CASS 50 CHRONICLE VOLUME 86, NUMBER IARCH 17,1993 FIFTY cmn 14 PAGES PLUS ONE SUPPLEmNT Bus vroblems aired Board mulls school millage increase It’s decision time for tax- lined the situation for nicm- up about 5 per cent a ycar One reason that the situ- payers in the Cass City bcrs of thc school board at its and will likely climb about ation waq outlined at the School District. Next month rcgular niccting Monday as much next ycar. meeting was to find out what the school board will decide night at the school. We could get by with thc the average person in the whether to ask for a millage Hc said that thc school has smc niillagc next year with district feels is the best incrcase or eat into the had no increase in state aid a budget dcficit of perhaps course of action, A month $700,000 fund balance with for thc last 2 years arid it $300,OOO, Micklash pointed ago Keith Little appeared a budget dcficit of S250,OO appears as if thcrc will be out, but thc following year before the board saying that or so in the next school year. none again this ycar. Mean- wc would hc in a crisis situ- the school should use the Supt. Ken Micklash out- while expenses havc Rone ation. fund equity. At the annual school -corn m unity meet- ing, Presidcnt Ben Hobart said several pcrsons told him that reducing thc fund equity was not the way to go. Pub- lic sentiment may have a direct bcaring on the dcci- sion reached. The mcmbcrs of the board that will decide the issue are Allan Hartwick, Bcvcrley FIRE I)EPARl’,MENT rescue team from Gagetown and Cass City work to free the Autcn, Frcd Matthcws, driver of a pickup truck that left Bay City Forcstville Road just east of Gagetown Marilyn Peters, James Turner, Danny lJlfig and early Tuesday morning, slamming into a tree and catching fire. Tt’s believed the Hobart. driver lost control after hitting a patch of slush, but few details were available at the Whilc there is doubt about asking for a millagc in- scene, where fire fighters awaitcd arrival of the Flightcare Helicopter from St. crease, taxpayers are certain Mary’s Medical Center, Saginaw. to be asked to approve the renewal of 21.9 mills for si opcration at the annual elcc- tion Junc 14. Presently Cass City spends Edison workers picket to less per pupil than any school in Tuscola County. The average opcrating mil- lage for out-of-formula dis- publicize contract problems tricts is 31.6 mills. In-for- mula district? (including Cass City) raisc an average About 2 dozen Dctroit cola, Huron, Sanilac, oriiploytcs’ prcvious 3-year workcrs to accept conces- of 36.9 mills. Cass Cit;p St. sions on thc hccls of good Edison workers staged a 90- Lajxcr arid Clair coun- contract cxpircd. a raises 30.9 mills. minute inforniatioiial pickct tics. ‘Thc union fclt it was bcst financial year for thc com- forallcoriccnicd tocontinue One of the big problems wc in front of thc ncw North “Thc first wcek of Junc thc pany, but pointed out much face, Micklash pointed out, cortip;iny caiiic up with a 3- to work without a contract lcaner times are ahead. Arm Energy Center in Cass is that when valuations are City 1;iC;t wwk. ycar Ioriiriict proposal and to continuc to ncgoti- The clcctric utility indus- raised, taxpayers feel that Thc ctcmmstrrition wi~, which wag a conwssion ate,” hc &s~id. try nationwide is facing the the school is getting more one of SCV~*I,AIhcld recently contract .- cvcrything was Although frustratcd, samc challenges preSented Mibolon said it’s hop4 a money. What really hap- in southca\t Michigan by titkc away,” Mikolon said. by de-regulation, the result pens is that the amount of IncriIbcrh cjf the Utility ‘I’hc propt)ul offcrcrl no unlor; prolwsal to hirc a pri- of a ncw cncrgy act ap- increase paid is deductcd vatc mcdiator will result in a Workers IJrtion of Arncrica, pay rates and asked work- provcd Iaqt year by Con- from the amount that the Local 223, to protest a lack crs to accept rcductiori\ in ncw contract that will hc gress, he explained, adding, district receives from the of progress in negotiations hcalth cxc hcricfits and prc- acccptablc to both workcrs “We’re going to be facing a state. Increases in valuation for a new contract. miuni pay for holidays (i’roni and Lhc company. lot more compctition.” do not increase the amounts L,oc:al 223 reprcscnts douhfc tiiric to liriic and ii According to Detroit Citing a 5-pcrcent rate cut available to the school, nearly a third of Edison’s half), hc continucd. “So far Etlison spkcsman Scott irnplcmcnted by