McHenry County Blog

Pete Gonigam’s First Electric Newspaper reported it first, but he didn’t have the map you see below.

What you see in orange is the new area within McHenry County designated by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Development as “Targeted Employment Area under the Alien Entrepreneur Visa Program.”

Part of McHenry County eligible for EB-5 "Buy a Visa" investment program.

The yellow sections on the map are already so designated.

So, what does it mean?

Under the irreverently coined “buy a visa” program, foreigners with $1 million to invest in an approved job creation enterprise may obtain entry to the United States of America.

However, if the economic development occurs within a “Targeted Employment Area,” the required investment decreases to $500,000.

As you can see two townships—Riley and Chemung—previously were eligible for the smaller “entry fee.”

With the expansion of the Woodstock Greenwood Township section, whose northern edge is Ware Road (the street between the McHenry County Jail and the Administrative Building), to include the rural part of Dorr Township, Lakewood gains a potential source of investment for its part of the intersection of Routes 47 and 176. So does Woodstock as it expands southward toward Route 176.

The rural Dorr Township area was eligible because the census tract had an unemployment rate of 14.2% is 153% of the national average of 9.3%. (An area must be at least at the 150% level.)

Note that the connection is at a point. Only the edges of the census tracts touch. (See black mark on map.)

A January 6th letter from Lakewood Village President to Warren Ribley, Executive Director of the DCCA, states that “the proposed project” will employee “800 temporary and 400 permanent individuals.”

It references a January 7th letter to Village Manager Catherine Peterson from New York City attorney Stephen Yale-Loehr.

He delivers an affirmative answer as to whether the census tract can be designated a “Targeted Employment Area for EB-5 (the name of the “buy a visa” program) purposes.”

He points out his co-authorship of “Immigration Law and Procedure, the leading 20-volume immigration law treatise,” plus his teaching immigration law at Cornell Law School.

He has been a member or in a leadership position in the American Immigration Lawyers Association EB-5 Investors Committee since 1996.

And he says why this particular census tract, which contains the area proposed for the SportsPlex is eligible for a Targeted Employment Area designation.

DCCA apparently agreed with Yale-Loehr’s logic. That’s what DCCA Research Manager Edwin R. Taft’s February 16th letter indicates.

The end of January Northwest Herald Editor Dan McCaleb got Lakewood Village President Erin Smith to say that “in the future” Lakewood might be willing to discuss returning its fire protection to the Crystal Lake Fire Department. (The link provided is is not a link to the story; it’s a link to a page that will allow you buy the story for $2.95, if you so desire.)

For as long as I can remember (back to 1958 in McHenry County), Lakewood’s fire protection was provided by Crystal Lake.

But a couple of years ago Crystal Lake proposed a pricing structure that would have eventually eaten up Lakewood’s entire budget,.

While fire protection is important, Lakewood residents also value snow removal, road repair and police protection. Some even want a bicycle path and algae removal.

So the village staff and board did some hard-nosed cost-benefit analysis and concluded that it could start its own fire department, run by a private firm, American Emergency Service Corporation, and save money after the second year.

Lakewood now has begun the fourth year of a five-year contract for privatized service. Twenty-two months are left.

The Lakewood Village Board before it went into Executive Session Tuesday night. From left to right, you see Village Trustees Carl Davis, John Pfeuffer and Gene Furey,Village Clerk Janice Hansen and Village President Erin Smith.

But “the future” mentioned in McCaleb’s column is now.

The rest of the Lakewood Village Board before closing doors on the public to discuss litigation and personnel. From left to right are Village Manager Catherine Peterson, Village Attorney Richard Flood and Village Trustees Kenneth Santowsk, Dorothy Pfeuffer and John Burton.

At the Tuesday before last’s closed session to discuss litigation, the Lakewood Village Board talked about settling the suit with Crystal Lake over disputed non-payment for fire protection service and returning to the fire protection umbrella of Crystal Lake.

