We Unite Cary for What?

So Ellen McAlpine is heading up a slate of candidates for the Cary Board election. She has joined forces with Dale Collier, Jr. and Sean Wheeler and they call themselves "We Unite Cary." Not quite sure what that means, but okay.

Truth be told, I know nothing about Dale Collier or Sean Wheeler.  However, the fact that they've teamed up with McAlpine and have publicized the endorsements of a slew of people who have been responsible for uniting Cary not with constituents, but with the interests of a multinational corporation that has done nothing but walk all over the village should say enough.

Let's see. It's the same old story. Over the last twelve years (and it goes back further than that), Meyer Material has manipulated the board. It has disregarded the contract. And currently it is holding the land that it was supposed to give back to Cary last June hostage, because it wants to continue to have mining rights on that very land.

And McAlpine, Collier and Wheeler enthusiastically went on a "field trip" a few weeks ago with Randi Wille, the Lefarge/Meyer representative who has been the point-person from the beginning. And in the video, they gush over the size of the lake and the wildlife that they got to see.

But the fact remains that Meyer still hasn't honored the contract. Meyer is not paying fines that they agreed to as well. The land is still not under Cary's control, even though this was supposed to happen last summer.

And to further obfuscate the issue, the village still has an "artist rendering" of what the park could look like up on its website.  This was created for one reason: to unite Cary around something that will never be. Folks, let's be clear: if the park is ever given to Cary it will not be Three Oaks.  It is a lake with a path around it. That is all.  And the village spent thousands of dollars to have an artist sell the residents a lie.

Yet, McAlpine still plays to that farce. Even after Meyer missed the deadline for turning over the land to Cary she thanked them. Yes, she thanked them for doing a good job!  

On the "We Unite Cary" website they enthusiastically display the "endorsements" of past Cary officials. That list is a who's who of who's sold out Cary:

Mayor Steve Lamal: He is the guy who started this mess in the first place. He sold out Cary by allowing a weak and easily manipulated contract to be written that has given Meyer the upper hand in their relationship with the village. During his tenure, there were even issues with getting out agendas and notifying residents of meetings.

Mayor Tom Kierna: He was a Meyer super-fan who went out of his way to sway things in Meyer's favor (not unlike the current mayor, Mark Kownick). When there was a tie, like on the vote to give Meyer one of their many extensions back in 2012, he broke the tie with a yes.

Dave Chapman, former Trustee: Dave was also a Meyer cheerleader. In July of 2015 he admitted that Meyer was "significant" to the village budget and did what he could to keep the pit rolling. He even once lashed out at Fox Trails residents in October 2016 who were upset with the situation by saying that "Meyer has done a great job here." 

Rick Dudek, former trustee: This guy once made the suggestions that Fox Trails residents shouldn't complain because they moved into the neighborhood in the first place. He stated back in 2015 that there had not been complaints since Meyer started mining. Spoiler alert: that was not true. Dudek was instrumental in getting Meyer another hearing even though they had been voted down at the zoning board.

These guys are not the most stellar of endorsements. Perhaps we should fix the "We Unite Cary" logo:

The Conning of Cary...

I didn't think I would be writing any more about Meyer Material Company. After all, it appeared that everything was done. The deadline had passed and the reclamation of the land looked done. Surprisingly so. They even had the parking lot completed.

But still, there are barriers blocking the entrance to the parking lot. No one can use the site or the pathway that exists around the lake.

As it turns out, Meyer did not finish on time and the transfer of property to the Village of Cary has not yet occured.

Here is what has happened:  Last week, at the Village of Cary Board meeting, Meyer was getting ready to transfer the land to Cary ownership. But there were some "snags," to use the words of Randy Willey, the "Permits Manager" for Meyer Material.

Meyer missed the deadline for finishing the reclamation. Why?  Here is the list of excuses used by Randy Willey...and let me say, this is not surprising as we have heard excuses before. Remember: Meyer Material Company is not some mom and pop company. They are owned by one of the largest mining companies IN THE WORLD. Back in 2016, Meyer complained that the economy prevented them from extracting the gravel in a timely manner. Now, they have a fresh list of excuses:

A) The Americans With Disabilities Act prevented them from finishing on time. He acted like this was a new law and that they haven't had to deal with these provisions before.

