The spring communication from Lakewood Village President Erin Smith:
From the President
Dear Neighbors:
Erin Smith
One of my favorite responsibilities as the Village President is to present the “State of the Community” address to the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce every year.
This year was particularly uplifting as I had good news to share with the business leaders of the area.
Therefore, I thought it might be helpful to provide much of this presentation to our residents.
Finances
One of the most important functions of a municipal official is fiduciary oversight, and we take this responsibility very seriously.
The primary evidence of our conservative approach to finances is the AAA bond rating achieved by the Village of Lakewood.
This accomplishment is limited to 2.6% of local governments within the State of Illinois.
Additionally, the equalized assessed valuation (EAV) of our community has stabilized and is roughly equal at $168,000,000 this year.
With the building of new single family homes that occurred in the past year, which we expect to accelerate in the coming year, we anticipate that our EAV will now begin to grow.
Perhaps the most basic manner in which to judge the fiduciary oversight of elected officials is the local or municipal property tax rate.
This is the only tax rate over which we have any control.
In past years, I have been pleased to report that the Village of Lakewood had the second lowest municipal tax rate in McHenry County.
This year, I am even more proud to report that the Village of Lakewood has the lowest municipal tax rate in McHenry County (see chart below provided by the City of Crystal Lake).
And we are not content!
Our next goal is to eliminate the cost of vehicle stickers.
Staff is currently in the midst of preparing budget proposals, and we will have two public hearings in March to consider the budget.
On March 10 at 6:00 p.m. at Turnberry Country Club, we will review our Enterprise Funds (East Sewer, Lakewood Utilities, Refuse, and RedTail Golf Club).
On March 24 at 6:00 p.m. at Turnberry Country Club, we will review the Governmental Fund budgets (General Fund, Motor Fuel Tax, Special Service Areas, and Lake Patrol).
If you are unable to attend either of these meetings, you can provide your comments to us via email.
As always, we welcome your input!
Economic Development
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District
The topic that has garnered the most press coverage lately is economic development and, more specifically, the creation of a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District.
Lakewood TIF District showing existing buildings.
There is a great deal of misinformation that has been disseminated, and I welcome the opportunity to provide our residents with a timeline and facts.
In terms of background, it is important to note that we have met with potential developers of the Illinois Route 47 corridor for years, and we are nearly always asked the same three (3) questions:
- When is Illinois Route 47 going to be expanded? Our response is always that we are active participants in the planning process and strong advocates of the project. Phase I engineering, which includes improvements to the Route 47 /Route 176 intersection, is nearly completed and Phase II is expected to begin shortly after approval of Phase I.
- When will utilities be extended to Illinois Route 47? Our response is that there has to be an approved project that justifies the cost of the extension and a method to pay for the extension that does not put the taxpayers of the Village of Lakewood at risk.
- Is there a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District in place? Until January, the answer to this question was no.
Possible ways to spend the Lakewood $66 million of TIF bond money.
It became increasingly clear to us that development would not occur in the Illinois Route 47 Corridor until we could provide more definitive answers to these questions.
The Board directed staff to began to explore options to spur economic development and staff brought forth the concept of a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District.
A TIF district is a tool created by the State Legislature and commonly used by municipal governments to spur economic development and help pay for needed infrastructure.
TIF districts allow municipalities to freeze local taxes within the district at current EAV levels when the TIF district is formed and transfer the taxes collected from new EAV that is generated by economic development into a TIF fund.
The TIF fund can be used to pay for infrastructure such as roadway improvements and utilities and other eligible expenses. TIF districts effectively reinvest the additional taxes that are generated from new development back into the development area.
In McHenry County, some of the following communities have TIF Districts in place:
- Crystal Lake (3)
- Huntley
- Woodstock
- McHenry
- Fox River Grove (2)
- Algonquin
- Cary (2)
- Harvard (3)
The process to establish a TIF District requires a series of public notification requirements, which included:
- Notice provided on our regular meeting agendas
- The report was made available for review at Village Hall and on our website
- Several notices placed in the local newspaper throughout the process
- Notices sent to property owners within 750 feet of the proposed TIF District
- Notice sent via fax and certified letter to each taxing district notifying them of the time and place of the meeting of the Joint Review Board on December 12 and the Public Hearing on January 13.
With the exception of the formal Public Hearing on January 13, where four people commented [I was one urging the TIF District not be created], there were no public comments and, at the Joint Review Board meeting, none of the taxing bodies objected to the formation of the TIF District.
On January 27, the Board formally approved the formation of the TIF district.
As you can see, the process of establishing a TIF District is rather complex, with the statutes requiring strict transparency.
We are very proud to announce that the Village received notice from the State of Illinois that the TIF District is formally established.
Sports Complex
Certainly one of the economic development issues that has become linked with the TIF District is the proposal for a sports complex near the intersection of Illinois Route 47 and Illinois Route 176.
Once annexation/zoning/rezoning/ petitions are filed and noticed, there are statutory guidelines under which the public hearings must occur.
Chicagoland SportsPlex plan.
These were held at our meeting on January 27, and all of the motions approved will provide for full consideration by the Board of Trustees at a later date.
Prior to the formal hearings, however, the Village sent a post card to each resident [at my request] (and the local press) notifying them of an informational meeting about the proposal on January 20. Discussions are now underway between the developer and Village Staff.
