J/P 35?! (Serving The Lowell Area for over 100 Years ) 0iil* Mich 4920i The Lowell Ledger Volume 23, Issue 9 Serving Lowell Area Readers Since 1893 Wednesday, January 1,1997 Nothing alarming Gifts From The Heart found in city audits By Thaddeus J. Kraus Lowell Ledger Editor authority or general fund. The building and site fund could If the audits of accounts then be terminated. and records for the city of The Frank L. Carr Fund Lowell, Lowell Light and and the Lee Fund are both Power and Lowell Cable Tele- trust funds held by the city of vision were chili, there would Lowell for the benefit of city be no "alarm" disclaimers. residents. In fact, the audits prepared The funds have no by the firm of Biggs. adopted policy to allow these t i Hausserman, Thompson and funds to grow through retain- Dickenson P.C. would all be ing a portion of their annual considered pretty bland. fund balance. The city of Lowell's audit Dickinson suggested that showed the general revenue the city council adopt a policy was up 2.6 percent or $43,000 for these two funds which WS* At. (from approximately $1.6 to would be similar to the policy $1.7 million). adopted by the Look-Daley Also rising slightly were Fund. The Look-Daley policy stale shared revenue (by a reserves 15 percent of the % couple of percentage points) annual income in the fund and property tax (by one per- balance. cent). * Thomas Dickinson. CPA. With an investment base said these were all in line with of $2.6 million, the Lowell past years. Light and Power investment One item that did draw fund remains quite healthy. Employees at Lowell's FMB State Savings Bank helped brighten the holidays of Ave area families. Employee u attention to itself is the expen- Virgil Biggs, CPA. said contributions were collected over a month and a half. Coordinator Diane MacNaughton said the idea for adopting diture ledger in which an in- in order to realize the maxi- families" over the holidays came from pastor Roger LaWarre of First Congregational Church of Lowell. Money crease of 11 percent or mum return on these funds, it is collected until the first weekend in December. Parents of the families are contacted and shopping lists are made u $165,000 was incurred. is important that cash be ana- up. FMB employees then go out and shop for items on the list. We used to exchange names, but this is much more "This was due to sidewalk lyzed frequently so that a bal- enjoyable and more in the spirit of Christmas," MacNaughton said. The gifts pictured above were for one of the five construction and the purchase ance between short-term, families. of fire and police equipment." mid-term and long-term in- Dickinson said. vestments can be maintained. The fund balance of Lowell Light and Power's Sports club reaches agreement with $718,512 continues to repre- net income for the year end- sent 10-15 percent of the total ing 1996 was $344,753, up budget. SI 23.990 from 1995. township board regarding facility upgrades Of that total. $1-30.000 of 'The most significant the reserve is set aside for factor in the increase in net By Marc Popiolek vacation and sick pay. income was a reduction in Contributing Writer the club, which has occupied the same location on more than The audit also shows that purchase power costs of 43 acres of land since I960. $ 100,000 was transferred from $125,174," Biggs said. Lowell Charter Township officials have received word The club will operate as a "rustic" campground until the the equity fund to help in the The interest income for from the Northeastern Sportsman's Club that the organiza- septic system has been cleaned up, according to township financing of the downtown the year was $157,172 com- tion will meet the guidelines set by the township board to keep supervisor John Timpson. water main. pared to $ 133,770 a year ago. its facility operating. Members of the club pay an annual fee to store their Dickinson also pointed In 1992, the profit spread The board gave the club a list of 10 guidelines that must camper trailers during the winter and visit them during the out that the city of Lowell's was $756,000. Four years be met to continue its operation on Grand River Drive. summer. building and site fund has been later, the profit margin now Besides installing a privacy fence, a gate that locks and a The club existed before zoning came to the township, but reduced to a nominal amount. stands at over $1 million. commercial driveway, and informing the township board of a review was prompted when the township began receiving He recommended the balance Biggs suggested that the the club's governing body, the organization must clean up its complaints from neighbors