McHenry County Blog

Erin Smith

This in a continuation of the the winter newsletter from Lakewood Village President Erin Smith.

Bicycle Path for Lakewood Road and Lake Avenue

Our residents have consistently identified the construction of bicycle paths along major arterial streets as a priority for our community.

This is a significant financial challenge, because the cost to retrofit an existing roadway with bicycle paths is much higher than to build them simultaneously.

Staff was successful in obtaining a nearly $425,000 grant to build the path along Huntley Road, and it has been very well received by residents.

Lakewood Road runs north-south through the village.

After having three grant requests for a Lakewood Road bicycle path rejected by several agencies, I am very pleased to report that staff has successfully secured a grant in an amount of approximately $1.4M that will pay for the repaving of Lakewood Road from Haligus Road to Ackman Road, along with the installation of bicycle paths (similar to those installed along Huntley Road) along the roadway.

Bike paths like this are on both sides of Huntley Road.  In the future, similar paths will be built on Lake Avenue from Huntley Road to the Crystal Lake-Lakewood Village limits, plus on both sides of Lakewood Road.

In addition, staff secured an additional grant in an amount of approximately $400,000 to pay for repaving of Lake Avenue from Huntley Road to our western boundary at Village Hall, along with the installation of bicycle paths.

This new path will connect to the recently completed Huntley Road bicycle path.

In total, staff obtained approximately in $1.8M in grant funds that will both repave existing roads and install bicycle paths along major arterial streets. Construction cannot begin until 2016, but the engineering work will be budgeted in the upcoming fiscal year. This is a significant achievement for a small community with an annual roadway budget of approximately $250,000.

More tomorrow.

Lakewood Village President Erin Smith sent out the following letter to her constituents in the fall village newsletter.

FROM THE PRESIDENT

As we bid a fond farewell to summer, it’s appropriate to review what was accomplished during the past three (3) months and what we can look forward to in the coming months.

As is typical in the Midwest, summer was filled with construction projects and other work on infrastructure.

The new Lakewood Bike Path

Notable among these were

• the construction of bicycle lanes along Huntley Road, from West Beach to Chicago Avenue,
• the repaving of RedTail Drive and Loch Glen Drive,
• the construction of our new water tower on Turnberry Trail and
• work on the East Side Storm Sewer.

Huntley Road Bike Path

This project has been a long standing priority of our Comprehensive Plan and Parks and Recreation Committee. Given its cost, we were able to proceed with the project because staff secured a federal grant that paid for eighty percent (80%) of the construction. It has been a difficult and lengthy process for the residents impacted by the construction, and we give our sincere thanks and appreciation for their patience throughout this process.

RedTail and Loch Glen Drive

Both residents and golfers are pleased to experience the repaving of RedTail Drive. This portion of our roadway program was paid for with a $200,000 grant secured for the Village of Lakewood by State Representative Michael Tryon, and we thank him for his efforts on our behalf. With revenues from our General Fund, we were also able to repave Loch Glen Drive and make several roadway repairs throughout the community. We receive a lot of complaints about the gravel that is “kicked up” at busy intersections, and it is a maintenance problem for our residents and Public Works crew. Therefore, we took advantage of this year’s roadway program to install cobblestone returns at the intersection of RedTail Drive/Loch Glen Drive/Bardwell Lane. Please take a look and let us know what you think as we contemplate whether to continue this program at other key intersections.

Water Tower

We have also nearly completed the construction of our new water tower on Turnberry Trail, and it is expected to go online shortly, at which time the old water tower will be removed. In terms of branding our community, a strategic decision was made by the Board of Trustees to position the writing so that it is visible as you approach the Village of Lakewood from the north and south. The lettering is most visible from Turnberry and RedTail golf courses, where visitors will see that they are in the Village of Lakewood.

East Side Storm Water

In our ongoing efforts to address the issue of storm water on the East Side of the Village, our Public Works Department recently completed a project to clean and televise one-half of the Broadway storm sewer outfall pipe. This project was completed at a cost of approximately $17,150 and verified our concern that substantial repair and replacement of the storm sewer will be needed. We will include revenues in the budget for the next fiscal year that will allow us to complete the second half of the cleaning/televising project in order to assess the full extent of the work needed and begin to develop a plan for funding the repairs.

Other Summer News

In addition to our infrastructure improvements, we had another safe recreational season on Crystal Lake, and we extend our thanks to the Police Department for its consistently strong enforcement in this area. I am also very pleased to report that RedTail Golf Course has had a strong year to date. Revenues are greater than last year, and the volunteer program that was instituted for starters and rangers has helped to decrease expenditures. The golf season is not yet over, so take advantage of some great fall rates to help insure that RedTail Golf Course has a great year!

