Highland Park has
a proud tradition of active participation by many elected and appointed
residents who guide public decision making and provide ample opportunities
for public discussion of community concerns. With more than 20
citizen commissions, the City benefits from this unusual level
of citizen concern and voluntary involvement. In addition to improving
the community, the residents are actively committed to self-improvement
as shown by the high levels of participation and financial support
provided by residents for the arts, education, religious activities,
social services, charitable interests, recreational activities,
and
other leisure-time interests available in the region.
This category addresses Goals and Objectives related to the following
values: maintaining the high quality of the community's schools
and parks; supporting life-long learning by all residents; supporting
the arts; encouraging a vibrant community; increasing citizen involvement;
improving cooperation, toleration and civility; decreasing isolation
and social stratification; maintaining socioeconomic diversity;
and increasing participation in the planning process throughout
government to decrease confrontations resulting
from the "Not in My Backyard" attitude held by some residents.
| Goals |
Objectives |
Policies/Actions |
|
1. To expand a community spirit which is characterized by
civility and courtesy, common concerns and interests, trust
and cooperation, and community-wide participation in civic
and cultural programs.
|
a. Expand the use
of modern technology to better inform residents of issues,
meetings, decisions, and events including greater use of community-access
cable-TV, email, the Internet,
and interactive Home Pages. |
Discuss pending City actions and decisions with the School
Boards, school classes, Park District Board, Rotary Clubs,
Lions Club, and other service organizations, etc.
|
|
2. To ensure that information flows to all segments of the
community, including the opportunity for citizen
feedback.
|
b. Work with committees of residents and business owners
to complete all of the neighborhood and district strategic
plans by the end of 1999.
|
Hold
a televised annual "Town Hall" meeting for residents to meet with the City Council,
School Boards, Park Board, commissioners, and staff. |
| 3. To build strong
partnerships between local government, schools, parks, religious
groups, and local agencies within the community. |
c. Reconvene the Master
Plan Steering Committee for an Annual meeting to review the
implementation of the Master Plan including progress on creating
and carrying
out the neighborhood and district strategic plans. |
Expand The Highlander
to include more information about meetings and ongoing issues
including articles which publicize and celebrate the diversity
of Highland Park's residents. |
| 4. To use the neighborhood
strategic planning process as a forum to encourage active citizen
participation early in the process of making planning policies
and decisions. |
d. Continue utilizing commissions and task forces composed
of residents to conduct hearings and meetings to advise the
City Council and staff on matters
of interest to the community.
|
Assist the Highland
Park Library in becoming an information resource about the
City, schools, and other local organizations and institutions
by expanding the use of
the Internet. |
| 5. To promote the
importance of the family and empower families to take care
of themselves
and each other. |
e. Facilitate more
cross-group communication to encourage a better sense of community
among residents
of diverse backgrounds and characteristics. |
Increase access and
awareness of the diversified services and entertainment offered
to
all residents. |
| 6. To ensure that
adequate, affordable, and convenient social, medical, cultural,
recreational, educational, and public services are available
to meet the needs of all residents
throughout the community. |
f. Assist artists,
arts organizations and other community organizations that present
arts programming by providing direct financial and technical
assistance, especially by seeking non-local funding assistance
to the greatest possible extent. |
Expand use of the
Buhai Plaza, Highland Park Country Club, Highland Park Community
House and other public facilities for civic and cultural programming
to enhance social
interaction among residents. |
| 7. To value, support
and promote youth development and achievements to strengthen
or regain their ties to community. |
g. Work with the Park District, School Districts, and others
to offer diverse programming, including basic health and
social services, recreation, and educational activities,
to all residents, especially:
- Senior citizens;
- All
youths who live or attend school in Highland Park;
- People with special
needs including developmentally disabled;
- Families with children too young to be served by the
City's Youth Services Division or other organizations.
|
Work with the Park District and/or Lake County Forest Preserve
District to create a lakefront learning center to educate
residents and visitors about the unique, valuable and fragile
ecosystem found along the ravines and lake bluffs.
|
| 8. To recognize the
experience and wisdom of the community's senior citizens and
encourage them to share their
knowledge with other residents. |
h. Expand efforts
to encourage residents to volunteer their time for School and
Park District programs, social service agencies, and community
improvement projects. |
Conduct periodic assessments
of community service needs in cooperation with the United Way
and other social service providers in Highland Park. |
| 9. To increase public
access to art and promote understanding and awareness of arts
in the public environment. |
i. Promote quality
arts programs and serve as a clearinghouse for arts information
by serving as a re-granting agency for the Illinois Arts Council. |
Amend the Zoning Ordinance
to support providing home day care services. |
| 10. To increase public
access to, and use of, beaches, open spaces, parks and other
public or private recreational facilities. |
j. Enrich the public
environment for both residents and visitors through the use
of visual arts throughout the community. |
Continue working
closely with the Park District to implement the recommendations
made in the Park District's 1994 Comprehensive Open Space Master
Plan. |
| 11. To support the
Library's efforts to maintain its excellent collections and
services in meeting the residents' needs
for information. |
k. Maintain and enhance
the already high standards of public education provided by
the School
Districts. |
Maintain a branch
of
the College of Lake County in Highland Park. |
| 12. To encourage and
support lifelong learning by all residents. |
l. Reduce substance
abuse in the community. |
Provide an appropriate
distribution of parks so all residents have easy pedestrian
access
and all facilities are handicapped accessible. |
| |
m. Affirm youth by
accentuating their positive contributions to the community
and
recognizing their good character at public events. |
Work to expand parks
and other public facilities and to provide more public access
to Lake Michigan, especially at Fort Sheridan. |
| |
n. Emphasize programs
that provide modeling and mentoring between senior citizens
and youths. |
|
