Community
Outreach, Education and Engagement; Business Retention, Expansion and Growth;
Infrastructure Improvements and Community Facility Enhancements; Networking and
Cultivating Partnerships and Relationships and Celebration
of Community (Events, Recognition and Promotion and Celebration of Success)
On Tuesday February 17, 2015 the City of
McHenry launched McHenry Market Pulse to reemphasize its ongoing and continued
commitment to economic development as well as to educate; engage and provide
accurate and consistent information pertaining to economic development. This is the 33rd and final post for
2015. In this post it’s my intent not
only to convey and reemphasize the same message as the one I did on February 17,
2015 but to provide examples of how the City has done this in 2015 and will
continue to do so in 2016!
I will do this by providing examples and
using photographs to depict integral components of a successful economic
development program, as well as a holistic comprehensive approach to
sustaining, revitalizing and enhancing the economic well-being of our
City.
These include: Community Outreach, Education and Engagement;
Business Retention, Expansion and Growth; Infrastructure Improvements and
Community Facility Enhancements; Networking and Cultivating Partnerships and
Relationships and Celebration of Community (Recognition and Promotion and
Celebration of Success).
For this final post of 2015, instead of
incorporating photographs and images throughout the text, I will finish the
post with more than 30 graphics which will hopefully provide an accurate
pictorial representation reinforcing the text and the City of McHenry’s ongoing
commitment to quality economic development.
After reading this post and reflecting on the
text and images I hope you will agree the City of McHenry, residents,
businesses, visitors, community stakeholders and service organizations alike
have a lot to be proud of and thankful for everything accomplished in 2015. Additionally, a solid foundation has been
laid for future endeavors which will continue into 2016 and beyond. All of which contribute to our local economy
and a vibrant community!
Community Outreach, Education and Engagement
The City of McHenry has done several things
to advance community outreach, education and engagement of individuals on issues
pertaining to economic development. The
first of which was the launch of McHenry Market Pulse. This has served as an effective social media
tool and is a work in progress as I look to enhance the blog in 2016
incorporating new ideas, suggestions and feedback which I am always grateful for
and happy to receive. This is our
community blog!
On February 5 and October 9, 2015 I hosted
commercial real estate broker open houses.
The purpose of the open houses is to exchange ideas and interact with
people with “boots on the ground” about commercial real estate and business in
the City of McHenry, McHenry County and surrounding region. Approximately thirteen people from ten
different companies attended the open house on October 9 a sizable increase
from the February open house, which will continue to grow in 2016.
It is my goal to hold an open house
quarterly. I maintain a working list of
over 50 people, mostly commercial real estate brokers but also others involved
with economic development including:
Nicor Gas and Commonwealth Edison Representatives, McHenry Area Chamber
of Commerce, McHenry County Economic Development Corporation and
representatives from the McHenry County Workforce Network. These are my power partners and all are
instrumental and play key roles in contributing to a successful economic
development program.
Another outreach effort, to promote, educate
and facilitate an open dialogue on economic development-related issues which I began
in 2015 was drop-in community discussions for anyone interested in coming to
listen and/or share ideas how the City of McHenry can further its efforts to
attract, retain and promote business expansion, as well as enhance or
supplement its economic development efforts.
The first discussion was held at the McHenry Public Library on November
12, 2015 and well-received by those who attended.
In September 2015 McHenry City Administrator
Derik Morefield and I had an opportunity to attend and participate in a McHenry
County Real Estate Forum entitled “Advancing
Development.” The event was hosted
by the Heartland Real Estate Organization and McHenry County and included many
other sponsors.
It provided an opportunity for real estate
brokers, government officials and others who attended to learn about local,
State of Illinois and Federal economic development efforts and other programs
which promote development being made by:
the State of Illinois, McHenry County, United States Small Business
Administration, Home Builders of Greater Chicago, U.S. Green Building Council,
Landmarks Illinois, Wells Fargo, McHenry County Economic Development
Corporation and many McHenry County municipalities.
Business Retention, Expansion and Growth
In 2015, for the sixth consecutive year the
City of McHenry exhibited at the International Council of Shopping Center
Conference (ICSC) in Las Vegas. Additionally,
we had a new exhibit created for use at this and other conventions staff
attends when marketing the City, such as the annual McHenry Area Chamber of
Commerce Business Expo held in February of each year. The ICSC has been extremely beneficially in
marketing the City to prospective businesses, particularly retailers. It also provides an opportunity to meet
one-on-one with retailers and developers.
The convention draws approximately 35,000 to 40,000 attendees
annually.
Each year I prepare flash drives containing
numerous informational pieces including:
demographic, socioeconomic data, detailed site inventory lists, traffic
counts, census data, zoning maps, plans and policies the City Council has
adopted and other pieces which assist in selling the City of McHenry and making
a case for why a particular business or developer should locate in our
community. I firmly believe this
opportunity to interact face-to-face with individuals consistently year after
year is invaluable. Economic development
is based on establishment of and building relationships, trust and connecting
with individuals on a regular basis.
Economic development takes time and ICSC
provides us an opportunity to showcase the City of McHenry but also to meet
with individuals and maintain an ongoing conversation. A consistent presence is paramount because it
demonstrates the willingness of your City to invest in the time and resources
to attract quality economic development.