Economic Development Update

Looking forward, we continue to place economic development as our number one priority. Toward this end, we have hired Dobbe Marketing & PR to help our community develop a strong and consistent message to attract businesses. A Focus Group was held with local businesses and residents in July, and the results of that meeting will be shared with the Board of Trustees at the meeting on September 13. Primary topics will include:

How to best take advantage of the contacts of our residents to attract the types of businesses identified as priorities. You are our best resource!

How to partner with the developer of Lakewood Commons to fill the center, including the remaining vacant parcel.

Whether the current site of Village Hall can or should have an alternative use, such as a restaurant.

Whether it is viable to develop a town center and, if so, where?

I encourage you to participate in these discussions and provide your feedback to any of our elected officials.

Also in July, the Board approved a 6-month extension of the preliminary agreement with the developer of the sports complex. Financing has not yet been secured, but some indication of progress was presented.

Some of those attending the July SportsPlex board meeting at which Village President Erin Smith broke a 3-3 tie vote in favor of granting six more months for developers (seen on the right side of the audience in the front row) to obtain financing.

Our Board was split on the decision to extend the agreement.

I voted to extend the agreement because other surrounding communities have automatically extended existing agreements to support businesses in this difficult economy and I believe we need to show an equal level of support.

Input from our Focus Group, which reinforced that the sports complex is consistent with our vision, also influenced my vote.

Through the first three months of our current fiscal year, I am also pleased to report that our sales tax revenues have increased by nearly $6,400 over this same time period last year. This increase is most directly attributable to the four (4) new businesses that were annexed last summer, and we believe that we will continue to experience increased growth in revenues from these businesses.

In fact, The Gardens of Woodstock recently become a member of the McHenry County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and motor coach tours are already making regular stops for lunch and shopping. As we seek new businesses, our most effective testimonials are our existing businesses, and it benefits all of us to support them.

New Entryway Signs

In the upcoming months, you will also see three (3) new entryway signs installed as one of the recommendations from the Parks and Recreation Committee, which is interested in establishing a Garden Club to help landscape these and other public areas in the community.

Could Lakewood residents save money by having the village go shopping for electricity?

We are also exploring the possibility of working with neighboring communities to bid for the purchase of electricity for our residents. Harvard and Fox River Grove recently completed this process and had great success with overall savings for their residents of between ten (10) to fifteen (15) percent on the electric bills.

Such a process requires the passage of a referendum by our residents, and we have set a tentative goal of placing such a referendum on the March 2012 ballot. Any resident who did not want to participate in the program could simply “opt out” and continue to purchase their electricity from Commonwealth Edison. Again, we would be interested in hearing your thoughts about the program. Our goal would simply be to save our residents money in these difficult economic times.

In addition to soliciting your input on a number of issues, I am always available for a Pizza with the President and welcome your invitation.

Sincerely,

Erin

Both sides of Huntley Road in Lakewood and a bit beyond have been widened and striped for bike paths. Here you are looking south from North Avenue. across from West Beach as workers finish cleaning up.

Both sides of Huntley Road have been widened from North Avenue right in front of West Beach to Chicago Avenue, just south of the Lakewood Village Boundary.

There was a big fight at the Village Board level over whether to make a bike path wide enough  to be safe on the east or west side.

The compromise is what you see.

Bike paths on both sides.

So far, there is no pavement marking across North Avenue to tell bike riders and walkers, plus vehicles on North Avenue where people should cross.

A letter from Lakewood Village President Ken Santowski:

I have formally decided to announce my candidacy for President……….

Fellow residents:

Well with the 4th of July weekend right around the corner it seems like summer appears to be in “full steam ahead” mode.

Things have been relatively quiet on the Lakewood home front. The first meeting in June was a short one with only one main item on the agenda.

Earlier in the year during budget talks we approved some money to help promote Lakewood to future home builders and commercial developers.

Now this may seem like a silly idea in an economy that is lower than most of us have ever wanted to experience but timing seemed right.

By allocating around $11,000 +/- to Web Q & A and Dobbe Marketing now we should get the most for our money when the economy comes back around.

Will it ever be like it was?

Doubtful but eventually people will have to move, companies relocate and everyone sooner or later spends money.

Whether it is for a new car or vanilla shake (I love shakes) people will buy these things.

Why not encourage them to buy them within the lovely boundaries of Lakewood?

Other than that we just had simple housekeeping to do. Bills got paid and revenue collected. Day to day operations seem to continue without too much exception. Hopefully it will remain a fairly quiet summer.

I spoke to one of the lake committee members and asked how our algae growth was doing on the lakes. It appears to be under control (versus out of control). The treatments and aeration seem to be working to keep it from exploding. Lets hope the heat wave coming doesn’t exacerbate the situation.

