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McHenry Wednesday March 7, 1984 Number 61 Volume 108 Jail overcrowding means prisoner double bunking Initial success marks Early School Leavers program a look inside. The Early School Leavers program in the Johnsburg School District had a good start in the initial three-week period. Of 377 names received, 102 calls were made. There was good response from prospective employers as well. The Early School Leavers program is aimed at placing 16 to 21-year-olds who were unable to complete their high school education in jobs as well as to complete their high school education. These students will be in class four hours a week and will work a 30 to 40 hour job. While response has been good in the immediate area, other area high schools are not in­ terested in submitting names of their former students who did not complete their education, stating that they feel this could be a breach of privacy for the students. However, anyone who wishes to find out if he or she qualifies for the program and who lives in the county, can call Carol Costoff at 385-4003. Adult education in the Johnsburg district has begun with 144 adult students enrolled in various classes sponsored by McHenry County College. These classes include quilting, welding, photography, various aerobics classes, and a new class in computerized milling. Many area industries are up­ dating their milling machinery to computerization and have enrolled their employees in this program. Johnsburg High School educational leaders expressed pride to be the only school in the area which has the equipment available for this type of training. Approximately 100 students recently attended a VICA workshop held at Johnsburg High School. VICA is a program that promotes total vocational skills, including human skills and employ ability skills. The program was put together by Johnsburg students and in­ cluded talks on the benefits of VICA and mini- workshops. Circuit Breaker Relief Teens and Obesity Regular features Obituaries Mostly Social Classified Reader Ads Displaj^nc^lass^fiedDisplav Section 2, Page 3 Section 2, Page 18 Page 5 Page 6 344-4800 385-01 70 •Since 1875 ler _ _ SkmFfMftMi 2 Sections 38 Pages 25c Police ptea to fill vacancy foils as City Council cuts staff in 5-3 vote by Anthony Oliver The City of McHenry will be without the services of one police officer for an indefinite period of time as a result of council action Monday night. The McHenry City Council voted 5-3 not to fill a vacancy and reduced the number of officers so that no others could be hired. The move came when Mayor Joseph Stanek reported that a patrolman, Officer Paul Seekings, left the department for service in the military. "I am of the opinion that, without hurting anyone directly, we should leave the slot open for a year or two," Stanek said. Police Chief George Pasenelli argued to keep the position, but received little support from councilmen. The city had made orderly progress in its growth and that was due to proper planning, Pasenelli said. He pointed out that every hour of every tour for every man was planned for and he needed that man. "We have made progress. We have been able to reduce the crime rate by 25 percent. We have received many (favorable) comments from merchants, senior citizens, and Lakeland Park residents on the foot patrol program. The narcotics and drug education programs, bicycle safety, education programs take each and every man. I need those bodies. I need that man," Pasenelli said. Stanek received support from Aid. William Bolger (1st) and Aid. Ray Smith (3rd) bolstered his position. Bolger commented that the budget and manpower of the Police Department had sur­ passed that of Public Works. He said the council had to take a "broader view" and said he thought the Police Department would not be hurt by the loss of a man. Smith took a different ap­ proach and said he was looking for additional money for salary adjustments and raises. "We always say we're running out of money. That's one reason why the help did not get much of a raise," Smith said. Smith admitted to the "ulterior motive" of his support and said the police will "just have to exert a little more." A motion to table the matter failed on a 5-3 vote. Aid. Cecilia Serritella (4th) made the motion saying Monday night was the first she had heard of the situation. Voting in favor of tabling the issue were Serritella, Snell and McClatchey. Second ward aldermen William Busse and Edward Datz also lent their support to the mayor. Busse contended that the city's financial position reguired the council to "look in all the corners." "I don't know if a reduction-in- force is the answer, but we should at least freeze the position to study it. If we do nothing, the position could be filled (by the Police Com­ mission) without council ap­ proval." Busse said. "We draw on 55,000 people a day that we service," Pasenelli said. "It is incumbent upon us to give the best service to all of our community. That man is planned on; he is part and parcel of a safe community." But to no avail. The council voted 5-3 to cut the number of police officers to 24. Voting in favor were Aldermen Bolger, Nolan, Busse, Datz and Smith. Voting against were Aldermen McClatchey, Snell and Serritella. Lynne Donarski named to state citizens board STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Victim of icy roads A Special Education District (SEDOAA) bus found travel difficult Monday on an extremely slippery driveway off of Ringwood Road. Two children reportedly sustained minor injuries in the mishap and were taken to McHenry Hospital. More information appears in section 2, page 4, of this issue. $105,000 is awarded for wrongful arrest By Cliff Ward Shaw Free Press News Media A Wonder Lake man was awarded $105,000 Thursday in a civil suit against McHenry County, the county sheriff's department and Sheriff Hank Nulle. A jury deliberated five hours after the four-day trial before returning a verdict in favor of Jerry C. Luciano Jr., who claimed he had been falsely arrested twice - once by sheriff's police and once