Get Connected to City Hall

When I , I talked about making our government more transparent, accountable and better at communicating with residents. 

My Council colleagues and I don't just believe this; we are taking the necessary steps to make the inner-workings of your government more open and accessible. Here are some updates that benefit you:

Pre-Session City Council Meetings Available Online

Prior to , we have pre-session Committee of the Whole (COW) meetings for in-depth policy discussions. While the meetings are open to the public, we recognize that meeting times (sometimes as early as 2:30 p.m.) and frequency can be inconvenient. To facilitate watching these in-depth discussions, COW meetings are now being recorded and posted to the City's website.

Agendas Posted Earlier

To make it easier for you to participate in your government (e.g. speak at a meeting on a matter of interest), tentative City Council and COW agendas are now posted 10 days in advance of meetings. In compliance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act, any changes and final agendas are posted four days in advance.

Working together to serve you better

The first intergovernmental meeting of 2012 including the City, School Districts, Park District and as well as our State, County and Township representatives will take place January 30 at 8 a.m. at the Police Station. The goal of these meetings is to improve our efficiencies and responsiveness to resident needs. We will be discussing upcoming major projects with an eye towards collaboration opportunities.

Several other intergovernmental meetings are planned. Check the City Calendar for details (or sign up to be reminded of these meetings).

Connected at City Hall

"Like" the City's new Facebook page and follow us on Twitter (@CityHPIL) to receive updates as posted. We plan to increase the number of groups and organizations who will post on the City's page in an effort to provide even more information about what's happening in our community.  Stay tuned!

Also, WiFi is now available at City Hall. Because City employees are subject to some stringent firewalls (no Facebooking on City time!), so too is the WiFi. However, general email and Internet exploring is now available for your convenience.  

Easy Access to Lobbyist Registration

At times, various individuals approach City Council members and staff lobbying on behalf of paying clients seeking certain decisions.  We thought you might want to know, so last week, we voted to move ahead with an ordinance providing public on-line access to this information.  This ordinance will be voted on at our next meeting on Monday, 2/13.

Mayor's Website and E-blasts

While I wish I could reach every resident with updates, unfortunately, I don't have every resident's email address!  As a result, I have created a website where residents can read my e-blasts, news and announcements. Click on the website to join our mailing list. Join my Mayor's Facebook page and follow me on Twitter.

Want to talk? Need to meet? Call DeVona Gaynor to schedule a time at 847-926-1008. 

Looking forward, as always, to hearing from you! 

Nancy Rotering
Highland Park Mayor 

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