Sometime during the July meetings we will be talking once again about the Redtail Clubhouse (or lack thereof). With the extremely favorable building environment and low interest rates we should be able to get a great deal on just the right size clubhouse for our needs.

The bigger trees not in the way of the bike path on Huntley Road are being protected.

The Huntley road bike path is starting to progress, albeit slowly. You will notice the silt fence, trees wrapped in wood planks and lots of flags and spray paint along the way. If you drive down that way please use extra caution. If you bike , walk or jog that way I would simply say find an alternate route. The road will shrink a lot before the path is finished.

It seems that signs like this one in St. Charles pointing to a sportsplex will not appear near Lakewood in the near future.

Recycling of Styrofoam is going quite smoothly. I can now take all COLORS of Styrofoam, even printed logo items. BUT please make sure these items are clean when you put them in the bins which are located at Village Hall, Public Works and My Home.

The Sportsplex is still around although it is on a very low simmer.

As I receive details, you will receive details.

In regards to my headline, am I the only one who is disgusted with the way our country is being run right now?

Ken Santowski

I am neither a Democrat or a Republican.

I am an American Citizen and a resident of the United States.

I pay taxes, I try to buy “American”, I try to be kind to my fellow man, and I try to be a good, patriotic citizen.

So I have decided to give our current President and the next President until 2016 to get their act together and try to work together.

Other countries can do it; other people can do it.

Why can’t we?

I shall now step down from my political soapbox; which is filled with Dove since it has 1/4 moisturizers.

Your faithful navigator of the good-ship Lakewood

Kenneth M Santowski

Ken Santowski

Lakewood’s Village Trustee is the only municipal official I know that send regular reports of his take on village meetings to his constituents.  Here is his latest missive:

Greetings from another planet: January 31, 2011

Each year I resolve to become a better person. This was the year that I was going to be on top of things. I would return phone calls; no matter what time. I would return emails; no matter what year it was. And of course I would update you in a timely manner.

Well, here it is January 31st and I am sending you my first email of the year.

Maybe I can start on my resolutions for 2012.

The first board meeting of the year was held at Turnberry since Redtail experienced some severe plumbing problems and will be closed for awhile. (Since then things have been repaired but the clubhouse will remain closed until the season approaches).

The only real item on the agenda was another agreement to continue the expenditures for the Huntley Road Bike Lane. As you know I am all for bike paths, but not at this point in the village’s financial picture.

I once again made an attempt to hold off on spending more money for this project especially in light of the fact that there have been numerous articles in the newspapers lately as to the financial future of Redtail golf course.

Even though the money used from the bike path could not be used to run Redtail, it could be used to improve Redtail. Yes, the 80% payment of the project from the Federal government is great, but the $160+K the village has to contribute does not make sense to me in this financial climate.

I strongly believe that in the future there will be a climate in which to spend this amount of money but not when it does NOTHING to bring in revenue into Lakewood. I want bike paths, especially federally funded ones. But just because I can buy a Rolls Royce for $50,000.00 doesn’t mean I am going to buy it: no matter how great a deal it is.

The 2nd meeting for the month of January had nothing major to discuss.

As most of you can see the water tower replacement has begun in earnest with the structure starting to take shape. The new tower will be bigger and better, helping to make sure we have adequate water flow and fire protection for many years to come.

Layout of the McHenry County SportsPlex presented to village board members. Click to enlarge.

Both board meetings touched slightly on the all but dead Sportsplex issue. Without the sale of the non-taxable and taxable bonds I am afraid that the project will not get off the ground.

That is too bad because even though it appeared to have some major flaws, the concept itself seemed genuine and imaginative. Let’s hope that the Sportsplex team can find the money in their own pockets to resurrect this project.

We also talked about the future of the budget meetings, our new fire department, the upcoming election and cable/internet service.

The last two meetings have been spirited and lively, yet concise and entertaining. Hopefully this will be the same type of mood when the budgets are presented by the various departments throughout the village.

Hopefully I can get my act together sometime in February. I apologize to those who I did not return phone calls or emails to in 2010. Give me another chance to do the right thing. As our former President Bush said “Fool me once and shame on me, then fool me again and shame on someone” or something like that. Let’s start anew in 2011 and work together to make this a great year. I know I cannot do it alone.

Kenneth M Santowski

Lakewood Village Trustee Ken Santowski has made it a practice to send emails about his take on village affairs. His latest missive follows:

Friends Neighbors and fellow residents,

Ken Santowski

Unfortunately the August 10th board meeting was canceled. We only had the August 24th meeting, and as you can tell I am very much behind in my updates. I have been working an extraordinary amount of hours (7 days a week) for one of my customers. Of course they are in the wind turbine business. The rest of my customers are down tremendously as is the rest of the companies in America. I apologize for this delay.

There were several items on this agenda up for discussion.

The first major one was an approval for the next phase of engineering for the proposed Huntley road bike path.

