A weekly summary of Skokie news sent from the Village right to your inbox.
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Greetings Skokie73.5!
📢 Input needed: Share your thoughts on local housing and community development needs by April 30!
🌱 Go green: Get a rebate on an electric-powered lawn mower or leaf blower (while supplies last).
🚨 Stay informed: April 30 is Smart911 Day – are you subscribed to emergency notifications?
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The proposed FY26 Budget provides funding to resurface 5.2 miles of streets.
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Village Shares FY26 Proposed Budget
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The Village has released its proposed Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Budget, which funds Village services and operations from May 2025 through April 2026.
The proposed budget is balanced and includes a General Fund operating budget of $71,600,965, which represents an increase of 1.9 percent from the prior year.
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The proposed FY26 Budget:
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Invests in critical water and sewer infrastructure, including accelerating federal and state-mandated lead service line replacements, water and sewer main rehabilitation, and enhanced stormwater management initiatives. To support these critical investments, a 14.9 percent increase in the retail water rate is proposed, which amounts to 99 cents per 100 cubic feet. Even with this adjustment, Skokie’s rate would remain the second lowest in the area. The proposed water rate increase is the only fee increase included in the proposed budget.
- Advances the Skokie Environmental Sustainability Plan, including adding eight electric vehicles (EVs) to the Village fleet.
- Continues the expanded rat abatement program, maintaining enhanced in-house and contractual services along with public education efforts. Since these enhancements were implemented in FY25, active rat control cases have declined 59 percent year to date.
- Continues to hold 39 staff positions vacant, saving $3.15 million annually.
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Beautification & Improvement Commission 2024 native planting event.
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Make a Difference: Apply to Serve On a Village Board or Commission
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Looking to level up your local involvement? The Village has more than a dozen advisory boards and commissions that plan, research and analyze issues impacting quality of life in Skokie, including arts and culture, public health, safety, sustainability, and more!
Get started: Vacancies currently exist on a number of boards and commissions, including Beautification & Improvement, Consumer Affairs, Family Services, Fine Arts and Public Safety. Apply to serve.
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Donate Diapers to Support Local Families
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For the third year in a row, the Commission on Family Services is sponsoring its Mother’s Day Diaper Drive to support the Niles Township Food Pantry.
How to donate: Whole packages of diapers can be donated at four Skokie drop-off locations May 2 through 11, or online through the Amazon Wishlist and shipped directly to the food pantry.
Direct impact: Thanks to the generosity of our community, the drive has collected over 24,000 diapers to help local families in the past two years!
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Smarter Ways to Help Pollinators this Spring
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There’s a better way to support pollinators than participating in “No Mow May.”
Benefiting bees and butterflies: Lengthy lawns on their own don’t help pollinators unless flowering plants, such as dandelions, clover, or other bee-friendly blooms, are mixed in.
You should know: Village Code allows grass to be up to six inches tall, which is plenty tall to support flowering lawns without causing issues.
✅ DO:
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- Mow at a height of four to five inches. This is tall enough for lawn flowers, improves drought tolerance, and reduces water usage.
- Delay cleaning out landscape beds. Many pollinators overwinter in leaf litter or under mulch. Consider waiting until dandelions bloom before cleaning beds.
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Plant native plants. Adding natives to garden beds—or converting parts of your lawn—has long-lasting benefits for pollinators.
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Use grub control or insecticides if your goal is to support pollinators.
- Participate if you use weed killers. If you eliminate flowering weeds, there's no food for pollinators.
- Let your lawn exceed six inches. It will violate Village Code, harm the long-term health of your lawn, reduce visibility, and damage your mower.
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Are You Up to Date On Your MMR Vaccine?
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The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has reported the first confirmed case of measles of 2025 in Illinois. One case was reported in southern Illinois.
Are you up to date on your vaccines? The measles vaccine is safe and effective. IDPH urges all Illinois residents to check that they are up-to-date on their MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccinations.
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Symptoms: Although the risk of measles transmission to the general public in Illinois remains low, anyone exposed and not immune to measles should stay alert for any signs and symptoms of measles, such as rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Learn more about measles.
Questions: Contact the Community Health Division at 847-933-8252.
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It’s Almost Time to Renew Your Pet License
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Are you a dog or cat owner? Current pet licenses expire on July 31. Renewal notices will be mailed later this week.
New renewal period: This Village is moving to a calendar year licensing period. New pet licenses issued will be valid through December 31, 2026. The renewal deadline in future years will be December 31.
Why pet licenses are important: Pet licenses aid in reuniting lost pets with their owners, ensure proper vaccination and disease control, and support local animal services.
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Last Call for Campaign Signs
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Still holding on to campaign signs from election season? It’s time to recycle them!
Last call: Drop off signs at Skokie Public Works, 9050 Gross Point Rd., through this Friday, May 2. Signs can be dropped off 24/7. Both signs and metal stands will be recycled, but please separate them.
Please note: Signs will not be accepted after May 2.
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Tulips bloom outside Village Hall.
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In Bloom: Share Your Skokie Spring Photos
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Skokie shines in the spring! We want to see your beautiful spring photos:
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Your submission could be featured on the Village’s Instagram or in an upcoming edition of The Scoop.
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Unless otherwise indicated, all meetings are held at Skokie Village Hall, 5127 Oakton Street.
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Skokie Telecommunications and Technology (STAT) Commission
April 29, 2025, 7:00 PM @ Conference Room A - Ethics Commission
April 30, 2025, 4:00 PM @ Conference Rooms D&E
- Beautification & Improvement Commission
May 1, 2025, 6:30 PM @ Conference Rooms D&E - Plan Commission
May 1, 2025, 7:30 PM @ Council Chambers
- Village Board Meeting
May 5, 2025, 7:30 PM @ Council Chambers
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5127 Oakton St. | Skokie, IL 60077 US
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