[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6160213,"mediaKeyId","5450969-9d0ac2a308322014fc5ab6c20b549a8f","parentId",5450969,"title","Gurnee approves 12-member 'Gurnee Cares' commission after questions on residency and funding","audioSeconds",899,"startMs",1524000,"endMs",2423000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5450969-9d0ac2a308322014fc5ab6c20b549a8f&start=1524&end=2423","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5450969-9d0ac2a308322014fc5ab6c20b549a8f/thumbnail_1524000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6160213/Gurnee/Lake-County/Illinois/Gurnee-approves-12-member-Gurnee-Cares-commission-after-questions-on-residency-and-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6160213-4545c11d0bf382f5b60e6d27866a0ad2/orig.mp4?Expires=1775999287&Signature=eXEo2bekyljB2m9meaDc5HGMvYTCwaZKHfBrQnMY0BQnItvgM2DQepEKQkNRJ14hCy6bfXL~nv6Wb4M97VRd0YnC-cRsKlL~F4zDfakwXV9Mf4YZ70ivcad45hqC3vzc9xFqAcT5nE-9BIYqK76FpRnkPVH~N9vZXbKUz6aMRWCSTABy2xvOmwDT6mboQEbFITSbuhTomeWy6S0jGc-I45TgZeuyw8Qxd7EXay8HjpMIHiyaXPIb4Ry2ce0wxC526lissWbH1nNrVxVYZ0fwaxVY1HoXKKF4CQgNvnV-IIj7v1t9NVtwpzEKMI~9zJ16eOfCvSnNKNcaXSURwXF1eg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Village of Gurnee, IL","date","2025-07-23T11:56:58.107Z","article","The Village of Gurnee on July 21 approved appointments to a new 12-member Care Commission, informally referred to in presentation materials as “Gurnee Cares,” a body charged with screening nonprofits that provide essential services and recommending grant awards to the village board.

The commission will establish criteria to identify local charities and programs that “do what no one else does” and present recommended awards to the trustees for approval, Kevin Woodside, the commission chair, told the board. \"The commission will begin by establishing criteria for screening for those types of organizations and those will be presented to the board,\" Woodside said.

Why it matters: trustees said the commission is intended to focus village resources and volunteer efforts on unmet needs inside the community rather than duplicate county or township services. During the meeting several residents asked for transparency about who serves on the commission, whether members must be Gurnee residents and where any village funding will come from.

Public comments and trustee concerns
Several residents used the public-comment periods to raise questions about the commission’s membership and finances. Karen Raswadowski of 1432 Bell Pine Avenue said she had understood commission members “had to be Gurnee residents” and asked why some appointees were not residents. “I’ve been a Gurnee resident for 38 years. I just had some questions on the care commission,” Raswadowski said at the mic.

Debbie Hasselton, another commentator, asked whether the commission’s membership would reflect diverse experiences such as medical hardship and homelessness and whether funding would come from federal sources or local tax dollars. Dave Ulrich raised a related concern about why municipal funds were being used for work at Bittersweet Golf Course (a separate agenda item); officials said they would address those budget questions during the staff presentations and afterward.

Composition, scope and limits
Woodside said the selection process prioritized strong connections to the village and its school districts. \"Most all of them are residents. There are a couple of exceptions,\" he said, adding that about 10 of the 12 appointees live in Gurnee and the others live in school-district areas served by the village. The commission’s initial responsibilities include drafting transparent screening criteria for nonprofit applicants and presenting those recommendations to the board for final approval.

Mayor David Hood (identified in remarks) and trustees characterized the commission as a way to encourage volunteerism and support residents with needs that may not be visible. \"This group will help make that happen,\" Mayor Hood said, noting examples of local student needs related to food and clothing.

Board discussion and vote
Trustees discussed potential overlap with existing services such as the county 2-1-1 information line and local service clubs. Trustee comments emphasized that the commission will only recommend awards; any funding decision rests with the board. Trustee Ross moved the appointments; Trustee Garner seconded. On roll call the vote was recorded as: Trustee O’Brien — aye; Trustee Baumas — aye; Trustee Thorsonson — yes; Trustee Woodside — abstain; Trustee Ross — aye; Trustee Garner — aye. The motion carried with five ayes and one abstention.

