Seek Area Bus Service in Cass
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Report best Survey planned beet crop since 1990 Seek area bus A snow storm that ham- mered the ’ Thumb over the weekend will slow the area’s sugar beet harvest, but it 1 city didn’t hamper enthusiasm service in Cass among growers and Michi- gan Sugar Co. officials. Having a dependable mode years pay $1.25 for a one- meet at times,” she added. offering dependable trans- “With days like this (Mon- “This crop is probably the of transportation is a lot like way trip anywhere within the ‘portation at an affordable day), we are generally best - the highest tonnage many of today’s conve- service area. Riders ages 5 price. crop - since 1990,” said niences; driving is easy to to 17 years pay $1, senior busier.” But it’s too early for predic- Robert Braem, Michigan take for granted until that car, ‘citizenspay just 60 cents and Among the growing clien- tions. The decision-making Sugar’s vice-president of ag- or the ability to drive, is taken riders under the age of 5 ride tele are parents who contract process is going to take time, riculture. away. free. with the bus service to trans- according to Murphy, who “We’re well ahead of sched- Just ask Mary Ann Cooper, “I don’t think there has port their children to and said she knows there is a de- ule and the harvest has gone a senior citizen in the Cass been a rate increase, I would from school; rides to day mand for the service in Cass very well up until yesterday City area, who, like many say, in the past 8 to 10 years,” care programs, and, of City and other areas. afternoon,” he added Mon- others, is unable to drive due she said, course, demand on the part Officials hope to learn just day. to health reasons. The bus service occasion- of senior citizens. “That is a how much interest is gener- Braem said the weekend ally provides rides to resi- big one, especially disabled ated by the surveys, which storm “will slow the harvest Cooper, who drove for dents living outside of seniors.” will be distributed over the for a short period, but we’ll some 50 years before poor Indianfields and Almer Murphy said Caro next few weeks. Murphy get back at it.” eyesight forced her to hang townships, but it’s expensive. Thumbody Express provided said the survey process is An estimated 90 percent vi up her car keys about 3 years A senior citizen living in the close to 61,000 rides last expected to take a year to the beets expected by Michi- ago, misses the indepen- Cass City area, for example, year, and nearly one-quarter complete. gan Sugar Co. have been har- dence driving meant for her. would be charged $7.50 for of the riders were senior citi- Officials will then try to vested to-date. “We’re look- a ride to Caro, while a zens. determine if there is enough ing for 2 million tons in to- “Every body’s willing to younger adult would pay Provided enough residents interest to expand bus ser- tal,” Braem explained, noting take me, but it’s very hard to $15. are interested enough and vice, and whether it will be the Car0 plant is slated to re- ask,” she said. “When I want Murphy pointed out de- willing to pass a special tax feasible to expand only in ceive 350,000 tons, while the to go someplace, I have to mand for bus transportation levy to help fund the service, certain areas if there isn’t remainder of the crop will go bug my husband. He never in the existing service area is buses could be traveling enough support to go county- complains,~ ._ but once in high. “More than we can wide with the service. to the company’s plants in throughoutv Tuscola County, Croswcll, Sebewaing and awhile it.. would be nice to C arr ol 1ton. BOO! SCARY pumpkin faces like these decorating a Cass justgo.” Braem said yields are aver- Cooper is among a number aging close to 20 tons per City area residence will greet little trick-or-treaters as they of residents who would very acre, significantly better than venture out in search of goodies on Halloween night, Oct. 31. much like to see a bus ser- the 17 or 18 tons per acre vice come to the Cass City seen in recent years. And, he The official trick-or-treating hours are 530 to 7 p.m. in Cass area. pointed out, sugar content is It’s an idea whose time may City, and 5 to 7 p.m. in Gagetown. have come. Please turn to back page. Car0 Transit Authority of- ficials are looking into the possibility of expihding bus Asbestos payment helps service beyond Indianfields and Almer townships. To- wards that end, officials are in the process of preparing a mail survey to determine if School forges ahead with there is enough interest to proceed. “We’re interested in going county-wide,” said Lois final expansion plans Sutton, who serves as chair- man of the Caro Transit Au- Supt. Ken Micklash an- expenditures of .0%4 per- pected to be $992,395. the budget appears on page thority, a public non-profit nounced plans for continued cent to a total of $9,183,264 Micklash said that he did not 14. corporation that contracts improvement of school fa- from actual 1996-7 expendi- expect that the newly with the Human Develop- cilities made possible by a tures of $8,877,576. The adopted budget will need to DRIVEHTRAINING ment Commission to operate $46,542 payment for dam- 1997-8 fund balance is ex- be revised: A breakdown of Please turn to back page, the Car0 Thumbody Express. ages in asbestos removal and a healthy general fund. The Sutton said the service, capital improvement plan Approve service contract which has 7 buses, all was authorized by the Cass equipped with wheelchair City School Board in its lifts, is funded by state and regular monthly session federal dollars through the Monday at the school. Okay annexation of Michigan Department of Micklash passed out copies Transportat ion. In addition, of a check received in Sep- one-mill taxes are levied in tember as the second pay- both Indianfields and Almer ment received due to asbes- Methodist Church land townships. tos litigation, and indicated that the school would receive The extension locks in the proposed takeover is whether The local tax dollars make The Cass City Village it possible to charge very rea- a third check in the fall of Council Monday voted in current charge of $8 per the state would continue to 1998 SO that the total pay- household per month for reimburse the village for sonable rates to residents liv- favor of an annexation re- ing in the 2-township service ment will probably be quest and approved a 2-year wcckly garbage service, maintenance of the roadway, SNOWY OWL -A snowstorm blanketed much of the Thumb as it does now for mainte- area, according to HDC $155,000. waste service contract that composting and recycling as with 2 inches Or more Of Snow Sunday night, giving area RSi- The first payment was used stipulated in the village’s cur- nance on M-81. Business Director Judy guarantees no fee increase who Oversees ad- to blacktop the parking area for village residents. rent contract. Cove has Also Monday, the council: dents a taste of things to come. Above, the white stuff left its on the east side of the high served Cass City for the past .Approved a bid of ~3,97~ministration of the bus pro- The annexation request was gram* mark on nearly everything, including this plastic owl used to school and the Deford park- presented in a letter from the 3 years. submitted by Robert Bliss to ing lot. The check received trustees of the United Meth- In other business during the put a new roof on the village Currently, she explained, scare birds from a Cass City resident’s garden, this year will be used for the odist Church of Cass City, monthly meeting, the coun- pool building. Also vying for ages * years to 59 parking areas at Campbell which is currently construct- cil learned Village Manager the job was Ray Hendrick, School, the annex building ing a new building just north Lou S. LaPonsie will repre- who submitted a bid of and the parlung lot at the ah- of the village. The annex- sent Cass City at a mecting $4,885. letic field at Cass City Rec- ation involves a 5-acre par- called to discuss the Michi- .Learned the individual reational Park. cel and would provide the gan Department of who has been offered the job In the school’s general fund new church with village Tr qn sport at i on * s proposed of Cass City village manager budget, $200,000 has been sewer service. takeover of some primary has accepted the post. Jane reserved to convert the The request was accompa- county roads and some of the A. Downing of Romulus is middle school annex into a nied by annexation requests major streets throughout the scheduled to begin her new chi 1 d ho od center for from John and Kally state, including some in duties Monday, Nov. 3. She Campbell School’s pre- Maharg, Grant and Mary Tuscola County. fills a vacancy created by school and kindergartcn pro- Hutchinson and Tom and The meeting will be held LaPonsie’s retirement at the gram.