Village of Gurnee
325 N. O’Plaine Rd., Gurnee, IL 60031
www.gurnee.il.us

Administration (847) 599-7500
Community (847) 599-7550

Development

Mayor’s Office (847) 599-7500
Public Works (847) 599-6800

Department

Utility Billing (847) 599-7500

Gurnee Village Officials

Mayor
Kristina Kovarik

Trustees
Jeanne Balmes
Greg Garner
Tom Hood
Michael Jacobs
Cheryl Ross
Karen Thorstenson

Village Clerk
Andy Harris

Administrator
Patrick Muetz

Other Officials

Village Engineer
Scott Drabicki

Police Chief
Kevin Woodside

Economic Development Director
Ellen Dean

Assistant Village Administrator
David Ziegler

Police & Fire

Police Station
100 N. O’Plaine Rd., Gurnee, IL 60031
Emergency 911
Non-emergency (847) 599-7000

Fire Station – No. 1
4580 Old Grand Ave., Gurnee, IL 60031
Emergency 911
Non-emergency (847) 599-6600

Fire Station – No. 2
6581 Dada Dr., Gurnee, IL 60031
Emergency 911
Non-emergency (847) 599-6650

Warren Township
17801 Washington St., Gurnee, IL 60031
www.warrentownship.net
(847) 244-1101

Supervisor’s Office Ext. 1
Assessor’s Office Ext. 2
Highway Department Ext. 3
Youth Services Ext. 4
Senior Services Ext. 5
Parks & Recreation Ext. 1

Youth Recreational (847) 336-8606

Sports
Warren Special (847) 244-6619

Recreation Association

Township Officials

Supervisor
Suzanne Simpson

Trustees
Ken Echtenacher
Bill Gill
Donna Radke
Mike Semmerling

Township Clerk
George Iler

Township Assessor
Charlie Mullin

Highway Commissioner
Amy Sarver

Township Administrator
Ryan M. Johnson, Esq.

The Village of Gurnee

Chamber of Commerce was formed to be the unifying voice for businesses in Gurnee. Through the commitment and engagement of our members, the Chamber provides leadership for the benefit of the diverse business community by promoting economic growth, advocating the interests of business, providing service and education to members and community and meeting member’s needs. With the enhanced website, our strong community focus and close involvement with the Village of Gurnee, we will work on initiatives that will help members of our Chamber prosper.

BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP

Legislative advocacy
The Chamber is the “voice of business” ensuring that the needs of members and their views on important issues are communicated to local, state and national legislators.

Advertising & marketing opportunities
One of the many ways the Village of Gurnee Chamber of Commerce helps business succeed is by providing numerous opportunities for our members to market to business and consumers alike.

Professional development
Members can take part in several programs and seminars that allow them to grow and develop new skills.

Networking
The opportunity to make acquaintances that can turn into business relationships is always a vital component of Chamber membership.

How can my business play a leadership role in the Gurnee area’s economic, civic and social life?

• Join the Village of Gurnee Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is the best way to continue building a strong business community that works together to achieve results.
• Support Village of Gurnee Chamber Commerce members. Do business with them when you need their products and services. Always “Think Gurnee Chamber First.”
• Participate in Chamber-sponsored events. These events build a sense of community among businesses, residents and visitors. You can participate by:

– Attending events
– Giving financial support to Chamber programs
– Donating goods or services
– Volunteering your time

VALUE OF JOINING A CHAMBER

The American Chamber of Commerce executives with support from Small Business Network, Inc., designed a study to determine the real value to companies in terms of consumer outcomes of joining and being active in their local chamber of commerce. Do consumers really support businesses because they are chamber members? A sampling of the results proves their case:

Most consumers (59 percent) think being active in the local chamber of commerce is an effective business strategy overall. It is 29 percent more effective, however, for communicating to consumers that a company uses good business practices and 26 percent more effective for communicating that a business is reputable.

If a company shows that it is highly involved in its local chamber (e.g., sits on the chamber board), consumers are 12 percent more likely to think that its products stack up better against its competition.