Unfortunately (and I had thought) Crystal Lake had  decided to pass on paying for part of the bike path.

With the engineering costs and the villages match, the village of Lakewood now has to pay the entire $247,000 (estimated)  portion of the bike paths estimated $994,000.00 cost.

CMAQ-CMAP portion would be $647,000 if given final approval.

As you know I have been against this bike path since the beginning, but only for economic reasons.

Now that CL has decided to let us pay for the whole project that money will be taken out of the Park and Rec fund, aka Redtail fund.

My concern is that we will lower that fund (which was at 1M and change) to a point where we might not be able to build the kind of clubhouse that will bring in the type of revenue (sales tax) that we need to meet the payments once the building is built.

Many residents, who want the clubhouse built first and foremost, have expressed this opinion to me  and others.

As a newly indoctrinated bike rider I would love to see more paths and trails, but in the “real business” world that I am from, we spend the money on things that are “needed” first, then “wanted” 2nd.

Julie Richardson questioned weather this project would set a precedent with CL. If we can spend our own money to build this bike path, then what is to stop them from thinking that way in the future.

Even though we give them $700K a year for park district. (Unfortunately by law we cannot repeal that decision) President Smith told the board that if we rejected the CMAP money it would set a precedent that our village was not willing to move forward.

I reminded the board and President (Erin) Smith that Ford Motors Companies rejection of federal stimulus money did not hurt them. In fact they are the #1 car company in America right now according to some leading reports.

But unfortunately when the vote was counted Julie (Richardson), Blake (Hobson), Carl (Davis) all voted yes. I voted no.

Erin Smith cast the deciding yes vote.

As I have previously stated I would love to see more bike paths and trails throughout the village and the county. But as we can see, this path is going to cost us the residents more money than was originally intended.

The motion passed, and the next phase of engineering work will be done. Once that is complete, the results are presented to CMAP for approval and funding. One of my biggest concerns is that the funding goes away after we spend almost $100K on engineering. Incidentally, why does it cost $100K to engineer a bike path?

The other major agenda item was the water rates. As you know when the water tower project was approved it was implied that with out triple AAA rating, favorable construction costs and some best management practices the impact to residents would be kept to a minimum.

When we first heard of the water tower project rates were expected to rise by a base of about $93.00 annually. Then it was lowered to about the $40.00 range after we received some preliminary estimates for construction. I was under the belief that through some cost saving measures, and other saving measures the impact would be significantly less than the $40.00 range.

Unfortunately that was not the case. I questioned where the costs savings disappeared.  When the motion was presented, I again voted no. Trustees Davis, Hobson and Richardson voted yes. President Smith cast the  deciding “yes”vote. Unfortunately your base water rates will be going up by about $3.50 each month. No, it is not alot of money, but if every taxing body took $3.50 each month out of your pocket, you probably would start to notice.
Many have accused me of being the “no tax increases” guy because I want people to like me. Well, there are plenty of people out there who don’t like they way I vote on certain items. Hopefully they can respect me as much as I respect them. I have always been willing to listen to them, especially when they don not agree with me.

The sports-complex is moving forward. Tuesday (tomorrow) there is a meeting at the county building to extend the deadline for the owners to get their share of the money in order to qualify for the low interest bonds.

Many people who have voiced their opinion against this complex are supposedly going to this meeting.

President Smith has asked residents (see attachment) who support this project to attend the meeting.

Unfortunately I will not be able to take time off work to attend this meeting. As you know I have been on a roller coaster with this proposed project. I originally voted yes because I wanted to give them the tools to either make this work or not.

I am not sure if the inability to raise the cash needed in time is a sign of the times, the economy or simply in the belief of the project. I recently spoke with someone from the project and the complete feasibility study still has not been completed, or at least it has not been made available. I am not sure of how things will go at the county level. Only time will tell.
As always I will do my best to represent you and your decisions.

Kenneth M Santowski

FYI -

The Styrofoam bins are in place throughout the village. They are located at village hall, public works (Haligus road), Redtail Golf course and of course my home. Feel free to drop off white Styrofoam (preferably clean, please) anytime day or night. If you have any questions feel free to contact me through email or directly by phone at 847-910-2985

Lastly, it was announced that the packets for those intended to run for the village board will be available as of Sept 21 at village hall. If you are thinking of running for office I encourage you to take one out.

John Pfeuffer

Dorothy Pfeuffer

The Lakewood Village Board used to have a 4-3 balance. Village President Erin Smith headed the ruling coalition.

The minority consisted of Dorothy and John Pfeuffer (elected in separate years) and Ken Santowski.

They lost every contested vote I observed, but there was a thorough venting of most issues.

Then, the Pfeuffer’s sold their home unexpectedly quickly and moved. They resigned their offices and it was Smith’s job to nominate replacements.

