From a Friend of McHenry County Blog:
Notes from 2025-10-22 Crystal Lake Park District meeting related to Ecology IGA and conflict of interests
A friend of the McHenry County Blog previously summarized the part of the September 2025 Crystal Lake Park District board meeting discussing if members of the Board had a conflict of interest (https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/10/14/do-lakefront-property-owners-on-the-crystal-lake-park-board-have-a-conflict-of-interest/).
At the start of the meeting in Unfinished Business, Commissioner Cagle stated that the discussion of conflicts of interested wasn’t completed and said the members needed to recuse if they had a financial conflict of interest and disclose the reason.
She stated that a board member could also recuse if they had an ethical conflict of interest which she called “common law conflict”.
She stated that a Connecticut court held common law conflict of interest required recusal and Illinois might require recusal.
She then stated that given two members of the Park District Board and the Park Attorney were on the board of the Shoreline Property Owners Association (SPOA), she believed it was in the best interest to “clean this up” and moved to rescind leaving the old intergovernmental agreement (IGA) and have a new vote with recusals.
Attorney Anderson said that the Board could not require members to recuse but could only ask members to consider recusing and that “asking isn’t force”.
He also stated that it would be best if Commissioner Cagle were to move this to later in the meeting because he thought it would be helpful and was “trying to help” Commissioner Cagle.
Commissioner Hickey stated he was confused what he was voting for. President Tiesenga stated he wanted this on the agenda for next month.
There was clapping when there was discussion about Attorney Anderson recusing himself. President Tiesenga stated that recusal was voluntary and Attorney Anderson stated that he was “fine with what I’ve done”.
President Tiesenga stated that no one had a problem when the previous attorney Scott Puma was the village attorney for Lakewood and the Park District at the time [Note, Lakewood hired Mr. Puma 2021-04-29 and the IGA was signed in 2023.]
Commissioner Johnson said that Commissioner Cagle shouldn’t have to bring this up and that recusal was the right thing to do.
There was clapping and Commissioner Cagle agreed to withdraw her motion.
Later in the meeting, was a motion to undo approval of the Lake Ecology Contract and rejoin the Lake Ecology IGA.
Under the old IGA, November 1st was the deadline to withdraw (or rejoin) for the next year.
President Tiesenga asked Attorney Anderson and Executive Director Herbster the differences between the Contract and the IGA. Executive Director Herbster said in the IGA the Park District controlled the money, the fees were agreed between the City of Crystal Lake, the Village of Lakewood, and the Park District, all three governments were considered equal and there was mention of a Lake Advisory Committee, and if the agreement was ended there was a description who would get the money.
Meanwhile, the Contract stated the money was granted to the District from the Village and City and that the District was subordinate to the Village and City.
There was no mention of a Lake Advisory Committee or who excess funds would be distributed to.
Attorney Anderson said “I don’t see any substantive differences” and that he was willing to be educated on the differences.
Commissioner Hickey stated the Village and City were not willing to agree to the Contract and was willing to reinstate the IGA.
Members of the audience clapped.
Commissioner Cagle stated she wanted to rejoin.
Commissioner Heisler stated the letters from the City and Village were not detailed and wished they were more clear with their reasons for not wanting to sign the Contract.
He moved to table rejoining the IGA to get more clarity.
There was then discussion and some confusion on how to vote on a motion to table.
The vote to table was 5-2. Yea: Nisenson, Hickey, Cagle, Jacobson, Johnson. Nay: Tiesenga, Heisler.
Commissioner Nisenson said he felt uninformed. Commissioner Jacobson said she didn’t understand and wanted to rejoin the agreement. Commissioner Johnson said he agreed with Commissioner Jacobson and didn’t understand why the IGA was changed to a Contract and there was no clarity.
Commissioner Nisenson stated the original intent of the Contract was for the Park District to stay in its lane under the City and Village.
He wanted to know what the City and Village disagreed with without any BS.
But, if the City and Village wouldn’t budge then the District had to act.
Attorney Anderson said the City or Village could also terminate the IGA but it was unlikely.
President Tiesenga stated that he was upset and not happy about this because it was all politics, about Crystal Lake Mayor Haleblian, and former attorney Scott Puma.
He stated that Mayor Haleblian “will not give us a win on this”.
There was a murmur in the crowd and said he wants to vote.
Commissioner Hickey moved to rejoin the IGA, Commissioner Cagle seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-2. Yea: Nisenson, Hickey, Cagle, Jacobson, Johnson. Nay: Tiesenga, Heisler.
Members of the audience clapped loudly.
