Police Take Stand For Salary Raise Police officers and their wives filled the Council chambers Monday night to make a united stand against the Finance committee's recommendation that no in- Quality is probably the one key ingredient for success in any undertaking. If this is true, we know WHAT made McHenry's 1976 Trade Fair the "favorable venture-it was. BufjWHO really made It that succdfcS? Former Mayor George P. Freund decided to find out. Last Monday night after work he enlisted the assistance of his wife in making a detailed account of names and addresses of persons who signed in at the Freund booth. A total of 898 were registered with McHenry addresses, followed by 81 from Wonder Lake. From that point on the list is hard to believe, including these communities: Round Lake, Wauconda, Crystal Lake, Island Lake, Woodstock, Cary, North Lake, Ingleside, Wheeling, Oak Park, Schaumburg, DesPlaines, Huntley, Mundelein, Mount Prospect, Chicago, Fox Lake, Hebron, Richmond, Palatine, Bensenville, Marengo, Vernon Hills, Spring Grove, Morton Grove, Flora, Lake Villa, Park City, Ringwood, Harvard, Antioch and Waukegan; Also Downers Grove, Grayslake, Libertyville, Arlington Heights, Gurnee, Deerfield, Berwyn, Algonquin, HanoVer Park, Lake-in-the- Hills, LaGrange, Melrose Park, Mt. Carroll, Lindenhurst, Glen view. Forest Park, Park (Continued on page 9) crease in salaries be given to the Police department for the fiscal year beginning April 30, 1976. Sgt. Robert Michelsen, spokesman for the officers, approached Mayor Stanek before the meeting and asked if he could speak to the Council. Police Chief Kenneth Espey had attended the recent Finance committee meeting and reported bade to the of ficers that no raises would be granted. Sgt. Michelsen told Stanek the men were concerned that the Council would vote to adopt the proposed salary schedule without any input from them. Prior to discussion on proposed salaries, Alderman Jack Pepping, chairman of the Finance committee, passed out resumes to the aldermen regarding recommendations of his committee. He asked that the aldermen study the material and be prepared to vote on it at the next meeting which is Monday, April 5. However, City Attorney Bernard Narusis informed Pepping that according to a state statute, the salaries of the police department "should be established by the City Council at such times as are required by statute. Such salaries shall be set for each fiscal year at least 30 days prior to the beginning of such fiscal year." Pepping said it was Narusis' feeling that the salaries be voted on immediately and Pepping advised he was prepared to discuss the material he had passed out for reference. Pepping said his committee, Aldermen George Harker and William Bolger, attempted to project what the city's revenue would be and match it to city expenditures based on the budgets submitted by the department heads, Public Works, Clerk and Police. This had not been done in the past and the Finance committee felt it was necessary so "we wouldn't find ourselves coming up short somewhere down the line." The committee anticipated revenue for the next fiscal year would amount to ap proximately $1,070,000. "The budgeted items of the depart ment heads come to ap proximately the same amount," Pepping said. The recommendations presented by the Finance committee are based on a balanced budget, Pepping stressed. He warned the Council that if any more money was added to the salary package, the budget would not balance. Money would have to come from another source, he noted. Pepping presented detailed charts which indicated raises for city employees over last year (other than the Police department) ranging from 2.9 to 10.8 percent. Proposed percentage raises for the Police department were: Chief, 1.8; Lieutenant, 0.1; Sergeants, 0.2 and Patrolmen, 0.2. Sewer, Public Works and Water departments hadper- centage increases of 6.3 for starting and 7.1 for maximum. Clerical, police secretary ami payroll employees received percentage increases from 3.8 to 10.8. The largest increase went to beginning salary of the Communication Desk. It was given a 20.7 percent raise. This was necessary because highly qualified and dependable people must be hired to handle desk communications for the police, fire and rescue squad departments. The chief has not been able to find reliable (Continued on page 9) Delay Opening Of Festival Charm Course To April 13 Postponement of the opening of the charm course held in conjunction with the 1976 Marine Festival queen contest was announced