Crystal Lake Public Library Holiday Hours

Crystal Lake Public Library will be closed Friday December 24 and Saturday, December 25 for the Christmas holiday. The Library will re-open to the public at 1:00 pm on Sunday, December 26.

Flu Shots Available For Adults and Nine Year olds December 16

McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) will provide two (2) walk-in flu clinics for adults and children aged 9 and over at its Woodstock office, 2200 N Seminary Avenue (Annex A) on Thursday, December 16 from 9am-11am and again at 3pm-6pm. No appointments are needed. The cost is $30. Medicaid and Medicare Part B accepted.

Even if you’re healthy, you can get sick and spread the flu to classmates, co-workers and family members, including young children who are at greater risk for illness. It’s not too late to get your flu shot but it does take 2 weeks for your body to build immunity against flu viruses. With Christmas and New Year’s Eve just around the corner, you’ll want to stay healthy to enjoy all the festivities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone aged 6 months and older to get a flu shot. For individuals with chronic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, and COPD, the flu can make these health conditions worse, causing serious complications which may require hospitalization.

To reduce the spread of influenza, it is important to cover your cough, wash your hands and stay home if you’re sick. Call 815-334-4500 to schedule flu shot appointments for children younger than 9 years of age. For more information, visit www.mcdh.info or call 815-334-4510.

Crystal Lake Planning Commission Considers Possible Revision of Unified Deelopment Ordinance

The Crystal Lake Planning and Zoning Commission will meet this evening to conduct a one-year review of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). Some of the highlights of the agenda to be considered include:

• -Revisions to the limited/special use review criteria for some uses
• -Change to the Clear Sight Triangle (Utilize IDOT Bureau of Local Roads method for calculating sight triangle dimensions)
• -Clarification regarding when certain improvements to parking lots are required
• -More uses added to the off-street parking requirements
• -Sign Code Changes (for e.g. A-frame signs permitted City-wide versus just downtown and the Virginia Street Corridor, larger wall signage allowance depending on façade length).

The Zoning Commission will make a recommendation on the proposed amendments to the City Council and the Council will make the final decision.

Crystal Lake Taxes Estimated To Increase Slightly For Coming Year

It was tax levy time for the Crystal Lake City Council Tuesday. Although the City was not required to hold a public hearing or publish the levy since the increase was less than 5% over the previous year, the City did both. The City levy also includes the levy for the City Library, which determines its own budget.

The levy is a 0.12% decrease over the 2009 tax levy. City officials note that this is accomplished by maintaining existing budgeted levels and using reserves. The actual tax rates will be determined by the County Clerk's office based on the levy the City presents and the total assessed valuation of property in the City limits. The City does not levy on a rate, but instead levies in actual dollars. As a result there are no additional tax monies if the assessed valuation of the property increases. The tax levy is spread over the total assessed valuation of property, resulting in a rise or fall of the actual City tax rate.

The City's estimated Equalized Assessed Value (EAV) for this year is $1,401,725,601, a 6.2% decrease over the 2009 EAV. There was also a decreased 2009 EAV over the 2008 EAV. The last time there was an increased EAV was the 2008 figure over the 2007 EAV. These decreases are due to the poor housing market. The actual EAV for 2010 will be determined by the County Assessors office next spring.

The City Tax Levy for the coming year totals $14,332,103. This is the amount used to determine the tax rate based on the total assessed valuation of the property in the City.

The Appropriation for the coming year is $78,914,980. This is the estimated amount needed to provide the various City services. This figure is more than the amount to be levied and is provided through other sources than taxation. The appropriation must still be approved or it cannot be spent unless an emergency action is taken.

It is estimated that the 2010 property tax levy on a home with an EAV of $250,000 will be an increase of $30.61 for the year or $2.55 per month.

Book Rental Program Begins At MCC

McHenry County College students have an opportunity to save money on some textbooks with a new book rental program beginning Thursday December 9 for spring semester in the MCC Bookstore.

The College has contracted with Nebraska Book Company to offer the book rental on a pilot basis for spring semester as another option to purchasing books. The rental program does not replace purchasing and not all titles will be available for rental. Students may purchase a book, new or used or rent it. Students could save up to 50 percent off the purchase price by renting a textbook.

