Standing in the Crystal Lake City Council Chambers, where he presides as Mayor at Tuesday night meetings, Aaron Shepley put on his other hat to represent Centegra, his day-time employer, in its opposition have competitor Mercy Health System be given state permission to build a hospital in Crystal Lake at Route 31 and Three Oaks Road (across from the Holiday Inn).
The first page of transcript you see below has former Crystal Lake City Councilman Fred Wickham finishing his testimony in favor of Mercy’s building a Crystal Lake hospital. Shepley’s testimony starts on the second page.
Mayor Shepley’s time as Mayor has passed him by! At a time when his city is turning into a ghost town with business after business either closing or leaving Crystal Lake for greener pasture he does this??? Crystal Lake residents better brace themselves for a huge increase in real estate taxes as it’s commercial tax base falls thru the floor. Under Shepley’s watch Crystal Lake has turned into a city in the NW suburbs where business leaders now know to avoid at all costs. It’s truly sad to see such a wonderful city dying before our eyes. Please Mayor Shepley resign your position as Mayor and allow Crystal Lake to regain it’s beauty.
I am not a fan of the mayor, nor am I a fan of Centegra. As a matter of fact, didn’t Shepley get elected as mayor and then get hired by Centegra? Centegra loves to play the martyr/victim card, a lot.
I think a new hospital in Crystal Lake is a better location than Huntley, even if it is a spot adjacent to Crystal Lake.
Having said all that, I have decided I don’t support Mercy’s proposal. Let’s look at it from an honesty standpoint, didn’t their last proposal involve land owned by Chairman Neckbeard Koehler and Sheriff Boss Hogg, as well as being fudged in part of the Blago negotiations? And this Rich Gruber guy, the Mercy point man, is as oily as they come. Then there is simply the issue of Mercy’s quality. My experience with their Woodstock location is that they are a very slipshod organization.
I’d rather see Centegra build in Crystal Lake and build a larger facility, then take Woodstock and turn it into an emergency facility and geriatric/long term care facility. Or I’d actually rather see Sherman move into McHenry County. But Mercy’s proposal should be rejected.