McHenry County Blog

Maybe there’s no connection, but when I read in the Quad City Times that the State of Illinois closed all 15 tourism centers on July 1st and then learned that the McHenry County Conservation District was opening a visitor center in Glacial Park, for some reason I linked them.

The purposes are different, of course.

The state is giving out regional tourism pamphlets, while the Conservation District’s Visitor Center is a destination.

You really have to hunt for it to find it. It is truly in the middle of no where, rather than being next to a four-lane highway, as most of the tourism centers are.

And there are the different sources of funding.

State government relies mainly on income and sales taxes, while the Conservation District is support4d by property taxes and grants.

And, the State Tourism Center is laying off people because operating funds are just not available, while the MCCD’s $6.75 million renovation of Comdisco’s hunt club is capital money.

I asked MCCD Board President Nancy Williamson where the money came from and here’s the explanation from the handout:

“The LVVC renovations were funded from unrestricted ‘Reserve’ balances from the District’s Capital Fund.

‘The revenue sources that generated the unrestricted Reserves were derived substantially from grant reimbursements from previous projects completed by the District over the last 10+ years. (Projects unrelated to the LVVC renovations.)

“The grant reimbursements would be received after the projects were 100% completed and paid for.

“Therefore, when the grant moneys were received, the Board elected to set the money aside and designate it for future capital improvements.”

You might want to read that again.

An alternative use of the money would have been to abate taxes on the non-referendum and referendum bonds.

The Lost Valley Visitor Center is quite splendid.

It was subsidized by a $434,435 grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for permeable paving bricks.

That’s a lot of bricks.

They cover the entire parking lot.

It shows that it can be done.  Williamson said it would be helpful to the oaks.

There was a subsidy from the Illinois Clean Energy Foundation for $74,933 as well.

It helped dig the six wells that are used by the heat pumps which were installed. The handout says that “$3-4 heat for every $1 spent. Annual savings of approximately $28,000.”

I was given a tour by an enthusiastic Williamson.

As we started down the long hall that used to lead to bedrooms, she point to a solar light tube which lessens the need for electric lights.

“That would make a good picture on the blog,” she noted.

Although the storm clouds were rolling in about 7 PM last night, natural light was still making it to hallway.

Two divisions are headquartered at the facility:

• Natural Resources Management
• Education

The regional office of the Illinois Natural Resources Commission is also in the sprawling building.

There are rooms galore for teaching opportunities.

What views they have!

There are multiple decks where one can be at the same level of the birds in oak trees.

And, there are multiple places that will made excellent venues for fundraisers.

The biggest one, finished Thursday, was a floor over the old swimming pool.

It’s pretty big, but there are other smaller outdoor spaces.

At the east end of the building, offices are on the second floor, but the first is a big meeting room.

On the way back to the main entrance, I was shown a locker and shower room for those who maintain the conservation areas.

There were also offices for those engaged in educational outreach.

As Williamson was completing our tour, people were cleaning up from the reception.

As I mentioned, when I arrived, most people had left.  The first thing I noticed was that no one was parking in the spots closest to the building.

I wondered why.  Looking at the signs that read, “RESERVED FOR LOW-EMISSION VEHICLE.”

Then I saw three County Board women–Kathy Bergan Schmidt, Mary McCann and Tina Hill–leaving the event.

The next two were Wonder Lake Fir

On the way out I took a couple of shots of the hazy landscape.

For banning phosphate fertilizer, the Village of Lakewood won the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County Theta Award last night at McHenry’s Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church.

Accepting the award on behalf of Village President Julie Richardson was Village Administrator Catherine Peterson. Village Clerk Janice Hansen was also in attendance.

“It’s a terrific effort that we hopes rubs off on Crystal Lake and Lake in the Hills,” award presenter Dwight Dalton said.

“This ordinance is simply Lakewood’s attempt to be the most environmentally sensitive community in McHenry County and, maybe, in Northern Illinois” Peterson said.

“Our citizens have stepped up and said, ‘We understand.’