Rentals from the bookstore will be available online at a future date. Students who rent books must have a credit card on file, in case the book is not returned to the bookstore by the due date. The College will send students a reminder of the due date via an email address, which students may provide at the time of rental. Students will be charged fees for books not returned by the due date. For more information, contact the MCC Bookstore at (815) 455-8747.

EDMC Recycling in Woodstock on Saturday

The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County (EDMC) will hold their December recycling collection from 9 a.m. - noon on Saturday, Dec. 11 at the McHenry County Farm Bureau parking lot, 1102 McConnell Road in Woodstock, from 9:00 a.m. to Noon.

The organization collects only certain materials that are not normally accepted by curbside trash haulers. Items accepted for recycling include car batteries, rechargeable batteries, car batteries, lithium and button batteries. No single-use alkaline batteries are accepted.

“These safely be disposed of in a zip-lock type bag and placed in the trash,” said recycling drive coordinator Dwight Dalton. “There is little or no recyclable material in alkaline batteries.”

The Defenders’ recycling drive also collects fluorescent tubes, clean white Styrofoam™, packing peanuts, and bubble wrap. Electronics such as computers, phones, printers, electronic toys, TVs and computer monitors will be accepted for a donation. A donation is also requested for fluorescent bulbs and batteries that are brought in.

The public is invited to drive up and drop off any of these items for recycling. Volunteers will be on hand to help unload and sort the items. For questions about proper disposal of other materials, interested persons may consult the 2010 McHenry County Green Guide online at www.mchenry.edu/recycling. Printed copies of the guide also are available at the Defenders’ office at 110 S. Johnson St. in Woodstock.

The Environmental Defenders Recycling Drive is held on the second Saturday of each month at alternating locations in Woodstock and McHenry. For more details, visit the Defenders’ website at www.mcdef.org or phone (815) 338-0393 during normal business hours. The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County is a citizen-based, 501c3 not-for-profit organization, dedicated to the preservation and improvement of the environment.

Lot On Tonight's Crystal Lake Council Agenda

Crystal Lake City Council meets this evening beginning at 7:30 p.m in the Council Chambers, 100 West Woodstock Street.

Objection To Zoning at Lucas Road and Route 14

The agenda includes, among others, an item seeking approval to file an objection with the County Board to a County Zoning request on property located at 8920 Lucas Road. This is located on the northwest corner of Route 14 and Lucas Road, catty-cornered from McHenry County College.

The property is located within the Crystal Lake Watershed and needs to be developed according to guidelines of the City's Watershed Ordinance. The petitioner desires to rezone the property from County A-1 Agriculture to B-1 Neighborhood Business district which allows a range of commercial uses. If the City makes an objection to the plan, it would cause a three-quarter majority vote on the County Board. Consideration of whether or not to object to the rezoning is before the City Council this evening.

Added Outdoor Storage for Fire-Rescue Department

Also to be considered is the request by the Crystal Lake Fire-Rescue Department for a Special Use Permit Amendment to allow outdoor storage for what is called a sea/land container located within a fenced area of the City's Wastewater Treatment plant site. This is a second container at this location and the request is to allow the location of the containers outside a fenced area. The containers provide storage for equipment used by the Crystal Lake, McHenry County and Lake County Specialized Response Team for various types of Rescue incidents. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommends approval of the request.

 

Home Depot Needs A Permit For Christmas Tree Sales

Home Depot is requesting a Temporary Use Permit to allow Christmas Tree Sales and other related items in front of their store between November 15, 2010 and January 1, 2011. Ordinarily, this is a request that is granted without City Council approval. However, Home Depot has had multiple violations of the City's ordinances during the past year. Although they were notified of the violations and received tickets for the violations, there is reportedly a lack of cooperation including failure to obtain a required permit from the County Health Department for food preparation and distribution. The company has been advised of the requirements and conditions for the Temporary Use Permit and all will be discussed by the Council with the petitioner at tonight's meeting.

 

Help With Retail Facade Upgrades

Another retailer is taking advantage of an opportunity for financial assistance to improve the retailer facade and commercial tenant improvement through a grant from the City's Commercial tenant Improvement Program. Fox River Glass & Mirror, 1055 Nimco, Units G & H is requesting $10,000 in matching grant funds to improve the facade of the facility they intend to occupy.