Crystal Lake has lost about $750,000 in revenue each year because of Lakewood’s pull-out.

On a 6-1 vote (Jeff Thorsen voting “No”), it has raised its city sales tax rate by 75% at Mayor Aaron Shepley’s behest.

Crystal Lake First Station nearest to Lakewood

Empty stores are everywhere.

Clearly Crystal Lake would love to have Lakewood return to its fire protection foal.

But, unlike the headline on McCaleb’s column, it’s more about the money than the good government goal of shared services.

Bryn Mawr subdivision sign on Route 176 near Route 47

(Logic would say that the Lakewood fire station should serve the subdivision in Crystal Lake that is closer to Route 47 than Route 14.

(Likewise, the Crystal Lake Fire station on Bard Road should be protecting Country Club Additions, Turnberry and other nearby Lakewood subdivisions.

(But, logic doesn’t always work in local governmental relations.)

Lakewood Fire Department on Haligus Road near Route 176

Before Crystal Lake wanted to charge Lakewood residents the same tax rate that Crystal Lake residents and businesses paid. Just as Lakewood residents would pay for Crystal Lake library services.

The city would not recognize that the mix of buildings in Lakewood is markedly different from that in Crystal Lake.

Lakewood does not have much business property. No high rise hotels.

Lakewood does not need all of the equipment that Crystal Lake needs to protect its large corporate structures.

In the past, Crystal Lake officials have failed to understand the concepts of marginal costs and marginal revenue.

The marginal cost of providing fire protection to Lakewood is low.

Any extra revenue is almost pure gravy.

Now, it may not seem fair to some city council folks that homeowners in Lakewood would pay less than those in Crystal Lake.

I can tell you it doesn’t seem fair to me that Crystal Lake gets to keep all my sales tax.

So, where one lives has advantages and disadvantages.

But getting “less” than one wants for something may be worth thinking about.

And maybe Crystal Lake is having such thoughts now that it thinks it has a stretched thin budget.

Main Crystal Lake Fire Station

Right not the city budget is getting less than “less,” that is, nothing.

That resulted from a misconception of its bargaining position, of thinking Crystal Lake thought it had all the fire protection marbles in town.

Obviously, Lakewood came up with a satisfactory solution.

But, now the two sides are back at the bargaining table again.

And, it appears serious discussions are taking place.

I can’t imagine more isn’t on the table that fire protection. After all, what Lakewood has in place seems to be working well.

There has to be a third leg to the negotiations. Maybe even a fourth leg.

From left to right, Council members Ellen Brady Mueller, Ralph Dawson, Cathy Ferguson, Attorney John Cowlin, City Manager Gary Mayerhofer, Mayor Aaron Shepley, City Clerk Nick Kachiroubas, and Council members Brett Hopkins, Carolyn Schofield and Jeff Thorsen.

I would observe that if Crystal Lake wants to settle the suit, maybe Crystal Lake is not so sure it can win its collection case against Lakewood.

Likewise, if Lakewood wants to settle the suit, maybe Lakewood is not so sure it can emerge victorious.

It’s been my experience when one side of a lawsuit wants to settle, they are nervous about the outcome of their case.

What will the resolution be?

It certainly will be discussed in public if the contract with American Emergency Service Corporation (Lakewood’s fire protection firm) is to be amended.  I am not aware that contract changes can be kept out of an open meeting.

And, any lawsuit settlement will have to be at least voted upon in public, while it may be discussed in private by both ruling bodies.

The average water and sewer bill on the west side of Lakewood is $1,200 a year.

Erin Smith

By 4-3, the Lakewood Village Board gave first approval to issuance of up to $8.5 million in revenue bonds which the board majority clearly wants to be alternative revenue bonds instead backed by the general revenue of the village, e.g., revenue sharing, property and sales taxes.

The bonds will re-finance the newly-expanded waste water treatment plant at a lower interest rate, plus build a new 500,000 gallon water tower. Instead of being the current 15-year bond, the maturity will be stretched to 25 years.