“People really want to do the right thing.”

The McHenry County Department of Transportation won the Government Award.

Mark DeVries accepted on behalf of what I’ll probably always call the “McHenry County Highway Department.”

In making the presentation, former Defenders Executive Director Cindy Skrukrud described the worldwide attention his discovery of how to diminish highway salt use by 40%.

The innovation consists of

• 85% salt water,
• 10% sugar beet juice and
• 5% calcium cloride.

“Once you become an innovator, people bring new things to you to try,” DeVries noted.

Defenders Volunteer of the Year was Huntley’s Dorothy Johnson.

How many hours did she volunteer?

About 2,000 hours.

“It’s my home away from home,” she remarked.

Ward Duel, the first Theta Award winner, was also present.

He was first Director of the McHenry County Health Department.

He has a wonderful sense of humor. In a land inventory map, he included the one nudist colony. It’s now a McHenry County Conservation District Area north of Marengo.

Having come from the Eastern Shore of Maryland, my family was astounded that McHenry County did no have a public health department until the mid-1960′s.

= = = = =
On top, Dwight Dalton can be seen giving the Theta Award to Lakewood Village Administrator Catherine Peterson. Next, Cindy Skrukrud presents the award to Mark DeVries. Below super-volunteer Dorothy Johnson is recognized by Dwight Dalton.

From 1 to 4 on Saturday afternoon, the McHenry County Defenders invite the public to join them at Algonquin’s Cronish Park, which is just south of the dam at Route 62.

“Come celebrate the beautiful Fox River and help keep her clean! Learn about the river and conservation, pick up trash & recyclables, enjoy live music and learn about safe fun on the river through kayak/canoe demonstrations,” the invitation says.

There will be speakers from 1-1:45. Algonquin Village President John Schmitt, Cindy Skrukrud (representing the Defenders and The Sierra Club), Gary Swick of Friends of the Fox River, and, maybe, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn will speak.

From 1:45 to 3, river clean-up and water quality monitoring is scheduled.

There will be kayak and canoe demonstrations from 3 to 4, compliments of the Prairie Coast Paddlers and the St. Charles Canoe Club.

There will be live music by the Mack Hotterson Band.

= = = = =
You can count on the water not being as high as you see it here.

From 1 to 4 on Saturday afternoon, the McHenry County Defenders invite the public to join them at Algonquin’s Cronish Park, which is just south of the dam at Route 62.

“Come celebrate the beautiful Fox River and help keep her clean! Learn about the river and conservation, pick up trash & recyclables, enjoy live music and learn about safe fun on the river through kayak/canoe demonstrations,” the invitation says.

There will be speakers from 1-1:45. Algonquin Village President John Schmitt, Cindy Skrukrud (representing the Defenders and The Sierra Club), Gary Swick of Friends of the Fox River, and, maybe, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn will speak.

From 1:45 to 3, river clean-up and water quality monitoring is scheduled.

There will be kayak and canoe demonstrations from 3 to 4, compliments of the Prairie Coast Paddlers and the St. Charles Canoe Club.

There will be live music by the Mack Hotterson Band.

= = = = =
You can count on the water not being as high as you see it here.

Cindy Skrukrud, who did a lot of the heavy lifting in the fight to protect Crystal Lake’s fragile watershed, will present a program on McHenry County’s water resources on Thursday in Algonquin.

Skrukrud is chairman of the Defenders’ Water Resources Protection Committee, plus Clean Water Advocate for the Illinois Chapter of The Sierra Club.

Since McHenry County is 100% dependent on ground water, protection of the aquifers is particularly important. There will be no pipes running from Lake Michigan to this area.

Skrukrud will discuss both quantity and quality issues.

Village officials from Algonquin will be present to answer questions specific to Algonquin.

The meeting will start at 7 and be held at Beans & Books Coffee Shop, 215 South Harrison Street in Algonquin. South Harrison is the street east of Route 31 in downtown Algonquin, the only one between Route 31 and the Fox River.

This is one of those “you don’t have to let anyone know ahead of time to attend” meetings.

