Lansing State Journal from Lansing, Michigan • Page 20

5 THE STATE JOURNAL Charlotte Approves Lansing, Michigan C-6 July 29, 1969 NEWS ervice Extension By GENE ASHLEY State Journal Staff Writer CHARLOTTE Final engi 1 said the minimum amount of time in which the city can call its present bonds and submit an application to the Municipal Finance Commission, is four months. NO PETITION Lake said there will undoubtedly have to be a bond issue to finance this project. He noted it will be a revenue bond issue authorized by a city council resolution. "There are a lot of 'If concerned with this project. If we proceed with final engineering immediately, if we have good weather and if we are able to sell bonds, we might have the project completed by April 1," Lake said.

Councilman Judson Richardson asked if the council should wait and annex the property or if it should be done immedi ately. Lake said no annexation petitions have been filed nor does the city have release of the property from the township. The Fowler firm indicated it would annex only the seven acres on which the dealership will be built Lake said it is necessary for anyone requesting sewer and water service to annex to the city, Lake said. jjTrr-- 1 Pedestrian Overpass Bids Sought by City Brighton Residents Are Fighting Their Annual Battle With Algae On the Millpond Brighton's Angry State Journal Eaton Bureau CHARLOTTE Sealed bids on a pedestrian overpass are expected within the next week and the tabulation of prices will be reported to the city council on Aug. 11.

The bids were requested after a group of mothers appeared at a city council meet Millpond Not So Serene By JIM MARTIXSEN State Journal Staff Writer BRIGHTON City officials here are being plagued with the home aquarist's problem green, unsightly algae. The Brighton Millpond, one of the landmarks of the city, is covered with a thick, slimy coating of algae, and ai-though' harmless officials agree it does not enhance the beauty of the community. City Manager Bruce Romer says overgrowth of the micro-, organism is caused by the phosphate-saturated water that flows into the pond from the outlet of Woodland Lake in Brighton Township, northern end of Brighton Lake neering on a sanitary sewer and water extension to serve the Fowler Property, on Lansing Road and Packard Highway, was authorized Monday" night by the city council. By authorizing final engineering it is likely the April 1 deadline for having the two mile extension of the utilities installed will be met. Robert H.

Lake, city manager, said the final engineering will also determine more accurate cost estimates. Accurate estimates are necessary so the financial consultant can submit an application for a bond issue to the Michigan Municipal Finance Commission. OTHER PLANS Rough estimates indicate costs will be between $140,000 and $200,000. This includes a 12-inch water and sewer line to the property. Plans call for extending the water line from the Owens-Illinois glass plant on Packard Highway and the sewer line from the Butternut pumping station.

Fowler's I Chevrolet-Oldsmobile dealer in Charlotte, has agreed to pay the participation cost set by the council two weeks ago. The company plans to construct a new dealership on a seven-acre site with 700 feet frontage on Lansing Road and 800 feet on Packard Highway. BUILDING PLANS Lake said completion of the dealership is expected sometime next spring and the company plans moving into the new building by April 1, 1970. Engineers reported the only work left to do' is taking soil borings and establishing control levels. Lake said the engineers will use aerial surveys for the main design.

Lake said the engineers indicated construction bids can be taken between Aug. 27 and Sept. 5. Julius Hanslovsky, an East Lansing financial consultant, Staffing At Ionia A Problem IONIA The Ionia Sheriff's Department will gain one man and the Ionia City Fire Department will lose one as a result of a staffing switch that is impending, but both units will still be short-handed. City Supt.

George Felsch Jr. said Tuesday that Robert Hayes, Ionia fireman, had resigned in order to take a deputy's appointment with Sheriff Gary Newton Aug. 1. Newton said the switch will fill a hole he has in his staffing, but will still leave him short two men in his crew of nine. He has had several men leave to take other jobs.

Hayes' departure will leave the fire department with three vacancies. Supt. Felsch had not tried to fill the two earlier ones for lack of funds, but said he would have to seek a replacement for Hayes. Two Deputies Wounded in Detroit Battle DETROIT (UPI) Two off-duty Wayne County sheriff's deputies were slightly wounded and one man critically shot early today in a parking lot gun battle on the city's near north side. Wayne County Sheriff Roman S.

Gribbs said four off -duty deputies left the Democratic Club, a private establishment and spotted persons tampering with vehicles while getting in their own car. Gribbs said they were challenged by one man and a hail of gunfire followed. The two wounded deputies were each hit twice by bullets and their car had 17 bullet holes in it. In critical condition at a hospital was Anthony Edmonds, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Mason Fire Pacts Awaiting Ratification of Townships Study of Projects OK'd by St.

