Stacey Pyne: 2025 candidate for Island Lake mayor

Bio

Office sought: Island Lake mayor

City: Island Lake

Age: 66

Occupation: Retired

Previous offices held: Island Lake Village Trustee since 2021

Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? Also, what makes you the best candidate for the position?

After serving as a trustee for four years, I realized that many residents felt unheard and that decisions were being made unilaterally, with little communication.

Initially, I decided to run for mayor because I believed the incumbent should not run unopposed again. However, when the former public works director announced his candidacy, I stepped back. I soon recognized that the same cycle of politics was reemerging and that I had the best skill set to move Island Lake forward.

As a trustee of the Parks and Lake Commission, our group initiated three new village events, replaced two playgrounds, and collaborated with the Lions Club to install a kayak launch. We also secured a stormwater grant to create a native buffer on Mutton Creek and developed a lake management plan, along with overseeing the grant for replacing Converse Park.

We successfully collaborated with public works to establish a list of necessary park improvements. My background in education, event coordination, and workforce development equips me with unique skills for working effectively with diverse groups and individuals.

What is the most serious issue your community will face in coming years and how should leaders respond to it?

The village needs to prioritize infrastructure, economic development, and establishing a distinct identity. We are at a critical juncture, facing potential encroachment from neighboring towns, making it essential for residents to have a voice in managing future growth. A clear vision should be included in the comprehensive plan to guide our development.

Should we strive to remain a small town with defined boundaries, focusing on the lake and other natural resources to attract tourism? Or should we aim to develop a vibrant downtown? Alternatively, is it sufficient for us to exist as a bedroom community with just a grocery store and a few strip malls?

Given our location in both Lake and McHenry counties along Route 176, we face unique questions regarding a viable development plan.

How would you describe the state of your community's finances? What should be the top priorities for spending during the next few years? Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed?

Island Lake’s financial situation is stable, but there is pressure to generate additional revenue. Building a reserve for significant expenses has been challenging, as the budget primarily focuses on covering current bills. With the potential use of Lake Michigan water and frequent breaks occurring, prioritizing solid water main repairs is essential.

Additionally, there is a need for important infrastructure upgrades, including road repairs and sidewalk construction.

Having been raised in a family where dinner came before fun, I believe that some of Island Lake's most popular events — such as the fireworks, Lakefest, and Oktoberfest — should undergo cost analysis. We should explore ways to support these events outside of the budget through donations and sponsorship packages.

What do you see as the most important infrastructure project you must address? Why and how should it be paid for? Conversely, during these uncertain economic times, what project(s) can be put on the back burner?

Upgrading and securing water mains is the most important infrastructure issue. A serious main break damages private property, closes roads, diverts public works from other work, temporarily shuts off water and potentially incurs repairs outside the budget.

Federal or state grants to complete a water main project all at once would be ideal but can't be counted on. Procuring a low interest loan like the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency State Revolving Fund program could be carefully considered.

Unfortunately “back burner” projects tend to be nonessential services like park maintenance which leads to eventual decay and more cost. I would work with public works to identify areas that can get by with a little less attention.

Describe your leadership style and explain how you think it will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your village board.

I believe strongly in participative leadership. When people have input into projects it creates ownership, fosters creativity, promotes collaboration and builds trust. Running as an independent, residents have asked why I have no slate. The answer is because my years in special education, event planning and museum work have provided me the skills to work with just about anyone. Working with sitting board members and the newly elected is crucial to moving Island Lake forward and a participative leadership style invites everyone in.

What’s one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?

Currently, there are very few walking and biking paths connecting Island Lake to Wauconda, with Bonner Road being the only available option.

While participating in the Native Buffer and Shoreline Stabilization project along Mutton Creek, I envisioned how wonderful it would be to have a path that connects us to Wauconda alongside the creek.

I understand that completing such a project will require collaboration among many property owners, organizations, and resources over several years, but we need to start somewhere. There are often grants available for this type of work.

Continuing the shoreline stabilization efforts along Mutton Creek, which began this year, is a crucial first step toward restoring the ecosystem and paving the way for a path system that future generations can enjoy. Additionally, if you follow Bonner Road to the end, you’ll connect to the Lake County Forest Preserve’s Millennium Trail.

Reducing the amount of phosphorus entering Mutton Creek through nutrient deactivation methods, collaborating with others in the Nine Lakes Watershed and preventing further shoreline erosion are essential to preserving the waterway and creating enough space for a path system.