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McHenry Since 1875 Students in a computer world At a recent instructional meeting of the McHenry Grade School District 15 school board/ students demonstrated the schools' new computer program to present, retirina and school board candidates. Computer education, which was Integrated for the first time this year into all grade levels, proved an interesting experience for the school decision-makers. Alcohol, drug abuse services high priority for health board bv Kirk Birginal Shaw - Free Press News Service Providing alcohol and drug abuse services will probably be the top priority for the McHenry County Mental Health Board during the next three years, the executive director • said recently. An update of the mental health 708 board's three-year plan shows one of the greatest ser­ vice needs in the county is in the area of chemical dependancy, including alcohol and substance abuse, Executive Director Dennis Smith told board members. "I think you'll see reflected in the plan much more in these two areas," Smith said. The three-year plan, which the board is required by statute to revise and update, sets forth the board's service and funding projections. As a result of projected revenue declines between 1984 and 1986, Smith said a greater emphasis on general chemical cutbacks in the "more mature" service areas. He said among the key fin­ dings of the plan update was that the board had mature delivery systems providing beginning-to- end treatment for develop­ mental disabilities and mental illness. However, he said, the final level of care in these cases, often involving hospitalization, is usually the most expensive, and it is at this level mat service reductions will probably come. The board is facing a possible $550,000 revenue reduction over the next three years due to a decline in the county's assessed valuation from $1.81 billion to $1.25 billion. The downturn in formerly increasing values of real estate assessments stems primarily from a decrease in the value of homes sold from the peak year, 1979. Also, several measures passed by state legislators, including a $500 increase in the homestead exemption and an increase in the over-age 65 A look inside... Election information Football playoff countdown Regular features Obituaries Mostly Social New classified ad number Pages 6-7 Page 24 Page 9. Pages 10-11 344-4800 1 Section 24 Pogos 25' Friday November 4,1983 Numbor 26 Volume 109 Ambulance tax vote Nov. 8 Two special issues of interest to voters are expected to swell the number who go to the polls in the election next Tuesday, Nov.8. One will be the proposal to be presented within the McHenry Township Fire protection District. It asks for the district to levy a special tax at a rate not to exceed .90 percent of the value of all taxable property within the district as equalized or assessed by the Department of Taxes are now being paid to the McHenry Township Fire Department, but this cannot be used for ambulance service. For the many years the Johq0buN and McHenry Area Rescue Squads have been in existence, there has been no payment to volunteers. To be able to provide a minimum amount of compensation to squad members, add to meet the rung costs of maintaining and equipping vehicles, the special tax is sought. The Fire Protection District recently added a line item of $200,000 to cover the day-to-day operations of both squads.Tfce npnw the outcome of the referendum. Johnsburg area residents will be voting on a proposal to establish a public library district in a portion of McHenry Township. The proposal was defeated earlier tms year, but voting was close enough to prompt backers of the district to present the issue a second time. In McHenry High School District 156 there are five persons seeking to fill three vacancies. The five are . Steve Cuda, Edward J. Neumann, Jr., Michael F. Low, Don F. March and Barbara J. Slater. Because of a provision that at leasftwo board members must be residents of unincorporated mil 1A r* ft# if r-territory wrier e au percent 01 me taxable property is outside the municipality, two will be elected next Tuesday from the unin­ corporated areas. Cuda, Lew and March are from the incorporated area; Neumann, Jr., and Ms. Slater are from the unincorporated portion of the district. The three winners will serve for four-year terms. Only two seek the two-year terms and there are two portions to be filled. They are James S. Tonyan and Robert C. Anderson. In Grade School District 15, McHenry, there is no contest for the four-year terms, where three names are on the ballot. They are Nicholas R. Groh. Arthur Newbrough and Edward F. Samen. For a two-year term there are three candidates to fill two vacancies. They are Joan K. Miller, r«wmp<ii R. Bruce Kevin E. Barber. m Johnsburg District 12, there are contests for both the 4-year and 2-year terms. Susan C. Maiorca, John C. Hekfler, Kenneth M. Schaefer and J. Beau Fkfler seek the longer term and there are openings. Hamas J. r James W. Preston and Wolf wish to fill vacancies for two-year terms. There are two vacancies. No contest wrists in Harrison Elementary School District in Wonder Lake. The candidates are Henry Setzler. Santo L. Ruggero and Richard Barthuly. There are three vacancies for the four-year term. F. Joy Dass and David Elder seek two-year terms. At Spring Grove Elementary District 11 four seek t le same number of vacancies. Tbey are Judith K. Toler,. Michael J. Le vernier, Sr., Carole Defy and Jade M. Freund. Three trustees to serve McHenry County College District, No. 528, urill be deted next Tuesday also. There are eight candidates vying for a seat on the boad to serve for six years. The eight are Eugene Meyer, Herbert w. Latter, G. William HUbbard H, Barbara Walters, David E. Glanz, John Vrett, Richard E. Wfldey and Lee Schuppert. Ms. Waiters is the only McHenry resident who is a ramtMatf Voting hours are • a.m. to 7 pjn. at poQina locations used in the general elections. They are H,i I, j --i , , , «-- n • -listed eisewnere m tnis exemption for homeowners, have affected property real estate taxes. Smith has estimated the effect of this revenue decline on future mental health budgets as minor in 1984, $251,000 in 1985 and $300,000 in 1986. ' 4 He said the mental health board has some revenue reserves, but that it would be easy to exhaust them just meeting current service levels over the next three years, given the most optimistic scenario of incoming taxes and federal and state grants. Another finding of the plan update, Smith said, was that in the area of developmental disabilities there have been some neglected sectors of the population, such as epileptics, which may need some study. He said in the next 10 years certain demographic