McHenry County Blog

At last Thursday’s Crystal Lake Park District board meeting, Jason Herbster was selected to replace long-time Executive Director Kirk Reimer.  Herster is the Director of Recreational Services at the Glenview Park District.

I asked him what he wanted to accomplish as Crystal Lake’s main guy. This was his reply:

herb

New Crystal Lake Park Executive Director Jason Herbster

“As far as what I would see accomplished upon my arrival to Crystal lake in the short term is to review the final Comprehensive Master Plan and begin to prioritize what the plan spells out as being the most important items to complete.

“I have been made aware of some organizational restructuring that may be needed, so that is another area I would plan to focus my attention.

“There are some additional internal items that also need review and possible adjustments.

“Meeting the leaders of the other local units of government, school districts, etc. will also be a priority so I can begin to establish solid working relationships with these groups.”

The park district’s press release follows:

Announcing the new Executive Director of the Crystal Lake Park District…..

The Crystal Lake Park District Board of Commissioners has selected Jason Herbster as the next Executive Director to succeed retiring Executive Director Kirk Reimer.

Herbster brings over 20 years of experience in the field of Parks and Recreation with him to Crystal Lake.

He has worked for park districts in Alsip, Palatine, Schaumburg, and most recently in Glenview as the Director of Recreation Services.

Herbster’s extensive background includes program management, facility management, financial management, facility development and team building.

He has managed the Glenview Park District’s award winning 165,000 square foot Park Center Recreation Center, led the simultaneous construction of two outdoor aquatic centers, and oversaw program participation double in six years.

Herbster has also been instrumental in building and maintaining strong cooperative relationships with other local governmental agencies and school districts and feels it is the key to a well rounded community.

“The timing was right for him to step up to an executive directorship, and his skill set fits in well with our future plans.” -Commissioner Eric Anderson

“We are confident that Jason Herbster can continue to elevate the CLPD, help refine our focus going forward, and play a key role in acquiring the facilities that this community has continually asked for.” -Commissioner Michael Zellmann

Big doings at the park board Thursday night.

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

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

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

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

The number in the contract is $6.29 million.

What would the park district get for that money?

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

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

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

Is it a good deal?

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

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

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

While the press release says,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Candy Reedy did not attend the meeting.

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

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.

Unless it might have be interesting to attend the Crystal Lake Park District meeting tonight.

So much competition from baseball and vice presidential debates make it unlikely many will be there.

Fortunately, Northwest Herald reporter Jim Butts offers a preview in an article today.

“Referendum is our last option,” Board President Mike Zellman told Butts.

But, it certainly sounds as if the board is looking at that option.

They’re talking about buying more land with a cost pegged at $8 million. I’d have thought somewhere in the current vast real estate holdings there might be a suitable site.

Woodscreek Park, for instance, at Golf Course and Ackman is 40 acres. I helped build the Crystal Castle there. Still lots of available land.

Anyway, if you one of the two or three people in Crystal Lake not interested in national politics or baseball, you might want to attend the meeting at 7:30 tonight.

Unless it might have be interesting to attend the Crystal Lake Park District meeting tonight.

So much competition from baseball and vice presidential debates make it unlikely many will be there.

Fortunately, Northwest Herald reporter Jim Butts offers a preview in an article today.

“Referendum is our last option,” Board President Mike Zellman told Butts.

But, it certainly sounds as if the board is looking at that option.

They’re talking about buying more land with a cost pegged at $8 million. I’d have thought somewhere in the current vast real estate holdings there might be a suitable site.

Woodscreek Park, for instance, at Golf Course and Ackman is 40 acres. I helped build the Crystal Castle there. Still lots of available land.

Anyway, if you one of the two or three people in Crystal Lake not interested in national politics or baseball, you might want to attend the meeting at 7:30 tonight.

Through a hard fought court suit, the Crystal Lake Park District established that it owns most of the bottom of Crystal Lake.

