Message of the Day – Email

McHenry County Blog received an email after this week’s city council meeting wondering how to let people in Crystal Lake know how Mayor Aaron Shepley conducts city council meetings. I asked if I could post the comments here and was given permission to do so.

The Crystal Lake citizen wants to share these observations:

”Our mayor doesn’t want to hear more than 5 minutes per ‘public speaker’ or no more than 1 hour of ‘collective public speaking.’

“He continually leads the council and the Crystal Lake public to listen to ‘experts’ and ‘studies’ done on the current watershed areas, but must not be listening to the ‘experts’ himself.

“On several occasions, it has been stated that the storm drainage ‘system’ on the ‘North Shore’ hasn’t been ‘maintained’ for years.

“My question would be…

How can you conduct a study on an area that hasn’t been functioning properly?

“By the way, I live on North Shore Drive and have been following the developments here and any Crystal Lake developments for years. If this is just a ‘small’ fixable problem, I then wonder why it hasn’t been updated, and how many other Crystal Lake projects are ‘unattended,’ ‘unfinished,’ and outdated?

“The mayor wants to keep the ‘ball rolling.’

“Gutter ball?

“Foul ball?

“Your basic ‘OUT OF BOUNDS…'”

Another blog reader noted my observation that Shepley was talking to City Manager Gary Mayerhofer while Councilman Jeff Thorsen was making his impassioned plea to pass the best watershed ordinance possible, ever if meant a further delay.

It was pointed out,

“The mayor seemed to have a lot to say to the city manager whenever a critic came to the podium. Thanks for writing about that.

“I have rarely witnessed an elected official who fails to at least pretend to thoughtfully consider what others say, but instead reduces all issues to a personal test of his power.

“His disdain of the public and of any council member who dares to disagree with him is palpable.”

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The top photo is of Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley talking to City Manager Gary Mayerhofer. Below is a picture of Councilman Jeff Thorsen during the debate of Crystal Lake’s watershed ordinance.


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