McHenry County Blog

Big doings at the park board Thursday night.

Lincoln’s Birthday, McHenry County Blog reported Viking Dodge was topping the rumor mill for a location for a Crystal Lake Park District Community Center and Sports Complex.

“It’s more than a community center,” Park Board President Mike Zellman stressed.

Well, we didn’t call it that big name two weeks ago, but Thursday’s press release does.

And the potential price–$6.2 million–reported a few days later was virtually spot on.

The number in the contract is $6.29 million.

What would the park district get for that money?

A fairly new 44,000 square foot building on 26.9 acres.

18 acres out back are vacant, zoned agricultural, but already in the Crystal Lake city limits.

It could be used for “additional ball fields, courts and open space,” the district’s press release explained.

Is it a good deal?

In comparison to the vacant property which is a little smaller on the Southwest corner of Routes 14 and 176, it is.

Several decades ago talked about as a site for a Holidome, that vacant site is a bit smaller, but about the same price. And the water table cannot be far beneath its surface.

Financing will come from non-referendum “Alternative Revenue Bonds.”

While the press release says,

“The Park District will not be increasing taxes to acquire the property or to adapt the building for the anticipated uses in Phase 1,”

I suspect what is meant is that the tax rate will not go up. Certainly, if the money were not borrowed, the tax rate would decrease because fewer tax dollars would be required.

The board plans to pay for renovation through the sale of property, for example, the current Downtown administration building and parking lot to the east between the Dean law office and the health food store would be on the block.

The sale of other properties is also a possibility. One being considered is over 3 acres. It would require referendum approval because of its size.

And, the $3 million the city council promised for a senior center is a possibility, too.

City officials “have been outstanding from the beginning,” park district Director Kirk Reimer said.

“We’ve talked to the mayor (Aaron Shepley). He knows about it.

Last week city traffic consultant Gary Overbay and City Engineer Victor Ramirez spoke behind closed doors with the park board a week ago.

Overbay “presented us with a number of great options,” park board President Mike Zellman said.

Among them was apparently access to Route 14 through the old outdoor antique farm across from Flowerwood or the empty property north of it nearing The Breakers restaurant (from which it is very hard to exit, if one wants to return to Crystal Lake).

The pending reconfiguration of the Route 14-Route 176 intersection also provides some possibilities for innovative design.

Now, getting into and out of the Viking Dodge location would be a problem with the two state highways the way they exist now.

The district has 120 days, even 150 days to perform due diligence on the property.

Consultants will look at environmental, engineering, watershed, traffic, site design and water table aspects, among others.

Reimer said the depth of the water table is most important. If it were only three feet below the surface, I gathered that would be a deal breaker.

If everything works out, the district is looking at taking ownership in the middle of this summer. Remodeling will then commence.

The immediate uses would be for a Senior Center, Administrative Offices and Recreational Program Spaces, along with Equipment Maintenance Areas.

“This property gives us a lot of options,” Zellman said. “Our ultimate goal is a sports complex and pool.”

Six of the thirteen vehicle repair lifts will be left when Viking vacates the property. Some will be used to repair park district trucks and cars, while the unneeded ones will be sold off.

The thought arises that it is close enough to McHenry County College that auto mechanics students might make use of it in down time.

And the ultimate goal, a Crystal Lake Park District Community Center and Sports Complex?

It would have to go to the voters for the $30, $40, $50 million that would be needed.

Part of that cost might defrayed by allowing commercial properties near Route 176 where part of the parking lot is now.

Voting in favor of the proposal were Eric Anderson, Angel Collins, Richard Sexton, Jerry Sullivan, Mike Walkup and Mike Zellman.

Candy Reedy did not attend the meeting.

= = = = =
Mayor Aaron Shepley is seen telling Crystal Lake seniors that he favors combining a senior center with a park district community center.

The Crystal Lake Park Board met behind closed doors Thursday night.

Before adjourning, the board made no decision regarding a location for the long talked about community center.

Through Freedom of Information requests, however, McHenry County Blog has learned that two of the properties being considered.

One, previously revealed, is Viking Dodge on Route 176 on the northern edge of town.

The other is the old Oak Manufacturing building at East Crystal Lake Avenue and South Main Street.

Out of contention is the old Cub Food store, which backs up to Vulcan Lakes.

Attending the meeting until nearly the end was Crystal Lake City Engineer Victor Ramirez and traffic engineer Gary Overbay. (Overbay is on the left; Ramirez on the right.)

One could imagine Overbay and Ramirez trying to figure out a way to get traffic into and out of the Viking Dodge property.

Perhaps Ramirez’ knowledge about water mains was also tapped, considering a pool is contemplated.

Present for the entire meeting was real estate broker Mike Deacon.