B) Dealing with storm drainage issues

C) Construction work

D) Rain. In Randy's words: It was "wet and cold" and "really wet;" "record setting wet." Yep. He said that.

So, they missed the deadline. As it was outlined in the agreement, Meyer should be paying the Village fines. After all, if you miss your water bill or electrical bill, you need to pay fines. But not Meyer Material Company. They feel like they shouldn't have to pay these fines because we should feel sorry for them because it rained. Give me a break. They are a multi-national corporation that spends its time screwing over small communities. Just ask McHenry how they feel about Meyer Material Company. 

As of now, Meyer has not paid the fines that THEY AGREED TO. 

That's not all. They have some "reservations" before agreeing to transferring the deed of the land into Cary's possession.

Get this: Meyer wants "future" mining rights for the land! NEVER was this brought up in the ten years as a condition for deed transfer.

They want the right to mine in the future up to 200 feet below the surface. Details were not made on how this is to be done.  This is the most confounding thing. Meyer has removed all equipment. The dredge was removed. Did they find more minerals? Why is this coming up now?  Does this mean that, if approved, Meyer can come in 10, 20 years in the future and start mining again? This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Yet, people on the village board seemed more than willing to give this away. Trustee McAlpine fawned over Meyer Material, proclaiming that "you guys have done a great job...Thank you."

Luckily, they tabled this vote until further discussions could be made. But Cary does not have to accept these conditions. Let the Trustees know that Meyer needs to cede the land as agreed!

Let's be clear: Meyer is very good at getting what they want. They play the victim. They have lawyers and money. They sell "what could be" to the community to gain support. 

And then they screw them over. 

They are doing it in Cary. McHenry. Hartland, Wisconsin. And who knows where else? 

Also, for all of you who believe that this land is going to become something like Three Oaks, you've been duped. Take a look at this map:

Half of this property is in Algonquin. Although Cary and Algonquin have been in talks, there is no guarantee that Algonquin will actually cede this land to Cary. Sorry, but the more valuable areas of the property, including the entrance and parking lot, are located in Algonquin.

Let's see how this turns out. But I can tell you this: every time we see a light at the end of the tunnel, Meyer throws a curve ball. And they have been in this game a long time. They know exactly what they are doing.

They are con artists. And small communities, with the promise of money and amenities, buy into it.

And end up not getting what was sold.

Meyer is Up to It's Usual B.S.

Yep, Meyer has not fulfilled its agreement to the Village of Cary. They have not turned over the land as per the deal. Plus, they have refused to pay fines.

More to come.

The Cary Pit--March 29, 2017

There was an unusual amount of noise coming from this pit this morning. So I decided to use the drone to take a look.

After getting clearance from the Lake in the Hills Airport, I brought the drone 150 feet over the Fox Trails subdivision and took a look. They are moving dirt near the berm. But, at this altitude, you can get a nice glimpse of what lies next door to Fox Trails.

"Positively" Cary? What does that even mean?

When I first saw the signs popping up all over town with Dudek’s name on them declaring to be “Positively Cary,” I laughed out loud. Positively Cary?  What does that actually mean?

Grammatically speaking, “positively” used in this way means true. Like this is “definitely” Cary.  (I know what they are actually trying to say here, but hey, I’m a word nerd).

And anything that Duane “Rick” Dudek is associated with is “positively” not what I want to see in Cary.

Of course I am speaking from the experience of the Meyer Material issue that has been plaguing Fox Trails now for nearly 10 years—longer if you count the original Algonquin operation, actually.  Dudek is the only trustee who has been here from the time Meyer was granted a conditional use permit in 2008.

In fact, Dudek voted “positively” for Meyer back in 2008.

Although, apparently, he sometimes forgets that.

