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the High School class, and the Ritanette class competition. Inset picture shows placed her among three exceptional col entire circuit. The spirit of "The Music Man" in­ vaded McHenry last weekehdNwhen 50 color guards arrived in town to appear in the Midwest Color Guard Circuit show. It was the first time McHenry has hosted the important event. In addition to the highly prized awards to the winning color guards, a young McHenry East campus senior girl was among three honored as out­ standing members. Debbie Wiles, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wiles of 2209 W. Manor lane, was recognized as an exceptional color guard member from among nominees in 68 units in the five-state circuit -Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois. Nominees from guard managers are submitted to the circuit commander, who confers with a committee and makes his choices. Debbie, who boasts a nine-year membership, has been working for the past four years with the Rebeiaires of Round Lake. She maintains a 3.9 grade point average which places her among the top members of the graduating class at East campus, where she graduates in June. Her color guard leadership was also considered in the selection of exceptional members. About 3,500 spectators were in at­ tendance at some time or another during the two days of competition Added to the color guard participants, the crowd was estimated at 5,000 Set Drug-Alcohol Program In Motion This black-uniformed color guard - the Menagerie of Salem, Ind., - placed tenth in a field of II at last weekend's Midwest Color Guard Circuit S'IOW held in McHenry's West campus gymnasium. The guard opened final competition in open class Sunday afternoon, woa by the Cavaliers, following a busy Saturday which saw action from early morning to late at night. The Rolling Meadows high school won .. St. Rita's in Chicago, topped the A lie Wiles of McHenry, whose award rd members to be recognized in the STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD THE MCHENRY PLAINDEALER * •SERVING THE CHAIN-O-LAKES REGION SINCE 1875 VOLUME 106 NUMBER 72 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 1982 1 SECTIOtf 20 PAGES City Budget Near Balance by Anthony Oliver The McHenry City Council Monday evening reviewed what was charac­ terized by Finance Committee Chairman Alderman Jack Pepping as "being as close to a balanced budget as wc can g6t." The budget for the 1982-83 fiscal year projects total revenues at $2,294,800 and expenditures of $2,291,745 -- leaving an estimated surplus of $3,055. The figures include expected revenues and ex­ penditures accruing to the former Village of McHenry Shores. Pepping pointed out that the budget* includes a $.50 per hour across-the- board wage increase for all regular employees, which totals $1,040 a year. The Finance committee chairman explained that an additional $2,000 "special duty pay" was included in lieu of overtime payment for the police officers. "The police only get overtime for things like Fiesta week," Pepping said, Easter, regardless of its date on the calendar, welcomes the spring season. In spite of the traditional somber tone of Holy week, there is a joyful an­ ticipation evident even in the man-on- the-street hurrying to prepare for the celebration. It's a time traditionally set aside for charity in word and deed. The organization of FISH (Friends In Service Here) is a good example of a cooperative effort carried out for those less fortunate. Individually, too, many find the Easter season appropriate for philanthropic opportunities that otherwise are passed by. This is a time for good news - something too rare in newspapers these days. As we looked through our file, it seemed right that our eyes should fix upon the letter written by a Waukegan man who had been touched by the life of the late Clyde Blackwell. His comments about this jovial and generous McHenry man were added to our own by way of this column. What we did not print were the personal comments which demon­ strated so well that each of us can be strengthened and inspired greatly by those about us. It gives a reason for all of us to make that extra effort. The Waukegan man, a staff technician in the VA Medical center, also happens to be an entertainer, which explains his interest and fascination with the "puppet man". He compared his meeting with the nonagenarian Myith others he meets in the hospital for only a short period and "then time moves on". He recounts that his meeting with Clyde Blackwell had become a significant part of his future in the field of children's entertainment. In his own words, "Clyde left a legacy for us all - young and old alike". This*man of 50, who has been an entertainer for 15 years, now hopes to follow in the footsteps