Friday, February 24, 2012
Annerino Community Center
201 Recreation Drive, Bolingbrook
3-5pm

Join State Representative Emily McAsey and The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) to learn about programs to help students pay for college.

Click here for more information or to reserve your seat contact Representative McAsey's office at 815-372-0085.

Are you a Will County resident looking for a job?

Are you a Will County employer looking to hire?

If you said to either question go to www.jobs4people.org; Workforce Services of Will County helps job seekers and employers connect.

Employees

Job seekers have a number of valuable resources available to them for free; attend workshops on resume writing, interviewing skills and computers. Job seekers can also apply for and research training scholarships or if you need professional clothing for an upcoming job interview Clothes 4 Work can help, with men’s and women’s clothing available at no cost to you.

Job seekers can also find information on upcoming recruiting events in the area.
Joliet Regional Job Fair - April 12, 2012, 2-5pm - Joliet Junior College, Main Campus

Employers

The Workforce Services Division of Will County has taken a visionary approach to providing service to employers.

Workforce Services Division provides businesses with a variety of services including:

• Application prescreening and collection
• Resume review
• County-wide electronic job board
• Candidate referrals
• Job fairs and a pool of qualified job seekers

Workforce Services Division of Will County offers the use of their facilities for Will County Businesses to conduct recruiting event.

Thursday, April 12
Joliet Junior College - Main Campus
1215 Houbolt Rd, Joliet, IL 60431
2-5pm

This event is free to job seekers and open to the public.

Joliet Regional Job Fair Job Seeker Information
Highlights

• RESUME IS REQUIRED to be admitted to the Joliet Regional Job Fair
• Wear appropriate interview attire.
• Bring 20 - 30 resume copies.
• Review the web sites of the employers to learn more about the companies. Employers will notice!
• Only job seekers with resumes will be admitted.  Please no guests.  
• Residents of Will County can receive resume assistance through Workforce Services of Will County's Mobile Learning Center.
• For more tips on job fairs, see Making the Most of the Job Fair.

Click here o view a complete list of participating Employers.

Teens are needed

The City’s Teen Connection Program provides residents with names of teens willing to do various tasks such as yard mowing, pulling weeds, raking leaves, and snow shoveling.  Teenagers are needed year-round, but especially during heavy snowfalls.

Crest Hill residents often request assistance during harsh winters for snow shoveling and for lawn care in the summer.  By providing your contact information to the Teen Connection Program list, Crest Hill residents can be provided with a complete list of available teens in their area.  The resident is responsible for contacting the Teen Connection teenager and for making financial/scheduling arrangements.  The Teen Connection teenager is responsible for completing the task or notifying the resident if they are unable to complete the work.

Help out your community –become a member of the Teen Connection Program today!

Click here for a Teen Connection Program application

For more information please contact the Mayor's office - 815-741-5123

The following dates and locations have been reserved for public forums to discuss and have your questions regarding the March 20, 2012 Non-Home Rule Sales Tax Referendum answered. More dates and locations are possible, please check back from time to time.

March 20, 2012 Referendum
May Levy a Non-Home Rule Sales Tax

The Crest Hill City Council approved Ordinance 1582 at the December 5th, 2011 City Council Meeting which allows the City to place a question to authorize the City to levy a Non-Home Rule Sales Tax on the March 20, 2012 ballot. The City Council also approved Resolution 860 which plans for disbursement of the new tax revenues in the following ways:

1. The funds would be expended for municipal operations.
2. The funds would also be utilized towards property tax relief reducing the City’s portion of the property tax by 25%.
3. The funds would also be applied toward public infrastructure projects in the City.

The following proposition will be submitted to the voters of the City of Crest Hill on the March 20, 2012:

Shall the corporate authorities of the City of Crest Hill, Will County, Illinois be authorized to levy a Non-Home Retailers’ Occupation Tax and a Non-Home Rule Service Occupation Tax at the rate of one (1%) percent for expenditures on municipal operations, expenditures on public infrastructure, or property tax relief?

Prior to the referendum, residents will of course have questions.  The following Q & A attempts to answer many of those questions.

Question: What is Non-Home Rule Sales Tax?

Answer:    A Non-Home Rule Municipality (Community with less than 25,000 people) may impose an additional 1% sales tax for capital improvement projects and tax relief. The tax does not apply to non-prepared groceries, prescriptions, medical appliances, and titled or registered property with the State, (e.g. cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, trailers, snowmobiles and aircraft)

Question: Why is Crest Hill seeking a Non-Home Rule Sales Tax?

Answer:    The City of Crest Hill is seeking a Non-Home Rule Sales Tax to put more police officers on the streets, to repair roads, upgrade storm sewers and perform other capital improvement projects. The City will also utilize funds to rebate 25% of the City’s portion of the property tax bill for both residences and businesses

Tuesday, February 28 - 7pm
Minooka High School (South Campus)
26655 W Eames Street, Channahon

Tuesday, March 6, 2012 - 7pm
Lincoln Way West High School
21701 Gouger Road, New Lenox

Thursday, March 22, 2012 - 10am
Local 150 Operating Engineers
19800 W South Arsenal Road

Tuesday, March 27, 2012 - 7pm
Monee High School
1515 W Exchange Street
Safety Fair - 6-7pm

Join the Will County Emergency Management Agency and The National Weather Service for a Severe Weather Spotter Training Course is a 2-hour, basic level course in recognizing and identifying severe storms capable of producing damaging winds, tornadoes, heavy rain, and hail. Course topics also include procedures for reporting severe weather to appropriate agencies so warnings may be issued to the public.

