[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6085205,"mediaKeyId","2904033-ca12907a9fac685f9c45479806c37028","parentId",2904033,"title","Council reviews draft 2025‑26 budget; TIF shows planned deficit as members debate Route 31 funding and Cold Springs Park study","audioSeconds",929,"startMs",4077000,"endMs",5006000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2904033-ca12907a9fac685f9c45479806c37028&start=4077&end=5006","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2904033-ca12907a9fac685f9c45479806c37028/thumbnail_4077000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6085205/Mchenry/McHenry-County/Illinois/Council-reviews-draft-202526-budget-TIF-shows-planned-deficit-as-members-debate-Route-31-funding-and-Cold-Springs-Park-study","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6085205-8da5fc81832b55ac13ef08a2227adb59/orig.mp4?Expires=1776327182&Signature=jWPweR6AqsbuDcMcNHwjQGcDDWdlkonNCpDHooX2gQgvYQvlY-urCHPsuHmcykcK08U1858x6XcxUY9jfIRAss2rO~-NWoQnsPij08atqALBcEaqUpc6ydk9jTkn3wdMEBwt553L-LXRMyF2I6TZHTrGqGdBZu~Ngl0FhDsGT8FjglWD~o8EJHvowLZver93Ly-w9eBzn7GMjqX2WeTLgpBrVxMRU1JPV0ym2pb2syUqJqaurA2QOhjbZbCm23CE65Bsa4ALgyb9xiEpWJ5fqsVO1fVCqgh6LUqfNcpGwlSylP8sSwxTwfpUV-nxwelVEEkQRw0xWNTLAlHaboZMvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Mchenry, IL","date","2025-04-08T03:09:15Z","article","City finance staff presented revisions and context for the proposed fiscal year 2025‑26 budget at the meeting, and council members focused discussion on downtown TIF spending, the Route 31 corridor project and a proposed planning and design study for Cold Springs Park.

Finance director Suzanne (surname in packet: Stroski) summarized changes since the council’s earlier review, including modest adjustments to departmental salaries and benefits, a $30,000 increase for Oakwood Drive engineering, and repaired spreadsheet corrections. She reviewed special revenue and capital funds, including the tourism fund (budgeted revenue indicated at about $288,000), the alarm board fund and other restricted funds. Staff noted the TIF fund is intended to be used to reinvest in the downtown and that it frequently operates with a temporary deficit when planned capital projects exceed that year’s incremental revenue; this year’s anticipated TIF revenue was about $980,000 with budgeted expenses near $1.3 million, producing an expected deficit that staff described as timing‑related.

Council members and staff reviewed several downtown capital priorities that drive the TIF spending plan: sewer replacement on Venice Avenue, Riverwalk decking and superstructure repairs, pedestrian bridge repair, and a downtown parking study. Staff emphasized that some Riverwalk Phase 4 items and power‑pole burial work had outstanding punch‑list items carried from the current fiscal year and were rebudgeted.

Separately, council considered a staff proposal to hire Hitchcock (park planner) to perform community outreach, schematic design and an OSLAD grant packet for Cold Springs Park. Staff said the formal Hitchcock proposal was approximately $36,000 rather than an earlier $30,000 figure; Hitchcock would run public participation, prepare schematic designs and assist with grant application materials. Some council members objected, citing homeowner agreements and the desire to preserve the park in a natural state; others — including the alderman representing the ward where the park sits — supported a funded planning and design process and said residents would likely engage in meetings and public feedback. Staff and council noted that an OSLAD grant requires design/engineering components and a local match if pursued.

Council also discussed the Capital Maintenance and Replacement Fund (ComEd account) and whether to earmark roughly $2.97 million in that fund toward the Route 31 improvement project; council members debated reserving money for Route 31 versus holding a portion in reserve for unpredictable equipment or infrastructure failures. Staff said Route 31’s current planning estimate is about $7.2 million and that the city presently has about $3.5 million set aside; members cited the recent Route 47 project in a neighboring town that rose dramatically in cost and urged prudence. Several council members urged starting to build the Route 31 reserve now while reserving some funds for other capital needs.