What's next
The commission will begin meeting to draft its screening criteria and will return recommendations to the board for review and approval. Woodside said the group intends to keep the process transparent and present each recommended award to the trustees before any funds are disbursed.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article are those who spoke on the record at the July 21 meeting; their statements in this article are drawn from the meeting transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Wednesday, July 21, 2025 - Village of Gurnee Regular Village Board","oneSentenceSummary","The Village of Gurnee on July 21 approved appointments to a new 12-member Care Commission, informally called “Gurnee Cares,” a body charged with screening nonprofits that provide essential services and recommending grant awards to the village board.","taxTitle","Gurnee, Lake County, Illinois","taxId",55474,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6160207,"Gurnee approves $3.42 million contract to replace Bittersweet Golf Course irrigation system",739,2261000,3000000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5450969-9d0ac2a308322014fc5ab6c20b549a8f&start=2261&end=3000","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5450969-9d0ac2a308322014fc5ab6c20b549a8f/thumbnail_2261000.jpg","/articles/6160207/Gurnee/Lake-County/Illinois/Gurnee-approves-342-million-contract-to-replace-Bittersweet-Golf-Course-irrigation-system","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6160207-d8d0380a342603bff50ed715a013b9af/orig.mp4?Expires=1775999287&Signature=EMft~6ukghccsNgewc4z0hjT4rm1QBnNFk1uBglq1yRPeJQED1~9Bytvx3Bmow3WJOeLuXOCDStKm7DuksTUiQxtVinmeB3~AukNepc4oTkTrOfYI8hEti9nXHi6VPL5ggtqkuRX-eDVQd-29iPO3oqODWV8Es6AA5Z-VQsRxAFbP6US~-WEOF0RMQ~mm3RymyQfBDJ-yOsMmaPx5OLomcwj5~KvFLLx1aT4FkkrySsP8fq7Gd4ofjjxvVuCEM6v0l3xnONC0Qf7diI5VYkGL5ngHL2hFGARLvn40~jnQeP3ynIOyirM-Wrl58YTUq1yJwC5cSt~A-V5gkHTRwknQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Village of Gurnee on July 21 voted to award a $3,420,000 contract to Commercial Irrigation Inc. to replace the irrigation system at village-owned Bittersweet Golf Course. The board said the project protects a village asset, reduces recurring maintenance demands and is timed to minimize loss of playing season.

Why it matters: the irrigation system has reached the end of its useful life, staff said, producing hundreds of leaks and requiring scarce replacement parts. Village and course officials say replacing the system will reduce long-term maintenance costs and help preserve revenue the course generates for the village.

Bid, scope and schedule
The village, working with course manager Golf Vision and designer EC Design, solicited bids and received two offers. Commercial Irrigation Inc. of Peoria was the low bidder at $3,420,000; the other bid was about $3,870,000. Installation is scheduled to begin on or after March 1, 2026, with an estimated construction period of about four months depending on weather. The work includes about 900 sprinkler heads, roughly 260 valves, a weather station, one pump station and approximately 16.5 miles of pipe.

Funding breakdown and board rationale
Staff described a funding plan that combines multiple sources: about $500,000 in an amusement-tax-revenue reserve tied to Bittersweet, $1,000,000 previously earmarked in capital-fund surplus, and $500,000 from the golf course’s internal reserves. Finance staff recommended using up to $1,500,000 from a projected general-fund surplus (a staff recommendation tied to FY2024–25 results) to reach roughly $3.5 million in available funds to cover the project and related costs. The contract award itself is for $3,420,000; the additional available funds create a contingency for associated capital work.

Course superintendent’s account of failures
Brad Anderson, Bittersweet’s grounds superintendent, described extensive ongoing failures in the existing system. \"There are hundreds of leaks on the golf course right now,\" Anderson said. \"We can't get parts for the sprinklers anymore. We're spending $300 every time we repair a broken sprinkler because the $20 component that's leaking, they don't make anymore.\" He said staff time spent on repeated repairs has diverted maintenance resources from habitat management and routine course care.

Board discussion and vote
Trustees emphasized that the village is using a pay-as-you-go approach rather than issuing debt. Trustee O’Brien noted that visitor-driven taxes fund much of the work. Trustee Garner moved to award the contract; Trustee Ross seconded. The motion passed on roll call with six ayes.

