McHenry County Blog

Yesterday, I wrote,

“I guess I shouldn't complain that the county board has finally figured out that Crystal Lake is in McHenry County and that every facility doesn't have to be at the Hebron site in Woodstock. It really seems to make sense that there be some outposts that are more conveniently located for the majority of taxpayers than is the county government center.”

So, why is the health department the only arm of county government with an outpost where most of the people are?

What about the inconveniently located court system?

I have referred to the current courthouse as the “Hebron site” since it was selected.

It is hard to imagine a more inconvenient location in our county seat.

So, why haven't county board members from Districts 1, 2, 3 and 5 pushed for a closer location for traffic court?

Why hasn't some village board or city council offered to rent a room to county government?

Maybe it's just easier for Home Rule units to pass ordinances mimicking state traffic law and avoid county government completely. That, of course, eliminates the fees that county government would otherwise collect.

But, the southeastern McHenry County municipal officials whose police write tickets based on state law, rather than local ordinances, still force motorists to go to Woodstock to have them processed by county government.

Ending this inconvenience certainly should be a plank in any county board candidacy from the southeastern part of McHenry County.

Those living in Algonquin, Cary, Fox River Grove, Barrington Hills, Crystal Lake, Lakewood, Huntley, etc., should not have to drive all the way to Woodstock.

It's more convenient, if one lives in most of the McHenry area.

Folks ticketed in McHenry, Island Lake, Lakemoor, Port Barrington, Holiday Hills, McCullom Lake, Prairie Grove and Spring Grove only have to drive to McHenry for a branch traffic court. (Inexplicitly, Johnsburg residents still have to go to Woodstock.)

Labels: Algonquin, Branch Court, Cary, Crystal Lake, Fox River Grove, Lake In the Hills, McHenry County Board, Traffic Court

The McHenry County Health Department, a.k.a, the wannabe McHenry County Republican Cat Tax Collectors are back.

The have identified two rabid bats in Cary.

That's pretty close.

And, one got inside.

In a basement.

Don't play coy.

You know about basements.

You run through the basement door any chance you get.

Then Cat Mom has to use those cat wipie dipes to clean off the dirt.

Now, if she reads this article, she might be more worried that you would get bitten by a rabid bat.

You are so lucky that she doesn't read McHenry County Blog.

No word on whether the McHenry County Board will try to force house cats to have rabies shots, while ignoring those barn cats that may be in real danger.

"If it's all the same with you, Cat Dad, I'd rather sleep."

Labels: Cary, Keely, McHenry County Public Health Department, McHenry County Republican Cat Tax, Rabit Bat

I admire the creativity of “Heck of a Guy” Crystal Lake blogger Allan Showalter.

He looked at the Cary gravel pits new web site www.CaryIllinois.org and wrote another story--Directions to CaryIllinois.org--about it.

I looked at the Interstate directional signs on top of his story.

Had the Fox Valley Expressway, which would have been known at the Fox Valley Tollway, been built there might have been exit signs to Cary.

Showalter’s suggestions?

Under “ROAD DIVIDERS” appears,The word “Quarry” appears to be the new name for Cary.

A second sign for “LAST EXIT”


But it doesn’t end there.

Showalter has turned the masthead of the new web site into a massive billboard.

It features the town’s purported slogan,


Another billboard features a young woman dancing with an I-Pod in her ear.


are the biggest letters.

Below is

This is typical of Showalter’s sense of humor.

I encourage you to read the entire article.

And visit CaryIllinois.org. They have periodic news updates like Mayor Steve Loamal winning the noodling contest.

Last Sunday I posted this article about the new web site.

Labels: Allan Showalter, Cary, Gravel Pit, Heck of a Guy, Signs

Yesterday, I wrote an article on the Cary gravel pit opponents’ new web site.

They have picked up the name www.caryillinois.org.

How about that?

It sounds like the official web site for Cary, Illinois, doesn’t it?

It’s not.

It is skillful ridicule of the Cary politicians who want to put a gravel pit on the second side of Fox Trails subdivision.

Today, I thought I’d look at how the two videos that the group has produced. (Actually, it's Bruce David Janu Janu who deserves the credit for this wonderful citizen guerilla warfare.)