It seems that one of my photos of just installed boat piers may have stimulated discussion concerning park district liability, not to mention other questions about piers, rafts and buoys that rest on that park district property.

Not that the Gate 9 pier you see above is new, but the park district doesn’t have an inventory of what rests on its lake bottom.

When folks noticed that more boats were at the Gate 3 pier, they thought it was new this year. Some research revealed that the Country Club Property Owners Association expanded to the east of the old pier last year.

I talked to park district Executive Director Kirk Reimer. He was concerned about liability. That seems like a reasonable concern. I doubt owners of piers, rafts and buoys have park district taxpayers protected by their insurance policies.

The park board began discussion of the subject at its last meeting and it seems likely to be on the May 15th agenda as well.

“It seems that every year there are more boats moored on the lake,” Reimer observed. “The board is looking at who’s doing what.

“Right now someone could pop a marina in there.”

I’m not sure that is the case, since a commercial establishment would require zoning from Lakewood or Crystal Lake. The chance is zero that Lakewood would allow a business on a lake lot and I think the last commercial establishment on the North Shore was a bar that is now a home site.

There was a bar on the North Shore when we moved here in 1958. I came back from some early morning West End fishing and found a dead guy washed up at the Main Beach boat ramp. He apparently fell out of a row boat owned by the guy with the park district concession on the way back from the bar where the two were drinking. The concessionaire didn’t realized his buddy was missing. I believe the lot now has a home on it.

In any event, regulation of the use of the lake bottom is now in play.

Reimer mentioned one of the topics could be length and size of piers.

“There needs to be some kind of a permitting process,” he told me.

This spring the park board has been publicly chaffing at its lack of vote on the Lake Management Committee. Park Board President Mike Zellman made the pitch to the Crystal Lake Council.

For a decade of so, regulation of use of the lake has been governed by an intergovernmental agreement between the Village of Lakewood and the City of Crystal Lake.

Most on the Crystal Lake City Council saw no problem with adding the park board, but the Lakewood Village Board apparently thought there was no reason to give up the power it now has to protect its South Shore constituents’ rights to use their five beaches and the lake surface, where police power is exerted by the two municipalities.

Most of Crystal Lake is actually located within the boundaries Village of Lakewood, as you can see from the above map. You can see that most of the lake that can be used for water skiing or tubing is within the boundaries of Lakewood.

Lakewood now polices the lake.

This makes logistical sense since the Lakewood Village Hall is on the lake front next to West Beach.

There have been complaints, however, that the patrol issued only warning tickets last year. Surely, some of the offenses were worthy of a citation, the argument goes.

Lakewood residents foresee a 2-1 vote situation where the control is by the two other governments, the vast majority of whose residents never use the lake. They remember the multi-decade effort by park board members to ban power boats from Crystal Lake.

When it became obvious during last August’s flooding that boat wakes were harming lake front property, especially on the North Shore, it was the park district that took the initiative to ask the Crystal Lake City Council and the Lakewood Village Board to issue a “no wake” rule.

Reimer pointed out that the park district got the complaints, but had no power to remedy the problem.

= = = = =
CCAPOA’s Gate 9 pier can be seen on top. Gate 3′s pier is seen empty right after installation in 2008 and full during the flooding in August 2007. I’m told the
concrete structures in the foreground were part of the ice house operation. Below is Crystal Lake Park Board President Mike Zellman urging the Crystal Lake City Council to talk about adding the park district to the Joint Lake Management Committee. Below is a map of Crystal Lake, the lake, showing only the northernmost and eastern section right in front of the Main Beach actually being in the City of Crystal Lake. At the bottom are pictures of the Lakewood Village Hall and the patrol boat on one of the days last August when Crystal Lake was so high. All pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them. The bottom picture was taken May 6, 2008, the day the temperature was over 80 degrees. The boat and skier are in front of the Main Beach Park nearer than not to the outlet.