The impetus for the action–a looming increase in water and sewer rates that were estimated at $209 year–required Village President Erin Smith to break a 3-3 tie.

Carl Davis

Gene Furey

John Burton

Trustees John Burton, Carl Davis and Gene Furey voted in favor.

Dorothy Pfeuffer, John Pfeuffer and Ken Santowsk were opposed.

After the tie breaking vote was cast by Smith, John Pfeuffer said, “Of course.”

That would be over a 17% hike to west side ratepayers who already have higher water and sewer rates than other towns in McHenry County.

Even with the change in financing and expected lower interest rate, homeowners will see an expected 8% cost increase ($96 per year). That does not include the cost of maintenance and depreciation.

Chief among the problems seems to be that enough new home tap in fees, upon which the financing of the 2006 sewer plant expansion was based, have not materialized.

John Pfeuffer

Dorothy Pfeuffer,

Ken Santowsk

While the bonds were premised on 26 new homes being constructed per year, with the fiscal year over April 30th, only two tap on fees have been collected so far this year.

Instead of increasing water and sewer fees when the shortfall happened, the board chose to take “substantial withdrawals from cash reserves in the past two years,” a January 8th memo from Finance Director Carole Robertson reported.

The preferred alternative revenue bonds have a potential property tax hike element.

The 2006 Series Bonds that are being refunded were also “alternative revenue bonds,” which could result in higher property taxes for all Lakewood property owners, if water and sewer fees on the west side of town are not raised.

The proposed Series 2010 “alternative revenue bonds” are expected to decrease the annual bond payments, thereby reducing the increase required in west side water and sewer fees. They would also fund the construction of a replacement water tower.

Passage of alternative revenue bonds is what happened when the village board purchased the Red Tail Golf Course with non-referendum bonds right before the Property Tax Cap took effect in the early 1990’s.

The failure of greens fees to provide enough money to pay off the 20-year bonds led to levies against all property in Lakewood. Our home’s tax bill was hiked some $500 a year for most of the 1990’s.

Residents who wish to take the issuance of alternative revenue bonds to referendum may do so by gathering something over 200 signatures within thirty days. Petitions may be obtained at the Lakewood Village Hall.

In encouraging news, it was revealed that Humana was willing to provide employee health coverage for 25% less than the current carrier. That amounts to $60,000.

“This is amazing to me,” said Village President Smith, whose day job includes employee benefit work for Motorola.

The program has no cost to employees, a point Trustee John Pfeuffer suggested be reconsidered, but does have a $1,500 deductible.

McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler (R-Crystal Lake) talking to McHenry County Young Republicans at 1776.

When I saw the envelope with Lakewood Village President Erin Smith’s name and office on it and no return address, I was surprised.

Still, I live in Lakewood, I figured she might be writing the community about the SportsPlex about which I have severe qualms. So far, no written explanation of what is planned has been mailed to residents, although the winter newsletter was in the mail when I went to the early December board meeting to inquire how the village could afford to subsidize the developer to the tune of a million dollars.

Lakewood residents have good reason to be leery when a village board gets big ideas that cost money.

After all, I and other Lakewood residents ended up paying hundreds of dollars per year to pay off the Red Tail Golf Course bonds that the village board had promised me, former village Trustee Roger Reid and attorney Jim Bishop the golf course would never “cost me a dime.” (Lakewood residents will still be paying for those bonds this year because the golf course does not make enough money to pay for operating expenses and its “mortgage.”)

When I opened the envelope, it was information about the proposed Route 47 and 176 sports complex development.

But not how it would affect Lakewood residents.

Rather, it was about the village president’s support of McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler’s re-election.

Lakewood Village President is seen talking to constituents in a crowded Meridian Street home.

Village President Smith bases her endorsement on her interaction with Koehler on SportsPlex matters:

“He has provided his support as we meet with the Illinois Department of Transportation, along with state and federal legislators regarding this strategic development.

