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Approve RTA In an atmosphere redolent of the old time traveling road show, the RTA board rolled up to the McHenry county cour­ thouse Dec. 1, and in a production hinting at professional direction enacted among other things, an or­ dinance validating the McHenry County Plan for Transportation. Contributing to the circus­ like effect was a group of demonstrators equipped with signs, furnished for the most part by supporters of Rep. Cal Skinner, Jr., an ardent RTA foe, at the meeting room door. As cameras and lights from three TV stations played on the crowd the people reacted by waving their signs and audibly expressing their opinions of the RTA. Directly affecting people in the McHenry area were proposals for maintenance of certain rail services and to implement future bus services. The plan will maintain existing train service Monday through Saturday between McHenry and Barrington. Proposed bus service to begin in 1978 includes daily inter­ community service between Crystal Lake-McHenry and Fox Lake, and between Woodstock-Wonder Lake and McHenry. Feeder bus service between the communities of Richmond, Spring Grove and Fox Lake is also to begin in 1978. Sometime in 1978 and 1979 RTA will institute local in- tracommunity paratransit service if the pilot program is successful in the Crystal Lake- Lakewood area. (Paratransit services will include sub­ scription and dial-a-ride ser­ vices. In subscription bus service, the customer will pay a monthly or weekly fee to have a bus pick him up near his home at a set time each day and deliver him to a specific location such as a train station.) In connection with the paratransit program a grant for thirteen minibuses and ten vans in the 1977 fiscal year capital program was approved by the Urban Mass Transit Authority. Of these, three buses and four vans are being allocated to McHenry county during Fiscal 1977 as a start. Other communities slated for weekly service according to the plan were listed for this area as McHenry Shores, Richmond, Island Lake, Holiday Hills and Burton's Bridge. During and after the meeting the RTA board members were asked about the 5 percent gasoline tax which became effective on this date. Chair­ man Milton Pikarsky assured questioners that all such receipts originating from McHenry county would be spent in the county. During the meeting board members raised questions about compliance with legal requirements with federal legislation by bidders on various contracts which the board were approving on this date. In one exchange, RTA Board Member Jam<K Kemp was assured by a bidding firm representative that in the past his firm had met FEPC requirements. Kemp noted that he was not interested in the past but what about the present. The market research firm staff had only nine persons at this time, but if the contract were granted, their staff would be increased to twenty-five and the hiring would include aH racial groups. Kemp said he was not in­ terested in the increases but the current work force. And directing his controlled ire at the RTA staff, Kemp said he felt it was time to being diplomatic and to I disagreeable as he has a reputation for. Rosenberg, a staff member, defended the hiring of the Urban Market Research, Inc. without bids as a special ser­ vice item. But he conceded tint it was not the only firm who could do the work. Board Member Patrick O'Malley said (Continued on page i*) i • ":- f , Hmi McHenry county citiiens protesting the RTA In general, and Its new 5 percent gas tax in particular, hold up signs to show their displeasure for members of the Regional Transportation Authority board. That board held its first meeting hi this county at the, courthouse Thursday. Dec. 1, the day the tax became effective. THE MCHENRY PLAINDEALER * in this* "SERVING THE CHAIN-O-LAKES REGION SINCE 1875" VOLUME 102 NUMBER 37 WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7, 1977 2 SECTIONS 24 PAGES 204 >• » ...t .V ; . Lancer Development Acceptance The McHenry City Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) recommended acceptaoce of the proposal for B-l com­ mercial aiming for 31-.06 acres of (he Lancer Corp. develap- jL ment along Route 120, but deferred a decision on the two other petitions involving mixed use in a planned unit development (PUD) and a multi-family district. A large group of residents, mostly from Whispering Oaks, near the proposed development watched the deliberations of the ZBA and the recessing of the meeting until 3 p.m. Dec. 16. Blood Rank Opens Dec The McHenry Area Jaycees are sponsoring the McHenry Blood Assurance program Tuesday, Dec. 13, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the V.F.W. clubhouse on Rt. 120, east of the bridge. This program, in cooperation with