A message from the Chairman...
Ken Koehler
County Board Chairman  |
Dear McHenry County Citizens,
Groundwater protection is an important topic to McHenry County because we are solely dependent on groundwater for all of our drinking water resources, with no alternatives available. There are two major groundwater concerns in McHenry County. First, the primary impact of increased groundwater pumping on the existing water supply and second, the potential for groundwater contamination grows proportionally as the population increases and corresponding increases in business activity. Therefore, it is of significant importance to the County to ensure a safe, sustainable supply of potable fresh water for our current and future residents.
On Wednesday, August 18, 2010, McHenry County will be hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony with Congressman Don Manzullo at Prairieview Education Center in Crystal Lake. The ribbon cutting ceremony will celebrate the water research efforts of the County made possible through the federal funding secured by Congressman Don Manzullo. These efforts include the installation of a countywide observation well network equipped with real-time water level and telemetry equipment, installation of two stream gauges in the Kishwaukee River Watershed, and a Water Quality Analysis of the Observation Well Network. Immediately following the ribbon cutting, the Groundwater Task Force will meet to discuss water research efforts of the County and to highlight the successes of the past 3 years. Please join us on Wednesday, August 18th at 10:00 am at Prairieview Education Center - 2112 Behan Rd., in Crystal Lake. Hope to see you there!
Sincerely,
Kenneth D. Koehler
County Board Chairman
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Ribbon Cutting Ceremony with Congressman Don Manzullo (Groundwater Task Force - Quarterly Meeting)
Wednesday August 18, 2010 - 10:00 am
Prairieview Education Center, 2112 Behan Rd., Crystal Lake Click here for more information
Quit Smoking for Good!
Next session begins Sept 7 at 6:00 pm at McHenry County College
Register with the McHenry County Health Dept at 815-334-4525
Click here for more information
McHenry County Sheriff Car Seat Safety Check
Saturday, September 25 - 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
At Centegra in Woodstock on Route 14 |
Treasurer's Office New Location
The McHenry County Treasurer's Office has moved to a new location in the old Cardinal Bank Building at the corner of Seminary Avenue and Russell Court in Woodstock!
New Treasurer's Office 2100 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock, IL
Click here to visit the McHenry County Treasurer's website.
Reminder:
**The second installment of Taxes are due September 7th** |
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2030 Plan Wins Illinois APA Award
Congratulations to the McHenry County Planning and Development Department! McHenry County 2030 Comprehensive Plan was selected by the Illinois Chapter of the American Planning Association to receive a Daniel Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan. For the award, the McHenry County 2030 Comprehensive Plan, a plan to guide the development of McHenry County over the next few decades, scored highly on the criteria of: innovation, comprehensiveness, transferability, quality, and implementation. The award will be presented at the state planning conference, in Normal, Illinois in September.
Click here to view a copy of the McHenry County 2030 Comprehensive Plan.
Other McHenry County Planning and Development News
- The Planning and Development Department is soliciting proposals for the development of a Unified Development Ordinance that will update and consolidate the County's Zoning, Subdivision, Sign, and several additional miscellaneous ordinances.
- The Neighborhood Stabilization Program is on target. McHenry County received grant funds from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to purchase housing that has been abandoned and foreclosed. Thirteen properties have been purchased and two homes has been renovated and sold. Closings are scheduled for two additional home sales and the County has another 2.5 years to complete the entire program.
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County Road Construction Projects Update
Bull Valley Road - Bull Valley Road will be closed to thru traffic starting August 13, 2010 until August 19, 2010, between Illinois Route 31 and Crystal Lake Road. Local traffic will have access from both Bull Valley Road and IL Route 31 up to the closure at the railroad tracks for the duration of the project. For more information, click here.
Virginia Road - Final paving and striping work on Virginia Road will continue into the week of August 16th and the roadway is anticipated to be completely open to traffic by the end of the week.
Union Road Bridge - The Union Road bridge just south of Illinois Route 176 is scheduled to be reduced to 1 lane on Monday, August 16th. A traffic signal will be installed to regulate traffic movements. Motorists traveling through this area should allow extra time.
Alden Road Bridge - The Stage II traffic switch occurred Thursday, August 11. Traffic switched to the newly constructed pavement and partial bridge (west side) so the construction can commence on the second half or east side of the project.
Chapel Hill Road Resurfacing - Final surface course is scheduled to be completed next week and the project will then be finished except for the pavement markings and aggregate shoulders.
To view a County road construction interactive map for other road projects, click here. |
MCDH Update
MCDH Offers Reduced Fee Water Testing McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) offers reduced fee water testing for individual well water users during the month of August. Residents can have their well water sampled for coliform bacteria and nitrate for $18.
Testing your well regularly is the only way to determine whether well water is safe to drink as many contaminants are colorless and odorless. Water from a public or municipal water system is regularly tested for contaminants regulated by Federal and state standards. Read more...
Cardiovascular screening offered August 28
McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) is offering a cardiovascular screening on Saturday, August 28, from 7:30 am-11:30 am, at its Crystal Lake office, 100 N. Virginia Street. The screening requires a 12-hour fast and includes total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, blood pressure, cardiovascular education and heart age assessment. Appointments are required. The cost is $35.00. Read more... |
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Water Resources Action Plan Development
A diversified Task Force representing the stakeholders of McHenry County (i.e. Municipalities, Townships, Business/Industry, Special Interest Groups, Other Government, and Residents) was convened and met monthly for 26 months to identify and address the Best Management Practices that could be employed to protect the County's shared Water Resources.
In October 2009, a draft of the Water Resources Action Plan was completed and sent for review and consideration by the County Board and all government's in McHenry County. Furthermore, in July 2010, the County Board released their revised Water Resources Action Plan (WRAP). Beginning in August 2010, the County Board will begin their review and implementation process of the suggested BMP's.
As of August 10, 2010, 13 of the 32 municipalities and the County Board, have resolved to thoughtfully consider the applicable items from within the WRAP and to adopt and implement those that apply to them over the next 12 months.
Click here to view the McHenry County Water Resources Action Plan. |
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McHenry County Transparency
In efforts to be more transparent in its operations and governance, McHenry County has begun to utilize an "Information Access Portal" on its website that places frequently requested information in one easy to find location.
Transparency in McHenry County Government promotes accountability and provides easy access to information for citizens of McHenry County about what McHenry County Government is doing. To access the McHenry County "Information Access Portal", click here. |
McHenry County Journal 1
A public ceremony was held on June 1, 2010, at the McHenry County Board meeting for the dedication of McHenry County's first historical records. Earlier this year, the original leather-bound first volume of the McHenry County Commissioners' Court Minutes resurfaced with this information and much more. No one knows how long it had been missing but it was returned to the Recorder's Office by a private party from Springfield, Illinois. The records in the journal date from June 1, 1837 to March 10, 1848. This volume recorded the original decisions, policies, and framework that established McHenry County and is a rare record of the County's origins.
On June 1, 1837, the Board of County Commissioners for the newly created County of McHenry met for the first time. This Board established precincts (townships would come later), set the rate for taxable property, and began the process of laying out roads and determining the location for the county seat.
To view a scanned copy of the McHenry County Journal 1 or to view photos, click here!
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McHenry County Employment Opportunities
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