The Independent-News, Volume 104, Number 45, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 19 April 1979 — Page 4

APRIL 19, 1979 - THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS

EDITORIALS

A LESSON TO BE LEARNED Aston struck the headlines last week that concerns the people in St. Joseph Counts two ways and the people even where one one count. The revealing that a “mistake" had been made at the county auditor's office concerning some $2.b3 million, left St. Joseph County short on money. This means cutbacks this year of a serious nature as these dollars will have to be trimmed in spending somewhere along the line. Serious enough as it is for the St. Joseph Counts residents, which we will discuss further a little later, the shortage and the error reflect one aspect of political fantasies that have existed and continue to exist although slowly some inroads may be made in this line. There is no qualification for too many political jobs. This has been true over the years . . . you didn't have to be a doctor or that knowledgable to be a county coroner . . . you didn't have to know anything about surveying to be a county surveyor . . . you didn't have to have any law enforcement or related experience to be a county sherrif . . . vou didn't have to have an accounting background to be a county auditor . . and soon down the line. This is what has happened here. The now retired elected county auditor. Eugene Basker, has been a “professional politician" in St. Joseph County holding at least two other offices before taking the post of auditor. He has been able to be elected to these positions by the people who very often check very little about a candidate and their qualifications. Add to this, a change in his staff put another man. apparently unqualified, as the cheif deputy auditor. The results, the office was not properly run and the error occured. It is true it is not a criminal error, but it was an error that is now going to cost the county some services either through various programs or personnel or both. The county error was also missed by the state tax board as they review all the budgets, but the money was entered into the budget twice and not detected. Such a mistake as this should point out very vividly the need to have qualfied people sitting in positions of responsbility. Whether or not legislation can spell out all the requirements for the various jobs is unknown, but between that and the voters themselves, people must look into the candidates and find out more about the people they are selecting to run the various governments from cities, counties, state and national. Getting back to the county situation, it might not be quite as hard as the $2.63 million shortage may sound simply due to the fact the county had been living a little “high on the hog” in some areas and there are funds available through revenue sharing, etc., that can pick up part of the load. However, there is no doubt that even the $1.5 million or so they are now talking is going to hurt. It may hurt roads, it may hurt police protection, it may hurt in other factions, but it will have to hurt. It may also point out the fact that possibly a little “belt tightening" can also help the situation, something that isn't done if the money is there freely to spend. There alway s has been and always will be a lot of wasted time and money in polictics. whether you are talking the lowest or highest levels. At any rate. St. Joseph County is in for some lessons of one type or another due to a lesson that all should be aware of. a qualified person for a position of responsibility. Private business must do it... so should politics. WHEN. ■ (TAKEN FROM THE FILES OF THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS)

1974 Wanda Wringer and Sandra Bauss have been named valedictorian and salutatorian respectively. of the 1974 graduating class of John Glenn High School based on seven semester work. The Drama Club and vocal music department will be presenting the musical. “Bells Are Ringing.” on April 19 and 20 at the North Libertv High School gym The Epsilon Chi chapter of Tri Kappa will host the Province Ten Convention on Saturday. April 20. at John Glenn High School. Province Officer. Mrs. Bryce Rohrer, has announced the theme of the convention as Hawaiian Hukilau. At the market this week pork chops, center cut. were selling for 99 cents a pound; pork roast at 89 cents a pound; country style ribs at 79 cents a pound; chuck steak at 99 cents a pound; margarine at 43 cents a pound; I per cent milk at $1.09 a gallon; chocolate chips at 59 cents for a 12 ounce package; Hills Brothers coffee at $1 79 for a two pound can; a gallon of ice cream for $1.29; carrots at 19 cents for a pound bag, potatoes at five pounds for 99 cents and six loaves of Bonnie white bread for $1 00. 1969 The time questionnaire offered two weeks ago by The Independent News, brought out the feeling of many people, only to have another ruling from “higher up" within a few days of the questionnaire. However, we would like to pass on to you the results of the

survey. 86 percent wanted Eastern standard Time; just under 10 percent wanted Eastern Day Light and the balance, just over four percent wrote in Central Time. Keith Klopfenstein, president of the St. Joseph County Commissioners, was the principle speaker at the Walkerton Chamber meeting Thursday as a group of 28 heard some plans and problems of the commissioners job. The North Liberty Alumni Association officers met with the date of May 24 being set for the annual affair. 1964 The North Liberty Masonic Lodge will hold their annual smelt fry on Saturday. April 25. "April In Paris" is the theme of a dance to be held at the Plymouth Armory on Friday. April 24. sponsored by the Walkerton Lions Club. The District 4-H Share the Fun Contest was held on April 8. There were four placings given and the girls from North Libertv placed third. They are Janet and JoAnn Clingenpeel who did an acrobaticdance. 1959 At a meeting Monday night with 34 members present, a new Lions Club was formed in North Libertv Lions is not entirely new to North Liberty as a club was formed in that town many vears ago but disolved dunng World War 11. Os the thirty-four present six were from the Walkerton Club, sponsoring dub. for the new members of Lions

