Did you know that you can pay your water/sewer bills by an Automatic Utility Pay method through direct deposit from your bank? Money to cover the amount of your water bill must be in your bank account on the bill’s due date. You'll be able to tell if your payment will be credited to your account by looking at your bill. It will state "Auto-Pay". This means the amount of the bill will be automatically deducted from a personal account you have specified. Of course, our regular method of mailing water/sewer bills will continue for those not interested in "Automatic Utility Pay". If you have want more information regarding this method of paying your water/sewer bills, please contact Nancy Panos, Water Billing Clerk, at 847-883-8600.

As you are probably aware, some unscrupulous people send viruses through E-Mails. Because of this, Village employees who have access to computers and e-mail have been instructed to be very vigilant when opening E-Mails, and especially attachments, from sources they do not know. On the other hand, we invite our residents to E-Mail us if there is something we can help them with, which creates a dilemma.

A resident may send staff members E-Mails for which responses are expected. But if the Village staff members do not recognize the name, or if the E-Mail has a "handle" rather than a resident’s actual name, they may be uncomfortable about opening it.

If you send E-Mails to staff members and do not get a response within 48 hours, we suggest you call them and ask them if they received your E-Mail. They may have deleted it to avoid any possibility of introducing a virus into the computer system. We hope you understand.

At one time or another many families in Lincolnshire will experience an emergency. These emergencies can be small or large, i.e. broken water pipe, toilet or faucet leak, furnace breakdown, flood, fire or a variety of other emergencies. It is even possible that the entire Village could experience an emergency.

The last few months the Village has been providing information to you to help you in the event of an emergency. If there is a Village-wide emergency, the Village will be focused on issues that affect the entire Village and will probably not have the manpower to help individual homeowners. That is why it is very important that you take the initiative to do what you can to prepare yourself and your family for an emergency – whether it is an individual emergency or one that is community wide.

Each family member should know the following. In addition, this information should be posted in locations where each family member can see it for quick reference in the event of an emergency.

• Emergency phone numbers, i.e.
  • 911
  • Poison Control
  • Gas Company
  • Electric Company
  • Family friend who lives close by
  • Family or friend who does not live close by
  • Mom and/or Dad’s office/cell phone numbers
  • Other numbers that are important to you and your family
• Meeting location if you have to evacuate your home. (Practice an evacuation plan.)
• Where to go in the event of a tornado.
• Route above high water areas for flood evacuation.
• Ropes or ladders for 2nd story evacuation.
• Location to shut off:
  • Furnace or air conditioning
  • Natural gas shut off with location of wrench if necessary
  • Water shut off

Finally, the Lincolnshire Riverwoods Fire Protection District has information cards that should be completed for each member of your family. These cards should be posted on your refrigerator. In the event of an emergency the Fire Department knows to look in this location and can quickly assess your health and history prior to treating in an emergency. If you do not have these cards, you can contact the Fire Protection District at 847-634-2512. (Posted December, 2008)

Often times when the Mayor or Board Trustees are out in public, and the conversation goes toward recent Board actions on various issues, they hear comments like, "I didn’t know you were going to discuss that" or "Why do we hear about these things after the fact". That doesn’t have to happen!

Several years ago the Village set up an "Agenda and Approved Minutes" mail group. Those who have signed up for this receive copies of agendas on the Thursday or Friday proceeding Monday Board Meeting, and minutes of meetings once they are approved. All you have to do is scan the minutes, and if you see an agenda item of interest to you, you can tune into the meeting on cable channel 10, or come to the meeting in person.

If you are interested, send an email to with your name, address, and e-mail address, and she will be happy to add you to the Agenda & E-mail Group list!

All Regular Village Board Meetings, Committee of the Whole Meetings, Architectural Review Board Meetings, Park Board Meetings and Zoning Board Meetings are broadcast live on the Village's government access cable channel #10 on the date and time shown on the Village Meetings Calendar. All Regular Village Board Meetings, Committee of the Whole Meetings, and Park Board Meetings are rebroadcast the Thursday following the meeting at 9:00 a.m. All Architectural Review Board and Zoning Board Meetings will be rebroadcast on the Friday following the meeting at 9:00 a.m.

Sign Up For E-Mail - Interested in getting a copy of upcoming Village Board Meeting agendas? Want to receive a copy of approved minutes from meetings? If so - E-Mail and provide her with your E-Mail address as well as your name, home address and telephone number, and information on what you would be interested in receiving. We have established a system to get these agendas and minutes out to residents by E-Mail on a timely basis. (Posted May, 2008)

The Lincolnshire Police Department, in cooperation with Project Safe Child and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, will offer free gun locks to all Lincolnshire residents. To obtain these free gun locks, you may come to the Lincolnshire Police Department, Records Section, Monday through Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and tell the clerk how many gun locks you need.

You can also call Commander John Kleffner after hours at 847-883-9900 ext. 1612, and leave a voice mail message with your name and return telephone number, again indicating the number of locks you require. Arrangements will be made for you to pick up the gun locks after hours that same week.

The Gun Laws of the State of Illinois require gun locks be used in residences where children live or play. The responsible firearms owner uses gun locks and promotes child safety.

The Village of Lincolnshire has specific regulations regarding the use and storage of refuse containers (Village Code Title 8, Chapter 4-13). The following guidelines have been established in order to maintain the appearance of the Village:

1. The owner or occupant of a residential dwelling may not place any refuse out for pickup service before 9:00 p.m. on the day before a scheduled pickup. Additionally, these containers must be removed from the street no later than 9:00 p.m. on the day of a scheduled collection.
2. The owner or occupant of a residential dwelling must provide a location on their premises where refuse containers may be stored on days between scheduled pickups. These locations must be maintained in an orderly manner and refuse containers should not be visible from the street or placed in an area that would be considered offensive or a nuisance to immediate adjoining neighbors.