Throughout 2015 numerous businesses opened,
expanded and relocated to the City of McHenry.
There are many ways the City can foster business growth, retention or
expansion and one is by continually evaluating our ordinances, plans and policies. On August 17, 2015 the City Council approved
text amendments to the City’s zoning ordinance to further promote and support
business growth and development.
The amendments include a streamlined
procedure to allow outdoor seating in conjunction with a restaurant and permitting
restaurants to have indoor entertainment without obtaining a conditional use
permit. Restaurants are now also
permitted uses in the O-2 Office Park, I-1 Industrial and BP Business Park
zoning districts. The City of McHenry
wants to be “business friendly” and not just state we are “business
friendly.” Please help us accomplish
this goal to the greatest extent practical for businesses, residents, visitors
and the City! Text amendments are one tool
we can utilize to advance this goal!
Fabrik Molded Plastics is located at 5213
Prime Parkway in the City of McHenry, McHenry Corporate Center and is a leader
in the plastics injection molding industry. They employ approximately 400
people and has been located in the McHenry Corporate Center for more than 20
years. I participated on a conference
call in May 2015 with Keith Wagner, CEO of Fabrik, Pam Cumpata, Executive
Director of the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation, Scott Dixon of
Dixon Companies and Andria Winters, Deputy Director of the Department of
Commerce and Economic Opportunity. At that time Fabrik has met with
multiple states and was very close to deciding whether to expand in the City of
McHenry, open an additional facility or potentially move out of state.
In 2014 the City Council adopted the Underutilized
Property Tax Abatement and Incentive Program to encourage reinvestment in
existing improved vacant or underutilized properties through a property tax
abatement program instituted through multiple taxing bodies. Over time assessed valuations of vacant or
underutilized properties decrease or remain stagnant which hinders tax growth
for all governmental bodies, and the intent of this program through
intergovernmental cooperation, is to abate a portion or all of the property tax
increase over a mutually agreed-upon time period following property
redevelopment and/or reoccupation of a previously-vacant building.
After learning Fabrik was at an impasse with
the State of Illinois and close to deciding what to do I drafted a property tax
abatement agreement predicted on Fabrik staying in the City of McHenry and
purchasing the vacant building at 1515 Miller Parkway to expand their business.
On July 6, 2015 the City Council
unanimously approved an Ordinance Authorizing the Mayor’s Execution of a
Property Tax Abatement Agreement for Fabrik Industries, Inc., located at 5213
Prime Parkway. The agreement authorizes abatement
on the increase in property taxes if Fabrik purchases the vacant building at
1515 Miller Parkway, expands their business operation and remains in the City
of McHenry and State of Illinois.
Over the next two months Keith Wagner, Pam
Cumpata, President of the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation and I
attended and spoke before 10 of the 11 taxing bodies to advocate for a property
tax abatement from each taxing body, on the increase in property taxes, if
Fabrik chose to remain in the City and purchase the building at 1515 Miller
Parkway. Seven taxing bodies, in
addition to the City of McHenry, approved the property tax abatement agreement.
In November 2015 the State of Illinois
announced an approval of EDGE tax credits for three companies in the State of
Illinois, one of which was Fabrik Molded Plastics, based on the creation
of new jobs and capital investments, to further incentivize Fabrik to
expand in the City of McHenry. While
Fabrik has not made a final decision it’s this type of partnership, effort and
cooperation which is required to retain valuable jobs and send a message to companies
that there is a viable alternative to moving out of state and that is staying
within the City of McHenry and expanding your business.
On Sunday June 7, 2015 the Northwest Herald
published their annual Northwest Herald Reader’ Choice Awards for businesses
throughout McHenry County. More than 65
businesses and people in the City of McHenry were recognized! We have numerous businesses in the City which
provide valuable jobs, services and products and we need to ensure as residents
and businesses we capitalize on these and help each other succeed which in turn
benefits the entire community.
Starbucks, 2210 N Richmond Road, which is
located in McHenry Towne Center on north Richmond Road, was granted approval to
construct a drive-thru facility at their existing location. However, since this approval Oberweis closed
their store, which was located in the outlot building immediately to the north.
Starbucks has since decided to relocate
to the former Oberweis space and offer limited beer and wine service, as they
have begun to do specific locations throughout the country. This will allow Starbucks to remain open
while they complete renovations to the Oberweis space which will occur in early
2016.
The City worked diligently in 2015 and will
continue to so in 2016 to facilitate the reopening of the downtown McHenry
Theater building on Green Street. I have
been working with the broker marketing the site, as well as potential operators
and investors to get the theater back open.
Although this is not an easy or quick process the City is doing everything
possible to get the theater reopened because it’s a part of the historic fabric
of the City and vital to the City’s downtown revitalization efforts.
CVS Pharmacy completed construction of a new
13,225 square feet store with accompanying drive-thru at the northwest corner
of Elm and Front Streets. The store will
officially open its doors on January 24, 2016 at 8:00 a.m. and will have a ribbon
cutting ceremony on February 6, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. Please come out and welcome them to the City.