Today, I thought I’d look at how the two videos that the group has produced. (Actually, it’s Bruce David Janu who deserves the credit for this wonderful citizen guerrilla warfare.)

The first one,


has been seen by 865 viewers. It gives the ownership of Meyer Material, the used-to-be local company in a most gripping manner. It was 789 when I last checked in on July 25th.

The main web site of the opponents is


The second video, “Beautiful Cary” is more into ridicule than information and it succeeds so well. 608 have viewed it so far, even though it is over 7 minutes long. It was 515 on July 25th.

I love the dust angle part.


So How Are the Cary Gravel Pit Opponents Videos Doing

Yesterday, I wrote an article on the Cary gravel pit opponents’ new web site.

They have picked up the name www.caryillinois.org.

How about that?

It sounds like the official web site for Cary, Illinois, doesn’t it?

It’s not.

It is skillful ridicule of the Cary politicians who want to put a gravel pit on the second side of Fox Trails subdivision.

Today, I thought I’d look at how the two videos that the group has produced. (Actually, it’s Bruce David Janu who deserves the credit for this wonderful citizen guerilla warfare.)

The first one,
“Cary, Illinois: A Gravel Pit Community?”
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6546217386573707509
has been seen by 865 viewers. It gives the ownership of Meyer Material, the used-to-be local company in a most gripping manner. It was 789 when I last checked in on July 25th. http://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2007/07/cary-gravel-pit-video-wins-snarky.html

The main web site of the opponents is “Stop the Quarry in Cary.” http://noquarry.blogspot.com/

The second video, “Beautiful Cary” http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3261632258347602099 is more into ridicule than information and it succeeds so well. 608 have viewed it so far, even though it is over 7 minutes long. It was 515 on July 25th.

I love the dust angle part.

They have certainly got more 378 views that my YouTube posting of Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley and developer Bill Cellini talking about condemnation at the Wal-Mart shopping center have gotten.

Labels: Bruce David Janu, Cary, Gravel Pit, Meyer Material, Stop the Quarry

Those crazy gravel pit opponents in Cary continue to crack me up.

They have just put up an “Official” web site for the Village of Cary. It's www.caryillinois.org.

Looks real at first glance, doesn't it?

This is citizen guerrilla warfare at its best.

It even comes with fake ads. the fine print is worth clicking on them so you will be able to read it.

At the top of its home page is


Three pieces of mining equipment are on the masthead.

Underneath is the slogan,


Another welcome and, below,
And below that is a sign-in form for gravel pits.

“If you are a mining company and wish to mine in Cary, please fill out the form below. Someone from the Village will get back to you shortly.”

That is too much!

Besides contact information, the company is asked, “What would you like to mine?”

A drop down box lists all sorts of minerals.

It has me howling.

Read the list:

Aluminum
Amber
Anything
Bauxite
Clay
Coal
Copper
Diamonds
Dinosour bones
Dirt
Emeralds
Everything
Fluoride
Fossilized dung
Gold
Granite
Gravel
Gypsum
Iron ore
Lead
Loam
Natural gas
Nothing, I’m just digging
Peat
Peridotite
Petroleum
Plutonium
Pretty rocks
Rubies
Salt
Sand
Sea Shells
Silver
Sulfur
Uranium
Very big rocks
Worms
Zinc

OK. Maybe it’s funnier on the new web site.

Next comes the questions:

"Yearly donation to the village?"

"In addition to the above per annum, what else are you willing to donate to Cary?"

"Nothing

"A very big hole

"A murky lake

"Pollution, dust and noise"

Then, there is a disclaimer.

Here’s the first line:

“This site is political satire and parody. If you are looking for the real Village of Cary website, click here.”

You have to read the questions and answers, especially, the one about how "caryillinois.com" web site was obtained.

It will be an eye opener to other governmental entities, I'll bet.

There’s a history of Cary. It’s a hoax, of course, but read this paragraph:

"In 1842, while digging a latrine for his burgeoning family, William (Cary) hit a pocket of gravel. The gravel was strong and the layer was vast. While running some errands in Crystal Lake, William mentioned his find to Cornelius Meyer, the owner of a local general store. Cornelius not only collected what he called "pretty rocks," he provided gravel to locals who needed it for building supplies."

