McHenry County Blog

Summer 2012

As I sit to write this letter, it is a beautiful spring day and there is much to celebrate within the Village of Lakewood.

Lakewood Property Taxes

Red Tail Golf Club in early spring,

We recently received our property tax bills and, for many of us, the news was not good as our overall taxes increased. For nearly all of our residents, however, the portion of real estate taxes paid to the Village of Lakewood should have decreased.

This is a direct result of the final payment being made for the bond that was used to purchase RedTail Golf Club. That obligation has now been completed, and no additional taxes will be levied for RedTail Golf Club.

Electrical Aggregation

Unless you already have an alternate electrical supplier, you should have recently received an Opt Out letter from Direct Energy and the Northern Illinois Governmental Electric Aggregation Consortium (NIGEAC). NIGEAC is the intergovernmental consortium that was formed for the purpose of securing a lower rate for electricity for a number of McHenry County communities.

Lakewood's bulk buying of electricity is at a price believed to be the lowest in Illinois.

This process was made possible by the referendum that was passed in March, and I am proud to note that the referendum passed by a higher margin in the Village of Lakewood than in any other community in McHenry County. The rate secured from Direct Energy is $0.04169, which is less than half of the current rate from ComEd.

To date, we believe that it is the lowest rate in the state, and we estimate that the annual savings for our residents will be between $300 and $350.

Unless you opt out of the contract with Direct Energy, you will automatically be enrolled and will begin seeing the new rate on your ComEd bill as early as June. ComEd will continue as our service provider, maintaining the infrastructure that provides the electricity, but purchasing the supply of electricity from Direct Energy.

Garbage and Recycling Services

We also recently extended our existing contract with MDC Environmental Services (our refuse hauler) for a period of six years. During the first year, there will be no rate increase. In the second and third years, the rate will simply be adjusted by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). In the fourth year, there will again be no rate increase. And in the fifth and sixth years, the rate will again be adjusted by the CPI. There will be very few changes in service. For those residents who have requested a cart for yard waste, MDC will provide a 95 gallon yard waste cart at an additional cost of $1.50/month. Any resident who chooses this option will still be entitled to the collection of four bags of yard waste at no additional cost. The fee for an additional garbage cart will be reduced from $2/month to $1.50/month. Please call Village Hall if you want to take advantage of either of these new service enhancements.

Twenty-five of those accursed bags for this day's pickup.

2012 – 2013 Budget

The Fiscal Year 2012 – 2013 budget which was adopted in April is balanced and includes numerous infrastructure improvements, including street repaving and water main replacement. It does not contemplate a rate increase for customers of Lakewood Utilities, and it is unknown at this time whether there will be a rate increase for East Sewer customers.

Residential Development

During the past few years of this economic downturn, there have been no new single family homes built in our community.

That trend has changed, however, and we have already issued two building permits for single family homes that are currently under construction. An additional two homes have been approved by the Architectural Review Committee, and several more are in various stages of design.

A new owner has purchased the vacant parcels in The Highlands at RedTail subdivision, and he intends to move forward immediately to complete the unfinished four-unit building. All of this is a very positive sign as both businesses and individuals are again choosing to make substantial investments in our community.

Future Commercial Development

Recently, the Village Board purchased the parcel of land located at the southwest corner of Route 47 and Pleasant Valley Road (just north of Crystal Woods Golf Course). This was a strategic investment for the purpose of maintaining control of future development at this intersection. We were able to secure the property for significantly less that its appraised value and the current leases on the property more than cover the cost of our 10-year loan. The funds needed to purchase the property will be taken from reserves, so residents will see no tax increase as a result of the purchase.

Erin Smith

Summer Celebrations

While we continually strive to provide our residents with the highest level of services in the most cost effective manner possible, we also recognize that our quality of life is equally as important. There are several opportunities to participate in local activities this summer. Enclosed with this newsletter is a flyer inviting you to “Celebrate Lakewood” on June 10. Not only is it a chance to see the newly remodeled RedTail Clubhouse, but there will be free food, activities, and prizes!

Our first church, Crosspoint Lutheran, is sponsoring a Family Fest on Saturday, July 7 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. It will include outdoor games and rides, free food, and an 80’s band.

And as hard as it is to believe, Lou Malnati’s will be celebrating its 5th Anniversary in the Village of Lakewood. In order to commemorate this event, Lou’s is sponsoring a 5K run/walk in August as a fundraiser for breast cancer. Please plan to attend one or all of these events!

Lakewood Commons

El Café is expected to be open for business on or about the weekend of June 9! It’s a warm and inviting space, and I strongly encourage you to stop by and welcome the newest member of our growing business community. My husband and I plan to be there every weekend for our morning coffee run(s), so please stop by and let me know your thoughts about our Village.

