Like much of the world, the coronavirus defined much of 2020 for central Lake County. On top of residents in the area contracting the virus, the Villages of Libertyville, Mundelein and Vernon Hills saw protests and disagreement in their villages over school districts’ approaches to the pandemic. Village board meetings became virtual, businesses closed, events canceled, and budgets took a hit across the board.
Though, 2020 did bring good news and other developments separate from the pandemic. Vernon Hills was named one of the best places to live in the country by Money. Mundelein students held a rally aimed at discussing racism and discrimination, advocating for the community to come together. And Libertyville’s Innovation Park saw businesses take up residency at their campus.
Here is a look-back at the year for the three villages:
Coronavirus in central Lake County
In response to the coronavirus, the Villages of Libertyville, Mundelein and Vernon Hills looked for ways to provide relief to both its residents and local businesses.
In Mundelein, the village waived licensing fees for certain business categories, and fees for business registration. They also suspended water disconnections and late fees through April 2021. Like other villages, Mundelein also created a robust advertising campaign that encouraged residents to shop local to help in-town businesses.
In Libertyville, reward programs and changes in protocol, such as allowing some businesses to operate in the park due to indoor restrictions, were offered by the village. Vernon Hills participated in similar programs to help spur its local businesses, pushing residents to shop locally and creating resource pages on their website to show where residents and businesses could seek economic help, and allow residents to see who is open.
Libertyville
D70/D128 protests
Protests were sparked in September after parents with children within Districts 70 and 128 demanded the schools return back to a hybrid model. At a rally in front of Butterfield School on Sept. 21, parents, teachers and other attendees spoke about the struggles of teaching children at home.
Combined with this, those in attendance brought signs, and discussed various statistics surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, saying children are not impacted significantly by it.
A school board meeting for District 70 followed the rally, where parents spoke at that as well. A week later, another rally, this time for the high schools within Community High School District 128, was held, calling for similar action to be taken. Protests around the area, including one in Mundelein, sparked up as well.
Sales tax approval
In March, village residents approved a sales tax increase of 1%
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that village officials said would help the village make up a $2.5 million financial shortfall for necessary infrastructure improvements.The tax went into effect in July after being approved in March during the primary election. Money began trickling in from the tax in October. In March, the measure was approved with 58% of the vote.
In addition to the change, the village repealed its “1% Places for Eating” tax to avoid double taxation, as the new tax accounted for those purchases. The projected total of the sales tax was estimated to bring the village about $2 million annually, which officials said would create a much more manageable shortfall.
“Voters showed that they trust us to use their money wisely, and now it’s up to us and future boards (to show) that we respect that trust,” Mayor Terry Weppler said in March.
Cook Memorial head resigns over homophobic remarks
In June, Cook Memorial Library Board President Bonnie Quirke resigned over homophobic remarks made in a 2010 speech that found new life. In the speech, Quirke had said the library “abounds with the homosexual agenda, especially in the children’s department.”
In response to those comments, and her resignation, the library board received several comments from its constituents, and the board approved a resolution that reaffirmed their mission statement of inclusivity, while condemning Quirke’s comments.
A staff survey was also announced to investigate what kind of influence, if any, Quirke’s views had on decisions made by the district over the course of her tenure. Some former officials within the library noted that while they did not agree with her views, they never saw those views affect the collection.
Mayor Weppler announces village won’t enforce indoor dining
In late October, which cases of the coronavirus surging, and restrictions being put on various regions by the state, local officials, including Libertyville Mayor Terry Weppler, announced their villages would not enforce such restrictions on indoor dining.
The decision, Weppler announced in a Facebook post, was made after a conference call and consultation with village trustees. Officials, like Weppler, had said closing down again could be detrimental to an industry that had already taken a massive hit. He also called the governor’s orders self-serving, as it did not restrict certain services that the state made tax revenue off, he said.
Shortly after Weppler did this, other villages in the area, including Mundelein and Vernon Hills, announced similar intentions. The decision was met with mixed reaction, according to comments on the post.
“I know the COVID virus is dangerous and I am as concerned as many of you that we protect people’s health,” he said in the post. “However, there have been no issues of Libertyville restaurants causing the spreading of COVID.”
