yUOTE For great is truth, and shall prevail. 50 c —Thomas Brooks pf>r ropy Printed on Recycled Paper Plu» ONE HUNDRED-TWENTY-SECOND YEAR—No. 20 CHELSEA, MICHIGAN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1992 20 Pages This Week *"ppi«™n School Board Considers Purchase of Bus Software, Accepts Two Music Gifts Chelsea School District is consider­ administration believes the software "A two-tier system would bring ing the purchase of a computer soft* can help the district determine some pretty significant changes and ware system to help with school bus whether changing from a one-tier to a families would need time to plan for scheduling, route planning, and other two-tier bus system would make the changes," Piasecki said, matters related to the busing system. sense. A two-tier system has gotten Some of the questions to be Basic bus routes were devised many support lately because it may help the answered are whether a similar pro- -yearsago,and minor-changeshave district save-money,it would allow—gram-can be written locally for-less been made from year to year to ac­ the school day to begin and end earlier money, whether someone would have commodate circumstances. for high school students, and younger to be hired to set up and operate the A suggestion from the administra­ students would not have to ride with system, and how does the software fit tion to hire Edulog Education older students. into the master plan for technology of Logistics, Inc. was tabled Monday "If the two-tier system is not prac­ the district. night by the Chelsea Board of Educa­ tical, the system could give sugges­ In other board news from Monday's tion until a few questions are tions and ideas about making our cur­ meeting, a bid of $20,650 was accepted answered. rent system more efficient," said from A.F. Smith & Sons of Ypsilanti to The company would sell the soft­ superintendent Joe Piasecki. replace lights at the Cameron Pool. ware for $25,000, plus an annual $2,500 "It's my feeling the software would Humid conditions there are causing fee for updates. In addition, the board pay for itself in the first year." He rust problems. is considering whether to use the com­ said he believes it's inevitable the The board accepted two gifts from pany to enter the huge amount of data district will need some kind of outside the Chelsea Music Boosters, a record­ needed to make the program run. help. ing system for the high school valued CHELSEA POSTMASTER LARRY WILLIAMS, is his wife, Patricia. Right is BUI Brenner, who will take That would cost another $10,000. Piasecki said the board probably at $2,000 and a tape and disc system center, retired last Friday after 21 years in Chelsea and 32 Williams' place until a permanent appointment is an- The company was recommended for the middle school valued at $1,100. years-in-the-postal service. Williams, a Miinith-resident^ nounced. after a study by the Washtenaw In­ needs to make a final decision about plans to become a handyman in his second career. At left termediate School District, as well as the company by nest month. The com­ The.board met in executive session some checking locally. The company pany has said it can generate the for about 20 minutes for "some sen­ serves a number of school districts, necessary reports in about three sitive discussions with our attorney" both large and small, In Michigan. It months. Piasecki said he believes the as they relate to facilities planning, Postmaster Larry Williams Retires is one of about five companies nation­ decision to change to a two-tier system Piasecki said. He said the reasons for wide that offer the service. would have to be made by February in the closed session would likely > In addition to helping the bus order to get it implemented in time for become public knowledge in about a After 21 Years in Chekea Office_ system operate more efficiently, the the 1993-94 school year. month. w Larry Williams spent his last day on work. His wife, Patricia, works at Mill "Fifty percent of the mail comes in the job as Chelsea postmaster last Pond Bakery and she will continue directly to the carrier and bypasses Friday. there, the clerk," Williams says. Union Gets Boost After The Munith resident became "Someone has to bring home the "By 1995, it will come directly postmaster in 1983, replacing -Dick -doughy she jokes. sorted to each customer. The post of­ Schaules. He spent 21 years in fice will have better service with When Williams began here, there fewer employees." Chelsea, the first 12 years as assistant were three village routes and three to the postmaster. He began his postal Another change.is the vast increase NLRB Hearing on rural routes. Now there are four in the in bulk or "junk" mail, which he said service career 32 years ago in Wayne village and five outside and he says as a city carrier, then clerk. now constitutes about 40 percent of the rural area "continues to boom." the post office's work, Williams, 51, took a voluntary But* the major change since he "Bulk majl pays,its own way,': r«t1f>menr&ffcr; part 6T the' postal Williams says. Chelsea Industries Vote started, he said, has been the increase service's effort to eliminate 30,000 in automation. It will keep the local "It's still a good way to get to the management jobs. There are about customer." 