Inappropriate Advertising Sign?

I drove by this sign in Crystal Lake this morning on the way to church. (Yes, I do go to church.) Just what a town needs; right? Want to see the banner more clearly? Click on the photo.

If you agree that the wording on this sign is inappropriate for display on a major highway in a nice community, call the Crystal Lake City Manager (815.459.2020) and also call Crystal Lake Pontiac GMC at 815.477.8600

Now, I'm not a prude when it comes to language. The occasional verbal expression is one thing. Depending on the mix of company in the audience, it may or may not get attention. I don't think it's appropriate in the company of women or children. And I realize we've all heard much worse from not only men and boys, but also from both women and children.

However, its use on an advertising sign of a major national automobile manufacturer's dealer is inappropriate.

Parked? (or Stored?)

How long should the City of Woodstock permit a large sailboat to be stored in a mixed commercial and residential area?

This sailboat hasn't been moved for more than two years. My first inquiry to Community Development was in February 2006, and my recollection is that it had been there for six months at that time. It rests on its trailer behind an office on the corner of Throop and Calhoun Streets.

Previous inquiries about the question of "parked" versus "stored" were met with the quoting of the pertinent ordinance that allows recreational vehicles to be parked on a lot. The City previously explained that this large boat and trailer would be considered "towed recreational equipment."

The City and I would define "towed recreational equipment" differently. My definition would be a motorboat or small sailboat on a trailer, motorcycle trailer, camping trailer, trailer for watercraft or snowmobiles. Yes, this trailer could be towed by a large pick-up truck with enough power to pull it, but then it will have to be lifted into the water. Somehow, I don't think that a pick-up is going to back down a ramp until this sailboat floats. At that point the pick-up would be underwater. A boat of this size not towed out to the lake for a day of sailing and brought back at night until the next week-end.

This trailer (and boat) is stored, not "parked". The ordinance uses the word "parked". Parked infers that the vehicle is moved from time to time. If it hasn't been moved for three years, wouldn't that give the City a clue that it's not in use? Recreational equipment is used from time-to-time; right?

Should this boat be in a boatyard and not stored on a lot near the historic Woodstock Square?

Used Car Lot on Route 47

Is 935 South Eastwood Drive zoned for a used car lot?

There used to be a few vehicles parked there by the sign reading eBay Motors, but now the lot is full! Sign of the times, eh? And parked right in front, backed onto and destroying the grass, are four large pick-up trucks.

One of these days that property may turn over and all the trucks will be gone. Will the owner restore the grass, or will there just be mud and ruts left where the trucks were?

Is this property even zoned for a used car lot? And, if it is, is there a site plan that directs where vehicles will be parked and how many vehicles will be on the property?

The car dealers a little further south spend thousands of dollars providing pavement on which to sell the cars that are parked on their lots. Often they even stripe the parking lots.

But not here...

Beautiful Dean Street

What's up with residents (or tenants) who feel they can just pile their construction debris at the curb in the parkway, especially near the Historic Woodstock Preservation District?

Where does pride in your own town play a role in this whole picture?

Piled on the parkway at 324 Dean Street and leaning against a City signpost this morning was an old piece of plywood and three 4x4s. Now, perhaps someone could use these, but are scavengers reluctant to stop and grab them, because the police might charge them with petty theft?

There are probably plenty of people in town who notice this and object to it. In fact, the City prohibits it. Of course, the City department employee who handles this type of enforcement is scheduled to work Monday through Friday, 8:30AM-5:00PM. Maybe that's why people wait until Saturday and Sunday to pile this type of debris at the curb???

In some communities the police department works closely with its town's Community Development Department, and officers themselves enforce the City Code. In Woodstock? No way. Is this type of enforcement demeaning? You know, below the "professional standard" of a police officer?

Who better to spot things that are out-of-order than the police officer who is patrolling his beat? As I understand it, Woodstock's police officers do work closely with the Code Enforcement Officer. They inform him of suspected Code violations. But the Code Enforcement Officer works only 40 hours a week. (He probably works longer than this.)