Through a hard fought court suit, the Crystal Lake Park District established that it owns most of the bottom of Crystal Lake.

It seems that one of my photos of just installed boat piers may have stimulated discussion concerning park district liability, not to mention other questions about piers, rafts and buoys that rest on that park district property.

Not that the Gate 9 pier you see above is new, but the park district doesn’t have an inventory of what rests on its lake bottom.

When folks noticed that more boats were at the Gate 3 pier, they thought it was new this year. Some research revealed that the Country Club Property Owners Association expanded to the east of the old pier last year.

I talked to park district Executive Director Kirk Reimer. He was concerned about liability. That seems like a reasonable concern. I doubt owners of piers, rafts and buoys have park district taxpayers protected by their insurance policies.

The park board began discussion of the subject at its last meeting and it seems likely to be on the May 15th agenda as well.

“It seems that every year there are more boats moored on the lake,” Reimer observed. “The board is looking at who’s doing what.

“Right now someone could pop a marina in there.”

I’m not sure that is the case, since a commercial establishment would require zoning from Lakewood or Crystal Lake. The chance is zero that Lakewood would allow a business on a lake lot and I think the last commercial establishment on the North Shore was a bar that is now a home site.

There was a bar on the North Shore when we moved here in 1958. I came back from some early morning West End fishing and found a dead guy washed up at the Main Beach boat ramp. He apparently fell out of a row boat owned by the guy with the park district concession on the way back from the bar where the two were drinking. The concessionaire didn’t realized his buddy was missing. I believe the lot now has a home on it.

In any event, regulation of the use of the lake bottom is now in play.

Reimer mentioned one of the topics could be length and size of piers.

“There needs to be some kind of a permitting process,” he told me.

This spring the park board has been publicly chaffing at its lack of vote on the Lake Management Committee. Park Board President Mike Zellman made the pitch to the Crystal Lake Council.

For a decade of so, regulation of use of the lake has been governed by an intergovernmental agreement between the Village of Lakewood and the City of Crystal Lake.

Most on the Crystal Lake City Council saw no problem with adding the park board, but the Lakewood Village Board apparently thought there was no reason to give up the power it now has to protect its South Shore constituents’ rights to use their five beaches and the lake surface, where police power is exerted by the two municipalities.

Most of Crystal Lake is actually located within the boundaries Village of Lakewood, as you can see from the above map. You can see that most of the lake that can be used for water skiing or tubing is within the boundaries of Lakewood.

Lakewood now polices the lake.

This makes logistical sense since the Lakewood Village Hall is on the lake front next to West Beach.

There have been complaints, however, that the patrol issued only warning tickets last year. Surely, some of the offenses were worthy of a citation, the argument goes.

Lakewood residents foresee a 2-1 vote situation where the control is by the two other governments, the vast majority of whose residents never use the lake. They remember the multi-decade effort by park board members to ban power boats from Crystal Lake.

When it became obvious during last August’s flooding that boat wakes were harming lake front property, especially on the North Shore, it was the park district that took the initiative to ask the Crystal Lake City Council and the Lakewood Village Board to issue a “no wake” rule.

Reimer pointed out that the park district got the complaints, but had no power to remedy the problem.

= = = = =
CCAPOA’s Gate 9 pier can be seen on top. Gate 3′s pier is seen empty right after installation in 2008 and full during the flooding in August 2007. I’m told the
concrete structures in the foreground were part of the ice house operation. Below is Crystal Lake Park Board President Mike Zellman urging the Crystal Lake City Council to talk about adding the park district to the Joint Lake Management Committee. Below is a map of Crystal Lake, the lake, showing only the northernmost and eastern section right in front of the Main Beach actually being in the City of Crystal Lake. At the bottom are pictures of the Lakewood Village Hall and the patrol boat on one of the days last August when Crystal Lake was so high. All pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them. The bottom picture was taken May 6, 2008, the day the temperature was over 80 degrees. The boat and skier are in front of the Main Beach Park nearer than not to the outlet.