Ken Santowski and Blake Hobson sit next to each other at Lakewood Village Board meetings.

She picked

• former Village President Julie Richardson (to whom I shall be grateful as long as I live in Lakewood for her leadership in banning leaf burning; we can now sleep with windows open during the fall) and
• Blake Hobson, who served on three different governmental boards—the Upper Illinois River Valley Development, the Nunda Township and the McHenry County Board–before being appointed to Lakewood’s.

That left Santowski as a minority of one.

Here is his most current email, a communication method he started while the vote was still 4-3:

This past board meeting was not as rigorous as the previous ones. Unless you consider that I listened to the residents and basically voted against God.Prior to the board meeting was a  proposal to allow a special use permit to allow a church to move into the Redtail Commons “retail” center.

The meeting opened with a public session where I spoke as a resident voicing my concern that if we make changes to the zoning code for a church, then where does it stop? What if a tattoo shop, liquor store, massage parlor or even a funeral home wanted to move into the plaza.

The board’s intent was for this plaza to be filled with “retail” stores. Something that generates sales tax for the village.

Unfortunately, the committee voted for the change. I was the only member of the public to speak against.

During the recess time, I had a talk with Brett Lundstrom, co-owner of the center. I listened to his hopes for the center and empathized with his struggle to fill in the spaces. I expressed my concern that eventually Lake in the Hills would build the restaurants and “retail” stores across the street. That we would become the “service” center.

During the village board meeting we heard presentations from Brett again, the pastor of the church, the owners of the Martial Arts and Yuppy Puppy Dog Grooming about how they supported the church moving in. There was also a letter of support presented on behalf of Leix Dental.

The pastor and his delegation talked of how they wanted to be involved in the community. They wanted to be the first church in Lakewood. All hoped that the church would bring prospective “shoppers” to their business establishments.

During the trustee comments I expressed my concern that we are continuing on a pattern of bringing businesses to Lakewood that do not generate sales tax. Each of the 3 other businesses generate very few sales tax revenue; but there is still that potential.

A church does not have any potential to bring in sales tax dollars unless ‘they sell wine out the back door” (this was my own quote).

When the vote came around I in fact voted as the residents asked me to; I voted no. The other board members all voted yes. The motion passed and the board welcomes the church into Lakewood. They left the meeting shortly after.

The remainder of the meeting was mostly uneventful. All of the trustees have been “chosen” to be committee liaisons; well except for me.  And we all know that since I do not play nice, I am still grounded.

The only economic part of the meeting was the final vote on the employees raises versus the extra costs they would have to incur for health benefits.

While I have been against giving out ANY raises, now was not the time to cut the employees off at the knees. But they do know that it will cost them more and more out of their pockets to retain their level of benefits. Just like us in the private sector, cuts are expected and employee contributions to health care are going to rise.

Original concept plan of the SportsPlex when it was planned for Route 47 frontage.

The next meeting will be almost completely about the proposed sports complex. There have been a lot of rumors about who is paying for it and what affect it would have on the village.[See explanation of the SportsPlex proposal from village officials here.]

While most of this project is still in the planning stages, I assure you I will fight to make sure that not $1.00 of village money (your money) is promised to help build this complex.

Yes, negotiations will result in the village making some concessions along the way in terms of fees, but it is no different than we do for residential subdivision builders. I will keep you all up to date.

I did attend a recent meeting of the Redtail Committee. It appears that they finally are moving forward.

I congratulate the citizens of that committee for pushing forward the idea of a much smaller clubhouse that will be paid for by the users of the course; not by the taxpayers.

So once the last payment is made next year, we should see the new clubhouse begin to rise right where the current ones stands. A lot of work is still to be done, but they seem to be headed in the right direction. I applaud those residents

There is nothing new to report on the proposed bike path. Engineering studies are still being done and President Smith formally asked Crystal lake Park District for a donation of money towards the bike path. I do not know the results of that meeting.

Lastly as you know I am working hard on the environment and specifically with Styrofoam recycling. Soon I will have containers at Redtail, Public Works, Village Hall and of course my home where residents can drop off their white Styrofoam. Any kind of Styrofoam is accepted as long as it is #6. Also bubble wrap, packing peanuts and foam sheets are accepted. You do not need to call. Simply stop by and deposit those items into the bins. I will be emptying them on a regular basis. If you have questions do not hesitate you ask.

If you need anything do not hesitate to ask. If you do not agree with me feel free to speak up. I am supposed to listen to you and vote on your behalf. Help me to do a better job.

Kenneth M Santowski

I certainly wish more board members (not just Lakewood’s) would tell their constituents what they think went on at their last meeting.

Any reading this who wish to do so should email their missives to me, if they want broader coverage.

