McHenry County Blog

And the “IF” was in capital letters.

Metra Executive Director Phil Pagano returned to his home town city council for a second time seeking permission to proceed with plans seeking approval for a new commuter train station in Ridgefield next to the old 84 and new Alexandra Lumber location.

The proposal debated by city council members basically said that if Metra met all the requirements set by the city council that it could gain annexation to the city.

Mayor Aaron Shepley framed the debate like this:

“The question is solely whether council wishes to assume control of development of this project.”

At the end of the debate, the council voted 5-2 to assume control. Jeff Thorsen and Ralph Dawson voted “No.”

Thorsen thought the agreement too one-sided.

“The agreement does not even require they ever annex,” he said. “At the end of the day, we can’t say ‘No.’ You can say ‘No.’”

He worried that if money is needed to enforce Crystal Lake’s Watershed Ordinance that Metra would not have to pay its fair share.

Shepley wondered if Thorsen wanted county government to be the approving governmental entity, as it was for 84 Lumber, which property covers more of the watershed than would be allowed had it been annexed to Crystal Lake.

“If the county wants to be irresponsible about developing it, then it’s not on my shoulders,” Thorsen replied.

Later Councilwoman Ellen Brady Mueller pointed out that the proposed 2030 Plan for county land development does not recognize Crystal Lake’s Watershed Ordinance.

Ralph Dawson worried about extending city police protection still farther, pointing out that the Pingree Road Station had had vandalism problems, which Crystal Lake Police had to handle.

“It’s a far stretch from the city limits,” Dawson said. “I cannot support the City of Crystal Lake annexing the station. I don’t think the city should be obligated to go that far out to give it service.”

Trying to pour water on the fire, Pagano affirmed, “Metra intends to work with the city on the watershed…and traffic.”

Still Dawson concluded,

“I don’t see my taxpayers to benefit on this project.”

Brady Mueller asked,

“Are we out there already?”

Police Chief David Lindner pointed out that his force already served nearby McHenry County College and

“If there is a request from the Sheriff and we’re closer, we go out there.”

Brady Mueller wanted to know,

“Why in the world would we want to give up a piece of property in the watershed?”

“We want to have the control.”

Cathy Ferguson agreed:

“I want control. I have enormous traffic concerns.”

Both relative newcomers Brett Hopkins and Carolyn Schofield concurred.

“I’d absolutely like to see it under control of the city, rather than the county,” Schofield said.

Summing up, Shepley said,

"If we say, 'No', we're counting on somebody else to do our job," Mayor Aaron Shepley said.

“We have fought like wolverines to control what goes on in the watershed. It’s not just our right; it’s our obligation.

“There is no done deal. Mr. Hopkins said it. The only question is who should we be dealing with.

“The downside for them is if they don’t meet our standards, they still have to go to the county.

“As far as police enforcement goes, Mr. Dawson, I think that is a fair concern. If it should go to the county we’ll still be the first responders.

“The difference is that the benefits will not fall to the Crystal Lake side of the ledger.

“If we say ,’No,’ we’re counting on somebody else to do our job.”

Dawson suggested the county was “in a new era. They’re talking about water, at least they’re making waves in an election year.”

“If the county is good, we’re better,” Shepley stated. “We owe it to the people to protect their interest.”

The following press released was received from the office of 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo (R-Egan):

Rep. Manzullo:

Transportation Improvements Great News for Motorists, Commuters in CL

[CRYSTAL LAKE] Congressman Don Manzullo (R-Egan) joined several local officials in Crystal Lake this morning to celebrate the opening of two transportation improvements that will benefit area motorists and Metra commuters.

At an early morning news conference at the Pingree Road Metra station, the officials dedicated the opening of the station’s expanded parking lot as well as the nearby improvement to the busy intersection of Crystal Lake Avenue and Pingree Road.

Manzullo secured $1 million in federal funds to help fund the widening, realignment and new traffic signals erected at the busy intersection that was previously regulated by a 4-way stop sign. The project — shared by the City of Crystal Lake, Metra, Algonquin Township, and Nunda Township – was completed last month.