Libertyville theater
The potential demolition of Libertyville Theater riled up residents on both sides of the issue. On one hand, the building was seen as historically significant to the village, with many, including several village board members, stating they wanted to see it carry on.
Meanwhile, the owners of the building requested to have it demolished after they could not find a buyer for the property. After the demolition was formally rejected in August, the owners were called on by the village to apply for a Certificate of Economic Hardship.
With residents seemingly split on the issue, some called for the building to stay up for its historical importance, while others said without any economic viability, there was no reason to keep it. More developments are expected on “The Liberty” in 2021.
Business moves to Libertyville
While business was a bit of a sore subject for several due to the fallout of the coronavirus, Libertyville’s Innovation Park saw a few high profile companies move their headquarters to the campus in 2020.
EVBox, an electric car charger manufacturer, and Intermatic, a maker of energy control devices, both found homes at Innovation Park earlier in the year. But the biggest grab of the year came via Medline Industries, maker and distributor medical supplies, who brought almost 600 jobs to Libertyville.
The company also signed a 10-year lease with Innovation Park for a space that includes 140,000 square feet, and began working on an estimated $14 million in upgrades to the facility.
Libertyville drive-thru play and zoom play
With the coronavirus pandemic creating new restrictions, Libertyville High School’s theater department found a couple of new and creative ways to present their productions throughout the school year.
The first, held in September, was a drive-thru play that saw more than 100 cars go through. The set was made in a parking lot, which allowed for cars to drive by, two at a time, and stop, seeing each scene before moving onto the next.
The next, held in November, was a series of several scenes performed over Zoom. Titled, “Too Much Zoom Makes the Baby Go Boom,” the cast performed recorded 30 total scenes through Zoom, and then showed them to an audience through the virtual meeting platform as well. The crew allotted themselves 80 minutes for the scenes, which acted also as a cutoff.
Mundelein
Recreational marijuana comes to Mundelein
With municipalities allowed to authorize the sale of recreational marijuana sales starting Jan. 1, 2020, Mundelein took advantage and saw their dispensary, Rise Dispensaries Mundelein, open up shop.
Of note, Mundelein was one of the only municipalities in the area at the start of the year that allowed for the sale of recreational cannabis. Long lines and customers limited to the lesser quantities they could buy made up the first couple weeks of Rise’s story in town.
Despite the demand, the business reported in January they were keeping up, while dispensaries around the Chicagoland were seeing dwindling inventory.
In November, the village board also approved a cannabis growing facility to come into town, pending state permits.
Mayor Lentz gets coronavirus
Toward the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Mayor Steve Lentz, along with his wife, were diagnosed with COVID-19. Lentz was the first local official in the northern suburbs to publicly announce such a diagnosis.
Lentz followed this by quarantining at home, saying his symptoms started with a mild scratchy throat. He made the announcement to reinforce the importance of social distancing he said, as without that practice, he would have probably gone about his business unaware of his illness.
Lentz and his wife made a full recovery in the following weeks.
MHS rally
Mundelein High School’s Black Student Union held a community rally in July to discuss racism and discrimination. The theme of the day, which also acted as the event’s title, “Stronger Together,” was meant to encourage community members to come together to fight such issues.
The event took place a couple of months after the killing of George Floyd, and featured several local speakers and activists, including former NFL player Rashied Davis, members of the MHS BSU, and officials from District 120, including Superintendent Kevin Myers.
At the rally, Myers also announced intentions and initiatives being taken by MHS, including an equity audit, to see where discrimination exists in their system.
Shooting of 18-year-old
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Gaville Jackson, 18, was killed in May during what police said was a drug transaction gone wrong. Jackson, along with two friends, met two other individuals in a Walgreens parking lot. Jackson and both his friends entered the vehicle, and after the three got out to the car to leave, one of the individuals in the car got out and shot Jackson. The shooter fled on foot, and the driver left the scene.
Police later in the year announced Alessis Botello, 18, as the suspected shooter. He was 17 at the time of the incident, and a warrant had been issued for him dating back to June 1, just days after the original incident.
Eric Guenther becomes village administrator
In June, Police Chief Eric Guenther was approved as Mundelein’s Village Administrator, to replace the outgoing John Lobaito, who retired effective August. Guenther’s appointment marked only the third village administrator over a 45-year period.
