McHenry County Blog

With its Home Rule powers, the Crystal Lake City Council signaled a majority is ready to change possession of up to thirty joints from a criminal to a civil offense.

Mayor Aaron Shepley led the opposition with Councilwomen Cathy Ferguson, a social worker, bringing her day job experience to bear.  Joining the three in opposition was Brett Hopkins, who said he saw it “in terms of black and white.”

The proposal, basically to decriminalize marijuana, following the example set by Chicago last month, was presented by Crystal Lake Police Chief Dave Linder after testimony from opponents and proponents.

His proposal “to allow Police to issue tickets for possession of small amounts of cannibals” was based on cost savings to the Department.

He pointed to Woodstock and McHenry as two local cities who had already gone the civil violation route.

Linder insisted his proposal “doesn’t represent softening of Police Department attitude toward drug enforcement,” but would “allow more flexibility…a more efficient option.”

Mayor Shepley came loaded for bear.

While complementing the Chief for bringing forth a proposal that the Chief thought would make law enforcement more efficient,” Shepley said that “at the end of the day what we have a a good old fashioned policy decision in a way that could have consequences.”

He then played show and tell, holding up two jars of parsley containing a total of 28 grams.  Possession of more than 30 grams would still be a felony, but in Crystal Lake, if the ordinance passes, the possessor would get a ticket.

“That is not a small amount,” Shepley argued.

Councilwoman Ellen Brady Mueller, one of three members of the CLCHS  Class of 1981, according to classmate Shepley (the other being Hopkins), said,”You could make a lot more thar 20 [joints].

“We’re not going to go soft on drugs,” Linder interjected.  “It gives the officer the availability to use another [option].  We do the same thing for alcohol, synthetic drugs [and] disorderly conduct.  In terms of time management, it’s not fiscally responsible [to arrest people for possession under 30 grams].”

Linder that a large percentage of misdemeanor charges were dismissed by the McHenry County State’s Attorney to which Shepley that perhaps Crystal Lake officials “need to have a discussion with the State’s Attorney’s Office.”

The Mayor also pointed out that the State had no criminal offense for synthetic drugs, so Crystal Lake’s passage of a ticketing offense was more stringent than state law, not less, as the issuing of tickets for marijuana would be.

Comparing ticketing for underage use of alcohol to Lidner’s proposal, Shepley drew a distinction between a drug which is legal for those over 21 and one “our legislature has determined that no matter how old you are you can’t have it.

“My fear with this is that we’re sending a message.

“If you are smart [enough] not to carry more than a certain amount of drugs, there is no possibility of jail time.

“I’m not in favor of this,” Shepley concluded.

Next up was Cathy Ferguson.

She zeroed in on arguments that it would cover “youthful indiscretions.”

“This does not cover juvenile cases, right?”

Linder agreed.

Ferguson, who works as a social worker, explained, “I treat kids with substance abuse.  I’m seeing these gets getting their drugs from their parents.

“I agree with you in principle, Aaron, that we’re sending a [bad] message.

“Marijuana of today is not the marijuana [of my youth].  A lot of other substances are cut into marijuana.

“When I look at statements that marijuana hurts no one [asserted by one proponent to the Council], that’s a falsehood.

“I prefer there be jail time attached.”

Ferguson then went after the discretion that the ordinance gives police officers.

“[For] one joint jail time is not warranted.

“Thirty joints deserves jail time.

“There’s too much wiggle room [in the ordinance."

Introducing a new aspect was Ralph Dawson.

“Nothing I’ve seen that David [Linder] has presented that the Department’s doing this for monetary reasons,” he said.

“I believe it will give a lot of people a second chance,” he continued.

“I see nothing negative here…better than hitting [youth] over the head.”

“Actually, I was going to move this to [be] discussion only,” Brett Hopkins said.

“It’s a difficult subject.  I’m pretty black and white.  The drugs are illegal. End of story.”

He compares it with enforcement of the sign ordinance.

