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; fe> o v I M :\ • t Valuable Coupon Books To New Subscribers /* 'X ~\ VOLUME 106 NUMBER 64 •SERVING THE CHAIN-OXAKES REGION SINCE 1875 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10. 1982 2 SECTIONS 26 PAGES 25 *P- * : ..." •v" HQ mm New Hope Given To Keep Station Agent McHenry Hospitality For Canadian Geese To the casual viewer, this setting near the river, in the Paul Fidler yard in Rivers tream subdivision, shows theusual assemblage of McHenry's Mallard ducks. A second look, however, also discloses a number of Canadian geese. The big 'honkers' have been in McHenry for more than a week, and when they aren't ensconced on the Fidler lawn, are sharing in the three pails of corn fed to the ducks each day at the Carl Behnke home across the river. Some folks are guessing that with the waters farther north still frozen, the big geese have decided to enjoy McHenry hospitality for at least awhile longer. STAFF PHOTOS-ANTHONY OLIVER A promise by Bernie Ford, general manager of the RTA, and subsequent county action, have given the City of McHenry and the Chamber of Com­ merce officials reason to believe that the station agent may not be removed. At a meeting with these city leaders Jan. 14, Ford said the RTA would not disregard the recommendations of by Anthony Oliver The Illinois Environmental Protection agency (IEPA) has added a new twist to the McHenry Shores an­ nexation debate by making the ex­ pansion and relocation of McHenry hospital a focal point. The matter was discussed at a special meeting of the City Council Monday night. According to a letter received from Thomas G. McSwiggin, manager of the permit section of the Division of Water Pollution Control, IEPA will not issue a sewer construction permit unless Facility Planning Area (FPA) boun­ daries are amended. In short, the state agftncy will not allow the sewer lines to For years, there has been increasing pressure to protect the privacy of in­ dividuals. Newspapers have felt this pressure from governmental units and from insitutions in the community, all of them fearful that their actions could be taken to court. And indeed, in some cases this would be possible. Our first experience came in a call to a local school several years ago following an accident in which a young girl <Ked. With no other source for a picture, we asked to use a class photo and were denied. It never occurred to us at the time that the denial was a matter of necessity due to regulations, new at that time, forbidding the dissemination of this kind of material. Hospitals have felt the tight lid on talking also, and as a result, newspapers have an in­ creasingly difficult time reporting what once was routine. At the same time, the privacy of business people, schools, hospitals, $tc., have been disregarded by a government that seeks to learn all about them via paper forms. Ask any one of them for an estimate of time tpent in making duplicate and triplicate copies for Uncle Sam. But things are changing, and for the letter! The regulatory expense that has an estimated price tag of $100 billion an­ nually is being reduced. The number of pages of the Federal Register has fallen by one-third during the last year and the number of rules published (Continued on page 16) extend from the Shores FPA to the McHenry FPA. The hospital site, while annexed to the city, is located in the McHenry Shores FPA. The crux of the matter is timing. There are two procedures by which the boundaries of the FPAs can be amended. As prescribed by IEPA, the McHenry and the Shores must reach agreement on a boundary change. This agreement must then be approved by the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC) and a recom­ mendation made to IEPA. If no agreement is reached, the state en­ vironmental agency has set petition procedures which would involve public hearings and a good deal of time. The process could also involve petitions from affected property owners, appeals and further hearings. This procedure would fall beyond the proposed March 31 deadline the hospital needs for a utility guarantee. The guarantee is a necessary funding requirement. The second, and simplest, .alternative would be the annexation of the Village of McHenry Shores to the City of McHenry. If approved on March 16, this move would essentially eliminate the Shores FPA. With no boundary, there is no dispute. Timing becomes important when the financing of the relocation and ex­ pansion of McHenry hospital is con­ sidered. Hospital board attorney, Jeffrey Ladd, pointed out that the best financial advice from Wall street indicates an "interest window" will open sometime in spring. Ladd said the hospital has to be ready to sell the bonds when the interest rates are favorable. The attorney emphasized the bonds could not be sold without a guarantee from the City of McHenry that sewer and water will be available when construction is completed in 1964 or 1985. Ladd said the hospital board set a tentative guarantee deadline of March 31 in anticipation of the interest win­ dow. McHenry Shores has started procedures for obtaining federal grants to build a sewage treatment plant within its FPA. However, the federal grant process has an inherent time lag due to red tape; filling out and getting approval for applications., etc. If financing and grant receipt