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Outing Includes: • A Breakfast Buffet • Greens Fee and Cart • Lunch at Halfway House • Golf Prizes • Table and Door Prizes • Beverages on Course • Cocktail Hour – 3:00 p.m. • Dinner – 4:00 p.m. Breakfast Buffet (opens at 7:00 a.m.) All Golfers Must Check In At Lincolnshire Check-in begins at 7:00 a.m. Lincolnshire Country Club 390 E. Richton Road, Crete, IL 708-672-5411 Lincoln Oaks Golf Course is directly across Richton Road

image from CNT While the recent state legislative session was viewed as a dismal failure by many Springfield observers, it produced two big economic initiatives for the Southland. In addition to allocating $71 million for the purchase of land and naming the Illinois Department of Transportation as the governing authority for a south suburban airport, a South Suburban Brownfield Redevelopment Zone was created. The redevelopment zone is designed to spur economic growth around intermodal terminals owned by the Canadian National and Union Pacific railroads in Harvey and Dolton. The zone includes those towns plus Dixmoor, East Hazel Crest, Hazel Crest, Homewood, Markham, Phoenix, Posen, Riverdale, South Holland and Thornton. Please click here to read Phil Kadner’s story in the Southtown Star.

Some experts say government isn’t doing enough to foster industry As he toured a suburban Chicago factory on Thursday, U.S. House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer touted his “Make It In America” campaign, which aims at creating ideal conditions for manufacturing companies to innovate and add jobs. To do that, legislators have introduced a series of bills that call for incentives, public-private partnerships and other initiatives. So far, 10 bills have become laws, including one that created tax breaks and funded a loan program for small businesses. But others who weren’t on the Maryland congressman’s tour of Bimba Manufacturing Co.’s plant in University Park say the efforts so far aren’t enough to strengthen the country’s manufacturing base. “It’s not necessarily window dressing, but (lawmakers) haven’t addressed the national issues that need to be addressed,” Mark Denzler, vice president and chief operating officer at the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, said in a phone interview. Please click here to read the rest of Alejandra Cancino’s story in the Chicago Tribune.

Mayor Braun has been working on legislative affairs affecting the Chicago Southland region through SSMMA and working to help bring economic development opportunities to the region through the Chicago Southland Economic Development Corporation. “In order to create long term stability and sustainable economic development of the Southland region, all stakeholders including municipalities, businesses, education institutions, and business councils must speak with one strong and united voice both in Springfield and in Washington D.C.,” Mayor Braun said. Braun has served the Village of Flossmoor as mayor since 2009. He is a 32 year resident of the village, having graduated from Homewood-Flossmoor High School, earning a degree from John Marshall Law School, and marrying a Flossmoor resident, Mib Bramlette. He has been actively involved in many civic, charitable, and professional organizations including the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Harold Colbert Jones Community Center, South Suburban Bar Association, and the Family Law Committee Illinois State Bar Association. Prior to his service as Mayor of Flossmoor, he was a member of the Flossmoor Planning Commission for three years. He also served as a Flossmoor village trustee for seven years, and has been on the board of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers for 10 years. Joining Mayor Braun as SSMMA officers for the 2013-14 year are: Vice President Mike Einhorn (Crete Village President), Secretary David Gonzalez (Chicago Heights Mayor), Treasurer Debbie Meyers Martin (Olympia Fields Village President), Cook County At-Large Delegate Norm Abbott (Lansing Village President), Will County At-Large Delegate John Ostenburg (Park Forest Village President) and Managers Representative Donna Gayden (Glenwood Village Administrator). Created in 1978, the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association is an intergovernmental agency providing technical assistance and joint services to 42 municipalities representing a population of over 650,000 in Cook and Will Counties. SSMMA members work cooperatively on transportation, legislation, land use, economic development, recycling, purchasing, storm water and open space planning, infrastructure, human resources, public safety and housing issues.

After 40 years of double dealing, backstabbing, bickering, inertia and gross negligence, it looks like a south suburban airport might actually get built. Gov. Pat Quinn apparently has brokered a deal that would allow the Illinois Department of Transportation to become the development authority for the planned airport near Peotone. The legislation authorizing IDOT to form a public-private partnership to build the third airport, introduced in the Illinois House on Thursday, contains pork barrel projects for nearly ever section of Illinois. Please click here to read Phil Kadner’s story in the Southtown Star.

During the 2000s, the number of poor living in U.S. suburbs grew by 64 percent — more than twice the 29 percent growth rate in cities. Overall, 16.4 million poor people consider suburbia home, compared with 13.4 million in big cities and 7.3 million in rural areas, researchers for the Brookings Institution said in a book published Monday (May 20, 2013). The shifting poverty demographic can be seen in Chicago’s suburbs, where the number of poor increased by 99 percent in the last decade — from 363,966 to 724,233, said Elizabeth Kneebone, co-author of “Confronting Suburban Poverty in America.” Click here to read the full Chicago Tribune story by Vikki Ortiz Healy and Matthew Walberg.