Cindy Skrukrud, who did a lot of the heavy lifting in the fight to protect Crystal Lake’s fragile watershed, will present a program on McHenry County’s water resources on Thursday in Algonquin.

Skrukrud is chairman of the Defenders’ Water Resources Protection Committee, plus Clean Water Advocate for the Illinois Chapter of The Sierra Club.

Since McHenry County is 100% dependent on ground water, protection of the aquifers is particularly important. There will be no pipes running from Lake Michigan to this area.

Skrukrud will discuss both quantity and quality issues.

Village officials from Algonquin will be present to answer questions specific to Algonquin.

The meeting will start at 7 and be held at Beans & Books Coffee Shop, 215 South Harrison Street in Algonquin. South Harrison is the street east of Route 31 in downtown Algonquin, the only one between Route 31 and the Fox River.

This is one of those “you don’t have to let anyone know ahead of time to attend” meetings.

After over four hours of consideration ending at 12:20 AM, the Crystal Lake City Council voted 6-0 to delay consideration of a new watershed manual and ordinance for a month.

The postponement came after technical critiques by Nancy Williamson and Cindy Skrukrud, both members of the McHenry County Defenders.

Yours truly asked that salt, phosphorus and dog poop at the forthcoming McHenry County animal control facility be specifically addressed in watershed manual.

Woodland Drive’s Joe Stecker brought a Skippy Peanut Butter jar of what he thought were small asphalt particles that he gathered where Cove Pond flows into Crystal Lake.

First city Director of Engineering & Building Vic Ramirez presented the staff’s response for regulation, monitoring, tracking, inspection, enforcement and financing made by council members the last time the issue was considered.

Next, Hey and Associates’ Gary Schaefer explained the questions and suggestions made by Crystal Lake Park District engineer Chris Burke. He accepted many of them and explained how the city’s storm water management ordinance covered others.

The recommendations had been made available to the city and Schaefer, but not to the public until Schaefer outlined them. The park board is scheduled to officially receive and discuss the report at its Thursday night’s meeting.

Then, for the second time, Councilman Jeff Thorsen again led opposition to passage of the ordinance and approval of the manual until further changes were made.

Again, Mayor Aaron Shepley had to be satisfied with outlining what further changes he perceived were wanted by the other five council members at the meeting (Cathy Ferguson being absent), including saying that he thought Thorsen’s suggestions were “reasonable.”

While Thorsen was delivering his comments, Shepley periodically talked with city manager Gary Mayerhofer.

Thorsen’s passionately delivered suggestions included

• third party enforcement of the ordinance and manual, instead of city staff’s doing it;



• implementing George Boulet’s suggestion for wells around infiltration basins to make certain that they were not leaking into drain tiles;
• having the watershed ordinance automatically cover any subsequent changes in the watershed manual;
• limiting mass earth grading and instead requiring controlled grading in the watershed (“If the main argument about mass grading versus controlled grading is cost, so be it.”)

“I support a lot of things that were said over there,” Councilman Ralph Dawson said from the other side of the dais.

“I have not had a chance to digest it,” Dawson explained. Thorsen had previously pointed out he had received what was to be voted upon just last Friday.

Dawson also pointed out that the Crystal Lake Drainage District hadn’t been brought into the discussion.

In addition, he expressed his concern that homeowners associations should be given the responsibility for maintaining subdivision infiltration basins and supported “a third party” doing the inspection and enforcement of regulations.

“Are you proposing we outsource?” Ellen Brady Mueller asked Thorsen.

“I’m just proposing we figure it out,” he replied.

“I completely agree we need a third party,” Mueller said.

Thorsen explained that what he wanted was “a watershed monitor, a police dog to make sure it is not failing.”

“Maintenance, too?” Mueller asked, to which Thorsen said he thought that ought to be “part of the enforcement to make sure the maintenance is done.”

