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Corson, fin# cmd. Cliff Ward PAGE 3 - PLAINDEALER - WEDNESDAY, JULY 25,1«M - CROWD URGES FIGHT AGAINST continued from page 1 It's a shame Com Ed is barely scraping by (The scene opens in the massive control room of a ComEd nuclear plant. Behind gargantuan stacks of money bags, engineers work feverishly over an array of switches and controls while others count cash. Camera cuts to a well-fed- looking chap in a ComEd hardhat.) SPEAKER: (gestures around the room) This is "Leech," the plant in the Commonwealth Edison system that backs up all the rest. ,, (He stumbles briefly over a sack of currency and con­ tinues) One hot summer day, we got the call and raised the rates 20 percent in only five hours. That's an all-time record. (Suddenly, the phone rings, the speaker picks it up, listens intently for a moment and hangs up). SPEAKER: Hey, Guido, the ICC just okayed the rate hike. Crank 'em up. (Guido and others start cranking switches. Camera cuts to a whirling dial in the plant. It suddenly stops spinning to show three cherries. Money pours into the plant via chutes.) SPEAKER: The next time it's 100 in the shade and you get a $150 electric bill, just remember who's back here, doing things right. (He disappears under the flow as camera fades out). Did you notice the electric bill's alittle higher this month? It's only a little bit, but ComEd recently received approval from the Illinois Commerce Commission to institute a 6.6 percent rate hike. This is the second hike in 19 months in a series that will continue when, according to one ICC com­ missioner, the giant utility will probably go before the body in another eight months to ask for yet another hike. Some sources believe ComEd will seek rate hikes of 50 percent over the next three years. These hikes, of course, are understandable. After all, the utility had those lean years between 1979 and 1962 when it received permission to raise electric rates a mere 45 per­ cent. So you can see they've barely been scraping by. You can also understand why ComEd is disappointed with the most recent rate hike. They had, you may remember, asked for only $462 million-mere chump change-to keep up the system. The ICC gave approval for just $291 million. Gosh, if I'd known they were having such troubles I probably could have lent them that. But perhaps I'm being too hasty. Just what did they need the money for? According to an Associated Press story, a ComEd spokeman said the rate hike was needed to "keep the System running well." Oh. That explains it. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if they had said "we need to buy some new trucks," or "have you seen the price of uranium lately?" But "to keep the system running well?" That's like having your wife walk up to you and say "Honey, I need a few things at the grocery store, do you have $94 million?" I'm not so avra ttc system is tuning well now, despite what the smug TV spots tell us. It staggers me to think what it costs just to produce those commercials and then air them, especially since they do it with our rate money. Don't spend my money to tell me how good you are, just do it. It's not like I can shop around for another electric company. Actually, they need the money to keep a system intact that is wildly out of control. Sure, whenever you flip the switch, the light goes on. That's basic service. Let's look at Byron, Braidwood and LaSalle, ComEd's newest nuke plants which will supposedly ensure low cost electricity. Original estimate (a few years back) to build all three: $2.5 billion. Current estimate $9.5 billion. That's a seven billion mega-sclooner overrun. They can claim escaliing costs, voodoo curses, expensive safety procedures or whatever, all I know is we're taking it in the teeth for their goofs. They couldn't even get a license for Byron. LaSalle's second unit went into operation in April and is included in the new rate structure. ICC chairman Phillip O'Connor said plant should "provide a low-cost reliable source of electricity for many years." When Braidwood, the last of the plutonium palaces to go on line, starts glowing in 1987, there will be an excess of electricity untU demand increases in the later 1980s and 1990s, according to industry and ComEd officials. In the meantime, do you think we'll see rates go down because there's so much extra juice floating around? Do you believe in Ready Kilowatt? I'm darned glad the guys at ComEd are doing things right. I'd sure hate to think what it would cost if they weren't. nexation is approved. The group asked the board to expend necessary funds for experts, attorneys, or consultants to insure defeat of the expanded mining proposal. Lou Marchi, a retired chemist, warned about the danger of micron-sized silicon dioxide (sand) causing an irreversible disease known as silicosis. He recommended the board contact the McHenry County Public Health Depart­ ment, the Illinois Department of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency and hold a public meeting to ask questions of their representatives. Philip Wheelock requested the board "go on record as officially opposing any further extension of the present gravel pit." Charles Martin, representing nearby Martin's Woods, seconded Lieder's recom­ mendations and gussested the board investigate Occupational IP""1*"'"'--- Safety and Health Ad­ ministration (OSHA) safety rules for mining pit en­ vironments. Others noted concern for asth­ matic children, cited the board's action as the "first step in an ongoing battle" and suggested because problems have not been brought to the board's attention does not mean they don't already exist. Citing the recent removal of asbestos ceilings from Edgebrook school, one audience STOREWIDE WALLPAPER DISCOUNTS 10% TO SALE ENDS JVLY 28 50% OFF -&« WALLPAPER *72 PATTERNS TO CHOOSE FROM •100'S OF PREPASTED & CANVAS VINYL ROLLS IN STOCK 3411 W. ELM ST.-MeHENRY 385-7353 NEW HOURS MON-THURS 7:59-6PM FRI TILL 8PM SAT 85PM member noted, "No one per­ ceived an environmental problem (at the time of that installation). The potential; problem is so subtle, it will be manifested long after...we need more answers." Board President Arthur T. Newbrough thanked the audience for sharing their concerns, and Dr. Farmer in­ vited audience members to provide the board with in­ formation and names of experts to assist in obtaining expert opinions to substantiate con­ cerns. In regular business, the board approved a tentative budget for 1984-85 which will be available for public perusal 30 days prior to a public hearing on Sept. 19. Furthermore, the board ap­ proved employment of Tran­ sportation Director William Webster. They also awarded a contract for replacing Edgebrook ceilings to Apple Contractors and Erectors, Inc. for $20,680 to be completed by Aug. 17, 1984. After an executive session, the board reconvened to ratify Dr. Farmer's contract as superintendent. They also ap­ proved a six percent wage in­ crease for transportation workers. District 15 School Board members and concerned citizens study a map which illustrates the proximity of Valley View School to the McHenry Sand and Gravel pit. A proposal by the gravel June traffic fatalities rise Illinois traffic fatalities for June totalled 126, a 5.9 percent increase over the same period of 1983, but still shows a decrease for the first six months of 1984, according to provisional figures released by the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois State Police. The provisional total of 647 fatalities for six months of 1984 is a decrease of 4.6 percent from the 678 deaths for the same period of 1983, and a decrease of 11.1 percent from the 728 deaths in 1982. In June there were 126 deaths as the result of 116 accidents, an increase of 5.9 percent from the 119 provsional deaths in June 1983, and a decrease of 14.3 percent from the 147 fatalities in June 1982. In June there were 19 pedestrians killed in 16 ac­ cidents; four persons killed in 3 railroad crossing accidents; 27 persons killed in 26 accidents involving motorcycles, and seven pedalcyclists killed in seven accidents. Plaindealer photo by Donna bertulis company to expand its operation nearer the school caused about 75 people to appear at the last school board meeting to argue the issue. UJc con moke o cossette recording for you to keep or give to your family or fr iends. Come join the fun! Do i t with the SINGING MflCHINC! 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