[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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],{"_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",5973528,"mediaKeyId","5854567-40147820451a2328b2d834b2089f17a5","parentId",5854567,"title","Highland Park councilors back asking Lake County to favor North Shore takeover if South Lake Mosquito District dissolves","audioSeconds",555,"startMs",425000,"endMs",980000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5854567-40147820451a2328b2d834b2089f17a5&start=425&end=980","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5854567-40147820451a2328b2d834b2089f17a5/thumbnail_425000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5973528/Highland-Park/Lake-County/Illinois/Highland-Park-councilors-back-asking-Lake-County-to-favor-North-Shore-takeover-if-South-Lake-Mosquito-District-dissolves","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973528-8b81c9f3d7886d3d6db10c2645d30bef/orig.mp4?Expires=1775281507&Signature=gxfzfO6cYOOeSvmFEYhcG6~NvHsi4nB8cFUZwy~dlDo-tzifc5j~eeaSsp1MmtvZEbGAgCMVuBBVEZzaYArDjnIyEjtIkuQnWKsegZF2M27Jw7YQs10baOGY72JPwr~AhbySdP7wGJTTeyr83iwPKMNkAOUNutQB1cgBN7X1FMGYOnwR5QAcn6WxrpsFY6KPrGExwYdInwM1EbZFDiy9ObNCEjeujDtspKSoZVy9dkR7akl6FYo1Wic9IL6sXKb7JMYqJ7BXTeMGJr0ZvjjF8zE~wVI8TRMUPN8Bak1smLubuynOnYijjbpZcP75n9jo0MIIMASO52B3jpbmDdIv3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Highland Park, IL","date","2025-09-26T00:00:00Z","article","Highland Park city officials on Thursday urged Lake County to favor a merger with the North Shore Mosquito Abatement District if the county proceeds with dissolving the South Lake Mosquito Abatement District, citing continuity of service and lower taxes as chief concerns.

Assistant City Manager Emily Taub told the Committee of the Whole that Lake County adopted an ordinance on Aug. 12 proposing dissolution of the independent, taxing South Lake Mosquito Abatement District, and that the county is now conducting an audit of the district's financial statements. \"We are recommending combination with an adjoining district,\" Taub said, describing consolidation with North Shore as the most cost-effective option the city has identified.

The committee was briefed on how the process would proceed under county guidance: an audit, an authorizing ordinance, public notice that triggers a 30-day period for petitions to force a referendum, appointment of a trustee if no referendum is filed, and completion of dissolution not less than 60 days after a trustee's appointment. Taub said Lake County estimates the process could take about six months from start to finish if no petition is filed.

Why it matters: the South Lake district is the taxing authority that pays roughly $570,000 a year for contracted mosquito work and currently holds an estimated $1.6 million in cash. If North Shore annexes South Lake territory it would set the tax rate for services and assume assets and contracts; city staff said North Shore's tax rate has historically been about 30% lower than South Lake's and that North Shore provides in-house staffing and an emphasis on prevention and public engagement.

Taub cautioned that consolidation would mean a permanent loss of local control: \"The annexing district assumes full control of the services and sets the tax rate.\" Committee members raised additional concerns about representation on a combined board, noting state law and population formulas would likely give Highland Park one appointment on a five-member board if North Shore absorbs South Lake.

Council members and staff also discussed alternatives should consolidation not take place: (1) no municipal mosquito abatement (individual property owners could contract privately), (2) Highland Park hires staff or contracts directly with a private operator (Taub said the city currently lacks in-house expertise and no funds are budgeted for abatement in 2025 or 2026), or (3) a multi-jurisdiction intergovernmental agreement among the affected South Lake communities to bid joint services. Lake County Health Department has offered surveillance and testing guidance but does not directly provide abatement services, Taub said.

Committee members voiced broad support for drafting a formal letter to Lake County and North Shore expressing Highland Park's preference for consolidation into North Shore and asking that the county preserve continuity of services and return, if legally appropriate, tax dollars to affected communities. Several members also requested that Highland Park ask for transitional accommodations: either ex officio, nonvoting participation by current South Lake board members for one to two years, or at minimum regular attendance by former board members at public meetings so the district's institutional knowledge is available to the annexing body.

What was not decided: the city did not take a formal legislative action or vote to bind Highland Park to any outcome; staff said the council's feedback will be shared with county and district partners and will inform a written communication. The county, not the city, controls whether it will adopt the authorizing ordinance and whether a trustee will be appointed.

Background: South Lake Mosquito Abatement District (SLMAD) serves Highland Park and neighboring towns including Highwood, Deerfield, Riverwoods and Bannockburn. SLMAD is an independent unit of local government that contracts with Clark Mosquito Control for operations and does not have on-site administrative staff. Taub described integrated mosquito management components the district funds: education, larviciding, surveillance and targeted adult mosquito control.

Next steps: staff will draft a letter to Lake County and the relevant mosquito abatement districts conveying Highland Park's policy feedback and the committee's preference; the city will continue to monitor the county audit and any public filings that trigger petition or referendum windows.

