The Independent-News, Volume 117, Number 46, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 9 April 1992 — Page 4

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- THE INDEPENDENT NEWS - APRIL 9, 1992

AN IMPORTANT MEETING A very important meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, April 16, at 1:00 p.m. in the North Liberty Community Center with the possibility of a new industry, Stericycle, Inc., coming to North Liberty. This meeting, open to the public, is a meeting aimed at informing everyone concerned about the operations of this business. Stericycle, a medical waste processing and recycling firm, is seeking a location for a plant in this area. The plant would create in the neighborhood of 25 to 50 jobs in this location. This meeting will be an informative meeting, under the jurisdiction of the North Liberty Development Corporation. This is not a Town Council meeting. However, representatives are expected to be present from Stericycle to explain the operations of their company and their interest in building a new plant in this area. Also represented will be the Development Commission, the North Liberty Town Council, North Liberty Area Chamber of Commerce, St. Joseph County Project Future, St. Joseph County Health Department and local medical doctors. Public interest has grown rapidly in this matter, not necessarily based on facts, which have not yet been fully disclosed. The North Liberty Town Council and Development Corporation, while showing interest in such a possibility, are not set in their thoughts on such an industry and will, like everyone else, need to investigate the situation thoroughly before a decision is made one way or the other. The April 16th meeting is an informative public meeting. More study and work would have to be done with all obstacles cleared before this move might become a reality. Letters were sent out to property owners within one-quarter of a mile of the Industrial Park concerning this meeting, but it is open to the public and all who are interested may attend at 7:00 p.m. next Thursday, April 16 at the Community Center. Regardless of one’s feelings at this time on this matter, this meeting is set to help bring out the facts and inform all who are interested on the entire picture. This is certainly not a sure thing one way or the other at this point.

“Not Against Education” This is an open letter to all my friends that can’t understand why my thinking is so peverted on the J.G.S.C. middle school issue. I am a CONSERVATIVE thinker. On the middle school funding, 1 believe your and my taxes are nothing more than the dollars we earn working daily. I want each individual to have an opportunity to say how these funds are used. We should in no way feel guilty about wanting to cut the budget of what we feel is unnecessary. No matter whether you’re a farmer, teacher, senior citizen, housewife, businessman, factory worker, secretary, or city employee, you have a right to determine the amount of tax bill. Be suspect of anyone who says differently. EDUCATION has been and is important to me and most others in the John Glenn School Corporation. At the present time I work in the school business. I’m not a teacher, but I have tried with all my energies to contribute to J.G.S.C. So I CARE ABOUT EDUCATION. What is education and what makes it strong? In my humble opinion, education starts at home. With the desire of the individual student and the motivation they get at home. With this desire and motivation we turn to our administration to determine curiculum (with parental guidance) and an environment that will mean success for the student. Probably the most important factor is the classroom teacher who provides the instruction and motivation to students. Lastly the building will have an influence, but in my opinion, it is a minor one. Where do we use the limited tax dollars? Urey Middle School does have needs. I have toured the building. But are we willing to spend approximately $24 million to solve these minor needs? Where are our priorities? Can it be done for less? Urey is a well built structure and possibly the most cost efficient to maintain. In my experience some of the best educa-

tion is offered under some of the older roofs. So new bricks and mortar make for a better education? What are the plans for the current building if a new school is built? It will be expensive to maintain. Is the answer to the needs at Urey to spend 24 million? Can’t we find a more creative cost effective solution? Are we making the best utilization of our current structures? Could a minor boundary change solve some of our concern? Do you realize we will be spending for our debt approximately $3,000 a day for 365 days and for 20 years? Every dollar spent will go to bondholders and not for school services. Is this what we want? I believe the economy has changed. The economy of the 90’s is different from the past. In the 90’s we will be asked to fund the debts of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. This astronomical debt bubble is ready to burst. Wage earners (taxpayers) of the 90’s will be tapped like no other generation. In 1966 all federal tax monies will go to pay just the interest on the federal debt, nothing for services, administration or principal. The Federal Govenrment is going in debt 1 billion dollars a day. Our state govenrment is going in debt 1 million dollars a day. Our local farming economy has been severly weakened by drought and elevator bankruptcies. We are unique. Can we give them some relief? I’m uncomfortable with the current proposal to move the 6th grade to Urey, although some classes could handle this transition, some are not mature enough. Ido want the 7th and Bth grade to stay together corporation wide. I want the middle school to be separate in theory and operation from the high school, but the current proposal doesn't provide any answer to helping solve the needs of the high school. Two separate buildings on the same property each a separate entity with no utilization of current staff or facilities. Is this efficient and economical or in the best educational needs of our students? In conclusion. Taxpayers For Education is a very diverse group. In it are different individuals with

