" 4 22 Pages ' SsowinfiluL CEpbmlQtoSL Sinai 1856 January 22,1975 v ST JOHNS, MICHIGAN 4887a '/V * 11. Factions clash at watershed meeting 'By Debbie LaParl The farmers cited several treasons why in Clinton,'Gratiot, and Shiawassee Coun- 'recreation development, and conservation , County News Writer Environmental Protection ' Council 1 the project should' continue, and the en- ties, The improvements consist of 9.1 miles land treatment, suggested an alternative to dredging the It was essentially a battle between en­ vironmentalists explained why it should not. of levees, 7,8 miles of collection channels vironmentalists and farmers that raged at The. impact statement handed out at the river, She said the counties should forget the the Jan 16 meeting of the East Upper Maple What they were concerned with were with 2 pump stations, 1 mile of floodway, meeting stated that these proposed im- costly project,.which,would save only a River Watershed Project. proposed improvements designated for the 54.2'miles of channel work, 1 flood retention provements yvould adequately treat 31,825 small portion of land* and save a larger East Upper Maple River Watershed, located , structure, fish, and wildlife development, a acres sof crop and pasture la'nd against portion of farm land by re-zoning larid now ' erosion, and reduce the gross erosion rate to. designated for development. She said the 2.5 tons 'per acre. Among a long list of river could be cleaned out by a team of benefits were the reduction of sediment load people who could manually remove the logs in the channels to 60 to 70 percent, the and debris, reduction of Hood drainage on 13,600 acres, The estimated cost for both projects is $17 and the improvement of drainage on 23,500 million, with the East watershed costing $13 acres. The report also claimed that million. An $8.5 million would come from the agricultural efficiency on 28,400 acres would federal .government, $3,2 million from the improve, and surface water tun off in the DNR," and the remainder, $1.8 million to watershed would improve by 4 to 6 percent. come from local property owners. Although over 100 people came to Ovid- When asked the exact amount individual Elsie High School to debate the issue, before property owners would have to pay, Stanley tip debate began Arthur H,*Cratty, state Quackenbush, chief of the Drainage and conservationist with the Soil Conservation Watershed Planning Division of the pept of Service, said "both the East and West Agriculture, said he wasn't sure of the exapt watershed projects had already been ap­ costs. He said the drain commission for each proved by both houses in Congress. county would set the apportionments which The meeting then, was to comply with tne are dependent upon the amount of benefit Environmental Protection Act whfch the property owners derive from the requires itnpact statements and" public watershed. inputs on projects ,such as this one. Many were not satisfied with the answer, Crafty said any .new information on 1he but Quackenbush said the actual cost could consequences and impact this project would not be given until the entire* cost for the have on the environment would be compiled project was determined. and published in the final impact statement. Clintpn County commissioner Duane So the debate which followed would have'no Chamberlain took a turn to speak and said bearing on whether-the project was to cost* could be a real problem with the. continue or hot. project. "He said he doubted if the DNR Several farmers spoke in favor of the, would pay its share because it was already project claiming that many were going out refusing to pay taxes on (property owfied in of business due to la'ck of drainage. They Clinton County. ' / said sedimentation, poor drainage, and Chamberlain took apart the preliminary flooding caused problems on their farm environmental impact statement*page by* land. They felt that the proposed im­ page charging that many of the facts were provements to the watershed would solve wrong. He said he doubted if farmers would these problems. One farmer said only 40 benefitasmuch by the improvements as the acres of 195 acres of his farm land along the statement claimed, and i million visits to river, which was in production 10 years ago, the recreation center would cause more can be worked now. problems than good. \ A representative from the Michigan Ghamberlain said: "I feel this project is a Conservation Club charged that the farmers poor use of public money, and I would even brought the condition on themselves with call it a misuse of public money," , ) This js the St Johns wrestling team and they are the Clinton County Wrestling Tournament champs poor/ farming techniques which caused He said the Clinton County commissioners i County Commissioner Duane Chamberlain for the 