Dave Goss agreed that the city shouldn’t “deal with property owners associations.” He preferred Special Service Areas to finance drainage basins. Later, he mentioned special utility taxes on the watershed area might be an alternative. (My observation: since the college does not pay property taxes, a utility tax might be a way to get it to pay its fair share.)

“I would support a third party doing it,” Goss said, pointing out that it “could be overwhelming for staff during part of the year.”

Goss seemed ready to vote for the documents, knowing they could be amended later. He called it “a dynamic document” which “gives us better water quality and quantity going into the lake.” He nevertheless vote with the majority to delay consideration until early November.

In public comments limited to an hour by Mayor Shepley, Williamson noted that both the CVS Pharmacy construction project and the Bryn Mawr subdivision–the one without working sewers northwest of town on Route 176 almost at Route 47 which Rosemary Kurtz investigated –had numerous erosion violations which city staff did not follow up on.

“It took the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to do your work for you,” Williamson said.

The implementation plan (presented earlier by Ramirez) was just posted yesterday,” Cindy Skrukrud observed.

She said it

• doesn’t include guidelines to show how developments can limit their footprints;
• lacks information on how to control pollution in new developments;
• does not ban phosphorus or salt on the watershed;
• doesn’t require monitoring the quality of storm water before it enters the watershed;
• relies on infiltration basins that are too big;

“Mr. Schaefer has said changes need to be made,” she continued. “Well that needs to be done.

“Then, there’s the whole issue of putting together a plan for development in the watershed,” she added.

Crystal Lake Park Board President Mike Zellman explained that the park board would consider its engineer’s recommendations on Thursday night, but said,

“It seems to me that the experts have come together. It seems to me the city is taking them (the park board’s engineer’s suggestions) seriously. It seems it was a good investment by the Crystal Lake Park District. I hope the recommendations of Burke Engineering will alleviate the objections of most of the objectors.”

Earlier, park board member Mike Walkup had defied Mayor Shepley by commenting on the watershed vote before the item was reached on the agenda.

In the public comment period Walkup, as a member of the park board, asked “that no vote be taken on the watershed ordinance.”

“You’re out of order. You’re out of order,” Shepley said pretty loudly.

“I don’t wish to wait until 1 o’clock in the morning,” Walkup replied forcefully. “I don’t think people should have to lose sleep in order to speak.”

“I spoke to the president of the board at 5 o’clock today,” Shepley said. “He indicated to me that it was not the intention of the board to ask for a delay.”

“Whatever your close friend Mike Zellman tells you is only his personal opinion,” Walkup retorted, adding that at its last meeting the board had agreed it wanted the city to wait until the park district’s engineer’s recommendations could be considered.

Signaling that those wanting more time to make sure the manual and ordinance are as good as possible was Shepley sometime after 11:30:

”There are obviously some concerns that can’t be addressed tonight. So, let’s not approve it tonight.”

He said it doesn’t impact the McHenry County College zoning petition “one way or the other,” saying, “If I were pressed to do it (vote on the watershed tonight), I would.

“If there’s a whole long line of developers out there, they’re not lining up at city hall,” he added.

He asked council members to give specific instructions to city staff.

Brett Hopkins, who served on the city Planning and Zoning Commission before being elected to the council last spring, said, “the third piece is the plan.”

He suggested putting “together a technical advisory committee (to develop) a plan for the watershed.

“This is my passion. I think that third piece is as important as the storm water manual and implementation.”

Dawson seemed to signal that he would be ready to vote for the watershed measures next time.

“We will not get everything discussed tonight in it,” he cautioned.

“There is no sewer and no water in that area,” Mueller pointed out. “The college has its own well and a small sewer. We’re talking between $20 and $30 million to bring sewer and water in that area. Until the sewer and water comes, I don’t think you’re going to see (a rush to development).”

Mueller also pointed out that city staff, under the direction of Michelle Rentzsch, was preparing a plan for the northwest part of the city. The next meeting will be Wednesday, October 17th, if I remember correctly.

“Michelle is the greenest person I know.”

Mueller put forth the last substantive ideas. She asked about banning road salt. Eric Lecuyer, the Director of Public Works, revealed his department plans a pilot program this winter to minimize road salt in the watershed part of the city.