Carolyn Schofield was next.

“I don’t think this stems from a moral issue.

“If it helps the Police Department–I really believe in him–I want to support him in this,” Schofield said.

The last to express his opinion was Jeff Thorsen.

“I think the Chief is the expert on the situation.

“We do have the right to put this into play.

“We set the law.

“Discretion – they think about that everyday.

I don’t thing a $500 to a $1,000 penalty is a minor penalty.

“If the Chief thinks we’re pulling one-third of our officers off the street, the [Chief is making sense].”

In rebuttal to Schofield, who had argued that consequences are not going to change what people do, Shepley observed, “That’s hat our criminal system is all about..  I would respectfully disagree.

“I think it’s absolutely the wrong way to go.”

He pointed out that he has been “insistent with things we have done to preserve the character of Crystal Lake.”

Mueller pointed out that the Council had “changed possession of liquor possession.”

Shepley repeated his argument that liquor was a legal drug, while marijuana was not.

Ferguson also weighed in on the “consequences” debate.

She pointed to why people pay income taxes.

“It comes down to no one wants to mess with them.”

“I’m trying to keep a level playing field.  If you have a better lawyer, you have a better chance of getting off.”

She repeated her concern that there was too much “wiggle room.”

Before the Council voted, Schofield expressed the opinion that the Council could “look at different levels.”

The first motion was to kill the ordinance.

Shepley, Ferguson and Hopkins voted to keep the status quo.

Mueller, Dawson, Schofield and Thorsen voted to change the criminal penalties to civil ones.

Then Mueller seemed to second Schofield’s idea to lower the threshold for a pot ticket.  She suggested 15.

After than the Council agreed to table the proposal until the Police Department had a chance to consider the consequences of some in between proposal.

An informal discussion was held Tuesday night by the Crystal Lake City Council about whether to allow slot machines (“video poker,” if you favor the idea) in town

After presentations by two gambling machine purveyors, City Council members expressed a 6-1 margin against turning Crystal Lake into “Potterville,” to put it in Mayor Aaron Shepley’s words.

“I’ll bet if we wanted to make Crystal Lake the mecca of adult entertainment, we could do that,” Shepley said.

“Just because we could do it doesn’t mean we should do it,” he said just before referring to “one of my favorite movies, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’”

Comparing the scenes of Bedford Falls and Pottersville, he said, “If you don’t look at the extreme examples, you’re not looking at the whole picture.”

Presentations were made by representatives of two slot machine companies.

One, Stepanie Drougas, from Triple 7 Illinois, based in Lake in the Hills, told of the split of profits from the money gambled:

• 30% to the state
• 35% to the liquor licensee
• 35% to the machine owners (the ones at the meeting)

As I understand it, 5 percentage points of the state’s share goes to the local city or county (if unincorporated).

The Triple 7 Illinois woman estimated that each machine would generate $1,000 for the city each year.

“Your bars and restaurants are struggling.  This will give them a little shot in the arm,” she said.

Councilwoman Ellen Brady Mueller confirmed that the machines to be installed would not be the ones “sitting in bars now.”

“[Is it] basically equivalent to Vegas as to the speed it would spin?” Councilman Ralph Dawson inquired.

Jeff Thorsen calculated that $17 million could be gambled in Crystal Lake machines with $3.4 million going to the state.

“That’s a lot of money you’re pulling out of pockets,” he said.

Yours truly spoke in opposition on behalf of  the First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake

I pointed out that each machine could be expected to pull $20,000 out of money now spent in local businesses on goods and services.

I explained that Methodists were holding a once-every-four-year General Conference in Tampa about which stories would surface later this week.

However, I explained the fights between liberals and orthodox Methodists that would end up in the stories would not be about gambling.

I told the Council that both liberal and conservative Methodists opposed gambling.

After the two gambling machine company representatives and I spoke, Shepley said,

“Let’s call it what it is. It’s gambling, period.  This is not Crystal Point Mall and pinball.”