Staff asked for council direction so a final budget could be prepared for the April 21 meeting. No final budget vote occurred at this session; next steps include providing additional cost detail and the parking study, and council follow‑up on Cold Springs Park outreach and possible grant application.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","4 7 25 Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","City staff reviewed updates to the proposed FY2025‑26 budget and detailed special‑fund plans, prompting debate over TIF capital spending, whether to earmark capital maintenance funds for the Route 31 project, and a $36,000 proposed planning/design contract for Cold Springs Park.","taxTitle","Mchenry, McHenry County, Illinois","taxId",56189,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6085210,"Council approves zoning amendments to allow drive‑thrus as permitted uses in commercial districts, with protections for adjacent residences",1983,2073000,4056000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2904033-ca12907a9fac685f9c45479806c37028&start=2073&end=4056","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2904033-ca12907a9fac685f9c45479806c37028/thumbnail_2073000.jpg","/articles/6085210/Mchenry/McHenry-County/Illinois/Council-approves-zoning-amendments-to-allow-drivethrus-as-permitted-uses-in-commercial-districts-with-protections-for-adjacent-residences","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6085210-c8455de842c5eced8625d8efb7868405/orig.mp4?Expires=1776327182&Signature=fdF3li05s7-fTm0RGLwsbROlOANhkeVPvZBHTiHeZrnLWPuxfyJm2corhkrVqL3cq7IS43zXehijSfpWXCmoPQqro3FWleEnvk4scuPUl5YhYDolzrtIrpiQJZJjjKnLXlKV6JLQoS4D6tmIA5mMmVMg2E9VHeYdygS7uLN7voiptrAnUMABZaQvqPLngq613OrFncjURjfn8egTfy971GWu3~bJGT-krKyPGwrNMT4VYpAaII3vum85oVlm8-Dw3WmIDojqAM-7~MDFFNiOY1XTWt1GHj1wZng~gL-wtUJOSKeyrpI6g1qb8LjskI0yjShA~Gig6jgxQneb8eaP9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The McHenry City Council approved zoning text amendments to the City of McHenry Zoning Ordinance that make drive‑thru facilities an allowed use in the C3 and C5 commercial districts without requiring a conditional use permit, while retaining conditional use review for any drive‑thru proposed adjacent to a residential zoning district.

Director Ross Polarecki explained staff’s review of other communities and the local history: drive‑thru conditional uses had been routinely approved over the past 35 years and the only denial Polarecki cited was a 1990 Hardee’s proposal next to residential property. He said staff’s intent is to streamline development in the commercial districts while preserving council and public review where residential neighbors could be affected.

Several aldermen opposed removing council-level review for drive‑thrus in non‑residential locations, saying the multi-step review process historically allowed more scrutiny and community input. Supporters said the change speeds up development where commercial uses are already clustered and that staff and engineering reviews remain in place to assess lane widths, stacking requirements and other safety issues.

The vote on agenda item 7C passed on roll call. Motion to approve was made by Alderman Sainci and seconded by Alderman Miller.","The council amended the City of McHenry zoning ordinance to make drive‑thru facilities an allowed use in C3 and C5 commercial districts without a conditional use process, except where proposals are adjacent to residential zoning. Staff said only one drive‑thru conditional use had been denied in 35 years (a Hardee’s in 1990).",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6085214,"McHenry awards 2025 road resurfacing contract for about 6.1 miles; total project budgeted at $2.03 million including contingency",52,1528000,1580000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2904033-ca12907a9fac685f9c45479806c37028&start=1528&end=1580","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2904033-ca12907a9fac685f9c45479806c37028/thumbnail_1528000.jpg","/articles/6085214/Mchenry/McHenry-County/Illinois/McHenry-awards-2025-road-resurfacing-contract-for-about-61-miles-total-project-budgeted-at-203-million-including-contingency","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6085214-c3898524109c995bbeaaa48a6d2129e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1776327182&Signature=cTH8SwJrO4yYIaG-ecdUJxu4PsKd3bHdZw6Z6pcUE3QxEi4S0oD-NXR7sRvR0tFGnzEx3wO5Nr42cfEFof3T4NJKxlbBZ1XCfj1snuZHXBRmmXZO7idlblSHoUq7zPCJOBC2ctlYZKKW6Y7Ku56CXKDfXGt9dFtxYJrEkQ~QXlmg2umK~kq0P0PEYPey40lyjtvhwXOq4JU43cMUlF9L96~SZNhoPiejY6gkk7qqc9w22h2yOrxDe1Wqk6desHR9S9SdpHwq69VzOXP9I9uBAbbvSIhNb-c0ZkKsYtUVBu6RibeHgJnSOsvmJIRskyKZ5w3CDb0d1x26N9lp~3ydkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The McHenry City Council approved awarding the 2025 road resurfacing program contract to Current Contracting of Crystal Lake, Illinois, for $1,847,900.46 and authorized a 10% construction contingency of $184,790.05. Council members also passed a resolution authorizing the use of $2,032,691 in state motor fuel tax funds to pay for the project.