“Where would be the best place to address this?” Mueller asked.

I think she also brought up phosphorus. Certainly, someone did.

“It could be in this manual,” Ramirez relied. “It would be a pretty strict condition.”

Referring to phosphorus, Dawson said, “If a developer developed 10 acres of 100, we want to put the whole 100 acres under it.”

Muller observed that it would “kind of take care of that problem on its own.”

“The lake appears to have the ability to assimilate phosphorus faster than most lakes,” Schaeffer said.

“Do you believe it should be banned?” asked Mueller.

“Absolutely,” Schaefer replied.

“On all property?” she continued.

“Yes, particularly those tributaries to Cove Pond.” (These include already developed areas of Crystal Lake.)

“You can farm without phosphorus?” she asked.

“Not for row crops,” the watershed adviser answered. “They would have to shift to alternative crops.”

“How many (farms) are in the city limits?” Mueller probed.

“Quite a lot of them,” Rentzsch replied.

Dawson then made the motion to continue the issue until the first meeting in November.

Having seen his plans to pass the watershed ordinance and manual derailed twice when public comment had been allowed, Shepley said,

”It would not be my intention to have public comment (then).”

All photographs can be enlarged by clicking on them.

After over four hours of consideration ending at 12:20 AM, the Crystal Lake City Council voted 6-0 to delay consideration of a new watershed manual and ordinance for a month.

The postponement came after technical critiques by Nancy Williamson and Cindy Skrukrud, both members of the McHenry County Defenders.

Yours truly asked that salt, phosphorus and dog poop at the forthcoming McHenry County animal control facility be specifically addressed in watershed manual.

Woodland Drive’s Joe Stecker brought a Skippy Peanut Butter jar of what he thought were small asphalt particles that he gathered where Cove Pond flows into Crystal Lake.

First city Director of Engineering & Building Vic Ramirez presented the staff’s response for regulation, monitoring, tracking, inspection, enforcement and financing made by council members the last time the issue was considered.

Next, Hey and Associates’ Gary Schaefer explained the questions and suggestions made by Crystal Lake Park District engineer Chris Burke. He accepted many of them and explained how the city’s storm water management ordinance covered others.

The recommendations had been made available to the city and Schaefer, but not to the public until Schaefer outlined them. The park board is scheduled to officially receive and discuss the report at its Thursday night’s meeting.

Then, for the second time, Councilman Jeff Thorsen again led opposition to passage of the ordinance and approval of the manual until further changes were made.

Again, Mayor Aaron Shepley had to be satisfied with outlining what further changes he perceived were wanted by the other five council members at the meeting (Cathy Ferguson being absent), including saying that he thought Thorsen’s suggestions were “reasonable.”

While Thorsen was delivering his comments, Shepley periodically talked with city manager Gary Mayerhofer.

Thorsen’s passionately delivered suggestions included

• third party enforcement of the ordinance and manual, instead of city staff’s doing it;



• implementing George Boulet’s suggestion for wells around infiltration basins to make certain that they were not leaking into drain tiles;
• having the watershed ordinance automatically cover any subsequent changes in the watershed manual;
• limiting mass earth grading and instead requiring controlled grading in the watershed (“If the main argument about mass grading versus controlled grading is cost, so be it.”)

“I support a lot of things that were said over there,” Councilman Ralph Dawson said from the other side of the dais.

“I have not had a chance to digest it,” Dawson explained. Thorsen had previously pointed out he had received what was to be voted upon just last Friday.

Dawson also pointed out that the Crystal Lake Drainage District hadn’t been brought into the discussion.

In addition, he expressed his concern that homeowners associations should be given the responsibility for maintaining subdivision infiltration basins and supported “a third party” doing the inspection and enforcement of regulations.

“Are you proposing we outsource?” Ellen Brady Mueller asked Thorsen.

“I’m just proposing we figure it out,” he replied.

“I completely agree we need a third party,” Mueller said.