And, this isn’t an April Fool’s Day story. Rather it is a press release from the McHenry County Transportation Department:

Highway improvements scheduled by the McHenry County Transportation Department this year. (Click to enlarge.)

The McHenry County Division of Transportation is proud to announce the 2010 interactive construction map at  mchenrycountydot.org.

The key to map.

This map will allow the public user to see at a glance all of the County construction project locations, as well as more detailed project information on any particular project. This can be done by clicking on the identify (i) icon and then clicking on the highlighted portion of the roadway. If more detailed information is desired, contact information is included for your use. This map was produced through the assistance of the County’s Geographical Information System (GIS) Department.

Construction Projects

Kishwaukee Valley Road Bridge Replacement

This project will replace the bridge originally constructed in 1953 with a two-span prestressed concrete 36-inch deep I-beam bridge, with a poured in-place 8-inch thick concrete deck, spanning 123-feet in length. It includes approach pavement, milling and resurfacing, shoulder widening and guardrail placement.

Kishwaukee Valley Road was closed to thru traffic starting on February 1, 2010 between Hughes Road and Menge Road. Access up to the bridge is maintained for local traffic only. A marked detour is provided using Hughes Road, U.S. Route 14, Dunham Road and Menge Road. (click here for the detour map).

This project is scheduled to be completed approximately June 12, 2010.

Alden Road Bridge Replacement and Roadway Improvements

This project will replace the existing bridge built in 1939, with a 58-foot long by 40-foot wide, single-span poured in-place concrete bridge deck, on seven, 36-inch deep precast prestressed concrete I-beams.

This project also includes complete pavement and drainage feature reconstruction from about 600 feet south of Illinois Route 173 to about 1,800 feet north of Illinois route 173. Driveways and sidewalks within the project limits will be replaced and a new drainage system will be installed throughout. Along with the new pavement, curb & gutter will be provided to improve drainage. Two special Stormwater Treatment Structures will be installed before stormwater enters the creek to protect water quality.

The Project will be built using stage construction (one side at a time) and will require a temporary traffic signal to limit the bridge to one-way traffic for the duration of the project. Two-way traffic will be maintained on the roadway portion using temporary pavement.

Work on the project started approximately February 22, 2010 and the project has an October 31, 2010 completion date.

Virginia Road Reconstruction

This project will reconstruct Virginia Road between Rakow Road and Illinois Route 31, with the exception of the new pavement recently constructed in connection with the Waste Transfer Facility, and the intersection at Illinois Route 31, which will be done as a separate future project.

This project will be constructed using Stage construction, maintaining one–way traffic southeast bound only (Rakow Road to Illinois Route 31) for the duration of the construction. Northwest bound traffic will be detoured on Illinois Route 31 to the north and then west on Rakow Road back to Virginia Road.

The contractor plans to start work around April 19, 2010 and the project completion date is July 2, 2010.

Walkup Road Widening, Resurfacing and Shared-use Path Construction

This project will provide pavement widening to extend the three-lane section of pavement from Dvorak Drive through Crystal Springs Road, add traffic signals at Pleasant Hill Road, Edgewood Road and Crystal Springs Road, add right and left turn lanes at intersections, and resurface the roadway in this area. In addition, a shared-use path will be constructed between Veteran Acres Park and Pleasant Hill Road on the east side of the roadway to enhance safety for pedestrians and bicyclists in the area.

Beginning in December 2009, public utility relocation work was started with the intent to move existing utilities out of conflict with the new roadway, path and storm sewers prior to construction to avoid delays. The contractor is expected to start construction around May 1, 2010 and project completion is expected in the summer of 2011.

Two-way traffic will be maintained throughout utilizing stage construction with daily or periodic lane closures as required using flaggers. This work will create delays and traffic disruption at times.

Federal Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality (CMAQ) funds will pay for 80% of the design and construction of this project and the 20% local match will use McHenry County Division of Transportation funds.

A project website (www.walkuproad.info) will be available to ask questions, get project updates, and obtain project information.

Rakow Road Widening, Relocation & Reconstruction

This project is currently in the Land Acquisition and Final Design stages. A summer 2010 letting is desired but is dependent upon the completion of the needed right-of-way purchases. It is anticipated that two construction seasons will be necessary to complete this project which is estimated to cost approximately 30 million dollars.

This project will relocate Rakow Road to the east of it’s current alignment starting at McHenry Avenue to soften the curve to the north and east.

It will also provide three thru-lanes of traffic in each direction from Ackman Road to Pyott Road, and dual left-turn lanes at Ackman Road, McHenry Avenue, Pyott Road, Pingree Road and Illinois Route 31.

Two thru-lanes in each direction will be constructed from Pyott Road to Illinois Route 31, and a pedestrian/bike path bridge will be constructed over Rakow Road for the McHenry County Conservation District’s Prairie Trail Path. Public Utility coordination is currently underway.

