The Mail-Journal, Volume 26, Number 17, Milford, Kosciusko County, 10 June 1987 — Page 1
Milford 658-4111 & Syracuse 457-3666
VOLUME 26
CQE group wants extra time — Delay middle school decision
ißy MARK WEINSTEIN Staff Writer A proposal to postpone Wawasee School Board’s decision on the current middle school issue was presented by the Citizens for Quality Education at Tuesday’s Wawasee Community School Board. The meeting was held in the high school cafeteria annex. Dr. Bruce Lamb, speaking for the group, asked for a 60-day delay on the decision. The request would have stopped the process until the school board’s September meeting. But the school board, with input from all members and superintendent Dr. Roger Thornton, agreed to delay the decision until August 27. At the special budget meeting, the school board will make its final decision. “I think a decision of this magnitude warrants more time to think and discuss it,” said board member Dave Carey. “This time will help.” However, the delay is not expected to slow down the corporation from moving ahead with the middle school issue. Thornton suggested an architect and finan-' cial advisor, both needed, be hired by July’s board meeting. Both positions would add insight to the program, enhancing the middle school project. “We’re pleased with their decision,” said Lamb after the lengthy meeting. “We feel it is very acceptable, and feel much better now because we have the support of the board.” State Bank Is Low Bidder Bi subject, the school :d tax anticipation doing so, the State •acuse’s 4.80 figure d for the $1,150,000 loan warrant. No ame under 5.00 per- . ■. . ■ ■ .on bid tabulations, and because it is obvious the State Bank of Syracuse has the lowest bid,” said Roger Kryder, Business Manager, “I recommend we accept this bid.” The board wasted little time approving Kryder’s suggestion. But there was one issue that gained a split decision, something rare for this board. Wawasee’s salary structure, presented by Thornton, was victorious, but only by a 3-1 count. Milford’s Bill Troup voted against the motion. “I was just opposed to the motion,” said Troup in defense of his vote. VI do not like the way the system is set up.”
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50-YEAR GRADUATES HONORED — The Milford High School Alumni honored the class of 1937 for observing its 50th year since graduation. Seated, left to right, are Mildred (Graff) Levy, June (Pinkerton) Schermerhorn, Charieen (Orn) Craig, Janet (Smith) Lambert, Har-
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Troup’s main concern is teacher raises, compared to administration raises. He feels teachers should be given a higher percentage of a raise, not administration. In other matters, Dr. Howard Hull presented a hand full of items to the board. In Hull’s presentation, the assistant superintendent recommended the adoption of a Prime Time waiver and a genetics textbook. Prime Time is a program geared to reduce classroom size from kindergarten through third grade. Instructional aides would be used to accomplish the goal. However, in order for the aides to serve in this program, a waiver needs to be signed by the school board. The board agreed to approve such a waiver. ’ Class size for K-l would be at a 18-1 ratio. Meanwhile, for grades 2-3, the student-teacher ratio would be 20-1. The genetics textbook, “Patterns of Human Heredity an introduction to Human Genetics” will be used in Wawasee High School’s classes. Hull also provided board members with a lengthy document dealing with the needs of middle school children. The research was provided by the Syracuse school advisory council. “They (Syracuse SAC) have done an excellent job researching this subject,” praised board president Bill Little. “They are sincerely desiring quality education. They’ve done a marvelous job. •- Enrollment up Hull also provided board members with the final enroll- ’■ ment figures of the latest school year. The report showed five" students were gained during the school year, moving the enrollment figure to 3,233 for all schools. Also, the closing figure represents a 132 growth from the final figures for the 1985-86 school year. Percent-wise, Wawasee’s enrollment figures represent 95.3 percent attendance. The highest rate, Syracuse Elementary, was 96.1 percent. The school board also accepted Hull’s recommendation to accept Rob Hanson’s resignation, while hiring Eileen Torrence and Jann Groves. Hanson resigned as physical education instructor at North Webster after he was named head football coach at Hammond Gavit High School. Torrence, a 1987 Indiana State University graduate, will teach Latin and English at Wawasee.