For those of you new to the controversy, the gravel pit that wants to expand its next door Algonquin pit to a second side of Fox Trails subdivision is Meyer Materials.

There’s even a mayor’s welcome, complete with letter.

It is signed satirically by

Mayor Stan Loamal

PS. When visiting Cary, please stop by the Visitor's Center across from the railroad station and pick up your complimentary dust mask, courtesy of Meyer Material Co.

The real village president, who insists on the title "mayor," is Steven Lamal.

On another page is a map of Cary with every big vacant parcel showing a gravel pit.

Tourism is on another.

There is a Pit Czar ink.

The guy’s name is Chairman “Jon” Turncoatier.

An outsider like myself can only wonder what that is all about. The page seems to be making fun of the chairman of Cary’s Zoning Board of Appeals. It says that he changed his name to “Chairman” because that’s all anyone ever called him anyway.

I guarantee there is no way that I can capture everything worth looking at on this new “official” web site for the Village of Cary.

Look at it yourself.

All the images may be enlarged by clicking on them, but why not enjoy the original.

It's so much fun.

Labels: Cary, Gravel Pit, Steven Lamal

“One Heck of a Guy” blogger Allan Showalter has done it again.

Applying his advanced sense of humor to the efforts by Cary Village President Steve Lamal (who calls himself "Mayor"...did you know village presidents got a law passed allowing them to call themselves “Mayor?” Thanks to a municipal attorney for cluing me in.) and village trustees to approve a gravel pit west of the Fox Trails subdivision to match the one south of the development, approved by the Village of Algonquin has resulted in an article longer than this run-on sentence.

(I blame my convoluted sentences on having taken German.)

In any event, Showalter thoroughly examines the Cary gravel pit opponents’ “chamber of commerce” video and decides it’s worthy of


He observes,

“While it’s painful to admit, I’m unable to camouflage the fact that this post falls into the do-good and community-oriented classifications.”

And

“Oddly, the residents of Cary, particularly those with homes near the company- picked site - an area zoned for residential use only - are not unanimously in favor of the proposal. Some, in fact, are perversely opposed to a mine operating across the street.”

You should really watch the videos, prepared by Cary's Bruce Janu:

the 4 minute and 12 second one about the threat, viewed 789 times and

the 7 minute and 34 seconds one "chamber of commerce" one, viewed 515 times.


= = = = =
The montages are from the "chamber of commerce" video by way of "One Heck of A Guy" blog. They can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Labels: Bruce Janu, Cary, Gravel Pit, Heck of a Guy, Meyer Material, One Heck of a Guy

474 for the newest video that starts like a typical chamber of commerce promotion and then turns bitingly satirical. If you don't want to watch the video, but want a flavor, I hope you can get it here.

The original video, which points out the Swiss ownership of Meyer Material, among other things, has been viewed by 777 people. My article on it can be found here.

The little girl is seen making "dust angels" in the second video. I'm listening to the audio as I type this and it has me chuckling again.

Labels: Cary, Gravel Pit, Meyer Material

I've written before about two Village Presidents who want to be called "Mayor."

To be a mayor, of course, one has to govern something called “a city.”

Although Cary is “a village,” Steve Lamal apparently doesn't like the title of “Village President.”

Look at this old city vehicle sticker from 1965.

It says,
I have removed the number on the sticker to protect my source.

It appears that the stickers cannot be easily removed.

Labels: Cary, Steven Lamal, Village Sticker

The Cary Gravel Pit opponents have come up with another video, “Welcome to Cary.”

It’s to the right on top of the blog, "Stop the Quarry in Cary", as of Tuesday when this was written.

The video looks like a Chamber of Commerce production until it gets to the line,

"And Cary also has beautiful gravel pits."

This is a video that Cary developers and others wanting to attract people to Cary should do everything they can to get removed from the internet.

It’s a “hit ‘em in the pocketbook” video. It reminds me of the 2000 Saturday picket signs telling people driving on Algonquin Road near some model homes that high power lines were going to go behind the homes they were looking at. I’m pretty sure the developer joined their cause.