A project website will be available in the future to ask questions, get project updates, and obtain project information.

Pavement Preservation Projects

County Paving (Milling and Resurfacing) Project

This project includes milling and resurfacing on various County Highways as highlighted on the map in green. The project includes milling to a depth of 3.75” and patching any deteriorated pavement as needed. Then priming and placing a 2.25” lift of Binder Course followed by a 1.5” lift of Surface Course. Shoulder gravel will be added and thermoplastic pavement markings will be placed. The milled pavement material (RAP) is all recycled and re-used as aggregates in the new Hot Mix Asphalt.

The roads to be resurfaced under this project include:

• Nelson and Deep Cut Roads between U.S. Route 14 and Charles/Alden Road
• Hartland Road from U.S. Route 14 to Nelson Road
• Hobe Road from South Street to Kishwaukee Valley Road
• River Road between Illinois Route 176 and Lily Lake Road
• Ramer Road from Oak Grove Road to Lawrence Road
• Oak Grove Road from Illinois Route 173 to Ramer Road
• Charles Road, a short repair section just west of Illinois Route 47

This project will resurface 20 lane miles of roadway at a bid cost of $2,560,270.95.

Work on this project is expected to start about May 31, 2010 and has a contract completion date of August 6, 2010. The impact to traffic will be daily lane closures in the immediate work area using flaggers to control one-way traffic thru the work zone. These temporary lane closures will take place throughout the various stages of the project and should generally minimize delays to a short duration.

Chapel Hill Road Resurfacing (ARRA Project)

These signs will pop up on Chapel Hill Road. This one is on Route 14 in Crystal Lake near The Freeze.

This project is funded through The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and will mill and resurface four sections of Chapel Hill Road that fall between previous intersection improvements. The actual project length is a total of approximately 1.9 miles between Miller Road and Johnsburg Road at a bid cost of $568,605.96.

Work on this project is expected to start around June 1, 2010 and has a 25 working day duration or five to six weeks to complete. This work will essentially be the same as described above for milling and resurfacing in terms of work methods and traffic impacts.

Crack Sealing Contract

This project includes routing and sealing cracks in the pavement using a hot applied rubberized filler material. This work is done to extend the life of newer pavements by minimizing the water intrusion into the pavement and base material, thus lessening the severity of the effects of freeze-thaw cycles.

Crack sealing will be done on the following roads in 2010:

• Kishwaukee Valley Road from the west County Line to U.S. Route 14
• Vermont Road between Garden Valley Road and Kishwaukee Valley Road
• Coral Road from Illinois Route 23 to South Union Road
• Hunter Road from County Line Road to White Oaks Road
• White Oaks Road between Illinois Route 173 and Hunter Road

If quantity remains in the contract after completion of those routes, Genoa Road and Harmony Road east of U.S. Route 20 will be treated to the extent possible.

This contract will crack seal about 42 lane miles of County Highways at a total bid cost of $125,211.06. The impact to traffic will be daily lane closures in the immediate work area using flaggers to control one-way traffic thru the moving work zone, and traffic delays should be minimal.

Microsurfacing Project

The 2010 project is still under development as the McHenry County Division of Transportation is working to create new mix designs using a more durable aggregate material than what is currently readily available locally. The project is anticipated to be ready for bidding in May with construction taking place later in the summer.

The road planned for this year is Charles Road from Nelson Road to Illinois Route 120. This includes about 8 lane miles of roadway at an estimated cost of $250,000. The 2009 microsurfacing project was not completed last year, but should be completed by the contractor in May, which includes work on Roberts Road and Altenberg Road.

The traffic impact of the microsurfacing work is more severe than paving due to the fact that the cure time of the microsurface material ranges from 30 to 90 minutes. Traffic must be kept off of the material during this time, creating long stretches of single-lane closures for the duration of curing time. Efforts will be made to minimize delays but due to the nature of the work, delays encountered could be significant.

Website Updates

Please visit our website at www.mchenrycountydot.org for periodic updates and for newly launched project specific websites.

Remember – Please drive safely in construction zones and watch out for workers!!

Erin Smith at a Country Club Additions "Pizza with the President" meeting

Dear Neighbors,

I would like to take this opportunity to provide a series of brief updates to you regarding items that have been addressed during recent Board Meetings and other topics where I have received questions or comments from residents.  As always, I welcome and encourage your participation at Board Meetings and your input and feedback through phone conversations and email.

Committees

I am so proud of the work we already see coming out of the new resident committees we formed this year:

The Economic Development Committee is planning a Farmers’ Market and working diligently to get a unique zip code for Lakewood.

