Fall, 2015
Dear Fox Waterway Supporter,
Please allow me to introduce myself, my name is Joe Keller and in July I was appointed Executive Director of the Fox Waterway Agency (FWA). The FWA is responsible for the Fox River and Chain O’Lakes which encompasses more than 7,000 acres of waterway in Northeastern Illinois and nearly 50 miles of river shore line alone. Our waterway has more boat usage per acre than any other inland waterway in the United States and is used by millions of people every year. Our mission, of which I am a part, is to improve and maintain the Fox River and Chain O’Lakes public waterway for recreational use as well as restoring environmental quality, controlling flooding, promoting tourism, and preserving and enhancing the quality of life along the waterway for residents and users alike.
Our mission is tied to our budget most of which is comprised from the sale of waterway stickers or user fees. We have worked at ways of accomplishing our mission without raising user fees, while at the same time receiving less support from the State and others. This, along with aging equipment and high water related disasters, has drastically affected our mission and our precious waterway.
As a result, we are reviewing all commitments made by my predecessor, based on our current financial constraints. During the remainder of this year we are working to finish current projects while closely re- evaluating future projects.
I am committed to our mission and motivated and inspired by the people with whom I work given these difficult circumstances. The level of passion and concern I have witnessed for our waterway and for the people we serve has been inspiring to see. With a lot of hard work and ingenuity the FWA is striving to become as strong as ever to improve our ability to handle all the challenges of our waterway for its current and future residents and users alike.
We have a crucial obligation to protect this great natural resource. We are committed to striving for excellence and to ensure our goal of becoming the most respected and best waterway in the United States of America. In order to do this, it will take yours, ours and many others renewed commitment and support. We thank you for your continued help and understanding with this critical mission, and thank the many people who use and depend on the FWA and our great waterway.
Sincerely,
Joseph S. Keller,
Executive Director Fox Waterway Agency,
Preserving our great Fox Waterway for all!
45 South Pistakee Lake Road
Fox Lake, IL 60020
Phone: 847-587-8540