McHenry County Blog

This is the important part of the Crystal Lake Park Board meeting tonight.

After discussing the Crystal Lake City Council’s rejection of the park district’s proposed community center site, they came back into open session and adjourned.

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The picture is what spectators could see through the glass walls of the closed door meeting.

That’s what it looks like.

I filed the following Freedom of Information request with the Crystal Lake Park District:

“Expenditures made and work product from evaluating Viking Dodge’s potential purchase.”

I’ll give the park district credit. I got an answer in a day.

Unheard of responsiveness.

(It’s been a week and I still have nothing back from my request for information about BMB Communications Management’s offer of $6 million to erect a 1,500 foot tall, highest self-supporting broadcast tower on earth.

(None but the insiders have seen what this tallest structure in Illinois will look like.)

Except what I got from the park district was a denial based on the records I had requested being exempt under a part of state law referred to as 5ILCS 140/7(1)(s).

I was told I could appeal to Park Board President Mike Zellman whom Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley he had know since grade school.

So, what’s this 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(s) exemption. Here’s what’s in the statutes:

(s) The records, documents and information relating to real estate purchase negotiations until those negotiations have been completed or otherwise terminated. With regard to a parcel involved in a pending or actually and reasonably contemplated eminent domain proceeding under the Eminent Domain Act, records, documents and information relating to that parcel shall be exempt except as may be allowed under discovery rules adopted by the Illinois Supreme Court. The records, documents and information relating to a real estate sale shall be exempt until a sale is consummated. (Emphasis added.)

While I didn’t get the answer I wanted, I did get the information that the Crystal Lake Park District is considering buying Viking Dodge.

What?

Why would the park district be contemplating purchasing Viking Dodge?

When speaking to Crystal Lake senior citizens the end of January Mayor Shepley said,

“The park district is looking at one near where you are sitting.”

The meeting was held in the Senior Associates headquarters next to the Crystal Lake City Hall on Woodstock Street.

He talked about Oak Manufacturing, but he could just as easily have been talking about Viking Dodge.

Shepley also talked about a swimming pool.

In “a pre-existing building.”

I can’t see a swimming pool at the old Oak Manufacturing factory or at Viking Dodge.

I can see a swimming pool at the old Cub Food store. It’s even conveniently located right next to Vulcan Lakes. Knock a door and some well insulated windows through the back wall, move a hill and there is direct access to the proposed lake front park.

I don’t know if Viking Dodge is having financial problems.

Goodness knows enough car dealerships are.

Extreme Ford has vacated the old Conlin-Collins Ford dealership.

That’s what it looks like.

I filed the following Freedom of Information request with the Crystal Lake Park District:

“Expenditures made and work product from evaluating Viking Dodge’s potential purchase.”

I’ll give the park district credit. I got an answer in a day.

Unheard of responsiveness.

(It’s been a week and I still have nothing back from my request for information about BMB Communications Management’s offer of $6 million to erect a 1,500 foot tall, highest self-supporting broadcast tower on earth.

(None but the insiders have seen what this tallest structure in Illinois will look like.)

Except what I got from the park district was a denial based on the records I had requested being exempt under a part of state law referred to as 5ILCS 140/7(1)(s).

I was told I could appeal to Park Board President Mike Zellman whom Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley he had know since grade school.

So, what’s this 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(s) exemption. Here’s what’s in the statutes:

(s) The records, documents and information relating to real estate purchase negotiations until those negotiations have been completed or otherwise terminated. With regard to a parcel involved in a pending or actually and reasonably contemplated eminent domain proceeding under the Eminent Domain Act, records, documents and information relating to that parcel shall be exempt except as may be allowed under discovery rules adopted by the Illinois Supreme Court. The records, documents and information relating to a real estate sale shall be exempt until a sale is consummated. (Emphasis added.)

While I didn’t get the answer I wanted, I did get the information that the Crystal Lake Park District is considering buying Viking Dodge.

What?

Why would the park district be contemplating purchasing Viking Dodge?

When speaking to Crystal Lake senior citizens the end of January Mayor Shepley said,

“The park district is looking at one near where you are sitting.”

