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VOLUME 107 NUMBER 83 . i.'/ 1 It' '&S$k v ^ "• ^ ' . * • ' .• , V --i-i . ' r' > "SERVING THE CHAIN-0 LAKES REGION SINCE 1875 FRIDAY, MAY 13, 1983 V 1 SECTION 22 PAGES 25f Business Climate View Split New Lights In McHenry Park Pete Merkel, McHenry Parks and Recreation director, strolls through Pearl street park at dusk, viewing for the first time the nelv light poles installed for additional security and for their aesthetic value. New cast iron light poles adorn Pearl street park and promise to add not only beauty but security to the area. The posts, with ornamental globes, are reproductions of light poles in­ stalled commonly in the late 1900's. The styl$&known as the Washington In 1910, the Commission of Fine Arts in Washington, D.C. designed the simple, classically fluted lighting standard now described as the Washington post. It was in 1923 that the same commission officially adopted for Washington D.C. the different heights of these posts which are available. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD As cast iron, the posts are durable and will last for many years. They were purchased from an electricial manufacturing company located in the historic Valley Forge area of Pennsylvania. The company plant site for its foundry and fabrication facilities dates back to 1843 and represents an unbroken continuity of fine craftsmanship to the present day. post. Senior Citizens Fund Plan Dies Shaw News Because an 80 percent commitment from municipalities and townships failed to meet the May 1 deadline, a proposal to fund senior citizens' programs and buy a building is dead for the present time. That announcement was made this past week by Ed Buss of McHenry, chairman of the McHenry County board senior citizens' task force. It was the county board that reached a decision last summer that it would buy a central facility for the McHenrv Senior Citizens council $ A look at the May Wildlife Calendar which appears in this issue, added to gleanings from an animal shelter report that came our way, has con­ vinced us that our four-footed and winged friends lead a "dog's life". We have often attacked trappers in the Fall of the year, for in our opinion a steel jaw trap is the most cruel of fates. And harsh Winter winds and snow make animal lovers shudder for the welfare of their outdoor friends. But Spring also brings a problem, only of a different kind. Although cars are present on our highways in every season, they are not as plentiful in Winter, when hibernation often has its part to play in saving lives. Ammals have a habit of entering into a lively state, as humans do, with the advent of warmer weather. For some, animal lives will be cut short in • the mingling of the two. In addition to the menace to animals of growing human populations. which often destroy wildlife habitat, our domestic animal friends have a bad time even in home situations. For every pampered pet living in luxury, there are thousands who suffer in silence. Take the word of a northern Illinois shelter, which receives thousands of animals given up through no fault of their own. The shelter staff asked people who surrendered 3,000 pets for adoption between April, 1982, and April, 1963, why they did it. This study failed to include an additional 2,719 stray animals brought in during the year by animal control officers and local citizens. The most frequent response was that the pet was from an unwanted litter and the owner couldn't find a home for it. The second most popular answer was that the owner simply didn't want the pet anymore. Some had allergies (Continued on pogo 20) ' 1 : ' : !• Approve Coronary Club Support And Education Page 5 by Anthony Oliver Business in Illinois, its expansion within its borders and relocation here from without, is a fact that is crucial to the success of the state. But, business is a finite commodity and there is fierce competition for it across the nation. How does Illinois fare in that competition? Some people, like James C. Miller, president of Intermatic, Inc., Spring Grove, argue that Illinois is a strong anti-business state. Others, like Robert Morris, of McHenry County's Economic Development Commission (EDC), say that while not good, the climate is improving. A recent study by Alexander Grant & Co., indicated that the business climate in the state was still near the bottom, 42nd out of 48, which would be in line wflh Miller's opinion. Morrissaid that all studies have to be taken with a grain of salt and pointed to another which ranked Illinois third, behind California and New York. Morris also indicated that the Grant study did show areas of vast im­ provement in certain areas from 1981 to 1982. In the area of state and local taxes, Illinois moved up in ranking from 27 to 16 among the continental states. In vocational education enrollment, the state moved from ninth to third. In insurance rates for worker's compensation, Illinois jumped from 39th to 19th. r Morris said this last factor, work­ man's compensation, and unem­ ployment insurance (UI) were the two most oft heard complaints of businessmen in the county, according to a survey conducted by the county EDC last summer. Miller was very vocal concerning these two issues. In 1980, Intermatic paid $191 per employee for Work­ man's comp. In Fiscal Year 1982, the company was paying $257 per em­ ploye. "Our experience (frequency of claims) is better, but the cost is up by a third," Miller said. The UI situation was no better. In fiscal year 1980, the company spent $333 per employee and this jumped to $536 in 1982. "We're spending $800 per employee in just these two benefits," Miller said. The major factor in the state's jump in the Alexander Grant study for UI, was the passage of the Thompson- Madigan UI insurance package last summer. The package is aimed at solving the state's UI insurance debt by increasing employer's taxes and cutting employee benefits. The cost of the program is to be borne 60 percent by employers and 40 percent by workers. "Essentially, the package is designed to erase the shortfall bet­ ween what is paid in and what is taken out," Morris said. He noted tha%> a heavily in­ dustrialized Midwest neighbor, Michigan, has worked out a similar package but with an 80 percent-20 percent split between employer and worker. After failing to pass a 74-26 program, the Wisconsin legislature, approved a 63-37 package. Morris said one of the benefits of the package