Then he asked his colleagues how whether or not they favored allowing the machines in Crystal Lake:

• “Not,” said Brett Hopkins forcefully.  “I’m not going to open the door now.
• “I don’t really see the need,” Carolyn Schofield said.
• “I have a problem of introducing a sin so we can tax it.  Are those the revenues I really want to chase down and create,  I’m in the ‘No’ [column].”
• “Absolutely in the ‘No’ column,” said Cathy Ferguson.  She told of working with youth at the Arlington Park Race Track.  “I can tell you horror stories about people [there].  I do not want to have any part of that.”  Ferguson later told of visiting South Dakota.  “You cannot go anywhere for breakfast without gambling.  Those towns are dead.  It’s not doing what they wanted it to.”
• Ralph Dawson also spoke in opposition.  He pointed out that the gambling machines might “very well drive customers out of establishments.”
• “It’s not my job to decide what is or isn’t a sin,” Ellen Brady Mueller said.  “Got to bars and [you]see the same people sitting on the same stools [day after day].”  She indicated that a number are probably alcoholics, but suggested, “If that’s your addiction, you’ll find a machine.

“I think I’m probably in the same boat as the majority of the Council.

“I think it’s a fair thing to compare it to the pawn shop.  Those types of organizations tend to prey on the weak or people who are down on their luck.

“Do I find it somewhat disappointing bordering on disgusting that Illinois turns to gambling?” he asked rhetorically.

He characterized selling gambling as the answer to public financing problems as “snake oil.”

In the Illinois General Assembly, State Senator Pam Althoff voted for the authorization bill, while State Senate Dan Duffy voted, “No.”  That Roll Call is here.

In the House of Representatives Mike Tryon and Mark Beaubien voted in favor of the slot machine bill.  Jack Franks opposed it.  Here’s the House Roll Call.

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Tim Kane wrote a story on the council consideration of gambling for Crystal Lake Patch. He pointed out that I began my presentation with my “telling City Council members that the Devil will come as an attractive salesman with a tempting offer. That offer, Skinner added, would be ‘hard-core slot machines.’”

In the Northwest Herald, Brett Rowland also referenced what I said:

“‘I’m sure it would help downtown,’ he said. ‘But I’m not sure downtown needs help. You built a nice downtown district without gambling.’

“He also said that if the City Council doesn’t want pawn shops, he couldn’t understand why it would allow gambling. The council decided last month not to create an ordinance that would have allowed pawnbrokers to operate in the city.”

Front page news on both of Chicago’s papers today was the Cook County Board’s vote to phase out its hefty sales tax under the now out-of-office Todd Stroger.

The Crystal Lake City Council’s March, 2008, 75% city sales tax increase went into effect the same day as Cook County’s, July 1, 2008.

But there has been no pressure to repeal it.

Unlike in Cook County, there was no local Chicago Tribune beating the drums for repeal. The Northwest Herald did not even run a story the day the tax took effect

And it certainly did not run a campaign similar to the Tribune’s in which every day readers were reminded of the tax hike.

Those on the council who voted to impose the 75% city sales tax have no opposition this year.

Mayor Aaron Shepley has no opponent.

I am sure he has concluded that people in Crystal Lake just don’t care. A justifiable political conclusion.

All who voted for the tax were Republicans, but the Democrats in Crystal Lake are so weak they put up no opposition in the non-partisan election.

What a wedge issue they would have had.

It still bothers me that financing Vulcan Lakes was used as an excuse for imposing the tax. The same reason was used to impose a Tax Increment Financing district on much of the Route 14 area now virtually vacant, plus Vulcan Lakes.

It also bothers me that there was only one week’s notice.  Municipal officials around here don’t want a lot of public input on major decisions and giving virtually no notice certainly encourages lack of citizen participation.

There was an alternative way to finance development of Vulcan Lake, but it would have allowed anyone living in Crystal Lake to use the resulting recreation area.

