Crystal Lake Park Board member Cathy Cagle came up with an interesting idea to get the Park District out of contention concerning who controls Crystal Lake (the lake).
It was her second idea.
Deed the bottom of the lake in Lakewood to the village and that part located in Crystal Lake to the city.
Her first idea was to obtain Crystal Lake-specific legislation to give the Park District complete control.
Board attorney Eric Anderson put the kibosh on that by pointing out it would be special legislation.
I’ve seen end runs around that constitutional prohibition many times, but it was enforced on State Rep. David McSweeney’s McHenry County-specific statute concerning the abolishment of township government by referendum.
The basic issue started when former Park Board member Jane Franz proposed banning boats on Crystal Lake.
Needless to say, people who moved to Crystal Lake because they could take their boats on Crystal Lake did not react favorable.
Then, in 2019, the Park Board proposed an ordinance that pier owners considered threatening.
Deeding the bottom of the lake to the municipalities who control its surface would take the issue out of Pard District hands.
Then, Crystal Lake and Lakewood could pass pier ordinances if they wished.