Johns Prior to Balloting By BETTY JANE MINSKY State Journal Staff Writer ST. JOHNS City commissioners Monday night authorized a study to determine what capital improvements are necessary here, and the approximate cost of them. After Harvey Weatherwax, city manager, has completed the study, voters will ballot on a capital improvement bond issue. Commissioners gave no indication of what items might be included, or of approximate cost; or as to when the election might be held. LONE DISSENT No discussion on the resolution calling for the study and election was held.

Read by Commissioner John Hannah and supported by Commissioner Charles Coletta, the resolution was quickly adopted with only one dissenting vote, cast by Mrs. Jeanne Rand. The three-paragrah resolution primarily called for two things: The city manager be directed to make a study of capital improvements necessary and their approximate cost; and the city attorney, upon completion of study, be directed to draft resolutions and documents to submit to voters. Several months ago a citizens group recommended a $180,000 capital improvement bond issue for an assortment of projects as an alternative to a city income tax. It called for the bonds to be repaid over three years.

Earlier this month voters said "No" to a city income tax proposal which wasn't really binding as it was an "advisory vote" only and meant only to serve as a guideline to commissioners. In the past two years voters turned down a city income tax in a referendum vote, and several proposals which would have increased the millage limit here. In other action commissioners: Referred to the Planning Commission a request of Willard Searles ot have frontage on N. U. S.

27, which he owns near the city sewage plant and garage, zoned commercial for a depth of 200 feet, with property behind the 200-foot depth to be zoned industrial. Searles' letter indicated he plans to build an office for his construction business there. DIFFICULTIES Asked Mayor Robert Wood to contact individually members of the Planning Commission to determine if they want to continue serving. This came after Mrs. Rand reported only three of the nine-member commission have attended the last three meetings.

As no quorum was present, business couldn't be transacted. Mrs. Rand said William Graef, William Morris and Gerald Wilcox, planners who are attending regularly, are "becoming discouraged." Set Aug. 21 as the date of a joint meeting with the Planning Commission to discuss a proposed new zoning ordinance. ing a month ago and pleaded for an overpass on M-78 near Weymouth Elementary School.

Robert H. Lake, city manager, reported at the last meeting that requirements by the highway department and the department's recommendation for placing the overpass had been received. The council also decided to marijuana cigarettes. "We've been lenient with you long enough," Colombo said. "There will be no bail." "You will die," Sinclair shouted.

Comforted by his wife 2-year-old daughter and gray-haired mother, the burly, spectacled Sinclair wailed, "They don't want me on the streets. They can put John Sinclair in the penitentiary and the White Panthers will spread all over." The White Panthers is an organization of white people who seek an alliance with the Black Panthers, a radical Negro action group. ask the school to participate in the cost of constructing the overpass. Mrs. Robert Grace, who headed the mothers' group, said, "This is a frightening sit- -uation and will be even worse when the new high school opens." When an addition to the junior high school is completed, it will 'be converted to a high school where students will be driving more cars to school.

This is expected to generate more traffic in the area. The council also set Aug. 11 for a public hearing date on three special assessment street projects. The projects include curb and gutter on Lincoln Street, from Henry to Shepherd, paving on this street and blacktopping on the alley between Seminary and Krebs Court. The council also authorized: A dawn patrol at Beach Airport in June or July of 1970.

Purchase of a grass fire fighting vehicle from Martin Motors for $2,425, subject to approval by the rural fire association. Purchase of 81 street market signs, 40 posts and five prohibited parking signs for $1,104.34 from the P. H. Callander Sign Company. Vacancies Filled At Ionia IONIA Nine more appointments to fill staff vacancies had been made at Michigan Reformatory.

Leo C. Mann, administrative secretary to Warden Edward Colbert, said this leaves only two more vacancies to fill. Five appointed to custodial officer posts were Julius Fox, Ionia; Harvey Guetzka, Hart; Keith Buhler and Douglas Dar-den both of Grand Rapids, and David Rowley, Saranac. Richard Finner, R. 1, Ionia, was added as a food service supervisor.

Forest Robillard, Ionia, was transferred on a promotion from the prison industries section at the Reformatory to its business office. Robert Hopkins, R. 4, Ionia, who was a state aid teacher at the prison, was appointed a social worker, Also added as teachers for the institution's academic school through a state aid pro-g a operated through the Ionia school board, were George Powell, Grand Rapids, and Gary Swinehart, Ionia. Carnival Worker Hurt in Mishap ALBION A carnival worker enroute to the Ingham County Fair at Mason suffered multiple facial and left leg cuts and bruises Monday on 1-94, near 26-Mile Road, northwest of Albion, when a homemade camper and a pickup truck began swaying and tipped over. Jackie L.