The building located at 926 Front Street,
which had been vacant for a couple of years and formerly occupied by CarQuest is
now home to Principio Auto Group. The
conditional use permit approved by the City Council allows the business to
display vehicles and trailers for sale outside and repair vehicles and
trailers.
Five Star Pallets relocated their business
from Crystal Lake to 3939 Albany Street, which is in the Tonyan Industrial Park
on South Illinois Route 31. This
building was also vacant for several years.
Five Star Pallets repairs/remanufactures wooden pallets for their
customers and the conditional use permit allows them to store wooden outside pallets
at the southern end of the property.
Chain O’ Lakes Brewing Company, located at
3425 W Pearl Street, was granted approval to allow outdoor seating and
entertainment (beer garden atmosphere) as well as host food trucks at their
site on a permanent basis. Red Wing
Shoes, 2210 W Illinois Route 120, opened a new location on West Illinois Route
120.
V3 Gasoline Inc., doing business as Marathon located
at the southeast corner of Elm Street and Meadow Lane completed extensive
renovations and remodeling and reopened in 2015. After the Fox, 1406 Riverside Drive, received
approval to expand their outdoor seating with food and alcohol service.
The Captain James A. Lovell Veterans
Outpatient Clinic, located at 3715 Municipal Drive, was opened and Captain
James A. Lovell was the guest speaker at the dedication ceremony. Furniture by Jason opened at 3314 Pearl
Street- in a previously vacant building and Vaportek Inc. opened at 3815 Elm
Street in another building which was previously vacant.
The former Sudsy Wash at 3932 Elm was
purchased and reopened as Clean N’ Shine Car Wash. Pavement, striping and other improvements
have been completed at the site, and a new sign was also erected.
The former Sullivan’s Grocery Store building
located at 3705 Elm was purchased and is being renovated to accommodate a
sporting goods retail store and indoor gun range. Second Amendment Sports will open in 2016.
Big R, a farm and home retailer, purchased
the building formerly occupied by Target, which is located in the McHenry Plaza
Shopping Center. McHenry Plaza Shopping
Center consists of approximately 194,000 square feet of retail space and the
former Target building is 95,420 square feet.
Big R opened in November 2015.
The building located at 920 N Front Street,
which was vacant for quite some time and located immediately north of the
roller rink was leased and the City Council approved a zoning map amendment and
conditional use permit for outdoor storage to allow Sincere Landscaping to
conduct business at the site. Sincere
moved to McHenry from Woodstock and operates a landscaping and snowplowing
service business.
Door Service Inc. opened at 907 N Front
Street (Illinois Route 31), following renovations to the building. The building is extremely attractive and adds
considerable aesthetic appeal heading towards Main Street and Elm Street and is
another site along this corridor which has contributed to the on-going
revitalization of the area. If you can
drive or walk through it Door Service Inc. can probably help you.
A Voltage Stabilization Site, south of High
Street on the east side of Front Street (302 Front Street), is almost
completed. When finished this will be an
electrical voltage stabilization center is tied into the Commonwealth Edison
substation on Lillian Street. The
containers house dry cell batteries monitored 24 hours a day/7 days a week/365
days a year and when electrical demand is high this facility will stabilize the
electrical grid using the dry cell batteries within the containers
on-site. The batteries will be
continuously monitored remotely.
This is one of three projects being
constructed in the State of Illinois of this type and is supported by
Commonwealth Edison’s Smart Grid Infrastructure Modernization Initiative. There is no adverse health, noise, safety or
other deleterious impact associated with this project.
Lucky Poker, a tavern which features craft
beers and other beverages, along with video gaming machines is located in the
ReMax Plaza Shopping Center at 4005 Kane Avenue Unit L-formerly a chiropractic
office and opened this week. The tavern
is new to the City of McHenry but the operator has locations in other counties.
Coming soon to the ReMax Plaza Shopping
Center, located at the southwest corner of Kane Avenue and Front Street is Petroons
Mexican Restaurant which will open at 4005 Kane Avenue Unit G, formerly a
takeout pizza restaurant. Petroons is
new to the City of McHenry but the operator has two other restaurants in nearby
cities. The restaurant will offer
dine-in and carry-out options and open in 2016.
European Service at Home Inc. opened at 4606
W Elm Street. European Service at Home
provides an integrated health and human service operation for clients seeking
their assistance.
Betty’s Bistro, a video gaming café, opened
at 1771 N Richmond Road (McHenry Grounds Shopping Center), center which Panera
Bread is located. Betty’s Bistro is new
to the City of McHenry but operates many other locations in other cities
Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW) opened in 2015
in the former Office Max space in the Shops at Fox River Shopping Center!
At their September 22, 2015 meeting the City
Council approved plans for a new Dunkin Donuts Restaurant to be constructed at
the southwest corner of Oak Avenue and Front Street. The new restaurant will consist of 2,280
square feet accompanied with a drive-thru facility. Construction will commence in 2016!
Black Diamond Plumbing and Mechanical
purchased the building at 1400 Miller Parkway, located in the City of McHenry
Corporate Center. They bring over 100
new employees and jobs to the City of McHenry and were recognized at the Annual
McHenry County Economic Development Corporation dinner as a Business Champion!
