Monday, July 9, 2012
Months after forming an exploratory committee, the Highland Park resident decides to run for Highland Park City Council. She joins Kim Stone and Daniel Kaufman.
Roughly two months after she first began considering a run, Alyssa Knobel decided Sunday that she would pursue a seat on the City Council in next April's election. The Business & Economic Development Commission (BEDC) chair and 14-year Highland Park resident joins Kim Stone and Councilman Daniel Kaufman in the race for three available slots. Current Councilmen Jim Kirsch and Steve Mandel will not seek reelection, and the council seat Kaufman was appointed to last April is up for grabs next year. Want Highland Park news in your inbox every morning? Subscribe to Patch's newsletter. "I wanted to vet my issues and get a grip on what people were saying and how they felt about me as a candidate," Knobel said about the past two months. "I have …
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Current councilman becomes third candidate for next April's election.
Current City Councilman Daniel Kaufman will run to retain his council seat in next April's election, according to a statement released Monday night. He joins Kim Stone and Alyssa Knobel in the race. "I am running to continue the work I have begun with the Mayor and my fellow Councilmen to keep moving us forward for the betterment of our residents and community in general," Kaufman said in the statement. Want Highland Park news in your inbox every morning? Subscribe to Patch's newsletter. Mayor Nancy Rotering appointed Kaufman to the city council last summer. The longtime Highland Park resident spoke with Patch shortly after his first meeting as a City Councilman about his priorities for the city council. They include ensuring a fiscally …
Monday, October 17, 2011
Changes to the Business and Economic Development Commission also discussed.
Looking for ways to help Highland Park residents remain in their homes and the community, the City Council took direct action to modify enforcement of the real estate transfer tax last Monday and agreed to discuss additional opportunities to help citizens. Any time a change is made in the title to property in Highland Park, the seller must pay the city a one-time tax of $5 for every $1000 of value, though there are some exceptions, like a homeowner refinancing a mortgage. 'Just for the bank' Gayle Weinberg Kalmin told the Council at its last meeting how she had to pay a transfer tax twice. She was charged once when she added her father to the title and again when he was removed 18 months later. No money was exchanged and she never moved…
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
City Council takes steps to give citizens choices on purchasing electricity.
A first step toward reducing electricity costs for citizens of Highland Park was unanimously taken by the City Council Monday at its regularly scheduled meeting. The Council tentatively set Dec. 12 for a vote to place a referendum on the March 20 primary ballot that will give the City the right to negotiate with independent electric providers to purchase power that it can resell to its citizens. Though the electricity could be purchased from a source other than Commonwealth Edison, the utility will continue to deliver the power through its infrastructure. Bills will still come from ComEd. “We can buy in bulk,” Mayor Nancy Rotering said. “We have the opportunity to work with other municipalities as well.” Lake Forest took a similar step…
Monday, September 12, 2011
No clear consensus among residents for Highland Park Theater's future.
No clear consensus of public opinion on the future of the Highland Park Theatre came out of a special meeting of the City Council’s Committee of the Whole Wednesday at City Hall. More than 30 people attended to hear the Council’s progress on its plans with the theater and voice their opinion on future ideas. Earlier: Potential Highland Park Theatre Owner Steps Forward The lack of cohesive support of for any specific use combined with criticism over the City’s proposed process to determine the property’s future led Mayor Nancy Rotering to reconsider the next steps. “We’re going to take a look at the process that will get the best conclusion,” Rotering said. “The economic impact will be big to downtown Highland Park. We really need to …
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Council devising comprehensive plan to renew city's sales tax rebates.
Members of the Highland Park City Council took a step closer to creating a comprehensive sales tax rebate program to entice new businesses and retain existing ones. The board acted Monday at its Committee of the Whole Meeting before the regular council gathering. Mayor Nancy Rotering asked Councilmen Jim Kirsch and Paul Frank to work with City Manager Dave Limardi and Finance Director Elizabeth Holleb to create a detailed plan to help the business community. It is expected to be discussed at the Sept. 12 Committee of the Whole meeting. Read More: Council Weighs Lifting Sales Tax Moratorium. Before 2008, the city helped new businesses such as Target or auto dealerships by rebating a portion of the sales tax that the company collected to …
Thursday, August 11, 2011
City Council sets Sept. 7 meeting date as it puts final touches on bid guidelines.
A meeting to gather public input on the future of the Highland Park Theatre is scheduled on Sept. 7 before the City Council puts the final touches on a Request for Proposals (RFP) set for five days later. Community Development Director Michael Blue announced the public hearing at Monday's Committee of the Whole meeting and said it aimed to allow maximum attendance after the Labor Day holiday. Neither the time nor location of the Sept. 7 meeting has been determined. Blue indicated the information would be available by Aug. 15. Blue disclosed a timetable for a decision by Nov. 25 along with a 12-page draft RFP for council members to review at Monday’s meeting. During debate over the RFP language, Councilmen Jim Kirsch and Steve Mandel …
Friday, July 15, 2011
Highland Park lawyer was sworn in Monday.
Daniel Kaufman, 50, considers Highland Park a progressive community, and after serving on two of its commissions he has already made his mark. When Kaufman became Highland Park’s seventh and newest City Council member Monday, it was with the hope of helping his lifelong hometown stay that way. His inauguration at Monday at the Council’s regularly scheduled meeting was not his first experience with the city’s legislative body. Kaufman first addressed the Council as an eighth grader when he attended Northwood Junior High School in 1975. He advocated for bicycle paths that connected northern Highland Park to the central business district. “I was promoting the idea of the city building a bike path to connect the Highlands with other parts …
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Rotering asks Council for their input by Friday.
Progress on the future of the Highland Park Theatre continued as the City Council was promised a draft of a Request for Proposal (RFP) from City Manager Dave Limardi Monday at its Committee of the Whole Meeting prior to the regularly scheduled gathering. Mayor Nancy Rotering and the Council members were given a questionnaire by Limardi to indicate their priorities and preferences for the theater. Rotering asked for their input by Friday. Limardi will then prepare the RFP for the Council’s review July 25. Just before the regular meeting, Daniel Kaufman was sworn in as the newest member of the Council by Judge Mitch Hoffman, bringing the city’s legislative body to full strength of seven members for the first time since inauguration of new …
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Mayor Nancy Rotering names liaisons to several of the city's affiliated agencies.
At Monday's City Council meeting, Councilman Steve Mandel announced a number of appointments made by Mayor Nancy Rotering. Mandel will chairman of the Intra City Parking Commission with Councilman Paul Frank serving as vice chairman. Mandel and Councilman Jim Kirsch will serve on the Liquor Control Commission. Nancy Himmelfarb will be vice chairman of the Natural Resources Commission. Each city commission and other Highland Park entities have a City Council member designated as liaisons. Mandel also revealed those appointments made by Rotering, who did not attend Monday's meeting. Kirsch and Frank will work with the Business and Economic Development Commission. Mandel and Councilman Tony Blumberg will help the Plan Commission. Blumberg …
mike belsky
12:14 pm on Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Dan is a great Councilman, works in the best interest of Highland Park, did a great job as Chairman of the Housing Commission, and deserves to be elected to a full term. Mayor Mike Belsky more ›