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PAGE 18 -PLAINDEALER - WEDNESDAY. MARCH 18,1881 PROTESTERS AT SHORES IN ACTION (Continued from page 1) proportion of the special assessment to the village total property assessment is out of hand, $1.5 million against $6.5 million. The total fair market value of the village as set by the township assessor is about $28 million, he said. And much of the village will not be assessed. Cowlin also advised the group that the proposed roads for the special assessment program will only be"A-2" seal coat over an appropriate base, and would not meet present county stan­ dards for subdivision roads. According to the engineers' own testimony, he said, it would require maintenance in three to five years. "This will also ecme out of your pocket," he advised. In representing the group in the hearings and court proceedings, Cowlin said he couldn't promise them "victory", but he would do the best he could for them. A series of questions following Cowlin's presentation revealed con­ cerns and resentments by many villagers about what they considered as unsatisfactory treatment from the village board. One claimed that the roads had served for 25 years and why were they permitted "to go to hell last year". Others asked who would pay the assessments for the properties which are abandoned by owners for taxes due. Another never realized the power "the directors had" and wonderea what they could do to make them more responsive. When the future sewer project came up with its resulting effect on the new roads, Cowlin noted that in spite of the possible 75 percent federal grant, they would still pay for the repair of roads and in addition they should remember each property owner would have to pay his own connection costs to the sewer collector system. Another resident asked, if a new board should be elected, what veto powers would the incumbent president have. Cowlin assured them that it would only be a negative one on or­ dinances passed. He couldn't pass any ordinances the board didn't want. The slate of candidates all signed a statement which included the following: "We are in total agreement against the proposed Special Road Assessment No. 1" MUSIN' AND MEANDERIN' (Continued from page 1) The Woodstock office, we are told, carries a $748 price tag. So the RTA is paying almost $200 per month more than iecessary for an office. Why? To be near county offices with which there are almost no contacts? To serve train riders who have little use for that service? Mrs. Sells didn't make the selection of the new RTA office. Without Mrs. Sells, the RTA would have had almost no opportunity to be informed about rentals in McHenry county. Besides, we- learned that Mrs. Sells' superiors had given an okay to the McHenry location. Mr. Rakow said the Transportation, committee didn't make the decision. But someone did - probably someone in McHenry county with influence. ' Who? K.A.F. STORMY SESSION PRECEDES ACCEPTANCE OF CITY PLAN (Continued from page 1) with the change of light commercial to commercial. Alderman Schooley told the Plain- deaiei iaiei that inc council wasted enough/ime with the matter. The^elderman said council members had^attended Plan commission meetings and some had said many times that they were not in favor of a light commercial designation. "We're just spinning our wheels," Schooley said. Likewise, the "planning notebook" was approved (with the deletion of the light commercial) by the same split vote, with the addition of Mayor Stanek casting a vote against the motion to a p p r o v e „ • - * > . < The discourse regarding this sen­ sitive subject opened as Alderman Elizabeth Nolan voiced her concerns and Alderman Pepping said an agreement needed to be reached. Grossman reminded the council that a land use plan does not constitute a zoning rftap^ Alderman Wieser pointed out that land use maps tended to have an in­ fluence upon zoning boards. The alderman also said that light com­ mercial property 500-600 feet deep "seems more like commercial to me." Wieser indicated some dismay at having a light commercial district appear on the land use plan, when no such district appears in the zoning ordinance "Our aim should be to create revenues so that the city does not have to deficit spend," Wieser said. Wieser's stance on the matter received support from Alderman George Harker. who noted that in the last 16 years, no one has taken out a building permit along the east side of Route 31 S Route 31 is presently zoned residential and there are vocal factions that would like to see it remain so. "This indicates to me that no one wants to live along a state highway anymore," Harker said. A suggestion from Mayor Stanek to the Plan commission was to define light commercial as "B 1" business uses with the exception of restaurants, taverns and gas stations. The suggestion also included a limiting of the size of the light commercial area. Harker said he could "go along" with excluding gas stations from the definition, but was not in favor of ex­ cluding restaurants and taverns, both of which generate sales tax. "What we're getting down to here is that restaurants and taverns are fine as long as they are in someone else's neighborhood," Harker said. Alderman Wieser asked if anyone had studied the need for using that much land for professional office space, noting that (here was existing office space not rented in McHenry. "This is too much land for a light commercial use," the alderman said. "A major highway leads to heavy commercial use." Mayor Stanek said the council had the authority to define a light com­ mercial area and suggested shortening the width of the lots and keeping it light commercial in nature in order "to protect a sensitive neighborhood." Alderman Harker acknowledged the legal, advisory nature of a land use plan, but noted that when the land use plan gets to court, the advisory nature is not necessarily the case. "The courts are inclined to interpret a land use map as zoning," Harker said. » In other business, the city council voted to approve a flood plain or­ dinance, approved the 1981-82 fiscal year budget, passed a resolution concerning a county-wide police emergency plan and approved rates for the swimming pool. Further details on these and other items of council business will appear in the Friday edition of the McHenry Plaindealer DRIVER TO HOSPITAL (Continued from page 1) Ms. Opat said she couldn't remember seeing the Kyllonen vehicle or