The Huntley Farmside

              SERVING THE PEOPLE OF HUNTLEY SINCE 1960
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USPS 580-36a
THURSDAY December 19,1996 - VOLUME 36, NUMBER 37 - HUNTLEY, ILLINOIS
TWENTY-FIVE GENTS
School Board Launches Building Program	
Live Nativity At Trinity Lutheran Church
At their regular meeting on November 21st, the Board of Education initiated a second building program. They declared their intent to construct an elementary school on a site in the Village of Lake in the Hills. Occupancy is expected by the beginning of the 1999-2000 school year (two years from next Ml).
If adequate funds liecome available, the facility will house up to 1,000 preschool and youngo* elementary students. The current Grade School and High School buildings will house intermediate grade levels. The specific grade levels have not been determined, but will probably be whatever grades are not housed in the new secondary school now under construction on Harmony Road and the proposed new elementary school. It is interesting to note that we currently have only one classroom in the school district that is designed for preschool or kindogarten.
We have received notice from the Village of Lake in the Hills that a purchase agreement has i)een executed that will make a 240-aciJe site available fw the project The site is located northwest of the intersection of Reed and Haligus Roads, immediately northeast of the Village of Huntley.
Only about half of the site will be required for the project The remaining portion of the site, plus another smaller site in the Village of Lake in the Hills previously aquired, may be liquidated with Ae funds allocated toward cost of '^instruction (d the building. -^ The project is expected to be funded in part by issuing general obligation bonds to be ^iproved at referendum in Novembo' of 1997. Other sources of funding under consideration include, certificates of participation (bonds issued and repaid by future impact fees), accumulated impact fees and operating fund balances. The cost of a project to house 1,000 students, excluding purchase (^ the site, is estimated at more than $10,000,000. More than half of the cost is expected to come directly w indirectly frxim impact fees. More than $1.5 million in impact fees are expected each year
for the next sevoal years.
It is the goal to keep the tax rate for taxpayers for bond repayment below 75 cents. This is the level promised to the voters at the referendum held in 1994. It is the goal that this level be maintained in the future.
Maintaining the 75 cent tax rate level is possible if the assessed valuation grows fast enough. Estimates have been conservative using the assumption that annual growth in assessed valuation will be ten percent The average annual growth in assessed valuation over the past three years has actually averaged more than seventeen percent The tax rate being paid this year is 64 cents.
Architectural, engineering, construction management and financial services for the project are currently being arranged. Discussions are being conducted with most of the firms that provided such services for the current project on Harmony Road.
One option under consideration is a prototype process. Under this process, a school already constructed would be selected for replication on our site. This could reduce the cost and time required for architectural and engineering services. Use of this process is contingent upon finding a facility that meets our unique needs. Any school constructed in School District 158 must be designed to handle ccmstructicxi of additions in the future to accommodate growing enrollmoit
Whatever process is selected, the conceptual design of the facility is expected to be completed liefore the end of this school year. Opportunities for input bota interested parties will be provided during all design phases of the process.
Reprinted from the December 6 issue of School District #158 Administration Bulletin.
Notice
By Pastor Kittel
The Youth of Trinity :Lutheran Church are presenting a LIVE NATIVITY on Sunday, December 22nd from 5-6:45pm in front of the church. The Church is located at 11008 N. Church St. (at First St.). You are invited to view it as you drive by or stop by and join us in singing the carols of the season as we celebrate the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ. You are
invited to bring a food item gift to place at the manager. All food items will go to the Grafton Township Food Pantry. You'll find parking in the rear of the church. If your schedule permits, you are invited to the Sunday School Children's program in the church. They will be presenting "God's Christmas Puzzle". It starts at 7:00pm.
NO ROOM IN THE INN? There is always room for one more - you. So, why not bring
your family and join ours on CHRISTMAS EVE at 7:00pm for our family CHRISTMAS SERVICE. If you need a little reflective and silent night time, please consider joining us at the 11:00pm CANDLELIGHT SERVICE. Last, but not lease, start the day off right on CHRISTMAS DAY for our 10:00am CAROL SERVICE. Let us celebrate together the Gift of God'sJOY to the world!!
Luminaria Lights Up Huntley
The Farmside office will be closed Dec. 23rd thru Jan. 3rd.
Again this year. Rusty and Diane Ayers of Huntley are encouraging residents of Church Street, and the rest of Huntley, to "Light Up Huntley" with luminaria.
Homeowners in many local suburbs have created a holiday tradition of lining their streets with luminaria candles on Christmas Eve. These homemade lanterns are a beautiful sight as people go to church or come home from their last-minute Christmas errands. The Ayers talked to neighbors to start up this tradition last  Christmas  along  Church
Street in Huntley.
The luminaria are cheap, easy to make, and a great Christmas craft project for kids. What you need is clean plastic milk jugs, without caps; knife or scissors, short altar- type candles (8-12 hour emergency candles work best); and sand, cat litter or small stones to weigh down the jugs. To make them: Cut a U-shaped flap in the side of the jug, big enough to fit your hand through. Throw a handful of sand into the bottom of the jug and add a candle. Place the jugs
Continued on Page 3
Notice
Hydrant flushing will be done on December 20, 1996. Dead-end hydrants will be the only hydrants flushed by Public Works due to weather conditions. The hydrants will be flushed between the hours of 7:00am and 3:00pm. Please refrain from doing laundry or using large amounts of water for a 24 hour period after flushing has been completed. This will allow time for any remaining iron sediments left in the system to settle down.
Public Works would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!. ' C.r.iA