If it stays on the internet, it will be out there greeting those thinking of moving to Cary.

I doubt many people who look at it would give Cary a second thought.

Not only is the Meyer Material pit shown, but so are gravel trucks.

Next there is a hilarious series of interviews of people who say they have moved to Cary because of the gravel pits.

A father relates why his family moved to Cary:

"We moved to Cary because it was the best place to raise our kids. It has a small town atmosphere and great schools..but, most of all, it has gravel pits.”

A little tyke in one of those little red and yellow cars wearing a mask can be seen on the sidewalk.

“I love gravel pits,” the little boy says.

“We’re so happy we moved to Cary so we could enjoy the gravel pits,” the wife of an older couple says. “It’s one of the reasons we came here. We heard how beautiful they were.”

“Yeah, we like the schools and the parks,” another man says, “but what really brought us here to Cary, honestly--the gravel pits. They are gorgeous. I just can’t imagine Cary without them. And you know what, I heard at one time Cary didn’t allow gravel pits. Can you believe it? A town without gravel pits?" He then greets a neighbor wearing a mask.

“Really, it’s the gravel pits that give Cary a sense of community. I don’t know where we’d be without them.”

‘I love drawing in the dust,” another little boy tells his mother, who points out that crayons are expensive, while dust is free.

“I just love making dust angels…all year long,” another little girl explains.

"I love this pit. It’s just like my own personal Grand Canyon,” the final man adds before he has a coughing fit. “It’s the reason I moved here,” he says before urging others to Cary.

Here’s the concluding description of the Village of Cary:

A small, dusty, loud community in suburban Chicago. A Main Street Gravel Pit USA Community.

And the next line is too funny:

Cary is owned and operated by Meyer Material Company,

which is owned and operated by Aggregate Industries,

which is owned and operated by Holcim, Ltd.

After that is read comes a cough and then two more, plus a little girl saying, “I like gravel pits,” before she coughs.

The original video, which I have praised as the best zoning opposition video I have ever seen, has been viewed 557 times. Click on “See the Movie” near the top right of the screen. The first video is the second on Google's list of videos.

I wonder when the Daily Herald, the Northwest Herald or the Chicago Tribune will notice the videos. They certainly are an innovation in McHenry County politics.

The group has has also been doing its homework on the pollution violations of Meyer Materials Swiss-based owner, Holcim, Ltd.. Take a look at EPA Violations by owners of Meyer Material Co.

There is also an estimate of the Cary subdivisions that will be affected by the doubling the size of Meyer Materials’ gravel pit.

The next meeting will be Thursday night at 7:30 at the Holiday Inn in Crystal Lake. I’d be there, but there is a McHenry Marlins swim meet. If anyone wants to take and email me some photos, I’ll be happy to put them up on McHenry County Blog.

All the images come from the second video, except the Google video search for "Cary, Illinois." All can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Labels: Cary, Gravel Pit, Holcim Ltd, Meyer Material

Enter into the land of internet communication on a local zoning issue by clicking on

“Stop the Quarry in Cary.”

The latest entry was June 7th, five days ago.

It is entitled,

NIMBY....not quite

and has two hostile comments from those who think Cary should take the $250,000 per year from Meyer Material.

Earlier, on June 2nd, a posting includes a documentary link:

Cary, Illinois: A Gravel Pit Community?

This is a first class production, which I believe will become the template for future McHenry County zoning fights. Anyone interested in local political issues needs to see what can be done on the internet.

(When I wrote this article at 4 PM Monday afternoon, 128 people had viewed the mini-documentary. In contrast, McHenry County Blog's posting of Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley's comments on how condemnation would not be used [ha-ha] on YouTube, posted January 17th, has been viewed 335 times.)

It includes information on the danger of dust, even dust particles too small to see, other places a gravel pit might be approved in Cary, plus information about the date of the next Cary Village Board meeting.

May 26th, this was published:

The GRAVEL PIT--What it Means for Cary

In the comment section, it is revealed that Meyer Material is now owned by a Swiss firm, Holcim Ltd. Marengo’s Paveloc Industries is under the same ownership.

