2 Million Or Rijure Board Approves New School Bus Routes
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• (J)tt1:J: 1:1 0 0 '"' 0 OJ ~\ ,..;>:,[0. ~tt1~ '0 .... o~(J) ,",0.0 \\ .... f")~ • . '"' (/\ \ '< 3: WAYNE COUNTY'S OLDEST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER... ESTABLISHED 1869 L\ .... Pubhc..lUon Nuf'l'lbef USPS *MO 4) I._c:oono.\ \ -- Vol.____116,No. 51, Four Sections,-----38Pages, Plus Supplements WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 1985-NORTHVILLE, MICHIGAN .....r',\ .School board Road-repair pl~, - awards Bell may cost taxpa~;! new contract Following its third "outstanding" evaluation of School Superintendent $2 million or riJure George Bell, the NorthvUle Board of .Education Monday approved a new ByKEVIN~N as bad as I'd feared. Two million three-year contract for the chief ex- dollars is a lot, but I was half afraid ecutive and a salary increase of a little Putting Northville streets back into he'd be talking about $5 million. You more than $3,000. good repair will cost an estimated $2 look at report and. sure, the streets The three-year contract approved by million, city council learned Monday need work, but it's not as if90percent of the board extends from July I, 1985, to night. them need complete resurfacing." June 30, 1988, with his salary adjusted ThroUgh recent lean years when the Many of the repairs recommended from $54,075 to $57,590. city was struggling against a deficit, are relatively simple matters of sealing In addition to the superintendent's street maintenance W3Sdeferred as a cracks to prevent water from running contract, the school board also approv- short-term cost-saving measure. under the roadway and eroding the ed salary schedules and contract exten- Engineering consultant Edward (Jack) base. Council member Paul Folino sions for the central office ad- McNeely told council Monday night noted that the city had to abandon a ,ministrators and supervisors. - that a stUdy of road conditions shows crack-sealing program three years ago 'Ii In recommt!nding contract e:tten- that rapid action on repairs could save in the midst of the bUdget crunch. sions for his cabinet and supervisory several mUes of roadway, but that "Now we're going to have to pay," he staff, Bell told board members that other areas need resurfacing or said. "If we'd been able to continue our there "are some long standing ine- reconslruction. sealing program, we probably wouldn't. quities" with the differential between Mc~eely stressed that his $2 million levels of compensation for members of estimate is in today's dollars and that CClIltInued 004 the central office cabinet and super- recent labor contracts suggest that con- visory staff. slruction costs will be rising over the The superintendent noted the next few years. Council discussion in- elimination of four central office posi- eluded consideration of tackling the Center site tions has resulted in a higher level of repair program over a five- to lo-year .-esponsibility in the remaining posts. period. The four positions eliminated in central After a long slide presentation show- lures investor office are the assistant superintendent ing cracked road surfaces, voids beneath the pavement, settling, heav- for inslruction, director of personnel, ByB.J.MARTIN coordinator of K-12 special education ing and drainage problems, McNeely sald it will be up to council to decide and supervisor of custodial services. Where's the beef? Well, it may not be In outlining the addltional respon- which parts of the program to under- take first. in downtown Northville, after all. sibilities placed on central office staff, Rumors had circulated recently that Bell noted that Burton Knighton's role If money is invested now in preven- tative maintenance, the city can add a developers would seek to open a Wen-' as assistant superintendent for ad- dy's Hamburgers franchise on North ministrative services now encompasses decade or more to the lives of many roads. But devoting all available Center north of Dunlap - a possibility the entire oPerations, personnel and many city officials considered ~ew construction for the district. resources to such maintenance would mean further delay before some of the undesirable, but difficult to block. '.,. Dolly McMaster, who came to the But City Planning Consultant Ron district as administrative assistant for worst problems are solved, he said .. "What yOU'dlikely come up with is a Nino revealed last week that a different curriculum and instruction, has taken use of the site (now a parking lot/· the role of top level management since combination of the two," city manager Steven Walters said. "You'd put some access route for Arbor Drugs) is being '1e. death 'of former assistant seriously considered: a drive-through perintendent Nancy Soper. of it into maintenance and some of it in- • . to major projects." bank and a retail shop. In only his first year as ad- Nino s~rised