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i nephews, ii enjoying his nj On Aug. it, the personal the honored ^fnest at an o^ t his host parents. Fap ds, and AFS adult chapj nod Michaol to McHenry. H lent is looking forward to^.1 is anxions to speak to McH« illations ahont Us country i ' v£. fs- . • :JKT'. •*>$ . ' V';' * •<« > 3^* ti,j ft s r t'u- • • : . m m "" ;• " , c " .1 / March There are two sides to any strike, as the hoard and teachers in Elementary School District 15 would quickly agree. And there are also two sides for those who merely watch and wnit. As picketing teachers march in front of the Administration building on Main street Wednesday morning, another drama unfolds far above. Out of one apartment window, a young mother displays apprehension. But the two children in the second window seem delighted to be part of the "audience" for their teachers, who are the principal players. At right above are some of the many teachers who picketed on Main street for a time Wednesday. STAFF PHOTOS-WAYNE GAYLORD Maybe it was the long weekend that prompted charitable thoughts. Or maybe it was the prospect of the fall season -- our favorite. Whatever the reason, it seems an appropriate time to count some of our blessings, this time bestowed by our city fathers. An enthusiastic news release from a state fraternal organization, which in­ cidentally has a McHenry chapter, carried high an­ ticipation of funds to be collected. We were in favor until we read the reason. It apprised us of the fact that an amended Illinois Vehicle code permits solicitation of funds on state highways by responsible organizations. However, there is a stipulation that this is allowed only within a municipality granting such permission. At one time the City of McHenry allowed this type of solicitation. If nothing else, it - was a dangerous practice. Council action rescinded the practice, but we have noticed it still exists in some neighboring municipalities. In fact, within the last year we were busy digging deep into our purse for money for some charitable cause when we looked up to find "No significant movement" was the judgment of the federal mediator, Lew Moore, at 9:30 Wednesday night as he canceled the negotiations session between the Elementary School District 15 board of education and the teachers' union. Stanley Eisenhammer, chief negotiator for the board, stated, "I am very disappointed in the warmed over counter proposal submitted by the teachers' union. It is extremely discouraging that the teachers made additional demands instead of negotiating the items previously submitted. The main surprise is that they raised their salary demands from a 10 percent salary increase to an 11.2 percent increase". Two other important changes in the teachers' proposals were an amnesty clause and a "retroactivity of settlement" requirement which would have the teachers paid from Institute day rather than the first day on which they will teach. Curt Hamilton of the Illinois Education association has since contacted Regional Supt. of Schools Ed Hall, asking that the Office of Education be brought into the matter to help reach a settlement. Reliable reports indicate that the IOE will only enter such mediation if it is the desire of both sides. Commenting on the stalemate Thursday morning, Judy Hamilton, president of the McHenry Classroom Teachers association, reviewed the original request of the teachers on salary. "It was 9.25 percent as part of the package in June", she stated. , "There was no response from the board and yet the cost of living rose to 13.6 percent". Ms. Hamilton said the teachers have indicated to the board a desire to make up the days they are on strike by extending the school year. "We're anxious to get back into the classroom", she emphasized. Ms. Hamilton said the last request was for a 10 percent increase, a figure that still stands. However, she indicated that this is contingent upon whether or not the teachers lose money as indicated by the board because of being out of the classroom to strike. If this is the case, she stated, the association is asking .6 ;rcent additional pay for each day out to cover the loss. The association president also referred to the $3 per day per student of overload proposal on which, she said, the board is placing great emphasis. Ms. Hamilton said the association had made alternate proposals, including hiring aides; if classes are very large, employ another teacher; and inter-school busing. A meeting has been called by the Hilltop Parents Teachers Organization for 7:30 Friday night, Sept. 7, at Faith Presbyterian church, 2107 W. Lincoln road. Ms. Hamilton said it has been called for concerned parents. She indicated members of the teacheok' negotiating team will be present to state their position. *>*«, While both sides have expressed regret about the educational loss to students, the financial loss is generally greater to ttiie teachers than the board, according to a school spokesman / *5?' Prior to the strike, letters were sent to the teachers, adviskQ them that astrike would be in violation of their contract and would constitute dn illegal action. To the question of teacher monetary loss, Dr. Richard Farmer,- superintendent, said it would depend on the salary of the teacher and would amount to l-180th of that amount. The average salary last year, he continued, was $14,118, which would bring the average loss to $78.44 daily. The state requires 185 days of school but allows five emergency days, which usually have been used for snow days. In addition, foitf- days are allowed for institutes, but Dr. Farmer emphasized th*U£ they are not used for that purpose it is necessary for the children fa* be in class. The school district would be affected by the loss of state aid if fife strike should continue past next Monday, but would recover of the loss through a saving on teacher salaries held back duriQ^ the strike. The enrollment of just under 3,000 students is taught by teachers. About 35 of these are non-tenured, first and second yeftr* teachers, who did pass the picket lines and reported to class tlfjfr week. In addition, six tenured teachers were at their job Tuesday* and five on Wednesday. **«£ Gary Lockwood has acted as chairman of the board's negotiating team, with Frances Larsen and Joan Miller as members. Stanley (Continued on page 20) "SERVING THE CHAIN-O-LAKES REGION SINCE 1875" 3toarb &hnnmg ihtofipaper 1978-- Illinois Press Association Newspaper Contest VOLUME 104 NUMBER 12 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1979 2 SECTIONS 26 PAGES 20S File Suit Over Area Development The promised suit against the City of McHenry concerning the 385-acre Winding Creek development abutting the southwest part of the city, has been filed in Woodstock by attorneys for the objectors to the development. Mayor Stanek said, "I think they used a shotgun approach of general, unsubstantiated claims which are, in, my opinion, frivolous. This appears to be nothing more than a nuisance suit-a quasi- vendetta." "How anyone can question the procedures is beyond me," he said. "We bent over back­ wards to be letter perfect and the fact that that it took a year- and-a-half indicates our Con- cerji to protect the interests of those involved and the total community." The suit charges the City with violating both County and Bull Valley comprehensive land use plans which have the property zoned as either agricultural or single family residential on three to five-acre lots. ^ The 34-page document requests the court to hold the City of McHenry Zoning board hearings invalid because members who were not present during the entire meeting, which was recessed and con­ tinued on different days, voted on the recommendations. The suit also charges that the Zoning ""Board of Appeals did not report adverse testimony, failed to report the facts, made no findings and no copy of the findings were ever submitted to I i~ I- • , SI-IT " the objectors or their attorneys. The suit goes on to say that the development will change the character of the neigh­ borhood, diminish property values, increase traffic congestion, increase storm water and sewage runoff, in­ crease the population density and increase the population by a minimum of 3,898 people. • • * V m' Council Updated On Progress Of Park Citing violations of Coni- stitutional amendments, the suit charges the City with enacting special legislation "without relation to the public welfare or recognition of the character of the neighborhood" and "depriving the plaintiff (objectors) of due process of law." Lastly, the suit charges violations of the Zoning or­ dinance-requiring 75 percent ' of the first floor of the traffic ahead had proceeded far past the green light. All the time, we were holding up a line of cars behind us. The practice also allows almost no time to find out the charity that benefits. One of the provisions of the amended vehicle code states that the sponsoring organization will be liable for any claims rising from damages to any persons or property during the solicitation. This should be encouraging to someone vin the hospital because he's been run down by sin inept driver who expects to find cars floundering in traffic but where pedestrians are not usually included among the hazards. And it won't do much to keep back the tears of family members if the accident produces a fatality. Even though a provision of the amended code states that solicitation may be done at intersections on state highways only where traffic comes to a full stop, there can be no doubt that one of the features of the game is danger. Another is annoyance. We're all for charitbale organizations reaching or surpassing their goals, but it (Continued on page 20) Park Director Peter Merkel presented a progress report concerning the application for the Land and Water Con­ servation grant for the development of Knox park at Monday night's meeting of the City Council. The application for the $200,000 reimbursement grant was submitted in Springfield last Friday and word on whether or not the grant is approved is expected in late December or early January. Merkel was unable to speculate about the chances of grant approval. Merkel said that McHenry fulfills the four criteria necessary for grant approval: need, planning (does it fit in the. comprehensive plan?), initiative (does the City have the money to do it?) and community support. A more complete description of the preliminary plans for the Knox park site appears elsewhere in this issue. The color of the shingles for the $3,200 repair of the barn roof at Knox park was left up to Merkel after a 15-minute Council debate. "Pete will make a decision in the morning," Stanek said. Tom Scolaro, of the Wood- stock-McHenry Disposal company, came before the Council to request a 26.3 per­ cent rate increase for garbage disposal. Scolaro cited in­ creases in the cost of operation, fuel and labor as the major reasons for the proposed rate hike. Aldermen Datz and Pepping wanted to look into comparable rates when Scolaro said that some of his men made $30,000 last year. Scolaro said the average wage, per man, as of July, 1979, was $2,489 per month. This was an increase of 22 percent over February, 1978. Scolaro also said that fuel and maintenance costs were up partially because the dump at Wauconda is closed and now the trucks must go to Antioch to unload. Mayor Stanek explained that the lack of an adequate land fill site in the county was one of the biggest problems facing the county. The matter was referred to the License committee for study. The $1.15 million bond or­ dinance for the expansion of the sewer plant was unanimously approved. This action paves the way for construction to begin. Alderman Schooley, chair­ man of the Streets and Sidewalks committee, said the committee recommends that the City A'more or less demand" 50 percent par­ ticipation from Main street property owners for sidewalk repair on the north side of the street. The cost is estimated at $17,000 and individual owners will be responsible for half the (Continued on page 20) area to be sales tax generating- -and a charge that the City exceeded its authority by ap­ proving, implementing and zoning the land as it was proposed. In short, the suit wants the Court to declare the annexation agreement "invalid, void and of no force or effect" and asks that a permanent injunction be issued against the McHentj (Continued on page 20) ^ *5*4 SSr !