Section 2: A Roadmap to Civic Engagement
Become Engaged in Local Government
So where do you start? How do you become an educated resident about local issues and make your voice heard here in Glenview? This “how-to” guide will help you have an impact on your community and advocate for the issues that are important to you. The guide will help you learn who makes decisions, how to support or oppose ideas, where your property tax money goes, and how to get involved with local government.
Home Rule
It is important to note that Glenview is a “home rule” community. This means the Village Board can adopt certain types of local laws (called ordinances) and taxes. Home rule also allows the village to opt out of certain types of county ordinances and state laws.
Incorporated vs. Unincorporated
"Incorporated Glenview" refers to the Village of Glenview, a self-governing municipality in Cook County, Illinois, that was officially established and incorporated in 1899. The term "incorporated" means that it is a legally recognized municipal corporation with its own local government responsible for providing services like water, waste management, and local ordinances, as opposed to "unincorporated" areas that are governed by Cook County and the respective township.
For the purposes of this guide, the term “Village” refers to the incorporated municipal government, not the general area of Glenview served by many governmental units.
"Unincorporated Glenview" refers to developed areas near Glenview that are not part of the Village of Glenview but fall under the jurisdiction of Cook County. Residents in these areas, are served by Cook County Sheriff's Office for policing and township governments for road and sidewalk maintenance, rather than the Village of Glenview's municipal services. They operate under a different set of rules and receive different services than residents within the incorporated boundaries of the Village of Glenview
Section 3: Local Government–Village of Glenview