“We have a long way to go before we’re ready to approve development at this intersection, and I am confident that Ken Koehler will support our efforts every step of the way.”

Crystal Lake City Councilwoman and District 2 county board candidate Ellen Brady Mueller speaking to Patriots United candidates' forum.

Smith goes on to point out that Koehler knows

“the importance of intergovernmental
agreements and cooperation,”

but last Wednesday night at the Young Republican’s 1776 candidates’ forum, Koehler opponent Ellen Brady Mueller took the county board to task for not requiring development on Crystal Lake’s watershed to meet the standards of Crystal Lake’s Watershed Ordinance.

In the proposed 2030 Plan, which Smith praises in the endorsement letter, the county does not propose to let Crystal Lake’s well-researched lake watershed protection rules to take precedent.

So, when Smith praises Koehler for his protection of “open space, groundwater and historic areas,” I must admit the groundwater protection part so far seems to have missed the Crystal Lake watershed, the protection of which is so important to the 420 homes in my Country Club Additions subdivision (located between the lake and the Crystal Lake Country Club).

I figure if one is going to promise to protect groundwater, one should start where one lives and that’s Crystal Lake in Koehler’s case.

The Crystal Lake area has half the 24 county board members representing parts of it.  Districts 2, 3 and 5 ought to be watching out for the interests of Crystal Lake.

So, when you see one of those 12 county board members, ask them why the 2030 Plan ignores the protection of Crystal Lake.

And, as I read the map, it appears that Smith lives in District 5, rather than Koehler’s District 2.

The letter from Smith does not say who paid for it.  When I called her, she verified that  she wrote the letter, but, when asked if she paid for it, said

“I did not.”

The problem for whoever mailed it, if that “whoever” is a political action committee, is that  state election disclosure law says it has “to be identified by the payor.”

Trunberry Country Club in Lakewood, Illinois

The Turnberry Country Club is having financial problems. That’s been rumored for quite a while.

But the club did not declare bankruptcy.

The ownership is in transition says Lakewood Village President Erin Smith. Her husband Mike was the last president of the not-for-profit organization, a non-paid position.

Turnberry County Club's "Members Only" sign

And, probably a thankless job.

Village President Smith is

“confident the club will reopen in the spring.”“This is not the first time the ownership model has changed.

“Originally, the club was owned by the developer. Then, it changed into a member-owned club and now the ownership model is changing again.

“The rumor that the village will step in and purchase Turnberry County Club is without merit. The village is not in a financial position to do that.

“We can’t afford a clubhouse for the course we already own.”

Red Tail Golf Club Trailer Club House owned by the Village of Lakewood

“The difficulty stems strictly from dramatic loss of members,” Mike Smith said.

“In 2004, the equity membership was about 210. When we voted as a remaining membership to dissolve the not-for-profit organization in December, we had approximately forty equity members.“As a board our imperative was to make sure we met all our external obligations, which included both weddings and external holiday parties, as well as to make sure all the employees got paid what they were due.

“We accomplished that.

“I agreed to become the interim president to facilitate the orderly transition of ownership.

“The misinformation and the misunderstandings throughout the community never ceases to amaze me.

“The Village of Lakewood doesn’t owner or operate or subsidize any facet of Turnberry Country Club’s operations. It is a private entity, owned and operated and funded by its membership.”

Below is the letter that Village President Erin Smith has sent to her neighbors in the Turnberry Property Owners Association:

To My Neighbors in the Turnberry Property Owners Association,

Lakewood Village President is seen talking to constituents in a crowded Meridian Street home.

I know that many of you read the article in the Northwest Herald today regarding Turnberry Country Club, and I am sure that you probably have outstanding questions that were not adequately addressed.

As Village President, and as a neighbor that lives on the golf course, I want to reassure you that the Village Board and Village Staff are deeply committed to supporting the efforts of the appointed receiver in quickly and seamlessly transitioning the ownership of Turnberry Country Club.

