The Huntley Farmside

              Inside Merry Christmas to Huntley • FFA takes fifth at nationals
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Thursday, December 24,1998
The Himtley Famiside
^a^ JJ. iQQfi A Press Publications newspaper tw serving the Huntley communitv v^f.
Volume 38 Issue 37
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Village Board opens door for 3 sales tax rebates
Steve Brosinski
Press Publications
The Huntley Village Board voted tentatively last Thursday to grant sales tax rebates of up to $1.25 million each to three Prime Automotive car dealer¬ ships.
The rebate program would be similar to the deal worked out with Tom Peck Ford last year. Trustees Chuck Sass and Susan Lamb voted against the measure that passed 4-2.
Prime Automotive is a sub¬ sidiary of the Prime Group Inc., developers of Prime Outlets and the Huntley Automall, which is adjacent to the shopping center.
Prime Vice President Bohdan Himiak first told the board that the company sought up to 10 rebates to cover the maximum number of car dealerships that could move into the Huntley Automall.
But board members balked at this request and decided to agree to the three dealerships that
"We are looking at
a tax gift. For a
town of 3,300
people, having four
dealerships is
wonderful."
Dennis Beeskow
Village trustee
Prime is purchasing and plans to move to the automall.
For up to 10 years. Prime would get 25 percent of the 1 percent sales tax the village receives back from the state. A remaining portion of the sales tax is used to ftind the village's tax increment finance district- In five years, the agreement will be automatically extended an additional five years to each dealership with gross sales of at least $35 million. The maximum rebate is $1.25 million.
The intended purpose of the
Enjoying the holidays
Pre-schoolers participate in a special Christmas program tfiat was held on Dec. 17. The event was sponsored by the Huntley Park District.
rebates is to reimburse the com¬ pany for the cost of stormwater and landscaping improvements, officials said.
Trustee Dennis Beeskow said he was previously opposed to the program but changed his mind.
"We are looking at a tax gift," Beeskow said. "Two years ago I was against this. It's a marvelous chance even though we are giv¬ ing up revenue. For a town of
3,300 people, having four deal¬ erships is wonderful."
Village President James Dhamer said the board should consider the rebate program as a way to develop the TIF, which was created at the request of Prime.
"We don't want to see how long that TIF area can grow grass," Dhamer said. "We need business down there. I think we should look at every avenue to
get business there."
Trustee Chuck Sass said the board should wait on a decision until they received more infor¬ mation.
"I thought it was the consen¬ sus for staff to sit down and talk. It's not just 25 percent of the sales tax, we've already given 25 percent to the TIF," said Sass in reference to the village's cre-
see Rebates—page 2
Huntley Liquor Commission suspends bar license
Steve Brosinski
Press Publications P.R.  Parrott's will be  shut down for 16 days because the owners allowed illegal gam¬ bling to take place in their bar.
Randy and Patricia Zimmerman were arrested Dec. 3 after police were issued a search warrant and seized several gambling devices. On Thursday, the couple told the
Huntley Liquor Commission that illegal gambling did take place.
The commission suspended the Zimmermans liquor license from Dec. 18-Jan. 2 and imposed a $3,000 fine.
One witness said she got a 60 percent retum on a $4,000 bet, said Police Chief Randy Walters, who headed up the investigation that led to the bar's
closure.
An attorney representing Randy Zimmerman said the penalty was not too harsh.
"I thought the Liquor Commission was fair not to revoke the license," Garrett Malcolm said. "The resolution is something my client can live with. They will never be here again."
Malcolm added that "they (the Zimmermans) stipulated there was a violation of the gam¬ bling provision."
Walters said he hoped the commission would have imposed a tougher penalty.
"I asked for revocation," Walters said. "They were a little more sensitive than I was. Technically, if you payoff any¬
thing it's gambling."
Video poker is not illegal if there is not a cash payout. The Zimmermans were charged because coupons redeemable in cash were used in the machines at their bar.
The couple still must appear before a McHenry County judge to face charges of illegal gam¬ bling, a misdemeanor.