Consolidation of THE MILFORD MAIL (Est. 1888) and THE SYRACUSE-WAWASEE JOURNAL (Est. 1907)
Groves will fill the full-time kindergarten teacher at Milford. She has a BS degree in elementary education with a kindergarten eiiuuiserrient from Ball State. In a similar move, the board approved the resignation of Brenda Donat, North Webster School secretary, and hired Teresa Vangundy to replace her. Vangundy has secretarial experience, working last for Borden Waste-Away: In final issues, the corporation’s conflict resolution process was highlighted, and approved by the board. The proposal, by Kryder. drew high praise from school board officials. Also, Kryder informed board members that Havel Brothers
Citizens for Quality Education take concerns to-school board
I By MARK WEINSTEIN Staff Writer There seems to be peace in the camp. Tuesday evening’s Wawasee Community Board meeting, held in the high school's cafeteria annex, was expected to be heated; and somewhat controversial. The entire corporation would be impacted by the meeting. Only one instance resembled a spark of friction. But Bill Little, school board president, handled the situation nicely and the greeting continued. "'Stfif cooler heads prevailed in the lengthy meeting as members of the Citizens for Quality Education voiced their views concerning the middle school issue. The board, in turn, spoke its mind. “I was pleased with this meeting,” said Dr. Bruce Lamb, Milford, spokesman for the group. “We want to work together, that’s our purpose. " The meeting proved to be very beneficial to the group. During the three hour-plus meeting, the group learned of a 26-step corporation building project guideline. The guideline was put together by Wawasee Business Manager, Roger Kryder, last fall. However, the criteria is mandated by the state. “In the Wawasee Corporation, we are guided by a 26-step building project guideline,” sdid school board president Bill Little.
riet (Kaiser) Hoerr, Virginia (Fuller) Bushong and Ardis (Beiswanger) Haines. Standing, left to right, are Robert Bushong, Leo Anglin, Sr., Lloyd Downes, Dale Atkinson, Glen Morehouse, Fred Ruch, Wade Mishler and Neal Cory. Not present for the picture was Richard Thompson.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10,1987
and Associates, Fort Wayne, were awarded the bid for the corporation’s energy grant. Wawasee High School’s heating and ventilation system will be upgraded during the summer. Wawasee officials welcomed, and accepted, Sea Nymph Corporation’s donation to fund the summer computer experience at the high school. George Lung, representing the corporation, presented Little with a check at the meeting. School officials listened to Ned — Speicher’s list of improvements for Wawasee High pa rent ./student handbook Speicher listed several changes, including vacation day policies, dress code specifications, illegal
“Right now we are at step two,” Step two, according to Little, is placing the decision into the hands of the elected school board members. "The board has listened to the people, and they now realize the kitchen is not the coolest room in the house,” informed the president. “However, they are empowered by state law to make this decision. They’ll so in good faith.” After Little made his opening comments on the intense subject. Lamb proposed a 60-day delay on the middle school decision. The delay was to take effect from the board’s July 14 meeting. The delay proposal met no head-on confrontation from the board, although a workable compromise was reached. Both parties agreed to a 54-day delay, with the final decision coming at the i corporation’s special budget meeting Thursday, Aug. 27. ] Had the citizen’s group been
Newcomer seeks water and sewer service
I By MARK HUFFMAN Staff Writer A Nappanee resident who has purchased a Milford mobile home park queried the Milford Town Board on the feasibility of extending sewer and water services to the grounds at the board’s mon-
substance guidelines, athletic guidelines, and student parking. Wawasee’s new handbook will be printed this summer, in time . for the 10S7-RR srhnnl year Finally, Julie Gunden was approved to replace Maxine Brembeck as a representative to the Milford Public Library. Brembeck has served since 1981, but is moving to Syracuse. And lastly, a General Education Degree was given to James Tom, South Bend, after he met all requirements for the diplomalike certificate. He dropped out of school in 1961, and picked up three years of schooling. The Wawasee School Board will conduct its next ’meeting Tuesday, June 23, at the central office.
awarded its full delay, board members would not have been able to act until their September 15 meeting. The three-week difference allows the school corporation to take advantage of more profitable construction weather. Now, both parties will .spend the next several weeks researching the situation. The citizen's group plans on contacting area college officials, while the board plans on working with a financial advisor and architect. The citizen’s organization hopes to work with representatives from Indiana University and Notre Dame in the near future. The information learned will be passed to the school board. “1 think it’s good that we had the public meetings," insisted Little. “It’s good that honest people can have different opinions. We are all concerned.”