When consumers thinks a company’s products stack up better against the competition because the company is highly involved in its local chamber of commerce, it is because they infer the company is trustworthy, involved in the community and is an industry leader.

When consumers know that a restaurant franchise is a member of the chamber of commerce, they are 40 percent more likely to eat at the franchise in the next few months.

When consumers know that an insurance company is a member of the chamber of commerce, they are 43 percent more likely to consider buying insurance from it.

When consumers know that a small business is a member of the chamber of commerce, they are 44 percent more likely to think favorably of it and 63 percent more likely to purchase goods or services from the company in the future.

MORE REASONS TO JOIN

– Member-to-member discounts

– Networking opportunities
– Special events
– Ribbon cuttings
– Community guide

For more information about the benefits of the Village of Gurnee Chamber of Commerce, visit www.GurneeChamber.com

Gurnee is a wonderful community to raise a family, work, shop or play. Although Gurnee has grown from a rural farming community in to a regional economic center, we have been able to maintain the small town feel while offering world class shopping and entertainment options. Part of what allows us to maintain our community feel is a strong sense of ownership from our residents, business owners, intergovernmental partners and civic organizations. By working together, we have been able to shape Gurnee in to a community that is economically competitive while still feeling like a home for all of us.

The economic health of Gurnee is directly tied to the success of our business community and their ability to remain competitive in a changing environment. The Village of Gurnee is committed to supporting our business community by making strategic investments in infrastructure and capital.

In the upcoming year, the village will embark on our largest capital investment program in Gurnee’s 90 year history. The plan for 2018/2019 includes $11.7 million in investment in capital infrastructure and equipment. A significant investment is being made in building a new two million gallon capacity water tower along Knowles Road. This new water tower will increase water pressure and reliability for residents and businesses on the west side of the village and will provide additional reserves for all water users in the event of an emergency supply interruption.

Preservation efforts are at the heart of many of our operations. Whether keeping our neighborhoods safe or ensuring that our roads are adequately maintained, the village continues to excel. The village is very cognizant of managing costs and tax dollars judiciously and introduced several new programs that will save our residents money or streamline operations the last few years. Our police, fire and public works departments are at the forefront in their individual fields and have been repeatedly recognized for their excellence and quality of service. We deliver these services in the most cost-effective manner possible, which allows the village to operate without levying a property tax. We are one of the few communities in Illinois that do not levy a property tax to finance services, and are in our 18th year of this practice.

We continuously strive to advance our services in response to the needs of residents, visitors and businesses. If you want to stay connected with the latest projects and news, we have multiple ways to keep you engaged through our website, e-Blasts, NextDoor, Facebook, Twitter and the traditional quarterly newsletter.

Whether you are a resident, business owner or visitor, there is much to be proud of in Gurnee. Please do not hesitate to contact the village of Gurnee or the Gurnee Chamber of Commerce if you should ever need any assistance, and thank you to everyone who helps to keep our community great.

Sincerely,

Kristina Kovarik
Mayor

Welcome residents and visitors to the ninth annual Village of Gurnee Community Guide. This guide is brought to you by The Village of Gurnee Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Town Square Publications, a division of Daily Herald Media Group. A great deal of time and effort goes into this guide, and I want to especially thank our Chamber members, the Village of Gurnee staff and elected officials as well as our schools, clubs and organizations that help pull all the content together. Most importantly it could not be done without the efforts of the Village of Gurnee Chamber of Commerce’s executive director and board members. We collectively put a lot of time and effort bringing you this 2018-2019 edition of the community guide. As you peruse it, please keep in mind we are open to suggestions for how we can better serve our Chamber members, residents and visitors referencing the guide.

We encourage longtime residents and visitors alike to browse the guide to get updates on the village and local businesses. In it you will find featured articles and advertisements from your local businesses. Use this guide as a handy reference to village and township services, schools and volunteer groups and organizations in and around Gurnee. Please pay special attention to the Chamber members and advertisers that make Gurnee the great community that it is. Once you go through the guide, I am sure you will agree with me that Gurnee is a great place to live and do business.