At their December 7, 2015 meeting the City
Council paved the way for Sunnyside Chrysler Dodge Ram to complete a building
expansion at 4810 W Elm Street which will accommodate a Jeep Franchise. The proposed building addition (3,870 square
feet) will be to the east side of the existing building on the north side of
Elm Street. Sunnyside has been operating
a new and used car sales and repair business on the north and sides of West Elm
Streets for over half a century and is the anchor of the West Elm Street.
Building Summary
On April 9, 2015 a significant weather event
occurred in McHenry County and this one event had a substantial impact on our
Community and Economic Development Department.
The event produced high winds and an incredible amount of hail which
damaged myriad homes and businesses throughout the City. The Community and Economic Development
Department was inundated with roofing and siding permits for several months
following this one event.
Roofing and siding are minor building
permits. To put this into perspective between
January and November 2014 the City issued 822 minor residential building
permits. In comparison, between January and November 2015, the City issued
2,745 residential minor building permits an increase of 234%. Over the same time period minor commercial building
permits have increased 16% and new single-family attached dwelling until
construction has increased by 87% between November 2014 and November 2015.
Building during 2015 was very steady and many
projects were undertaken, in addition to the permits I previously
referenced. Following the fire which
occurred at the Polish Legion of American Veterans building at 1304 Park Street,
restorative work is nearing completion.
The construction of the Voltage Stabilization Site at 302 Front Street
is almost finished.
Superior Felt and Filtration, located at 1150
Ridgeview Drive, is putting the final touches on a 70,000 square foot building
expansion. The CVS Pharmacy building has
also been completed, as well as the McHenry Recreation Center located directly
west of the Municipal Center.
Renovations to the building located at 903
Front Street are ongoing and nearly complete. Habitat for Humanity will be opening a Habitat Restore at that location early 2016.
Interior renovations are also occurring at Centegra Hospital to provide
overnight accommodations for doctors, as well as additional renovations on the
second floor of the hospital where the patient assessment area is located.
Plans for a new restaurant and bar were
received for the building at 2815 W Illinois Route 120. First Midwest Bank is vacating the building
at the northwest corner of Green Street and Elm Street and relocating to 1308 N
Richmond Road, which is adjacent, the bank’s existing drive-thru facility. Interior remodeling to accommodate walk-in
and drive-thru customers continues.
The retail space located at 400 South
Illinois Route 31 is being remodeled for a new restaurant, Meat and Potatoes
Restaurant (former location of Blue Cherry Yogurt). An adjacent tenant space, 404 South Illinois
Route 31, is undergoing interior alterations to accommodate Aesthetics Boutique,
which is relocating from The Fountain Shoppes.
The former Whispering Oaks Community Center, 4513 Front Royal Drive, was
purchased and being remodeled for an assembly use (religious institution).
The Chapel, which currently holds worship
services at McHenry High School West Campus, and purchased approximately 12
acres on Crystal Lake Road just north of Bull Valley Road (formerly the Koehn
Farm), annexed to the City of McHenry and planned to construct a new building. The Chapel has since evaluated another
alternative and annexed the building at 1809 S Illinois Route 31 to the City of
McHenry, located immediately south of the Waste Management facility, and plans
to remodel this building to accommodate their needs. A permit was submitted and issued and
alterations are underway at 1809 S Illinois Route 31. The Chapel has since placed the property on
Crystal Lake Road on the market.
Spring 2016 will see the commencement of the
construction of White Oaks Memory Care at 4605 W Crystal Lake Road, a facility
which can accommodate a maximum of 48 individuals who suffer from Alzheimer’s
or other form of Dementia. The developer
of the project, Barron Development, is the same developer which constructed the
Heritage Woods Independent and Assisted Living Facility immediately to the south.
Infrastructure Improvements and Community Facility Enhancements
Numerous infrastructure projects were
completed and others began during 2015.
One of which was improvement to the intersection of Richmond Road and
Elm Street, as well as roadway widening on Elm Street and north Richmond Road. The City received grant funding to install
new lighting along Elm Street and Richmond Road. For the scope, size, complexity and number of
vehicles which pass through this intersection on a daily basis the project was well
managed and completed in a very timely manner.
This was the result of a cooperative effort between: the contractor, City of McHenry and
consulting engineer, the Illinois Department of Transportation, residents and
local businesses.
Another major project which is nearing
completion and is the second phase of a larger improvement is roadway enhancements
to Charles Miller/Bull Valley Road and Front Street/South Illinois Route 31. This project is being managed by the McHenry
County Division of Transportation in cooperation with their contractor, engineer
and the City of McHenry and will be completed in 2016.
Knox Drive was recently extended from its
terminus at Municipal Drive south to Charles Miller Road. The new Know Drive extension is a right-in/right-out
only to and from Charles Miller Road but provides a much needed secondary
access for businesses fronting on South Illinois Route 31 north of Bull Valley
Road.
The City also completed a local street
program, improvements to McCullom Lake Road, which the City received partial grant
funding, and a traffic control signal was approved and is currently being
installed at the intersection of Crystal Lake Road and Dartmoor Drive. The City Council also authorized a roadway
improvement project for the intersection of Curran Road and Bull Valley Road,
which will include the installation of a traffic control signal. The City received more than $1,000,000 in
grant funding for this project.