Acting Director Adams told the council the contract covers about 6.1 miles of city streets and that the city had budgeted $2.2 million for resurfacing; including contingency the planned spending is just over $2,030,000. Adams said a pre-construction meeting was scheduled for the week after the council meeting and that final timelines would be available after that meeting.

Council members pressed staff on how pavement thickness is noted on the project maps (surface course thickness varies by street), how roads are prioritized and whether use as well as condition should influence rankings, and on public inquiries about specific streets such as Maple Avenue. A resident who attended asked for sequence information for Maple Avenue; staff said Maple is not included in this year’s contract and will be checked against the forthcoming study.

Motion to approve the project (agenda item 7B) was made by Alderman Sainci and seconded by Alderman Cook. The measure passed on roll call.","Council approved awarding the 2025 road resurfacing contract to Current Contracting of Crystal Lake for $1,847,900.46 with a 10% contingency of $184,790.05. The council also approved a resolution to use $2,032,691 in state motor fuel tax funds for the project; staff said the work will resurface approximately 6.1 miles of city streets.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6085219,"Council approves agreement for mural on McHenry Brewery building; city to contribute $9,500 from tourism fund",312,814000,1126000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2904033-ca12907a9fac685f9c45479806c37028&start=814&end=1126","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2904033-ca12907a9fac685f9c45479806c37028/thumbnail_814000.jpg","/articles/6085219/Mchenry/McHenry-County/Illinois/Council-approves-agreement-for-mural-on-McHenry-Brewery-building-city-to-contribute-9500-from-tourism-fund","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6085219-04b478feeacd6e31eb490b3eb06362a1/orig.mp4?Expires=1776327182&Signature=AuEpmyAcQZ13blH79sWlz4bb1GYnWUj4-lueYWvyHYxn1Cn3FgfjYloJetw7WTIjPRMMjcLjx3x8aSnsehPyIKgBfNuvFpHzxFBW6r808zaudmAGYY7Av92Qusq~WuGivf8A6ftM-htw6JH7pwFS-a2UDqUtLhZqbMlGNubERnw~I2DwbMGtLRNEguvpRtcZDd6ZWEyPJ3IVaKd7t-b-5XJhZyb54y-1tvOSOCy52eXZ7s~zLnXowCBC0oLYLKcxzYFwpm2gNwGQ1LdxunlqBP-Aj0cRv7dkjsS7rP-DJ3EJ7lhz4pJBnFvm1r2tEbxQUV1mQI8mT6o2OmJodD~1gA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The McHenry City Council voted to authorize the mayor to sign an agreement for a mural installation on the McHenry Brewery building at 3425 Pearl Street, approving a $9,500 contribution from the city’s tourism fund toward the project.

Director John Martin told the council the Economic Development Department had researched mural policies, held public participation for earlier murals, and budgeted $10,000 for murals in 2025. Martin said the proposed mural incorporates historical aspects of McHenry, the brewing process and present-day landmarks; the property owner and the muralist will cover most of the installation costs and all wall prep work including tuckpointing, powerwashing and priming. Martin said the city’s contribution is a direct funding contribution and that the Mural Committee reviewed maintenance plans and paint specifications.