As you can see, board members continued their discussion after the meeting adjourned at about 10:10 PM. Here you see Richard Sexton, on the left, talking to Mike Walkup, while Angel Collins converses with Candy Reedy (back to camera).

The Crystal Lake Park Board met behind closed doors Thursday night.

Before adjourning, the board made no decision regarding a location for the long talked about community center.

Through Freedom of Information requests, however, McHenry County Blog has learned that two of the properties being considered.

One, previously revealed, is Viking Dodge on Route 176 on the northern edge of town.

The other is the old Oak Manufacturing building at East Crystal Lake Avenue and South Main Street.

Out of contention is the old Cub Food store, which backs up to Vulcan Lakes.

Attending the meeting until nearly the end was Crystal Lake City Engineer Victor Ramirez and traffic engineer Gary Overbay. (Overbay is on the left; Ramirez on the right.)

One could imagine Overbay and Ramirez trying to figure out a way to get traffic into and out of the Viking Dodge property.

Perhaps Ramirez’ knowledge about water mains was also tapped, considering a pool is contemplated.

Present for the entire meeting was real estate broker Mike Deacon.

As you can see, board members continued their discussion after the meeting adjourned at about 10:10 PM. Here you see Richard Sexton, on the left, talking to Mike Walkup, while Angel Collins converses with Candy Reedy (back to camera).

Yesterday, McHenry County Blog started a multi-part review of the memoir of former Mayor George Wells. He called it, “It’s That Way Everywhere, George.”

Here’s the second installment. (If anyone else who has read it would like to give his or her take on the book, just email it to me and I’ll put it up. I’m sure different parts will intrigue different people.)

Wells bemoans what he clearly considers a sell-out by Crystal Lake Park Board Commissioners Candy Reedy, Dave Phelps and Jim Orkfitz, all of whom won election with his support as Wells was leaving the park board. They “cleaned out all the professionals.”

Much later, he offers this amusing opinion:

“The Crystal Lake Park District is still operating in the Neanderthal Age—no disrespect intended for the Neanderthal people.”

Wells even comments on the convention center and sports center, concluding that a largely unidentified group of “decision-makers” will make sure that it happens.

The “we decision makers” comment was made by Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce Exec Bob Blazier at a meeting Wells attended as mayor. The “decision makers” apparently consisted of Blazier and his friends, Wells concluded.

During Wells’ term he kept hearing that Crystal Lake city government was hard for business to work with. He asked various people who made the comment to give specifics, but no one would.

Wells concluded that it was a part of a campaign to get rid of City Manager Joe Misurelli.

[Let me suggest that two people in my precinct would have been happy to provide specifics. One was a mover and shaker at Black Dot. He told me that it was cheaper to build a new facility in Freeport than to build a parking lot in Crystal Lake. Another from the late 1980’s told me he was moving his factory from Crystal Lake to Richmond because of problems he had with city officials.

[But, of course, Wells did not know of either of those instances.]

Wells proudly reports that city staff enforced city codes.

One day, Wells writes, he

“received a call from the president of a well-known national chain of restaurants. This gentleman wanted to know if we could get together and talk. I asked him what he wanted to talk about. He told me that he just wanted to meet me and find out, in effect, how things worked in Crystal Lake. I told him that both of us were very obviously busy and that I did not think we needed to get together because I could tell him in two minutes over the phone how we operate. I told him it was very simple. We had regulations, zoning, and codes and we adhered to them….That was the last I heard from him until the grand opening of the facility.

“At the festive opening of the restaurant I was approached by one of the executives of the corporation, and he told me that they really felt good about being in Crystal Lake because they had a clear understanding that they had to comply with all the rules and they were sure that everyone else had to do the same thing and this, in their opinion, assured them that the local government was honest and sound, which made their investment in Crystal Lake a good business decision.”

Wells also related how when he and his wife went out to eat, after the meal, restaurant owners often offered to let them eat for free.

“I had to explain to them that I did not accept gratuities such as that. The thought crossed my mind as to what might have been the policy in the previous administration, since this little episode happened so often.”

Part 3 Sunday

Yesterday, McHenry County Blog started a multi-part review of the memoir of former Mayor George Wells. He called it, “It’s That Way Everywhere, George.”

Here’s the second installment. (If anyone else who has read it would like to give his or her take on the book, just email it to me and I’ll put it up. I’m sure different parts will intrigue different people.)

Wells bemoans what he clearly considers a sell-out by Crystal Lake Park Board Commissioners Candy Reedy, Dave Phelps and Jim Orkfitz, all of whom won election with his support as Wells was leaving the park board. They “cleaned out all the professionals.”