this week. Opening date is Tuesday evening, April 13. The contest date also was changed to June 22. Final details of the Miss McHenry Bicentennial pageant were revealed at a meeting of the Queen committee. An nouncement was made that nine girls had signed up for the pageant, leaving openings for twelve more. This is the third year the Home Gutted By Fire Nicely-Nicely Johnson, played by Peter Bender, informs Officer Brannigan, Craig Smith, he knows nothing about the dice game planned. Benny, portrayed by Rob Thomas, looks on in "Guys and Dolls", to be presented four nights, through Sunday, April 4, in West campus auditorium. The curtain goes up at 8 p.m. on the all-school production. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Fire Chief Glenn Peterson, in white Jacket, is shown directing fire fighting operations at a house fire at 4004 W. McCullom Lake rood on the Leo King property about 8:10 Wednesday night. The house had recently been purchased but was unoccupied at the time of the blase. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD pageant will be held at the Legion clubhouse, with the Women's auxiliary of Legion Post 491 as sponsor, headed by President Evelyn Osmon Chairman for the committee is Margaret Datz, working with a committee of Midge Scharf. Betty Jo Smith and Lauretta Homo. The Queen committee, headed by Mrs. Sharon Nye, has as members former queens and past pageant contestants They are pretty Marissa Pace. McHenry's present queen; Nancy (Stetter) Grossich. Nancy (Staley) Betts, Donna Humann, Bunny Berndt and Mary Humann. The new deadline for entries is April 13. Girls are en couraged to sign up now and enjoy the marty rewards promised all candidates The committee pointed out that it is not necessary to join only to win, but to enjoy ihe fun and activities of the contest An entry blank appears elsewhere in this issue Hold Open House At McHenry Junior High McHenry Junior high school will host its annual open house April 7, from 7 to 8:30 p m Of special interest this year is the Book Fair, which will be held in conjunction with the Science Fair. The Science Fair, featuring sixth, seventh and eighth grade projects will be located in the gym. while the Book Fair will be in the library All classes will have their projects on display in the respective classrooms The public is asked to attend this display of the students' efforts and accomplishments McHenry Fire company I was called to a house fire at 4004 W. McCullom Lake road Wednesday night and when they arrived at the scene, found the house ablaze. The home is located on the far west end of the Leo King farm. It had recently been purchased and the new owners had been inside cleaning up the premises Wednesday: According to Fire Chief Peterson, the owner had left the house at about 5:30 in the af ternoon after locking his watch dog inside the building The animal was found dead when firemen arrived Peterson said there were indications that the origin of the fire was of a suspicious nature and investigation is being conducted by county and local authorities Since it was not known exactly what was inside the home. Chief Peterson was unable to give a dollar amount of the damage About 25 minutes before the house fire, Company I was called to extinguish a furnace fire at the Matuzewski residence, 2606 W Kashmiri avenue, Huemann's sub division, north of McHenry There was a minimum of damage to the furnace, Peterson reported Burglary Charge Filed After High Speed Chase A McHenry youth was charged with burglary, possession of burglary tools and theft after a high speed chase by county deputies just before midnight Wednesday. March 31 Arrested as he fled on foot was Paul Ink. 17. of 400 Shepherd Hill street. McHenry. whose bond was due to be set Thursday for court hearing April 6. A juvenile companion was later arrested at his home and turned over to juvenile authorities Alerted to a suspicious ap pearing car at East Wonder Lake and South drives. Wonder Lake, at 11:05 pm . deputies arrived to find a red vehicle •• speeding away Two males had been seen removing large items from the Cork n Cleaver. 