Dog Poop in the Watershed? No Problem

At least that’s what I conclude from reading the reply to my Freedom of Information request to the City of Crystal Lake.

You may remember that the McHenry County Board selected an automobile insurance adjusting facility at the intersection of Route 14 and Woodstock Street in Crystal Lake as the place where the new animal control facility would be located.

Crystal Lake’s watershed adviser Gary Schaefer seemed aghast when I informed him of the decision at a Crystal Lake Park Board meeting.

“Don’t put that use there,”

is what he said.

First I called County Administrator Pete Austin and was told that the dog doo-doo would be physically picked up. I’ll have to admit that I thought it would be hosed down a storm drain right into the watershed of Crystal Lake.

Park district officials physically pick up any dog poop left at its “Hound Town” dog park at Lippold Park.

Maybe that’s good enough, but, considering the watershed consultant’s reaction at the park board meeting, I’m not so sure.

I then called the building department and asked why it was doing to protect the watershed from the dog doo-doo.

No answer for about three weeks, so I called again. I was told to file a Freedom of Information request.

I did.

Here’s what I requested:

“Whatever documents/evaluations or other information that relates to how the City will protect the watershed of Crystal Lake (from) storm contamination from dog feces at the proposed McHenry County Animal Shelter.”

And now I have the answer:

“The City of Crystal Lake is unable to locate any documents that meet this criteria of your request at this time.”

I would really think city officials would have more concern for protecting the watershed than this indicates.

At the September 5th meeting of the Crystal Lake Planning and Zoning Commission, I asked Schaefer if he had been asked about the animal shelter.

He told me he had not.


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