A commenter named James says he thinks the village is leaning against zoning the pit. That would be a switch from earlier indications.

The same day, the group posted a leaflet that opponents could download:

OUR FIRST FLYER--DOWNLOAD IT NOW!

May 25th, the web site was launched:

Welcome to the Stop the Quarry in Cary Website

McHenry County Blog has posted three earlier articles on the gravel pit proposal:

Cary Election’s Over – We’re Going to Dig a Gravel Pit Behind Your Home

More Recent Cary Action on Meyer Materials Proposed Grave Pit

Cary Gravel Pit Deal Seems to Have Been Cut

Labels: Cary, Gravel Pit, Holcim Ltd, Meyer Material, Paveloc, Stop the Quarry

The village government of Cary is now officially in the real estate business.

It has paid $725,000 to purchase 132 feet of Route 14 and 127 feet on Second Street.

The three buildings, two of which are being demolished, bear East Main Street addresses.

The previous owner sold them last December to the Village of Cary.

They were purchased in 1996 for, west-to-east, for $140,000, $76,000, and $108,000 respectively.

A total of $324,000.

I don’t know how much real estate has apprecia

= = = = =
On top you can see the lots where two houses were demolished last last week, plus a close-up of the Langos Corp. banner. Langos is the demolition company. Below is the third house bought by the Village of Cary, which remains up because of a lease that has not run out, I'm told. Thanks to a friend of McHenry County Blog for the pictures.

Labels: Cary, Demolition, Langos Corp, TIF

Since the Northwest Herald has written an article on the proposed expansion of the Meyer Materials gravel pit in Cary, perhaps it’s time to remind folks of its history.

Jocelyn Allison’s story brings the story up-to-date, but does not delve into the history, which goes at least back to Feb. 7, 2006.

My thanks to the Cary Area Citizens for Responsible Government
for leading me to the source documents.

Folks might find interesting how far back this gravel pit was discussed and how it just popped into public view right after village elections were over:

Cary Election’s Over – We’re Going to Dig a Gravel Pit Behind Your Home

More Recent Cary Action on Meyer Materials Proposed Grave Pit

Cary residents might want to read how this is all but a “done deal” and how money is the motivation for the village to approve the Meyer Material application.

= = = = =
I guess the question marks ought to come off the map above, which was put on the internet by Cary Area Citizens for Responsible Government.

Labels: Cary, Cary Area Citizens for Responsible Government, Fox Trails, Gravel Pit, Meyer Material

Yesterday, McHenry County Blog laid out what is in the minutes of the Cary Village Board for February 7, 2006.

That seems to be the day village board members agreed to trade $250,000 a year for ten years (or more) of noise and dust for some of their Fox Trails constituents.

Today, let’s look that some more information mentioned in the January 16, 2007, minutes.

As the Cary Area Citizens for Responsible Government point out,

…the Village Administrator provided an update on the three "revenue initiatives" - "the Cimmaron Project, Meyer pit proposal and the investment policy initiative"…

The group asks if residents knew about this report and supply this reply:

Probably not, since all of these items were discussed after the executive session part of the meeting under "Any and All Other Business".

Is Meyer Material asking the Village of Cary for permission to expand the existing pit into incorporated Cary?

We don't know because all attempts at getting any information through the Freedom of Information Act, including documents that were presented to the board, has been blocked by the Village Staff and the Village Attorney.

Why can't the residents of Cary get information on what is happening in their own backyards?

Oh, according to the letter to neighboring property owners in Fox Trails, the Chally property will be reforested, and there will be a lake and walking trails on over 80 acres, plus 15 acres of future commercial development along Route 31.

Oh, yes.

There will be dust blowing from the west until the mining is completed.

There will be probably noise to awaken you and maybe to put you and your children to bed.

But, there’s nothing about those possibilities in the risk manager’s letter.

The neighborhood will have to pry that out at village board meetings where the deal has pretty much already been decided upon.

= = = = =
Thanks to Cary Area Citizens for Responsible Government for the zoning map and pointing McHenry County Blog to the minutes. Google deserves credit for the satellite map of the current pits and proposed one on the north.

