Because horse riding had just been banned at the old Lake Defiance, now Moraine Hills, it occurred to me that it could go in a Gravel Gertie State Park. Snow mobilers weren’t having trouble finding places to ride, but they … Continue reading
Category Archives: Vulcan Lakes
Included on the Tax Rate Calculation page of the McHenry County Clerk’s Office are totals for taxes levied on property within TIF Districts. Tax Increment Financing Districts are mechanisms that allow municipalities to pry money out everyone in McHenry County … Continue reading
One of the several deputies fired by McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren has brain cancer. Unfortunately, his firing, coming after he was deposed in Zane Seipler’s Federal wrongful termination suit, came when he apparently needed health coverage. His daughter tells … Continue reading
In Friday’s Chicago Tribune column, John Kass wrote about Bill Cellini’s laugh. I sensed Kass believed that when Cellini laughed incriminated him. Read the piece and draw your own conclusion. And, if you want to hear Cellini’s laugh listen to … Continue reading
In response to a Freedom of Information request, the City of Crystal Lake has revealed that Vulcan Lakes broke even in Mary and June. Revenues were $32,223, while operating expenses totaled $30,268. This does not include repayment of the money … Continue reading
The petitions for re-election are being circulated for Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley and Council members Cathy Ferguson, Ellen Brady Mueller and Brett Hopkins. And, just in time for the campaign, there is an election kick-off party that required the … Continue reading
It was October, 2005, when the Vulcan Lakes TIF proposal by the city council spurred me to start McHenry County Blog. I knew–and knew that most others didn’t–that every dollar that gets poured into a Tax Increment Financing District’s project … Continue reading
“TIFs re-direct taxes away from schools, parks and other local government agencies bankrolled by property taxes. Property taxes within a TIF district are frozen at existing levels for 23 years.” That’s what the Chicago Sun-Times wrote yesterday in an article … Continue reading
Crystal Lake has an unnatural asset called Vulcan Lake, an old gravel pit. The big one is larger than Crystal Lake…by a lot. Everyone knows that waterfront views add value to real estate. Just ask those living on Crystal Lake. … Continue reading
If a friend hadn’t emailed me the correction made by the Northwest Herald today, I would have missed the small notice on page 2. Under Corrections & Clarifications, the paper reports that the parking fee at Vulcan Lakes will be … Continue reading
My copy of the Northwest Herald reports today that non-Crystal Lake residents will have to pay $50 to park and $10 to get into the new park. Get real. People don’t pay that much in Chicago’s Loop. … Continue reading
McHenry County Blog received the following from Crystal Lake City Councilman Jeff Thorsen, who is running for reelection. He, like others, have had trouble posting comments for well over a year…ever since Google “improved” the Blogger host that I use. … Continue reading
Since publishing the response to my Freedom of Information request about whether Viking Dodge was in play with the Crystal Lake Park District, the grapevine has been active. One person said the park district had agreed to purchase the property … Continue reading
Since publishing the response to my Freedom of Information request about whether Viking Dodge was in play with the Crystal Lake Park District, the grapevine has been active. One person said the park district had agreed to purchase the property … Continue reading
The introduction to Stimulus Watch, a new web site listing all sorts of “shovel-ready” projects across the country. It “was built to help the new administration keep its pledge to invest stimulus money smartly, and to hold public officials to … Continue reading
The introduction to Stimulus Watch, a new web site listing all sorts of “shovel-ready” projects across the country. It “was built to help the new administration keep its pledge to invest stimulus money smartly, and to hold public officials to … Continue reading
When I reference the Northwest Herald, I call it the Northwest Herald. No reciprocity with the NW Herald’s Group Editor (oops, I see the title is now “General Manager and Executive Editor”) Chris Krug. He was pleasant enough in person … Continue reading
When I reference the Northwest Herald, I call it the Northwest Herald. No reciprocity with the NW Herald’s Group Editor (oops, I see the title is now “General Manager and Executive Editor”) Chris Krug. He was pleasant enough in person … Continue reading
Ever since Springfield developer Bill Cellini sought and got permission to develop the Vulcan Lakes TIF property owned by the City of Crystal Lake, I have wondered why he came on October 10, 2006, and why the group he led … Continue reading
Ever since Springfield developer Bill Cellini sought and got permission to develop the Vulcan Lakes TIF property owned by the City of Crystal Lake, I have wondered why he came on October 10, 2006, and why the group he led … Continue reading