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Friday March 30, 1984 Number 68 Volume 108 McHenry Trade Fair opens three-day run at Parkland McHenry amdealer 2 Sections 28 Pages 25' Stanek speaks on drug abuse By Donna Bertulis Plaindealer staff writer Just what the city of McHenry is doing to encourage, or prevent drug and alcohol abuse by minors was a subject recently addressed by the Citizens for Community Action: "CCA: A Better Way". McHenry Mayor Joseph Stanek, who was invited by the citizens group to speak, ad­ mitted the town "had its problems", but claimed McHenry was "one of the cleanest towns in Illinois." Stanek, who also serves as the city's liquor commissioner, said he had "the responsibility to maintain the moral fiber of the community." The city govern­ ment, police department and schools are combining efforts to "hold a tight rein" on alcohol and drug abuse, he said. "Closing Jake's (a bar for- merly located oh Elm Street) was a signal to the liquor establishments that we don't mess around," said the mayor. "Our police department is ex­ cellent, and we have fine legal counsel. People know if they get a rap in the City of they won't get an easy out. We're fair, but firm." Juvenile Detective Gary Wigman supported the mayor's statements, claiming that much of the sale of drugs and alcohol to minors can be blamed on non­ residents. "We have a problem with adults, who make liquor purchases, then sell them to minors for a profit," said the police officer. "Most of those are not from our community. There are a lot of problems fflat come from the outside." "We (police department) have great cooperation with the schools and the court services, and we're catching a lot more (alcohol or drug abusers). We're seeing a slight decrease in drugs in the area, although I can't say the same for alcohol. We still have a problem; we all have problems. But I don't think our problems are as bad as everybody else's." The CCA group is working diligently to rectify a situation which they feel is indeed local, namely the abuse of alcohol by teens at Fiesta Days. The group admits that the Chamber of Commerce, the sponsoring body of the annual festival, has been "very cooperative" and sympathetic to CCA's views. "People are accustomed to the old ways," said a member of the group. "It may take time to change, but they are making an effort." CCA objects to "free flowing" beer at certain events such as banjo beer night and sidewalk sales, where the crowds become so great that control is reduced. "It will help to have most of the events at Petersen Park this year," the mayor said in response. "The Chamber, I believe, intends to put up a double snow fence around a beer garden, where everyone will be cardedv I feel we will have to - allow people to have their beer • at food fiesta." When questioned about the crowds and alcohol control at Continued on peg* 3 Tifif* legal McHenry, Community Day at Head Start To give the children in Head Start pre-school a feeling of belonging and contributing to the community, a special Community Day was observed March 22 at the McHenry center. Teachers assumed the roles of various business and professional people, focusing on services available locally. Durinf special days attention concentrates on learning about various com­ munity helpers: places of work, activities and services. Em­ phasis is placed on learning how community helpers work together. Other activities engaged in during the month included a trip to Gait Airport, community walks, and visits from Officer Roger Pechous of the McHenry Police Department, Elaine Kloth-Goodman of the McHenry Rescue Squad, and Firemen Paul Farwell and Ron Schaefer of the McHenry Fire Depart­ ment. Other teacher stations that day included the library, piz­ zeria, ice cream shop and theatre. Plaindealer photos by Wayne Gay lord Teachers assume the roles of business and professional people as McHenry Head Start observes Community Day. At left, above, a pretty little girl looks in the mirror in the "beauty shop". At right, the "nurse" weighs interested youngster before she visits the "doctor". Present new type waste disposal for area site by Marion Olsen A plan to build a new type of waste disposal plant at a site abutting the City of McHenry was described Monday night at a meeting of the McHenry County Waste Study Advisory Committee. The plant would be a working test of lab-tested patents held by the Institute of Gas Technology in joint venture with American Technology Corporation, ac­ cording to Edward J. Hammer of ATC. Hammer and two associates from IGT described the project as a way to reduce waste to compost and produce methane gas at a faster rate than occurs in a natural landfill (6 to 24 months as opposed to 15 years). Hammer said the idea is "an economical and en­ vironmentally benign way" to handle waste and sewage sludge. Major Joseph Stanek later commented that the project had been discussed informally with the company representatives and other McHenry officials. "I'm excited about the possibilities of this process," he said, "It could significantly modify the landfill laws of the entire nation." Hammer emphasized that the project would be done at "zero cost to the City of McHenry". All A look inside. Set Tax Multiplier Farmers Speak Out Regular features So I Hear Section 2, Page 11 Section 2, Page 8 Look for this popular column in each Wednesday edition Obituaries Page 4 Classified Readers Ads 344-4800 Display and Classified Display 385-0170 costs would be borne by the two companies. McHenry's con­ tribution would be to find a suitble site, annex land and obtain necessary permits, zoning and Environmental Protection Agency approval. He also said the land used for the purpose would include a buffer zone for protection of residential areas. He said he was bringing the project to the committee's at­ tention for their support for the test demonstration in McHenry and for consideration as a future county facility if the test proves successful. The