Eion Fitzgerald, a 7th grader at Bernotos Middle School (the old North Junior High School next to St. Thomas Church), was “Mayor for a Day” on Tuesday night.

He ran the beginning of the meeting with very little coaching from Mayor Aaron Shepley and, then, had the perseverance to sit through virtually the whole meeting.

Fitzgerald was there for both the first and second presentations of McHenry County College President Walt Packard.

>I’m not sure if he left before or after Crystal Lake Park Board President Mike Zellman made his pitch to open discussions to include the park district, along with the City of Crystal Lake and the Village of Lakewood on the Lake Safety Agreement Board.

If this were one of the “Back to the Future” movies, we might fast-forward and find a real Mayor Fitzgerald conducting the meeting at which MCC were actually presenting a site plan to develop the 57 acres that it voted in another room to buy.

= = = = =
The top photo is of Bernotos Middle School 6th grader Eion Fitzgerald being introduced as Crystal Lake Mayor for a Day by Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley.

Next, we see the two mayors conferring.

A closer view of the young man observing testimony on a zoning request follows.

At the bottom is Mayor Shepley presenting Fitzgerald with a framed recognition of his experience.

Eion’s mother writes she “won Mayor for a Day at the North Elementary School Fundraiser. I thought it would be an interesting way for Eion to learn about local government.

“Eion is a 6th grader at Bernotas Middle School and a member of Boy Scout Troop 127. He is currently working on his Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge. One of the requirements is to attend a city council meeting and another is to interview a person in government. He was able to do both last night.

“He really enjoyed himself and wanted to stay until the end to hear about the Vulcan Lakes issue. I said he needed some sleep before ISAT testing in the morning so we left before the meeting adjourned. Even though he won’t be mayor he wants to go to another meeting in the future.

“Everyone was so wonderful to Eion. Our family was given tours of the police, fire and public works departments. We were all impressed with the the facilities, technology and above all the professionalism of everyone we met.”

Eion Fitzgerald, a 7th grader at Bernotos Middle School (the old North Junior High School next to St. Thomas Church), was “Mayor for a Day” on Tuesday night.

He ran the beginning of the meeting with very little coaching from Mayor Aaron Shepley and, then, had the perseverance to sit through virtually the whole meeting.

Fitzgerald was there for both the first and second presentations of McHenry County College President Walt Packard.

>I’m not sure if he left before or after Crystal Lake Park Board President Mike Zellman made his pitch to open discussions to include the park district, along with the City of Crystal Lake and the Village of Lakewood on the Lake Safety Agreement Board.

If this were one of the “Back to the Future” movies, we might fast-forward and find a real Mayor Fitzgerald conducting the meeting at which MCC were actually presenting a site plan to develop the 57 acres that it voted in another room to buy.

= = = = =
The top photo is of Bernotos Middle School 6th grader Eion Fitzgerald being introduced as Crystal Lake Mayor for a Day by Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley.

Next, we see the two mayors conferring.

A closer view of the young man observing testimony on a zoning request follows.

At the bottom is Mayor Shepley presenting Fitzgerald with a framed recognition of his experience.

Eion’s mother writes she “won Mayor for a Day at the North Elementary School Fundraiser. I thought it would be an interesting way for Eion to learn about local government.

“Eion is a 6th grader at Bernotas Middle School and a member of Boy Scout Troop 127. He is currently working on his Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge. One of the requirements is to attend a city council meeting and another is to interview a person in government. He was able to do both last night.

“He really enjoyed himself and wanted to stay until the end to hear about the Vulcan Lakes issue. I said he needed some sleep before ISAT testing in the morning so we left before the meeting adjourned. Even though he won’t be mayor he wants to go to another meeting in the future.

“Everyone was so wonderful to Eion. Our family was given tours of the police, fire and public works departments. We were all impressed with the the facilities, technology and above all the professionalism of everyone we met.”