different goals and objectives. Some are conservative, some are liberal, some are Democrat, some are Republican but all are opposing the current proposal for their own reasons. This is the reason a few of us originally sat down for a cup of coffee. These people come from each and every township in the Corporation. So please don’t catigorize me or the group. My sincere wish is that whatever the outcome we will stay a community of strong supporters of education and not lose our sense of humor. Thank you. Gene Reese “A New-School Vlnis” There’s a virus going on around here —a "new-school virus”. 1. How can JGSC be the envy of school systems if Urey is so bad? Or do Riley graduates complain about the poor education they got there because of that old school building? 2. The reason given for the building program at Penn-Harris-Madison was high maintenance costs. Yet, the maintenance costs at the new Penn High School are far higher than at the old school. 3. Many newer schools have stairways. Are they all going to be replaced with new schools because of the "Americans With Disabilities Act”? 4. Easy to use computers will be here by the time a new school is built. 5. Two years of lab science is a requirement for high school graduation. A need for laboratories at Urey is nonsense! 6. The new school will cost about $25 million. The assessed valuation of JGSC is about SSO million. It’s clear that the new school cost is half the assessed valuation. Check your property assessment; if it’s $20,000, what will you pay? You got it right, $10,000! 7. There’s plenty of room fot* 7th and Bth graders at the North Liberty School. Sixth graders will be bussed from North Lberty to the new school. How long will it be till the crazies cry for a single elementary school? 8. School enrollment is decreasing. Urey averages 134 per grade. Grades 1-6 average 119. (Aug. '9l report.) 9. The average class size at Urey is 15.11! That’s less than in grades 1-6. Visit the school. They can’t keep you out. 10. The $600,000 non-refund-able (sic!) tab for architect fees has gone up to $685,000. Architects are a dime-a-dozen and are looking for work all over the U. S. This is outrageous! 11. Rumor has it the School Board takes trips at taxpayer expense. If this is true, why doesn’t it appear in the School Board minutes published in the paper? 12. The last election seemed to show the electorate was in favor of Mr. Kickbush. Yet, the board, at great expense, doggedly pursued his firing. The virus is vicious. Sincerely, Unrepresented Taxpayer "Help Stop Stericycle, Inc.” Please help us stop Stericycle, Inc. from coming into our community. We need to let our state officials know that we do not want this medical waste facility in our area. Please look for petitions in local businesses and call and leave messages for: Solid Medical Waste Commission Tim Method. 1-800-451-6027 Gov. Evan Bayh, (317) 232-4567 Tim Roemer, 288-3301 "Concerned Citizens” North Liberty 'W That is what my mind did, when I sat down to write a letter. It went blank. 1 know that I have been called empty-headed many times. This time it is true. 1 want to remind you of the

Friends of the Fourth’s auction sale on the 25th of April. If you have any donations for this, please call Betty King for pickup. Our friend, Betty King, had an unfortunate experience in Chicago. We are all very glad that she is doing okay and that she is still able to help us. Good friends are very hard to replace. Morris Searfoss and I are still out there selling candy and advertising on the Friends of the Fourth’s placemat. If we miss you, let us know. There is so much work to be done before the Fourth, that the committee has been working overtime. The Town of Walkerton is always changing with businesses coming and going. All of us should have only the highest respect for those people who start a new business at this time. We should also appreciate the existing businesses who are still hanging in there. April is tornado weather. Hopefully all of you and your families know what to do in case of bad weather. I have tried for years to raise a flower garden by my west window. Last year I even built a wooden fence, everybody kept asking me if I were putting in a deck, hoping to keep out the pests. Well the chickens thought it made a good roost, the cats climbed right up the sides and the dogs jumped over. The other day I took down most of the fence, plowed the ground and planted seeds for marigolds and bachelor buttens. It sure looked nice for an hour. Zero, the dog, thought it quite soft. The next morning the chickens ate my seed. Those chickens will sure make good soup. I bought some pansy plants at the sale bam. I suppose that the geese and ducks will eliminate those. Roy’s brother, George, though that Roy’s girl turkey, Goblette, needed a boyfriend, so now we have two turkeys. lam seriously thinging about moving out to the pasture, there’s less animals out there. We just got a feller for our mother and daughter cows. I really feel sorry for him. It is really a strong case of male sexual harassment. The roads are getting worse and the ditches are filling up with more bottles and garbage. Last week I was traveling along north 23 and saw Doc Christensen and his daughter cleaning up their front yard and the roadway. I’m sure they were very appreciative of the many sacks of litter that I saw had been bagged by them. I don’t understand why people are so opposed to landfills, most of us live close to garbage dumps along the roads. Well it’s back to the flower garden for me.

LAKEVILLE LIONS CLUB w fish W UY At The OLD LAKEVILLE SCHOOL Friday, April 17 Serving From 4:00 • 8:00 p.m. Adults & Carry-Outs — $5.00 Children (Ages 6 • 12) — $2.50

Sincerely, Nedra Williams R.E.A.L. SERVICES NUTRITION PROGRAM N. L. United Methodist Church Phone 656-3132 the day prior for reservations. Walkerton Youth Building Phone 586-7600 the day prior for reservations. MONDAY Cranberry juice cocktail Pepper steak pattie in gravy Rice Steamed broccoli Whole wheat bread with margarine Mixe fruit Milk, tea, coffee 35 grams fat/49 milligrams cholesterol TUESDAY Caterer’s choice juice Chili con came with saltines Creamy cole slaw Combread with margarine Fresh banana Milk, tea, coffee 24 grams fat/113 milligrams cholesterol WEDNESDAY Peach nectar Sliced baked ham Parsleyed potatoes Seasoned winter squash Whole wheat bread with margarine Pineapple Milk, tea, coffee THURSDAY Tomato juice Paprika baked chicken quarter Mashed potatoes with gravy Chilled pickled beets Cracked wheat bread with margarine Cherry birthday cake with cherry icing Milk, tea, coffee 43 grams fat/139 milligrams cholesterol FRIDAY GOOD FRIDAY Orange juice Breaded fish square on bun with tartar sauce Potato salad Cottage cheese in peach half on lettuce leaf Rain cake donut Milk, tea, coffee 43 grams fat/69 milligrams cholesterol BUSINESS CARDS Large Variety Os Samples And Colors To Choose From Independent-News 601 Roosevelt Rd., Walkerton