Thorsen explained that what he wanted was “a watershed monitor, a police dog to make sure it is not failing.”

“Maintenance, too?” Mueller asked, to which Thorsen said he thought that ought to be “part of the enforcement to make sure the maintenance is done.”

Dave Goss agreed that the city shouldn’t “deal with property owners associations.” He preferred Special Service Areas to finance drainage basins. Later, he mentioned special utility taxes on the watershed area might be an alternative. (My observation: since the college does not pay property taxes, a utility tax might be a way to get it to pay its fair share.)

“I would support a third party doing it,” Goss said, pointing out that it “could be overwhelming for staff during part of the year.”

Goss seemed ready to vote for the documents, knowing they could be amended later. He called it “a dynamic document” which “gives us better water quality and quantity going into the lake.” He nevertheless vote with the majority to delay consideration until early November.

In public comments limited to an hour by Mayor Shepley, Williamson noted that both the CVS Pharmacy construction project and the Bryn Mawr subdivision–the one without working sewers northwest of town on Route 176 almost at Route 47 which Rosemary Kurtz investigated –had numerous erosion violations which city staff did not follow up on.

“It took the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to do your work for you,” Williamson said.

The implementation plan (presented earlier by Ramirez) was just posted yesterday,” Cindy Skrukrud observed.

She said it

• doesn’t include guidelines to show how developments can limit their footprints;
• lacks information on how to control pollution in new developments;
• does not ban phosphorus or salt on the watershed;
• doesn’t require monitoring the quality of storm water before it enters the watershed;
• relies on infiltration basins that are too big;

“Mr. Schaefer has said changes need to be made,” she continued. “Well that needs to be done.

“Then, there’s the whole issue of putting together a plan for development in the watershed,” she added.

Crystal Lake Park Board President Mike Zellman explained that the park board would consider its engineer’s recommendations on Thursday night, but said,

“It seems to me that the experts have come together. It seems to me the city is taking them (the park board’s engineer’s suggestions) seriously. It seems it was a good investment by the Crystal Lake Park District. I hope the recommendations of Burke Engineering will alleviate the objections of most of the objectors.”

Earlier, park board member Mike Walkup had defied Mayor Shepley by commenting on the watershed vote before the item was reached on the agenda.

In the public comment period Walkup, as a member of the park board, asked “that no vote be taken on the watershed ordinance.”

“You’re out of order. You’re out of order,” Shepley said pretty loudly.

“I don’t wish to wait until 1 o’clock in the morning,” Walkup replied forcefully. “I don’t think people should have to lose sleep in order to speak.”

“I spoke to the president of the board at 5 o’clock today,” Shepley said. “He indicated to me that it was not the intention of the board to ask for a delay.”

“Whatever your close friend Mike Zellman tells you is only his personal opinion,” Walkup retorted, adding that at its last meeting the board had agreed it wanted the city to wait until the park district’s engineer’s recommendations could be considered.

Signaling that those wanting more time to make sure the manual and ordinance are as good as possible was Shepley sometime after 11:30:

”There are obviously some concerns that can’t be addressed tonight. So, let’s not approve it tonight.”

He said it doesn’t impact the McHenry County College zoning petition “one way or the other,” saying, “If I were pressed to do it (vote on the watershed tonight), I would.

“If there’s a whole long line of developers out there, they’re not lining up at city hall,” he added.

He asked council members to give specific instructions to city staff.

Brett Hopkins, who served on the city Planning and Zoning Commission before being elected to the council last spring, said, “the third piece is the plan.”

He suggested putting “together a technical advisory committee (to develop) a plan for the watershed.

“This is my passion. I think that third piece is as important as the storm water manual and implementation.”

Dawson seemed to signal that he would be ready to vote for the watershed measures next time.

“We will not get everything discussed tonight in it,” he cautioned.

“There is no sewer and no water in that area,” Mueller pointed out. “The college has its own well and a small sewer. We’re talking between $20 and $30 million to bring sewer and water in that area. Until the sewer and water comes, I don’t think you’re going to see (a rush to development).”