Ending: Council members emphasized they do not control Lake County's legal steps but want to make clear Highland Park's concerns about public health, continuity of service, representation on any annexing board and a request for transitional arrangements to preserve institutional knowledge.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Committee of the Whole Meeting - 9/25/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Highland Park city officials on Thursday urged Lake County to favor a merger with the North Shore Mosquito Abatement District if the county proceeds with dissolving the South Lake Mosquito Abatement District, citing continuity of service and lower taxes as chief concerns.","taxTitle","Highland Park, Lake County, Illinois","taxId",55515,"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},5973522,"Highland Park committee OKs 2026 event slate but defers sponsorship requests and vendor-fee waivers",2498,2518000,5016000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5854567-40147820451a2328b2d834b2089f17a5&start=2518&end=5016","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5854567-40147820451a2328b2d834b2089f17a5/thumbnail_2518000.jpg","/articles/5973522/Highland-Park/Lake-County/Illinois/Highland-Park-committee-OKs-2026-event-slate-but-defers-sponsorship-requests-and-vendor-fee-waivers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973522-579110d14163041c38f5c2a79da1f390/orig.mp4?Expires=1775281507&Signature=R9i1~XGgWyDjkt-GwX3A2x7AGowKAoLcbgbN7AqZATtbBHRgWA4DxEzOcsJtG0aMadETyFhA10lpb9OhXLYpex0DKjUUMvqyE-tQzNYqnK5vsApgjTS7VG1XK6GVjXE~EQkkTaBBt-Z8~6xheidQQhoLTPFIYkPj1AIpqDKhNPEgPx~yKjMfK50OTW-vgdGWTVTAhY0FQbqi~0deStePCvbtRGKy4zJz-y1dxXXkOopXinxNjvu6RpTYdYhOW~hEnBFt9kUUHgpYlqi2Iww2C6osQ7So0RAUKa92DZqFMFBIM4wIqIgEgvTAxut6dqhN6iBIu1m9g1E9Jtm2vr~Uqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee of the Whole on Thursday reviewed the city's proposed 2026 event slate, endorsed continuing the downtown concert and festival program and a proposed $451,000 operating budget for city-produced events, but postponed decisions on sponsorship requests and vendor-fee waivers from private event organizers until staff returns with more detail.

Assistant Manager Erin Jason and Communications Manager Amanda Bennett presented staff's proposal to retain the city's 2025 \"bookend\" model for Central Avenue events in 2026: the Taste of Highland Park in June, a series of Port Clinton concerts, the vintage car show and the Susan's Stews & Brews event in fall, plus holiday lighting and neighborhood programming. \"We feel confident with the budget at $451,000 for next year,\" Jason told the committee, summarizing staff estimates of infrastructure, ADA compliance and security costs.

The committee heard 2024 attendance and economic-intelligence figures staff supplied from the Placer.ai platform: more than 25,000 visitors attended city events in 2024 and staff said those visits included both local residents and regional visitors that supported downtown businesses. Council members asked staff to make the presentation clearer about how weather and single-day versus multi-day events affect attendance figures.

Council members endorsed several policy priorities for next year's events: expand family- and pet-friendly programming, include more diverse artists and vendors, improve vendor outreach and signage, and evaluate evening programming to maximize the benefit of event setup and infrastructure costs. Multiple members urged better advertising and stronger coordination with downtown businesses so local restaurants and retailers can capture event foot traffic.

On sponsorships, staff described a new request from festival organizers (identified in staff materials as Amber/Andrew Productions) seeking $20,000 in financial support for two events and asking the city to provide infrastructure such as water barricades and marketing. Staff recommended in-kind assistance rather than a direct cash payment, noting that waiving vendor permit fees for the Cortland Art Festival (205 vendors, about $14,500 in vendor fees this year) and for Arts on Sheridan (about $6,000) would provide most of the organizers' requested value without an outlay of city cash. \"Our recommendation is that it not be a financial out-of-pocket expense for us,\" Jason said.

Dieter, a representative identified as head of operations for the organizer, told the committee that Highland Park remains unusual in charging an individual artist/vendor permit fee. \"This is also the other the only community in which the artist do have an individual permit fee,\" he said, and he outlined rising event costs including additional on-site security required after the 2022 shooting.

Several council members expressed hesitation about providing direct financial sponsorship to a for-profit promoter. Council member John noted the vendor fee is a modest, longstanding pass-through fee and emphasized the costs municipal staff absorb to stage large downtown events. Others called for waiving the fee for smaller, locally owned vendors and for adding targeted programming to increase diversity, such as a daytime international food and music feature at the Taste footprint.

Outcome: the committee agreed to proceed with the proposed 2026 event slate and the $451,000 planning budget but deferred final decisions on in-kind sponsorship and any vendor-fee waiver requests to allow staff to return with a more detailed cost/benefit analysis, comparisons to neighboring municipalities and recommendations on whether fee relief should apply to for-profit organizers, nonprofit groups, or particular vendor classes.

Ending: staff will refine the financial options, quantify in-kind support versus cash, and bring back a narrower sponsorship proposal and vendor-fee policy for committee consideration at a future meeting.","The Committee of the Whole reviewed the proposed 2026 slate of downtown events and a $451,000 event budget, discussed adding more diverse programming and improving event operations, and deferred a decision on in-kind or financial sponsorship requests from festival organizers pending further review.","actionData","errors"]

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Highland Park councilors back asking Lake County to favor North Shore takeover if South Lake Mosquito District dissolves

Highland Park committee OKs 2026 event slate but defers sponsorship requests and vendor-fee waivers