city planners at their inistrative assistant for operations, - _McNeely~s.report detailed street pro- blems of varying magnitudes in 11 . June"IS-meetlng when-he-reP.OIted that"'· : rom Bailey has done an outstanding executives of Detroit FederiI saviDgs .: ,b." Bell noted. "He has exerted areas, chosen to reflect whether the streets were surfaced with concrete or and Loan had contacted him about ~imself far and beyond the call of duty detailed preliminary plans drawn up by ~n many occasions, including asphalt. It included a mathematical formula for comparing the degree of the institution's architect. numerous middle of the night trips back The plans. Nino said, provided for to the district or over the weekend pro- deterioration among the segments of roadway. It did not, however, suggest landscaping and a neo-Victorian design jects." for both buildings which he said would" In recognition of the added respon- in which order the problems should be addressed. be much in keeping with existing' sibility level, Bell recommended a downtown buildings. "They're doing a '. responsibility adjustment be added to "I think (McNeely) has done an ex- cellent job of pointing out pretty much great job on it," Nino added the base salary of Knighton, Bailey and When contacted last weeK about the : McMaster. Summersong clowning what we expected to hear," Mayor Paul 'lernon said. "It's pretty clear we have proposal, however, a spokesman for Bell recommended that a base salary Detroit Federal sald that detalls of ac- . : . : adjustment of 6.5percent be awarded to a very sizable and very expensive pro- Rain or shine, those who came to town to fun. Billy Sayers is one happy fella as he ject ahead of us. We can't continue to quiring and developing the site have not : - : central office staff for the 1985-86school tries his hand at the drums with the clown been settled yet. : .ear with salary increases tied to the enjoy the Northville Downtown Merchants' have our streets falling apart." Summersong welcome to summer band, a Saturday Summersong attraction. Walters said after the meeting that "We haven't even boUght the proper- the details of McNeely'S study "weren't ty," said Derek Volchoff, Detroit Continued 008 festivities last weekend found ways to have Record photo by Rick Smith. Federal manager of administrative .services. "We should have a better idea in about three weeks." While commissioners were relieved . : •.. Board approves new school bus routes that the possibUlty of Wendy's moving: - onto the site now appears to be remote, '. .:Inside: they agreed they should waste no time •. ByMlCHELE M. FECHT She said her opposition to the pro- ferent winter and spring routes and/or Noting that the proposed plan gained drafting an ordinance amendment posal stemmed from several basIc con- different guidelines for K-2nd graders. favorable feedback from the approx- limiting similar types of chain . Northville school officials are hoping cerns. Board president Jean Hansen, who imately 15 residents attending last restaurants. The commission is in the . "I'm uncomfortable wIth the flscallr- supported the motion, sald she thought week's public hearing, Superintendent process of reviewing the entire elty lOn- 2A new bus routes approved by the board :Calendar of education Monday night will responsibility this represents," she the safety concern outweIghed the cost George Bell said he expects "the new ingordinance. .,r- '. alleviate some of the transportation said, noting the additional $33,000 which to the district. program will be received quite well by Nino also told commissioners that Ar- ~C!asSifieds 48 problems which have plagued the wUl be spent next year on transporta- "In a lot of areas there are no the community." . bor Drugs may soon remodel its ex- district in recent years. tion could be better utilized in the sidewalks," she saId, adding that the . However, he was qulck to point out terior so that it is more in keeping with . Obituaries 5A The new routes, unveiled at a pUblic classrooms. district has "a lot of busy streets with that there is likely to be the "usual other downtown buildings. ' hearing last Wednesjlay and approved She also noted that "philosophically, Irafflc that goes at a fairly good clip." number of transportation problems in City manager Steve Walter said Mon- I think it's crazy to pick up a kld a half Aside from Wilkinson, the five re- the fall as we implement a new day that representatives of Wendy's 6A by the board in 5-1vote Monday, repre- .Our Opinions' sent a cooperative effori between a mUe from home and then teach them maining trustees favored the motion. system." had told him that they had been starprts- Citizens' Committee for Transportation walking and jogging in phys ed." James Petrie was absent from Mon- While a citizens' committee recom- ed with the plans of Detroit Federal OurTown 1C Needs and the administration. Wilkinson said she also felt the day'S meeting.