Implementation notes
Per the bid specifications, installation will be scheduled to minimize disruption to golfers; staff said some holes might be closed temporarily on work days. Village staff and Golf Vision will coordinate staging, safety procedures and homeowner notifications for work adjacent to residential properties.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article are those who spoke on the record at the July 21 meeting; their statements in this article are drawn from the meeting transcript.","The Village of Gurnee awarded a $3,420,000 contract to Commercial Irrigation Inc. on July 21 to replace the aging irrigation system at Bittersweet Golf Course.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6160203,"Gurnee reports stronger-than-budget FY2024–25 revenues; finance director recommends $3.5M capital transfer",580,1026000,1606000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5450969-9d0ac2a308322014fc5ab6c20b549a8f&start=1026&end=1606","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5450969-9d0ac2a308322014fc5ab6c20b549a8f/thumbnail_1026000.jpg","/articles/6160203/Gurnee/Lake-County/Illinois/Gurnee-reports-stronger-than-budget-FY202425-revenues-finance-director-recommends-35M-capital-transfer","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6160203-192f450c8d6b19fde738cfb795c6d0a1/orig.mp4?Expires=1775999287&Signature=gmEv6fYR6Fyh9ATxHvlHq66K05WlMC9muZY3rjf8i73ux4ZnfM-GtRW7CaRt-i0Bubu45JHpw9WXuLbzBqVC7s7zszXfbPyJw8InqeE~J4bqoVI~qgbt~ka5kbRF1ZCLkQPsZKZFlNBXvkn9PqOulV5YjYiIxpwIf71cl4bMLA2tX3qzZpIRgIQeq0TgnJkHhqSjF0MTVsYk0rFVZ1EHXVx-HjapXvOPF3lHuILdyTbq2k-ZuLvRZGuI2U5pC4FINtce7PKFX7VKAv2tgpL7Lq1yt8bd8RN1sDjahX4GguY1kkAp1zWMjOJTk1~QBPdtqYkRiwb6fHeUc8A4TutzZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Finance Director Bridal Gosnell presented the Village of Gurnee’s unaudited fourth-quarter financial report for the fiscal year covering May 1, 2024 through April 30, 2025 on July 21, reporting that major general-fund revenues finished ahead of budget and recommending a transfer of approximately $3.5 million to the capital fund.

Key figures and context
Gosnell reported total cash and investments of about $55 million at April 30 (excluding pension funds). The general fund finished the year with total revenue of about $53.9 million, or 104.5% of budget, and expenditures of about $52.5 million, or 101.8% of budget. The reported general-fund balance ended the year near $34.37 million, roughly 76% of expenditures and about $3.5 million above the village’s stated upper policy limit.

Major revenue drivers
Sales tax, amusement tax, food-and-beverage tax and hotel tax together account for nearly 70% of general-fund revenues. Sales tax finished the year ahead of budget (about $22.15 million vs. a $20.3 million budget). Amusement tax finished about 15% ahead of budget, helped by local attractions. Hotel tax was slightly under budget but late remittances were expected to bring it closer to budget.

Transfers and recommended use of excess balance
Gosnell explained that the village had used excess balances in prior years for targeted transfers, and staff recommended transferring $3.5 million to the capital fund to offset infrastructure needs, citing projects later on the agenda such as the Bittersweet irrigation replacement. \"To be conservative, we'll look at where we're going to be at the end of next year... staff recommendation to transfer that $3,500,000 to offset capital infrastructure,\" Gosnell said.

Other funds
The water and sewer fund finished the year with positive variance; total revenues were about $10.86 million (105.6% of budget) with expenditures below budget. The health-insurance fund had a negative balance in the prior year, prompting a planned shift to a governmental pool later in the year.

Next steps
The report is unaudited; the village will finalize transfers and use of surplus after close of the fiscal year and as part of standard year-end and capital-planning procedures. Budget adjustments and any transfers will be reflected in future board actions.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article are those who spoke on the record at the July 21 meeting; their statements in this article are drawn from the meeting transcript.","Finance Director Bridal Gosnell presented the village's unaudited fourth-quarter report for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2025. Major general-fund revenues finished ahead of budget and staff recommended transferring about $3.5 million of excess fund balance to capital reserves for infrastructure projects.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Gurnee approves 12-member 'Gurnee Cares' commission after questions on residency and funding

Gurnee approves $3.42 million contract to replace Bittersweet Golf Course irrigation system

Gurnee reports stronger-than-budget FY2024–25 revenues; finance director recommends $3.5M capital transfer