PUBLIC BUDGET HEARING
Barton Hills Village will hold a public budget hearing at the Village Hall, 199 Barton Shore Drive, on Monday, March 9, 2015 beginning at 6:00 PM. A copy of the proposed budget for fiscal year 2015-2016 will be on file and available to the public in the Clerk’s Office after March 1, 2015. The property tax millage rate proposed to be levied to support the proposed budget will be the subject of this hearing.
WATER CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT
The attached annual report for calendar year 2014 is published in compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and summarizes the status of the BHV water system during the last calendar year. Please read it carefully and contact the numbers given for questions or concerns.
DIRECTORY UPDATE (Contact Clerk for details.)
IN SYMPATHY
Deepest sympathies to the families of Pamela Shultz and Douglas Sherwin, former long-time residents who passed away recently.
SECURITY REMINDER
Since tax season is here, be aware of scams perpetrated by people who are posing as Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents. Callers claim that money is owed and legal action will follow. The IRS will never contact anyone by phone to collect on debts. You can simply hang up on the caller; you can also report the scam to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484. If you need tax information call the IRS at 800-829-1040 or visit www.irs.gov. Forward any emails from the IRS to phishing@irs.gov. Do not open attachments or click on links in suspicious emails. Never give personal information over the phone unless you initiate the call and/or are sure of the recipient.
TRASH/RECYCLING
Winter weather and holidays can play havoc with schedules, but trash collection days are kept as consistent as possible on the first, third and fifth Mondays of the month. Collection begins at 7:30 AM so please plan accordingly. Please do not put corrugated cardboard boxes in the green recycling bin. BHV recycles these boxes in another way that doesn’t involve the expense of the green bin exchange, so just leave corrugated cardboard alongside the building next to the green bin.
THINK SPRING!
With all the white still surrounding us, thoughts of spring may be a major antidote to cabin fever. While you’re leafing through seed catalogs and dreaming of warmer days, please keep these things in mind:
If you’re planning an outdoor project, please check with the BHV Clerk’s office about necessary approvals. The BHV Zoning Ordinance covers all structures including porches, decks, patios and terraces, accessory buildings, fences, walls over 18” tall, lighting and play structures.
Take a look at where the snow is piled up this year, for reference when you think about plantings, lights, sprinklers and other aspects of landscaping. Such items that are beautiful in the warm weather are invisible under the snow, making it difficult for the snowplow drivers to determine where to drive. The trucks plow from the road towards your house and the snow has to go somewhere at the end—an important thought to consider when planting bushes or placing decorative elements.
If a sprinkler system is part of your dream, please keep water conservation in mind. Systems with moisture sensors will save energy and money as well as providing just the right amount of water for your location.
Consider using native plants which have adapted to regional conditions over a long period of time. They are drought resistant due to deep root systems, disease resistant, require little to no fertilizer and improve soil quality while working in community with each other and other habitat members.
Only 17 days until Daylight Savings Time begins (March 8)!
Only 29 days until the first day of Spring (March 20)!