«a CTEP To Resume For This Area The Concentrated Traffic Enforcement program (CTEP) operated by the Illinois State police is scheduled to begin again in the McHenry area. The roads slated for police scrutiny are Illinois Route 120, from Greenwood road through the city to the Lake county line; Routes 31 and 120 to the Kane county line and Routes 31 and 176 to the Lake county line. This is a selective traffic e n f o r c e m e n t p r o g r a m developed and implemented to reduce the number and severity of traffic accidents at high risk locations through enforcement action and police visibility during the days and times when past experience indicates most accident hazards exist. The locations for this program were selected by using Illinois Department of T r a n s p o r t a t i o n a c c i d e n t statistics and the recom­ mendations of District com­ manders and their staffs. The State Police has received a M KM national Highway Traffic Safety Administration gra funded in fiscal year through highway safety moify with the Department Transportation to operate thfe program. (Continued on page 20) AFS Student Joins Family Proceed With Plans For Campus Storage Building City Tops Fines-Fees Distribution The distribution of traffic and quasi criminal fines and fees for the three-month period, April through June, was an­ nounced this past Week. The City of McHenry topped the county list with $25,312.67 in a total of $247,317.97. Other distributions were McCullom Lake, $2,089;. Island Lake, $8,084.40; McHenry Shores, $1,341.40; Spring Grove, $430; Sunnyside, $75; Sunrise Ridge, $744; McHenry township, $2,188; and Nunda township, $2,985. . A variety of business came before the instructional meeting of the board of High School District 156 Tuesday night, and included in action was approval of securing an architect and letting bids for a new storage building at West campus. The one dissenting vote was cast by Dave Benrud, who felt the work could be done by the Trades class. When the matter was discussed prior to the vote, the Trades teacher, Ron Dale, said this would take the boys away from their work of building the new Trades house. He added that this latter type of con­ struction gives the students experience in a variety of areas. The building will be a garage- type construction, 1,200 square feet in size. - - Benrud also was opposed to adoption of the high school philosophy and statement of objectives. These were presented by James Blum and Robert Putnarrt, North Central chairpersons. Benrud explained that he felt that as the document was Written, it could not be un­ derstood by 50 percent of the student body or by the public. William Dodds reviewed for the board the results of a recent meeting in which a representative of Community Cablevision was present to request permission to televise athletic events and board of education meetings. The board said that in events for which charges are made to produce revenue, the coverage would be delayed on TV. The question of insurance, and of interference with radio broadcasting which is now allowed, came up for debate. Paul Nitz admitted to being uneasy about the procedure. He said he would prefer this kind of TV coverage to become better established before entering into an agreement. After further discussion, it was agreed that Dodd would secure additional information; also that since community television seems to be an en­ tertainment' offering of the future, the board would not be amiss in allowing the local company to broadcast the athletic events. For the present, board meetings will not be televised. Members approved a bid of $2,985 for Hughes, Inc., to handle the Building Trades excavation. This was not the lowest bid, but Hughes promised to do additional safety work and the board agreed that previous ex­ perience with the company had been favorable. After Dan McNulty presented the Building committee report, consideration was given to alternatives of buying new stage lighting system at West c a m p u s o r r e p a i r i n g t h e present equipment. In viewing the difference in cost - $28,000 for new and $2,586 for repair - the vote favored the latter. Four custodians were em­ ployed, two for East and two for West campus. The question of whether to buy or rent custodial uniforms was a matter that brought about discussion. Benrud was of the opinion that it is illegal to buy the uniforms and not to have them cleaned. His views were expressed after Nitz made a motion to buy. The latter then withdrew his motion and a new one was made requesting a check to determine the procedure that would be least costly. Michael Fresen, who arrived from Johannesburg, South Africa Aug. 10, is McHenry'» American Field Service's student for the 1979-80 school year. The young man, who is making his home with the Dan and Mary-Lou Kinnerk family, is a senior at West campus. Michael is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Fresen and the youngest of 12 children. His American host family consists of two young brothers, Mike and Joe Kinnerk. The young man, who is uncle to many nieces and nephews, is family situation. On Aug. young man was the house given by his members, friends, and members welcomed enthusiastic student coming year and groups and AFS experiences.