“The two improvements we celebrated today will help improve traffic flow through Crystal Lake while making the Pingree Road Metra station more accessible,” Manzullo said. “Traffic congestion continues to be McHenry County’s number one challenge, and I will continue to seek McHenry County’s fair share of federal transportation dollars to help alleviate the back-ups.”

In addition to the intersection project, Manzullo has secured significant federal funding for the Western Bypass of Algonquin ($19 million), the Rakow Road widening project through Crystal Lake and Lake in the Hills ($7 million), and the Route 47 widening project through Huntley ($6.7 million). Construction on all three of those projects is scheduled to begin within the next year or two.

The word I got from McHenry County College officials is that the new interim president, Larry Tyree, and two trustees will meeting with Metra officials.

Executive Director Phil Pagano will be among those on the Metra side of the table.

Too bad the meeting will not be in public.

There are significant issues of process that need to be thoroughly ventilated.

It is beyond belief, well, at least understanding, that Metra did not contact the college between the time the favored Ridgefield site was selected on January 5, 2009, and last Friday when the Metra board approved the $1.5 million land purchase from a trust owned jointly by McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler and his Flowerwood partner’s estate.

It’s good to have Interim President Tyree on board.

With former President Walt Packard’s expensive retirement, Interim President Brian Sager’s retirement and Ron Ally’s taking the Chief Financial Officer’s post at Elgin School District 46, MCC has resembled a headless horseman.

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The picture is of McHenry County College Interim President Larry Tyree.

Very, very shortly after I asked Metra Board Secretary Lisa Murphy to fax me what would be in the board packet for Friday’s meeting, my machine started to buzz.

The summary memo from Metra Executive Director Phillip Pagano revealed that $1,537,707 would be paid to Amcore Bank Trust 3582.

It is half owned by McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler and half by his former Flowerwood partner Gary Seigmeier’s estate. That “includes an $117,686 recapture fee for previously completed road improvements” (presumably for the 87 Lumber property between the station site and Downtown Ridgefield).

The price per acre for the 17.33 acres works out to be $81,789.

McHenry County College paid $67,000 an acre for 57 acres closer to Crystal Lake last year. (Click to enlarge the image. The proposed Metra site is northeast of this property. The train tracks are in the upper right hand corner of the picture.)

In arguing for the purchase, MCC President Walt Packard said that

“the property was perfectly sited to take advantage of a future Ridgefield Metra station maybe 20 years away.”

The Pagano memo points out that the station is about 5.1 miles from the Woodstock station and that Metra expects to annex it to Crystal Lake.

Pagano ends the memo with this justification:

“The subject property is a desirable location for a new station and enables Metra to locate the station north of the tracks allowing commuters to access morning trains to Chicago without crossing the tracks.

“Otherwise, the commuter facility south of the tracks would necessitate the procurement of additional property on the north side of the tracks in order to construct a depot with sufficient waiting area on the inbound side of the tracks and a Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department emergency access road from an existing public street to the depot site.”

I asked Murphy to ask Pagano if there would be a public hearing on the proposal.

Delores Ellison conveyed this answer from him:

“There will not be.”

No mention is made of the distance from the McHenry County College campus or that even that the college is in the vicinity.

McHenry County’s representative on the Metra board is former State Senator Jack Schaffer. He was appointed without dissent in 2006 by the county board chairmen of McHenry, Kane, Lake and Will County Boards.

Comments may be sent to Metra Board members here: metraboard@metrarr.com

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The land in question is just beyond the barbed wire fence surrounding the to-be new Alexander Lumber Company site. It is across Country Club Road and a bit to the northwest from the Google Map “A.”

Articles that might be of interest:

Alexander Lumber’s Move to Ridgefield, Proposed Metra Station Implications

Musings on the Proposed Ridgefield Metra Station

Ridgefield Businessman Takes on McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler over Proposed Metra Station

Metra Transparency Worse than McHenry County College’s