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Name:
Bobbi Baehne
What office are you seeking?
Alderwoman Ward 1 - City of McHenry
What is your political party?
Independent
What is your current age?
56
Occupation and employer:
CEO - Think Big Go Local, Inc
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
City of McHenry, Alderwoman Ward 6
City:
McHenry
Campaign Website:
Education:
Associates Degree: McHenry County College (Graduation Speaker and Distinquished Alumni)
Bachelors of Science / Business Administration: Columbia College
Community Involvement:
Volunteer Marketing Lead at: McHenry Music Festival (formerly Rise Up)
Student Mentor Volunteer for IncubatorEDU Program at McHenry Community High School
Student Advisor/Judge for MCHS Business Professionals of America
Volunteer for McHenry County College’s Marketing Challenge
Volunteer Educator for annual McHenry County College LinkedIn Student Workshop
Member of Business Resources of McHenry Business Group
Volunteer Marketer (as needed) for CASA McHenry County, McHenry Riverwalk Foundation
Former President of the Board for GiGi’s Playhouse McHenry County
Former Director on the McHenry County College Foundation Board
Former Director of Senior Care Volunteer Network
Former Director of Not for Profit Resources McHenry County
Former Director of McHenry Workforce Development
Marital status/Immediate family:
Not married - 2 adult children
Questions:
Should housing be included in development proposals for the city-owned land on Green Street? For the Wastewater treatment plant property? What is, for you, the right combination of commercial, parking and residential for the two downtown areas, including residential density?
I do believe that housing should be included both on Green Street and on the former wastewater treatment plant. We have a housing shortage throughout McHenry County and if we want to attract businesses to invest in our community we need to be able to also attract a workforce through multiple types of affordable housing. Green Street poses an excellent opportunity for multi-family accommodations in a mixed use development. However, any proposals must have contained parking options dedicated for residents and additional parking options for visitors to our downtown businesses.
The former Wastewater treatment plant is unique as it is surrounded by water (making it very valuable) yet only has one way in and one way out on a road that can not be improved. Because of this, the density of any housing development needs to be carefully considered as the traffic created will vastly alter the quality of life and safety of the residents (current and future) and of McHenry High School East Campus. I have spoken out against previous proposals that contained from 220 units to 700+ units because of the traffic that will be created. That said, I do believe that in-line with the City’s 2050 Vision, a combination of multi-family dwellings and retail is appropriate and based on traffic and parking studies, I would be comfortable considering developments with under 200 total units. Alternatively, I also really liked previous concepts for a boutique hotel, which I believe would greatly enhance our downtown and benefit our local businesses. Any propsed development will need to have adequate parking for all residents and potential commercial guests
The City of McHenry is currently preparing for a comprehensive parking study which should provide valuable information to utilize when future developments are proposed. With that information in hand, City Staff and City Council will be able to make more educated decisions about whether adding visitor parking to any proposed development makes sense or if a City owned parking facility should be considered.
Should the city work with District 15 to sell/redevelop Landmark School, and if so, what kind of development?
Because of the historical value and importance of Landmark School to our residents, I think the City should take an active role in assisting D15 with the sale and/or redevelopment of this property. Once this property is no longer subject to restrictions or requirements of a school building, new options will be available for redesigning the interior of the structure. I would be in favor of entertaining proposals for a multi-family dwelling, commercial, or retail space and look forward to the ideas and creativity of a future owner. Whatever the end result may be, I do want to see this property suitably connected to the Riverwalk in a possible future expansion.
The parks department says the pool complex is nearing its end of life. What should the future of water recreation/pools be for the city of McHenry?
A few years ago the City proposed an expansion to the City owned Rec center to add indoor and outdoor aquatic facilities. I would love to see that plan revisited. Surrounding communities offer these amenities and our residents are traveling elsewhere to enjoy more expansive water facilities and spending their money outside of our community. An expansion of our Parks to include an attractive aquatic center would add value to our current residents while serving to attract new residents with younger families.
Many of the new housing developments planned or recently built throughout the McHenry County area have been multi-family rather than single-family, and many are rentals rather than owner-occupied. What are your views on this trend? Do you support this type of development? Why or why not?
A thriving community relies on more than just single-family housing, it requires a diverse mix of housing options to accommodate residents at different stages of life, income levels, and lifestyle preferences. The City of McHenry’s 2050 Vision recognizes this need, prioritizing diverse housing options and a more walkable, connected community to enhance quality of life for all residents.
I support smart, well-planned development that aligns with this vision, one that balances single-family homes, townhomes, and multi-family residences to attract young professionals, growing families, and seniors who want to stay in McHenry but find themselves needing different housing options where they can age in place. Multi-family housing, when thoughtfully integrated, helps foster a vibrant downtown, supports local businesses and creates opportunities for people who want to live and work in McHenry.
That said, it’s critical that we ensure these developments are strategically placed and well-designed to maintain the small town character of our city, protect property values, and ensure our infrastructure and services can support this growth. McHenry’s future depends on responsible, forward-thinking development, not just expansion for expansion’s sake. I’m committed to making sure new housing projects enhance our community and contribute to the vision of a walkable, thriving McHenry for generations to come.
A recent study commissioned by the McHenry County Board found a need for more workforce housing in the county. Do you support any form of subsidized housing to address that need? Is there enough affordable housing in the community and, if not, how would you attempt to address that?
