much prefer the leverage of communities buying power supporting green power in some fashion. I proposed options for our consumers in the RFP but was not getting very much traction. Also, I am unclear how these contracts effect smart and net metering which we will rely on for future advancements in energy conservation.... Can people out there clarify some of these issues so we can properly promote Green energy and methodolgy in these deliberations... HP will have another public meeting in two weeks and vote on the ordinance the second meeting in March. Let's be educated voters and think before we DO.

Primary Election is March 20, 2012

PLease Check the County Clerks Website for details

on the March 20th election. You can get ballots by mail, early vote, or show up to the polls on election day... But please VOTE!!!

Important dates:

February 9, 2012 First day to request a ballot by mail.

February 21, 2012 Close of Voter Registration at the office of municipal and township clerks and with deputy registrars and agencies

February 22, 2012 Grace Period Reg./Address Change begins at County Clerk’s Office.

February 27, 2012 First day for early voting.

March 13, 2012 Last day for Grace Period Reg./Address Change at County Clerk’s Office.

March 15, 2012 Last day for early voting.

March 20, 2012 GENERAL PRIMARY ELECTION

January 2012 Round Up

Students form HPHS came to visit with information on the Annual Charity Fund Drive. This year the students are raising money for the Leukemia Research Foundation. Check on the HPHS Website for updates and contribution info.  Join in!

Held our first Green Alliance meeting on 2-6. School Districts 112/113, our Park District, Lake County, city staff, and the Mayor and I were among many interested citizens that did participate. We need to create partnerships and secure leaders to promote our green agenda. Call me if you want IN!

Nova Teen Center is open for the teenagers and is located on the corner of Laurel and First Street. Nova Highland Park has live concerts, movies, field trips, and other activities for our youth. Hats off to David Small, resident and school 112 board member for getting this project off the ground.. Support and participate!

ICPC (Intra-City Parking Commission) was formed to create and manage commercial parking. Mike Belsky and I co-chaired the commission when we created the new parking structures along the tracks in downtown. Now back in this role with Councilman Paul Frank we want to work to provide more and effective parking for residents and shoppers. Snapping the whip for action again! Stay tuned!

Movement on the Theater project is ongoing and we continue to talk to respondents of the request for proposal. Many good and interesting things.....We should be out of closed land discussion soon! Very Exciting! I continue to be committed to the  Entertainment, Arts, and Theater in our downtown and will for work for this reality.

Water conservation will be a goal of this City Council and we are discussing ideas on production, rate methodology, partnerships, etc. Large bandwidth of topics and choices to chose from here so there will be many limbs to this tree for all of us to hang from..... Good or Bad, we will see!