Much later, he offers this amusing opinion:

“The Crystal Lake Park District is still operating in the Neanderthal Age—no disrespect intended for the Neanderthal people.”

Wells even comments on the convention center and sports center, concluding that a largely unidentified group of “decision-makers” will make sure that it happens.

The “we decision makers” comment was made by Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce Exec Bob Blazier at a meeting Wells attended as mayor. The “decision makers” apparently consisted of Blazier and his friends, Wells concluded.

During Wells’ term he kept hearing that Crystal Lake city government was hard for business to work with. He asked various people who made the comment to give specifics, but no one would.

Wells concluded that it was a part of a campaign to get rid of City Manager Joe Misurelli.

[Let me suggest that two people in my precinct would have been happy to provide specifics. One was a mover and shaker at Black Dot. He told me that it was cheaper to build a new facility in Freeport than to build a parking lot in Crystal Lake. Another from the late 1980’s told me he was moving his factory from Crystal Lake to Richmond because of problems he had with city officials.

[But, of course, Wells did not know of either of those instances.]

Wells proudly reports that city staff enforced city codes.

One day, Wells writes, he

“received a call from the president of a well-known national chain of restaurants. This gentleman wanted to know if we could get together and talk. I asked him what he wanted to talk about. He told me that he just wanted to meet me and find out, in effect, how things worked in Crystal Lake. I told him that both of us were very obviously busy and that I did not think we needed to get together because I could tell him in two minutes over the phone how we operate. I told him it was very simple. We had regulations, zoning, and codes and we adhered to them….That was the last I heard from him until the grand opening of the facility.

“At the festive opening of the restaurant I was approached by one of the executives of the corporation, and he told me that they really felt good about being in Crystal Lake because they had a clear understanding that they had to comply with all the rules and they were sure that everyone else had to do the same thing and this, in their opinion, assured them that the local government was honest and sound, which made their investment in Crystal Lake a good business decision.”

Wells also related how when he and his wife went out to eat, after the meal, restaurant owners often offered to let them eat for free.

“I had to explain to them that I did not accept gratuities such as that. The thought crossed my mind as to what might have been the policy in the previous administration, since this little episode happened so often.”

Part 3 Sunday

The Crystal Lake Park board hired the firm offering the lowest price to review the city’s watershed manual.

With prices ranging from Christopher B. Burke Engineering’s $6,600 to one coming in at $18,000, the board also selected the firm that would complete the work in the least amount of time.

Burke said it could complete the review in two weeks.

But, besides cost and speed, the Burke firm got highest marks from at least four of the board members. It was also the recommendation of Park Director Kirk Reimer and Park Planner Ann Viger.

“I put all my stars by them,” said Commissioner Candy Reedy.

“So did I,” Dave Phelps added.

Two, Michael Walkup and Eric Anderson, thought the only non-engineering firm in the running—Conservation Designs—would be better.

Walkup did so because “the manual seems to be going in the opposite direction (from conservation design). Engineers tend to think you can engineer a solution (to anything).”

“I agree with Mike,” Eric Anderson said. “It needs more of a conservation design. That was my top choice.”

“I would like to go more with engineers overlooking engineers,” Jerry Sullivan contributed, while agreeing, “The whole idea of it is conservation.

“Are we not seeing things in this manual that could affect us on conservation matters?” he asked. “I would go with Burke.”

“I’m a big fan of engineers,” Richard Sexton said.

During the discussion, Sexton explained that he had found it hard to believe a previous comment made by Walkup about McHenry County College’s wanting to start construction so soon, but now did.

“These guys are looking to stick a shovel in September,” Sexton said. He observed that being able to come back in two weeks with a review of the watershed manual was a good idea.

The vote ended up unanimous in favor of the Burke firm.

After the expression of board opinions, Park Director Reimer pointed out, “The council has put this on hold, too.”

“They were trying to get this through in an ordinance form (but a couple of councilmen brought up concerns).

“I was pleasantly surprised that they were concerned.

“Going (into) that meeting, I thought it was a done deal.”

(See McHenry County Blog articles on the Crystal Lake City Council meeting on September 4, 2007, here and here.)

“(Burke’s price) was far less than we were expecting,” Board President Mike Zellman observed.

“It was the lowest,” Reedy pointed out.

= = = = =
Wouldn’t it be something if the review could be accomplished before the next Crystal Lake City Council meeting?

Mayor Aaron Shepley announced that the watershed manual would be on the agenda and public comments welcomed on Tuesday, September 16th.

The Crystal Lake Park board hired the firm offering the lowest price to review the city’s watershed manual.

With prices ranging from Christopher B. Burke Engineering’s $6,600 to one coming in at $18,000, the board also selected the firm that would complete the work in the least amount of time.