was that the Treasury will; delay collecting the interest on the > $2.1 billion UI debt, which amounts to. about $60 million. "From a business standpoint, the agreement in Illinois is more favorable than in neigboring states, Miller said. "It is also true th%tt" traditionally, unemployment inr surance in Illinois is very high in comparison to other states." Inequity in the Workman's Comp awards continues to be more than a thorn in the side of businessmen. "The way the law is constructed, we' have no idea what these people will • do. They can make any award they want without recall. We want to tak£* care of our employee but we can't sit in this situation." When asked about these inequities, Morris sadly admitted there was little or nothing being proposed to change the system. "They have a license to steal and the attitude is that we have to sit here and take it," Miller said. "Well, we don't have to. It's like it America doesn't build a good car, Americans will find another place to buy their cars." Miller said that when Uljmd Work- (Continued on pogo 20) County Bar Backs Ousted Judges Ik At a heavily attended special meeting of the McHenry County Bar association, a resolution was adopted calling upon the Circuit judges of the 19th Judicial Circuit to retain or ap­ point Judges Conrad Floeter and Haskell Pitluck to the two vacancies created by the recent vote of the same circuit judges. Tom Leahy, president of the local bar, said fce< " " ' because many members expressed shock and dismay ai the surprise action of the circuit judges. Floeter and Pitluck recently failed to receive enough votes for their retention on the bench.. "The meeting was the best attended meeting of the bar in the recent memory of those present. We had 57 members present and, with only a few exceptions, every law firm in the county was represented," Leahy said. "The principal concern of those present was that the lawyers in McHenry county do not- understand the reasons for the apparent firing of our local judges. Even though associate judges basically serve at the pleasure of the circuit judges, we know of no legitimate reason for terminating their careers so abruptly. "The vote on the resolution was 48 in favor and four against. The no votes appeared to be based on technical objections to the motion and procedure rather than lack of support for these judges," Leahy said. In other action, the bar also passed motions requesting the Chief Judge Jack Hoogasian and the Illinois State Bar association to release the results of a bar poll taken by the state group. That bar poll has not been released to date. However, information available to the McHenry County Bar indicates the bar poll for Floeter and Pitluck was favorable. . Another motion passed calling for the local bar to conduct its own poll on the current vacancies and to make the results of that poll public before the circuit judges vote on the appointees. A further motion requests the state bar to amend the procedures which allow polls taken of its members to be withheld from the membership of the local bar associations. A final motion calling for a redistricting of the circuit to separate McHenry county from Lake county was ruled by the president to be beyond the purpose for which the special meeting was called. Oppose Waste Landfill Site The McHenry County Improvement association has retained legal counsel to direct its opposition to a Waste Management landfill site petition, it was announced this week by James Otis, president of the property owners association. Otis said that William N. Franz of the Crystal Lake law firm of Franz, Naughton and Leahy had accepted appointment to represent the MCIA in presentation of its objections to the Seneca township site at the public hearing before a McHenry County board hearing committee. The hearing is scheduled to take place within sixty days after the May 19 filing date of the petition set forth in Waste Management's recent notice to property owners adjoining the designated site. "Bill Franz is widely known in McHenry county for his highly ef­ fective advocacy of a wide range of clients in the zoning and ad­ ministrative hearing field. He's well organized, able and a tough com­ petitor, and we feel we are fortunate to have him," Otis said. Otis and Franz will consult with MCIA officers and board of directors about association strategy on research and preparation of the MCIA case, as well as the actual presen­ tation of witnesses and evidence at the public hearing. Franz made an introductory ap­ pearance at a general meeting of MCIA members this week at the Crystal Woods Golf club night where he told an overflow crowd of McHenry county citizens the nefed* for their assistance in opposing the Waste Management site. provided ji funding formula could be agreed upon by the county, municipalities and townships. It also carried a provision that 80 percent of the latter two bodies would agree to take part by Jan. 1 of this year. When the May 1 date was reached and there was no agreement, the deadline was extended to May. The McHenry City Council was one of the municipalities that agreed to support the funding. Although he said he did not have an exact tally of the results, Buss said there seemed to be some question among municipal and township of­ ficials about whether council funds were being spent on programs ap­ propriate to their senior populations. At the next county board meeting Tuesday, May 17, Buss said his committee wij^propose that seven neyr members be appointed to the council, including three from the McHenry County Municipal association, three from the county township supervisors association and <me from the county board. Because the new members then would comprise half the council's 14- member board of directors, Buss said they would have an opportunity to review the present situation and if necessary, propose changes for spending money on programs thought to be more appropriate for county senior citizens. If the county board were to approve (CdnHnuod on pogo 20) foppy ror A Brownie FREE TV Guidejr Today's Edmoi^ Dawn LaBuv, representing the American Legion auxiliary, Post 491, looks oa as Frances NeUs, Poppy chairman of the Ladies auxiliary to Veterans of Fore in Wars Post 4600, pins a poppy on Brownie Leslie Ann So ell, reminding the pilifit that Saturday, May 14, is Poppy day in McHenry. •t STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Free Rose Bushes For New Plaindealer Subscribers Page 18