changes in the county will have an impact on the board's systems. For instance, a steady population growth rate has been projected tor the county, and , that the fastest growing segment of the population will be the 35-45 age group. The group will be primarily affluent residents, many of whom will work outside the county commuting to Chicago, according to Smith. He said the board will probably not deliver many services to this group, which would be the most likely to pay for these service privately. Also, Smith said the update showed a leveling-off and decline in population groups that had been previously growing in the county. The elderly and the young will likely drop in number as they grow older, he said, although significant changes in service needs for the young will probably not be seen during the next three years. by Donna Bertulis Ike city of McHenry is in jeopardy of losing its local circuit court branch. According to McHenry Police Chief George Pasenelli, chief administrators of the 19th Judicial Circuit are considering closing down Branch 3 court in McHenry and Branch 2 court in Crystal Lake, and rerouting all court cases to Branch 1 court in Woodstock. "The court administrators, the judges and the circuit clerk have given no time frame whatsoever about when this might occur," stated Pasenelli. "But they have said it is in the thinking stages and it is a possibility." Final decision on the matter rests in the hands of Jack Hoogasian, chief judge of the 19th Judicial Circuit Court. Local municipal bodies have no apparent decision power in this issue, many have passed resolutions expressing their feelings. Among them is the McHenry City Council, which last Monday passed a resolution opposing the dosing of Branch 3. _ "I'm at a loss as to how they would impose such a hardship on the people coming to court here," stated Mayor Joseph Stanek. He added that tee McHenry County Municipal Association, a county organization of local decision makers, also passed a resolution opposing the court closings. Pasenelli told the council that a shutdown of branch courts would represent "a total disservice to the people that we serve, demanding litigants and police officers to go to Woodstock to hearings." If such action is taken, all persons appearing in circuit court cases must travel to Woodstock for hearing. Local police officers must also be summoned out of the districts they serve. "This would hit us as a financial drain on the city, by sending our officers down these (Woodstock)," said the chief. "The issue is who should be inconvenienced," said Stanek, "the police officers and the public, or the judge and the ckrk." Pasenelli said part of the reason for the consideration is the condition of the Crystal Lake branch court. "I am told it leaves a lot to be desired. But I don't think the City of McHenry should suffer for the problems of anyone else." chief argued that the sanitary facilities in the McHenry Branch 3 court were more than acceptable, and that parking was "more than ample" for the judges, clerks and persons coming to the court The City of McHenry has been hosting the branch court for approximately 15 years, stated City Clerk Barbara Gilpin. The city receives no revenue from holding court here, she said, "but we'll be losing money by sending our officers out of town for court." Presently, Branch 3 court hears cases of traffic and ordinance violations from a wide area, including McHenry, Richmond, McCuflom Lake, Sunnyside and Island Lake. By Angela Burden Shaw Free Press Media Waste Management Tuesday withdrew its petition for a sanitary landfill in Seneca Township pending completion of McHenry County's phase m waste study. Waste Management vice president Thomas A, Volini signed the document, filed late Tuesday morning with the McHenry County Clerk, which stated: "The reason for this action is to allow the county's solid waste planning process to be concluded and to thereby allow the county to determine its position on landfill location criteria and waste treatment and disposal alternatives." Hearings on the company's landfill petition had been scheduled to begin Nov. 7. A1 Stob, director of landfill development, said that since the petition was filed Sept. 20, the county board has appointed 15 citizens to a waste study ad­ visory committee, which began its work Monday night. "Despite our belief that ad­ ditional disposal capacity for solid waste is needed in the county now, we recognize the McHenry County Board's commitment to fully explore its requirements and to develop a forward-looking plan," Stob said. "We believe it is in the best interest of the county and its citizens for us to temporarily withdraw our petition until such time as the advisory committee has had an opportunity to fully assess the alternatives and make its recommendations to the county board," be said. He added that if the Phase m study determines that resource recovery can play a practical role in the county's waste management program, "we have extensive experience in this area as well, with two plants in operation and a third under construction. We would be in­ terested in discussing our technology with the county should the study find that such a system is feasible." In other action Tuesday morning, in the matter of the application of Waste Management for approval of the regional landfill, the McHenry C o u n t y I m p r o v e m e n t Association filed a motion with the county clerk's . office requesting that Clint ClaypooL chairman of county board ana member of the landfill hearing committee, resign as a member of the committee and refrain from voting on any matters pertaining to Wastei Management's petition. The motion filed Tuesday was based on hostile criticism in the on statements made by press oi Claypool Deny Wonder Lake dispatch service A request by the Wonder Lake Fire Department and Rescue Squad for the City of McHenry to handle its dispatch services, has been denied. At the council's last regular meeting, McHenry Police Chief George Pasenelli stated that the police department was already overburdened. "With any more duties, the impact on our communications system will be negative," he said. "I can sympathize with them, but if we take it on, I'm afraid it would be disastrous." Emergency calls for the Wondar Lake Fire Department and Rescue Squad are now being taken at the homes of approximately 15 Wonder Lake residents, explained the chief: The council voted unanimously to deny the request. The McHenry * Policy D e p a r t m e n t c u r r e n t l y dispatches calls for the following services: McHenry; Police Department; McCullom Lake Police Department^ Sunnyside Police Department,' the McHenry Fire District; the McHenry Rescue Squad and the Johnsburg Rescue Squad. 1