 

Fighting Ordinance Consideration

The Council is also to consider adoption of a Fighting Ordinance. This is the result of police personnel called to a physical altercation between parties. But many times the police are limited to provide a legal consequence when neither party wishes to sign a complaint. A Fighting Ordinance would allow police to intervene in a manner to reduce and /or negate fights within the City limits. A minimum fine would be $250 and the maximum fine, $1,000.

PACE Paratransit Funding

A contract for the 2011 Pace Paratransit Local Share Agreement is to be considered by the Council. The agreement for the 2011 year is caped at $137,229 and is $1,607 less than the current contract. Continued participation in the program provides added Pace us service between Crystal Lake, McHenry and Woodstock as well as areas of McHenry and Dorr Townships. A Pilot Program complementing existing City Dial-A-Ride services and ridership is also provided for the Cities of Crystal Lake, McHenry and Woodstock, Townships of Dorr and McHenry and the Pioneer Center.

 

Assistance For Walking or Biking to School

The Council is also to consider a resolution of support for funding of a multi-use path along Country Club Road which can be used for safe walking or biking on the South Side of Country Club Road. The Safe Routes to School program allows school districts to apply for up to three infrastructure projects and three non-infrastructure projects in each funding cycle. The limit is a total of $250,000 for all infrastructure projects submitted to the Illinois Safe Routes to School program. It is considered that this project would connect to a current bike path that currently ends at Country Club Road to the sidewalk network southeast of Crystal Lake. It is felt that this additional path would allow students in the County Club area to have a safe place to walk to and from school. Also students living in some areas of the Wedgewood Subdivision would have an opportunity to walk safely to school.

Tax Levy Time

A tax Levy and Assessment of Taxes is also to be considered by the Council. The total amount appropriated is $78,914,980. The amount of the tax levy is $14,332,103. This is the amount that will be levied on all property within the city limits.

 

This Is National Influenza Vaccination Week

McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) recognizes National Influenza Vaccination Week (Dec. 5-11) as an important opportunity to encourage residents to get their annual flu shot.  The national campaign will focus each day on a specific audience starting with the general public, then families, chronically ill persons, employees, older adults (65+) and young adults (19-24).  Getting vaccinated is the single best way for people to protect not only themselves against flu, but their loved ones as well.

Fran Stanwood, MCDH Director of Nursing, states, “Vaccination of high risk persons, such as seniors, pregnant women and people with chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease and asthma, is especially important to decrease their risk of severe flu illness. Since children younger than 6 months are too young to be vaccinated, people who care for or live with them should also be vaccinated.”  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone over 6 months of age should receive the flu shot. Other ways to reduce the spread of flu include:

Practice good hygiene to avoid flu germs The vaccine prevents most but not all cases of flu so it is still important to avoid infection. Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use a 60% alcohol-based hand rub. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. 

If you or a loved one gets the flu. Don't spread it to others. People infected with flu may be able to infect others from one day before feeling symptoms to about 5-7 days after getting sick. If you become ill with influenza symptoms, stay home and avoid contact with other people except to seek medical care. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

Call 815-334-4500 for information on influenza or MCDH’s walk-in flu clinics (Woodstock, Crystal Lake) or online at http://www.mcdh.info/.  

Continuing and Professional Education Classes At MCC

McHenry County College’s Office of Continuing and Professional Education is offering a wide variety of non-credit, online courses that start every month. The next class session begins Dec. 8 and runs for six weeks.

Highly interactive courses are available in numerous subjects, including accounting, business, computer applications, design and composition, health care and medical, language and arts, law and legal, personal development, teaching and education, technology, and writing and publishing.

Partnered with Ed2Go, this online format includes expert instructors, many of whom are nationally known authors.

The following courses are accepting registration:

·       Creating Web Pages: Features the basics of HTML so you can design, create, and post your very own site on the Web. Cost: $105.

·       The Craft of Magazine Writing: provides the skills you need to get published. Cost: $105.

·       Certificate in Gerontology: Students can earn a certificate proving they have the skills required to meet the health care needs of a rapidly aging population. Cost: $205. (40 contact hours)

·       Explore a Career in Medical Coding: Provides instruction on CPT manual and the ICD-9-CM to find medical codes for any disease, condition, treatment, or surgical procedure. Cost: $105.

·       Medical Terminology: Prepares students for a career in the health services industry by learning medical terminology in a memorable and enjoyable fashion. Cost: $105.