Membership at Turnberry Country Club (TCC) declined significantly in this economy, and the number of equity members that remained was insufficient to support the existing cost structure of the club.

In response, the TCC Board of Directors dissolved the non-profit entity in order to facilitate an orderly transition of ownership.

The club did not declare bankruptcy and the remaining membership was committed to fulfilling outstanding obligations up to the point of transition.  Filing for receivership and appointing a receiver to manage the process was a necessary step in facilitating the transition of ownership.

Although I cannot make any guarantees or announcements regarding new ownership at this time, I can tell you that all parties involved are very optimistic that the club will reopen in the spring as it normally does.

I guarantee that our Village Board and Village Staff understand the significance of this club to your property values.

We have taken steps to ensure that all parties involved understand that Village ordinance requires that the property is properly maintained, and that our neighborhood covenants require that this property remains a private golf course.

There are many reasons to be optimistic about the future ownership model, and I look forward to the time when I can share more information with you.  In the meantime, I would encourage each of you to remain positive when talking with others about the future of the club.  This is the one thing that each of us can do in support of property values in our neighborhood.

If you have other questions that I have not addressed and that you believe I will be in a position to answer, please contact me at your convenience:  815-356-8005 or erin.smith.lakewood@gmail.com .

Sincerely,

Erin

Approved unanimously by the McHenry County Finance and Audit Committee this morning, the proposed $40 million McHenry County Sportsplex comes with $5 million worth of strings to Lakewood taxpayers, including $1 million to buy the land on Route 47 and 176.

A May 13th letter from newly-elected Village President Erin Smith to McHenry County Sportsplex entrepreneur Lou Tenore of Lake in the Hills promises a “cash transfer of $1,000,000.00 from the Village to MCS to the extent permitted by law or acquisition by the Village of up to $1,000,000.00 in land for the project.”

This is part of a $5 million assistance package “to support this project in a manner consistent with Illinois law.”

Outlined in the letter are other financial incentives:

“Waiver of Lakewood municipal annexation, platting, permitting, and associated hearing fees as well as reimbursement of Village professional costs up to a total value of $1,000,000.00.“An additional $3,000,000.00 (or greater to the extent that the amount provided if fee waivers [above] totals less than $1,000,000.00) provided through a combination of other sources included, but not limited to:

1. Revenue-sharing agreements or tax rebate agreements
2. Assistance from the Village securing a grant from the Upper Illinois River Development AuthorityOther technical assistance from the Village whether provided directly to the Developer or to the Village
3. Introductions and support by the Village to funders for other grants whether such grants are made directly to the Developer or to the Village
4. Any grants or financial assistance provided to MCS from McHenry County at the request of the Village
5. Property tax abatements, if any, for the parcel
6. USDA technical assistance whether provided directly to the Developer or to the Village
7. Tourism attraction or TAP grants whether provided directly to the Developer or to the Village.

So what, according to the letter, does Lakewood get in return?

To recover the $1 million “advance”

• The village may retain, for its own purposes, its share of the first $1 million in sales tax revenue or amusement tax revenue generated by the project.
• It can also “be satisfied by other cash payments from the Developer.” Listed are a “10% additional charge on all regular admission fees and a 20%s charge on all tournaments fees along with a $1 per vehicle parking fee.” This would be pledged for a ten-year period.
• If the village supplies land, rather than case, the land will be deeded to the developer when the village has recovered the purchase price through sales tax, amusement tax and other fees.

For the $15 million loan he sought authorized by the same Federal Stimulus source, Woodstock minor league baseball promoter Pete Heitman told the New York times that he expected to save $5 million over twenty years.

The letter from Village President Smith says the $5 million in assistance needs to be provided “within 18 months.”

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The photo to the right is of Lakewood Village President Erin Smith at a fall “Meet with the Village President” gathering.

