Heightened security at the Crystal Lake Park District board meetings will continue for the “foreseeable future,” as the board president says he feels “uncomfortable” after previous hostile meetings that included yelling, personal jabs and booing from the public.

Residents attending Monday’s board meeting were met with a security scanner, multiple Crystal Lake Park District police officers and a metal detector at the entrance of the Main Beach Pavilion where the meeting was held.

Board President Frederick Tiesenga stated during the meeting that he was wearing a bulletproof vest, and said recent comments and actions by residents have made him uncomfortable.

“I’ve been having people mouth swear words at me during meetings. I’ve been having people make fists at me during meetings, and if you don’t think this is real, just look at how you guys are acting right now,” he said as residents shook their heads and yelled out boos.

Tiesenga said being he’s been characterized as a “Nazi” and “fascist” on social media and that “is right out of the Democratic liberal playbook on how to demonize somebody.” That statement was met with even louder booing and yelling from the crowd.

The new safety measures for Monday’s meeting, along with recording upgrades with improved audio and video capabilities, came with a bill of about $3,800, Commissioner Cathy Cagle said.

An Evolv weapons detection scanner sourced from Apex3 Systems cost $1,500, while the metal detector rental was quoted for $325, according to park district documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

The scanner uses a combination of sensors, AI and algorithms to detect weapons, according to the Apex3 Systems website.

Only Crystal Lake Park District police were at the meeting, and no other agencies were brought in, Executive Director Jason Herbster said. The rest of the expenses Cagle quoted were for the recording upgrades, he said.

During the meeting, Herbster agreed that the additions were expenses the board should approve, but also said the staff makes safety a priority.

Cagle asked Tiesenga if he could work with staff to find ways to make him feel safe “that perhaps cost less money.”

Despite not taking any vote on the matter, the security measures are going to continue “for the foreseeable future,” Herbster said.

Tiesenga said: “We are going to have to have security that is commensurate with the threat.”

Crystal Lake resident and attorney Tom Burney called out from the audience: “Why does the park district have to pay for your paranoia?”

Many board members were in favor of the audio-visual upgrades for meeting recordings, but were divided on whether the metal detectors are needed. Commissioner Jason Heisler backed the extra security, saying leaving the meetings and getting to the parking lot “is very nerve-racking.”

A request was also made for bulletproof glass to be placed in front of board members, according to emails between park board members and staff, obtained through a FOIA request. The safety concerns were brought forward by Tiesenga, according to an email provided by Herbster.

Things got heated near the end of Monday evening’s meeting while security measures were being discussed. A resident yelled out from the crowd that Tiesenga has been condescending to the board and the residents.

Tiesenga responded by asking police present, “Can you take her out of here, please?” The resident left willingly before police had to step in.

The meeting started with Cagle asking residents to “tone it down” and “bring a little more mutual respect.”

Tiesenga, in his comments, seemingly referred to the assassination of Charlie Kirk. He didn’t name Kirk but noted: “We just had this huge celebration [Sunday] on what happened to a guy who was just trying to talk to people.”

The meeting was held a day after the memorial for Kirk, who was shot and killed Sept. 10 while speaking in Utah.

“Yesterday we were reminded of the ultimate cost and tragedy of escalating rhetoric and violence used to try to interrupt, overwhelm and silence reasoned, rational discussion,” Tiesenga said.

But hostility among board members and residents continued.

Many of the agenda items of Monday’s meeting were listed only for discussion, which Tiesenga structured to have each board member state their opinion and discouraged back-and-forth dialogue. Multiple times Cagle tried to respond or ask questions, to which Tiesenga responded by attempting to cut her off, saying she was “out of order.”

Commissioner Michael Jacobson raised concerns over the lack of natural conversation among board members, saying in the past they were able to have “civil discussion and back-and-forth” without being “out of order.”

“For productivity purposes, I think the way we’re handling it is the wrong way to go,” he said.

Since new board members took office in May, many of the board’s actions have been made in 4-3 votes, with the majority being newcomers Tiesenga, Keith Nisenson and Richard Hickey, along with Heisler.

Many residents, along with board members who are now in the minority, have been critical of the new majority’s swift actions.

Those include replacing the longtime park district attorney with former board member who chose not to seek reelection this year, at a higher rate; ending an intergovernmental agreement with Crystal Lake and Lakewood in favor of a new contract; reconstituting a lake advisory panel with a lakefront homeowners group; and ending the district’s DEI policy.