Mayor's Night Out

Over the past month, Mayor David A. Gonzalez hosted several Mayor’s Night Out events throughout the community. The sessions were held to share information on the city budget, capital projects and economic development initiatives. At the beginning of each session, the Mayor encouraged residents to ask questions or voice their concerns. The capacity crowds responded in kind, with some great dialogue between the Mayor, the department heads and residents.

"Communication and community go hand-in-hand," said Mayor Gonzalez. "It's important to have these conversations so we can share with our residents the work the City is doing, and hear from you, the residents, your concerns and how we can help."

In response to some of the general questions from residents at the Mayor's Night Out sessions, we compiled a list of helpful links:

For questions regarding trash collection or yard debris guidelines, visit Trash Collection Guidelines under the Resident Resources tab.
To request a City Service, visit the Request a Service tab on our home page, or call Resident Services at 708-755-3106. City services include water or sewer issues, compliance concerns, tree questions, and many other issues that a resident may need addressed.
To view current or past City budgets, visit the Treasurer's Office page, and click on Financial Reports.
For the most common printable forms or applications, visit the City Clerk's page or the Code Enforcement page.

Additionally, City Hall is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. If you need assistance with city services, please call the Resident Services team at (708) 755-3106 and they will direct your call to the appropriate department for a response.

Earth Day 2017!

On April 22, Chicago Heights celebrated Earth Day with local organizations and civic groups collaborating on projects throughout the city. The City of Chicago Heights Lions Club was recognized at a special ceremony hosted by the CH Park District in recognition of their generous contribution to repair the historic field house roof at Smith Park. Almost a dozen Chicago Heights Lions Club members were in attendance for the ribbon cutting ceremony, which included the renaming of the field house to honor the group. Governors State University's Student Education Association had a huge turnout of volunteers at the park who donated time and elbow grease to plant flower beds and shrubbery around the field house, as well as donating a park bench commemorating Earth Day activities. Mayor Gonzalez donated a shade tree in honor of Earth Day at the dedication ceremony, while city volunteers were on hand to hoist a shovel of dirt where the tree is being planted. The Bloom baseball team was "on deck" raking leaves, weeding and planting flowers at Smith Park and other locations.

Earth Day 2017 Collage:Top Left Corner: All Volunteers, Top Right: Bloom High School Baseball Team, Bottom Right: CH Park District Superintendent Frank Perez with Governors State University Volunteers, Bottom Center: Chicago Heights Lions Club, Center Left: 7th Ward Park Commissioner Rodolfo Zuniga with GSU Volunteers

Chicago Heights Fire Department Swearing in at City Council Meeting

During the May 1st City Council meeting, eight firefighters were promoted to new positions in the Chicago Heights Fire Department.

Residents, CHFD personnel and family members attended the meeting and witnessed the swearing in ceremony for Lieutenant Douglas Fisher, Lieutenant Michael Napoli, Lieutenant Wendell Thomas and Lieutenant Zachary McGathey. Engineers Keith Warner, Lou Wortel, Steve Koenig and Michael Janusek were also recognized for their recent promotions.

“The promotional ceremony is an important tradition in the fire service,” said Chief Jeffrey Springer. “Becoming a fire officer requires specific education and being a fire officer is a challenge and tremendous responsibility.”

Following the swearing in by Clerk Lori Wilcox, Mayor Gonzalez offered closing remarks. "Think back to the one moment that made you say, 'I'm going to be a firefighter.' That moment is something unique to each one of you and made you choose a career in fire service. While each of you have a different reason for making that decision, what is common among all of you is your commitment to help others through public service," Mayor Gonzalez said. "On behalf of myself, the council and our residents, we thank you for your service to our community, and we thank your families and loved ones for their support and dedication for the work that you do."

Click Image to view full flyer

Click for more info!

Become a Community Tree Champion!

Make an Impact in your community!
Trees in our region have stressful lives! They need extra attention so they can provide shade, increase a neighborhood's beauty, reduce flooding, and provide many other benefits.
As a Champion, you may participate in a wide range of activities:

Advocate for trees and green spaces
Plant trees throughout your community
Learn basic care for newly planted young trees
Learn about harmful invasive species
Monitor for pests, diseases, and signs of stress
Help track trees and how well they are growing
Teach others about the benefits of trees

Click the image above to view full flyer, or visit Morton Arboretum's Site for more information.

Bloom High School Students Exhibit at South Shore Arts

Bloom High School Artist Exhibit at South Shore Arts

A total of 14 Bloom High School students had their artwork accepted into the 43rd Annual Tri-County Jr/Sr High School Art Exhibition. This is always an impressive exhibition, showcasing the talent of high school art students in the tri-county area. The work will be on exhibit from April 23 through May 21, 2017.

If you would like to stop by and see the show in person, you may check gallery hours by visiting their website: http://www.southshoreartsonline.org/

Warmer Weather Fun: Reminder

Consider Your Neighbors

It is easy to forget how loud the speakers are playing when listening to our favorite songs, but residents playing music outdoors during cookouts or other events should not be audible from a distance of 30 feet or more from your location, whether you are listening from a lawn chair in the backyard or driving in your car!

S'more Tips on Fire Pits

It is fun and relaxing to gather around a fire pit in the backyard in the late summer evening. While fire pits are perfectly legal and permitted in Chicago Heights, it is important that safety comes first. Simply remember to use wood as a fuel for your fire rather than trash or any other materials. It is also important to use a fire pit to contain the fire so ash and flames are controlled.