Some Crystal Lake leaders apparently didn’t want outsiders to be able to enjoy the amenities–regardless of the lower taxes that would have been imposed on Crystal Lake residents and others shopping in Crystal Lake–if the McHenry County Conservation District had paid for the improvements with already existing taxes.

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Besides Mayor Aaron Shepley, the other council members who voted to raise Crystal Lake’s city sales tax 75% are seen above.  Top row:  former Councilman Dave Goss and current Council members Ralph Dawson and Ellen Brady-Mueller.  Second row: Kathy Ferguson and Brett Hopkins.

The petitions for re-election are being circulated for Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley and Council members Cathy Ferguson, Ellen Brady Mueller and Brett Hopkins.

And, just in time for the campaign, there is an election kick-off party that required the of spending well over $10 million. $14.37 million, according to the Northwest Herald.

As pointed out in 2005, there was a cheaper way, at least for Crystal Lake area residents.

There was no need for a Tax Increment Financing District to pay for turning Vulcan Lakes into Three Oaks Recreation Area.

Indeed the announcement that a TIF would be formed to finance the project was what stimulated me to start McHenry County Blog. $115 million would be available, said the city’s consultant. Bill Cellini’s group won the contract from the council to do the development, but backed away from it after his name coming up in the Tony Rezko trial.

TIFs are just a way to force everyone (yes, everyone in any overlapping tax district, and because of McHenry County government and the McHenry County Conservation District, that means all county resident) not living in the TIF to pay for it.

It’s a tax increase that the city council voted on all of us.

Oh, wait. That isn’t the way it’s being financed.

With the recession and the decimation of the commercial strip on the Vulcan Lake side of Route 14, the city couldn’t sell bonds to pay for the enormous cost of TORA.

Instead, a majority of the council (Jeff Thorsen being the exception) decided to
raise the city sales tax 75%. Part of the excuse was that the extra tax money was
needed to finance the development of Vulcan Lakes.

The TIF option just didn’t work out.

The huge tax hike was passed right after the RTA Sales Tax was hiked even a higher percentage.

From a political viewpoint, there have been little or no negative repercussions.

The Crystal Lake City Council decided to use this second way to export part of the cost of developing Vulcan Lakes to those who don’t live, but shop in Crystal Lake.

Now, Crystal Lake is in the recreation business.

And, so is the Park District.

There are probably other such illogical arrangements, but the one I have seen over the decades is in Springfield.

There the reason is patronage jobs. I don’t know if that is the motivation here or not.

There was another way to finance the project, although it certainly would not have been as lavish as the city council has allowed this to become.

MCCD undoubtedly would not have spent, how much, hundreds of thousands of dollars on fancy street lights for a facility that closes at sunset.

That way was to convince the McHenry County Conservation District to take it over.

Had the council done so, our area would have finally gotten back some of the tens of millions of our tax dollars that has been redistributed north, northwest and west, like a kid slinging a bucket of water. The pockets of those in District 47 have ended up as empty as the bucket, another victim of Illinois’ having way too many local governmental units.

But control of the facility was the primary goal of city officials.

And maybe their names on a plaque. The edifice complex in action.

Bragging rights they have achieved include

• having been instrumental in constructing the facility and
• like Barack Obama, forcing the payment for it on their grandchildren.

Not to mention the ability to feature on their campaign literature what a great accomplishment opening the facility has been.

I couldn’t get close enough to take photos of the council members taking credit for the project without paying $5 for parking.

Not worth the price, so I’ll just run photos of the six council members who voted to raise the city sales tax 75%. There won’t be the same backdrop, but credit will go where it is due.

Shepley, Ferguson, Hopkins and Brady Mueller are up for election next spring. Expect to see TORA on their campaign literature…assuming they even have an opponent requiring them to print any.

There were four people who have run for the Crystal Lake City Council at Wednesday’s McHenry County Republican Central Committee meeting at the VFW in Woodstock.