Officers could be trained and empowered to act on Code violations of this type. At the least, they could knock on the door, inform the resident (owner or tenant) of the violation, request compliance and issue a Warning. Then they could turn that Warning over to Code Enforcement. How much time would it take? Two-three minutes? Five minutes?

It's a chance to meet residents and develop good will. It's also a chance to get a look inside some residences and get a whiff of the breeze coming out. If there that "funny" smell? You know, that familiar one so popular with some people? Or is there then a chance to check on legal entry into the U.S. If you knock on the front door and hear people running out the back door, is it time to call for back-up?

In a small town like Woodstock, the police could work on code violations - not at the expense of "real" police work, but as part of attention to their beats. Chief Lowen calls taking care of the small stuff the "broken window theory." You catch problems when they are small, whether it's a broken window or debris or furniture at the curb.

What do you think, folks? Should the Woodstock PD devote a little of the "free" time to code enforcement?

Flag Disrespect?

On Friday, with a little prodding, Mercy Woodstock Medical Center lowered its flags, in accordance with the directive from the governor's office to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who had been assassinated 40 years earlier. Surely, some manager at Mercy Woodstock is on the email distribution list from the State of Illinois that instructs when and why to lower flags and when to raise them.

The United States Flag Code grants the authority for the governors of the States to order the lowering of the U.S. Flag under certain, very limited circumstances.

The flags were lowered some time after I called, which was after I had passed by in the morning and had seen the flags flying proudly at full-staff. But, apparently, no one anticipated the need to raise the flags at sunset. Well, duh.... When you lower the U.S. Flag, shouldn't someone be asking 1) When do we put the flag back up? and 2) Who is going to put it back up? Of course, it would be nice to inform the person that the responsibility for raising the flag has been assigned to him...

On Saturday, when the flags were still at half-staff, I called Mercy Woodstock. My request that the flags be restored to full-staff was received with some reluctance, and I was told that the person who handles the flags was off on Saturday. Well, so what? Is the U.S. Flag not more important than an hour of overtime pay for him to come in and raise the flag? Was he even called? Or was an "executive" decision made to leave the U. S. Flag at half-staff until Monday?

On Sunday morning, I passed by again and the U.S. Flag was still at half-staff. Mercy Woodstock is closed on Sunday, but Mercy Urgent Care was open. They agreed to page the weekday maintenance staff.

Respect for the Flag too often goes right out the door, along with most other displays of respect. Unfortunately, the U.S. Flag Code has no teeth in it. It's a "Wouldn't it be nice if..." piece of work that includes no penalties for non-compliance.

I wonder what would happen if a few citizens just went over and raised the flag...

Get a Load of This

Take a look at the size of this GPS mounted below the inside rearview mirror of this Chevrolet HHR. (Click on the photo to enlarge the view.)

Illinois law prohibits anything that interferes with the view of the driver. Think this qualifies?

It's not the largest one I've seen, but it's close to it. Is there any doubt that it blocks a substantial view of the driver to the front and side of his vehicle. Imagine your kid on a bicycle or trying to leave the curb and cross the street. Will the driver see him? Not likely.

The Illinois State Police are writing tickets to drivers with these devices mounted on windshields. Law enforcement personnel throughout the State of Illinois should be doing likewise.

Common sense would lead most drivers to recognize the hazard of mounting such a device on the windshield. The right remedy is a ticket - the first time.

Cannon by the P.D.

Have you seen the Civil War cannon now on the lawn in front of the Woodstock Police Department on Lake Avenue?

This cannon is a replica of an 1841 Mountain Howitzer. By the cannon are two plaques. Stop sometime to take a look at the cannon and read the inscriptions. Take the kids by. Learn a little more about Woodstock history. If you are visiting Dick Tracy Park, just walk past the front of the P.D. and a few more steps to the cannon and the plaques.

You'll find no place to stop or park on Lake Avenue, so just pull into the Police Department parking lot.

(To read the inscriptions on the plaques, just click on them to enlarge the pictures.)