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Special recognition honoring Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart.
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SPECIAL RECOGNITION
WHEREAS, Sandy Hart has dedicated more than 14 years to public service in Lake County, serving District 13 on the Lake County Board since 2012, which includes Lake Bluff and Knollwood, as well as portions of Great Lakes, Gurnee, North Chicago, and Waukegan; and
WHEREAS, in 2018, she became the first Democrat elected Chair of the Lake County Board, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and responsible government; and
WHEREAS, early in her tenure as Chair, she led changes to eliminate County Board member purchasing cards, record committee meetings, strengthen ethics and vendor disclosure requirements; and
WHEREAS, Chair Hart led efforts to eliminate unnecessary layers of government, helping consolidate or eliminate eight special districts, including mosquito abatement, sanitary, and drainage districts, while maintaining the essential services those districts provided; and
WHEREAS, Chair Hart guided Lake County through the COVID-19 pandemic, helping direct more than $250 million in CARES Act and ARPA funding toward pandemic relief, safety, infrastructure, behavioral health, housing, technology, and other long-term needs; and
WHEREAS, her relationships with federal and state legislators helped secure an $18.8 million RAISE Grant for the Cedar Lake Road Realignment Project, one of the County’s largest federal awards for a local project, plus millions more for water, sewer, stormwater, and other critical infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, Chair Hart persistently advocated for addressing conditions at Halsey Village, working with Naval Station Great Lakes and federal, state, and local leaders on what is now one of the largest housing demolition and site remediation efforts in U.S. Navy history; and
WHEREAS, as a sustainability leader, Chair Hart ensured the County Board had a committee focused on the environment and advanced sustainability initiatives, including construction of Lake County government’s first net-zero building, solar projects, efforts to reduce single-use plastics, and nationally recognized ordinances that protect people, the environment, and wildlife; and
WHEREAS, she championed the highly successful Ride Lake County paratransit service; helped consolidate 9-1-1 services and establish LakeComm at the Regional Operations and Communications Facility; supported funding for the creation of a 2-1-1 service; been a strong supporter of directing Lake County’s share of video gaming revenue toward social service agencies; and advocated for expanded behavioral health services and other programs that improve residents’ quality of life; and
WHEREAS, Chair Hart’s tenure on the Lake County Board will be remembered for the policies, investments, and progress advanced under her leadership, as well as her determination to make County government stronger, more transparent, and better prepared for the future.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RECOGNIZED, by this County Board of Lake County, Illinois, that Sandy Hart is hereby honored for her service on the Lake County Board, including eight years as Chair; and
BE IT FURTHER RECOGNIZED, that this County Board extends its sincere gratitude to Sandy Hart for her leadership, persistence, and tireless commitment to the people and communities of Lake County.
DATED at Waukegan, Illinois, on November 10, 2026.