In this issue, we have expanded our Hometown Profiles feature to five Chamber member articles, further emphasizing the Gurnee’s Got It theme. Take some time to read about successful businesses that make Gurnee a great community for residents and visitors. Check out Fore See Electric, operating in and around Gurnee since 1977. You can count on Craig Leafblad’s team of electricians for residential and industrial electrical services. Honey Orthodontics offers state-of-the-art orthodontic treatment for all ages. Dr. Ona Honey is also very involved in our community.

Anthony Buick GMC has been a staple in Gurnee since 1991. Tony Augelli’s dealership excels in customer satisfaction. Doggy day care is provided by Central Bark of Gurnee, offering trusted personal and individual attention to your special four-legged friends. We ship everything nowadays, and Bubblefast provides the most cost effective shipping supplies. See Mark and Robin Le Vine for all your shipping needs.

In this year’s Economic Development feature, Village of Gurnee Economic Development Director Ellen Dean explains what makes Gurnee the Village of Opportunity, and shares information about exciting new developments in the village. Ellen keeps tabs on all things going on in Gurnee to keep it thriving. I would also like to thank her for taking the time to join us at many Chamber board meetings to keep the connection going between the village and Chamber board.

Please visit the Gurnee Chamber website, www.gurneechamber.com. You will find all of our members and links to their websites very easily. We advise residents and visitors to check it regularly for upcoming events and announcements from our members. A note to our members: Please check your listing, and keep in mind we can link to your site (if provided the information). You can also create login credentials to access your own listing on the Chamber site to add and update information. The more you use the Chamber website, the more we get upgraded on searches so all our members may get more exposure.

Follow Village of Gurnee Chamber on Facebook for updates on upcoming events by the chamber, shared information on other village events and member postings on what’s happening with them. Generally, the site has something new every day or two, and as always, the more information our members provide, the more we will put out there. Sign up for our Constant Contact to get the latest Chamber news delivered to your email inbox.

The Chamber board is an all-volunteer group of dedicated individuals that give up their spare time to do all possible to encourage and promote business in Gurnee. To that end, we are always looking for ideas on how we can better serve the interests of our members, as well as residents and visitors. We can only be as good as your participation. Please feel free to drop us an email if you have suggestions for events, programs or speakers. Your input is welcome and will be considered by the board. We are always in need of chairmen to assist the board in planning events, obtaining speakers and so on. If you are interested in getting involved, let us know.

To my board, thank you all. It’s a pleasure to serve with you. The meetings are well attended and the participation is incredible. Let’s continue to move forward.

Sincerely,

Dan “Kay” Kloczkowski
Chairman of the Board

Early settlers in the Gurnee area came by foot, horseback and by “Prairie Schooners” drawn by oxen or via the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes. They came from the town of Warren, New York, which was named in honor of Major Joseph Warren, killed in the battle of Bunker Hill. Warren Township, formed in 1850 was also named after him. The first settlement of Warren Township commenced in 1835 in the vicinity of the Aux Plaines River (Now the DesPlaines River).

In 1835-36, a land company from New York State erected a Community House (site of the old Gurnee Grade School) to accommodate families while they were locating and getting government grants to their farms. Near the Community House, there was a ford used by the Potowatomi Indians for crossing the river. A floating log bridge was built there in 1842. Later, a stationary wood bridge was constructed, and still later an iron bridge was erected.

With the permanent bridge, roads were established and the area became the township hub. It was at this junction that the Milwaukee Road crossed the river from east to west, and then continued north to eventually connect Chicago to Milwaukee.

The hamlet was originally called “Wentworth” after Congressman John Wentworth, who also served as Mayor of Chicago from 1857 to 1863. Walter S. Gurnee, the 14th mayor of Chicago and one of the directors of the railroad, agreed to develop a station in Wentworth, which was called “Gurnee Station” in honor of Gurnee. Over time, Gurnee Station became simply known as Gurnee.

Gurnee’s population is well over 31,000 residents in about 13.5 square mile area. Founded in 1928, Gurnee is now celebrating 90 years as a village. Gurnee also celebrates its 200th anniversary in the State of Illinois Admission to the Union, which was on Dec. 3, 1818.

A complete history, with pictures of Gurnee will soon be available on our website in June.