International. The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of Indiana and it's Ladies Auxiliary presented a copy of J Edgar Hoover's "Masters of Deceit." to the North Liberty High School on April 13. Ihe County Council and County Commissioners condemned the Walkerton Elementary School at 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday . April 15. after returning to the hearing that recessed Monday evening. The combined council and commissioners were in Walkerton Wednesday afternoon after hearing the case presented following petitioning of this action by the voters of Walkerton and Lincoln Township. The Trustee and C. Emmet Eiler were the final speakers on the situation. No one present demonstrationed against the petition that had been signed by 83 taxpayers of Walkerton-Lincoln Township for the condemning of the building. This is the action required by the law to condemn a school building despite some misbelief in this matter. 1944 The Walkerton United Brethren Church will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the dedication of their church building on Sunday. April 30. The church was erected at a cost of SB,OOO and was dedicated on April 24. 1904 under the pastorate of Rev. S. H. Yager. In response to the repeated and urgent calls from the Army and Navy that scrap paper drives be held all over the nation, the people of Walkerton are asked to cooperate on Saturday morning byhaving all scrap paper, magazines, books, etc., tied up and on the curb early for collection at 9:00a.m. Os the 11,516 veterans who applied for jobs. 6,361 found work immediately during a demonstration program open in January by the U.S. Employment Service, the War Manpower Commission announced. New Shoe Stamps: Beginning May 1. Airplane Stamp 2 in War Ration book 3 may be used for buying one pair of rationed shoes. OPA announced. Wednesday evening the County Council appropriated $5,000 to be used as bounty on fox and coyotes and other predatory animals in this county. ___ 1929 Charles Worrell, Walkerton contractor and builder, was the successful bidder on the proposed new comfort station to be built on the town lot near the Nickle Plate railroad station. His bid was $1,585. Also the town council let the contract for painting and repairing the water tank and tower. Thos. O. Edwards of Plymouth, was the successful bidder at $350. Work will start on these projects this week. The artifical lake under construction for several months in the state's 13,000 acre game reservation in Brown County is completed and now filled with water. It will be stocked with fish this summer. President Hoover apparently has changed from his traditional dou-ble-breasted blue suits (the coat of which was never buttoned by the way). He has been seen in single breasted gray, with matching graytop coat and gray Fedora. But he still wears the high old-fashioned white collar which achieved as much popularity with campaign cartoonists as did his other habitual attire. Hoover shaves with a safety razor whereas Coolidge used the old straight razor. Hoover rises about seven o’clock so as to be at his desk at nine, quits at one for lunch, returns at 2:30 and works until five (a half hour earlier than Coolidge knocked off work). Whereas his predecessor pondered over many weighty problems over a cigar at his desk. Mr. Hoover does the same in his study, also with a cigar. He retires abut 11. Mr. Hoover did not like the bed he found in the room selected as his own and after a four nights trial, called for his own bed from his S street home.

WALKERTON TOWN BOARD NEWS The Walkerton Town Board met in regular session on Monday. April 16. with William Elkin. Gladys Prentis, Jack Ri/ek and O. C. White present. The minutes of the April 2 meeting were approved as were claims 213 through 252. The vacation of property (an alley) by Mahoney-Mann Chevro-let-Olds agency was presented to the Planning Commission and in turn to the town board. The town's attorney had already discussed this with the party involved and a favorable report by the Planning Commission will be accepted by the board. Utilities superintendent Marvin Williams stated he felt the party involved should be responsible for the costs incurred in moving some electrical wires. The entire package will be approved when put in writing with the various stipulations added. The Planning Commission also recommended a building permit for Earl Haney to build a garage for non-commercial use. This was approved by the board. Jack Rizek informed the board the Planning Commission is still short one member and asked the town board to appoint a new member to fill the vacancy. Mr. Elkin will meet with Ed Walz of the Planning Commission to discuss suggestions for the position before the next town board meeting. The clerk-treasurer told of the recent findings on the Power Tracking Factor on the utility bills. The various towns involved and Northern Indiana Public Service Company have started negotiations and on April 16. the towns had filed the Conway Squeeze, which in effect concerns the fact that NIPSCO is charging their retailers less than they are charging their wholesale customers. Further action is set for May 4 between the two factions. The clerk also presented ihe Humane Society report for the month of March. This will be a monthly report now that the town is working in conjunction with the Humane Society . The police chief situation was briefly discussed. It was reported

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the appointment of a new chief had apparently been made, but the party involved turned down the appointment that very day and as of now there is no replacement to be made in this position. Officer John Marek is acting police chief during this period. Wayne Seiders. of Clyde E. Williams Associates, presented the latest on the sewage system. It appears that Walkerton may finally be placed in a position where chances arc good for funding on this matter. Subdivision on the south and east parts of town plus the Industrial Park will be exempt from the proposed system as they w ill not in any way contaminate the water supply in the ground as they will be using city water. This, and other conclusions will all be sent to the State Board of Health now that the studies have been completed. Following the approval of Step 11. engineers will be able to start designing the treatment plant and following approval of this Step 111. funding could be released. Mr. Seiders also reported on his findings on the drainage situation at the south part of town and in the Glcnn-L Estates subdivision, which has been a very hot topic the past six weeks. He desires and extension to get more information on other subdivisions and proposed subdivisions in the area but felt the use of the county ditch should be ruled out as it would be too expensive due to the deteriated condition of the ditch. Other factors and alternatives were discussed but the question has reached no settlement at this time and a final recommendation would be delayed some 30-45 days until further drainage plans can be studied. Several persons in attendance voiced their opinions on the findings and the delay and the matter of costs of any action taken is still a matter up in the air. There is no clear cut decision on who is or will be responsible for any of the costs incurrred. Further study will be made before any decisions are made on this matter. To commemorate his 700th parachute jump, British Army Sergeant Hector Macmillan made a leap in full Scottish national dress, including kilts, while playing "The Road To The Isles” on his bagpipes!