methane gas produced by the process would be sold as gas or used to produce electrical power which, by law, must be purchased by the regional electric utility. Compost, another by-product of the operation, could be used for potting soil, he said. No plans include it as a source of revenue. It could be given away. The demonstration project, described as innovative, would be constructed and monitored by American Technology with IGT providing preliminary design, operation and analysis of residue and suggesting changes. If the test is not suc­ cessful, the land would be restored to its previous con­ dition, he added. He called the test "a single test compost-gas cell", lined and covered with impervious syn­ thetic rubber material. Waste would be brought to a slow- speed shredder and dumped into the trench where other equip­ ment would expedite production of the methane gas. The method is based on mixing aerobic and anaerobic materials in proper combination to increase the biodegradation process and produce the gas. Hammer said it would take about six months to one year after installation of the 100 x 50 x 40 foot deep cell to prove its effectiveness. However, IGT representatives indicated judgments could be made earlier using statistics obtained from the lab-test cell. Hammer said using this method, a waste site to handle the city of McHenry and surrounding unincorporated areas (about 35,000 people) for 20 years would require 50 acres. A county waste site (150,000 population) would need 155 acres for a 20-year facility. c Beside offering the benign environmental disposal of waste, advantages for the City of McHenry would include a share in revenues from the sale of the methane gas or electrical power, Hammer said. After the disposal is taken over by the county, some equipment would be freed up to increase the capacity of the city's present sewer plant. The cost for this would be included in the cost of building a county facility, Several people questioned the term "impervious material" saying there was no such thing. They expressed concern for leakage because of the county's predominantly sand and gravel land composition. There was also some question of the procedure's ability to properly mix aerobic and anaerobic materials to produce the gas. Other questions concerned composition of the gas and possible poisons in the cell. The definition of compost was also challenged by audience member Louis Marchi, Ph.D. stating that true compost must be aerobic. He said the material resulting from the described procedure would not fall into that category. After the meeting, committee member Alice Howenstine said the group is exploring all possible avenues for solving waste disposal problems. She said the presentation would be examined along with other waste disposal methods such as incineration, refuse dry fuel and compost. No recommendation was made by the committee. Mandate Wonder Lake dam repair by 1988 By Kurt Begalka Plaindealer news service The Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Water Resources, has mandated that Wonder Lake Dam be fully repaired by Jan. 1,1988. It must withstand what is known as the Probable Maximum Flood-23.9 inches of rain in 24 hours. The PMF relates to the 100- year flood-the flood of record which is used as a standard by the state. For the lake basin, that figure is 5,641 cubic feet of water per second, or the equivalent of 5.5 inches of rain in 24 hours. Many lake community organizations, including Wonder Lake, view this standard as excessive and are trying to get it lowered. State Senate Bill 1396 provides a grandfather clause for existing dams in good repair. It states: "Nothing contained in this act shall be construed to give the Department of Tran­ sportation the power or authority to require changes in the design, structure or con­ struction of any existing dam constructed under permit from the State of Illinois - in con­ formance with all applicable standards existing at the time of its construction, and which is in good repair." This would exempt dams built prior to 1960 from having to meet the stricter standards, Roy Mann, officer with the Apple Canyon Lake Property Owners, said. "We built our dams under their statutes and in good faith," Mann said. Now the state is asking to use a 1000-year flood. "It's all hypothetical. We're supposed to spend all our money and go bankrupt trying to modify our dams to conform with their new standards," Mann said. "All we're asking for is to grandfather those dams built prior to 1980. Anything else will push us into bankruptcy." Robert Dalton, chief of dam saftey for IDOT, said he knows nothing about a new 1000-year state dam standard, adding he opposes any attempt to lower present specifications. Although receiving 24 inches of rain in a single day is unlikely, it is a possibility, Dalton said. "We're not trying to be unreasonable, but we have a duty to provide protection to the people downstream." Dalton added that analysis techniques have improved rapidly and that standards have stiffened accordingly. Former McHenry County Board member A1 Collins disagrees. The Highland Shores resident criticized the state for being "arbitrary and capricious." The grandfather provision is being discussed in the House Rules Committee, said Dave Jansen, secretary of the Illinois Association of Lake Com­ munities. He credited the IALC with applying crucial legislative pressure. The Wonder Lake Master Property Owners Association recently joined the IALC. The dues are $125 per year plus a $1,000 donation, requested to help carry on the legislative fight. The IALC consists of 14 lake property associations and serves between 50,000 and 60,000 people, Jansen said. "If one association tried to do these things by itself, it would be difficult to do," Jansen said. Jansen said the IALC has been effective in the past, citing the passage of House Bill 84 last year. It assesses common areas - roads, community buildings and lakes - $1 per $100 of Continued on page 3 \ l