Mayor Resigns Payroll Taxes
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More news stories and features inside Gun range in Coloma Twp. may come before planners; Mr. Gabel announces retirement from WPS... Page 5 letter writer encourages Coloma calls for help with water main breaks... Page 7 public opposition... Local b-ball teams open seasons with wins... Page 9 Armchair Q-Backs pick Page 2 the weekend football Hartford Twp. eyes tougher peddler law... page 11 game winners, Page 9 The Newspaper for Coloma - Hartford - Watervliet 463-NEWS record@i2k.com www.tricityrecord.cont 12/31/2020 4S1 MIXED DET.-1 HOAG & SONS TRI- CITY nSPRINGPORT , Ml 492S4 127th Year Issue #51 December 1'/, e Cents "The parish can rest assured that there is nothing more to worry about in this regard." Church settles $700,000 debt with IRS; avoids $700,000 in penalties By Karl Bayer, Editor ered that certain (payroll) taxes had Most Reverend Paul J. Bradley and Endowment Fund, along with a loan Compiled by Annette Christie from the Diocesan Deposit and Loan Members of the St. Joseph Catholic been unpaid and were unaccounted for mailed out to the parish members by Fund, which can be paid back over Church Parish of Watervliet learned over a period of approximately six Father Swiat, Bishop Bradley wrote: Marijuana and time. The parish can rest assured that last week that penalties of $700,000 years. It was determined that the "... Due to the hard work on the part there is nothing more to worn about alcohol are factors had been forgiven on a debt of nearly parish owed about $640,000 in back of Fr. Gordon Greene (parish pastor), $700,000 in unpaid payroll taxes. taxes and faced up to $700,000 in along with parish staff and others in this regard." The Bishop also wrote that he could in an accident In mid-2007, parishioners learned fines. parish leaders, and working coopera- not comment on questions about how that the results of internal and external In a letter to Father James Swiat at St. tively w ith diocesan staff as well as an for mother and son Joseph Catholic Church on November outside tax consultant, the parish has the unpaid tax situation came about audits showed the parish owed back The Van Buren County Sheriff's De- 30 from the Bishop of Kalamazoo, the resolved this entire problem (the but... "I assure you that once the mat- taxes to the IRS. The audits discov- partment was dispatched to a crash money owed to the IRS). There was a ter is resolved, I will be in a better involving injured parties involving $1,400,000 outstanding bill owed to position to share that information." the IRS for failure to fulfill the proper At the time of the disclosure of the children in the 60000 block of C.R. 687E on Wednesday, December 9, at Mayor resigns payroll taxes. Due to the hard work of unpaid taxes, church officials and em- all involved, and the good will of the ployees were interviewed by the IRS. approximately 4:03 p.m. and extensive travel outside of our Upon arrival, deputies investigated IRS, the parish only had to repay the At that lime, church officials surmised community. As a result, I feel that 1 $700,000; the IRS forgave all penal- that the unpaid taxes were the result of the crash and interviewed parties at can no longer serve the City in the the scene. Through the investigation, ties and interest owed on that amount. budget mismanagement and not of manner which it deserves. it was determined that a 27-year-old This was accomplished by a combina- anv criminal action. "I would like to thank the City Com- tion of payments from the School mission and Staff for the hard work CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 and due diligence that has resulted in improvements to City expenditures, Miss Watervliet and Court infrastructure and overall manage- ment. There is of course much more work to be done, though; we have soundly begun moving in the right direction. It has therefore been an honor and a privilege to work with all of you. "I wish the City Commission and our Roger Prince resigned as City well in all its future endeavors. I Mayor of Watervliet on Monday care deeply about our community and By Karl Bayer, Editor would like to thank everyone for Roger Prince submitted his resigna- allowing me to serve our wonderful tion as Mayor of the City of Watervliet City for the past 20 years." on Monday, December 14, effective The Mayor requested a Commission immediately. meeting be scheduled as soon as pos- Prince's letter of resignation was pro- sible to accept his resignation and act vided to the Tri-City Record, along on the vacancy. with plans for the mayoral replace- According to Clay, regarding vacan- ment process by City Manager Troy cies on the City Commission, the City's Charter reads: "Whenever a Clay. vacancy shall occur in any elective Mayor Prince's letter reads: 2010 MISS WATERVLIET AND HER COURT...