McHenry County Collection Efforts Pay Off

The McHenry County State's Attorneys Office, with assistance of the McHenry County Circuit Clerk, Kathy Keefe, has recovered over $250,000 in outstanding fines and court costs owed the County from traffic and criminal offenders.

In January, 2009 a contract was entered into with Alliance One Receivables Managements, Inc., an outside collections agency to recover outstanding fines and court costs due the County on cases that have been closed by the courts.

This collection comes at no cost to the taxpayers as all costs are passed onto the delinquent offenders. This money would have remained largely unpaid without these efforts which help ease financial pressures for McHenry County and the taxpayers.

Government Affairs of Wednesday

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19

8:15 a.m.—McHenry County Board Transportation Committee

Meets in the McHenry County Division of Transportation, 16111 Nelson Road, Woodstock.

Bridge projects dominate the agenda for this Committee. Included is the recommended approval for the acquisition of right-if-way for the North Union Road Bridge Project, as well as for the Alden Road Bridge Project. Also, recommended approval for a wetland agreement for the Lawrence Road Bridge project and appropriation of the necessary funds for same is also included on the agenda. Final approval is made by the County Board.

7:30 p.m. Crystal Lake Planning and Zoning Commission

The meeting, usually conducted on the first and third Wednesday evening of the month, has been cancelled for this week. The next scheduled meeting is Wednesday, February 2.

High School District 155 Board Meeting This Evening

7:30 p.m.—High School District 155 Board

High School District 155 will meet this evening at 7:30 in the Center for Education, One South Virginia Road. The agenda for the meeting indicates the Board will handle numerous routine matters such as approval of bills; hear reports regarding National Board Certified Teachers and New Faculty Induction Program. Consideration is to be given to a report on Crystal Lake South High School Improvement Plan. Also to be considered is appointment, employment compensation, discipline performance or dismissal of employees and collective negotiating matters between the School District and its employees.

Watching Government

Cancelled Meeting

The McHenry County Tuberculosis Care and Treatment Board meeting scheduled Tuesday morning has been cancelled.

7:00 p.m. District 47 Board—West School

School District 47 Board of Education is meeting at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday in West Elementary School, 100 Briarwood, Crystal Lake. In addition to board consideration of necessary matters relating to finances, employment, resignations, leaves and other personnel matters, the board is also to consider the first reading of a number of policy sections. The Board also is expected to consider the 2011-2012 calendar and staffing requirements for the same period.

It is also noted that the February Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 22 in North Elementary School. This is also a changed date from the regular meeting date due to Presidents Day.

The next scheduled meeting of the Board is Monday, January 31 in the C.O.R.E. Center for Financial Review

7:00 p.m. McHenry County Board

Meeting takes place in the County Board Room of the Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock.

Two zoning matters are before the County Board for approval. One is for property located at 4111 East Wonder Lake Road, Wonder Lake. The property owners are seeking a reclassification from B-2 Business to B-1 Neighborhood Business District with a conditional use permit to allow three existing apartments on the property. The ZBA recommended approval of the request.

A second zoning request involves property located on the northwest corner of Lucas Road and U.S. Route 14, kitty-corner from McHenry County College. The petitioner, Kabir-Pramukh Realty, Inc., is in the business of locating retail and convenience stores. This company owned the property for five years, purchasing it as an investment. It has been vacant for Surrounding property, except for MCC, is zoned agriculture. The property is also located in an area of sensitive aquifers and an area for possible location of the Blanding's Turtle.

One resident was present to express opposition to the planned zoning citing the sensitive aquifers as well as the numerous accidents at that intersection. The zoning board voted 5-1 approval of the requested zoning. The final decision is up to the County Board.

Several ordinances are scheduled to be adopted by the County Board setting various fines in the building code.

7:30 p.m.- Crystal Lake City Council

This is expected to be a short meeting. In addition to the routine reports, the Council is expected approve an ordinance authorizing a Historic Landmark designation for the Paul Bertram House at 50 Caroline Street. A grant is to be requested by the Council for the renovation of a building on Erick Street for a manufacturer.

A new business, Exclusively Napa, LLC is seeking a Special Use Permit for a Drinking Place at 35 N. Williams Street. The new business is seeking a Special Use Permit to locate the business at 35 N. Williams Street.

Approval of a resolution is being sought authorizing the execution of the Local Agency Agreement for Federal Participation with IDOT for construction and Phase III Engineering of the Pingree Road Segment 3 Improvement.

A one-year review of the Unified Development Ordinance is also on the agenda.

MCC Financial Aid Workshop

A hands-on workshop to complete the federal financial aid form online using college computers will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24 at McHenry County College in Room A121.

Staff members from the Office of Financial Aid and Veteran Services at MCC will help students and/or parents complete the online form for the 2011/2012 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA form is the required document that students must complete in order to be considered for federal and state grants, work-study, and student loans.

Appointments are required. Call (815) 455-8761 beginning Feb. 1 to schedule an appointment and receive important details.

A Special Graduation Coming January 25

The 22nd Judicial Circuit of McHenry County Mental Health Court will host its 4th Graduation Ceremony on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. The ceremony is open to the public and will take place in Courtroom 204 at McHenry County Government Center. Guests are required to use the Government Center’s East Entrance. The ceremony includes a presentation on the Illinois Mental Health Courts Study which will be conducted by Monte Staton of Loyola University and the presentation of Graduation Certificates by Mental Health Court Presiding Judge, Honorable Charles P. Weech.

The MHC is a voluntary program designed to serve defendants who are struggling with mental illness and are currently involved in the criminal justice system of McHenry County. In lieu of traditional punishment, the MHC diverts defendants with diagnosed mental illness away from the criminal justice system by offering alternative court, intensive judicial and community supervision, and treatment. The goals of the MHC are to reduce recidivism and promote self-sufficiency by offering community based treatment alternatives to incarceration.

The 4th Graduation ceremony will be a time of celebration and reflection for four (4) program graduates who have worked so hard to improve their lives and we commend them for their efforts. This brings the program’s graduation total to 25 individuals since its inception in April of 2007. The MHC is extremely proud to say that the program has a post graduation recidivism rate of only 8%!

The MHC would not be possible without the McHenry County Board, McHenry County Court Administration, McHenry County Mental Health Board, McHenry County Department of Health, McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office, McHenry County Public Defender’s Office, McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, Family Service and Community Mental Health Center and various other mental health service providers.

For questions pertaining to the Mental Health Court, please contact Scott Block at 815-334-4913.

Martin Luther King Birthday--Government Buildings And Schools Closed

The birthday of Martin Luther King is being celebrated today, although the birth date is January 15. All government offices and schools are closed.

District 47 Board meeting scheduled to meet this evening is moved to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday and is being held in West Elementary School, 100 Briarwood Road.

The McHenry County Mental Health Board meeting is rescheduled to January 24 at 7:00 p.m. in the Mental Health Offices, 620 Dakota Street, Crystal Lake.