Illustration by Gabriella Estrada

By: Leah Mini – Managing Editor and Lola Babinski – Senior Editor/Design Editor

Established in 1850, the Township of Lyons is comprised of 18 communities and is one of 38 townships located in Cook County. According to the 2024 census, there are 112,294 residents and 41,471 households in the Township of Lyons.

Often, the duties of a township are delegated to it by the larger county where it is located. Although many of the functions of a township may look similar to other units of local government, townships perform three distinct functions, according to the Digital Research Library of Illinois History (DRLOIH). These include property value assessments, bridge and road maintenance, and providing financial assistance under the General Assistance Program. Townships are also funded through property taxes.

Township leadership includes Supervisor Christopher Getty, Clerk Elyse Hoffenberg, Assessor Patrick Hynes, and Highway Commissioner Terrance Carr. The township also has four trustees who oversee the Senior Transportation and Mental Health Commission offices.

While townships provide several unique programs, whether their role is necessary in government has been questioned.

On May 1, 2014, Evanston Township was officially dissolved after voters approved a referendum. The dissolution transferred the three essential township duties to the City of Evanston. The following year, a fiscal analysis of the dissolution estimated that taxpayers saved $779,668.

But what a township has that other units of government don’t is a clear connection to its citizens, which is what Hoffenberg described.

“If managed properly, I think a township is where government becomes human,” Hoffenberg said. “It’s the level of government closest to people’s daily lives; helping a senior stay independent, giving a young person a chance to lead, supporting a family in crisis, strengthening mental health, and creating opportunities for neighbors to connect and thrive.”

The Township of Lyons hosts many events to boost that feeling of connectedness Hoffenberg described. For example, during this summer there are events like the Repair Cafe on July 18 and Aug 15, which is a get-together where people can brings items in need of fixing to a group of volunteers to repair, a computer skills workshop on July 13 and Aug 12, meant to teach participants skills like how to use a computer, how to use the internet, how to send emails, and so many more community building events.

“A township is not simply a provider of services; it is a builder of community,” Hoffenberg said. “Every day, we have the opportunity to create a more resilient, compassionate, and supportive community, one neighbor, one program, and one partnership at a time.”