Just thought folks might be interested in what Erin Smith, Lakewood’s new village president is telling constituents:

From the Village President

Dear Neighbors,

It’s been a busy summer in the Village of Lakewood and, on behalf of the Village Board and Village Staff, I want to thank you for your ongoing support. At this time, I would like to update you on a number of exciting initiatives that have kept us very busy over the last few months:

New Committees Formed

I am thrilled with the overwhelming response to my request for committee volunteers! We had more than enough volunteers and a very good representation of various neighborhoods. I hope that residents who were not appointed to the committees this year will remain active with the committees as informal members. Every committee meeting is open to the public and the meeting schedule, meeting agenda, and meeting minutes will be available to the public per the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

Four new resident committees have now been formed, which we believe will improve communication and increase the number of projects we can pursue each year. Each committee has met at least once to begin the process of setting goals for 2009 – 2010. The members of each committee are listed below along with their term on the committee, and I would encourage you to reach out to these members with any ideas you have related to the charter of that committee.

Economic Development Committee — Ken Santowski, Board Liaison; Julie Richardson, Chairman (3-year term); Steve Bottorff (2-year term); Blake Hobson (2-year term); Robin Cero (2-year term); Harriet Ford (1-year term); George Mueller (1-year term); and Bob Rosenberger (1-year term).

Parks and Recreation Committee — Dorothy Pfeuffer, Board Liaison; Ed Kisman, Chairman (3-year term); Sharon Bean (2-year term); Carlie Dobbeck (2-year term), Wendy Frederick (2-year term); Gail Bialk (1-year term); Tom Podraza (1-year term); and Lis Tevyaw (1-year term).

RedTail Golf Club Committee — Gene Furey, Board Liaison; Rich Ford, Chairman (3-year term); Sandy Holden (2-year term); Bill Peterson (2-year term); Rick Clark (2-year term); Tim Heagy (1-year term); Jeff Wolfgram (1-year term); and Jeff Iden (1-year term).


Special Service Area #1 Committee — John Pfeuffer, Board Liaison; Jesse Waldon, Chairman (3-year term); Pam Eddy (2-year term); Don Foster (2-year term); David Harris (2-year term); Debbie Hall (1-year term); Jane Kutilek (1-year term); Phil Lambruschi (1-year term).

Amazing Neighbors

I’d like to take an opportunity in every newsletter to recognize the contributions of volunteers in our community. I have the privilege of witnessing the generosity of so many residents, and I hope you will join me in thanking these neighbors.

This quarter, I’d like to highlight the amazing contributions of the SSA-1 Lakes Committee and other residents who live in this area. Following the unfortunate fish kill on Lake 1, I was overwhelmed by the number of residents who signed up to assist our Village Staff with this difficult cleanup effort. Following this work, these residents have continued to meet on a regular basis for “Algae Hoedowns,” spending up to 8 hours at a time manually removing algae from the lakes using boats and rakes they have adapted for this work. A number of Village employees have also contributed to this effort. Other neighbors provided food and drinks for the volunteers. The result has been that the Village had not needed to purchase chemicals to treat 3 of the 4 lakes.

Additionally, several of the members of the SSA-1 Lakes Committee have contributed many hours toward the process of completing a Section 319 Grant application that, if successful, will provide $400,000 toward the restoration of natural buffers and other features that will improve the health of these lakes and surrounding areas from an environmental perspective.

Please join me in thanking these committee members and everyone else who has donated many hours every week toward preserving the lakes in this area.

MCC Promise Program Volunteers

The Village of Lakewood is now officially registered as a McHenry County College Promise Program agency. The Promise Program provides free tuition to students who volunteer in the community for at least 16 hours every semester. We have identified a number of projects that are well suited to the efforts of the Promise Program students, including public properties maintenance, open space rehabilitation projects and assistance for disabled or elderly residents. Please encourage college students in this program to sign up for Lakewood projects. And if you or one of your neighbors is in need of additional assistance with yard work, please contact Village Hall to inquire about receiving help from one of the students.