Ensuring that McHenry remains a welcoming, livable community for people of all income levels is essential to our long-term economic growth and stability. The recent study commissioned by the McHenry County Board identified some eye-opening statistics that residents need to understand when considering housing development options. First of all, workforce housing is for WORKING HOUSEHOLDS and those households earn less than the median income, bringing home annual incomes of $30-$80K/year. The study also identified that more than 30% of our households are burdened by the high cost of housing options. It’s also critical to consider the fact that 87% of McHenry County’s housing is single family residents, often being the most costly housing arrangement.
McHenry County Business owners are struggling to find quality employees because of this lack of affordable housing and dwindling desire to spend money on transportation costs. City council has to consider some type of subsidized or creative housing options in future developments. The Workforce Housing report identifies Income Controlled Developments, Land Banking, Community Land Trust and Loosening Zoning Restrictions as viable options to help fulfill this need. I would be in favor of identifying potential investors and developers that are interested in working with the City to find appropriate locations and solutions to create more affordable housing options.
Should local law enforcement cooperate with ICE to identify and deport immigrants who do not have legal status to be in the United States?
It is my understanding that it would be the McHenry County Sheriff’s role to interact with ICE. I would expect our local police department to follow legal processes while always protecting our residents as appropriate.
What are your top three priorities for our city, and how do you plan to address them?
My top priorities are as follows:
1. Responsible Downtown Development - I want to ensure that residents have a voice in key redevelopment projects like the former wastewater treatment plant, Landmark School building, and Green Street projects. One of the issues I’ve seen with our current city council is providing direction to staff for potential development and then refusing to sit at the table to negotiate suitable solutions for key properties. I want to see reasonable directives given to developers and in-depth discussion taking place when an investor shows interest.
2. Affordable Housing - This has been addressed in previous questions but it remains one of our primary needs in the City and County and I hope to find suitable solutions for single family and multi-family dwellings to meet the needs of our thriving community, our downtown district, and businesses workforce needs.
3. Setting term limits for City Council members - We have members on City Council that have held their seat (often by only 1 or a handful of votes) for decades. While the accumulated knowledge has value, it’s imperative that we have new ideas, new energy and make space for additional community members to get involved in leadership roles on city council.
How do you intend to balance economic development with environmental sustainability in the community?
As McHenry continues to grow, we must take a smart and balanced approach to proposed developments that enhance our desired lifestyles, support our local economy, attract new investment and preserve the natural beauty, especially property along our water ways. McHenry is already doing an excellent job at preserving and leveraging key properties like Miller Point, The Riverwalk, and Peterson Park.
What are your plans for enhancing public transportation and infrastructure in the city?
Public transportation that is available in the City of McHenry is primarily handled by other government or private organizations and isn’t a function of our City Council currently. That said, I would really like to see a focus placed on walkability throughout our community, in both our downtown districts and in our neighborhood communities. I’d also like to see bike and hiking pathways connected in a way that allow our residents to safely travel throughout McHenry. The City’s Vision for 2050 identified a desire by many residents to see this type of infrastructure more fully developed.
What role should the city council play in supporting local businesses and economic growth?
The role of City Council is to direct and support staff. We are fortunate to have educated, intelligent and committed Economic Development staff members. I would like to see City Council offer more support to that team, bring them leads for possible investors in the community when the opportunity presents itself, offer our support in recognizing local businesses that are making positive contributions to the community, frequently visit and support local businesses, make ourselves available to the local business community to facilitate communications as needed and to be ambassadors for our City in every way possible.
What are your top public safety concerns for our community and how would you propose addressing them?
I truly believe that the City of McHenry has one of the best police forces around and from a resident’s point of view, I feel very safe walking through the community. Among my concerns would be increased possession of controlled substances and theft. Again, I believe our police department is doing an excellent job engaging with the community, being visible, building relationships with residents and identifying concerning trends and doing their best to deal with them. As a city council member, I want to support their efforts, make certain they have the funding and support to provide our officers and staff with the best education, resources and tools to continue to keep McHenry a safe place to live, work and play.
How will you ensure that city policies promote inclusion for all residents?
As an elected official I believe it’s important to engage with residents within the community, maintain multiple options for communication with constituents and listen to concerns brought by any means to myself or city council. I believe that every resident should feel valued, heard, and included—regardless of age, background or economic status. For many years I have been an active advocate in the community for our veterans, senior citizens, individuals with disability and immigrants looking for a better quality of life. Our city resources, programs, and facilities should be accessible and responsive to the needs of ALL residents and I will continue to advocate for inclusion.
Do you support requiring government officials to publicly disclose potential conflicts of interest, and how would you enforce this?
Yes. It is already Illinois Law and the policy of the City to ask elected officials to disclose conflicts of interest when applicable. As a city council member it’s not in my authority to enforce this but should a problem arise, we have an Ethics committee that would handle a thorough review of the issue, involve our city attorney if necessary and handle the situation appropriately.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
I have made myself accessible through multiple communication methods. My phone number and email address has been made public, I am a frequent visitor to local businesses and events and always welcome residents to approach me to discuss their thoughts, the City of McHenry has a website page for City Council members with a form to contact each member and I have a personal and candidate facebook page which also allow residents to reach out if that’s their preferred communication method.