VOLUME 104 NUMBER 18 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1979 2 SECTIONS 26 PAGES 20' Expect Annexation Of Gladstone Acreage Soon If all goes well, from the City the McCullom Lake road and Council's point of view, on Oct. Route 31 intersection. 11 the City will become 125 One point of previous con acres larger. .tfntion, the timetable for the After almost four tiouirs of McCullom Lake* rb&d ' cbtft- paragraph-by-paragrapn ex amination, the proposed annexation agreement for the Gladstone property on the east side of Route 31 north of the City was given tentative ap proval by the City Council Monday night. All that remains is for the Falcon brothers to change the document as agreed, have the agreement approved and the appropriate ordinances passed and the parcel will be City land. In addition to the normal fees -- library, park, schools and sewer and water ~ the Falcons have agreed to pay $100,000 to the City and $100 per lot when building permits are issued for sewer and water costs. The Falcons also agreed to dedicate to the City a 50 foot right-of-way to provide access to the subdivision via Court street. The City might some day want to put a walkway or bike path through, or extend the street, Mayor Stanek said. The mayor was pleased with the agreement which, if adopted, would also require the Falcons to share the cost of putting in stop-and-go lights at pletion, was established at three years after the recording of the first final plat. Some debate did arise con cerning the lack of neigh borhood parkland in a development of this size. Alderman Pepping said that this was a concern of both the Planning commission, when he served on it, and of the more recent Zoning board hearings. Mayor Stanek said that it was "a little late in the game to change the rules" and require a land donation. Stanek added that the detention area, when not under water, and possibly the right-of-way in the south could be considered a quasi- park. Larry Falcon pointed out that the right-of-way property is a "deep hole" and really not practical for use as a neigh borhood park. Alderman Nolan expressed a concern over the open detention area and w&nTed To knoWWfib would be liable if some child fell in and drowned. The mayor said the City would be liable. In the end, Stanek hinted that perhaps Ed Neumann might either sell or let the City use some of his ten-acre com mercial area as a neighborhood park. The 32-acre (approximate) business area came under Council scrutiny when Alderman Pepping said that he did not agree with allowing "B- 3" business zoning for the whole area. Pepping pointed out that the City usually requires "B-l" zoning with variations where necessary. Pepping said the category was too broad and there were some uses that he could not agree with. "I don't want to give carte blanche on the area facing the highway," Pepping said. Pepping added that he was interested in preserving the approaches to the City. He was supported in his wishes not to have a large agricultural implement dealer or con tractors of any sort who might store equipment or supplies outside. Jerry Falcon did want to leave the option open for contractors to build on the highway and assured the Council that any contractor who might build there would be retail oriented and no wholesaling operations would be allowed. Alderman Nolan again ex pressed a desire to have the detention areas fenced in. Alderman Harker said, "Liz, you can't fence in the Fox, the ponds in Whispering Oaks or (Continued on page 20) Businesses, homes and autos were all targets of McHenry thefts and burglaries occurring in the past week. On Hi-Point road, Circuit Etching Technics was burglarized when someone pried open a door and stole $250 in cash. 2 calculators, 3 1-ounce bottles of gold plating con centrate and a set of car keys. Someone pried open a win dow and cut the screen at the Harmony Resort, 614 Bald Knob road, McHenry, and got away with $425, 10 bottles of liquor, a beer tapper and a sapphire ring. A block down the road, the Ba!d Knob Resort, 516 Bald Kii'dff road, McHenry, was entered in the same way and $480. several bottles of liquor, 2 decks of playing cards and some boat keys were stolen. The summer home at 2506 Michael court, McHenry, belonging to Vincent Ruberto of Elmhurst, was liberated of almost all its furniture. Someone had removed a window and taken the beds, mattresses, bedspreads, blankets, the living room furniture, a dinette set and a clock-radio. Carol Sylvester, of 5609 Bunny avenue, McHenry, reported to the Sheriff's police that someone had broken into her locked auto and stolen a large quantity of scuba equipment. (Continued on page 20) National Merit Semifinalists Jill Hutchinson, left, and Cynthia Van Cleave display pleasure over the announcement shown by Assistant Principal Greg La Plante, informing the two seniors that they have been named National Merit Semifinalists. Two others have been recognized as Commended students, Derek Gilbert and Thomas Schlofner. County Considers Tentative Budget The McHenry County board will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. Oct. 2 to consider the tentative budget. At the meeting last week, Ed Buss, Friday, Sept. 21, and we get ready to mark the end of summer. It's a pleasantly nostalgic time for many people. It's a nostalgic time for us, too, but some of the memories we'd rather forget. Even the fringes of modern medicine tend to inflict upon each of us at some time indignities we should not be made to suffer. We have had our share over the past three months, which tends to make us say goodbye to summer with oily minor regrets. First there was the tooth whose nerve became insulted by the dentist's proximity. To