Cooner of Parker, was treated at Albion Community Hospital. He said the owner of the vehicle, James Hill of Selma, was driving another vehicle in front of him when the accident took place. By TIM HOLLAND State Journal Staff Writer MASON Contracts for fire fighting service provided by the City of Mason to neighboring townships are awaiting signatures by township officials, William L. Bopf, city administrator, reveals. For New Building Romer says the city has talked with Brighton Township officials "many times" about the problem, buth without solution.

MAJOR FACTOR There are no sewers at Woodland Lake, according to Romer, and the septic tanks there put a lot of phosphates into the water. Cost is the main reason the situation has never gotten past the talking stage. The city manager said the cost of putting a sewer system around the lake would be "phenomenal." The millpond, however, isn't One of the three townships which contract for fire service from Mason 'Vevay has already signed the contract. Alniec'on and Aurelius townships are expected to sign soon. But residents of the two townships need fear no break in fire protection service.

Both tion bids first and then we will know whether we need to ask for approval of an additional amount in the bond issue," Harley said. When the cost was estimated at $400,000, Harley said, the bond request was based on this estimate, Harley said. The County Board of Supervisors has already given $100,000 towards the building and a Hill-Burton grant for the health department portion of the building has been approved. A lease agreement between Student DETROIT (UPI)-A 23-year-old University of Detroit senior and self-styled poet stood up in his philosophy of education class Monday night and announced: "It's cold outside and it caused me to freeze." Then Connal C. O'Connell pulled out a gold-plated .22 caliber revolver and shot himself to death before his horrified classmates, police the only body of water affected by the phosphates.

Brighton Lake the outlet for the millpond also suffers. It, too, is covered with algae in the spring and early summer, and home owners on that lake have been doing some "talking" too. WILL GO All-in-all, about three miles of Livingston County water is affected by the problem. The heavy algae grows from the outlet of Woodland Lake (about one and a half miles north of the city) through the millpond, and a round the townships have paid their bills through October, Bopf said. Cost to Vevay and Alaiedon townships for stand-by service is $1,500 a year, while cost to Aurelius Township is $1,000 a year.

$100 CHARGE Each time firemen are called to the scene of a fire and use the county and the building authority has also been signed. Under this the county pays the building, a th ri ty a set amount yearly until the bonds are retired. Then the building will be deeded to the county. Presently the Department of Social Services is in part of the jail basement and the health offices are in a converted house on W. Lawrence.

The new building will be behind the Eaton County Medical Care Facility on Beech Street in Charlotte. Kills Self O'Connell, who was separated from his wife, was the son of Dr. Francis P. O'Connell, an assistant professor of chemical engineering at the U-D. Police said O'Connell had typed his birth date on a cover of a report due in class Monday, followed by: "Died July 28, 1969, 6:22 p.m.

It was cold outside and it caused me to freeze." where the Millpond outlet enters that lake. Brighton Lake is about a mile southwest of the millpond. In a few days now the algae should be' gone, according to Romer. At least it will be out of sight. In the heat of the summer it will fall to the bottom of the lake.

But there it will lie in wait until next spring when nature will take its course and it will rise to the surface again. In the meantime city and township officials will seek a solution to the problem, but with today's high construction costs it seems doubtful one will be found. water or a fire extinguisher, there is a $100 charge, under the terms of the contract. If firemen are called to a township location but no water or other extinguisher is used, the contract calls for a $50 charge. Only major change in the contract this year is the period by the agreement.

In the past, the agreement ran from October to October. But, Mason officials this year asked the townships to sign for service from July 1 to June 30. The new contract dates are concurrent with the city's fiscal year. This year there will be a $15 charge for inhalator and resus-citator service, Bopf said. The service wus provided free in the past.

Each of the two men who respond to a call for inhalator or resuscitator service will receive $5, Bopf said. The other $5 will be used for equipment maintenance. Mason has three fire trucks and a jeep for the chief. Although the number varies from time to time, there are always over 15 men in the all-volunteer department. The department responds to an average of 90 calls a year.

PACT NEEDED Bopf explained that the city must have a written contract with the townships to enable Mason firemen to be official agents of the townships. Mason firemen are covered by the city's workmen's compensation insurance while fighting fires both inside and outside the city limits. Bopf said he is pleased with the system of cooperation between the city and the townships. "Several of our volunteers have businesses in Mason but live in the townships," Bopf said. Cooperation between city and township has worked out "very he said.

Eaton Plans Unusual Bid Session White Panther Head Gets Prison Sentence State Journal Eaton Bureau CHARLOTTE The Eaton County Building Authority, at its meeting on Aug. 7, is expected to set a date for accepting construction and bond bids on the new county health and welfare building. Sale of $240,000 worth of building authority bonds at a maximum interest rate of 6 per cent, was approved last week by the Michigan Municipal Finance Commission. Robert Harley, chairman of the building authority, said he hopes the date for opening construction bids and bids on bonds will be set by the authority next month. He explained the reason for accepting both bids on the same day is to avoid selling the bonds and then finding construction bids higher than the amount raised by the bond sale and through other methods.

