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II Mv'R s: f<s r - v ' n " y \ { • , v . ' . • • : \ ' • . #-t&H: : • J , * » • • , ^ - * , - . C . " • - • " v - * r ? " ';'"••'*'/ V ^ ; " ;C" ' ' . • 'V'; ' ;: ' " • . i i--i • ill!-- Stuart) Winning ^rtospaper ,1978-- •V- V- : _ . ... . • ,.. . ' "SERVING THE CHAIN-O-LAKES REGION SINCE 1875' Illinois Press Association Newspaper Contest FRIDAY, VOLUME 104 NUMBER 14 2 SECTION 24 PAGES 20* R 14. 1979 No Strike Settlement The McHenry elementary teachers strike entered the ninth day Friday after a three-hour negotiations session conducted by Federal Mediator Lew Moore on Wednesday failed to resolve the differences between the board of education and the McHenry Classroom Teachers association. At the Wednesday session, the board offered the teachers a 17 percent raise over two years after both sides made progress on what were described as several "non-economic" issues. Stanley Eisenhammer, chief negotiator and attorney for the board, termed the board's salary proposal as "substantial". He stated, "The two- year contract offer was designed to provide peace for a little longer period of time to the board of education and the teacher association who, I am sure, are tired of bargaining a new Contract every yeari" The board's offer did not end the deadlock over whether the teachers will be paid for days they were on strike. Eisenhammer commented, "The board of education's position continues to be that it will not pay the teachers for the days they have been on itrikfe of extend the school year merely so the teachers can make­ up their lofct wages". Dr. Richard Farmer stated, "The district operated with a shortened school calendar last year because of extreme weather conditions and it had no detectable detrimental effect upon the education of the children. If the strike continues into next week, the board may be forced into considering alternative means to open the schools for our children." Speaking for the McHenry Classroom Teachers association, Henry Kenyon, vice-president, said the chief stumbling block that remains is the teachers' concern for providing a full school calendar for the children. The teachers had offered to make up the strike days later in the year, a matter that remains unresolved. A meeting has been requested for Saturday with the federal mediator. Aroused parents castigated the board of Elementary School District 15 and its attorney at the regular meeting Tuesday, Sept. 11, for failing to reach an agreement with the striking So you don't know what season it is! You thought the calendar said September, but youngsters aren't in class, the ther­ mometer suddenly pushed upward, and you begin to wonder. Then you wander into the equivalent of yesterday's dime store. What do you see? Featured on a long counter is an endless array of Christmas items - cards, tree decorations and tinsel. Close by, a toothless, orange pumpkin smiles impishly at us from a package of Halloween napkins, and a turkey struts at both ends of a Thanksgiving table cover. But in another part of the store is a dwindling supply of bikinis, swim hats and those rubber rafts that remind you of leisurely days on the water. Strange as it seems, this is the norm, if norm there is these days. Last January and February, when snow was piled high enough to form a decorative wall for our driveway, we were looking at enticing Easter egg displays and admonitions to "buy that air conditioner now to beat the heat next summer". In July we went shopping - everywhere -- for a white purse, only to learn that these had been sold out for a long time and no more were expected. Then, in August, we walked into a McHenry store looking for an in-between coat. What we found was a long rack filled with early arrivals of winter coats. We decided to do what the modern version of Confucius suggested, "If you can't beat 'em, joip 4em". We bought ohel KAF teachers. Board president Tim Althoff transferred the meeting from district offices on Main street to the gym at the Junior high school when an estimated 250 persons jammed the designated meeting place. Following a short business session, Althoff opened the meeting to comments and questions from the floor after reading a statement of the present board position on the disputed issues. Most remarks carried some criticism of the board. ^ At the close of the meeting Bill Bolger, speaking for many residents, urged an early end to the dispute. He said that if the district wants good teachers the board should start treating them like good teachers (with appropriate salary). He blamed one man for precipitating the strike (At­ torney Stanley Eisenhammer) because he didn't get an answer back to the teachers' organization (MCTA) in time, but did respond in August. "The board should be man enough to admit there was a mistake made," Bolger criticized, and he turned to Eisenhammer at the board table and asked why he didn't respond. Without waiting for a answer, Bplger continued with an ac­ cusation the superin­ tendent, Dr. Richard Farmer, for sending out school buses on the Tuesday that the strike started, knowing full well that the children would have to go back home again in an hour. Bolger claimed there were a thousand people willing to help with the negotiations if per­ mitted to. He assured the board, "If you think I'm mad, you're right." And about the negotiations in which the at­ torney is allegedly acting for .the board, Bolger asserted, "We want our elected officials to talk." Althoff summed up the board's position, "We have no other concern than for the children and the taxpayers. We are trying to do the best job for both." The board's prepared