As a part of our Looking Out for Lakewood campaign, please contact me if you know of an individual who might be interested in opening a business at Lakewood Commons. I am most often asked about a breakfast/lunch diner, general store, or spa. But, we would welcome new suggestions from residents!

My best wishes for a safe and fun filled summer!

Sincerely,

Erin

Village President

I’ve been raking every day this week.

My village of Lakewood isn’t as advanced as it used to be about 1980 when Vueglar’s would bring its sucker-upper truck to remove the leaves from the edge of the streets.

I adapted by accumulating containers to put the leaves in.

When I was told this year that contractor MDC was requiring them to be put in bags, I was so incensed that I considered running for village board. (Anyone who wants to include bringing back “rake your leaves to the edge of the street and we’ll do the rest” in his or her platform for village board will have my enthusiastic support.)

Some may be motivated strongly by the potential taxpayer expense involved with the proposed SportsPlex, but my hot button issue this year is leaves…more specifically being forced to put them in bags.

What I dislike most is having to bag other people’s leaves that end up along the public right-of-way along Lake Avenue. Today I filled over 20 bags of them.

I wonder what the village would do if I just left them there.

But, back to the “Message of the Day.”

Here’s a balloon I found while raking.

All of the air or helium has leaked out of this red balloon. I think it says, "Gymboree, Play & Music."

It is spent, just like I am.

Snow covers the ground and in the oak-hickory forest in which we dwell, hickory leaves are sprinkled across the snow.

Saturday the wind was so strong that hickory leaves drifted up against the pile of snow I shoveled five times last week.

You can see from the American Flag at the top of the photo and the wind was really blowing hard.

Snow covers the ground and in the oak-hickory forest in which we dwell, hickory leaves are sprinkled across the snow.

Saturday the wind was so strong that hickory leaves drifted up against the pile of snow I shoveled five times last week.

You can see from the American Flag at the top of the photo and the wind was really blowing hard.

I took this picture last Sunday afternoon.

It was really windy. A gray kind of day.

Leaves had been thrust through the chain line fence at Crystal Lake’s Main Beach.

They tried to get through, but were not as successful as the wind was cutting through my thin Heartland Blood Centers jacket.

Heartland more or less traded it to me, along with a bar-b-cue apron and cooking utensils, for four pints of blood.

I took this picture last Sunday afternoon.

It was really windy. A gray kind of day.

Leaves had been thrust through the chain line fence at Crystal Lake’s Main Beach.

They tried to get through, but were not as successful as the wind was cutting through my thin Heartland Blood Centers jacket.

Heartland more or less traded it to me, along with a bar-b-cue apron and cooking utensils, for four pints of blood.

Who would have thought that I would see a “Message of the Day” on the way to our mailbox?

On a road the last traffic count found 6,500 vehicles a day.

More than on parts of the four-lane highway on the way to Western Illinois University, Route 67. (And, yes it sticks in my craw that there are four lane highways built where there are not 20,000 cars a day, while local state highways locally lie virtually abandoned—think pothole-ridden Route 31 between Crystal Lake and McHenry, which most assuredly should be a four-lane road.)

My son wanted to go to school early, but I saw some letters on the bench that needed mailing on Thursday. It was about 8:25 when I walked down the steps to Lake Avenue.

And, this is what I saw.

Sunlight shining on and through what I think are red oak leaves.

Simply stunning.

Look closely and you will see a huge semi loaded with sandstone or limestone heading to some landscaping job.

Who would have thought that I would see a “Message of the Day” on the way to our mailbox?

On a road the last traffic count found 6,500 vehicles a day.

More than on parts of the four-lane highway on the way to Western Illinois University, Route 67. (And, yes it sticks in my craw that there are four lane highways built where there are not 20,000 cars a day, while local state highways locally lie virtually abandoned—think pothole-ridden Route 31 between Crystal Lake and McHenry, which most assuredly should be a four-lane road.)

My son wanted to go to school early, but I saw some letters on the bench that needed mailing on Thursday. It was about 8:25 when I walked down the steps to Lake Avenue.

And, this is what I saw.

Sunlight shining on and through what I think are red oak leaves.

Simply stunning.

Look closely and you will see a huge semi loaded with sandstone or limestone heading to some landscaping job.

Leaves settled on the newly flowing water in Cress Creek on November 3rd.

They are from one or more silver maple trees that shade the creek between Lake Avenue and Broadway.

Crystal Lake Park District employees were down by the nearby outlet using pitchforks to remove seaweed, which had become a vegetative dam holding back lake waters.

Leaves settled on the newly flowing water in Cress Creek on November 3rd.

They are from one or more silver maple trees that shade the creek between Lake Avenue and Broadway.

Crystal Lake Park District employees were down by the nearby outlet using pitchforks to remove seaweed, which had become a vegetative dam holding back lake waters.