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cc without reason. People in the boondocks didn't want the system; they overwhelmingly defeated die proposal (about 9-1); and they had no opportunity to withdraw when the strong Chicago vote put the verdict in the winner's columm. From that day to this, just the mention of Regional Transportation Agency has caused blood pressure to soar and, on occasion, even made the hair bristle on the family pooch. Expensive busses travelling inter­ city with few if any pseeengeii has provided fuel for the fire of indignation. Here, at last, was something upon which almost everyone was in agreement. It was fun to have a whipping boy that everyone wanted to lash. But fair is fair, and we think someone - or perhaps more than one -has taken advantage of the situation to serve his own purpose, which is not yet clear. Two or three months ago this newspaper received a release telling of the tonsfer of the McHenry county RTA office from Crystal Lake to McHenry. Impossible, we thought, that an agency was moving from the thriving metropolis to our south and settling in the No. S city of growth. But there it was,in black and white. However, before the Plaindealer went to preas we had a call asking that we hold the release because of a delay in moving. The weeks passed and on Monday, March 9, the mail carried a news story to the effect that the office was being moved to Woodstock, "across the street from the McHenry county courthouse, a more centralised location convenient for all county residents". It was s nice sounding release, but we wanted to know more. What had hap­ pened to the McHenry location? Why were we bypassed? A call to a McHenry businessman disclosed some chagrin over the fact that he had painted the office and cleaned the carpeting after receiving a firm commitment that the RTA would be his next renter. In fact, it is our understanding that all office contents were ready for moving when someone changed his mind. Because we learned from a reliable sonveethatit was the McHenry County board's Transportation committee, we called Highway Commissioner James Rakow and suggested that the action gave the impression of befe* politically motivated. Mr.Rakow defended Woodstock's position over McHenry ss s tran­ sportation center because of more rail traffic. He said the location was probably changed because of more convenient liaison with courthouse departments. Mr. Rakow assured us the Tran­ sportation members had nothing to do with the change of mind on the office location. Van Sells, regional affairs officer for RTA in McHenry county, was the logical person to make the decision, he said. But our talk with Mrs. Sells disclosed that she was on vacation at the time and knew nothing of the intended move until shortly before the press release was mailed. It was her secretary who had been informed that the Transportation committee was responsible for the choice. We asked Mrs. Sells how much contact she had with county offices located in the courthouse, and learned she meets once a month with the Transportation committee - that's all. And does Mrs. Sells provide much service for riders of trains? Actually she does not. "The trains have been running here since 1*73", she pointed out, "and most people who move to McHenry county have the train schedule well in mind before moving from Chicago. The largest services of her office are providing information on busses and supplying half fare tickets for senior citizens. Calls number between 100 and 300 a week, but only one or two persons stop at the office each day. Our next call was to the Chicago RTA office, where we were transferred three times. At last - a lady who seemed to know what it was all about but said little. She suggested one of the people we had talked to in McHenry county could probably give us our answer. The suggestion went unheeded because that gentleman had already referred us to the RTA. None of this would be very important except for the coat of the rentals and the fact that everyone is blaming the RTA for having poor heads for business. They believe the RTA could institute policies to save money, but not everyone apparently is willing to help them, even in the boondocks. In our investigation, we were able to learn that the rental for the Crystal Lake office - one that provides a good shower inside when it rains - was tW. Other locations went doae to $1,000. The McHenry businessman had offered his office, located in a comparatively new building on Rt. 110, for $800 monthly plus about <80 for electricity. (Continued on page It) Dedication At Knox Park Mr* Bernice Wagner and Getjjftc Diedrielt • long-time city for 12 years before his retirement in November of friend of Ralph Wagner, vieylbc recently purchased IMS. He died last summer. According to City Clerk Barb •treet sweeper withBill OeftBag of the Public Works Gilpin, Wagner spent the last five years of his employ with department. The dedication canfcmony was held Sunday. , the city running the street sweeper. afternoon in honor ef Ralph Wagner, who worked for the STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD City of McHenry officials presided over a twin dedication ceremony last weekend before a good crowd at Knox park. The officials christened the recently purchased street sweeper, "Ralph," in honor of Ralph Wagner, a 