The Huntley Farmside

              SERVING THE PEOPLE OF HUNTLEY SINCE 1960
jfarmsfibe
USPS 580-360
THURSDAY MARCH 6,1997 - VOLUME 36, NUMBER 47 - HUNTLEY, ILLINOIS
TWENTY-FIVE CENTS
Huntley Area Library Referendum Questions and Answers
By: Huntley Area Library Referendum Committee
The Huntley Area Library Referendum will appear on the April 1, 1997 ballot. The referendum is for the construction and fumishing of a new library building. The real estate tax increase would amount to an annual $11.93 per $100,000 home market value (less than $1.00 per month).
The following are excerpts from the Question & Answer Sheet provided by the Huntley Area Library Referendum Committee.
Q: Why is additional library space needed?
A: The public has asked for services which cannot be provided in the current space. In addition to the obvious request (more books, magazines and other materials) people want space set aside for children's programming, story times, art classes, great books, rehearsals for plays and hands-on language, science and math activities. In addition, adults have asked for quiet spaces to read and study, as well as increased access to computer workstations for personal computing and Internet access.
Q: Why not expand on the current site?
A: The existing site will accommodate a building of less than 10,000 square feet. Although a building of this size will be adequate for a few years, the needs of the community are such that we will outgrow the capacity of the current site quite quickly.
Q: Why did the Library Board select the Ruth Road location?
A: The Library Board wished to keep the library in the center of the district-easily accessible to patrons from the Huntley area as well as Lake in the Hills. The site committee looked at all available
parcels over five acres and within reasonable proximity to the center of the district. The Ruth Road site was affordable and met the Library Board's criteria.
Q: What additional library services will be offered in a 12,000  square  foot building?
A: In addition to quiet reading and study space for adults, the new building will offer a micro¬ computer lab with programs and printers, additional Internet access, programming space designated for children, a meeting room to accommodate 75 individuals, appropriate storage and work space for the staff, room for many, many more books, magazines, CDs and videos, space to accommodate back issues of newspapers and magazines, comfortable seating throughout the library, and a greatly expanded reference department.
Q: How does the space in the Huntley Library compare with libraries in cpmmunities of similar size?
A: Illinois State Library standards suggest as a rough guideline, approximately one square foot of space per person in the district. Huntley Area Library District's current population is 6,000 and the building square footage is 1,300. Hampshire's Ella Johnson Library serves 5,240 in a 7,500 square foot building, while the University Park Library serves 6,204 in 10,(XX) square feet.
If you are a resident of the library district (generally, if you are in School District 158) you are eligible to vote on library matters at the April 1st election. A pamphlet will soon be in the mail to homes in the library district to provide additional information about the proposed referendum.
Huntiey Area Library Referendum Tuesday - April 1, 1997
Senior Gold Club Bingo Breakfast Tues., March 11
Huntley Factory Shops will kick off it's first monthly Senior Gold Club Bingo Breakfast on Tuesday, March 11, at 9:00 am in the Huntley Factory Shops food court announced Debbie Wodrich, assistant general manager/senior marketing manager of Huntley Factory Shops. Seniors at least 55 years old, are invited to join other senior citizens for coffee and pastries, and bingo! Winners will receive prizes that have been donated by the mall and the mall merchants. Also, seniors will have the opportunity to become a Senior Gold Club member. Membership entitles the seniors to a discount at participating stores on the Second Tuesday of each month - Senior Gold Club day. Participation is FREE and NO reservations are required.
Huntley Factory shops is located at the intersection of 1-90
Continued on Page 5
Conservation District Needs Volunteers
The McHenry County conservation District needs volunteers to assist land stewards with natural area workdays at District areas. Workdays help volunteers leam about the ecology of the area, and serve an important role in the protection of McHenry County's landscape. Tasks are determined based on the season and particular needs of each site, activities may include cutting brush, planting or collecting seeds, or monitoring plant and animal populations.
If you are interested in serving as a volunteer, a workday is scheduled for this Saturday, March 8, at Lake in the Hills Fen from 9am until noon. In the case of inclement weather, the workday will be rescheduled at the same time the following day. Volunteers should contact Suzanne Jacobek, Volunteer Coordinator, by Friday, March 7, for workday confirmation. Please call (815) 678-4431 for more information.
Huntley Chamber of Commerce Plans Candidate Night - March 11
Village of Huntley President/Trustee Election Tuesday - April 1
The government affairs division of the Huntley Chamber of Commerce, is sponsoring a "Meet the Candidates Night" on Tuesday, March 11, beginning at 7:30 pm in the Huntley High School cafeteria.
A member of the Chamber will act as the moderator for the evening. The public will be given blank cards as they enter to write down questions. Each candidate will be given time to answer the questions
On Tuesday, April 1, Huntley residents will elect a Village President and three Village Trustees.
Two candidates are on the ballot for Village President. They are:James C. Dhamer and Richard A. Rossi.
Six candidates are on the ballot for Trustee. They are: Dennis W. Beeskow, Erin D. Anderson, Roger Borowicz, Dennis Shamhart, John "Jack" Todd, and Charles H. Sass.
Huntley School District # 158 Harmony Road Campus Update
By: Dr. J. R. Hartley, Superintendent of Schools
Work continues on the new secondary school at the Harmony Road Campus. The project is on schedule for occupancy to start the 1997-98 school year. Most of the walls have been completed, cabling for video, voice and data systems is installed, much of the interior has been painted, and the suspended ceiling grids are being instiled.
The contract has been awarded for improvements to Harmony Road at the public entrance to the site and paving of the driveways and parking lots. The only two remaining contracts to be awarded are the computers and related equipment, and the moveable equipment and fumishings. Both are expected to be awarded by late April.
Awarding of the computer contract was intentionally delayed to allow purchase of the most current technology. The contract for moveable equipment and furnishings will be relatively small, because most of the moveable    equipment    and
furnishings now used by the secondary students is in good condition and will be moved to the school.
This summer, approximately eighty percent of all programs and services will be relocated. Only a few primary level teachers will not move this summer. They did their moving last summer when their rooms were completely emptied to allow asbestos removal and installation of new flooring.
Principals are currently in _the process of assigning rooms for next year at each building. Packing for the move has already begun. Boxes donated by Dean Foods have been distributed for use by employees. Between now and the end of the school year, boxes will be packed and labeled. This summer a crew will move the boxes and labeled equipment and/or furniture to the location indicated. Plans call for everything to be moved by early August. Moving will be coordinated with cleaning to reduce cost.