The meeting was held in the Senior Associates headquarters next to the Crystal Lake City Hall on Woodstock Street.

He talked about Oak Manufacturing, but he could just as easily have been talking about Viking Dodge.

Shepley also talked about a swimming pool.

In “a pre-existing building.”

I can’t see a swimming pool at the old Oak Manufacturing factory or at Viking Dodge.

I can see a swimming pool at the old Cub Food store. It’s even conveniently located right next to Vulcan Lakes. Knock a door and some well insulated windows through the back wall, move a hill and there is direct access to the proposed lake front park.

I don’t know if Viking Dodge is having financial problems.

Goodness knows enough car dealerships are.

Extreme Ford has vacated the old Conlin-Collins Ford dealership.

Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley spoke to seniors this morning at the drop-in center run by Senior Services next to city hall.

What impressed me most was that he did not pander to them (us, I guess, since I am over 65).

He told them that a decision had to be made whether to use the $3 million promised when the city sales tax was hiked 75% (actually, he did not say it was hiked 75%; that’s my mantra) for a separate facility for seniors or to help finance a community center-pool which would be run by the park district.

“The question is should that $3 million be used for the construction of a free-standing senior center or combined with a community center,” Shepley said.

“My opinion is that money should be directed toward the direction of a community center, rather than a senior center.”

The Mayor pointed to a survey that showed a senior center had “a very low level of support for a (freestanding) community center.”

“By and large, most members of our senior community don’t want to be isolated.

“I personally support the use of that $3 million for a community center and pool,” which, he predicted, could be built in 2009-10.

Tomorrow – Where?

= = = = =
The photo is of Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley.

Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley spoke to seniors this morning at the drop-in center run by Senior Services next to city hall.

What impressed me most was that he did not pander to them (us, I guess, since I am over 65).

He told them that a decision had to be made whether to use the $3 million promised when the city sales tax was hiked 75% (actually, he did not say it was hiked 75%; that’s my mantra) for a separate facility for seniors or to help finance a community center-pool which would be run by the park district.

“The question is should that $3 million be used for the construction of a free-standing senior center or combined with a community center,” Shepley said.

“My opinion is that money should be directed toward the direction of a community center, rather than a senior center.”

The Mayor pointed to a survey that showed a senior center had “a very low level of support for a (freestanding) community center.”

“By and large, most members of our senior community don’t want to be isolated.

“I personally support the use of that $3 million for a community center and pool,” which, he predicted, could be built in 2009-10.

Tomorrow – Where?

= = = = =
The photo is of Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley.

As I remember it, Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley took the leadership on obtaining a community center. Maybe I’ve got it wrong, but I remember his saying that he would find the money to build it. Others do, too.

Maybe that was just a press opportunity.

I learned at one park meeting I attended that the commissioners were waiting for follow-through on Shepley’s part.

When the Crystal Lake city sales tax was raised 75% under his leadership, $3 million were said to be for a senior center.

Just a glassful of dollars in the park district’s $50 million bucket.

A far cry even from the $8 million being touted to buy the land and what appears to be $42 million more to build the facility.

I wonder if the cost of gas to drive my son to and from swim practice at McHenry West High School would exceed the annual property tax increase.

The Northwest Herald noted the tough times in a recent editorial and suggests voter approval of a referendum would be “an uphill battle.”

Even with Swim Dad Shepley’s support.

As I remember it, Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley took the leadership on obtaining a community center. Maybe I’ve got it wrong, but I remember his saying that he would find the money to build it. Others do, too.

Maybe that was just a press opportunity.

I learned at one park meeting I attended that the commissioners were waiting for follow-through on Shepley’s part.

When the Crystal Lake city sales tax was raised 75% under his leadership, $3 million were said to be for a senior center.

Just a glassful of dollars in the park district’s $50 million bucket.

A far cry even from the $8 million being touted to buy the land and what appears to be $42 million more to build the facility.

I wonder if the cost of gas to drive my son to and from swim practice at McHenry West High School would exceed the annual property tax increase.

The Northwest Herald noted the tough times in a recent editorial and suggests voter approval of a referendum would be “an uphill battle.”

Even with Swim Dad Shepley’s support.