If you should have any questions about this topic or any other property maintenance concerns, please feel free to contact the Code Enforcement Inspector, Nicole Koleno, at 847-913-2317. (Posted February, 2009)

• I will obtain my credit report every year and make sure there are no errors. It is FREE, so I will go to the official website at www.annualcreditreport.com or call 877-322-8228, and not use an imitator Website that will charge me.
• I will not give out my Social Security number or any personal information to anyone I don't know. This includes those scary "official-looking" e-mails that appear to be from my bank. E-mails from a bank or credit company warning me to update or verify my account or personal information for so-called security purposes are a big scam.
• I will buy an inexpensive shredder and destroy unneeded materials (junk mail, credit card offers, cancelled checks, bank and credit card statements, etc.) which contain my name and address or any other personal information.
• If I am scammed, I will not allow my embarrassment to prevent me from filing a complaint with the proper authorities (police, Better Business Bureau, Attorney General). I will do this to seek redress and to help prevent others from being scammed.
• I will NEVER sign a blank contract and allow a salesperson to fill in the rest.
• I will understand everything on a contract before signing it. I will get oral promises in writing. I will remember the "3 day cancellation" rule only applies to door-to-door or off-premise sales contracts.
• If I have a bad feeling about a deal, I will go with my gut. If something seems too good to be true, it usually is.

Applications for Senior Discounts on RTA and Metra are available at the Vernon Township Office, 3050 N. Main Street, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089. You should bring a passport-size photo, and you will be required to fill out an application. If you do not have a small photo, your photo can be taken at the Township, but the cost is $8.00 each. It takes about four weeks to receive your pass.

Questions - call 847-634-4600 for more information. (Posted May, 2008)

It is against the law to smoke in public places, places of employment and open air dining areas. The ordinance was approved after several months of review and discussion. The new regulations became effective on August 1, 2006 and the key sections are listed below:

• Smoking is prohibited in any enclosed area of any public place. This includes places of employment, retail and commercial businesses, restaurants and vehicles of public conveyance.
• Smoking is prohibited within twenty (20) feet of any entrance, windows capable of being opened, or ventilation system.
• Smoking is prohibited in any open air dining area or within twenty (20) feet of this area.
• Each owner, employer or other person in control of a public place, place of employment or open air dining area must post conspicuous "No Smoking" signs in these areas.
• Hotels may designate no more than fifteen percent (15%) of available rooms for rent as smoking rooms.

View the approved Ordinance

Recently there has been an increase in the reported number of bats being infected with rabies in Lake County. While the Police Department does have traps available for some wild or sick and injured animals, it does not have equipment necessary to safely remove a bat from your residence. The good news is that the Lake County Health Department Animal Control Division does! If you have a bat trapped inside your residence, or have a bat somewhere exterior to your home that appears sick or injured, is laying on the ground, or flying during daylight, contact the Lake County Health Department at 847-949-9925, and they will respond to assist you without any cost. They advise that if you have a bat inside your residence, try to confine it to a specific place by closing off doors or windows, and stay away from it until they arrive. If the bat is outside and appears sick or injured, is laying on the ground, or flying during daylight, again stay away from it and call Lake County. In addition to the Lake County Health Department, there are also a wide variety of private animal extermination and removal companies available in the area. They can be located in the phone book or on the internet. The Police Department also maintains a list should you have difficulty locating one.

If you are bitten by a bat, try to somehow safely catch, trap or confine the bat without putting you or anyone else in harm's way until the health department can arrive. You should seek medical attention immediately. This may save you from having to go through the painful and expensive rabies-shot treatment. While there have been rabid bats identified in Lake County, there have not been any other animals infected with rabies found in more than 20 years according to Lake County.

Parents should educate their children in what a bat looks like and to never touch or get near a bat if they come across one.

While bats appear creepy or scary, healthy bats do serve a very important ecological service by helping to control the insect population. They can eat up to 600 insects per hour and help control pests that destroy crops and vegetation.

The Police Department does not have traps for bats, but we do have a limited number of other traps available on a first-come, first-served basis. You can call the Police Department at 847-883-9900 for further information on our animal control services. (Posted October, 2008)

Licenses - Dogs and cats no longer have to be registered in the Village. Dogs are still required to be vaccinated for rabies annually and wear the rabies tag issued by the Lake County Health Department. Dog and cat owners should make sure their pets are wearing some type of identification tag in the event they are picked up by the Police Department. This will ensure your animal’s speedy and safe return.

Number of Pets - The Lincolnshire Village Code specifies that residents may have up to three (3) dogs or three (3) cats, or a combination of three dogs or cats at a residence in the Village. Any more than three (3) dogs or cats is a violation and could result in a ticket being issued.

Animal Litter - the Police Department is receiving more complaints of animal owners allowing their pets to defecate on property other than their own and not picking up the waste. The problem is evident along the Village’s bike paths. This is a violation of the Village Code and could result in a $50.00 ticket. Be respectful and responsible and pick up after your pet wherever you are, and please help keep our Village attractive.

Parks - As a reminder, dogs are not allowed in any of the Village’s parks at any time.

Pets on a Leash - While off your property, the Village Code requires your pet to be under your direct control at all times. While some pets are very well trained, most require being on a leash. Also, even when on your property, your dog may become startled or excited when a walker or jogger goes by, and they could dart at or charge the person. Please keep your pet under your control at all times when outdoors. (Reviewed August, 2009)