this day its refusal to return feeling to lip and chin has caused no end of embarrassment while eating. And more recently there was the visit to the eye specialist after an unthinking friend directed a tennis ball in the direction of our face. j Now what indignity could there be to an eye examination? Plenty! No disco dance hall - no brilliant fireworks display -nothing can match the intensity of light that shoots into the eye at short range during a retina examination. "Look down and left, down and right, now straight up, then up and left, now up and right." And all of this while the sympathetic lid fights to cover a sensitive eye. So what happens? The mouth comes open to compensate. It opens down and left, down and right, straight up, then up and left, then up and light. All the while the eyeball never gets out of neutral to the consternation of the Doc. Stupid? Of course you feel stupid but Doc repeats: "Once more, look down and left, down and right, etc." * And when we're through? Well, it's pretty much like the nerve of the tooth, which promised to bounce back in no time. Everything is status quo. > • "You can rule out glaucoma, cataract, poor blood vessels"...and >* few other things we knew a stray tennis ball couldn't have caused. But how long will theblurry eye with the strange lights last? Doc just shakes his head. "Come back in two months and we'll have a look." And so we make the transition from summer to fall with a lip that limps and an eye that not only roves but blinks inconsiderately and most ridiculously, even at strangers. Can winter bring us more? K.A.F. McHenry, chairman of the Finance and salaries com mittee, warned the county faces a sizable deficit in its projected 1979-80 budget which goes into effect Dec. l~over a million dollars. Increases in costs contribute to the deficit, and Buss cited such factors as increased gasoline costs for the Sheriff's patrol cars, extra cost for services the public demands and salary increases. Insurance costs are on the rise, Buss noted. The com mittee is considering a change in policy which would change the work week from 37hours to 40 hours. Buss suggested increasing the fees for building permits and liquor licenses to help cover the $900,000 salary costs and the $1.2 million additional expenses projected for the upcoming fiscal year. The Courthouse Operations committee is looking into the purchase of the large office building immediately to the south of the present courthouse, Ron Morris, Harvard, com mittee chairman, said. An appraisal is being obtained, and some space would be available in the building relatively soon. Some space is rented to private tenants by the present owner of the building at 666 Russel court. If that building is acquired, it would reduce construction plans at the present site but would not eliminate them. Walter Lamprecht, president of the board of trustees of the McHenry County Conservation district, told the board in the annual report to the county officials that the district con tinues its implementation of a five-year plan of land acquisition. During this eighth year of the district, it completed contracts on the contract payment^ on six land parcels. During the year, trustees purchased 450 acres; of land. All were in acquisitions adjacent to existing con servation sites. Two seniors at McHenry Community high school, Jill Hutchinson and Cynthia Van Cleave, have been recognized as semifinalists in the com petition for National Merit Scholarships to be awarded in 1980. Two others were named Commended students at the same time. Jill is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin E. Hutchinson of 2514 W. Lincoln road and Cynthia is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald E. Van Cleave of 3701 W. Bull Valley road. Each semifinalist who wishes to continue in the competition must meet all requirements for finalist standing, which include completion of semifinalist application; documentation of high academic standing grades 9-12; full endorsement and recommendation for Merit Scholarship consideration by the secondary school principal; and confirmation of PSAT--N- MSQT scores by equivalent performance on the SAT. PSAT-NMSQT is the qualifying test for the Merit program. The two Commended students are Derek Gilbert, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Gilbert of 608 Silbury and Thomas Schlofner, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Schlofner of 3610 W. Freund. Of the more than one million students entering the com petition, about 35,000 throughout the United States are being commended for test performance that placed them among the top 5 percent of participants. Although Com mended students rank below the level required for Merit program Semifinalists--the only participants who will continue in the 1980 competition for Merit Scholarships--each (Continued on page 20) District 15 Accepts Budget Of $5,517,092 A budget of $5,517,092 for the fiscal year 1980 (July 1, 1979- June 30, 1980) was accepted Tuesday night by the board of Elementary School District 15 except for a change which transfers $170,000 in ex penditures from the Education fund to the Operations, Buil ding and Maintenance fund. Prior to the transfer, the Education fund listed an an ticipated deficit of $975,003, resulting from an Operations deficiency of $658,813 being added to the deficit of $316,190 Church Survey In Final Plans Pastor Ralph Smith and Pastor Roger Schneider, representing the First United Methodist church and Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran church, respectively, discuss the community survey planned by churches. Final plans have been made for an area survey of 14,000 homes, to be conducted