statement invites public awareness that the current teachers' strike is in violation of the Illinois Constitution and the public policy of the state, and that the state supreme court has said, "There is no inherent right for municipal employees to strike against their governmental employer and a strike of municipal employees for any purpose is illegal." The board also claims that the strike violates the teachers' written pledge not to strike. To wit: "No member of McHenry C.T.A. will, ft an effort to effect a settlement of a disagreement with the board, engage in a strike or disruptive picketing." The statement also alleges that the teachers' intent not to abide by the contract whenever it suits their purposes makes it extremely difficult for the board to enter into a binding contract, but regardless the board has instructed its negotiating team to bargain in good faith for a fair and reasonable contract to end the strike, - ^ The statement, however,! warns of the board intention not to reward the teachers for striking by paying them for the lost days or extending the school year so that they can make up their lost wages. "To do so, would only en­ courage more and longer strikes in future years," the statement read. It was also indicated that the board was instructing the administration to, adjust the schools' academic programs so that children would receive the necessary instruction during the shortened school year. The statement affirms that the board will not surrender control of the district to* teachers by collective bargaining through such issues as reduced class size and guaranteed planning time. It is claimed the board needs the discretion to deal with preservation of programs, problems of increased enrollments, limited space and declining state aid. Similarly, the board took a stand against unrestricted use of paid per­ sonal leave or excessive sick leave and reduction of school days for teachers' union meetings. The board declared that the final settlement on salaries would be fair but would not "impair the financial security of the district." Of the ten speakers, two supported the board or criticized the teachers for their attitude. Richard John noted that most of the teachers' demands are not in the best interest of the community and he hoped the board does not do a turn-around to reach an agreement. But he conceded that a 6.75 percent salary increase is not enough. Although the board claimed the teachers' average salary was or $15,000 he wondered tit really Was, what length of service ft represented, and what was the increase last year? And he acknowledged that they can't afford to keep the students out of school if the strike should continue, "say for three months." Pat Shanholtzer expressed concern about the reactions of teachers to the school board answers to questions asked by the audience, referring to snickers, shoulder shrugs, and asides observed in that part of the crowd. She noted that if their students did this in a classroom it would be reflected in their grades and hoped that is not their attitude in negotiations. She had expected better from teachers. (Continued on page 17) The clock in the back of the room says 7:30, the time for the regularly scheduled meeting of Elementary School District 15 board of education. In contrast to the usual uneventful opening of the meeting, Tuesday evening found the administration building board meeting room filled, with some of the crowd extending into the hallway. At right, Timothy Althoff. board president, adjourns the meeting to Junior high school to accommodate teachers, parents and other persons interested in learning the status of the teachers' strike. From left are Dorothy Vick, board secretary; Stanley Eisenhammer, board attorney; Althoff and Dr. Richard Farmer, superintendent. STAFF PHOTOS-WAYNE GAYLORD Charge Arson In Pub Fire Two fires in the McHenry area, • both intentionally set, were put out by the fire department since Sunday. While on routine patrol early Tuesday morning, a Sheriff's police officer passed the Sport's Pub, at 216 W. Rand road, McHenry, and saw a flickering light and a man waving a coat. Realizing it was a fire, the officer returned to the scene and helped the man, Charles Zabroski, put out the fire. Zabroski told the officer that he lives out of a van parked in the lot next to the pub- Zabroski said he was awakened and saw flames along the side of the tavern, and two males, one carrying a bottle, running past his van. According to the police report, the fire later spread to the inside of the building and the McHenry Fire department was-called.^' A search of the area failed to locate the two men. Last Sunday, the Sheriff's police received a report of a car fire on Mason Hill road. When the police arrived, the McHenry Fire department was working on putting the fire out in a car that belonged to Gary Rusaell, of 5410 W. Highland, McHenry. Russell told police that the car/ had broken down at that location. According to the report, vandals apparently set the fire after removing the fog lamps from the vehicle. Rescue Squad Benefit The public is reminded that the mammoth rummage sale and flea market sponsored by the McHenry Rescue squad will be held Saturday, Sept. 15, in the Pearl street park. The hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the rummage sale, market and a bake sale. At 6 p.m., a band will be present for the enjoyment of the crowd. Food, soft drinks and beer will be available. The squad hopes to realize money for incidentals badly needed by members and for the improvement of the squad building in McHenry and the newly acquired structure in Holiday Hills, which is in need of repairs. 