(from the left) Miss Congeniality Jordan Cowsert; Second office, the City Commission shall "It is with deep regret that I offer my Runner-up Madi DiMaggio; Miss Watervliet Alyson Wendzel; and First Runner-up Sara Carr. resignation as Mayor of Watervliet. aPPoint some qualiried Person t0 ^ (Annette Christie photo) vacanc Recently I accepted a position that suc^ y» an^ person so requires additional time commitments aPP0inte^ shall hold office until his successor is elected and qualified. At Alyson Wendzel crowned Miss Watervliet the next regular municipal election held at least 90 days after such vacan- By Annette Christie Carr stands 5'I" and has brown hair Carr; DiMaggio; Karlianne Losh- cy shall occur, a person shall be elect- Eleven young women graced the and eyes. She is the daughter of James bough; and Jennifer Oliphant - an- H1N1 vaccine ed to fill such office and the person stage of the Watervliet High School and Karla Carr and Mary Zvonar. A swered a final question where they elected shall hold such office for the Auditorium on Saturday night, Dec- senior at Waterv liet High School, Sara had to declare if they could make one available to remainder of the unexpired term." ember 12, but in the end it was Aly son serves as President of her WHS Class wish come true, what it would be. A special meeting of the City Com- Wendzel who wore the crown and of 2010 and is in the Top 10 students mission has been scheduled for banner of Miss Watervliet 2010. of her class. She volunteers at the Eric Kibler all; call for an Monday, December 21, 2009, 7:00 Wendzel, a junior who attends Water- North Berrien Senior Center, for p.m., at City Flail to address the vliet High School, described her fav- blood drives, for Special Olympics, crowned appointment Mayor's resignation according to the orite Walt Disney memory as that of and at wrestling meets. City's Charter. play ing Belle from the movie "Beauty Following high school, she plans to Mr. Watervliet The Berrien County Flealth Depart- Prince told the Record, "It is hard for and the Beast" in her Belle nightgown attend college and study biomedical Photo and story on Page 8 ment will begin offering the HINI me to be Mayor and not be there, in her Belle-decorated room. sciences. Carr also receiv ed the Good influenza vaccine in its offices by "That's not fair to the City or its citi- All contestants reminisced on their Luck Ad award for selling the most Wendzel replied that she would wish appointment only. Vaccine restric- zens." favorite memory, following the con- ads in the program. for a cure for Juv enile Diabetes so thai tions have been lifted and anyone who Prince has been Mayor for two years test theme of "When You Wish Upon no other child would have to struggle wishes to be vaccinated can do so. and a City Commissioner for 23 years a Star." DiMaggio is also a senior who at- with this disease, which she has hac Appointments are available all day in before that. "It's been fun and I have The new queen is the daughter of tends Watervliet High School. She is since she was 3. Benton Flarbor and Niles, beginning really enjoyed it," Prince said. Brad and Joyce Wendzel. She stands the daughter of Vince and Arlene The other contestants were Haleigh Friday, December 18, 2009; and con- Of recent allegations of mismanage- 5'7" tall, with brown hair and eyes. DiMaggio. She stands 5'6" tall, with Kiser, Bethany Milnickel, Kayia War- tinuing each Friday throughout ment by resident Dave Flaherty, She is involved in the National Honor brown hair and hazel eyes. sko, Emily Fisher, and Kelsey Doug- January, beginning January 8, 2010. Prince said, "My resignation has ab- Society, Waterv liet Youth Outreach, 4- Madeline has been involved in cheer- las. Please call the Benton Harbor office at solutely nothing to do with Mr. Fla- H, Student Senate, and serves as the leading and tennis. She has also vol- Entertainment was provided by 200S (269) 927-5636; or the Niles office, herty's FOIA (Freedom of Informa- Vice President of her class. She is the unteered her time with the Readiness Miss Watervliet Sarah Faulkner anc (269) 684-2800, extension 5636, tion Act) request or Mr. Flaherty's drum major for marching band, is in Center and for cheerleading capips. Monday through Friday to schedule threats. I have taken everything he has jazz band, concert choir, jazz choir, She plans on attending college after her court.