The first two I saw were incumbents Ellen Brady Mueller and Cathy Ferguson. Since their terms are expiring next spring, I asked them if they were running for re-election.

At first, one said, “Yes,” and the other said, “No.”

They they looked at each other with amusement and both said, “Yes.”

Four years ago they ran a joint campaign.

Two unsuccessful challengers from two years ago have since become precinct committeemen. They are Mike Shorten and Kay Stanish.

Neither were willing to reveal their intentions.

The third city councilman whose term is up is Brett Hopkins, who won election for the first time four years ago, advancing from the Planning and Zoning Commission.

He is also running for re-election.

The old Cub Food building was packed with volunteers early Sunday afternoon.

Enough rice and other ingredients had been packed Saturday to provide 440,000 meals to those living in Haiti.

There were fifty packing stations set up.

They seemed all full at 1:30.

But there were not enough volunteers for the rest of the day to meet the million meal goal.

Young volunteers enjoyed the packing end of the line.  Not putting them in the box though.  That was too high for them.

They enjoyed the pounding the meal flat so it would fit into the box.

Flattening the meals was a  job any kid could do.

Accidents did happen.  Bags did break.

She also put the boxes over her head once in a while.  Not to matter.  She had on a hair net.

This proves there was a job for any age group.

I recognized Bill Moll packing boxes next to my station number 50.

One of the advantages of being at the end of the production line was that one did not have to wear plastic gloves.

The arms and hands of Christ were all over the room.

There were so many lines.

In the middle of each line were stations where people weighed the bags and either took some of the contents out or added enough to make the desired weight.

Next on the line were us bag sealers.

Every time another 10,000 meals were packed someone banged on a cymbal and announced the new total.

Just in case you didn’t read yesterday’s article, here’s what the bags looked like before they were flattened.

Sunday by 7 PM upwards of 780,000 were ready for the truck.

An announcement was made was made that 16 million means had already been shipped to Haiti.

The joint project in McHenry County between the Salvation Army and Numana was all over but the clean-up.

And the “IF” was in capital letters.

Metra Executive Director Phil Pagano returned to his home town city council for a second time seeking permission to proceed with plans seeking approval for a new commuter train station in Ridgefield next to the old 84 and new Alexandra Lumber location.

The proposal debated by city council members basically said that if Metra met all the requirements set by the city council that it could gain annexation to the city.

Mayor Aaron Shepley framed the debate like this:

“The question is solely whether council wishes to assume control of development of this project.”

At the end of the debate, the council voted 5-2 to assume control. Jeff Thorsen and Ralph Dawson voted “No.”

Thorsen thought the agreement too one-sided.

“The agreement does not even require they ever annex,” he said. “At the end of the day, we can’t say ‘No.’ You can say ‘No.’”

He worried that if money is needed to enforce Crystal Lake’s Watershed Ordinance that Metra would not have to pay its fair share.

Shepley wondered if Thorsen wanted county government to be the approving governmental entity, as it was for 84 Lumber, which property covers more of the watershed than would be allowed had it been annexed to Crystal Lake.

“If the county wants to be irresponsible about developing it, then it’s not on my shoulders,” Thorsen replied.

Later Councilwoman Ellen Brady Mueller pointed out that the proposed 2030 Plan for county land development does not recognize Crystal Lake’s Watershed Ordinance.

Ralph Dawson worried about extending city police protection still farther, pointing out that the Pingree Road Station had had vandalism problems, which Crystal Lake Police had to handle.

“It’s a far stretch from the city limits,” Dawson said. “I cannot support the City of Crystal Lake annexing the station. I don’t think the city should be obligated to go that far out to give it service.”

Trying to pour water on the fire, Pagano affirmed, “Metra intends to work with the city on the watershed…and traffic.”

Still Dawson concluded,

“I don’t see my taxpayers to benefit on this project.”

Brady Mueller asked,

“Are we out there already?”

Police Chief David Lindner pointed out that his force already served nearby McHenry County College and

“If there is a request from the Sheriff and we’re closer, we go out there.”

