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December 2, 2025

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Greetings Skokie73.5! 

Here’s what you need to know this week:

🏠 Understanding your property reassessment: The Cook County Assessor’s Office will be in nearby Niles this Thursday to help property owners review reassessment notices and provide guidance on appeals and exemptions.

⛄ Holiday fun: Ride the CTA Holiday Train on the Yellow Line. View the schedule.

🎁 Need a gift idea? Pick up a “Start Your Day In Skokie” travel mug at participating businesses.

Community members share input at the Village’s Strategic Plan Community Visioning Session on October 5. (Photo by Joerg Metzner Photography)

We want to hear from you on the draft goals and desired outcomes of the Village’s Strategic Plan—a roadmap to guide community priorities and resources for the next five years and beyond.

STRATEGIC PLAN OPEN HOUSE

When: Thursday, December 11, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Where: Skokie Public Library, Radmacher Room

WHAT TO EXPECT

Drop in any time during the open house to:

Your input will be compiled and shared with the Village Board to support final decisions on plan goals and outcomes. The completed Strategic Plan is expected to go before the Village Board for adoption in January 2026.

HOW WE GOT HERE

Since August, the Village has conducted a comprehensive public engagement process to help shape the plan’s goals and desired outcomes. Feedback has been collected through a community survey, small focus groups and a Community Visioning Session.

Public Works crews are continuing leaf collection operations over the next two weeks, as weather allows.

Context: Two early season snowfall events – combined with a later-than-typical leaf drop for many trees – impacted leaf collection operations.

Next steps: As snow cleanup continues, plow operators are avoiding visible leaf piles to the extent possible. Crews will return to these areas as weather conditions permit to collect remaining leaves. 

Questions or concerns? Submit a service request using Access Skokie or contact Public Works at 847-933-8427.

Thank you for your patience as crews work through seasonal challenges to keep our streets clear.

Mayor Ann Tennes, Niles Township Trustee Marie Benyamin and Village of Skokie Trustee Jim Iverson recognize the Niles Township Food Pantry’s contributions to Skokie.

At the December 1, 2025 meeting, the Village Board:

Watch a recording of the meeting for a discussion of these items and more.

Technician completes a lead service line replacement.

On Monday evening, the Village Board approved a recommendation to expand the Village’s Lead Service Line Replacement program to include self-selecting households.

What’s a water service line? A water service line brings water from the Village’s public water distribution system to your home or business. Before 1986, water service lines were commonly constructed of lead. Today, copper is the standard material. The state and federal government have mandated replacement of all lead water service lines over the next several decades.

The Village’s Lead Service Line Replacement program caps a private property owner's costs for the private side replacement of lead at $3,090 (adjustable annually as costs rise), and allows homeowners to finance this cost over 15 years at very low interest through their water bill.

Next steps: Funding for the necessary staff and equipment to implement the expanded program – which will eventually ramp up to 688 replacements per year – will be identified as part of the Village’s Budget process for the next fiscal year, which begins in May 2026.

By January 1, 2026, the Village will provide details about the process for enrolling in the program.

FLX Move Pilates supporters strike a pose—and a plank—to celebrate their well-deserved award.

…FLX Move Pilates! Founded by Andrea Metcalf, FLX Move Pilates opened at 5039 Oakton St. in March 2024 with a mission to make health and wellness accessible to all. 

The Village’s Consumer Affairs Commission recognized FLX Move’s:

The Consumer Affairs Commission also recognized three honorable mentions for their outstanding service and contributions to the community: Don Julio Cafe, 7919 Lincoln Ave.; Market Place On Oakton, 4817 Oakton St.; and Orange Pediatric Therapy, 5225 Old Orchard Rd. 

At Monday’s meeting, the Village Board advanced plans for the demolition and reconstruction of the McDonald’s located at Touhy Avenue and Niles Center Road.

Improvements will support digital operations growth, improve vehicle circulation, and enhance sustainability.

Key sustainability features align with the Village’s Environmental Sustainability Plan goals, including high-efficiency building systems, a high-performance building envelope, on-site solar panels and low-carbon construction materials. 

On Monday evening, the Village provided an update on litigation related to 4930 Oakton St., the Downtown Skokie hotel site. Underlying litigation between project parties has been hindering the development of the property.

The latest: In October, an arbitration panel determined that the project contractor, Russell, had priority over the project lender, X-Caliber, in future arbitration proceedings. The panel then set the next arbitration hearing for lienholders involved in the litigation for September 2026 – an unexpected and unprecedentedly long delay.

Next steps: Although the Village is not a party to the litigation, staff and counsel are communicating with X-Caliber, Russell, and other project partners to identify an expedited path that resolves the underlying litigation.

Watch the update provided at the December 1 Village Board meeting.

The Village’s Assist-a-Family program brightens the holiday season for local families in need by providing gift cards to local businesses, enabling them to purchase food, household necessities, and items specific to each family member's needs.

Real impact: Village of Skokie Social Worker Amanda Sabri shares how you can make a direct impact on someone in need.

Give today: Donate to support local families.

When there’s a medical crisis, calling 911 can be a life-saving act. But did you know that Skokie is prepared for mental health emergencies, too? In Skokie, the 911 Call Center not only sends Police, Fire or medical support – it may also activate the Skokie Co-Responder Team, which pairs a mental health professional with a Skokie police officer. 

The Co-Responder Team helps de-escalate situations involving mental health issues, connects individuals to services, and provides follow-up support. Their goal is to keep people safe while ensuring they receive appropriate, compassionate care.

If the situation is not an immediate threat to life, residents can call 9-8-8, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, for free and confidential support 24/7. Counselors are available by phone, text, or online chat.

Skokie residents also have access to additional crisis resources:

We encourage all residents to know these resources and share them with friends, family and neighbors.

Give the gift of hope at the Skokie Community Blood Drive on Thursday, December 18, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Skokie Police Department, 7300 Niles Center Rd.

Give blood: Sign up for an appointment. Walk-ins are also welcome. All donors will receive a Holiday Versiti Sweatshirt, while supplies last.

Skokie Public Works is once again offering the popular Holiday Lights Recycling Program in partnership with Elgin Recycling. Now through January 31, you can drop off strands of holiday lights in the collection container located outside the Skokie Public Works main entrance at 9050 Gross Point Rd. The container is accessible 24/7.

Accepted items: Mini lights, C7 and C9 lights, rope lights, LED lights, and extension cords. No other decorations are accepted.

Winter weather can make every trip a little trickier. Snow and ice can reduce visibility, narrow lanes and increase stopping distances, so a little extra caution goes a long way.

Drivers

Pedestrians

Cyclists

By staying alert and looking out for one another, we can keep Skokie’s streets safe in every season. For more safety tips for everyone on the road, explore the Village’s Traffic Safety in Skokie page.

Participants enjoying the 2024 Holiday Cookie Walk. (Photo by Rich Cahan)

Stroll through the heart of Downtown Skokie on December 13, explore participating businesses and collect a unique, commercially baked, individually wrapped cookie at 20+ stops along the route. Get your tickets 

EVENTS

PUBLIC MEETINGS

Unless otherwise indicated, all meetings are held at Skokie Village Hall, 5127 Oakton Street.