Once staff believes that there is a redevelopment agreement that is in the best interests of the Village of Lakewood, it will be brought forward for consideration by the Board of Trustees.
Restaurant
Progress continues on the renderings of a proposed restaurant at the current Village Hall site.
The initial drawings that I recently had an opportunity to view are beautiful and exactly what we had hoped for – a building that is residential in character that combines an old world feel with a modern twist and fully takes advantage of the amazing lakefront views.
Potential investors are reviewing the business plan and preliminary renderings and will let us know if they intend to move forward.
Residential Development
This new home is going up on Crystal Lake after an older one was torn down.
There has been a definite increase in the issuance of permits for new homes this year and, based on inquiries and input from local builders, we are planning for an even greater number in the coming year.
Specifically, to date, seven permits have been issued for new single family homes and eight multi family units have been built at the Highlands at RedTail.
At least three additional permits are expected between now and the end of the fiscal year on April 30.
For budgetary purposes, we are conservatively planning to issue seventeen new permits in the coming year, although we believe the number may be even higher.\
Lakewood Commons Edward Jones is expected to complete construction at its new office at Lakewood Commons in March, with a grand opening in May. Please help me in welcoming our newest business in the community!
Infrastructure
As you may recall, there are two significant infrastructure projects that will be undertaken this year.
Bids were opened on January 30 for our two roadway projects –
- the resurfacing and addition of bicycle lanes on Lakewood Road (from Haligus Road to Ackman Road)
- Lake Avenue (from Village Hall to Huntley Road)
The Lakewood Road project was a top priority for residents when I ran for this office six years ago, so it is particularly rewarding to report that we have now accomplished this shared goal.
I am also pleased to report that the bid was $85,000 less than the engineer’s estimate at a total bid of $1,879,500.50. As a reminder, the project will be completed under an 80/20 grant.
Work is expected to begin in April and last through November.
In addition, we have recently been told by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) that our East Sewer Project is “technically sound and cost-effective.”
The eastern part of Lakewood (mainly Country Club Additions) where Crystal Lake proposes to increase sewage treatment rates by enough to make it economically feasible to sent its sewage to Lakewood’s plant.
We expect to begin to solicit bids for this project in the next few weeks. Spring Election The spring election will be held on Tuesday, April 7.
For the Village of Lakewood, there are three Trustee positions open.
All three incumbents have chosen to run, and there is a write-in candidate.
I encourage you to make yourself aware of the issues and the candidates and participate in the upcoming election.
Key dates include: Call the McHenry County Clerk’s Office at, (815) 334-4242, with additional questions regarding the Spring election.
Finally, I encourage you to access our updated website, which is much easier to navigate and provides several new online forms.
As is our expectation, the work was completed primarily in-house by Deputy Village Manager Shannon Andrews at a cost of $595.
Many other organizations spend thousands of dollars to perform these types of upgrades. Please do not hesitate to contact me or any of our officials listed on the back cover with questions regarding any of the projects highlighted in the newsletter or that you might read about elsewhere.
Who will be making all the money off of the unneeded sportplex?
Follow the money.
Remember lakewood is part of Illinois LAND OF CORRUPTION.
“Misinformation”? Let’s examine the evidence:
* The Village Board was presented with THREE independent studies showing TIF districts don’t work as advertised.
* The credibility of their consultant was shredded when it was made public — and not by the board — that he has approved every single TIF project for which he was ever hired and has NEVER conducted a study to determine if growth would have occurred without the TIF, which is exactly what the law requires and what this consultant opined.
* One of the trustees said publicly that they all knew development would occur along that corridor without a TIF, directly contradicting the Board’s official action.
Further, the viability of the Sportsplex is extremely doubtful. The evidence in favor of THIS proposition is as follows:
* The project was listed as one of the top 100 boondoggles by two U.S. Senators.
* The backers have been trying for five years and have raised no money, even when they had access to deep federal subsidies.
* The backers have zero equity in the current version of the project; equity is one of the key factors in assessing creditworthiness.
* Projects like this have a poor track record across the country.
* The number of children is declining each year, as is their participation in sports.
The evidence in favor of the viability of the Sportsplex is:
* A study bought and paid for by the people pushing the Sportsplex.
In short, the objective evidence is overwhelmingly against creation of the TIF district.
I do not see any of these facts in the Village newsletter.
There is a reason that when one is called upon to testify in court, the oath requires telling the truth, THE WHOLE TRUTH, and nothing but the truth.
The idea of a restaurant upon the site of the current Village Hall is a pipe dream.
It is too small and there is no parking.
I would like to know if the Village sought the opinion of any local restaurateurs before embarking upon this Quixotic adventure.
Who is going to advance the cost of 50K or more for kitchen equipment, furniture and fixtures. Dozens of restaurants have failed in McHenry County, many in Crystal Lake and environs.
Lakewood should have sold its village hall to the CL Park District, then CLPD would not have had to waste $2mm on the stupid and unused West Beach Community Center.
This Village President’s report is so apparently still trying to SELL IT to the people!
Smacks of the boondoggle that is “OBAMACARE”.
Follow the money and watch these people like a hawk!!!
I bet this goes thru even tho the constituents protest loud, clear and constantly, while the board President and members secretly think “shut up, slave!”
Voters have to stop electing these 1% ers who want to spend big money off the Taxpayer’s backs!
The College voted against a minor league baseball field after voting FOR it, because it was a mistake!
So is this.