went ac­ cording to schedule, it is anticipated that the completion of the Shores plant would occur after the completion of the hospital. In the meantime, the hospital would have no way to dispose of sewage because of the FPA boundary that exists between the Shores and McHenry. Earlier this year, the City Council approved a sewer line route which would provide service to the hospital. The route would ultimately end in a sewer plant which is expected to be built on the south side of McHenry, near the Brittany subdivision. In the interim, sewage from the hospital could be run up Green street to the existing treat­ ment facility. This alternative is im­ possible, according to IEPA, as long as the Shores FPA boundary is intact. "The fundamental issue is how can the city provide the hospital with a guarantee that sewer and water will be there," said City Attorney Bernard Narusis. "The only way is if the jurisdictional differences do not exist." McHenry Mayor Joseph Stanek asked if the McHenry Shores could give the city a "blank check" regarding the boundary. "Probably not," Narusis said. "I don't think they have that power. The alteration of a boundary is up to the EPA and is subject to review by the USEPA." "As I read it, the annexation of McHenry Shores is necessary and vital and the hospital is at stake," Stanek said. Aid. Raymond Smith (3rd ward) asked how the state agency could put the city in such a position. Narusis explained that when the matter arose in January, it was the considered opinion of the engineer and the hospital attorney that "common sense would prevail" and "such a thing would not happen." Narusis noted that the regulations were put into effect after the first meeting had been held. Aid. Jack Pepping commented that these regulations would apply to any and all further development that in­ volves more than one FPA. Narusis pointed out to the council that there was "no way possible" to have all the facts, especially regarding market conditions and funding of the hospital project. "It would be nice to have all the facts, but you don't," Narusis said. "Yet you're called upon to make a decision that is cumulative in effect. If you fail, then you can forget about the rest." Aid. Michael Wieser (3rd ward) questioned the March 31 deadline for a utility guarantee. ^ Attorney Ladd reiterated that the hospital has to be ready to go for fun­ ding, which requires the guarantee from the City of McHenry. The hospital may not be built, if the interest window appears in April and the hospital is not ready to finance until May or June, Ladd said. Regarding Aid. George Harker's suggestion to move the deadline back, Ladd commented, "I am seriously (Continued on page 16) McHenry county and the Municipal association regarding local tran­ sportation needs. More recently, following a meeting with the County Transportation committee, the cooperation of the County board has been received. Last week, representatives of the Economic Development committee, the Chamber of Commerce Legislative Advisory committee, and the City of McHenry representatives met with the McHenry County Transportation committee to present critical reasons for retaining the agent. These included the opinion that if the agent is removed, it will only be a matter of time before service is halted. Among those in attendance was County Board Chairman Ron Morris, who after hearing all of the facts, sent the following letter to the City and Chamber: "Qn behalf of the County board, I want to assure each of you that the County of McHenry will work with your group to assist your community in doing whatever is necessary to retain (Continued on page 16) Charge Former Restaurant Night Manager The former night manager of Long John Silver's restaurant was arrested and charged last week in connection with the Feb. 25 armed robbery of the restaurant at 4313 W. Elm St., McHenry. Acting on information from a con­ fidential informant, Anton Sinkovitz, of Arlington Heights, was arrested last Wednesday evening and charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery. Bond was set at $25,000. Sinkovitz bonded out of the McHenry county jail on Thursday morning. According to McHenry Police Chief George R. Pasenelli, Sinkovitz is believed to be responsible for setting up the robbery that occurred at about 8 a.m. Feb. 25. On that* day, two men armed with sawed-ojf shotguns met district managff James Davis and manager Jackie Geissler as they opened in the morning. The robbers forced them to open the floor safe in the office and then locked the two in a freezer. The two men escaped estimated $1,700 in cash. with an The employees were discovered by a salesman who had an 8 a.m. ap­ pointment. Pasenelli said the investigation into the incident is continuing. Tasting! Pretty Mika Jones, reigning Little Miss Peanut from McHenry, gives her o.k. to a "practice run" in the kitchen by George Lane, left, and Dr. Dan Jannotta, chairmen of the annual Kiwanis corned beef and cabbage dinner. It will be served Wednesday, March 17, at the Johnsburg Community clubhouse from 4:30 to 8 p.m. The competition in which Mika emerged the winner is sponsored by the local Kiwanians. STAFF PHOTO-ANTHONY OLIVER Primary Election Escape For Abuse Victims Sewer Facility By 1986 j j ' Information On Candidates New Law In Effect With Federal Funding Section 2 Page 18 Page 3