The Lake Ecology Committee Should Be a Park District Citizens Advisory Committee

Earlier in the year, the Park District Board voted to disband the Lake Ecology Committee, shifting matters to the Shoreline Property Owners Association (SPOA). At the time that Board member Heisler made this motion to make the lake's ecology the responsibility of the SPOA, Tiesenga, Heisler, and attorney Anderson were all board members of that entity.

The SPOA is a homeowners association and Board President Tiesenga, and Board members Nisenson, Hickey, and Heisler, and attorney Anderson are all members.

At the most recent Board meeting in November, the President of the SPOA asked the Board to make the Lake Ecology Committee a Citizens Advisory Committee of the Park District. The issue of reinstating the Lake Ecology Committee came up for a vote, and unfortunately, with one Board member's (Hickey's) recusal from the vote, the reinstatement failed with a 3-3 vote.

Parks for the People is strongly in support of the Lake Ecology Committee being a Park District Citizens Advisory Committee. Consider:

• The Park District encompasses 23,000 households

• The Shoreline Property Owners Association (SPOA) has 120 households

• The Park District hires the Lake Consultant, not the SPOA

• Park District staff meets with the Lake Consultant

• Park District staff does the work

• The Park District owns the weed harvester

• The ecology income from boat stickers goes to the Park District

• The SPOA is a Homeowners Association, not a public entity

The report given to the Board in September details the efforts of the Crystal Lake Ecology Committee and can be viewed through the document below.

Lake Ecology Board Presentation final.pdf

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