of the elderly (Continued on page 18) noting that, on the average, the officers put in about 200 hours of unpaid over­ time a year. Most of the overtime is time spent in court, Pepping added. "Our police are pretty faithful about maintaining court times," Pepping said. "We are far ahead of Crystal Lake and Woodstock in our ability to sustain whatever we charge people with." Pepping said the committee looked at four alternatives: paying time-and-a- half, straight time plus $1.50 for overtime, straight time or the special duty pay in lieu of overtime. TTie special duty pay proved to be the most cost effective, Pepping wiid. Other city employees, he? added, would be paid time-and-a-half or com­ pensatory time according to the or­ dinance. The Finance committee chairman took the position that the police officers should be paid, rather than given compensatory time. "Whenever the Chief gives a man a day off, that is lost coverage on the street," Pepping said. "If he gives the men the 10 holidays off (that other employees receive) he would need another man to cover just the holidays." Pepping noted that in nine of 10 communities surveyed, police officers are paid for working holidays. In eight of the communities, no compensatory time is even allowed. "We have to recognize the seven-day week, 24-hour-a-day nature of the operation," Pepping said. Pepping also explained equipment purchases to be taken from an estimated surplus of $200,311. This surplus, Pepping said, has built up over the years and it was his recom­ mendation that the money not be used to cover the day-to-day expenses of the city. Rather, he suggested that capital purchases expected to last for more than one year be taken from this ac­ count. "Squad cars wear out in a year," Pepping said. "This money should not be used for these." The equipment requests to be funded in this manner, pending approval of the budget, include a line printer, reel tape player, miscellaneous police equip, two dump trucks, a tar machine, a mower and miscellaneous park equipment, The Weather April Abuse Monday's snowfall caused numerous problems for travellers in the McHenry area, particularly for those heading home from work. McHenry police halted westbound traffic on Route 120 for a short time late Monday afternoon so that vehicles unable to make the grade on Sherman hill could be cleared from the roadway. In a similar situation, a semi-truck hauling gasoline had problems getting up the hill on Route 31 at Johnsburg road at about 4 p.m. Monday. Traffic was bumper-to-bumper from John­ sburg. road in the north to McCullom Lake road in McHenry until the lane was cleared. McHenry police officers assisted many motorists throughout the af­ ternoon and evening hours, pushing (Continued on page 18) totalling $74,000. Of this amount, $27,200 { is slated to come from revenue sharing funds and the remaining $46,800 from surplus cash. The proposed budget also slates revenue sharing disbursements in four categories: $80,000 for water-sewer projects, $27,200 for capital items, $22,000 for mosquito abatement and $7,500 for the McHenry Area Rescue squad. A public hearing on the budget held before the next regular meeting, April 19. ^ In other business, the council aj proved a lease agreement with the V.F.W. club for the use of two baseball diamonds for the McHenry Junior Youth league. League President Butch Meyer said it would be a year or two before the league could move over to use city parks. The council approved payment of $3,147 owed on a dump truck acquired from McHenry Shores. Two more in­ stallments are due, City Clerk Barb Gilpin said. Park Director Peter Merkel an­ nounced that the annual Easter Egg be Hunt would be held this Saturday at 10:30 a m For more information call the Park department at 344-3300. McHenry Mayor Joseph Stanek announced the resignation of Kit Carstens from the Plan commission. Carstens is presently serving as chairman of the McHenry Economic Development commission. The mayor also noted that the grand opening of the Jewel-Osco is scheduled for April 22 by Anthony Oliver With anticipated approval by the McHenry High School District 156 board of education Tuesday night, the Drug and Alcohol Prevention program will move from conception into the planning stage. As outlined by McHenry West campus Principal Gregory Johnson, the program includes a multifaceted approach aimed at promoting a healthy attitude toward drugs and alcohol among students and the community. Presently, Johnson said, there is a notion in the community that alcohol is essentially harmless. He also noted that alcohol is often used as a means of recreation. Further, Johnson said, in addition to there being too few alter­ natives, there is a mistrust between generations. Also, he noted, there is negative peer pressure