Mueller also pointed out that city staff, under the direction of Michelle Rentzsch, was preparing a plan for the northwest part of the city. The next meeting will be Wednesday, October 17th, if I remember correctly.

“Michelle is the greenest person I know.”

Mueller put forth the last substantive ideas. She asked about banning road salt. Eric Lecuyer, the Director of Public Works, revealed his department plans a pilot program this winter to minimize road salt in the watershed part of the city.

“Where would be the best place to address this?” Mueller asked.

I think she also brought up phosphorus. Certainly, someone did.

“It could be in this manual,” Ramirez relied. “It would be a pretty strict condition.”

Referring to phosphorus, Dawson said, “If a developer developed 10 acres of 100, we want to put the whole 100 acres under it.”

Muller observed that it would “kind of take care of that problem on its own.”

“The lake appears to have the ability to assimilate phosphorus faster than most lakes,” Schaeffer said.

“Do you believe it should be banned?” asked Mueller.

“Absolutely,” Schaefer replied.

“On all property?” she continued.

“Yes, particularly those tributaries to Cove Pond.” (These include already developed areas of Crystal Lake.)

“You can farm without phosphorus?” she asked.

“Not for row crops,” the watershed adviser answered. “They would have to shift to alternative crops.”

“How many (farms) are in the city limits?” Mueller probed.

“Quite a lot of them,” Rentzsch replied.

Dawson then made the motion to continue the issue until the first meeting in November.

Having seen his plans to pass the watershed ordinance and manual derailed twice when public comment had been allowed, Shepley said,

”It would not be my intention to have public comment (then).”

All photographs can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Although McHenry County College has had since at least 2005 to get its act together, it was revealed Thursday night at the Crystal Lake Park Board meeting that it hasn’t done so yet.

Playing a similar role to the one she performed in June and Wednesday night before the Crystal Lake Planning and Zoning Commission. McHenry County Defenders’ member Cindy Skrukrud discovered that McHenry County College will soon submit a revised plan to the City of Crystal Lake for its minor league baseball stadium.

With the help of Don Peters, Skrukrud held up the plan MCC has submitted to Crystal Lake for zoning approval and asked questions about the adequacy of water retention basins on both sides of the baseball stadium

Gary Schaefer of Hey and Associations, who serves as watershed consultant for both the city and the park district, said,

“That’s not necessarily an official submittal.

“They’ve gotten a recommendation from Hey and Associates for revisions.

“Very shortly they are going to be submitting their official submittal for the (baseball stadium complex).”

I wonder if that starts the clock over for the time limit given the Crystal Lake Planning and Zoning Commission.

MCC President Walt Packard seemed genuinely concerned when Crystal Lake Park Board President Mike Zellman asked the Commission to delay its decision.

The Commission set its next meeting for September 5th.

Although McHenry County College has had since at least 2005 to get its act together, it was revealed Thursday night at the Crystal Lake Park Board meeting that it hasn’t done so yet.

Playing a similar role to the one she performed in June and Wednesday night before the Crystal Lake Planning and Zoning Commission. McHenry County Defenders’ member Cindy Skrukrud discovered that McHenry County College will soon submit a revised plan to the City of Crystal Lake for its minor league baseball stadium.

With the help of Don Peters, Skrukrud held up the plan MCC has submitted to Crystal Lake for zoning approval and asked questions about the adequacy of water retention basins on both sides of the baseball stadium

Gary Schaefer of Hey and Associations, who serves as watershed consultant for both the city and the park district, said,

“That’s not necessarily an official submittal.

“They’ve gotten a recommendation from Hey and Associates for revisions.

“Very shortly they are going to be submitting their official submittal for the (baseball stadium complex).”

I wonder if that starts the clock over for the time limit given the Crystal Lake Planning and Zoning Commission.

MCC President Walt Packard seemed genuinely concerned when Crystal Lake Park Board President Mike Zellman asked the Commission to delay its decision.

The Commission set its next meeting for September 5th.