Labels: Cary, Cary Area Citizens for Responsible Government, Challey Property, Fox Trails, Meyer Material

After hearing about the pressure Cary has put on property owners in the Route 14 Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District to sell their businesses to a certain favored developer, why should I be surprised that one day after the village board elections that Fox Trails homeowners backing up to the farmland to their west?

But I am.

You can see the letter to the right. Click on it, if you want to enlarge the image.

Dated just one day after the election in which three of the four on the incumbent slate were re-elected comes a letter from the risk manager of Meyer Material Company.

“We would be more than happy to entertain any questions that you might have regarding the re-zoning of this property,” writes risk manager Randi Willi.

What the letter does not explicitly state, but minutes from the Village of Cary going back at least to February 7, 2006, (go almost the bottom of the document; way down to page 11) make pretty clear is that the village board is ready and willing to trade $250,000 a year for ten years or more, plus sales tax from a Route 31 commercial development, for cooperating with Meyer Material in surrounding still more of this area with still another gravel pit.

Those wanting details should file a Freedom of Information request for the “project proposal binder” mentioned in those minutes. If you have any trouble, I’ll put you in touch with the right person at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. My number is in the phone book.

And, the village board got to talk to Meyer Material’s president, Steve Warnke, not its risk manager.

The minutes state that Mayor (sic, he’s a village president, not a mayor) Lamal “asked the Board for their comments.”

Trustee Hill noted that she did not have any comments at this time. Trustee Kierna noted that he did not have any comments at this time. Trustee Adams asked how the donation amount was figured….Trustee Barnes noted that she did not have any comments at this time.

Trustee Van Oost asked how the Village would be compensated if the agreement went over the ten year period…(and noted) she would request a penalty if fee in addition for anything over ten years.

Trustee McNamee asked how they proposed to secure the site and protect the surrounding neighbors. (He also asked for an independent engineering firm to review the proposal.)

Trustee McNamee also asked how the noise issues would be addressed. She pointed out that there is no access to the Chally Property from the Fox Trails Subdivision, as shown on the plans.

Mr. Warnke pointed out that there would be an intergovernmental agreement that the Village would also own the lake and the savannas (the Village would also own the previously mined property in Algonquin, adjacent to the Chally Property).

Trustee Barnes expressed her concerns for the neighbors and requested more detailed information on issues that would affect the neighbors.

Trustee Adams noted that he concurs with trustee McNamee’s request to get an outside source for engineering service review.

Trustee Van Oost (agreed with the two and) she also wants to add a disincentive to the length of mining operations….

Trustee McNamee said she wants the area closest to the residential area mined first opposed to the proposed steps as outlined on the presented plans.

Trustee Barnes noted this would be a great to look at and a lot to consider….

Trustee McNamee asked if the project can be done in six years (rather) than in ten years…

Mayor Lamal noted that if there is an agreement for this project, the Board will proceed with further discussion.

More tomorrow.

= = = = =
Thanks to Cary Area Citizens for Responsible Government for providing the map, plus pointing McHenry County Blog to the minutes.

Labels: Anne Van Oost, Cary, Debra McNamee, Fox Trails, Gravel Pit, Meyer Material, Steve Adams, Steve Warnke, Streve Lemal, Thomas Kierna, Yvonne Barnes

By now, you probably have picked up that I don’t think tax districts should use taxpayers’ money to advance referendums or candidates.

The law is pretty weak. Interpreting court decisions pretty much say that if the piece doesn’t say, “Vote Yes,” it’s OK to make homeowners pay for it.

That is nonsense, in my opinion, but I’m not an appellate court judge.

And, since we all know how valued locally elected officials are to state legislators, it is no wonder that the election interference law has not been made more sweeping.

The day before last week’s election, three of the insurgent Cary Village board candidates sent the following letter to McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi:

April 16, 2007

Office of the McHenry County State’s Attorney
Attn: Louis Bianchi
2200 N. Seminary Avenue
Woodstock, IL 60098

Dear Mr. Bianchi:

We are writing you this as a follow up to Raymond Chisholm’s Letter of March 26, 2007.

We believe the Village of Cary has prepared, produced, mailed out, and posted on their web page materials that are inconsistent with the Election code. We have enclosed documents for your review to assess whether or not our beliefs on these issues are valid.

