The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Is >l-r--Hy nil iaaugfc I hospital? Oo. I firefighters platform track, 1207, to Ni McHenry IC1U V Since 1875 amaealer <#> Friday August 10, 1984 Number 105 Volume 108 iMAwrntrMn 2 Sections 28 Pages 25 >«»•**«» moup iMAwrntrMn 2 Sections 28 Pages 25 >«»•**«» moup * Wonder Lake Dam celebration scheduled for Saturday, Sunday Innovative landfill project being considered by council By Anthony Oliver Plaindealer staff writer - A new development in landfill technology has the serious at­ tention of the McHenry City Council and they are con­ sidering cosponsorship of a test gite in McHenry. At a special meeting of the council Wednesday night, representatives of GAS, Inc. and the Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) presented tentative plans for the demonstration facility. As explained by Robert Price, one of the key people with GAS, Inc., the "new" development uses existing technologies in a different manner. The method, called Lanfilgas, combines municipal solid waste, sludge from the sewer plant and sep- tage from septic tanks in a sealed liner. The inclusion of sludge and septage accelerates and enhances the yield of methane gas. One of the advantages to the system is that the methane gas can be converted into electricity and sold to Commonwealth Edison, which must purchase it. Dharam V. Punwani, an associate director for chemical processing research with IGT, explained the system. In a simplified form, the solid waste (everyday household garbage) is shredded and placed into a "cell" with sludge and septage added. Price said when the waste comes in, metals, both magnetic and aluminum, would be removed for recycling. The cell would then be sealed. The liquid that forms, called leachate, would collect in the bottom of the cell. The leachate would be sent through pipes to two "digesters." Punwani explained that in a conventional landfill, all three steps in the process take place in the landfill. "The conditions that are good for one bacteria are not good for the others, so we separate them," Punwani said. In the first digester, a certain bacteria converts the leachate to an acid. From there, the liquid is moved to a second digester where methane gas is produced. For the purposes of the demonstration, the methane gas produced would be analyzed for quantity and quality and then fiared off. Price said the process would take about two years and a relatively stable waste would be left. In conventional landfill operations, the decomposition of the waste takes between 15 and 50 years to accomplish. "We believe it would be en­ vironmentally benign," Price said. For the purposes of the lan­ filgas test, a site near the barn at Knox park is under con­ sideration. Price said the sealed cell would take an area 50 feet square by 30 feet deep. Why McHenry? Price commented that the Lanfilgas process was invented and developed in Chicago, and "it's to our advantage to do it close to Chicago." He also said continued on pog* 3 Equipment test at hospital Plaindealer photo by Anthony Oliver the Center for testing purposes Monday night. With the tOWINtt platform, firemen will be aMe to do their job more effectively in certain situations. Motion to dismiss murder count is denied By Angela Burden Plaindealer News Service Two unrelated cases involving charges of murder were on Judge Michael Sullivan's court call this week. Assistant Public Defender John Ridge way, representing Patrick E. Whitt, 18, of 3111 Sunrise View, McHenry, sought to have one of three murder counts against Whitt dismissed. Whitt is accused in connection with the April 1 death of David M. Garrelts, 28, of 4110 E. Lakeshore Drive, Wonder Lake. The three-count charge against Whitt includes murder (with intent to kill), murder (by committing an act knowing it would probably kill) and felony murder, which means killing during a felony offense. The defense motion to dismiss the felony murder count, was denied by the judge. Probable cause was found in April against Whitt, who allegedly struck his victim with a baseball bat. Testimony in the preliminary hearing against Whitt indicated the victim was drunk and refused to leave the residence of his former girlfriend at 2609 Emerald Court, McHenry. Apparently, when Garrelts refused to leave the residence, Whitt struck him on the back of the head with the small end of the bat and when the blow ap­ peared not to affect the victim, Whitt struck him a second time with the large end of the bat. Whitt's murder trial is set for next week's jury call. Hearings on a motion to quash subpoenas in connection with murder charges against Ira Lee of Woodstock, were continued for one week by the court. Defense attorneys Daniel Mengeling and Thomas Gooch appeared in court representing Lee. Chief 19th Judicial Circuit Judge Jack Hoogasian has been presiding over the Lee murder case, but because he is recovering from recent surgery, Hoogasian temporary assigned Judge Sullivan to the case. Mengeling filed a memoranda in court Monday on the case laws he would likely use in his arguments on the motion and because his opposing attorney did not have time to study or answer the memoranda, the court continued the hearing until Aug. 13. Lee, 32, accused of the 1982 murder of Steven Feldt in Woodstock, pleaded not guilty to the charge at an October, 1983, arraignment hearing. He was indicted by the McHenry County Grand Jury on charges of murder and arson in connection with the Aug. 15, 1982, slaying of Feldt, 29, in the victim's apartment at 521 Burbank Avenue. "All systems are Go" for the celebration of the 55th an­ niversary of the Wonder Lake Dam, set for this coming Saturday and Sunday, August 11 and 12. The steering committee, hejfWfcd byfostmaster Lorraine Murphy, has been working for the past eight months on plans for the "Birthday in the Coun­ try". There will be boat rides around the lake, a ski show by the Wonder Lake Ski Club, a street dance, special rides for the children, and a big parade on Sunday. The parade, which has Chris Niehous and Jack Crawford, as co-chairmen, now has almost 70 entries and will probably take more than an hour to pass a given point. The parade will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday. All kinds of snacks, including popcorn, will be available either near the Wonder Center area, the Nativity church, the east side of the fire house, or at the American Legion Home. T-shirts bearing a Wonder Lake motif are now available at the hardware store in Wonder Center, according to Bill Sullivan, who is in charge of the placement of the various booths. Straw hats, a program booklet, and tickets for a special project will be in a centrally- located booth near the center of the business district. Elmo Bradley has been in charge of selling advertisments for the 44- page booklet, Lynn Raske has designed the pages and also created the posters that are now seen in most of the stores. Parking will be in charge of Explorer Scouts with special designated areas for the cars. A platform will be erected for the visiting dignitaries with Bill Fitzgerald and Charlie Jacobson acting as masters of both days' ceremonies. Among the of­ ficials expected are Congressman Philip Crane, county and township officials. These officials will be in the parade, along with former fire chief, George Gutzman, who is the parade marshall. Decorated doll buggies, tricycles and bicycles are to be judged at the firehouses on both sides of the lake on Saturday morning. There will be prizes in several age groups. A first-aid station will be established, and the Coast Guard Auxiliary will be on hand to see that the pon­ toon boats are properly equipped. Consumers urged to attend CUB meeting The Illinois Citizens Utility Board is holding a town meeting in Crystal Lake on August 14, and State Rep. Dick Klemm (R- Crystal Lake) said he en­ courages all consumers to at­ tend the meeting. It will be held in the Student Union Building at McHenry County College, 8900 Route 14, at 7:30 p.m. "They're meeting to gather public opinion on the structure and actions of the CUB," Klemm said. "I believe that anyone who is concerned about the rising cost of utilities and the availability of power service for future generations should attend this meeting. Under the CUB organization, consumers will finally have a voice in utility rate-setting procedures." Lynne Donarski, a resident of McHenry and member of the CUB Interim Board, will attend the meeting. "Consumers can learn more about CUB and recommend ways in which the board should act to protect the interests of consumers," Klemm said. "People should also be able to join CUB at this meeting, and I would encourage that. I'm a member, and am convinced that the organization will be good for all consumers. Cap on farmland value helps county schools By Angela Burden Plaindealer News Service The state Legislature has recently moved to . "cap" the assessed valuation of farmland this year, and, without such a measure, school districts in McHenry Cbunty would have suffered financially. The assessed valuation of farmland for 1984, with taxes payable in 1985, was slated to drop tremendously, but, because rural school districts rely heavily on this type of assessment, the Legislature passed a bill which, in effect, limits the amount of decreases that can occur to 10 percent. Without that limit, the total assessed valuation of farmland would have declined 32 percent in one year in McHenry County, Raqdy Woloski, supervisor of assessments for McHenry County, said. A look inside. . Channel Swimmer 708 Board Regular features Obituaries Helping Paws Musin' & Meanderin' Page 16 Section 2, Page 7 Page 5 Section 2, Page 3 Page 2 Most every farm bill in recent years has resulted in the reduction of assessed valuation of farmland, and the average assessed valuation for farmland in McHenry County in 1984 was already certified by the Department of Revenue at $165 per acre, a drop from $281 per acre in 1980. However, according to Woloski, the 10 percent limitation on decrease of far­ mland assessment will bring up that certified assessment figure to $220 per acre. He explained that the 1983 final farmland total assessed valuation in McHemy County was about $73 million, with the revenue departments average assessment set at $244 per acre. Without the new measure being passed, the $165 per acre assessment would have brought the farmland total assessed valuation in 1984 down to a projected $49.32 million. However, with the new legislation, the $220 per acre assessment will now bring the projected 1984 farmland total valuation in the county to about $66 million. According to a report of David L. Chicoine, a Department of A g r i c u l t u r e E x t e n s i o n economist, concern over the future financial condition of the rural school districts brought the new legislative action that limits the change in assessments on farmland associated 'with the poor economic conditions in Illinois agriculture. "The most important taxing body is, of course, rural schools, which receive 75 percent of the $500 million in farm real estate taxes paid in the state," said Chicoine. In summarizing his report, Chicoine said: "Whether tax rate increases can continue to stave off the financial impact of lower farm assessments in 1984 is uncertain. Fiscal pressures on rural schools and concerns for farm property tax levels are policy issues that will be faced in Springfield and across Illinois in the months ahead." Plaindealer photo by Anthony Oliver Lynne Donarski, McHenry resident and member of the interim Citizens Utility Board, reviews legislation describing the board and its duties with State Rep. Dick Klemm, one of the bill's supporters.