The Parks and Recreation Committee is planning fund raising events that will pay for new entrance signs for our Village and contribute additional money toward bike paths along Huntley and Lakewood Roads.  The first event is a “Dine and Donate” at our very own Lou Malnati’s on Monday, May 17.  Additional information will be forthcoming, please save the date.

The Redtail Golf Committee is constructing the business case for a clubhouse.  We look forward to recommendations from this Committee in the spring.

Finally, the SSA 1 Lakes Committee has led fundraising efforts and applied for grants that have already provided new fish shelters and fish restocking, as well as education for residents about how to keep the lakes healthy.

Economic Development

Interest in the remaining locations at Lakewood Commons remains high even in this challenging economy, and we expect one or two new businesses to open in the very near future.

The success of Lou Malnati’s is apparent from the parking lot.  My family regularly enjoys both pizza and salad takeout from Malnati’s.  Their family size salads are the best “on the way home from work” dinner I have found.

My son is a student at the Illinois Martial Arts Academy next to Malnati’s.  The birthday party package they provided was one of the best I’ve seen.

Finally, feedback regarding Leix Dental has been extremely positive.  Dr. Leix‘s reputation for innovation and customer service is well-deserved.

Progress regarding development at Route 47 and Route 176 continues, although there are numerous steps that are still necessary before the Village of Lakewood will even begin the process of considering a formal application for development.  Numerous opportunities for public review and comment will be available prior to Board action.

Finally, many residents have inquired about the status of Turnberry County Club.  Please be assured that we are actively engaged with the bank to support the transition in ownership and, until such time, to make certain that the property is maintained in an acceptable manner.  It is also important to note that the covenants require that this golf course remains a private golf course and any change would require a 2/3 vote from these residents.

East Side Water and Sewer Projects

Crew lining the sanitary sewers in the eastern part of Lakewood served by the Crystal Lake Sewage Treatment Plant to prevent infiltration into the pipes laid during the 1930's under the Works Progress Administration. There are no storm sewers.

On the east side of Lakewood, our efforts have been directed towards completing the sanitary sewer relining system rehabilitation project which will reduce inflow and infiltration.  This will ultimately reduce the chance of sewerage backing up into homes.  The final phase of this project was anticipated to cost $310,000, but bids came in at approximately 50% of the projected cost.

The award of an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 grant and a zero percent interest loan from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency allowed the project to move forward and construction should be complete by late spring.  As a reminder, wastewater treatment for the majority of the east side residents is provided by the City of Crystal Lake.

West Side Water and Sewer Projects

Lakewood Sewer Plant whose financing is in jeopardy because of the slow down in the building of new homes and their expected tap on fees.

Lakewood Utilities, the west side’s water and sewer service operated by the Village, has seen an unprecedented drop in tap on fee revenues due to the lack of new home starts in the past two years.  Therefore, the tap on fee revenues that were expected to fund the bond payments for the wastewater treatment plant have not materialized.

West side users of Lakewood Utilities, such as my family, have to cover any shortfall in revenues through increased water and sewer rates.  During the last two years, the Village utilized reserves to maintain these rates at current levels.  With those reserves now depleted, a new approach was needed.

Our Finance Director, Carole Robertson, has proposed a solution which allows us to meet our bond obligations, minimize rate increases, and replace the aging water tower on Turnberry Trail.  The proposal includes refinancing the wastewater treatment system bonds to lengthen the repayment term and issuing Build America Bonds for a new water tower.  This proposal takes advantage of the historically low interest rates, the competitive construction bid environment, the advantages of Build America Bonds, and decreased bond issuance costs by issuing the bonds at the same time.

Current projections indicate that this approach will save the users more than $500,000 over the next few years, while minimizing rate increases. We have directed staff to begin the bond issuance process and to include financing the construction of a new water tower.

Pedestrian Path

While not yet formalized, we also have reason to believe that our grant request for a pedestrian path along Huntley Road will be approved.  If approved, 70% of the project will be funded through federal dollars.

Pizza with the President

The next Pizza with the President will occur at the Annual Meeting of the Turnberry Property Owners Association (TPA) on Sunday, March 21, 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at RedTail Golf Club.  As always, pizza will be provided by Lakewood’s own Lou Malnati’s.

Sincerely,

Erin

As I was driving south on Huntley Road in Crystal Lake Sunday afternoon about 1, I saw this fox on the bike path. It looked almost mangy.

He/she turned off the path and ambled toward the drainage pond.

Something on the ground drew some interest.

The fox snapped at it.

Taking his/her time, the fox looked around.

Then, it may have gotten down to what was foremost on its mind. It took a dump.

Even though we bought the book “Who Poops in the Park” while at Yellowstone, I didn’t go down and take a photo.

The fox continued to look around for a short while after relieving itself.

Then, it walked across Huntley Road at the top of the small rise and disappeared into a yard just north of Wedgewood.