3d year in a row, earning them permanent possession of the trophy dpnated by the Clinton erosion and sedimentation. had not taken a stand on the project, but has his say during watershed meeting. He said only 35 percent of the' farmers m (there was a "sense of opposition." County News.' For complete meet details, see County News Sports, . the designated area co-operated with the ' Even after the meeting was officially Sbil Conservation District. An angry farmer over, farmers arid environmentalists were aYuesti6nedtbatnumbe^ancisaid.closer^o95 still deba.t)ng-the ptPXiondicon's of tie ^Ple.a^ guilty to percent onhe farmers "co-operated. No one project The tone oi 'the meeting, was Who sets salaries, detracted seetaed to have statistics to back ejther sumpjedjjp best l?y Crattj* who said: ?,At all," claim of these meetings I've been to, never has manslaughter A representative from the West Michigan* anyone convinced anyone else of anything." treasurer's resignation sparks ST JOHNS -- A 23-year-old'St Johns \ • mother pled guilty Monday, Jan 13, at Circuit Court, to charges of manslaughter "Col Bill." talks over the death of her 17-month-old daughter. ,/ Chiyako Harrison, 1524 S. Lansing St, meeting at DeWitt Township p tearfully testified, that on Oct 4, 1974, she was holding her daughter, Lisa, in her arms about the circus and spanking her when the<:hild fell and hit j -. her head She said after the fall, the child « By Debbie LaParl ' - pressure. We just'asked if he would consider The new method would take the board's - "Col' B\II Voorheis, owner and that audiences are more appreciative of the was unconscious and she tried to awaken . County News Writer resigning and he said he had been! thinking power of recommending the salary away ringmaster of the Voorheis Bros traveling performers than in most larger towns where about it" ' her but couldn't She' said her husband DEWITT TWP-Twd issues caused much and give it to a 5 member commission. The circus which will play Jan 31 from 6-8 pm at they have so much going* on. arrived home right after Lisa's fall, and excitement af the most recent meeting of Warren said Kirschner's account of what bpa,rd could either accept or -reject the St Johns High School was in the area "The trouble we encounter" he goes on, took the child to Sparrow Hospital where she DeWitt Townsh'ip Boardjaf Trustees* happened was'not'exactly accurate, and the commission's recommendation, but if they yesterday, explaining what will be seen at "is that people say if lfs such a great show reject it, their old salaries would have to do died Oct is The first, a conflict over whawould have reason a resignation was asked for was due the circus. why is it here instead of Buffalo, Detroit or , Judge Leo \V\ Corkin ordered bond con­ the final decision in determining board to Kirschner's problems in efficiency. In a until the commission meets again, in 2 The performances will help support' the Memphis?" yoorheis answer is, that if you years. ' \ tinued. She will be sentenced Feb 10, 1:30 members salaries, the citizens of DeWitt telephone interview, he said Kirschner was t Redwing Marching Band's trip to Dallas, see his acts when they perform on many of pm. The felony has a maximum sentence Twp, or'a salary commission, brought about lacking (in his duties, that he wasn't,, The main objection thejboard had with the 'Texas for the 'Lions International Con­ the hig Shrine circus dates in the big towjis, of 15 yea.rs in prison, or a $7500 fine, or both. 40 persons from their-homes to brave the operating the office in a very efficient old way, was the fact thauney, the board, vention) they are the same here as they are The minimum sentence is left to the cold, Jan 12. *, . manner, Warren said he felt' Kirschner's had to make a request to the taxpayers. ,'i guess I just never grew up" explained there... only the setting is changed. discretion of the court. The second issue was essentially a sur­ health could be a cause of the problem. They wanted to devise another system so Voorheis as his eyes lit up and twinkled Instead of playing in the big"fcivic centers, prise. An attorney for John C. Kirschner Jr, Wdrren also stated that Kirschner wasn't that others would make the recom­ merrily as he gave account of the thrills and •they are in the "Big High School Gyms". township treasurer, revealed a resignation in his office to collect taxes during the times mendation. chills, that1 are experienced on his circus. When quizzed about the recession- and ahd retraction of that resignation for the he said he would be, and added, "As high as Finally after much debate, both sides met ' Unlike,"most circus owners and performers, probably gasoline shortage, Voorheis an­ Corn growers absent treasurer, a 4 taxes are, accurate recordsshould be kept." with a compromise.