The Independent-News, Volume 117, Number 49, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 30 April 1992 — Page 13

Happiness Is NORTH LIBERTY BOY SCOUT TROOP 241 CAR WASH AND BAKE SALE 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. AND PORT-A-PIT CHICKEN 11:00 a.m. - ? Sat., May 2 NORTH LIBERTY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PARKING LOT Corner Os St. Rd. 23 & 4 Congratulations TO NORTH LIBERTY TEACHERS TIM DAVIS AND AMY FOSTER WEISS ON YOUR RECOGNITIONS A FRIEND & COLLEAGUE LAST WEEK To Turn In Adult Education Books (SEE YOU ALL NEXT FALL) JAN & DICK (continued from Page 4) the John Glenn School district by failing to answer that question. In 1990 the school board suggested that these necessary repairs be done along with the building of the new middle school. These repairs not being done seriously jeopardizes the said buildings. In North Liberty Elementary alone, the roof leaks and the heating system in the school is antiquated and failing. Is it not cheaper to maintain the school buildings we already have or is it also in the plans of the school board to build a new elementary school further down the road? Can we afford still another tax increase? In the meeting minutes from Fanning/Howey Associates, Inc. to James A. Harvey, superintendent, dated May 29, 1990 it states: “8. There was extensive discussion with regard to the need to upgrade the existing building at North Liberty.” In the meeting minutes from Fanning/Howey Associates, Inc. to Dr. Barbara Murray, superintendent, dated July 20, 1990 it states: ”3. Brad Schmeltz and Chuck McCoy reviewed, by telephone, what was necessary to alieviate the problems with the flooding of the boilers at the North Liberty Elementary School. It was decided that the installation of a shut-off valve would alleviate the problem for the time being.” It is now Spring of 1992 and North Liberty Elementary still has the same antiquated heating system and the roof still leaks. How can we trust the school board with any future investments when they have shown that they cannot properly manage the investments in school buildings we already have? Well, I am asking again, "When

will these imperative repairs be performed and what are the totals for each building?” Then there is the matter of the new middle school. The school board had decided to ignore and silence the majority. Let’s not be ignored or be silenced any longer by the school board. Let’s let our voices and votes be heard and counted. Remember to vote on May 5. Your vote counts! Still Waiting “Listened To The Opponents” So Shirley Anderson, Tom Bradford, Robbie Keck and John McGee are viable school board candidates because they oppose the new midddle school project. They want to appear as heroes while criticizing the other candidates for not defending the positions. For several months we’ve listened to the opponents of this project maintain there are other ways to address our problems. When challenged to disclose their alternatives they have been deliberately evasive, not wanting to “muddy the waters” with their own proposals. What a typical position to take, attack your opponent and offer nothing of your own. These individuals are most likely aware that someone will pay a price for their solutions. They just want it to be the other guy. Chances are it will be the students themselves who pay, with wasted time on buses and missed educational opportunities. Running a school organization calls for qualified individuals with the right motivation for the job. These four candidates have repeatedly said they are not one issue candidates. To use their own phrase "who are they kidding?” Student welfare is rarely mentioned in their lengthy letters. A candidate willingness to turn this job into a political position indicates they do not require or respect the responsibilities of a board member. Political parties put slates of candidates on the ballot. School board candidates run independently and should not be "owned” by any party, organization, or lobbyist group. The children of this corporation will never be served if a board members position becomes another place in a dirty political game. Those of us who can see past this one issue realize that there is a big job ahead for whomever wins the school board seats. Life will go on after this issue is settled. That is when we can only hope the candidates we’ve selected have more substance to them other than the position they took on the middle school. The health of our corporation will depend on it. As voters we must look at the qualifications of all the candidates. Do they have the knowledge and and ability to help run a multimillion dollar corporation? Twelve candidates have filed for these four open seats. The electorate should have the intelligence, independence, and integrity to evaluate the candidates objectively. Then choose the ones who can best contribute constructively for the next four years. J.G.S.C. Patron “North Liberty Residents” For those who are concerned about Stericycle locating in our area, we have decided not to have an imfbrmative meeting this week. We will wait until the May Bth meeting to come forward with information. Please come and voice your opinion. This will be your last chance before they decide whether or not Stericycle will locate here. “The Truth Will Come Out” Given time, the truth will come out — and it finally has! Taxpayers for Education collected funds from many of you, got you to sign the remonstrance, and is running a slate of candidates, all with the implication that they would stop the building of a new middle

school. Now, one of their candidates, Tom Bradford, has finally let all of us know their hidden agenda — they aren’t opposed to building, they just want to build in North Liberty, at a possible cost of $13.5 million (option B-l). Is this what you thought you were contributing to? Probably not. The choice is clear now. It’s not a matter of to build or not to build, or to protect your tax rate. It’s a matter of $11.5 million versus $13.5 million; it’s build in Walkerton or build in North Liberty. You must decide what is educationally best, but most importantly, what is best for the students of our corporation. Consider carefully when you cast your ballot. We will all live with the decisions made long after all these board members no longer serve us. You know what Jean Ann Beem and David Hostetler, the incumbents will do. It’s a matter of public record that they’ll build the school in Walkerton. Norman Beem “Heard Everything” Having served as a School Board member for eight years I thought I had seen and heard everything but after the "Meet The Candidates Night” in North Liberty I now know better. The group which called themselves "Taxpayers For Education” formed themselves several months ago, because in their words "we have a better idea” on solving the problems at the middle school. I repeatedly asked the leaders of this group to meet with me to go over their “better idea” only to be told the time was not right. I now know why this group did not want to go public with their ideas. Tom Bradford, who is one of the leaders of the "Taxpayers For Education” group, announced that night, that if he were elected he would push to have the new school built in North Liberty. This is option Bl the board looked at in the very beginning, but ruled it out because 13.5 million is too much when it can be done for 11.5 millin in Walkerton. This can be done without running any more buses than we already are with the high school run. Did you know that this group has formed a slate of people to run for office, one from each township? Did you ever wonder what these people are in favor of? We all know what they are against. Did you realize when you donated money to this group that they were going to give some of it to people who want to build the new school in North Liberty? Did you, like many people 1 have talked to, believe that this group did have an idea that was going to save all us money? I could go on and on but I think you get my point. The current school board already has a member that wants the school in North Liberty. Check his voting record at the beginning of this process. This election could very easily create a school built in North Liberty. Please think about that when you vote. Vote for experienced people who have the entire school corporation best interests in mind. NOTE: All money spent on advertising and signs for my campaign has come from my own pocket. I don’t owe any favors for contributions. David W. Hostetler “To The Voter* Os The John Glenn School Corporation” This is the first and probably only time I will write to the Voice of the People. As the elections for our school board draw near, I look forward to knowing whom I will be working with for the next two years. I urge everyone to get out and cast their vote on election day, May sth. I also urge every voter to take a good hard look at each and every candidate. In the process of selecting your choices from each township, look at each candidate’s background, education, involvement in the schools