Brady Mueller wanted to know,

“Why in the world would we want to give up a piece of property in the watershed?”

“We want to have the control.”

Cathy Ferguson agreed:

“I want control. I have enormous traffic concerns.”

Both relative newcomers Brett Hopkins and Carolyn Schofield concurred.

“I’d absolutely like to see it under control of the city, rather than the county,” Schofield said.

Summing up, Shepley said,

"If we say, 'No', we're counting on somebody else to do our job," Mayor Aaron Shepley said.

“We have fought like wolverines to control what goes on in the watershed. It’s not just our right; it’s our obligation.

“There is no done deal. Mr. Hopkins said it. The only question is who should we be dealing with.

“The downside for them is if they don’t meet our standards, they still have to go to the county.

“As far as police enforcement goes, Mr. Dawson, I think that is a fair concern. If it should go to the county we’ll still be the first responders.

“The difference is that the benefits will not fall to the Crystal Lake side of the ledger.

“If we say ,’No,’ we’re counting on somebody else to do our job.”

Dawson suggested the county was “in a new era. They’re talking about water, at least they’re making waves in an election year.”

“If the county is good, we’re better,” Shepley stated. “We owe it to the people to protect their interest.”

In one of the first county board fund raisers of the year, McHenry County College Board member Donna Kurtz gathered supporters at The Cottage at the corner of Crystal Lake Avenue and Brink Street Thursday night.

Kurtz is running to replace either incumbent County Board Chairman Ken Koehler or member Lyn Orphal in the early February Republican primary election.

Crystal Lake City Councilman Jeff Thorsen introduced the candidate.

“I am very, very, very enthusiastic supporter of Donna Kurtz,” he said. “We need someone with her honesty and integrity in county board government.”

Kurtz said she was inspired by her mother former State Rep. Rosemary Kurtz’ concern for environmental protection and former State Rep. Cal Skinner’s fiscal conservativeness. Rep. Kurtz defeated Rep. Skinner in the 2000 GOP primary election.

“As many of you know, the world goes full circle.”

Kurtz said she running for the board of directors of a $260 million organization, McHenry County government.

Reflecting on her service on the McHenry County College Board, Kurtz said it had taught her this lesson:

“You gotta do your own research. Everyone’s got their own agenda.”

She didn’t say she was reflecting on her support of building a minor league baseball stadium on college property and, then, changing her mind with the announcement being at the Crystal Lake City Council meeting the night re-zoning was being discussed, but that might be a good guess.

“My courage was driven by my thought I couldn’t stand not to do the right thing,” she stated.

Besides Thorsen, City Council members Carolyn Schofield and Brett Hopkins were in attendance, as were park board members Mike Walkup and Richard Sexton.

McHenry County Recorder of Deeds Phyllis Walters, who actually lives in District 2 in the tiny bit of Algonquin in the district was also in attendance, as was Nunda Township Supervisor John Heisler.

Members of A-LAW, the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water were in attendance. The group recently proposed strict potential conflict disclosure rules for county elected and appointed officials.  The Alden Road Alliance was also represented. District 3 county board candidate Craig Steagall, who actively opposes the location of the proposed Ridgefield Metra station on Country Club Road, also was present.

Touchdown Sponsor

• Tamara Kurtz

Field Goal Sponsors

• Erv & Louise Lecoque
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Safety Sponsors

• Jeannine Thoms
• Connie Zukowski
• Scott Summers
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Extra Point Sponsors

• Keith & Marge Nygren
• Phyllis Walters
• Bill & Alice Howenstine
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• Lou Ann & Jerome Majewski
• Jean Plews
• Patricia Floeter
• Brett & Tina Hopkins

Traffic will be a major sticking point on Metra’s proposed Ridgefield commuter station the same was it was for the baseball stadium proposed for McHenry County College.

The Crystal Lake City Council unanimously approved Councilwoman Ellen Brady Mueller’s motion to reject SEC, which used to be called Smith Engineering, as the firm to provide the traffic study for the Ridgefield station which Metra wants annexed into the city.