Improving Resident Communication

I have decided, with the support of the Trustees, to begin a new process for soliciting ongoing feedback from residents. I would like to meet with one neighborhood every quarter to engage in discussion about topics that are most relevant to that neighborhood. Our first meeting will be dedicated to residents on the east side of Lakewood on Gates 1 – 23. Thanks to a generous donation from our own Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, we will call this neighborhood meeting “Pizza with the President”. We will meet on Tuesday, September 29th, at 6:30 pm, at the home of Rick and Ernstiena Clark (464 Meridian). Please RSVP to Rick at (815) 459-4938. This is the only notice for this meeting, so please put it on your calendar and spread the word.

Highlights from Recent Board Meetings

Some of the notable decisions or updates from recent Board Meetings include:

o Conceptual approval of the RedTail Clubhouse architectural design. Business case and funding to be determined in partnership with the RedTail Golf Committee
o $200,000 approved in State Capital Bill for repaving RedTail Drive (estimated for spring 2010). A special thank you to State Representative Michael Tryon for his assistance in securing this funding for the Village of Lakewood
o Significant progress toward annexation of properties west to Route 47 and beyond, with several businesses signed to voluntarily annex
o Conceptual approval to pursue commercial development opportunity at Route 47 and 176
o Martial arts studio signed lease agreement for development at Lakewood Commons
o Renewed refuse contract with MDC Environmental Services with several favorable modifications
o Approved and installed dry well on Lake Avenue to relieve standing water problem

Our Board Meetings are the second and fourth Tuesday of every month, at 7:00 p.m., at RedTail Golf Club. I hope you will be able to join us for some of the meetings. And, as always, please contact me anytime with questions or suggestions. Phone: (815) 356-8005 Email: erin.smith_2009@yahoo.com.

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The sunset over Lakewood’s part of the Crystal Lake shoreline was taken from outside the Crystal Lake Park District’s Main Beach in late September.

At Tuesday night’s meeting of neighbors at Rick and Ernstiena Clark’s home on Meridian Street, newly-elected Village President Erin Smith told the upwards of 30 people gathered that Lakewood has been approved for a grant of about $330,000 to complete the relining of the sanitary sewer project on the east side of the village.

This pertains to the water headed to the Crystal Lake Waste Treatment Plant in Country Club Additions between the lake and the Crystal Lake Country Club.

I asked the village staff for details and here they are, compliments of Finance Director Carole Robertson:

The Village of Lakewood has applied for a Water Pollution Control Loan through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) for $310,000 for relining of sanitary sewer and the rehabilitation of manholes on the east side of the Village to minimize inflow and infiltration into the sanitary sewer system.

The current sanitary sewer system in this area is over 70 years old and does not operate as intended due to excessive infiltration and exfiltration.

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the IEPA may issue the Loan at zero percent (0%) interest and forgive $77,500 of principal (25% of the loan amount).

Bids will be opened on November 3rd with work to begin a week afterward. Work will most likely continue into spring 2010.

Ironically, the sewers were originally installed through Works Progress Administration. For those whose Great Depression history is a bit weak, the WPA put people to work during the 1930’s.

After the McHenry County Board’s Finance Committee meeting, Chairman Marc Munaretto answered some questions. One of them concerned how the allocation of Federal Stimulus Bonds for McHenry County was $27.5 million, but that there were about to be $33 million in requests.

Since the Woodstock baseball stadium request was for $15 million, that means the other potential request would be $18 million.  Unless multiple requests are in the pipeline.

I pointed out that manufacturing plants have a higher multiplier effect than retail. Or a baseball stadium. With the latter two, there is only so much money in a community to be spent on things and on recreation.

“We’re out beating the bushes right now (for other applicants),” Munaretto commented.