·       Intro to Photoshop CS4: Teaches students how to use Adobe Photoshop CS4 to edit images, process photos, and create original graphics. Cost: $105.

·       Speed Spanish: Learn six easy recipes to glue Spanish words together into sentences, and you'll be engaging in conversational Spanish quickly. Cost: $105.

To view a complete list of these online course offerings through MCC, check the web at: www.ed2go.com/mchenrycc or contact Dee Comella at (815) 479-7591 or email her at dcomella@mchenry.edu.

McHenry County Board Chairman Remains The Same

McHenry County Board members chose a Chairman Monday morning during the organizational meeting of the Board. Ken Koehler, District 2, was re-elected to another term as chairman. He has served in this capacity since first being elected to the position by board members in December 2004 and being re-elected every two years since.

There was a contest for the seat offered by the nomination of Marc Munaretto, District 1. Following discussion regarding the candidates, the nominating process and some of its considerations, the vote for Koehler won out 15 to 8 over Munaretto.

During discussion by Board members regarding the two nominees for Board Chair, remarks were heard concerning term limits for the position, however, nothing was proposed at this time to make a change in the current rules which does not include term limits.

John Jung, of District 5 was elected as Vice Chair of the Board. He previously served as vice-chair before he was unseated from the Board by Democratic candidate Paula Yensen in 2008. Jung unseated another Democratic Board member, Jim Kennedy, in the November 2010 election.  

Other housekeeping matters accomplished by the Board included the reseating of Board members who chose to move to a different seat and the appointment of members to a Committee on Committees, to set up committee appointments for the new term.

Presentation- "Housing and The Economy -- Creating Jobs and Revenue"

The McHenry County Housing Commission is offering a Community Education event entitled “Housing McHenry County – Reality… Challenge… and Opportunity”.

The event is taking place tomorrow, --Tuesday, December 7, 2010 - 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 pm

McHenry County Administration Building

667 Ware Road

Woodstock IL, 60098

The keynote will be nationally recognized housing professional Dr. Elliot Eisenburg presenting “Housing and the Economy – Creating Jobs and Revenue”.

Dr. Eisenburg is Senior Economist for the National Home Builders Association (NAHB) in Washington, D.C. He has been featured in Business Week, Forbes Fortune, most national and local newspapers and in many other publications. The first event in an educational series, the forum will elevate community awareness centering around housing issues in McHenry County.

Monday Meetings for High School District 155 Committees and Board

The Curriculum, Staff Development and Student Services Committee of High School District 155 Board will meet Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. in the Center for Education, One South Virginia Street, Crystal Lake. The agenda for the meeting includes Grading Committee Update, New Courses Update and Technology Update, all presented by staff members in charge of the respective updates.

The entire Board of District 155 will meet at 7:00 p.m. in the same location for a meeting regarding collective negotiating matters between the School District and its employees or their representatives. This will be in executive session as permitted by the Closed Meetings Act.

Crystal Lake Ad Hoc Clean Air Counts Advisory Committee Meets Monday Evening

A full agenda faces the Crystal Lake Ad Hoc Clean Air Counts Advisory Committee when it meets Monday at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 100 West Woodstock Street, Crystal Lake.

Several City Updates are scheduled for presentation including the Crystal Lake Draft Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility Master Plan, Safe Routes to School, and Rain Barrels.

Clean Air Counts Participation Status is on the agenda for a report as well as a proposal for hosting and promoting a Bike with Your Neighbors Event.

Under Implement/Promote Fleet Management and Commuter Choice Measures, a category of no-idling signs at local schools is listed for consideration.

Also a number of programs for promotion include RecycleBank, Chamber of Commerce/Business Involvement; and Recycling Update.

New McHenry County Board Forms Monday Morning

McHenry County Board meets Monday morning beginning at 9:00 in the County Board Room of the Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock. This is the first meeting of the "new" board, that is, the board is reorganizing since the most recent election.

Most of the considerations by the Board have to do with organizing the new Board including the nomination and voting for a chairman and vice-chairman. Once that is determined the oath of office is administered to the new officers.

Temporary committee appointments will be made, however, a committee of committees will be appointed to determine the committee memberships for the next ten years. Additionally, the reseating of the members is also scheduled to take place. Any other necessary business may also be handled.