the Aurora Area Blood Bank, is now the only program in which any resident of the area will have blood and its components furnished regardless of where they are All blood used by McHenry and Woodstock Memorial hospitals is supplied by the Aurora Area Blood Bank. Dwight D. Guilfoil, this month's Blood assurance program chairman, urges everyone between the ages of 17 and 65, weighing at least 110 lbs., and in good health to become a volunteer donor. One may safely donate every eight fa *' weeks but may not donate if he has ever had hepatitis or heart disease. The Blood Assurance program guarantees that if 4 percent of McHenry's population donates regularly, any McHenry resident wUl have blood when needed no matter where in the United States or Canada he may be. All types of blood are needed Injuries Numerous As Cars Collide On Local Highways Merry Feasting Old English Style Hie West campus mask department annual Madrigal dinner Saturday and Sunday, Dec. ti­ ll, in the West campus cafeteria. Hie dinner Is aid English traditional, with Cornish hens, Yoihshire pudding. Wassail, and Cherries Jubilee. The performers will be authentically costumed In the Renaissance period. Pictured are Lady Defara Maris, Lady Sandy Fuller, Lord Peter Bender and Monk Tim Cornwell, who will be part of the thirty-member cast who will be enjoying the Christmas feast Reservations for the dinner may be obtained by calling the West campus office. There area few remaining seats left for each of the two nigits. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Three members of an Algonquin family were hurt in a rear end collision on Route 120 at Ramble road at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, according to the McHenry Police depart­ ment. Edward M., Luanne J., and three-month old Michelle A. Olson, were transported by the McHenry Rescue squad to ...Christmas music will fill the air as the West campus chorus sings about the Joys of the season Thursday night, Dec. 8, at 8 p.m. in West campus auditorium. Program selections will include "Sleep, Little liny King", "The Twelve Days After Christmas", and "Winter Wonderland" to be sung by the girls' chorus. The mixed chorus will be performing a largo1 work (with instrumental ac­ companiment) called "Winter Celebrations". This work describes Man's wintertime rituals, such as the winter solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year. The massed choruses will perform Mozart's "Ave Verum", "No Golden Carriage, No Bright Toy", and one selection from Handel's "Messiah", "And The Glory of the Lotfd". No admission will be charged, and the public is in- The Weather Jinx What would possibly stop a weatherman from keeping a date with young students? The weather, of course! In spite of lengthy dissertations on the subject morning, noon and night, Valley View fourth and fifth sraders learned, firsthand, Tuesday that weathermen realty can't do about it. Harry Volkman, popular TV forecaster on WGN, was scheduled to appear at Valley View school in McHenry Tuesday morning. Then what happened? The snow and the ice clung to the streets and the wind blew. And it blew strong and cold! The youngsters went to school. Mr. Volkman stayed home, and when he did, so did the Plaindealer photographer. McHenry hospital for treament. James M. Tackitt, 3112 Skyway, McHenry, was ticketed for failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident. Olson said he had stopped in the inside westbound lane waiting to make a left turn when his car was hit from behind. Tackitt told officers he was westbound when the Olson vehicle stopped in front of him and he saw no brake lights. Two persons were reported injured in a collision on Route 31 at the entrance of The Changes Disco at 1:15 a.m. Dec. 4, according to the McHenry County Sheriff's department. Listed as hurt were the two drivers, Wilmer F. Wittig, 9817 Arthur drive, Algonquin, and (Continued on page ID Although ZBA chairman, Ron Wilkins, sought to exclude any further testimony concerning the petitions, comments from the audience did creep into the proceedings. As Wilkins asserted that^tms that foe Whispering Oaks rose to object and presented a map from the McHenry County Planning department indicating that floods of record have existed in that area as late as 1973. In rebuttal Fred Meyers, superintendent of utilities for McHenry, was permitted by Wilkins to enter into the record of the proceedings s flood plain map dated Sept. 24, 1978, from the Department of Housing and Urban Development' (HUD) showing that the proposed development did not lay within a flood plain area. Wilkins had opened the deliberations, noting that the claim by a letter writer in the newspaper that portions of this area had been condemned as soils or as lying in the was not correct, and