The construction of the first phase of the
City’s 18,200 square-foot Recreation Center begun in 2015 and is located directly
west of the Municipal Center and north of Municipal Drive. The Recreation Center will open in early
spring 2016! Please visit the Municipal
Center or call 815.363.2100 for membership information.
This first phase will consist of space for
programming, fitness needs and multi-purpose rooms. This is the first of a multi-phased
recreation and aquatic campus which will be located immediately west of the
Municipal Center, north of Municipal Drive and east of Knox Drive. The facility is being constructed on
City-owned property, using funds the City had saved since 1999 and received
through developer donations/park impact fees.
Staffing and operational expenses for the recreation center will be paid
through user fees, and the facility will be financially self-sustaining without
the use of taxpayer dollars!
The City of McHenry, with the assistance of
its engineer HR Green, was awarded $358,840 in grant funding to construct a
bike path which will connect the existing bike path on Municipal Drive to the
City’s Recreation Center and extend through Knox Park to Green Street. It will provide a non-vehicular path
incorporating the Municipal and Recreation Center, Knox Park Ball Fields and
Tennis Courts, Knox Park Barn and Skate Park and Peter J. Merkel Aquatic Center
in addition to the Parks and Recreation/Downtown Maintenance Facility and Water
Treatment Plant Two on Green Street.
The City Council approved the largest public
works project in the City’s history, which includes the consolidation of the
Central and South Wastewater Treatment Plants.
This project has been in the planning stages for many years and is
required due to the age, deterioration and lack of functionality and
obsolescence of the Central Plant. Working
with the City’s Engineer, HR Green, the City was able to secure a low-interest
loan to fund the over $30-million-dollar construction project.
While residents and businesses will see an
increase in water and sewer rates and debt service charges the improvements are
required in order to comply with standards and regulations set forth by the
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
This project will take approximately three years after which the City
will have a very marketable site with frontage on the Fox River, which is a key
component and has been for many years, in the City’s downtown revitalization
efforts.
McHenry Elementary District 15 received
zoning approval to construct building additions which will replace mobile
classrooms at Chauncey H. Duker Middle School, Hilltop, Edgebrook and Valley
View Elementary Schools. It’s District
15’s intent to replace mobile classrooms at all its facilities over the next
several years.
In 2015 the City Council approved a
Professional Services Agreement with FGM Architects to complete design and
facilitate construction administration at the City’s Municipal Center in an
effort to make the Municipal Center more customer-friendly and provide a consolidated
one-stop shop point of service contact for multiple City services. This work will be completed in 2016. The City also completed a major renovation to
Fort McHenry in Whispering Oaks Park as well as to the tennis courts at Knox
Park. Additionally, a new sound system
was installed at Veterans Memorial Park.
City staff also provided assistance to facilitate
construction of a right-hand turn lane from Illinois Route 31 to property north
of McHenry Savings Bank (north of Bank Drive and south of Park Place) at the
request of McHenry Savings Bank. This
project will be completed in 2016.
Networking and Establishing and Cultivating
Partnerships and Relationships
The City has established many partnerships
and cultivated numerous relationships with entities such as: McHenry County College Shah Center, McHenry
Area Chamber of Commerce, McHenry County Economic Development Corporation,
McHenry County Workforce Network, McHenry County Visitors and Tourism Bureau, United
States Small Business Administration, Nicor, Commonwealth Edison and the State
of Illinois Department of Commerce and The Indonesian Trade Promotion Center.
These relationships are mutually beneficial
to the City of McHenry as well as the other entities promoting the retention,
attraction and expansion of businesses, not just in the City but in McHenry
County and larger region outside of the County.
As previously explained earlier in this post the City has partnered with
other taxing bodies throughout McHenry County, McHenry County Economic
Development Corporation, the State of Illinois and Fabrik Molded Plastics in an
effort to retain Fabrik in the City of McHenry and facilitate an
expansion. It’s these types of
partnerships which are crucial to a successful economic development program.
“THE DOLLARS ARE REAL DOLLARS. EVERY DOLLAR
IS A DOLLAR FOR BOTH SIDES. THAT’S IMPORTANT,” WAGNER SAID. “BUT THERE IS ALSO
THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND THE COMMUNITY ENERGY BEING PUT INTO HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS. WE ARE A COMPANY THAT
TAKES THAT IN CONSIDERATION. WE ARE NOT JUST A SPREADSHEET.”
KEITH WAGNER—PRESIDENT, FABRIK MOLDED
PLASTICS
I attended a roundtable discussion, hosted by
the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation, and representatives from
Metro Chicago Exports which gave an invigorating vibrant presentation about
global consumption, painted a clear picture of the tremendous value, importance
and need to do business internationally.
On April 24 and on November 6, 2015 I
attended Business Network Scrambles sponsored by the McHenry Area Chamber of
Commerce to assist small business development and matching businesses with
resources and other businesses which may complement or supplement their
efforts. These are held biannually and
provide an ideal opportunity to network and meet new people and businesses
which they are engaged. It provides me
the same opportunity to market and promote the City of McHenry.