by representatives of all the churches in the community Sept. 30 from 1 to 7 p.m. Representatives of the churches have been meeting weekly to create calling zones and assign workers to the various areas to be surveyed. Serving as zone centers from which callers will be dispatched will be Zion Lutheran church, Faith Presbyterian church, and Christ the King Roman Catholic church. Jerry Klein is serving as coordinator of all the calling teams. This ecumenical project is being carried out under the theme "A Chance to Reach Out for the Lord". Survey teams will simply be asking people if they have a church preference and will be distributing a small brochure outlining the times of worship offered by each parish. that existed this past July 1. Estimated revenue in this fund is listed at $3,527,777 and estimated expenditures at $4,186,590. Also before the transfer, the estimated deficit in the Operations, Building and Maintenance fund was listed at $28,927. The expected deficit was $62,009 whereas the fund was in the black by $33,082 on July 1, 1979. Estimated revenue is $325,113 and expenditures, $386,122. Other fund expenditures and anticipated balances are as follows: Bond and Interest, $320,180 expenditures and an $81,724 balance; Tran sportation, $499,200 ex penditures and $67,395 balance; Illinois Municipal Retirement, $100,000 expenditures and $26,363 balance; Site and Construction, $25,000 ex penditures and a $43,980 balance. Salaries for administrators are listed to increase from $104,330 this past year to $122,894 and secretaries from $51,550 to $57,668. Instructional salaries have changed as follows: Principals, $129,910 to $146,520; teachers, $2,075,440 to $2,309,378; sub stitutes, $38,374 to $38,000; teachers' aides, $114,926 to $132,000; and clerical, $59,712 to $67,000. The resignation of Dr. Donna Murphy as principal of Edgebrook school brought about a flurry of debate over that position, initiated by Henry Nell. Earlier in the meeting Nell had been inducted as a new member to replace Willis Martin, who resigned recently when he accepted neto employment in another state. Prior to Nell voicing his opinion, Dr. Richard Farmer, superintendent, had outlined a salary range for the principal and other benefits. These in cluded a salary from $21,000 to $26,000 ; 200 days of work a year; life insurance in accord with the amount of salary; 6 percent paid retirement: full health insurance program with major medical; and the usual (Continued on paqr 20) THE MCHENRY PLAINDEALER Sought Out SERVING THE CHAIN-O-LAKES REGION SINCE 1875' n n i By Burglars Concerning The Future The executive director of the McHenry Chamber of Commerce, Robert Prendergast, is shown introducing one of the topics for consideration at a breakfast meeting held at the McHenry Country Club on Thursday, Sept. 6. The Chamber of Commerce asked a number of people representing all walks of life in McHenry to come and talk over some of the problems facing McHenry, both now and in the future. The results of the meeting will be used to determine a goals and objectives program for the City. More information appears elsewhere in this issue. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD •v > " Sunrise Ridge President Defends Against Accuser» Ask Trustee To Resign trustees as a result of these actions. , v Rachel read a letter Tuesday night from Howard Strainer of • the Strainer Mobile Home Service stating, "We are not • going to bring charges against anyone. We know we can't, because the proposal (a proposal for the moving of a mobile unit to Sunrise Ridge to be used as a village hall) was never signed by you." Another letter, from Robert Hermes, the CETA employee, was read stating, "As a CETA participant, I did no work other than CETA work for the hours I was paid as a CETA worker." Guy Kreutzer of the Franks and Schmitt Law firm, legal representative for the Village of Sunrise Ridge, noted that a complaint was filed with State's Attorney Theodore Floro by Joseph Sladek in conjunction with the misuse of CETA employee complaint. Kreutzer said all complaints to the state's attorney were routinely investigated as this one had been. Kreutzer concluded, "In my opinion, there is no just cause for any legal action." A petition which had been circulated around the village, signed by 138 people, was presented asking for the resignation of Anita Van- derwiel. A motion followed by Trustee Sander Van Peski, seeking her resignation. In taking action Van Peski charged, "She (Mrs. Van- derwiel) has made false ac cusations against our president. She has accused him of a variety of felonies com pletely unfounded and untrue. There is no room in village government for slander and libel." The motion was seconded by Trustee David Kuziel. Ms. Vanderwiel stated calmly that she was only doing her job by bringing facts out into the open and there was no personal vendetta on her part against Rachel. Since Mrs. Vanderweil is an elected official she cannot be removed from her position unless she/makes that request. At this time, she made no statement that she intends to leave office. Ja mes Rachel, president of the village of Sunrise Ridge, Wonder Lake, defended himself against the accusations of a board member, and the latter was forced to speak up in her own defense at a meeting of the trustees of that village Tuesday night. At the Aug. 21 meeting, Anita Vanderwiel, trustee, had asked for the resignation of Rachel, accusing him of misuse of the services of a CETA employee, Robert Hermes, and default of an agreement with Strainer Mobil Home Services. Ms. Vanderwiel stated that criminal charges might be brought against Rachel and there was the possibility of a law suit against the board of