Before taking the village’s top job, Guenther was police chief for almost eight years, and had worked with the department since 1995. Almost 60 applicants were considered, with the pool being narrowed down over time. By the end, Guenther was the last one standing.
While working as chief, Guenther received a few awards for his services, including one for his work with “A Way Out” program, which was aimed at combating the opioid crisis. He was also awarded “Chief of the Year” in 2019 by the Illinois Chiefs of Police.
Monahan becomes new police chief
With Eric Guenther’s vacating of police chief, the village stayed within and promoted Deputy Chief John Monahan to take the reins of the Mundelein Police Department in December. Monahan was also appointed the interim-chief in August while the village looked for Guenther’s replacement.
With almost 30 candidates having applied, officials said Monahan scored the highest in each of the applicant rounds. Mayor Steve Lentz commented at the meeting that the purpose of conducting a candidate search is to reaffirm the strength of the candidate at home.
Photo contributed by Mundelein Village Administrator Eric Guenther.
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Vernon Hills
Legionnaires’ disease outbreak
Brookdale Senior Living in Vernon Hills saw a legionnaires’ outbreak that resulted in one dead and other reported cases. A following investigation was launched and water faculties were shut off until the source could be located.
Legionella bacteria grows in stagnant warm water, but there is no evidence to suggest it can spread from person to person. To be infected, a person must breathe in a mist or vapor that contains the bacteria.
“The health of our residents and associates is our greatest concern, and we are taking appropriate steps regarding the situation,” Brookdale said in a statement.
Hawthorn 73 opens new young children’s center
Hawthorn School District 73 cut the ribbon on their new Hawthorn School for Young Learners, which will house almost all the district’s kindergartners, about 260 students. The building cost $13.5 million and was part of a partnership between the district, the Village of Vernon Hills, the Vernon Hills Park District, and the Cook Memorial Public Library District.
The original project was voted on in November 2018 via referendum. It houses 16 classrooms interconnected with makerspaces, and connects to the Sullivan Community Center Gym next door.
Hawthorn Mall Redevelopment
Vernon Hills made progress on their tax increment financing district in the Hawthorn Mall area, which will affect the area of the mall, minus Macy’s and JCPenney. Throughout the process, including a public hearing in October, the village received Hawthorn District 73’s blessing, who was originally one of the two taxing entities that voted against it in the months prior.
Information from the village website shows the process will take at least four phases, which includes specific redevelopments and renovations for buildings in the area. The total makeover is expected to be in the area of $250 million.
Body-worn cameras approved
In September, village officials gave the green light for the Vernon Hills Police Department to pursue body cameras for its officers. A total of 43 cameras were purchased for about $10,600 after being approved in September, with the cameras having been rolled out in the following weeks.
Officials said the purpose of it was to increase accountability, with Police Chief Patrick Kreis saying the officers were looking forward to the addition.
“This is something that police officers really look for,” Kreis said. “They know it’s a tool that’s gonna help them and substantiate that they treat people right and do the right thing.”
Body cameras weren’t the only technical advancements made by the police department in 2020. Early in the year, village officials approved a series of license plate scanners to be set up at specific spots within the village.
In February, 10 stationary cameras were approved for lease. To placate other privacy concerns, police also confirmed the cameras would not be used outside of criminal investigations.
D128 Superintendent retires
Amid sorting out hybrid model plans, Community High School District 128 Superintendent Prentiss Lea announced in September he was going to be retiring, with a new hire expected in January. Lea had previously talked about plans to possibly retire dating back to 2019.
Lea was at the district’s head for 13 years, a letter from the board of education stated. In the following months, the district has released information on what kind of candidate they are looking for, and how the process will look.
A survey and focus group was also conducted in October, which looked at the thoughts of staff and stakeholders.
Vernon Hills named one of 50 best places to live
Money, the online publication, placed Vernon Hills at No. 27 in its “50 Best Places to Live in America,” referencing its job, housing market, its location and proximity, and its amenities.
Officials close to the village said education is another thing that separates not just Vernon Hills, but the region in general. Its placement in respect to Chicago and Milwaukee were also listed, as job growth has increased 9% in the past decade.
“It speaks to all of the great partnerships and organizations we have here in town — schools, library, emergency services, businesses,” Village President Roger Byrne stated. “All of us working together to do the best we can. It is truly an honor not just for Vernon Hills, but for the wider area.”