700,000 postal employees nation-wide. post office from adding more routes,' Chelsea Industries, Inc. has lost the Two employees, Jeff Rudd and Can- their dismay with the election and it should also allow the service to Assistant postmaster Bill Brenner latest round in its effort to keep dace Prater, testified on behalf of the results," Zane wrote. "I guess I'd like to do a little han­ stay in its current building at the cor­ will take over for Williams until the employees from unionizing. union, a number of employees "This tended to 'shade' their dyman type of work," Williams said ner of Main and South Sts. for many postal service goes through its hiring After a hearing-last ..testified on behalf olthe-company, of his retirement from governmental years.. process. the National Labor Relations Board, "While I do not believe that any of tions and exaggerations." hearing officer Patricia Zane recom­ the witnesses took the stand with the Zane also wrote that she found both mended Sept. 30 that all objections fil­ intent to deceive, I also conclude that Rudd and Prater to be credible ed by the company over last October's the [company's] witnesses-for the witnesses. union vote be "overruled in their en­ most part conveyed, through their The report lists a number of' in- School Bond Issue Not tirety," and that the 75-34 vote in testimony and over-all demeanor, favor of joining the United Auto (Continued on page six) Workers be allowed to stand. The maker of auto seat frames and Likely Until Late 1993 auto trim wire narrowly averted Fire Department Sets unionization in 1990 by a few votes. The results were contested and a new Chelsea School District voters prob- Superintendent Joe Piasecki said the arts building needs to be remodeled, election was ordered, which was held ably won't see another facilities pro- "least likely scenario" would be the science facilities need to be upgraded, last year. Open House Sunday posal on the ballot until at least next construction of another K-5 building, and the current locker building will The company made five basic Chelsea Fire Department will hold Specialized equipment will be fall. for a number of reasons, including soon be unoccupied, Piasecki said. charges in its objections. its annual Open House this Sunday, demonstrated throughout the day. At The Chelsea Board of Education how school boundaries would be set. New lockers have beeninstalled in the The union intimidated, coerced, and Oct. 11 from noon to 4 p.m. at the fire 12:30 rescuers will show ho* the car­ held a special meeting Saturday to However, the new building may not high school using part of the dedicated restrained employees in the exercise hall on W. Middle St. in recognition of diac defibrillator unit is used to revive discuss how to proceed with facilities be for early education as was propos­ maintenance millage. of their free choice; National Fire Prevention'Week. heart attack victims. From 1 to 1:30, planning. ed last fall. It could possibly house Whether a proposal will contain any The union granted waivers of initia­ Members of the department will firefighters will show how to use a fire Last year voters overwhelming re­ fourth and fifth grade students in­ money for athletic facilitiesrsuch as tion fees if employees would join "the demonstrate equipment and hold a extinguisher properly. From 1:30 to 2, jected a $23.5 million plan for exten stead. Or it could be a K-2 school. A expanded football bleachers or new union prior to the election; number of displays. rescue workers will show how "Jaws sive renovations and a new early—big issue is where to put the pre-schooL hakfihall, aoftball, and soccer fields^ -The-unton made substantial and Children and adult^ean get-a-close- of Me'Hielps firefighters reachauto education building. program, which essentially operates is not known. It does not look like a unrealistic promises to the employees up look at Chelsea fire trucks, from crash victims who are pinned in their on a break-even basis through tuition new gym will be included.