Burke said it could complete the review in two weeks.

But, besides cost and speed, the Burke firm got highest marks from at least four of the board members. It was also the recommendation of Park Director Kirk Reimer and Park Planner Ann Viger.

“I put all my stars by them,” said Commissioner Candy Reedy.

“So did I,” Dave Phelps added.

Two, Michael Walkup and Eric Anderson, thought the only non-engineering firm in the running—Conservation Designs—would be better.

Walkup did so because “the manual seems to be going in the opposite direction (from conservation design). Engineers tend to think you can engineer a solution (to anything).”

“I agree with Mike,” Eric Anderson said. “It needs more of a conservation design. That was my top choice.”

“I would like to go more with engineers overlooking engineers,” Jerry Sullivan contributed, while agreeing, “The whole idea of it is conservation.

“Are we not seeing things in this manual that could affect us on conservation matters?” he asked. “I would go with Burke.”

“I’m a big fan of engineers,” Richard Sexton said.

During the discussion, Sexton explained that he had found it hard to believe a previous comment made by Walkup about McHenry County College’s wanting to start construction so soon, but now did.

“These guys are looking to stick a shovel in September,” Sexton said. He observed that being able to come back in two weeks with a review of the watershed manual was a good idea.

The vote ended up unanimous in favor of the Burke firm.

After the expression of board opinions, Park Director Reimer pointed out, “The council has put this on hold, too.”

“They were trying to get this through in an ordinance form (but a couple of councilmen brought up concerns).

“I was pleasantly surprised that they were concerned.

“Going (into) that meeting, I thought it was a done deal.”

(See McHenry County Blog articles on the Crystal Lake City Council meeting on September 4, 2007, here and here.)

“(Burke’s price) was far less than we were expecting,” Board President Mike Zellman observed.

“It was the lowest,” Reedy pointed out.

= = = = =
Wouldn’t it be something if the review could be accomplished before the next Crystal Lake City Council meeting?

Mayor Aaron Shepley announced that the watershed manual would be on the agenda and public comments welcomed on Tuesday, September 16th.

With nine seats up and five to be elected to the newly-expanded Crystal Lake Park Board veteran commissioner Candy Reedy ran first, as McHenry County Blog predicted after looking at her first place position on the ballot. She got 3402 votes.

Fellow commissioner Michael Zellman also gained re-election, running third behind Richard Sexton, owner of the Ice House, the private ice rink in town.

Also in the winner’s circle were
Eric Anderson, a park district attorney for districts elsewhere in Illinois, and
Michael Walkup, local Democratic Party activist, whose family has a street named after it.

If Walkup ran a campaign, I surely did not see.

Here are the results

Candy Reedy – 3402
Richard Sexton – 3038
Mike Zellman – 2946
Eric Anderson – 2927
Mike Walkup – 2623
Angel Collins – 2445
John Burton – 2027
Bernie Van Ham – 1932
Bud Schmauss – 1560

With nine seats up and five to be elected to the newly-expanded Crystal Lake Park Board veteran commissioner Candy Reedy ran first, as McHenry County Blog predicted after looking at her first place position on the ballot. She got 3402 votes.

Fellow commissioner Michael Zellman also gained re-election, running third behind Richard Sexton, owner of the Ice House, the private ice rink in town.

Also in the winner’s circle were
Eric Anderson, a park district attorney for districts elsewhere in Illinois, and
Michael Walkup, local Democratic Party activist, whose family has a street named after it.

If Walkup ran a campaign, I surely did not see.

Here are the results

Candy Reedy – 3402
Richard Sexton – 3038
Mike Zellman – 2946
Eric Anderson – 2927
Mike Walkup – 2623
Angel Collins – 2445
John Burton – 2027
Bernie Van Ham – 1932
Bud Schmauss – 1560

Having probably written more articles on the Gay Games than anyone else in the world, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to point out who voted to bring the rowing regatta to Crystal Lake.

That information is an article entitled “Gay Games Honor Roll.”

All of the incumbents running for city council voted to allow the Gay Games to take over Crystal Lake on a prime weekend day in mid-July.

They include Mayor Aaron Shepley, who was a cheerleader for the event and told the Chicago Tribune it showed his leadership abilities.

Council folks running for re-election who voted for the regatta were Ellen Brady Mueller, Kathy Ferguson, and Howie Christensen. Their photographs are shown in that order.

In case you are from out of the area, Mayor Shepley is to the one with the microphone.

Two of the incumbents running for the Crystal Lake Park Board—Candy Reedy and Michael Zellman—voted for the Gay Games.

They voted for it the first time around when the motion lost because of a 2-2 tie and were in the three-person, second-time around majority that allowed the lake takeover.