The Illinois General Assembly passed two bills last week designed to increase the use of green infrastructure in stormwater management practices, which will provide multiple benefits to Illinois communities as we continue to experience heavy rainstorms. Green infrastructure helps to reduce flooding by increasing the natural absorption of stormwater into the ground and uptake by plants. In addition, green infrastructure practices and projects can capture water for use in irrigation, reduce water pollution in our lakes and streams, save energy and money in our stormwater management systems, improve air quality, and increase land values by beautifying our communities. Please click here

Community groups in Illinois have been given more time to apply for $28 million in grants to help consumers learn how to shop for health insurance that will be available under President Barack Obama’s health overhaul law. Illinois officials announced Friday they’ve extended the deadline for grant applications by 12 days to June 11. The new deadline gives more time for applicants to find collaborative partners, state officials said. Click here to read  Carla K. Johnson’s full story from the AP, or here for more information or to apply for the grant.

The sound of a train horn has become a signal for Southland communities to Called “transit-oriented development” in the vernacular of urban planners and economic development experts, it’s not a new idea but one gaining favor in a post-recession era that has towns re-evaluating their development strategies. Please click here to read Mike Nolan’s full story in the Southtown Star.

The South Suburban Land Bank was formed as a regional economic development tool for municipalities with limited resources and limited staffing, to legally hold, manage and facilitate the redevelopment of targeted properties. The SSLBDA will act as a catalyst for community development through strategic partnerships with developers, community organizations, banks and local governments to improve the quality of life, stabilize the tax base, and enhance economic activities that promote sustainable, healthy and stable communities in a manner consistent with local plans and priorities. The South Suburban Land Bank was formed through an intergovernmental agreement between Blue Island, Oak Forest and Park Forest, and was made possible with assistance from the SSMMA and its partners, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which provided the initial funding for the organization. The land bank is able to work within all 42 member communities of the SSMMA, but is encouraging municipalities to formally join the land bank for additional benefits. The land bank is now operational and has begun strategically targeting properties and development projects. One of the first priorities of the land bank will be to help address the thousands of vacant and abandoned homes throughout the Southland. These homes can become dangerous safety hazards and can harbor criminal activity. This depresses property values of the surrounding neighborhood, and discourages investment. To stem the tide of blight and vacancy, the land bank will assist communities in renovating these homes and reoccupying them with owner occupants and responsible residents. In addition to the challenges facing the Southland due to the housing crisis and massive residential vacancies, the struggling economy has been further hampered by a declining base of businesses and viable commercial properties. The loss of these businesses and the abandonment of many commercial properties have resulted in a loss of both jobs and tax revenues for the communities. The land bank is committed to assisting businesses in finding and retaining viable locations in the southern suburbs to help retain and create new job opportunities, and to lessen the real estate tax burden on area homeowners. The South Suburban Land Bank will build on the collaborative efforts of the SSMMA, the Chicago Southland Housing and Community Development Collaborative, and the Chicago Southland Economic Development Corporation. The land bank will also support other neighborhood revitalization efforts with the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, the National Community Stabilization Trust, the IKE Program and the newly formed Cook County Land Bank to strategically promote quality housing and economic development opportunities in the Southland. For more information on the South Suburban Land Bank and Development Authority, please visit http://www.SSLBDA.org or contact Executive Director Russell Rydin at (708) 381-0871.

PublicMeetings2013Presentation The Illinois Department of Natural Resources – the state agency responsible for regulating  drinking water standards in Illinois –held  a public hearing on May 15th at SSMMA offices on proposed changes to the rules and regulations for the allocation of Lake Michigan water,   led by Daniel Injerd, IDNR Manager of the Lake Michigan Section.  If you missed it, the presentations slides can be downloaded above. One of the primary concerns was reducing the levels of unaccounted-for-flow in Lake Michigan communities from 8 to 0 percent. This may be accomplished by updating or replacing aging infrastructure with low-interest Clean Water Initiative loans, said Marcia Wilhite, Chief of the Bureau of Water for the IEPA. The purpose of this meeting was also to provide an opportunity for all interested parties to ask questions concerning the proposed rule changes and to provide comments to the IDNR. The IDNR will continue to accept comments on the proposed rule change until May 31, 2013. Comments may be emailed to Daniel Injerd (dan.injerd@illinois.gov) or James Casey (james.casey@illinois.gov). Comments may also be mailed to the following address: Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Water Resources Michael A. Bilandic Building 160 N. LaSalle St., Suite S-703 Chicago, IL 60601