thly meeting Monday night, June 8, while clarifying® regulations he had set for park residents. James Newcomer, who purchased Graff’s Mobile Home Park recently, noted the possibility of restructuring the park to include 28 50xl00-foot lots instead of the curr»n* >■< lOOxIOO-foot lots. Ron Baumgartner, Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission member, and Milford representative John Lehman, of the Board of Zoning Appeals, attended the meeting to gather information on Newcomer s plans. The two organizations had been concerned with the possibility of acreage expansion. Located on the east side of SR 15S, the park currently utilizes a four septic system, which Newcomer would like to see changed. Utilities Superintendent Dallas Winchester II explained that the town’s water line is within 100 feet of the property line, making it possible to extend water services, although it would be up to Newcomer to run lines to the sewage system. Winchester also noted that there would be a tapping fee, while deposits for meters are also necessary, should Newcomer decide to use such a system. The superintendent will forward specifications to Newcomer for sewer line needed to connect to the town’s system, while the town’s ordinances will also be made available to the property owner. Newcomer also dispelled any rumors about one-way streets and the banning of school buses at the mobile home park, although he noted that boats, semi-trucks, trailers, and recreational vehicles will not be allowed to be stored on the grounds. “We may be able to accommodate those with one such vehicle, but
I Hi y-i w B/t ) I 1 I™ f iVz ii fl I - -fr-wl J» n H 1 kFi -41 J rSW —j BOMB THREAT IN NORTH WEBSTER — The town of North Websterwas a hubbub of confusion Monday afternoon when the Crystal Flash station received an anonymous bomb threat and a fire broke out west of town. Owner of the station. Buck Blakely, reported the call was received at 12:15 p.m. and the police were called in immediately. The station is shown in the top/photo. I In the bottom photo, Blakely, sitting in front: Jack Rhodes, sitting in the back; and Tom Brindle of the sheriff's department, are discussing the matter. No bomb was found. (Photo by Carla Gaff)
we don’t want a lot of them sitting around the park,” he stated. A complete list of rules for the park was given to the town board after some residents had questioned the park owner’s intentions. Stolen Bikes Recovered In other business, Town Marshal David Hobbs reported that three bicycles had been found by Milford Police in the past week, although they remain unclaimed. “It’s that time of season (for bicycle thefts) and it’s important that those having things stolen report them immediately,” Hobbs stated, adding, “The best prevention from theft of bikes is to keep them inside or locked MP- —'— Two-hundred-thirty-one complaints were received by the department from May 7 to June 5, while five accidents were investigated, with damage amounting to $17,000. Milford Police patrolled for 2,086 miles during the month. A new police car is expected to arrive for the department by Friday, with plans to step up the enforcement of town speed limits. Many residents have also been stopped in the past month for disregarding the four-way stops in town, according to Hobbs. Winchester has installed more visible signs in an effort to curb such actions. After similar complaints about vehicles exceeding the speed limit on Old SR 15S, the superintendent was also ordered to post a 30 mph speed limit sign between Syracuse Street and CR 1300 N. Concluding his report, Hobbs stated that the no-alcohol regulation at Waubee Lake Park would be strictly enforced this summer, with patrolling of the park having been increased over the past few weeks. “So far the park has been running smoothly and we plan to keep it that way,” he concluded. Reporting for the utilities
department, Winchester noted that they would be running dead end water lines during July, while the painting of parking, non-parking, and walkway lines would continue. A fee of $469 was allowed by the board for a semi-annual inspection service necessary ; for the water tower, while funds for a< weed-eater will also be allocated: Winchester stated that the town will spray for mosquitos Saturday, June 20, and concluded his report by asking that residents observe the 2 a.m, to 6 a.m. no parking ordinance on Main Street so the department may sweep. Vehicles will be towed if parked on the street between those hours. County To Oversee Election The board agreed to have the county run its fall election after board president Jean Treesh admitted that the added workload would encumber Monica Bice, clerk-treasurer. “With all of the work Monica has during the fall I don’t see ‘how she would have time to do it (election) right,” Treesh stated. On a lighter subject, Bice read two thank-you notes that had been sent to the board from two Milford, Mass., third-graders. Bice had sent the boys information about the town for a writing expo project they undertook that chronicled 14 of the 21 towns in the U.S. named Milford. Town board member Charles Bird gave fellow board members information forwarded to him about building and fire codes to be discussed at a later date. The information was compiled by Milford resident Maxine Pifer. In final matters, Bice asked that the public be reminded that a $2 fee must be paid at the town hall by those wishing to conduct garage sales within town limits. Residents are limited to two sales each year, which may not exceed three days each. Bird also informed the board of
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a complaint he’d received from a resident about fumes that were being expelled from Better Way Products, at the corner of Syracuse and East Streets. The board suggested that the resident contact John Cupp of the Kosciusko County Health Department. Signing the register of claims, tjie board adjourned after over two hours of deliberations, with the next regular meeting set for Monday, July 13, at 6:30 p.m. in the town hall. North Webster town board hires special officers The North Webster Town Board met in a special session Thursday, June 4, at 5 p.m. to discuss the hiring of reserve officers during the annual Mermaid Festival. The board voted to hire reserves from the Kosciusko County Sheriffs Office with the pay going to the sheriffs department revolving fund. The board approved the purchase of emblem door shields for the new squad car A town ’ employee requested he pay for his own uniform and receive those uniforms while on sick leave. The board denied the request. In other matters, the board voted to have acting town marshal Jerry Craig, drive the red Oldsmobile back and forth to Plainfield. Craig is currently undergoing academy training. Town board members will be meeting this evening (Wednesday) at 7 p.m., in the town hall for their regular meeting.