In April I attended the Illinois Economic
Development Association and Commonwealth Edison “Meet the Director Reception”
for Economic Development Professionals throughout the Chicagoland Region. The State of Illinois’ economic development
agency, Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), is undertaking
organizational changes, one of which was the hiring of a new Director.
The reception was held in Chicago and at the
reception I was able to speak with both the Director and Deputy Director about
the City of McHenry and concerns we, as a City have, specifically with large
employers seeking to expand or potentially relocate out of the State of
Illinois.
On May 5, 2015 I attended a forum on behalf
of the City of McHenry sponsored by The State of Illinois Department of
Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Illinois Community College Board and
Illinois Community College Council of Presidents in cooperation with regional
workforce investment board. The forums
are part of a statewide effort which will result in a Five-Year Workforce
Investment Strategic Plan.
I was invited by the Indonesian Trade
Promotion Center to an event at their offices in Chicago. The purpose was to showcase Indonesian Coffee
through a documentary filmed in Indonesia and the importance of coffee to their
culture and economy. While at the event I
spoke with the Indonesian Consulate General to promote the City of McHenry and
contemporaneously become more educated about the opportunities available for
businesses in the City of McHenry to import/export with businesses in
Indonesia. The State of Illinois is
Indonesia’s fifth largest trading partner within the United States.
On August 12, 2015 Mayor Low and the City of
McHenry in partnership with the McHenry County College Shah Center, had the
pleasure of hosting Indonesian Consul General Mr. Andriana Supandy; Consul for
Economic Affairs Mr. Alberd Pardede, Director of the Indonesian Trade Promotion
Center in Chicago Mr. Wijayanto, as well as other staff members of the
Indonesian Trade Promotion Center.
This provided an opportunity to have an
interactive conversation and exchange of ideas between the City of McHenry,
McHenry County College Small Business Development Center as well as other
leaders from McHenry County College, McHenry County Economic Development
Corporation, State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
and others on how we can work together to foster business growth and
development, importing and exporting and investment between the City of
McHenry, McHenry County, State of Illinois and Indonesia.
Following Director of Public Works Jon
Schmitt, Water Superintendent Mike Palmer and Wastewater Superintendent Russell
Ruzicka led tours of the City of McHenry Water Treatment Plant Number Two and
the South Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The day we spent exchanging ideas and
learning about how we can work together for the benefit of the City of McHenry,
McHenry County and State of Illinois and Indonesia was another step forward in
continuing to cultivate that relationship and economic development
partnership! Consul General Mr. Andriana
Supandy expressed significant interest in fostering relationships with
companies in the City of McHenry and beyond and his office can assist with
licensing; identification of investment opportunities and serving as a direct
conduit between businesses in McHenry with those in Indonesia.
On October 23, 2015 I attended an event
entitled: THIRD ANNUAL SUMMIT ON
REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS: A WAY
FORWARD: STAKEHOLDER LEADERSHIP
UNLOCKING THE ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF THE TRI-STATE REGION. The event was sponsored by many organizations
but hosted and organized by the Alliance for Regional Development and was held
at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
“The Alliance for Regional Development is a
groundbreaking coalition of high-level leaders in business, government, and
academia working together to strengthen the economic competitiveness of
Chicago’s tri-state region, including northeast Illinois, northwest Indiana,
and southeast Wisconsin. Our common goal
is to provide a cross-jurisdictional, multi-sector response to the Organization
for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Territorial Review of the tri-state
region that recommended specific and coordinated improvements in four key
areas–workforce development, innovation, transportation and logistics, and
green growth–to overcome growth and job-creation rates well below national and
international averages for large metropolitan areas similar to our own.”
At the September 14th City Council Meeting
Mayor Low proclaimed Saturday October 2, 2015 as National Manufacturing Day. The City of McHenry is home to numerous
national and international manufacturers in industrial and business parks
across the City. Often these businesses
are not at the forefront in a community due to being located and segregated in
industrial and business parks, which you may never see if you don’t work at a
particular business within that park. However,
these businesses are primary employers and provide numerous jobs to residents
and people outside the City. If you have
time, take a drive or walk thru one or all of the industrial or business parks
and note the businesses within such parks.
Celebration of Community Events, Recognition and Promotion and Celebration of Success
EVENTS
Fiesta Days, an annual event which commenced
on July 10, 2015 and culminated with a parade on July 19, transformed the City
of McHenry into a place of continuous entertainment, events and activities
and destination for many outside of the City, McHenry County and State of
Illinois.
Another community event, “Keep the Spirit of
45 Alive,” held annually in the City of McHenry and has received national notoriety
in large part due to the efforts of Ron Bykowski, a local businessman, who was
also the 2015 Fiesta Days Parade Marshal.
This was the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII and the event held on
August 9, 2015 was spectacular and included an helicopter flyover by the United
States Military.
Additionally, there are many other community
events which were held throughout 2015 sponsored by numerous community
organizations including:
Rotary Club
Lions Club
Knights of Columbus
Kiwanis Club
McHenry Area Downtown Business Association
McHenry VFW
Polish Legion of American Veterans
American Legion
McHenry School Districts 15 and 156
McHenry High School Key Clubs
McHenry Public Library District
McHenry Township
McHenry Township Fire Protection District
Masonic Lodge
City of McHenry
McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce
Numerous Local Businesses
Special events and tourism are vital components
to a community’s economic well-being.
