Lake County briefs

District 46 finance committeeAn inaugural meeting of the Grayslake Elementary District 46 finance committee is planned for 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 7 at Grayslake Middle School, just west of Library Lane and Route 83. Officials have assembled the advisory committee in a quest to identify ways to fill a projected $2.2 million budget hole for the 2010-11 academic year. District 46's elected school board members will make the final decision about the budget. While the meeting is open to the public, audience participation will not be solicited.Cut energy costsHomeowners, buyers and renters have a new resource for going green indoors and outdoors. The Web site, epa.gov/greenhomes, provides tips on reducing energy consumption, carbon footprints, waste generation, water usage and improving indoor air quality. According to federal authorities, many green building practices and technologies have yet to make a dent in the existing market in part because it is difficult to find clear, consolidated, readily accessible and credible information. The Green Homes Web site provides guidance on greening each room of the home as well as the yard. It also provides information on building new homes and finding an energy efficient mortgage. Users also can find references and links to dozens of other sites with specific information.Coffee with Gurnee mayorGurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik will host another casual coffee session with village residents from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 16, at K-Sweets inside the Warren-Newport Public Library, 224 N. O'Plaine Road. Kovarik launched the "Coffee with the Mayor" program in an effort to make elected officials more accessible to residents and to promote one-on-one communication.