First, enclosed please find a copy of the Annual Report. This document was delivered to Cary residents by mail the week of April 2nd. We agree that the information within the document should be of interest to Cary taxpayers; however we question the timing with which it was sent. The report covers fiscal information that ended April 30, 2006. It also includes a professional photo of current trustees, two of which were not on the board during the fiscal year represented in the report. We believe that since the information was almost a year old, it could have waited until after the April 17th election to be shared with Cary residents.

Secondly, the document refers residents to a Village created web site, launched on April 2, 2007, titled “Success Stories.” Again, this is great information to share with residents and should be on an ongoing basis. However, we believe that since this was the inaugural publication of “Success Stories,” it was blatant self promotion, immediately prior to an election, rather than an earnest effort to share information.

Next, during the week of April 9th, Cary residents received an eight page, four color booklet titled “Cary News”. We have enclosed both the most current issue as well as previous issues for you to consider. Cary News is a biannual publication sent to village residents. Previously, this document was sent to village residents in a two color format on recycled paper. The most current issue is a much more costly four color, glossy stocked, stapled booklet. Not only do we believe this too violates the Election Code, but we believe it to be an irresponsible use of tax payer monies since much of the information is a reiteration of the Annual Report. Again, we also question the timeliness of the mailing as it arrived less that a week before an election.

The total cost of printing and mailing for just the Annual Report was over $4,200.00. Based on the appearance and format of the “Cary News,” (it was likely more expensive). We four candidates feel that this is a misuse of public funds for political purposes and that tax payers of Cary should be reimbursed for all printing, postage, layout and production costs as well as the IT costs for putting it on the Village Web page.

It is our sincerest hope that you will thoughtfully consider our complaint and contact any of us, if you have any further questions regarding this matter.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,

Robert L Bragg, David C. Henry, Raymond G. Chisholm

It's obviously just a routine annual report, right?

That's why it emphasizes,

VILLAGE OF CARY IS IN ROCK SOLID FINANCIAL SHAPE

(More on that "rock solid financial shape" tomorrow.)

And, of course the pending election had nothing to do with the following being emphasized on the annual report's front page:

Only 5.2% of your property tax bill goes to the Village of Cary.

Labels: Cary, David Henry, Election Interference Act, Lou Bianchi, Ray Chisholm, Robert Bragg

I’m remiss for not having covered the Village of Cary’s recent municipal elections.

Reminding me of that not only the Northwest Herald about former State Senator Jack Schaffer’s involvement and, today, finding a political action committee filing on the Illinois State Board of Elections web site.

The Cary Area Citizens for Responsible Government filed registration papers in Springfield the day before the election.

The filing trigger is having raised or spent $3,000.

Listed as chairman of the committee is Schaffer. Mike Rein is the treasurer.

I’m told that only one member of the slate he was backing, Ray Chisholm, won election. The other seats were retained by the incumbents.

Schaffer lives on Spring Beach Road, outside of the village limits, although the precinct he worked for the Republican Party extended into Cary.

If you want a better look at the campaign sign, click on the image.

Labels: Cary, Cary Area Citizens for Responsible Government, Jack Schaffer, Ray Chisholm

Cary-area village Oakwood Hills is the home of Robert Stewart, a renowned artist who designs and crafts crystal boxes. Like his crystal-cutting colleague Kurt Stobach in Crystal Lake, Stewart uses large wheels to give sharp edges to his work.

Above is a large heart box with cut crystal sides and a mirrored bottom held together with twisted metal. It is seven inches from side to side and front to back at its longest and three inches high. When sunlight hits it, little rainbows fill the room.

Bob designed this at my request to give my wife while we were courting. Speaker Michael Madigan also gave one to his wife Shirley.

A Bowie knife was displayed in one of his crystal boxes, both gifts of Illinois Governor James R. Thompson, outside of President George H. W. Walker’s office,

If you call Bob today at 847-639-3017, he just might be able to finish one by Valentine’s Day. Click here to see a smaller version.

Bob’s email address is Stewartglass@sbcglobal.net

Labels: Cary, Crystal, Robert Stewart, StewArt