APRIL 30, 1992 - THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS -

and possible reasons for running. We need people in these positions whose first concern is the education of our children. This is their responsibility, to provide the very best education for the tax dollar that we can afford. Being a school board member takes time and commitment. It is more than two board meetings a month. We are constantly provided with material that needs careful study so we can make the best, most well informed decisions we can. Some of our decisions may not be popular but are always in the best interests of the children of our schools. Much has been said and written about the proposed new middle school. Unfortunately, this is the main issue in the election, and the only issue for some of the candidates. The fate of the middle school will be determined in the first six months of the new board's term, however these people will still have decisions to make for another three and a half years. Again when choosing your candidates select the ones you feel will work hard, long after the middle school is behind us. If a new middle school is not built there will be many problems facing the new school board. Our elementary schools are overcrowded, our middle school is inadequate. It does not meet our future needs. We must plan for the future. We must plan for growth in our communities. We must provide the best staff, programs and facilities we can. In closing, I once again urge you to vote on May sth. We have an excellent school system and we need people who will work hard to meet the educational needs of the children of our communities. Thank you. Gene Knowlton Member: John Glenn School Board of Trustees “In Raapo—e” Week after week I have read in these columns letters to the editor signed by Shirley Anderson, Tom Bradford, Robbie Keck and John McGee, candidates for one seat in each township for election to the

^Pointers For Parents —-A Let Your Kids Into The Kitchen, Says Julia Child

Hasty lifestyles have depopulated the American kitchen, but for both taste and health, parents would do well to begin cooking again -and let the kids help, says Julia Child. “Helping in the kitchen is how youngsters learn to appreciate good food and good cooking,’’ Child said "Children as young as four or five years old can help with simple tasks such as washing and tearing lettuce for salad or setting the table. And these activities stimulate conversation and creative interest in food preparation and taste experimentation” “Cooking at home gives us greater control over what we eat —an additional dividend for the whole family,” said C. Wayne Callaway, M.D. associate professor of medicine at George Washington University. “We have more freedom in balancing high and lowfat ingredients in making all the family foods we like fit into a healthful and deli cious diet.” Child and Callaway are part of a national coalition ot health and food leaders, organized by Rie American Institute of Wine & Food. to emphasize the enjoyment ot eating without classifying ftxxls as "good” or "bad ” The coalition offers a tree booklet ot original recipes

Board of School Trustees. Each lette has encouraged the patrons of the John Glenn School Corporation to support them and their views on the school issues. Last week their letter went so far as to say that they (Anderson, Bradford, Keck and McGee) were the only candidates who had “been following board activities over an extended period of time and are rightfully concerned'' about what is currently happening inthe John Glenn School Corporation at this time. I think that is baloney. Other than Mr. Bradford, I have not seen these people at meetings until recently. For the past five years and more, meetings have been held and public input has been requested and nobody showed up. To suggest that these four people are now looking out for our interests doesn't work for me. All I’ve heard them say is what they will not do. I'd like to know what they can and will do to continue to support education and provide opportunities for our students. Instead of being just a reactionary group, I would hope that these people would want to provide proactive leadership. These people want to be our School “Trustees” for the next four years, yet they have complained often and incorrectly in columns such as this, that the present board would not meet with them. They neglected to tell the public that the meetings they requested (only two board members at a time to avoid a quorum with other board members specifically not invited) is in violation of the sunshine law which governs all public boards. If they wanted these kinds of meetings to take place before, what kinds of activities will happen if they become the majority group of our "Trustees”? As a non incumbent with eight years of experience on this board, I have attended virtually all board meetings held since the fall of 1982, and I know that the four people who ultimately occupy the four seats up for election will still have to address the business of education. There is a current general fund budget of six million (continued on Page 15)

© from chef/nutritionist teams and menus that demonstrate how to balance fat and calories. Tips on how children can assist in the kitchen are also included. The bixiklet's "Banana Yogurt Swirl” below is a recipe that a young child can make with a minimum ot Ik'lp To order, send a selfaddressed, stamped envelope to The American Institute of Wine & Food, 1550 Bryant St., Suite 700, San Francisco, CA 94103 Banana Yogurt Swirl 1 container (8 ounces) strawberry lowfat yogurt 3/4 cup lowfat milk (2%) 1/2 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries, halved 1/2 fully ripe banana IN THE CONTAINER OF AN ELEC TRIG BLENDER, combine y ogurt, milk, strawberries and banana; whirl until smooth. Yield: 2 servings 180 calories per serving: 3 g fat, 120 mg sodium

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