Aldermen discussed the artwork’s subject matter and placement. An alderman who opposed the mural’s design said he did not “particularly care for the mural itself” and expressed concern about public perception because the mural includes imagery tied to beer; he added he would have preferred a more historical treatment if the city were funding about half the cost. Other council members said the mural includes many local historic elements — the river, gazebo and other landmarks — and that public participation will be part of the installation as it was for a 2016 Green Street mural.

The ordinance authorizing the mayor’s execution of the mural agreement passed on roll call. Motion to approve 7A was made by Alderman McClatchy and seconded by Alderman Davis. Roll call showed six votes in favor and one opposed; the ordinance passed.","The City Council passed an ordinance authorizing the mayor to sign an agreement for a mural at 3425 Pearl Street. The city will contribute $9,500 from the tourism fund; the property owner will cover prep work and the remainder. Council debate included concerns about imagery and public participation plans.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6085223,"McHenry Police promote three telecommunicators to lead 9-1-1 telecommunicator roles",207,70000,277000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2904033-ca12907a9fac685f9c45479806c37028&start=70&end=277","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2904033-ca12907a9fac685f9c45479806c37028/thumbnail_70000.jpg","/articles/6085223/Mchenry/McHenry-County/Illinois/McHenry-Police-promote-three-telecommunicators-to-lead-9-1-1-telecommunicator-roles","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6085223-9c57097f961e56b5c2ad51032da37639/orig.mp4?Expires=1776327182&Signature=W6bx0hGS6S7J1sgX2fF-gh5iFqfZbhx08vAaEjYgIBDPhpiFeEjfCd6shpd~jEekxCU1I14PRvwXccpYXUhdiSFh5Ku~3vO0kWzoD2eghgEvOvxYWHa8ivFgb~AriAXpPCWDzkGVPC3JbhZKEJQ98QYc47GoWfavcCjUpEaLqMzt9OW~F1g5Hyep5sJhG0qEyw4zTKGsQqkW170AYCO7TRPjAYiyiffMj9svGo~px89ZQ1dsi0A~FpMH2qORhj5hbVlYnXk~ypPtkRyeTxVkB-wngcIBXj~36mdBCOF~3cF1~FEd0Xj~fHS19aRpmXzrKjh~Fh~U7O9a~wO5G7jYzw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chief Terry Burke promoted three emergency communications staff to lead telecommunicator positions during the McHenry City Council meeting, recognizing their service and marking staffing changes in the city’s dispatch center.

Burke presented certificates of promotion to Tracy McNamara, Farah Sikovich and Eileen Beidleman, noting McNamara has worked in the center for almost 21 years, Sikovich joined the city after multiple years at another dispatch center, and Beidleman has nearly six years of service. Burke said the McHenry dispatch center grew after a February consolidation and now dispatches for about 16 fire and police agencies, answering more 9-1-1 calls than other centers in the county in many years.

The chief described the lead telecommunicator positions, created in 2017, as supervisory roles that place a lead on each of the four shifts; the three promotions fill vacancies on three shifts. Family members were invited forward during the short ceremony and council members and attendees were invited to a small reception after the meeting.

The council did not take formal legislative action on the promotions during the meeting; the event was presented as a recognition and ceremonial item on the agenda.","Chief Burke promoted Tracy McNamara, Farrah Sikovich and Eileen Beidleman to lead telecommunicator positions at a City Council meeting ceremony; speakers noted the dispatch center now serves 16 agencies and handles a high volume of 9-1-1 calls.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council reviews draft 2025‑26 budget; TIF shows planned deficit as members debate Route 31 funding and Cold Springs Park study

Council approves zoning amendments to allow drive‑thrus as permitted uses in commercial districts, with protections for adjacent residences

McHenry awards 2025 road resurfacing contract for about 6.1 miles; total project budgeted at $2.03 million including contingency

Council approves agreement for mural on McHenry Brewery building; city to contribute $9,500 from tourism fund

McHenry Police promote three telecommunicators to lead 9-1-1 telecommunicator roles