as a result of actions taken by the county Department of Health.. The jury awarded Luciano $40,000 in compensatory damages and $65,000 in punitive damages. The case began Monday in McHenry County Circuit Court and was heard by Judge Leonard Brody. "I am extremely proud of the panel of McHenry County citizens (who) could judge the county impartially," Luciano's attorney, Joseph Condon of Crystal Lake, said. "I was really impressed with those jurors." Luciano's suit alleged that he had been wrongfully arrested Dec. 24,1980. According to court records, Luciano's father, Jerry Luciano Sr., of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., owned property in Wonder Lake that had been declared a public nuisance by the County Department of Health. Jerry Luciano, Jr. was arrested in connection with the nuisance case, the suit alleged. He was photographed, finger­ printed and had to post bond, although Luciano, Jr. did not own the property and was not responsible for turning the property into a nuisance, the suit stated. The arrest warrant was quashed by McHenry County Circuit Judge Conrad Floeter in September, 1981, and Luciano's bond was returned. At the same proceeding, Floeter issued a bench warrant for the elder Luciano. The second count of the suit alleged that on Nov. 5, 1981, an officer of the sheriff's police arrested Jerry Luciano, Jr. without a warrant or probable cause. He was again in­ carcerated, fingerprinted, photographed and released, according to reports. The suit concluded that Luciano was deprived of his liberty, that he lost time from his job and that he incurred the expense of transporting himself from the McHenry County Jail to his job in McHenry. The second count of the lawsuit asked for damages to "punish the defendant and deter others from the commission of like offenses." The attorneys for the county, the law firm of Judge, Kurnik and Knight, were unavailable for comment. By Angela Burden Shaw Free Press 'News Media McHenry County Jail has overcrowding problems, but not to the extent that the Lake County Jail does. "We sure are overcrowded, there's no question about it," McHenry County Sheriff Hank Nulle said. "And, if we were not double-bunked, we couldn't handle the volume of prisoners here in McHenry County." Nulle said that, as much as he would like to, it is impossible to help the Lake County Sheriff's Department and Lake County Sheriff Robert Babcox by ac­ commodating some of that county's prisoners. Babcox has informed area county sheriffs and police departments that the Lake County Jail is under a court order capacity of 128 prisoners. Babcox is attempting to ascertain the availability of space in other jails for sen­ tenced prisoners in Lake County. Babcox said that Lake County judges will no longer release prisoners on an emergency bond to relieve overcrowding in the Lake County Jail at Waukegan. According to Babcox, the jail will have a crisis on a day-to-day. basis in about a month. "The municipal police chiefs will be up here complaining when we have to start refusing to admit prisoners," Babcox told the Lake County Board recently. McHenry County Judge Henry Cowlin of the 19th Judicial Circuit Court for McHenry and Lake Counties is overseeing a lawsuit on jail overcrowding and has set the capacity on jail population and deadlines for a study on additional jail space in the circuit. Fosdick released on $11,000 bond A Chicago man, Harold Fosdick, arrested recently on charges of aggravated incest and aggravated assault posted $11,000 cash bond and was released from the McHenry County Jail. By law, 10 percent of the bond is required to be paid before a person is released According to the State's At­ torney's office, Woodstock, Fosdick is scheduled to appear for preliminary hearing in 19th Judicial Circuit Court on March 21. ' Assistant State's Attorney Mark Miner will be handling the case for the state. Lynne Donarski, a member of the McHenry Planning Commission, was selected last week as Governor James Thompson's choice to serve, at least temporarily, as a member of the new Citizens Utility Board. Her appointment was the seventh among 11 to be made by Illinois political leaders. In commenting on her ap­ pointment, Ms. Donarski said, "Obviously, it is quite an honor. The reason I was . chosen, I believe, is my great interest in this kind of issue." She was involved in the petition drive to create the CUB Board. In addition to her work on the McHenry Planning Com­ mission, which she has served since 1982, she has worked for numerous civic and charitable organizations. These include the McHenry-Woodstock League of Women Voters, the McHenry Business and Professional Women's Organization and the local United Way Steering Committee. She also is a member of the McHenry Park Study Com­ mittee and the McHenry County Coalition for Women. The new board is a panel created by lawmakers last year to represent consumers in utility rate cases. Five members were named last week, three by Governor Thompson and two by House Speaker Michael Madigan of Chicago. They will serve on the interim board, which will be replaced by a permanent, 22-member elected panel later this year. Others named by the governor were Chicago attorneys, Howard Learner, a consumer activist, and Philip Corboy, a noted personal injury lawyer. M a d i g a n d e s i g n a t e d Springfield attorney, Samuel Cahnman, and Evanston con- munity leader, Edna White Summers, to serve on the temporary board. The interim CUB is charged with setting up an election and a dues-collecting process for the permanent board, which will hire lawyers and other professionals to argue for consumers at ICC hearings. Under the measure creating the CUB and acted on by the governor, citizens can pay a yearly fee that will fund efforts to add additional input to ICC utility rate decisions and other utility issues. The governor has three ap­ pointments to the board, while the Senate president, House speaker and Senate and House Minority leaders have two each. Fhe appointments do not need to be confirmed by the Senate. Elections are to be held by the end of the year.