Detroit 9,0(K) employees, incltiding the conipzlny hits offcrctl Simons, union and company Edison at thc first of the BUS PROBLEM about 55 in thc Thumb, who nothing arid they havc im- officials rcccntly met in year, Simons said the com- Louise Ponder, mother havc kcnwithoutacontract plenicntcd the rcduction in Washington, D.C., with pany is working to put itself a with children that ride the prcm i u in pay .” WJ. LJ.scry Jr.,a f0rmcrU.S. in a position to mect its s incc J iinc. bus, expressed concerns “Whilc showing profits on “Thc mcntkcrship gave thc hbor secretary and one of competition. over bus discipline prob- the company sidc, the corn- union Wpcrucnt rcjtxtion of thc foremost authorities in At the wrnc time, employ- lems. pan)‘ is not willing ncgoli- thc COII tract offer,” Mikolon disputc resolutions. ccs arc being offered a cost ABOUT 2 DOZEN members of the Utility Workers Union of to She said that kids hanging atca conwct. .that wouldbc addcd, “and over 96 lxrccnt Both sides were to have of living adjustment, ac- America, Local 223, staged an informational picket last out the window, placing acccptablc to I-ocal 233,” authorimi thc union tocalla t~[with IJscry again last cording to the spokesman, gum in other students’ hair, said Frcd Mikolon of strikc. That’s how strong the week in an efhrl 10 reach an who other union and noted Wednesday in front of Detroit Edison’s North Area Energy swearing, and running up Gagct(~wn,a2~-yearDctroitfcclings werc.” agrccrncnt, he said. non-union employees have Edison cmploycc and union iiowcvcr, thcrc hac bccn imons acknowlcdgcd already agrwd to adjust- Center in Cass City. The workers, including (left to right) and down thc bus aisles were s conimon. steward rcprcscnting ?’US- IIO work stoppage sincc the Detroit Edkn is; =king mcnts in hcalth care bene- Fred Mikolon of Gagetown, Roger Jagodzinski of Mayville r‘. To find out what the drivers I I IS. and John Hanley of Caseville, have been without a contract feel about the problem she “We’ll survive” - Kim Smutek since June. creawd a survey, which was Smuteks avoid injury as Please turn to back page. fire razes large farm home Kim Smutck stared in dis- hclicf Sunday morning as she watchcd flames cngulf hcr family’s largc white farmhousc about 2 milcs west of Shabhna. Thc fccling of loss was painfully Familiar to her. lt’s a I‘ccling she ncvcr thought she would cxpericrice again, not aftcr fire dcstraycd tlic s;mc home twicc: lxforc. Thc family was burnctl out vcst igation Monday. of 2 trailcr houscs kforc. Fircmcn rcniaincd at the that. SCCT~~for about 5 hours, “All I can say ic; wc’rc all according to Connolly, who cicwstrttcd,” shc said Mon- said Cass City firc fighters diiy. “I hink l’rn so nunit) it wcrc assisted by the really hasn’t surik iri yct.” Elm wood-Gagetovam,King- Sornc 3S firc fighters froin ston, Caro, Argjlc and 6 arcs tlcpartmcrits hravcd 1,anioti.c Townshii firc dc- bi[tc:r cold as thcv iotdit thc partmcnls. PAGE TWO CASS CITY CHRONICLE + WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1993 CASS CITY, MICHIGAN . r i Cass City Retired Lawn and Engaged ; Cass City Garden Persons air meet Personal Items day slated Seventeen members and Patrick pmm, Edna Simcox Call your local news to the Chronicle office - 872-2010 Think spring! It is time to one visitor of the Cass City read “You arc Getting learn how to make your gar- Retired Persons held their -- den and yard the envy of March 11 meeting at Hills anda Howl&,” brought in by Three residents of the area Harrison Stine returned neighbors. MSUExtension - and Dales General Hospital. Nellie Shagena, was read, were named to the quarterly home Friday, March 12, af- Huron County and Huron The table was decorated “Lumber from Sink,” an dean’s list at Ferris State ter having heart by-pass sur- County Master Gardcners with a theme denoting Saint Edgar Guest poem, was read University by earning a gery at St. Luke’s Hospital. are sponsoring a Lawn and Patrick’s Day. Also decorat- by Lillian Hanby. grade point average of 3.5 or Garden Day, Saturday, ing the table were many After lunch, the group higher. The students are Mr. and Mrs. huis March 27, at the Huron Area interesting musical orna- played a game of making Charles R. Hall and James Nemeth attended the golf Skillcenter from 1O:OOa.m. ments. The group said the words out of the word N. Kritzman, both of Cass meeting in Allen Park to 3:OO p.m. pledge to the flag and sang a “~harnrock.’~Deloris Rem- City, and Brady C.