if it stopped for the intersection. A 10-year-old youth, Frank P Grande, of 1903 Woodlawn Park, McHenry, was taken to McHenry hospital by the Rescue squad after the bicycle he was riding was struck by a slow-moving pickup truck on Woodlawn Park Sunday evening. The driver of the truck, John P. DeStefanis, of 1921 N. Woodlawn Park, told police the youth pulled out from the garage into the path of his vehicle. Robert J. Bielck, of Glen Ellyn, was transported to McHenry hospital by the Richmond Rescue squad following a one-car accident at 3:15 a.m. Sunday on Bay road, near Weingart road. Police said the Bielck vehicle was westbound rounding a curve when it went off the road and struck a fence No injuries were reported in a two- car collision at the Pearl street bridge Sunday afternoon. A westbound auto, driven by Matt E Koivisto, of 3108 W. Bull Valley road, McHenry, collided with an east-bound car, driven by Russell M. Wallace, <of 9023 Oriole trail. Wonder Lake. MEETFOR RETARDED The regular meeting of the McHenry County Association for the Retarded will be held Thursday, March 19, at 8 p.m. at 4001 Dayton street. McHenry. CONSERVATION MEETING The next regular meeting of the McHenry County Conservation district board of trustees will be held Thursday, Marctr l9; at 7 p.m. in the district office, 6512 Harts road, Ringwood. Energy Free Boot Show jfcfeb Discover poddleboots soilboots. windsurfers and soil-canoes this Thursday thru Sunday during our Energy Free Doat Show # Crystal Point mal Route 14 and Main Street Crystal Lake • ' ̂' ̂ 4wS£f; , •; • % • ft * *'V. •'« <»'v \ a ft | -- 4. , -J, -m DEDICATE KNOX PARK-Gathered at Knox park for Sunday's dedication ceremony were, from left, Pete Merkel, director of Parks and Recreation; Aldermen Vince Adams and Ron Meurer; Gerald Bunting, land planner; Darrel Fox, representing the general contractors; Aldermen Ernest Me, Schooley and Elizabeth Nolan, Mayor Joseph Stanek. Alderman Edward Datx and former Alderman William Bolger, who served the city when negotiations for the park were started. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD View Challenges Of Agriculture March 19 Exhibits,, a discussion of two challenging aspects of agriculture, and a luncheon saluting farmers will be among McHenry County Agriculture day activities this week. Besides discussions on why farmland must be preserved from non- agricultural encroachments and the need for farmers to become more ac­ tively involved in tillage-conserving farming, the noon-day luncheon at the Old Court House Inn Thursday, March 19, likely will focus on the anticipated dairy price support freeu also. Don Peasley, chainrian of the Agriculture day observance for the fifth year, said a half dozen county farmers will form the panel at the luncheon. They are being joined by Kenneth Rehn, Kirkland farmer who is nationally recognized for his com­ mitment to minimum tillage. His 12- year record, indicating the impact on yields and net profit, will be.evaluated, and members of the news media have been invited to take part in the panel discussion. The McHenry County Farm Bureau plans an exhibit showing good and poor examples of soil conserving practices. Peasley and the McHenry County Soil and Water Conservation district are providing photographs for the exhibit. Feature will be photographs of at­ tractive farm scenes as the community joins in saluting farmers for their productive ability and their efficiency which enables the United States to feed this country and a significant number of people in other lands McHenry county residents have become aware of efforts to keep good farmland from being gobbled up by subdivisions, airports, roads and other non-farm uses, but the National Agricultural Lands study made public early this year places the seriousness of the problem in per­ spective, said Peasley. "The study by nationally recognized agricultural, environmental and governmental representatives will be given careful attention by Congress when it prepares to draw up the new farm bill," he said. "Though we think of this with a limitless number of acres, the study concludes that by the year 2000. most if not all of this natiorfs 540 million acres of cropland will be in cultivation. "Expansion into marginal land will be costly in terms of efficient production, extra use of fuel and fer­ tilizer in an effort to get good yields', and labor. Global food supplies will be in shorter supply by the year 2000, most experts conclude, because of growing world production and shrinking production capacity." The Agricultural Area Conser­ vation and Protection Act passed in Illinois and effective last July 1 is a step toward preserving farmland Farmers will discuss it at the luncheon Some far­ mers have held meetings to learn mor*» about implementing the act on land adjacently-owned farmland MCC Library An invitation to local residents to visit and explore McHenry County college's Learning Resources center has been issued by the new director of the LRC. Linda Bigelow, who was recently named assistant dean of instruction for the Learning Resources center, wants local residents to be aware that the college's library facilities are available for use by local residents. Ms Bigelow. joined the MCC staff earlier this year as a reference librarian. She has a Bachelor's degree in education from the University of Illinois and a Master's degree in library science from Northern Illinois university The former head librarian at the Harvard Public library for six years, Ms. Bigelow also worked in school libraries in Illinois arid. Indiana for seven years She is a member of the Illinois Library association, the Illinois Association of College and Research Librarians, the Community College Association for Instruction and Technology and the McHenry County Librarians association She and her husband, Jcfhn, live in Harvard where she is a member of the Harvard Women's club and the United Methodist church Cash 7i Carry only 4 Days Only! 2 DRAWER FILES WITH LOCK -22" Deep Many Colors c A ft a c To Choose From... 4V 4 DRAWER FILES WITH LOCK-22" Deep As Low As I\o charges, please Wednesday thru Saturday MARCH 18, 19, 20 & 21 2 DRAWER FILES WITH LOCK- .30°">O 16" Deep ^ As Low As ALL WOOD DESKS 40% Off Red Hot Special! 4x54 METAL DESK With wood grain lop, , center drawer | with lock. $12995 Other desks as low as $9595 knuth' P.O. Knuth Co.. Inc. Sport I Office Outfitters for McHomry County 228 MAIN ST...WOODSTOCK...338-3535