"We want to open construc- Dies in Accident WAYLAND (UPI) Russell Yrheeler, 25, Middleville, was killed Monday when his car ran off the road three miles east of this Allegan County town and slammed into a tree, police said. DETROIT (UPI)-John Sinclair, bearded leader of the militant White Panthers, lost his cool Monday when he was sentenced to nine and a half to 10 years in Southern Michigan Prison for possession of marijuana. "You're a punk, you're a pig, you will die," the 31-year-old Sinclair bellowed at Recorder's Court Judge Robert J. Colombo as bailiffs hauled him from the courtroom. Sinclair of Ann Arbor, who had been placed on probation twice before on the same charge was convicted for the third time for possessing two Brighton Ponders Classes for Retarded Children igan Association for Retarded Children.

A parent at the meeting then came to her defense saying he does not think his child would even attend the school if Mrs. Lyberg were not his teacher. STRONG DEFENSE James Forner, principal of the Miller Elementary School, told the board he has worked with, and seen Mrs. Lyberg teach. "If it (placing a county-operated Type program in Brighton) would jeopardize her program in any way," Forner said, "I can't see going along with it." In his closing comments, however, Loan leaned in the direction of accepting the county-operated classroom.

"First," he said, "we must look at the future. There will soon be more than 32 Type students in this county. Second, there is some argument to free education for the Type student. Therefore the county should offer something to them." The Rickett school operates on a tuition basis of $3 a week per student, or $120 a year. Mrs.

Lyberg said no qualified student who requests admission is turned down just because his parents cannot afford the tuition. According to the Rickett School teacher, five students attended the school free last year. i The board tabled action on the matter two weeks ago pending its meeting with Mrs. Lyberg. "Certainly I'm not the person to approve what the county board does," Mrs.

Lyberg concluded. "If they need the Type program, by all means start one." She was quick to add however that the Hawkins school was not the proper place to house such a classroom. 'NOT TIME' County Special Education Director Lee Janssen made the request to the Brighton schools saying that all of the Type students in the county were not being served by the Rickett School. Mrs. Lyberg's reaction was a curt, "That is not true." She contends that some families in the county were told by the Intermediate District last year that a county facility would be open for their Type child last fall.

When it was discovered the facility would not be provided, it was too late to enroll the children in the Rickett School. There is room for 32 children at her school, according to Mrs. Lyberg, and its enrollment now is only 23. Brighton Superintendent Robert Loan questioned the legal complications of the school, pointing out to Mrs. Lyberg she is not a state certified or qualified instructor.

But, she noted the school is under the auspices of the Mich- X. By JIM MARHNSEX State Journal Staff Writer BRIGHTON Emotion-filled conflict arose Monday night when Brighton school administrators discussed the possibility of opening a classroom for mentally handicapped children at the Hawkins Elementary School here. In an hour meeting with Mrs. John Lyberg, teacher-operator of the Rickett School in Brighton, Livingston County's only facility for the Type (trainable) student, Mrs. Lyberg let the board inow she did not think such an arrangement would work.

Mrs. Lyberg said she could not see how the retarded child jcould share the same playground and bus system with the "average" child. She argued further, that she thought the program ould "collapse" within three years. PBESSURE TOO GREAT She said the records would support her argument that most Type certified and qualified teachers do not last for more than two or three years in the school system in which they are employed. 1 "The pressure is just too great on them," she concluded.

Mrs. Lyberg's statements came in the wake of an Intermediate School Board attempt to place a Type classroom in a currently vacant portable classroom' located at the Hawkins School. I She added she would like to see the students receive free transportation and lunches, as all other students receive. She said the students should ride a special bus. Currently the children are transported to and from school via 1 a parent's car pool.

The school was offered a free bus a few years ago but refused it as insurance costs, the price of a driver and maintenance cost would not fit into its tight budget. Funds for the school come from the tuition, the community chest and other community and county donations. The building is an old elementary school donated by the Brighton schools. Only the gas and electricity bills are paid by the Rickett School. "Our only concern is for the child," Mrs.

Lyberg concluded. "That $11,000 budget figure includes all salaries. We have seen many payless paydays since we began our operation 14-and-a-half years ago." Mrs. Lyberg shook her head 'no' as Loan concluded that the schools "should consider the organization of the county Type program while working closely with the Rickett School." One person present said it would be "the beginning of the end for the. Rickett School" if the county Type program is initiated.

A decision on the matter should be made by the board at its meeting in two weeks. "A.