John's Blog - It's a WRAP

I can think of no other issue as important to the residents of District 2, or for that matter the entire County, than water.  Water in all its forms: groundwater, stormwater, flooding, runoff, etc. is of crucial importance to the health and economy of McHenry County.   

Therefore, the County's Department of Planning and Development is to be commended in calling together a Task Force including a wide variety of stakeholders to update the County's Water Resource Action Plan (WRAP).  The updated WRAP will be a comprehensive guide designed to educate municipalities, businesses and individuals about water resources, the potential threats to those resources, and Best Management Practices that can protect or restore them.  The March 13th kick off meeting was ably facilitated by Scott Kuykendall, Water Resource Specialist and Kim Kolner, Planning Division Manager with the County's Department of Planning and Development.  District 2's own County Board Member, Suzanne Ness, was in attendance.  The Task Force will meet monthly for the next year to hear from a wide variety of specialists in the fields of water hydrology, water infrastructure, land use, sustainable development, and best management practices.  Mr. Kuykendall stated the goal of the Task Force was not to approve of the status quo, but rather to develop a roadmap that the County and all its municipalities can use to become leaders in shaping the future of water resource planning and protection in McHenry County.  I will be attending the WRAP meetings and blogging back as important issues are discussed and debated.  If you want more information, or are interested in following the progress of the Task Force, you can go the the WRAP web site at www.McHenryH20.com.