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m • ) THE MCHENRY PLAINDEALER fci SERl IS<; THE CHAISO-LAKES RE( , I< ) \ * ISCE 187.5" WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1981 VOLUME 106 NUMBER 4 1 SECTION 22 PAGES 25' Hospital Go-Ahead Debbie Durenberg's Buff-Orpington duck, Helen, won open class Grand Champion Waterfowl. Debbie is from McHenry. Don Peasley Photography A unanimous vote of approval by the state board last Thursday in Chicago culminated a little more than a year of struggle since the board of directors of McHenry hospital approved the Cer­ tificate of Need application in early August of 1980. The Illinois Health Facilities Plan­ ning Board (IHFPB) met on the 11th floor of the Radisson hotel in Chicago to make a final decision concerning the relocation and expansion of McHenry hospital to a 105-acre site at Bull Valley road and Route 31, McHenry. Most of the discussion at the hour- and-a-half meeting concerned the McHenry-Sherman hospital conflict, as it has throughout the 12 months of various hearings. McHenry hospital officials presented the revised plan to the state board, Area Youths Rate High At^Fair McHenry area youths took the products of months of work and plan­ ning to the County fair last week and in competition with other 4-H youths from the area earned high ratings. Annette Freels of McHenry Lincoln Cloverleafs entered the reserve Musin' and Meanderin For a long time the Geneva Lake Area Joint Transit commission has been keeping a closer eye on the future of the North Western railroad than alutffttanyoneelee. Occasionally, when ttmri was even a ray of hope remaining f# the continuation of the line nor­ thward, we would hear from a representative of the commission. But through the years, retaining service beyond McHenry became a losing cause. That didn't mean no one cared, only that Round 1 had gone to the other side. Recently, however, the name of William Sills came to our attention again through information contained in a Chicago business magazine. Mr. Sills, it says, has determined that passenger trains and increased freight service may soon be rolling along the Chicago & Northwestern Railway branch line to Lake Geneva for the first time in five years. How does he propose to have the miracle take place? If Mr. Sills has his way, it will be an entirely different operation. He hopes it will come about because the tracks belong to a new railroad, the Lake Geneva & Southeastern, a creation of Sills and his colleagues on the com- •mission. The only stumbling block until recently was a million dollar misunderstanding over what the sale price should be. The North Western and its appraisers set the value of the line - 17.4 miles of decrepit track between Ringwood and Lake Geneva - at $1.9 million. Sills and the commission offered $957,000. (Continued on page 20) champion Hereford female, second only to the champion Hereford of Don Young of Spring Grove. Don belongs to the Community Clovers. Don Thennes, also of the Cloverleafs, entered the grand champion doe in rabbit 4-H competition. In the home economics class, it was the Cloverleafs again with the entry of Kerri Beutel, who received a best in class rating for her 'Meals Today the Easy Way' entry. Lee Tomlinson of the McHenry Busy Three club won top rating for h^r Home Furnishings entry. Jeanette May of the Cloverleafs took the same honors in Arts and Crafts. Philip Wolff of McHenry's Busy Three club won the Produce of Dam classification among Jersey entries. Alao iA.the color breeds class, Steve Stilling of Richmond had the grand champion Guernsey and the senior champion Guernsey. Brian Stilling of Richmond entered the reserve grand champion. In the 4-H dog category, it was Lynell Limbaugh of the Cherry Valley club who won fourth place in beginners and Kris Limbaugh with third place. In bantam chickens, Scott Carey of Richmond topped the class for champion clean legged single comb, while Philip Wolff had the champion of other feather legged category. In the 4-H horse and pony show, it was Kris Limbaugh again. She won the reserve western horsemanship plass judging. Among open class entries it'was Marie deGreef of Wonder Lake, a perennial winner, who captured the1 most blue ribbons in flower entries. Junior open class best-of-show honors went to Patrick Conley of Wonder Lake for photography. In the open horse show, Alex Stanulis of Solon Mills had the winning registered quarter horse as well as the grand champion halter entry. Other horse winners were a non blue ribbon, English or Western pleasure, Judy Donland; flag race, Cindy Dear; speed and action, Peg Bentley, all McHenry. - • • • In open class poultry it was Carol Kantlehner, Richmond, champion Asiatic, and champion Mediterranean, rosette; and champion of all other breeds, Les Kantlehner. Deborah Durrenberg of McHenry displayed the champion of other breeds, a rosette. 