They bring people together, enhance and contribute to quality of life
and provide opportunities for businesses to showcase themselves and their
products and services. The City of
McHenry which plays a large supporting role along with other stakeholders and
countless volunteers collaborate, for the benefit of the entire community on
numerous events which everyone in the community can enjoy including:
Thursday Night Summer Concert Series in
Veterans Memorial Park and Farmers Market
Spring Taste Fest
Lions Club Carnival
Green Street Cruise Night
Back to Family Outdoor Movie Night
Combined Veterans Memorial Day Ceremony
A Day at Petersen Farm held at Historic Petersen
Farm
Rotary Blues, Brews and BBQ
Kiwanis Soap Box Derby
McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce Annual
Honor’s Event
City
of McHenry/Jaycees Independence Day Fireworks
9/11 Ceremony
Jaycees Haunted House
Wonder Lake Ski Team Haunted Hayride
McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce Country Meadows
Craft Show and Wine and Beer Tasting
Combined Veterans Day Ceremony
McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce Radical
River Road Rally
McHenry Area Downtown Business Association
Flavors of Fall Taste Fest
RECOGNITION
The City Council has approved more than fifteen
honorary street sign applications since the inception of the program in
2005. To be considered, the proposed
honoree is required to meet the following criteria: historical/cultural influence on the city,
significant lineage or family ties to the city, clear geographical relationship
of street to the area of interest of the applicant, known to be of good moral
character, and a clearly defined community or public contribution made by the
honoree.
One such sign was for Joseph B. Stanek, who
served as Mayor of the City of McHenry from 1973-1985 and was instrumental in
acquiring Petersen Park, developing Knox Park and the City pool at that
location, as well as assisting in the development of the Northern Illinois
Medical Center/Centegra Hospital. He has
lived in the City for half a century. An
honorary street sign dedication ceremony was held on April 16, 2015 to honor
and recognize Mr. Stanek and his family for the aforementioned contributions
and service.
The City of McHenry Police Department was
successful in their reaccreditation assessment from The Commission on
Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Reaccreditation (CALEA). The City of McHenry Police Department was the
first law enforcement agency in McHenry County to attain CALEA Accreditation 12
years ago and must undergo an extensive reaccreditation process every three
years. This is quite an accomplishment
and a great deal of work is required to even be considered for accreditation
and intensive training, ongoing procedure review, community outreach, policy
formation and implementation is necessary from the moment an agency receives
its initial accreditation in order to maintain receive reaccreditation.
In 2015 the City of McHenry was recognized as
a Tree City USA, an achievement the City has maintained for more than 20
consecutive years!!! The Tree City USA
program is administered by the Arbor Day Foundation. The City must apply annually to receive this
designation and specific criteria are utilized to qualify and be considered for
this designation. The City of McHenry
held its annual Arbor Day Celebration on April 24, 2015.
At the September 14th City Council Meeting
Mayor Low proclaimed Saturday September 19, 2015 as National Law Enforcement
Appreciation Day. Although we may not
see everything that goes into day-to-day police work there is a great deal of
comfort knowing we live in a very safe City which contributes to a high quality
of life. People who put their lives on
the line every day ensure this is the case and although it is not always
obvious a great deal of effort is placed into proactively protecting our
community, educating residents and businesses; interacting with our schools on
a daily and working in conjunction with other agencies including the McHenry
Township Fire Protection District.
At the September 14th City Council Meeting
Mayor Low proclaimed Sunday September 20, 2015 as Marya Dixon Day. Marya Dixon served on the City of McHenry
Landmark Commission for over 30 years!!!
This is the definition of community service.
Another individual and family who has served
our community for decades and given back in some many ways is Tom Sullivan and
his family, former owners of Sullivan Foods.
Tom and his family graciously donated the antique clock tower which was
located at 3705 W Elm. This was an
extremely generous gesture which the City greatly appreciates. With the assistance of local businesses and
our Parks and Recreation Department the clock and its functionality were
restored and placed in Green Street Park, located at the northeast corner of
Green and Elm Streets. It is quite an
attractive amenity at that very visible location and provides a great
historical landmark for our community!
Promotion and Celebration of Successes
One of the most important roles members of a
community can play is promoting the place they live, work and play! It’s free and in today’s digital
technological environment it’s easier to spread the word to a large number of
people very quickly. In the business
world a personal reference by a customer is one of the most valuable and free
forms of advertisement. The same
rational translates to communities.
Businesses want to locate where they are welcomed, are valued and
appreciated. People want to live, work
and visit places that are family-oriented, community and civic-minded.
In 2015 City of McHenry was chosen by the
WATERCON2015 attendees to appear in the third annual Illinois Section American
Water Works Water Tank Photo Calendar.
The 2015-2016 calendar was unveiled for the first time at the 8th Annual
Water Distribution Conference on April 28, 2015.
