Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois announced that it is kicking off the 2019 Girl Scout Cookie Program earlier than usual this season with online sales through Digital Cookie 5.0.

Northern Illinois

Girl Scout Cookie Program offers online sales

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois announced that it is kicking off the 2019 Girl Scout Cookie Program earlier than usual this season with online sales through Digital Cookie 5.0, a recent web-based addition to the cookie program that helps Girl Scouts run and manage their cookie businesses online. Customers have the ability to order and pay for cookies online, and the option to have the cookies shipped directly to them (shipping charges apply), have the Girl Scout deliver the cookies or personally donate the cookies (with no additional handling fees). If customers would like to have Girl Scout Cookies in time for holiday gift-giving, they should notify the Girl Scout in their lives to send them an email from their personalized website as soon as possible. Customers seeking to be connected to a local Girl Scout Cookie entrepreneur can send an email to cookies4you@girlscoutsni.org. Local Girl Scouts also will take cookie orders in person (and online) from Jan. 4-27, 2019. Cookies, available in a variety of flavors, are $5 per box. For more information, call 844-476-4463 or visit www.girlscoutsni.org.

McHenry County

County Board taps Doherty to fill Dist. 4 vacancy

The McHenry County Board recently voted to elect McHenry resident Stephen Doherty to fill the vacancy on County Board District 4. Doherty, a Republican, will serve the remaining two-year unexpired term of former County Board member Craig Wilcox, who resigned in September. Doherty brings more than four decades of financial expertise to the post, including the past 15 years as a controller at Sherman Mechanical, in Cary, and three years prior to that as Vice President of Finance at McHenry County College. Doherty was one of four applicants interviewed to fill the District 4 vacancy. District 4 covers Richmond and Burton townships, and all but the southeastern corner of McHenry County. For more information, call 815-334-4000 or visit www.mchenrycountyil.gov.

Barrington Hills

Holiday fire safety focus of ‘Keep the Wreath Red’

The village announced that the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District (BCFPD) is participating in a public awareness initiative — for the 11th consecutive year — intended to raise awareness concerning the importance of fire safety during the holiday season. Through the “Keep the Wreath Red” program, lighted wreaths displayed at Fire Station #1, 22222 N. Pepper Road, Lake Barrington; and Fire Station #2, 120 W. Algonquin Road, Barrington Hills, begin the holiday season covered in red light bulbs. Firefighters then substitute a white bulb for each fire within the 48-square-mile district found to have been caused by holiday decorations. The program runs through Jan. 1, 2019. To help “keep the wreath red,” BCFPD officials recommend the following tips: Carefully inspect all holiday light strings and discard any with frayed cords or loose connections; turn off all holiday lights when leaving the house or going to sleep each night; keep candles away from combustible materials, such as clothing and curtains, and never leave burning candles unattended; keep live trees in water-holding stands and keep stands filled with water at all times; verify that artificial trees are flame-retardant; and place trees away from heat sources and at a safe distance from exits. For more information, call 224-848-4800 or visit www.bcfpd.org.

Fox River Grove

Homeowners to see reduction in property taxes

The village announced that Fox River Grove property owners will pay less in taxes to the village during calendar year 2019. The Village Board recently adopted a 2.1 percent increase ($18,882) to the amount of property taxes collected for the village portion of the property tax bill. This will be offset by a $97,588 reduction in taxes due to the retirement of the village’s outstanding general obligation bond. The net result is a 7.3 percent reduction ($73,185) of property taxes for 2019. The village portion represents about 6 percent of the overall property tax bill in Fox River Grove, while the other 94 percent of the bill is in the control of other taxing bodies, including schools (68 percent), county (8 percent) and fire district (6 percent), among others. For more information, call 847-639-3170, send an email to village@foxrivergrove.org or visit www.foxrivergrove.org. 

Huntley

Annual Operating and Capital Budget approved

The village announced that its 2019 (FY19) Annual Operating and Capital Budget recently was approved, in accordance with Illinois State Statute and under direction from the Village Board of Trustees. Through the budget presentation and review process, operational and capital projects goals were identified for completion in 2019, and were approved in support of the village’s 2016-2020 Strategic Plan. The FY19 budget totals more than $23.8 million in expenditures for all funds. Major projects include $1.8 million for the resurfacing of streets in Georgian Place; $385,000 for water main replacements; nearly $277,000 for the second year of a two-year process to replace financial management software; and $48,000 for the village’s share of the cost to extend the Reed Road multi-use path in Talamore from Vine Street east to Route 47, with the remainder of the project funded by a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). In accordance with village financial and budget policies, the budget for the General Operating Fund is balanced with more than $11.9 million in revenues and expenditures. For more information, call 847-515-5200 or visit www.huntley.il.us.

–McHenry County News Briefs–