9 Jim Lohse of Wonder Lake was among qualifiers in the nationwide Demolition Derby in Heat I. In Heat 3, it was Jim Wyman of McHenry. which issued an "intent to deny" decision early in January of 1981. The original plan, which called for a 210-bed facility, was pared to 180 beds and trimmed 22,000 square feet from the floor plan. Some of the IHFPB members commented that the Crystal Lake opposition to the revised plan seemed like a late response. Approximately 500 letters of support for the hospital were received by the state board. The conflict focused on two basic arguments. On the one hand is a community, Crystal Lake, which is growing and does not have a full- service hospital in its bounds. Added to that is an Elgin hospital, Sherman, which recognizes that the approval forestalls future expansion of the Crystal Lake Ambutal, v a Sherman affiliate, for some time. On the other side is a community, McHenry, which has had a hospital for more than 20 years, but which is sorely in need of expansion. James Bishop, a Crystal Lake attorney and vice- president of the McHenry hospital board of directors, has said on more than one occasion that, "McHenry hospital is bursting at the seams." Bishop also noted that the meetings and negotiations regarding the joint McHenry-Sherman construction of a hospital always deteriorated into an argument over the location of the . hospital. The hospital board first discussed the move to the Bull Valley road site in 1972 and had obtained the approval of the Department of Public Health. Funding problems cut the move short, however. In August of 1980, the McHenry nospital board of directors approved the Certificate of Need application and submitted it to the IHFPB. The state Two Killed In Accident SHAW MEDIA NEWS SERVICE McHenry County Sheriff's police investigated an accident that claimed the lives of two people on Route 14, north of Harvard, early Saturday morning. According to police, witnesses at the scene saw a northbound auto, driven by Martin E. Manning, of Chicago, leave its lane and collide with a southbound vehicle shortly after midnight. Manning and a passenger in his car, Linda S. Leubker, of Chicago, were killed. The passengers in the southbound auto, Douglas and Betty Linhard, of Capron, were transported to Memorial hospital, Woodstock, and Harvard hospital, respectively. A Wonder Lake man was injured and taken to McHenry hospital by friends after the motorcycle he was riding went off 111. Route 120 last week. Kevin J. McGrath, of 8515 Dorr road. Wonder Lake, was treated for injuries at McHenry hospital. According to the police report, McGrath was westbound on Route 120 when the vehicle failed to negotiate a curve in the road and went into a ditch, throwing the operator. The accident occurred at 10:45 p.m Aug. 2. Sandra L. Siegmeier, of 6709 New Hampshire, was cited for driving too fast for conditions after the car she was driving ran into the rear of another (Continued on page 20) Restore Local Control Over Gravel Pits Gov James Thompson chose Local Government day at the Illinois State fair to sign the bill which restores local control over the zoning and operation of gravel pit mines. The bill, known as House Bill 134, was sponsored by Rep. Richard Klemm, of McHenry county. He told the Plain- dealer he had experienced problems with the law as it read and felt corrections were necessary. Under the old law, it was only necessary to file a reclamation plan with the State of Illinois and satisfy the state Environmental Protection agency (IEPA) that the operation would not cause pollution. With these two ap­ provals, it was possible to go anywhere in the state and set up a mining operation, Klemm said. Under the new law, zoning regulations will be established by the city or county , depending on the location of the land in question. Difficulties, Klemm said, had arisen since 1978 when a legal change made it possible to ignore local zoning laws if the reclamation and IEPA approval were received agency reviewed the application to assure completeness and then it was sent to the Health Systems Agency for Kane, Lake and McHenry (HSA-KLM) counties. , The original application concerned a 210-bed facility, including 20 rehabilitation beds, which were sub­ sequently deleted from the proposal. According to Anthony Corcoran, who spearheaded the fight for state ap­ proval, it was originally anticipated that the approval process would take approximately six months to complete with the project starting in early 1981. On Nov. 6, 1980, a public hearing was held in McHenry by Nicholas Stamatakos, staff director of HSA- KLM, to gather public input regarding the relocation project It was standing room only at city hall as citizens, both in favor and opposed, heard the original proposal for a 210- bed facility with a cost estimate of $29.6 million. Representing Sherman hospital at that meeting, Robert J. Smith noted the growth of Crystal Lake and the recent switch of Crystal Lake from the McHenry-Western Lake county MICU (mobile intensive care unit) program to the Greater Elgin MICU program He also challenged the cost effectiveness of the move. Crystal Lake Mayor Carl Wehde voiced the contention that the com­ munity was a "captive satellite" of her municipalities and said the onstruction of a new facility would preclude the expansion of the Ambutal. Representatives of other hospitals, most notably Good Shepherd, charged that the average