Highway Department

Ela Township Highway Department has approximately 25 center road miles in Ela Township. The highway department has two budgets. The Permanent Road Fund can be thought of as a budget that reflects permanent costs to operate primary duties such as salaries, equipment and road salt. The General Road Fund can be thought of as a budget to support the primary duties such as maintenance items, equipment supplies and future projects.

Duties

The duties of the highway department include: snow and ice control; resurfacing roads when needed, cutting grass in the road easement; removing trees in the right-of-way; maintaining the ditch ways; stormwater management and maintenance of two dams.

Additional income to the Ela Township Highway Department comes from the intergovernmental agreements with the villages of Kildeer, Long Grove, Deer Park, and North Barrington. These agreements are an economical windfall to both parties. The highway department charges a reasonable rate to the villages as they are within the township. This saves them money and the highway department receives additional revenue. Duties are tree removal, street sign maintenance, tree trimming, row mowing, and snow removal in Ela Township and the Village of Deer Park.

• Give the residents the best service for their dollar
• Have proper staff to maintain the highway department
• Communicate to all concerned residents
• Be on call 24/7
• Have a CDL (Commercial Drivers License)
• Continue to send monthly financial reports to Lake County
• Continue to inform the Ela Township Board of highway’s activities with monthly reports
• Send out bids and award bids for contracts over $30,000 per project
• Prepare budgets for the Permanent Road Fund and General Road Fund annually
• Continue to fulfill intergovernmental agreements with the villages of Lake Zurich, Kildeer, Long Grove, North Barrington, and Deer Park
• Maintain roads through:
  • Snowplowing
  • Spreading salt when needed
  • Resurfacing roads when needed
  • Cutting grass in road easements
  • Maintaining ditch ways
  • Stormwater management
  • Continuing to improve ditches and roadways
  • Maintaining two dams
• Install mosquito briquettes in storm sewer manholes for mosquito prevention
• Provide maintenance to two cemeteries, four parks and open spaces
• Tree removal in the right-of-way