‘We showed an entire nation what our community was made of’: How Fox Lake faced existential crisis

As a small town mayor, Donny Schmit is used to late-night calls for one issue or another, hobnobbing with residents at countless functions and speaking at local events.

Five generations of the Schmit family have called Fox Lake home, and he likens the tight-knit community of about 11,000 to a family.

So it was in early September, 10 years ago. But instead of dealing with a local merchant or resident problem, Schmit faced banks of microphones and a sea of cameras as the little town on the Chain O' Lakes became national news.

He was asked to explain how the community was dealing with the fatal shooting of Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz, a 30-year police veteran, and the search for three men initially suspected of killing him.

“They followed me to church, they followed me to lunch,” Schmit recalled recently in front of village hall, where some of the news conferences were held. “It was surreal, all the media in town.”

Through it all, Schmit maintained a steady demeanor. If he was nervous, it didn’t show.

“I had to present myself to the public and be a calming factor for our residents,” he said. “I had to show them everything that could be done was being done. Don’t panic.”

The safety of residents and students was his biggest concern. As events unfolded, Schmit praised first responders and the spirit of community members who supported one another with endless donations of food, water and offers of help.

“Adversity doesn’t build character, it reveals character,” he said “We showed an entire nation what our community was made of.”

Schmit said he was stunned by the Sept. 1, 2015, death of Gliniewicz, a larger-than-life figure he had known for 30 years and considered a friend.

“Like many in our town, I couldn’t sleep last night,” he told more than 1,000 mourners at a candlelight vigil on the beach at Nippersink Lake, the day after Gliniewicz died.

Grief turned to anger weeks later when it was revealed Gliniewicz killed himself rather than face the consequences of an investigation into theft allegations involving Fox Lake police Explorer Post 300.

“When the stuff with Joe took place the community came together, and when circumstances changed our community adjusted once again,” Schmit said. “We didn’t have to rebuild, we had to refocus.”

Schmit has been on the village board 15 years, the last 13 as mayor. For him, being the face of Fox Lake is a source of pride and an opportunity to promote the community.

The atmosphere surrounding the Gliniewicz case was intense for a time, he says, but people have moved on.

‘The best and worst’

Crisis communications consultant David Bayless helped guide Fox Lake through the unprecedented odyssey.

“When a crisis visits a public entity, it is my belief that they should manage it head on,” said Bayless, whose Bayless Communications LLC has represented communities including Des Plaines, Barrington, Elgin, Schaumburg and Elk Grove Village. “The goal is keeping the public informed while being transparent, managing the crisis, learning from it, and leaving it behind as soon as possible.”

Bayless was brought in weeks before Gliniewicz’s death because of an investigation into potential officer misconduct during an arrest.

“And then Sept. 1 happened,” he said.

“This was unique in its scope,” Bayless added. “The incident drew national attention, so we were dealing with high volumes of media inquiries daily from local and national outlets.”

The crisis lasted about 10 weeks.

“There was an information void during that period that we had to fill, and we wanted to keep the public informed.”

As Fox Lake’s spokesperson, he consulted with Village Administrator Anne Marrin and her team while law enforcement dealt separately with media matters regarding the investigation.

“We thought we were dealing with a police officer who had been killed,” he said. “We were sharing as much information as we could.”

Meanwhile, “We knew Anne had been asking questions about Gliniewicz’s administration of the Explorer's program. So that presented challenges.”

Fox Lake Police Chief Michael Behan had resigned while under investigation shortly before Gliniewicz’s death, leaving a void in police department leadership.

Despite everything on her plate, Marrin met the challenge.

“She was tough, fearless, unrelenting, and credible. She only wanted the truth,” Bayless said.

“You've got the best in public service when you see Anne Marrin, whose leadership in the face of incredible pressure was unwavering.”

Bayless also worked with Schmit, who “loves Fox Lake and felt the community’s pain.”

“This story has been compelling because it represents the best and worst of public service,” he said.