he permitted Meyer to state that from his 60 years of residence in the city, he wss never aware of it being condemned. Wilkins also cautioned the audience that this meeting was for ZBA deliberations leading to recommendations for the City Council, and that the ZBA would accept no further testimony. But they would the petitioner if it was further clarification was needed, Wilkins said. Neil Hunter, representing Lancer, was present. Wilkins then scknowledged that objectors had testified they were concerned with flooding, the extension of Oakwood drive, B-3 zoning, density problems, snd invasion of privacy and quiet. He added that the petitioner had offered to do certain things, such as dedicating 20 additional Mus in' And Meander in' Car Window Is Broken • ' *?5 V- '-71 , ; u , £ V, v But No Missile Found ' What is a normal day in a newspaper office? You'd never -believe it! Very recently it has been expanded to include the care and feeding of orphan kittens whose mother was smart enough to select a quiet but very unkempt spot between the newspaper office and the nearby bank to leave her off­ spring. She knew she had found some patsies. Hie long, narrow passage *auld just barely ac­ commodate a sturdy paper box, which was set upon wood to keep it off the ground. On top was placed heavy plastic and Inside, enough warm pieces of (tothing for them to weather liear zero temperatures. 'The project started on a small scale with the editorial staff. But as the weeks passed and the wild kittens became more adventuresome, almost the entire staff became in­ volved at one time or another. Warm milk twice daily (including weekends), hard and soft food and an occasions! treat of tuna prompted passersby to comment that these little waifs of the animal world "had it made'*. But as tiny feet carried lump kitties farther and arther from their home, the nearby highway posed more and more of a threat. And so it was that Animal Control of McHenry county brought a cage, and amidst much sym­ pathy and a few tears (Continued on page 14) A motorist sustained a broken window on his automobile about 7:35 p.m. Sunday while he was driving on Lily Lake road, according to a complaint received by the McHenry County Sheriff'a department. Robert Riley, 808 Barbara, McHenry, said something struck and shattered the left rear window of his vehicle. He had not seen or beard anyone in the area when it happened. The missile waa notjfound. A Whispering Oaks resident was injured at 9:35 pjn. Dec. 4, when he dropped a large glass bottle in his m Wedekind, 1028 Somerset Mall, McHenry, received some severe cuts on his leg, and was (Continued on pt*s 14) • . * • . > feet of width fori extend a 13 into the certain donations to the schools, library and parks, and to provide a retention area in the commercial zoning for surface water in additions to other items. Petition No. l, located wast of Spring Trails farm, east of Draper road, and south of Route 120 for reclassification to B-l Commercial was pasted with no dissent. Petition No. 2 wss described ss 42.171 seres located east of Boone Creek Spring Trails farm, south of Route 120 and west of the Lakeland Shores Subdivision under Special Use permit having 93 lots devoted to R-3 Single-family diatrict, 3.33 acres devoted to B-3' Com­ mercial Use; snd 10.81 acres devoted to public parks and playgrounds. Included in the petition was a request for variation in minimum lot area reouirements up to 25 percent reduction. Jim Fouse asked Hunter why the request for B-3, which is not as restrictive as B-l. Hunter indicated that it was due to lack of communication. His com­ pany would have no objection to B-l. Ed Parks said he was op­ posed to the 25 percent reduction. Judging from the plat as presented, most of the lots would be under 10,008 square feet in area. He felt the developer would put in lots ail small as possible. He said it would not be good for the dty to have more smsll lots. It would encourage other developers to plat small lots. And with buildings, drives snd other impermeable featuree it would contribute to soil problems (water runoff). He added that (t would be good for a large number of homes on small lots. Hunter replied that under the^ - (Continued on page 14) •ni* * J • 'ilfH jiv ... h •V >.JI fa File Now For MCC Aid It is important for all new and returning McHenry County college students registering for the spring semester and in­ terested in financial aid to file an Illinois State Scholarship commission (ISSC) application and a Basic Education Op­ portunity grant (B80G) ap­ plication. The MCC spring semester starts Jan. 7 lor Saturday classes and Jan. 9 <nr week-day (Continued on paflt 14) of the Beard of Corp. far Ri 128. One a ' recommendation was made, and postponed until Dec. 16, when further consMsrsttsa will