of the club. of approximately $1,700 be city revisit the $600,000 re- septic system to meet Kent County Health Department codes. Residents' number one complaint was of people asking to use their phones during late evening hours. transferred to the building Audit, cont'd, pg. 6 The septic system violation was the most serious found at Ifthe club meets all of the township's guidelines, it will receive a special use permit. Along Main Street PRESCHOOL REGISTRATION In the past, Timpson said the club has .shown good Registration for fall 1997 at Lowell United Methodist intentions of working with the board and neighbors regarding preschool will begin Tuesday. Jan. 14. the new rules. For questions or information please call 897-8690 begin- Timpson said the club's existence meets the use of the ning January 6. land and doesn't believe further problems will arise. E GIFTED AND TALENTED PARENT SUPPORT MEETING A workshop will be held at Highlands Middle School INSIDE THE LEDGER cafeteria on 4645 Chandy NE on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1997 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. It is entitled 'To be gifted and learning disabled" with Dr. Susan Baum . There is no charge. If any Lowell Wrestlers Third LOWELL CABLE BOARD MEETING questions, call Mary Nell Baldwin at 364-1333. The Lowell Cable TV board meeting of December 19 will at Grandville, pg. 18 be shown on LCTV Channel 2 at 7 p.m. through January 3. PARTICIPATE IN THE SCHOOL'S FIVE GUIDING PRINCIPLES Cornerstone to Close YOUTH FOOTBALL MEETING You are invited to assist Lowell Area Schools in developing A Lowell Youth Football meeting will be held on Monday. five guiding principles for our community and schools. This Down Aviation Jan. 6 beginning at 7 p.m. in the Board of Education board will take place on Thursday. Jan. 16 from 7 to 9:30 p.m. in the Lowell Middle School Cafeteria. 750 Foreman Rd. room. 300 High Street. Programs, pg. 15 Please call 897-8415 with your RSVP or any questions. Main Street, cont'd, pg. 6 The Lowell Ledger-Wednesday, January 1,1997-Page 3 The Ixmdl I >edger-Wednesday, January 1,1997-Page 2 STEENWYK - Mrs. Priscilla Good of Alto; sister. (Helen) Christoff and Noel passed away 47 minutes ear- M. Steenwyk, aged 85, of Katherine Joyce-Goodrich; (Norma) Christoff of Grand lier at the same hospice care Grand Rapids, went to be with sister-in-law, Ruth Joyce- Rapids. Charles Chad facility. Friends may meet the her Lord Tuesday, December Thiebout both of Grand Rap- OBITUARIES Lampkin of Saranac, and family during a time of 24, 1996. She was preceded ids; grandchildren, Catherine granddaughter-in-law Nan rememberance and fellow- in death by her husband, (Larry) Gregory of NY, Claire Christoff of Grand Rapids, ship on Thursday from 7 to 9 Lewis. She is survived by her (Darcy) Gleason of WA. TOWJV TALK BAADKE - Herman Baadke, sons, Tim Lampkin (1983) and nine grandchildren in p.m. at the funeral home. two sons, David and Nicky Paula (Leo) DeGrott of Aus- aged 76. of Germany, for- and Thomas Lampkin (1996); other areas plus 24 great- There will be no funeral ser- Steenwyk of Lowell and tralia, Tim (MaryAnn) It was recently disclosed that James Earl Ray is dying from liver cancer. merly of Grand Rapids, and great grandson, Ryan grandchildren. She was an vice. Memorial contributions James and Karen Steenwyk Sullivan of HI, Amy Sullivan passed away December 26. active church, community, to the C.H. Runciman Schol- Do you think Ray will talk and reveal anything about the Martin Luther of Dorr; her grandchildren, (Gene) Adams of CO, Kelly 1996. He is survived by his and Republican party mem- arship Fund, c/o the FMB David and Sara Steenwyk, (Gerald) Dutcher of Alto. King assassination before his death? If you agree that Ray had help in wife of 44 years. Valeska: his ber for many years. She was a State Savings Bank, 4I4 E. Sherri and Randy Prien, Lois Molly Good of Grand Rap- children. Silvia and Patrick wonderful "mother" to many, Main St., Lowell, MI 49331 carrying out King's assassination, should he be offered any enticements to and Scott Baas, Paul and ids, Camille Sullivan of CA; Dunne and Michael and Pattie many "children." She leaves would be appreciated. Ar- speak out? Debbie Steenwyk, Nancy and step-grandchildren, Warren Baadke: nine grandchildren; her family* and friends a rangements by Metcalf and Richard Carlson, Becky and (Lori) Good, Janice (Craig) two great-grandchildren. He legacy of Christian love and Jonkhoff Funeral Service. Kipp Cushman, Chrissy Storey, Brett (Susie) Good, was preceded in death by a grace that is a great and godly Steenwyk and Dirk all of CO, Greg (Gina) Good, son.