Case in point:  During the September 6, 2016 meeting, Dudek had the audacity to suggest that it was the fault of the Fox Trails residents to have moved into the neighborhood in the first place. “They sold over 130 homes,” he said, “even though there was something going on in their backyard….I think that’s pretty important to recognize.” This is coming from someone who was there in 2008 and voted “yes” for the conditional use permit for Meyer. He knew then (and apparently had forgotten by 2016) that the land adjacent to the north section of Fox Trails was zoned residential and there was a “no mining clause” on that parcel of land.

It was Jeff Kraus who pointed out that residents who bought houses knew the land had been zoned differently.  “The land wasn’t zoned mining,” Kraus stated. “So those homeowners up there bought it thinking it was agriculture behind them, not mining.”

And how did Dudek respond? Remember, he was there in 2008 and he voted to grant Meyer a conditional use permit to change the zoning. He turned to Kraus and asked, “How do we know that, Jeff?”

Was he being “positively” forgetful that he voted to change the zoning on that land? He must have forgotten because in 2016 he "positively" said in an interview "it was a crappy agreement." A "crappy agreement" that he "positively" voted for.

Not only that, over the course of his tenure as Trustee, he has made some “positively” puzzling comments regarding Meyer Material and the Fox Trails neighborhood.

During a Village Board meeting in July of 2015, for example, Dudek stated publicly that “There has not been one complaint” about the gravel pit. He must not have ever read this blog or heard the dozens of residents who had been coming to meetings or writing the Board to complain about the gravel pit. One resident at the time said at a meeting that it was “like the Indy 500 in my back yard.” Yep, Dudek “positively” didn’t hear that one.

The fact is that it was “positively” Dudek who started the ball rolling on getting Meyer a waiver to resubmit a plan to the Village before the mandated one-year “cooling off” period. He read a prepared statement in June of 2016 wanting Meyer to be reconsidered.

I guess he was “positively” sure Meyer hadn’t been treated fairly in the proceeding meetings and needed another chance. In fact, he "positively" referred to Meyer as a "corporate citizen" who needed to be "extended the courtesy" of a new hearing.  

So now Dudek is running on a platform that suggests he has been a "positive" influence in Cary. Ask Fox Trails residents and they will tell you a different story.

I have seen resident concerns "positively" dismissed.

I have seen the democratic process "positively" shirked in favor of the desires of a corporation.

I have seen Fox Trails residents "positively" demeaned and lectured to.

I have seen a corporation that is part of a multinational conglomerate "positively" treated better than the tax payers.

Of one thing I am positive: I will “positively” not be voting for that slate of candidates on April 4. “Positively Cary” means “Positively Dudek.”

No thanks.  I’ve seen how that has worked out for the last 10 years.

A little about Mark Kownick and "Integrity"

The elections in Cary are right around the corner.

And all over the village are signs for Mark Kownick that ironically proclaim him to be the candidate of integrity. On his website, he "fact checks" the whole Meyer Material issue and, as usual dismisses and undermines the actual facts in regard to Meyer Material.

On that page, he takes credit for the mining agreement and paints it with such positivity that anyone who has attended the meetings within the last year would find laughable.

Here is what Mark Kownick doesn't say on that page:

• When Meyer approached the Zoning Board with a request for an extension, the Zoning Board voted it down in February of 2016
• As a result, Mark Kownick demoted the Chairman of the Zoning Board, Joe Tournier, and didn't inform the other trustees of this action
• When the Meyer Material petition went to the Village Board in May of last year, it was voted down
• The Mayor and several other Village Trustees (Dudek and Chapman, in particular) then worked to give Meyer a waiver to re-present a plan to the Village despite the mandatory one-year waiting period. That waiver was granted in October of 2016 with the Kownick making the tie-breaking vote to allow the waiver
• The ZPA meeting for the new Meyer petition was scheduled before that waiver was granted
• The new agreement says that the $1.5 million in the land conservancy fund that Meyer was required to fund no longer needs to be used by the Village for the land after Meyer stops mining 

During this whole process, the Mayor was instrumental in subverting the democratic process. He so wanted Meyer to continue mining that he worked to get that waiver in place and get a Village Board vote as quickly as possible before this Village election.