The City of McHenry South Wastewater
Treatment Plant was selected as one of seven out of a possible 180 facilities
statewide as “Best Operated Wastewater Treatment Works”. It was nominated for the award by the
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s (IEPA) Division of Water Pollution
Control, Field Operations Section. This
award is presented in five categories, with the categories being separated
according to facility size and treatment process type. The purpose of the annual awards is to
emphasize the relationship between adequate wastewater treatment and clean
receiving waters and to give public recognition and encouragement to
communities, their officials and the operating personnel who have operated
their wastewater facilities in an especially effective manner.
In 2015 the City of McHenry received a Distinguished
Budget Award by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). The award is based on specific guidelines and
reviewed by staff members of GFOA in addition to outside reviewers with
expertise in public sector budgeting. In
November 2015 the City of McHenry and Carolyn Lynch, Director of Finance for
the City of McHenry were presented with GFOA Distinguished Budget Awards. This is a testament to hours spent preparing
the City’s comprehensive budget document by the City Council and staff and the
City Council’s continued effort and commitment to fiscal transparency,
responsibility and accountability!
As I stated at the beginning of this post I
hope you will agree the City of McHenry, residents, businesses, visitors,
community stakeholders and service organizations alike have a lot to be proud
of and thankful for everything accomplished in 2015. Additionally, a solid foundation has been
laid for future endeavors which will continue into 2016 and beyond.
Economic development encompasses numerous
things, many of which have been outlined in this post however this is by no
means an exhaustive list of everything which occurred and was accomplished by
the City of McHenry in 2015. It is
intended however to provide examples, testaments and continued efforts,
advocacy, commitment and dedication to the City of McHenry by residents,
businesses, community stakeholders and service organization which in turn
produces vast community benefits.
Community
service, events, tourism, history and myriad other factors are considered when
people and businesses are deciding where to locate, reside or visit. Public safety, infrastructure, schools,
libraries, parks, open space, hospitals and other institutions play a pivotal
role in a holistic approach to economic development and are extremely integral
to a community’s vitality. All of which
contribute to our local economy and a vibrant community. The City of McHenry is proud to have a
community which includes all of these and a place people are proud to live,
visit and do business. Please help us
accomplish this goal to the greatest extent practical for businesses, residents,
visitors and the City! Happy New Year
and let’s do this again in 2016!
PLEASE ENJOY THE FOLLOWING IMAGES FROM 2015!
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| Design of the new City of McHenry Exhibit utilized at the International Council of Shopping Centers Conference in Las Vegas, McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce Business Expo and other conferences and events |
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| Big R-located in former Target building on North Richmond Road |
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| DSW located in former Office Max building at Shops at Fox River on North Richmond Road |
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| furniture by jason Downtown McHenry |
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| Chain O' Lakes Brewing located at southeast corner of Pearl and Green Streets in Downtown McHenry |
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| New CVS Pharmacy located at northwest corner of Elm and Front Streets |
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| Rendering of Third Dunkin Donuts Building to be located at the southwest corner of Oak Avenue and Front Street |
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| Door Services Inc. located at 907 N Front Steet |
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| Rendering of south building elevation for Sunnyside Dodge following building addition to be completed in 2016 |
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| Award winning photograph which is featured in 2015-2016 Illinois Section American Water Works Water Tower Tank Photo Calendar |
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| Former Mayor Joseph Stanek and his wife at their Honorary Street Sign Dedication Ceremony at the entrance to Petersen Park |
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| Postcard advertising opening of new McHenry Recreation Center |
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| City of McHenry Recreation Center |
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| Looking south from Municipal Drive at Knox Drive Extension to Charles Miller Road |
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| Hailstorm April 9, 2015 |
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| Mayor Low and Indonesian Consul General Andriana Supandy |
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| Kim Hankins-McHenry County College Director of Sustainability explaining the functionality of how the photovoltaic array at the Shah Center is monitored |
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| Water Superintendent Mike Palmer explaining features of City Water Treatment Plant Two to members of the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center |
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| Funeral Procession for McHenry County Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Maness, who died as a result of a shooting in the line-of-duty (Over 100 police vehicles from Chicago, LaSalle County to Kenosha, WI and various points in between-procession is heading west on Pearl Street just east of Veterans Memorial Park in Downtown McHenry |
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| Funeral Procession for McHenry County Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Maness (Funeral Procession on Pearl Street at Veterans Memorial Park) |
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| Veterans Memorial Park Tribute to our Fallen Heroes-Each flag represents an individual from Illinois who was killed while serving our country since 1991 (150 flags and 7 individuals from McHenry County) |
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| A Vietnam Memorial donated by the McHenry High School Class of 1964 paying tribute to three classmates who lost their lives during the Vietnam War. Monument is located in Veterans Memorial Park |
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| Dedication Ceremony of Captain James A. Lovell Veterans Outpatient Clinic-located on Municipal Drive, south west of City Hall |
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| Funeral Procession of Farmers throughout McHenryu County paying tribute to Tom King, longtime member of the McHenry farming community, procession is heading north on Richmond Road to St. Mary's Church |
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| St. Mary's parking lot during Funeral Services held for Tom King |
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| Antique Clock Tower donated to the City of McHenry by Tom Sullivan and his family-clock is located in Green Street Park at the northeast corner of Green and Elm Streets in Downtown McHenry |