12-year employee of the city who died last summer. Mrs. Bernice Wagner and other friends and family members attended the dedication. During his last five years with the Department of Public Works, Wagner did most of the street sweeping in a machine that had been with the city as long as he had. In the previous seven years, Wagner worked a number of different jobs in the Public Works department, according to City Gerk Barb Gilpin. Wagner retired from city em­ ployment in November of lfW. Following the dedication of the" sweeper on Sunday, came the official dedication of Knox park. McHenry Mayor Joseph Stanek said he wanted to dedicate the park at this time in order to recognize the people who were directly involved with the acquisition of the land, the financing of the project and the grant application for the development of the park. The park, which lies on the south side of McHenry, was annexed in July of 1979. About a year later, the city ap­ plied for and received a $200,000 reimbursement grant for the development of Knox park That development is scheduled to include an outdoor swimming pool with associated facilities, lighted ballfields and tennis courts, picnicking and hiking areas, a concession stand and parking. City Clerk Gilpin noted that the construction covered by the reim­ bursement grant has to be completed in September of this year THE MCHENRY PLAINDEALER "SERVING THE CHAIN-QUAKES REGION SINCE 1875' • -- ~ j| VOLUME 105 NUMBER 66 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1981 1 SECTION 20 PAGES 25' Stormy Session Precedes Acceptance Of City Plan by Anthony Oliver The McHenry City Council voted at Monday night's meeting to accept the Comprehensive plan but not before the stormy issue of a business land use along the east side of S. Route 31 came up again. Robert Grossman, of the Northbrook firm of Associated Planners, has been working with the Plan commission to update the plan, which looks ahead to the year 2000. The council appeared to be in agreement with the bulk of the plan but found some difficulty with the precise definition of a "light commercial" land use along a part of S. Route 31. As stated in previous meetings, light commercial, according to Grossman, represented less intensive, or, neigh­ borhood land uses. Just what types/of business would be allowed is a policy decision of the council. At one point in the meeting. Attorney Robert Gordon, who represented the Concerned Citizens of McHenry, was refused permission to address the council by a vote of 5, to 3. The Con­ cerned Citizens opposed the efforts of Child Critical After Falling Onto Knife A tragic accident shortly before l p.m. Saturday resulted in critical in­ juries to a four-year-old McHenry girl, Angele N. Druml, of 4518 Spruce, McHenry. According to McHenry police, the girl was on a counter top in the home when she fell on a knife in a dish rack. Her mother was on the telephone at the time but heard the crash and the police and Rescue squad were summoned. Police said the girl was found with a knife wound to the upper left chest. The Rescue squad immediately transported the young girl to McHenry hospital. At press time Tuesday morning, Angele was listed in critical condition in the intensive care unit of the hospital. Edward Buss to relocate an automobile distributorship in the S. Route 31 area and took Buss and the city to court more than two years ago. The court ruled in favor of the Concerned Citizens group. Aldermen Wieser, Harker, Datz, Adams and Schooley voted against allowing Gordon to speak. By ordinance, the council must vote in the majority before anyone other than an employee.' or city official is allowed to SDeak. Wieser then moved to not allow anyone from the Concerned Citizens to speak, but this effort was defeated. Richard Golbeck, representing the Concerned Citizens group, said, "The Appellate court had ruled that the 12 acres should remain residential and if the council tried to change (the nature of the neighborhood) it would run into legal difficulty." Golbeck added, "I'm here to ask you to consider leaving the area residential or restricting the use to professional offices." Alderman Jack Pepping told Golbeck he was sympathetic toward their stand, but stated, "The Appellate court does not make our Comprehensive plan. No Appellate court ruling could be binding on the city for ever and ever." To say so. Pepping said, was "pop­ pycock ." Alderman Ernest Schooley made a motion to eliminate all light com mercial area from the land use map and replace them with a commercial designation Voting in favor were Aldermen Harker. Datz. Wieser, Adams and Schooley. Voting in opposition were Aldermen Pepping. Nolan and Meurer The motion carried In a vote that was split the same way, the council approved the land use plan, (Continued on page 18) Driver To Hospital McHenry Area Rescue squad volunteers reader first aid to Ubbie Opat. the driver of this car which was lavolved la a collision last Friday morning at the intersection of Route 31 and Ball Valley rond. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD SHAW MHMA Nim MtVtC* McHenry police cited Cynthia L. Kyllonen, of 216 Draper road, McHenry, for failure to yield the right- of-way following a two-car collision at the intersection of Bull Valley road and Route 31 last Friday morning. Ms. Kyllonen told police she was traveling eaat on Bull Valley road at Route 31, stopped, looked both ways and proceeded into the intersection when the collision occurred The driver of the other auto, Libbie R Opat, 518 Skyline, Fox River Grove, was taken to McHenry hospital by the McHenry Rescue squad for examination. (Continued on page 18) Protesters At Shores In Action SHAW MCOtA NfWt SWVtCf The McHenry Shores Citizens for Better Government opted for a "political" solution of the Special Assessment No. 1 problem in a public meeting Monday night after listening to their attorney outline their predicament and their options Two write-in candidates, Donna Tobeck and Rose Lillegard, joined Charles Werth and Richard Panerali, who are already on the ballot as can­ didates for village trustee, in the April 7 election, on a slate opposing the special assessment program. Panerali em­ phasized that all four must be elected if they are to be effective in blocking the special assessment. Plans were made to ensure all voters understand the technicalities of write-in voting. Of concern to the group was that they would have time to block the special assessment before the Board of Local Improvements (in this case the same as the village board) could pass the or­ dinance and have it confirmed in court. The second session of the hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m March 24, and the group's attorney, William Cowlin, said that the time restrictions for legal notices and procedures made it unlikely that the process could be completed before the election and the resulting new board took office. All candidates for the Better Government group indicate that they were entering the political ring reluctantly Mrs Tobeck announced that she was resigning as president of "Better Government" so that she could run "I didn't want to run, but this issue pulled together the people of the village." Mrs Tobeck said She noted the organizational objectives of her group which she said the candidates would support. These included establishing effective communications between elected officials and citizens, recognition by elected and appointed officials that they are servants of the people and should reflect majority opinions, and establishing restraints on village officials to encourage fair treatment of all citizens Mrs Lillegard. former village president, noted that she had earlier decided against running for office "and be humiliated by other board members in meetings" But when she saw Panerali and Werth on the ballot she reconsidered They would have a chance, Mrs. Lillegard observed, to get back to what local government should be She advocated an "open govern­ ment" that would be above suspicion Panerali indicated that he was not a politican and didn't want to be He accused the existing village board of trying to "divide and rule". He suggested that President David Grimes had miscalculated the resolve of the people "We are for open government", Panerali declared He also asked if each property owner could afford the additional $40 per month that the street special assessment program would cost Panerali suggested that residents with this expenditure wouldn't be able to maintain their homes and they would wind up as "a slum with pretty roads " Wert said he didn't understand what the motives of the present village board were He had been proud of his part in establishing the village nine years earlier but now he wasn't so sure Attorney Cowlin explained to the approximately 100 persons present that the state statutes give the Board of Local Improvements (village board) the power to determine if the special assessment is necessary. He indicated that if 400 lots are involved and all of the owners are against it, the village still has the authority to and can still pass the ordinance and go into court to get it confirmed, if they are determined "You are behind the eight-ball," he noted He added that petitions would have little isome> effect if the board was interested in their opinions But it was his experience that it is rare that a board of local improvements turns around once started Cowlin noted several peculiarities in this particular special assessment proposal the bond discount, estimated at 20 percent over the legal limit of the 7 percent interest on the bonds by Baxter and Woodman engineering, which Cowlin conceded was probably ac­ curate in today's market. This means that over 20 percent of the people's money would go for financing or $70 out of every $350 annual payment. Cowlin also questioned the $20,000 set by the engineers for "public benefit" which he said would be more than offset by the estimated $26,000 cost of the added road width alone (the factor which the engineers assigned to public benefit) This. Cowlin indicated, just about equals the amount that could be raised by the maximum .05 percent tax rate on all property available to the village, believed to be $20,000 to $30,000. He noted that 10 percent of the total construction costs, in this case about $120,000, is the normal public benefit assigned. But the village engineers could not set it that high because of the limitation on the tax for this purpose, Cowlin asserted. Cowlin also claimed that the (Continued on page 18) Quirks Of Nature The Tornado Season Page 14 Mosquito Spraying Program At Wonder Lake Rage 8 Non-Emergency Phone For Sheriff's Office Page 3 V A