Council members decided they would rather have one of their already authorized consultants do the study.

Metra preferred SEC because it had been contracted to do a study for a future Lily Pond Road site called East Woodstock, as well as for Ridgefield.

Questions about traffic arose from all quarters.

Carolyn Schofield: “My main concerns will be traffic and the watershed.”

Brett Hopkins: “I’m concerned about traffic”

Jeff Thorsen concurred, “You’re engineer hasn’t addressed the western development we know is going to come…I’d rather go with our pool of traffic consultants. I’m already looking at two studies that are pretty opposite.”

Kathy Ferguson:  “I have some concerns about traffic. You’re going to change the whole tone and tenor of that area.”

Ferguson also told of driving to the courthouse on Country Club Road for jury duty. She commented negatively on the current danger at the curve.

“The line of sight when you’re coming around those corners has to be addressed.”

During extended public comment by Craig Steagall, the owner of land Metra considered buying across the tracks from that which is half-owned by McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler, he bent his arms to demonstrate the intersection problem in Downtown Ridgefield.

Mueller talking about traffic: “I don’t know how to make it work without moving the houses that are out there…I myself cannot support having a traffic consultant not going through the normal process.”

Mayor Aaron Shepley empathized with Metra: “It would be awfully difficult to change (horses in midstream).”

Ralph Dawson took a different approach: “What are we going to get out of it? How long will (it take for) my police cars have to be dispatched out there? Why do we want to annex it? We’re already stretched out. I have a county police department that is more than adequate to police that station.”

Metra attorney Joe Gottemoller explained that he thought Crystal Lake wanted to annex the entire watershed of Crystal Lake. The station is within that watershed.

Mayor Shepley summed up the reason for annexing the property: “With an annexation into Crystal Lake you have a greater control on what the project will look like,” adding the city would have more influence over the traffic problems.”

His conclusion: “The deal breaker here—it’s all about the traffic.”

Shepley specifically mentioned the inadequate Ridgefield railroad crossing.

Both Mueller and Steagall are candidates for a Republican nomination for the McHenry County Board, Mueller in District 2 and Steagall in District 3.

Two years ago a Crystal Lake Planning and Zoning Commissioner ousted Howie Christensen from his city council seat.

Yesterday another Crystal Lake Planning and Zoning Commissioner defeated incumbent Dave Goss.

When swearing in time comes, Carolyn Schofield will join her former commissioner colleague Brett Hopkins in the council chambers.

This is the second time for this engineer’s name has been on the council ballot.

She ran two years ago and placed sixth out of six candidates.

Schofield ran first, undoubtedly aided by her being first on the ballot and her being a woman.

Second place went to incumbent Jeff Thorsen, while incumbent Ralph Dawson took third.

Goss, who placed fourth, was partially responsible for his loss in that he chose to file in the middle of the week, rather than at the beginning or at the end of filing.

That resulted in a less than ideal ballot position of fifth out of eight for Goss.

He got only 55% of Dawson’s votes.

The top three candidates on the ballot won. I’ve been calling them, perhaps incorrectly, the anti-McHenry County College baseball stadium slate.

Of course, part of Goss’ loss might be attributed to his having voted for the 75% city sales tax increase. But, so did Dawson.

The other five candidates received the indicated votes:

• Kay Stanish – 647
• Mike Shorten – 474
• Sal DiBenedetto – 414
• David Bradford – 399

Now, to the losers, I would suggest you take heart. Re-read the paragraph that says the top vote getter in 2009 was the lowest vote getter two years ago.

If you are a man, you can’t change your gender and get the five percentage point advantage that I am sure exists in this area, but you could get lucky and obtain first ballot position like Schofield did.

And you could be as determined to win as she was.

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The winners appear from highest vote on down. Carolyn Schofield is on top, Jeff Thorsen second and Ralph Dawson third.