Public safety personnel and personnel from public and private facilities are encouraged to attend.

Click here to download flyer.

WillCounty.SmartMsg.com

Will County Emergency Management Agency and Will County 9-1-1 recently implemented an improved notification system to provide emergency alerts to people living and working in Will County. This system allows police, fire, and other emergency officials to send messages for a variety of situations that may affect public safety. In addition to receiving text messages on your cell phone, the new system allows you to choose to receive voice messages delivered to your home or work phone, as well as messages sent to your email account.

There are many situations that may require sending emergency alerts, such as chemical accidents, crime alerts, missing persons, and nuclear power station accidents, to name a few. Every situation is unique, and so is the decision by local emergency officials to use this system. It supplements other systems such as outdoor warning sirens and emergency TV and radio messages.

Go to willcounty.smartmsg.com to sign-up.

Front Door Pick-Up Service for Residents of Will County!

Request Form for Pick-up / Call - 866-631-1707

Vintage Tech Recyclers has launched a FREE at home electronic pick-up service for residents of Will County.

When your old electronics need to go, give us a call and we will pick them up from your front door! All material is brought to our facility in Romeoville. A portion of the material is tested and/or repaired for REUSE as the number one step in keeping landfills free of electronics. All remaining material is dismantled at our facility or an affiliate within the United States.

Why Free?

Due to recent Illinois state legislation, electronic manufacturers are required to cover the cost of recycling their products. Manufacturers contract with Vintage Tech Recyclers to recycle their products responsibly. These contracts help cover our costs and by doing so allow us to provide programs like this for FREE.

With winter just around the corner, the Crest Hill Police Department reminds everyone to start preparing for the possibility of severe winter storms and extreme temperatures. Residents can find helpful tips and recommendations to help them get prepared at www.ready.gov/winter.

Most everyone in the Midwest is familiar with severe winter weather, but you can never be too prepared. Take the time now to winterize both your home and your vehicle to protect you and your family.

Severe winter weather can include snow or subfreezing temperatures, strong winds and ice or heavy rain storms. An emergency supply kit at home and in the car will help prepare people for power outages and icy or impassable roads. An emergency supply kit should include a three-day supply of food and water for each person, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, extra flashlights and batteries, and any items to meet the unique needs of your family. In preparation for winter weather, thoroughly check and update your family’s emergency supply kit to include:

• Rock salt or more environmentally safe products to melt ice on walkways. Visit the Environmental Protection Agency’s website for a complete list of recommended products.
• Sand to improve traction.
• Snow shovels and other snow removal equipment.
• Sufficient heating fuel. You may become isolated in your home and regular fuel sources may be cut off. If you have a fireplace or wood-burning stove, be sure to store a good supply of dry, seasoned wood. If your heat goes out, never use a generator or other gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning devices inside a home.
• Adequate clothing and blankets to keep you warm.

12.16.090 DEPOSIT OF SNOW AND ICE PROHIBITED

No owner of occupant of a residence or business shall cause or allow the shoveling, blowing, hauling, or otherwise depositing snow or ice onto any city street or upon any private street where members of the general public may be reasonably expected to travel. This prohibition shall not be construed to require residents to remove snow or ice from streets which has fallen there naturally.

Click here to view full ordinance

The City Update is the City of Crest Hill's official newsletter.

The purpose of this newsletter is to provide updates on City projects and current, helpful information from each City department.

The City Update - November 2011
The City Update - July 2011

The City of Crest Hill has partnered with the Will County Land Use Department to offer a "Medication Take Back" drop box located at City Hall 1610 Plainfield Road, Crest Hill, IL 60403.

This program protects Will County water resources, while reducing the materials going to local landfills. Each year thousands of tons of pharmaceuticals and personal care products enter the waste stream. Several United States Geological Survey studies over the past 7 years have found that many pharmaceuticals are surviving water treatment facilities and making their way into drinking water. The very medications that help people may be a concern to aquatic life.

Residents are invited to drop off their unwanted medications between the hours of 7am-5pm Monday-Friday. The Green drop box is located in the Main Entrance vestibule. We want to remind residents to black-out any personal information on the containers before dropping them in the bin. Also, we ask that you bring only residentially generated medication items. No medications from businesses or doctor’s offices can be taken.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CREST HILL AND NEW LENOX PARTNER WITH DIRECT ENERGY TO POWER THE COMMUNITIES

New program provides control over rising electricity costs

New Lenox, Illinois (July 12, 2011) –The Village of New Lenox and the City of Crest Hill, have partnered with Direct Energy as their electricity provider of choice for residents and small businesses in the community through September 2013 billing cycles.

Direct Energy is able to work with communities to supply electricity at a competitive price that is fixed for a defined time period.  For the October 2011 through September 2013 billing cycles, New Lenox and Crest Hill electricity consumers will pay a price of 5.89 cents per kWh (exclusive of utility charges and taxes).  Senior citizens are eligible for a discounted price of 5.79 cents per kWh.  For those interested in renewable energy, Direct Energy also offers its Renewable Wind Product at a price of 6.19 cents per kWh.

Facts you need to know:

• Eligible senior citizens, who are aged 65 or older, may call our Customer Care Center at 1-866-760-6040 to enroll and receive the special discounted price.
• All residents will automatically be enrolled into the standard price. Senior citizens or residents who are interested in the Renewable Wind Product must actively call Direct Energy to enroll.

Click Here to Read the Entire Press Release, and for Frequently Asked Questions.