During this whole process, every meeting involving Meyer Material was highlighted in the Cary News blast.

Except one.

That's right: this mayor who boasts of "integrity" oversaw an administration that did not, for the first time, publicly announce the meeting for the Meyer vote in its weekly news blast.  As a result,  few people came to denounce the plan. In fact, more Meyer employees were there to talk about how great Meyer Material is.

And, as usual, the Mayor voted for Meyer and now takes credit for it on his website.

So much for integrity.


  

Here we go again....

The Village Board meeting on October 4, 2016, went about as well as you can imagine.

After a lengthy discussion and vote regarding Sage Parkway, Meyer presented their new plan to the Village.

Or, as I should say, their plans.  Yes, Meyer presented three very convoluted plans to the Village Board. It was understood that the Village Board was to vote on one of those plans. But that did not happen.

Meyer presented plans A, B and C. However, in the course of the discussion, Meyer explained that they want plan A, which involves the use of a dredger and either plan B or C, which involves the hours of use.

It was convoluted and confusing. The Village Board was unsure exactly what they were voting for. But for three Trustees and the Mayor, that didn't matter at all. They want to get Meyer back in before the next Village Board election, that is very clear.

Meyer assured the Village Board that this new plan would be quieter. Meyer spokesperson Randi Willie even took some sound samples from a quarry in Wisconsin using some sort of sound-capturing device. However, having worked extensively with microphones and video (I have a video production business), it seemed very clear to me that the equipment was not used correctly nor was there any indication of where the microphone was placed or what type of microphone was attached to the device in the first place.  I can tell you this, I will not trust any sound measuring done by a Meyer employee sitting in a boat holding a device in his hand.

Nonetheless, many residents spoke out against granting Meyer a waiver.  As I mentioned in my comments, Meyer seemed to be just throwing plans at the board hoping to have one stick and this is the reason why we have a "cooling off" period to begin with. I also spoke about the fact that many Fox Trails residents received a notice in the mail from the Village and Meyer announcing the ZPA hearing Meyer's petition on October 13. I stated that this "looks bad" because a meeting has been scheduled for something that has not even been voted on as of yet. Even though the letter was signed by the village of Cary, many Trustees did not know of this letter.

Others spoke about their objection to the dredger; a few people spoke about how Fox Trails residents at an earlier meeting were blamed for living in Fox Trails in the first place.

It was deja vu, really. Many of the same arguments were being made over and over again back in 2008.

The most objectionable part of the meeting came when Trustee Chapman decided to arrogantly and condescendingly chastise Fox Trails residents for speaking out at the meeting.

"I don't know what you want," he stated, even though several residents stood up and said not to grant Meyer the waiver. But he went on and on. He even claimed to have gone door to door in Fox Trails.

He didn't come to my door, that's for sure. He didn't come to the door of my neighbors. So, I am not exactly sure who in Fox Trails he spoke to or when he actually went "door to door."

He went on to praise Meyer and then to say this:

"If you guys have problems with the dust and stuff--absolutely, there's a gravel pit back there. And I get it."

It was almost as if he was telling us to just deal with it.  Let me say this, I am glad that there is a Village Board election coming up in April. (To hear Chapman's comment, click here)

So the vote came and as usual it was Trustees Cossler, Covelli and Kraus who really seemed to listen to the concerns of the residents, who didn't seem to like the fact that Meyer was being given another chance. They voted no.

Trustees Chapman, Dudek and McAlpine voted yes. The tie breaking vote came from Mayor Kownick.

So on October 13, Meyer will present their petition to the ZPA. And then it will be back to the Village Board sometime quickly after that.

After we know what exactly Meyer will be presenting, we will be putting together a protest petition to this new ordinance.  We have to wait, however, until after the Zoning Board meeting. Several of us will then walk the neighborhood, gather signatures.

More to come.