length of stay at McHenry hospital was longer than at other facilities. Such charges were made repeatedly throughout the review process. Dr. Baxamusa, a Crystal Lake physician and cardiac specialist, commented that the majority of those patients with longer stays were un­ scheduled admittances through the emergency room Drs Mowery and Gallant both pointed out that McHenry hospital was the trauma center and resource hospital for the McHenry-Western Lake county MICU system They said it was not uncommon for ambulances to be referred to another hospital because intensive care unit beds were limited or unavailable. On Dec. 4, the HSA-KLM Project Review committee recommended against the Certificate of Need ap- / TO plication after a split vote. The committee cited economic feasibility and possible alternatives to relocation questions as reasons for the negative recommendation Hospital officials disagreed with those portions of the staff report and noted that an effort had been made to purchase East campus, which was defeated by referendum; merge with Memorial hospital in Woodstock, but Memorial hospital officials decided to expanded the hospital on the Woodstock locale; and purchase other properties, which were not available A few days later, the Comprehensive Health Planning agency (CHPA) for McHenry county also voted to send a negative recommendation to the HSA- KLM board of directors. In the discussion, it was noted that an earlier commitment to Crystal Lake had played a part in the denial. Board member Patricia Falconer said Crystal Lake wanted and worked hard for a full service facility, but her argument met with opposition from member Diane Kirchner, who com­ mented that a desire was not the same as a definitive plan In mid-December of 1980, a 16 to 3 vote of the HSA-KLM board of directors sent a negative recommendation to the IHFPB The board said the proposed relocation was not financially feasible because the debt to total cost ratio was greater than 80 percent, the state maximum; the project would result in excessive and inappropriate costs to the patient; and the proposal did not identify all the alternatives to building a new facility. On Jan. 9, 1981, the IHFPB issued the "intent to deny" decision, which was regarded by hospital officials as a matter of course. The state agency requested further information con­ cerning the financing of the replacement hospital and other alternatives to relocation; . A new date was not set in January, but the IHFPB noted that another meeting would be held, where the hospital could present other in­ formation and a decision would be made. July 16 was the date set for a review of the revised plan by the Project Review committee of HSA-KLM. The first time around a split vote resulted in a negative recommendation. This time, however, the committee was unanimous. 5 to 0, in recommending approval of the Certificate of Need (Continued on page 20) School Considers "Slope Easement" For K-Mart Store Thomas Niemira of Jacobs-Kahn & Company appeared before the continued education meeting of the Elementarv District 15 school board Recently, concerned with a "slope easement" on the south side of Parkland school. The request is in connection with the K Mart to be built at the corner of Ringwood road and Rt. 120. The regional board of school trustees for McHenry county must officially grant the easement if District 15 agrees to authorize that action. After a discussion of the proposal, the board wanted to study the matter further but expects to make a decision within 30 days. Niemira pointed out that the slope easement would eliminate the need for retaining walls. Some manner of holding back the earth is necesskry since the grade elevations of tHe shopping center are higher than thos of the school. (Continued on page 20) Blue Ribbon Day For McHenry Area 4-Hers a V LEE TOMLINSON Two hundred ninety four arts and crafts exhibits were displayed and judged during the lftgl MdHenry County 4-H Arts & Crafts show. The judging culminates the 4-H year for 4- Hfers enrolled in the Arts ft Crafts projects. The best project in each class is eligible to show at the UUnoit State fair Aug. 14. JEANNETTE MAY Lee Tomlinson, 16, McHenry, Busy Three 4-H club member, won first in stitching with a ram's head. Jeannette May, 18 , McHenry member of the Lincoln Cloverleafs 4-H club, won two first (water color and drawing) and also won the "best of show" at the 1981 McHenry County 4-H arts and craft DEANA BEHM competition. Her self portrait was the "best of show" winner. Deana Behm, 11, McHenry, member of the Woodchucks 4-H club, won first in mosaics with a serving tray. Kelly Brough, 16, McHenrv, member of the Lincoln Clovers 4-H club, won the right to exhibit at the Illinois State fair with her entry in print- KELLY BROUGH ing. The McHenry area winners were among 12 throughout the county. The Arts & Crafts projects were on exhibit in Building C during the McHenry County fair, where the public viewed the high quality work of McHenry county 4- H'ers. Library Programs End CETA Program Open Oak Leaf Miner Contests Scheduled On-The-Job Tra in ing No Ser ious Threat Page 4 Page 5 Page 19