600 To Participate In Homes Church Survey Economy Thrust Continues By Johnsburg School Board Efforts to maintain and expand an attitude of con­ servation and thrift in the Johnsburg school district were hammered out in practical terms Tuesday night as the Johnsburg school board and individual principals looked at the day to day possibilites for budget cuts. Board president Charles Boak stressed that these steps would insure that there would not be a financial crisis at some future time, and were not efforts to get out of trouble at the present. They do stem, however, from state aid cuts mentioned at earlier meetings. A request for additional phones at the high school brought a lengthy discussion of the difficulties posed by the physical placement of existing phones, of the extremely high cost of long distance calls made last year, and of the frequency with which high school lines were tied up. Ken Falkinham reminded that a great number of the long distance calls made last year related to purchases for the new high school, and to many resulting difficulties, and were hardly likely to be repeated in such numbers in any following year. There was also the problem of not having a call-pack arrangement for part of the year. Board member Tom Cahill felt that additional phones were not likely to clear the phone lines for incoming or outgoing calls. It was suggested that an MAB line (strictly outgoing) might be practical, since the attendance secretary and dean easily use the phone for several hours straight every morning checking on unexecused ab­ sences. It was decided to ap­ prove the three requested extensions, to look into the cost of the MAB line, purportedly less expensive, to ease the phone traffic. Board president Boak stressed that the number of long distance calls should be monitored, and that whatever possible, the mail be used in­ stead of the phone. Field trip budget cuts in the amounts of $400 for the high school and 10 percent for the other schools were approved. A suggestion by Boak that perhaps field trip charges be raised provoked a strong reaction from Junior high principal Jim VanBosch that this would prove prohibitive to a large number of his students. Boak disagreed, and VanBosch insisted that there are already a large number of fees asked. The board requested that committees be formed in each school to generate suggestions to the board on ways of cutting costs of field trips and of providing funds. It was suggested by Bobby Hart that the cost of the Junior high band • bus trip might be cut by requesting a $1 fee of the students participating, par­ tially defraying the cost. Additional cuts came in the areas of administrative and staff travel reimbursement, site construction expenditures and landscaping at the high school. Among conservation measures implemented was the decision to keep the water heater temperature at all buildings at 105 degrees. Input is being sought from all levels of school personnel on methods of cutting energy consumption and eliminating waste and (Continuad on page 17) Area churches are currently planning a community wide survey of 14,000 homes, scheduled Sept. 30 from 1 to 7 p.pi. Six hundred people from all the area churches will form 300 teams to conduct the survey to determine th& church preference of local residents and to distribute a brochure simply offering the names, addresses, and worship times of all area churches. This ecumenical project, which is entered into by all denominations, is being carried out under the theme, "A Chance to Reach Out for* the i." The survey teams will ask seven questions at each home: 1--Are you or have you been a member of any group of worship? 2--If your answer to No. 1 is yes, please indicate which group; 3--Are you currently registered with a local group of worship? 4--If the answer to No. 3 is yes, please indicate which group; 5--Would you permit a phone call or a brief visit from a group of worship? 6--Would you be willing to receive information from a group of worship? 7--If the answer to 5 or 6 is yes, please indicate a preference. Area service organizations are being informed of the community survey and have registered their support for this ecumenical endeavor by all the community churches. Prior to the day of the survey three one- hour training sessions have been scheduled to familiarise the calling teams with their responsibilities. Each person participating on a calling team is invited to attend one of the training sessions. On the day of the actual survey various churches Will serve as centers for the maktytg of assignments to callers *}ild tabulating the resqfo. Representatives of parishes have been medfyig weekly to insure the success bf this community wide endeavor. Arrests In Murdet Be rue Ice Spruth and Virginia Karls are among volunteers who will participate as callers in the community wide survey planned by area churches. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Three Lake county men were arrested for the murder of another man who was found dead on Vanderkarr road in McHenry county last January. On Jan. 23, at about 3:10 p.m., according to McHenry County Sheriff's Police Lt. George Hendle, Edward J. Caraher of Lake Villa was found murdered along Van­ derkarr road. Hendle said that Caraher had been shot, cut and beaten. William A. Frank, 20, Und Edward J. Weiting, 22, both of Ingleside, and Clifford R. Johnson, of Libertyville wftte arrested and charged With murder, aggravated kidnaptftg and armed robbery with bond set at $525,000 each. ' The arrests concluded' an eight-month investigation* by the Sheriff's police, in con­ junction with the state's <tt-. ' torney's office.