and a lack of good role models for the students to emulate. Johnson said the program is striving to promote non-alcoholic leisure ac­ tivities and an atmosphere of trust, communication and cooperation among peers and generations. A part of the program is the com­ munity center concept, where an area is set aside for such activities as family recreation, classes of interest to youth, non-alcoholic parties, a youth theatre, a drop-in center and a place for com­ munity cultural activities. In the short term, the goals indicate the possible use of satellite centers in schools or churches In the long range, the community could look to the construction of a community center. Another aspect includes the creation of family-focused programs These programs, Johnson said, may involve intergenerational church activities, family focused retreats and bus trips, and service club or park district sponsored family programs. Another item discussed is a statewide program of peer counseling known as "Snowball." It involves having in­ terested students train to act as counselors to other students. Johnson said an equally important part of the overall Drug and Alcohol Prevention program would be an in­ crease in the information made available to students and the com­ munity. He noted a current condition where students and adults in the community are uninformed about drug and alcohol use and abuse. In the schools, the outline advocates a review of the kindergarten through senior high curriculum in McHenry schools and makes necessary changes so that drug and alcohol abuse in­ formation is provided. Johnson said in order to assist in the information process, a public in­ formation campaign will be developed. (Continued on page 18) Wins Unanimous Vote For Height Variation by Anthony Oliver The McHenry City Council unanimously approved a variation from the maximum height requirement of the Zoning ordinance for the McHenry hospital relocation at Monday night's regular council meeting. The variation request, brought by hospital representatives, received the unanimous support and recom­ mendation of the McHenry Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) last Friday afternoon. The present ordinance has a maximum height limitation of 40 feet The hospital petitioned for a variation which would allow the construction of a nine-story building at a height not to exceed 140 feet. At the outset of the hearing, ZBA member John Smith excused himself because of a possible conflict of in­ terests. Smith is an engineer retained by McHenry hospital Hospital attorney, Jeffrey Ladd. read a letter into the record which stated the McHenry Township Fire Protection district had no objections and "en­ couraged the ZBA to grant the request." Hospital architect, James Cox, of 645 N. Michigan avenue, Chicago, com­ mented that the key to planning the hospital was working with employees "We met with about 300 people to design a structure that would be good for the patient and good for the people who work there," he said. The concept, Cox said, was basically very simple, involving a "warehouse" below and a "bed tower" above. The warehouse is a two-story base building which would house a variety of am­ bulatory services -- emergency ser­ vices, radiology, surgery, etc -- at the base of the elevator core. This, he added, would eliminate a long horizontal run. The architect pointed out that the (Continued on page 18) Crown Miss McCullom Lake This is a solemn moment for five-year-old Megan Farrell as she receives her crown as Little Miss McCullom Lake from the 1981 title holder, Nicole Curran, at left. Tiffany Krumwiede. second from right, was first runnerup and second runner-up was Sarah Mathison. Megan is the daughter of Tom and Mary Jo Farrell. The two members of her court are the daughters of the Craig Krumwiedes and Bill and Jan Mathison. A field of 13 pretty little girls, aged 4 through 8, competed for the crown at the annual Easter Carnival sponsored by the McCullom Lake Beach Gals. ^ STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Easter Egg Hunt April 10 The City of McHenry, Department of Parks and Recreation, is sponsoring its third annual Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, April 10. The activity starts at 10:30 a.m. at Petersen park. Only children 5 years of age and under may participate in this activity. Children must bring a basket or bag for the eggs they find. The Easter Bunny will be there "in person" to greet all the children. Prizes will also be given out. For further information on this activity, call the Department of Parks and Recreation at 344-3300. Holy Week Rites Scheduled McHenry Area Churches Page 8 New Hope For Saving Lake April 12 Lily Lake Meeting Page 20 Annual C of C Member Drive Opens April 8 Page 18 Color Guards City Hosts 50