McHenry City Council

The voting is now open in McHenry, as students from McHenry High School vie to have their mural printed on vinyl and installed on a downtown building.

The McHenry Music Festival, formerly the RISE Up Festival, is moving to a Friday-through-Sunday lineup with promises of a big-name act Sunday night, Mayor Wayne Jett said

McHenry has approved its 2026 budget, which includes a raise for the city manager and plans for a 1% replacement grocery tax.

Victor "Vic" Santi, who served on the McHenry City Council for 20 years, and Frank McClatchey, who has served on-and-off for 16 years, said goodbye. Santi chose not to run for and McClatchey lost reelection.

With remaining votes reported in the April 1 local election, did any results change?

Voters this week in McHenry County determined who will make the important decisions regarding their communities, schools, townships, fire departments, parks and libraries. See the results here.

Wayne Jett's first ever “Mayor’s Monthly Meetup" is set for 6 p.m. May 14 at Ye Olde Corner Tap, 3901 Main St., McHenry, part of his efforts to meet residents outside of City Council meetings

McHenry City Council candidate Bobbi Baehne proposes term limits for local elected offices, while Wayne Jett said the third term he's just won will be his last.

Prep work for the long-term Route 31 widening project is getting underway, and the city of McHenry has to figure out how much to set aside for its portion.

Several McHenry County-area mayors and village presidents faced and fended off ballot-box challenges – but not all. Here's a look at who won and lost and who got a free pass for another term.

Wayne Jett toasted what appears to be a sizable victory in Tuesday's local election for McHenry mayor. Though results remain unofficial, Jett appears to have handily won a third term, fending off a challenge by Ald. Chris Bassi, whose term on the City Council continues. Jett and his supporters celebrated at The Vixen in downtown McHenry.

McHenry Mayor Wayne Jett has declared victory at the polls Tuesday though votes are still being reported.

This spring, McHenry County voters get to decide who will make the important decisions regarding their communities, schools, townships, fire departments, parks and libraries.

McHenry's City Council wants to see options for Curran Road and Dartmoor Drive after study says a traffic light isn't warranted there.

The McHenry City Council is mulling whether to proceed with a local grocery tax with the state tax going away.

Christopher Moore: We need more single family homes, we have doubled our places that rent, apartments etc. We need to look at areas for parking and see what can be done, at times it hard to find a space.

Mark Seaquist: The city-owned land on Green Street and the Wastewater treatment plant has so much potential, really the only of its kind in McHenry County

Bobbi Baehne: 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.

Some McHenry restaurants will have limited music and outdoor liquor hours during ShamROCKS the Fox, March 14-16.

McHenry ordered decorative light poles set for Main Street early to get the order in before the 25% tariffs were set to start Tuesday.

Christine Bassi, candidate for McHenry Mayor: The City should be dictating to developers what the residents want, not allowing corporate landlords who overwhelming do not live in the community they develop to tell us what they think we need.

Wayne Jett on his top priority for McHenry: Responsible development to meet the growing needs of our residents. It’s important to follow the comp plan while also making sure we’re not putting a large burden on our other taxing bodies in the process

Doherty: "The Green Street site provides the opportunity for mixed use development. I would envision supporting a proposal that provides retail, residential housing and a small boutique hotel." Read the McHenry City Council candidate's full questionnaire here

McClatchey: I support well-planned multi-family developments as part of a balanced housing strategy. Read the McHenry City Council candidate's full election questionnaire here

McHenry School District 15 has begun running the legal ads needed to sell the 130-year-old Landmark School, with a bid opening date of March 3.

Development plans backed by McHenry Mayor Wayne Jett were scuttled after City Council colleagues balked. Now he's up for reelection and faces a challenge from council member Chris Bassi.

The Treehouse Play Cafe in McHenry will have a liquor license for parents while children play and during birthday parties.

Developer Redwood USA wants to build 180 rental homes off Route 120 on property that would be annexed into town.

McHenry Alderman Michael Koch questioned fluoride in McHenry municipal water system; other council members agree.

Candidates for municipal offices file during first day of filing for the consolidated election on April 1, 2025, on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, at McHenry City Hall. Tuesday marked the first day of filing for most races that will appear on the April ballot, including city councils and village boards, as well as school, park, fire protection district and township boards.

Victor Santi, who has represented McHenry's First Ward for the past 20 years, does not plan to run in the April 1 local elections.

McHenry has been working on its comprehensive plans for the city as a whole and downtown specifically for the past 18 months. Those documents are now available for public comment.

McHenry had agreed to buy land where developer Shodeen would build a hotel and 500 apartments. But the developer backed out after local opposition to the density.

McHenry City Council members took their first steps toward potentially raising their pay, though it wouldn't go into effect until 2027.

Shodeen Group, the Geneva developer who's worked with the city of McHenry on potential development for several years, is set to walk away from standstill agreement

Plans to bring 800 apartments and a hotel in downtown McHenry has deeply divided the public and the council, with the mayor questioning whether he wants to continue the job.

The new owners say the previous operators of Foxhole Pizza and Pub left them the pizza recipe and they plan to continue to use it.

The McHenry City Council agreed Monday night to purchase three properties on Waukegan Road, adjacent to the former wastewater treatment plant site, for part of a future larger development.

The McHenry County Sheriff's Office and McHenry have been working towards a permanent building for the sheriff's marine unit.

Miscommunication between the landlord and tenant means the owner of a proposed piano bar in McHenry needs to find a different location.

The McHenry City Council gave the thumbs down to an idea to allow people to carry open containers of alcohol in the downtown area.

A developer wants to turn McHenry's former City Hall into apartments, commercial space and parking, and wants millions in incentives to make it happen.

Tim Dempsey is McHenry County's truancy officer. He decided to start helping struggling families he's encountered on the job.

Based on Cary and Algonquin's ordinances, McHenry now has a better idea of what gaming cafes are and how to define them in city code.

The McHenry City Council rejected a proposal to ask voters to back a $45 million rec center expansion.

The McHenry City Council on Monday night signed off on purchasing the building and property at 1219 Green Street for future downtown project, and funds for additional remediation in the area.

McHenry Mayor Wayne Jett's 2024 music festival, fundraiser for park projects, gets thumbs up from city council this week.

Without increasing its levy, McHenry faces a six-figure shortfall, and there are $18 million in desired projects that would not be funded.

The proposal would allow open containers of alcohol on downtown sidewalks, in two parks and the Riverwalk during the warmer months as a one-year trial.

If the city council likes the idea, McHenry could allow open containers and public consumption of alcohol in the downtown business district next year.