He listed and defended three loan potentials:

• Manufacturing
• Construction
• Tourism

Commenting on the $33 million in potential bond requests versus the $27.5 million in authorization, Munaretto observed, “We don’t have to fulfill the request,” meaning, I took it, that the entire request for any project would not have to be approved by the county board.

In any event, the mystery may be solved about a major part of the mystery $18 million.

Read this statement from the Erin Smith, Village President of Lakewood:

September 24, 2009

“Since there have recently been reports in the local media about potential development plans in the Village of Lakewood, I thought it would be appropriate and in the best interests of the residents of our community to provide accurate information regarding this development activity,” said President Erin Smith.

“We are currently working with a developer who is interested in building a mixed use project within the Village of Lakewood’s Planning Area, near the intersection of Illinois Route 47 and Illinois Route 176.

“This Planning Area is the result of signed Boundary Agreements with all of our neighboring communities,” she explained, “and has allowed for an orderly and purposeful attitude toward our planning and discussions with developers.”

This general area is designated for commercial development within the Village of Lakewood’s Comprehensive Plan and is an area of  “regional commercial significance” within McHenry County’s proposed 2030 Land Use Plan.

She further indicated that the first phase of the proposed development was a multi-use sports complex, including both indoor and outdoor facilities, with ancillary uses as a second phase.

President Smith explained that one of the most appealing aspects of the concept is the sustainable, green development strategy that the developer has outlined.

“We are both committed to the ideals of sustainable development,” said President Smith, “and believe that this concept provides the opportunity to create a strategic environmental plan that will incorporate best management practices and new technologies in all phases of the project and will solidify McHenry County’s reputation as a leader in environmental issues.”

President Smith also noted that this development has strong potential in terms of job creation and overall economic impact to McHenry County.

She finished by saying,

“All of our discussions until this time have been conceptual, and the more detailed analysis is just underway. Any further specifics regarding the project are purely speculative at this time.”

“We expect to have more details available regarding the project within the next few weeks and eagerly anticipate sharing them with the community.”

“The sports complex is Lakewood is targeted for youth.

“It is not targeting a minor league baseball team.

“It should be a nice complement to the proposed Woodstock stadium.”

New ballgame in town?

IL 47 – Why in Lakewood?

The outgoing Lakewood Village President is Julie Richardson. You see her above (second from the left). Sitting to her right is Julie Hansen, the village clerk. To her left is Village Administrator Catherine Peterson and Village Attorney Richard Flood.

For the rest of our lives, my wife and I shall be grateful for her successful effort to ban leaf burning.

We can now leave our bedroom windows open during the fall and couldn’t before.

When Richardson decided to retire, two candidates filed for office.

Former Village Trustee Erin Smith was one.

She grew up in Country Club Additions, the part of Lakewood between Crystal Lake and the Crystal Lake Country Club and Wedgewood. Smith now lives in Turnberry and has a responsible job at Motorola which allows her some flexibility to work from home some times.

She campaign hard, especially in original Lakewood. You could tell by all the signs.

The other candidate was John O’Hara, who has been involved in the zoning end of village government. I received no campaign literature from him.

I observed both at a village board meeting concerning the budget. Both asked good questions, but there was obvious posturing from both sides in front of an audience that exceeded the number of people who usually go to Crystal Lake City Council meetings.

There is continuing tension between Lakewood and Crystal Lake.

A suit over sewage treatment fee payment, which I suspect is just making the lawyers money, remains outstanding, goes on. A court settlement seems to be the only answer.

Afterward, maybe the two neighbors can move on.

The opportunity for providing more rational fire protection services exists for both municipalities, if anyone can dampen down the hostility Crystal Lake officials seem to feel when Lakewood decided it would be cheaper to create its own fire department, rather than pay for a level of fire protection that commercial and high rish Crystal Lake needs, but residential Lakewood does not.

The election is over and the results show a convincing victory for Smith.

She got 62% of the vote with O’Hara receiving 38%.

The vote totals were 434 to 268.