7518 Hancock drive When they noted the sheriffs car. the intruders sped away at speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour, driving through stop signs at South and East drives and again at East and Hancock drives The auto continued east on McCullom Lake road when Deputy Sexton responded to a (Continued on page 9) Historical Society Seeks To Save Bridge The McHenry County Historical society, through its president, Dorothy Mceachren. has sent to the Plaindealer a copy of a resolution passed at the regular monthly board meeting of the society Sunday, March 21 Concerned over the fate of the old Pearl street bridge, it reads "Resolved that the McHenry County Historical society write a letter to the City Council of McHenry to urge them to preserve the old iron bridge and to seek alternatives in (Continued on page 9) The Coalition for Political Honesty will "send a message to Springfield April 3 by attempting to collect 50.000 signatures for the Political Honestv Initiative in a single day petitions will be asked at shopping areas throughout I l l i n o i s . i n c l u d i n g McHenry We're asking every petition passer to spend at least one hour at a shop ping center supermarket or other people place' ", Pat Dusthimer of Wonder Lake said this week "Local media and other passers will be alerted, so you shouldn t be alone ", she continued "Infact.vou PAT Dl STHIMER should bring your own friends If you don t know who to call or where to go. contact me. Pat Dusthimer. at 653-6310". The Coalition spokesman said the group will have 250.000 signatures by April 3. two-thirds of the 375.000 needed by May 1 to place the Initiative's three constitutional amendments on the November ballot Those amendments would -stop state legislators from drawing their entire annual salary of $20,000 on their first day in office, -- o u t l a w " d o u b l e - dipping," the practice of legislators holding two or more public payroll jobs. - prohibit legislators from voting on bills in which they have a personal or financial "conflict-of- jnterest " VOLUME 100 NUMBER 70 FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 1976 |s 18 PAGES 20' Murder Four officers of the McHenry Police department were awarded resolutions from the City Council Monday night in recognition of their heroic and alert action in saving the life of Steven Leary of McHenry after his car had run into the Fox river, just squth of the i Route 120 bridge, March 23. Shown on the right presenting certificates to the officers is Mayor Joseph Stanek. Officers, left to right, are James Molnar, John Lang don. Gary Wigman and Sgt. Robert Michelsen. A Lakemoor man and a Wisconsin woman were charged with murder Wed nesday night by authorities of the Tampa. Fl., police department in connection with the brutal death of the woman's ten-month-old l>aby Daniel Congdon. 25, of Lakemoor and Rosemary Rampel. 20. of Wisconsin were charged with murdering Tracy Lynn Rampel in Daytona. Fl The baby was born in Tucson. Az., in Jrtarch of 1975 Ms Rampel decided to fight extradition to Florida and was taken before Circuit Judge James H. Cooney. who placed her bond at $250,000 Sheriff Arthur Tyrrell could give no city address for Ms Rampel whom he described as "a wanderer Congdon was being held in McHenry county jail on a robbery charge which occurred tack e Ja Detective James Fitzgerald and told him about the Florida crime Detective George Hendle worked with Fitzgerald and contacted Tampa authorities about the murder When it was determined the facts were correct. Ms Rampel was taken into custody and held for Florida authorities » Congdon told authorities Mrs. Rampel had beaten and kicked the baby while she and Congdon were in Daytona. Fl The couple then took the dead baby and traveled on a bus to Tampa. Fl . where they stuffed the child's body in an air- conditioning unit in a local Methodist church. Dec 20 The baby's body was found by parishioners just before Christmas and It waa deter mined the child had a fractured skull Detective Fitzgerald said the baby'* grandmother and father were unaware of the child's death because positive iden tification had not been made until this week as the result of this case Drivers Hurt In Crashes Drivers of both cars involved in a collision Tuesday night at 2911 W Lincoln road, were taken to McHenry hospital by the rescue squad Raymond W Shaughnessy of 528 N Lily lane. McHenry. was admitted to the hospital and was reported in satisfactory condition Wednesday af ternoon Driver of the other car, James P Johnson of 307 N Lily L a k e r o a d , M c H e n r y , w a s treated and released the same night No statement was taken from Shaughnessy due to his con dition Johnson told county police he was traveling east on Lincoln road when the Shaughnesay car drove into hia lane of traffic and the autoa collided head-on A Wonder Lake driver. (Continued on 9) THE MCHENRY PLAINDEALER "SERVING THE CHAIN-O-LAKES REGION SINCE 1875" Two Charged In \