(j[Main Street on page 8 250 Volume 17, Issue 23 Serving Lowell Area Readers Since 1893 Wednesday, April 21,1993 Showboat headliners set TIF Plan approved Local country singer, Thorn Ellis to kick-off gala event June 17 Improvements to downtown 0 After a long arduous, It was announced Tuesday Dimension will share many istically Patti. Many are pop would start as early as "94 albeit successful process, the that Lowell bom, Caledonia of their hits from their 14 gold infused. Other songs on the Revitalizing the Lowell.Downtown area b the Down- Lowell Showboat released the raised, country/western ris- records and their versatile album provide the church's town Development Authorities' charge. namesoftheenteitainerswho ing star Thoni Ellis will and spontaneous show with new standards. Patti explains The adoption of a $1.7 million development and tax will be performing at the perform Thursday night. the Showboat crowd. that the album has a liveliness increment financing plan by the Lowell City Council Lowell Showboat on June 17- The popular 60*5 - TO's re- Saturday night will feature to it." It's like it's coming Monday night will assure that funds are there to pay 19. cording group. The 5th Christian/gospel, contempo- from somewhere down deep for its cost. rary international recording inside of me that I really City residents were reminded Monday night that artist, Sandi Patti. thought I bad lost. The new the Council had already passed a resolution, stating it Tickets will go on sale for album was a fresh, healing would not use a 2 mill increase in the DDA area to help all three shows on Monday and unusually fun piece of finance the improvements. "Improvements will he April 26. There will be a $10 work for me." made by Tax increment Financing alone," reinstated ticket price for Ellis' Thurs- Although 1990 was theo- City Manager Dave Pasquale. day show. retically a "year off for rest Improvements outlined in the plan include, Ticket prices for Friday and regrouping, Patti earned streetscape improvements parking lot improvements, and Saturday night will be female vocalist of the year property acquisition and demolition, riverfront im- $16-$18 and $20. and bad the children's music provements, and handicap access projects. Ticket reservations can album of the year, "Sandi Patti Tax Increment Financing is a vehicle for funding be made prior to the April and the Friendship Company." the improvements. "It provides a diversion of prop- / 26th date by calling 1-800- Remarkably, Patti was erty assessment funds, which then equate into 422-SHOW or 897-8280. named female vocalist of the improvements" I^owellCity Manager Dave Pasquale "This year's entertainment yearfrom 1982 through 1991. says. However, for there to be an immediate impact on package is versatile and will During that time she has had the downtown area, bonding has been proposed to also draw from an audience two platinum records, four complete as many streetscape and parking lot im- that the Showboat hasn't gold records and one gold provements as soon as possible. drawn from in the past," Low- video. She was also Billboard Pasquale noted that the property assessment roll ell Showboat President Thad Magazine's "iaspirational art- has been completed. The captured SEV has been Kraus said. ist of the year" for the year's reduced $259,800 from $13 million to 1.09 million. It Patti's recent album release 1986 through 1989. will provide $67,612 in captured tax Increment rev- from Word, "Another Time.... "On Friday night, the enues in the first year rather than the $83,657 as Another Place is replete with Showboat will take people the previously projected. songs that arc not character- Showboat, cont'd., pg. 8 The bonding capacity would he decreased to an estimated $770,000 from $825,000 (based on seven Board asks for clarification percent over 20 years). "Even with the decrease, a viable project could still be undertaken," Pasquale on sale of property to road said. The new property tax/school finance reform consti- commission tutional amendment proposal would greatly impact The authorization of sale Ihe land by deed. "This means the DDA since it would limit assessment increases to of 17 feet of property to ihc Ihe Commission would pur- five percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. Kent County Road Commis- chase Ihe property," Groenleer In 1993, the rate <»f inflation is three percent. sion was tabled by Ihe Lowell said. "If we had asked for an In a FAX alert sent to the City on April 1, the Board of Education until fur- easement, then lhal means ihe Michigan Municipal league stated that Tax Incre- Thorn Kills ther clarification could be school would grant us use of ment Financing is protected. However, this protectkm made on the possible agree- ihe property for highway pur- would only be extended to TIF bond obligations com- ment between the two entities. pose. This is Ihe method used pleted by Oct. I. The TIF Plans would have to be Board member Charlie Board, cont'd., pj*. H Tiff, cont'd., pg. 8 Kohler questioned if Ihe school was just extending Ihe existing right of way or if it was actually selling property. After reading Ihe proposal, board member and attorney, - Steve Ideina, said he fell it meant sale of Ihe property. "It isn't in any way differ- ent to Ihe existing right-of-way when Ihe school bought Ihe land," Kohler. In a letter lo Superinten- dent Fritz Esch, Malcolm Balk, right-of-way buyer for Ihe Kent County Road Com- mission states lhal Ihe Commission would like lo acquia' addilional right ot way for Ihe future, along Ver- ge nnes Street. The statute right of way is 33 feet on each side. Ver- gennes , a primary road, requires 50 feet on each side. iv This requires an additional 17 feel on each side. David Groenleer, director Lowell Showboat Court of engineering for Ihe Kent The 1993 Lowell Showboat Court, pktured from left to right is second runner-up, Sandi Patti County Road Commission Dana Marie Tindall, Showboat Queen Shannon Danyel Bennett, and first runner-up said it was asking to acquire Kelly Jo Cichon. The Pageant story and more pktures are on page 28 of the Lowdl ledger. Thr Lo%*dl I edneNday, April 21,1993-Pagtf 2 The liOwell Ledger-Wednesday, April 21,1993-Page 3 Shirley Van Sledright; her Church of Lowell. RIV of Battle Creek. Martin day April 14.1993. Also sur- creal-grandparents, Bernard Ronald L. Fyncwevcr nHi( , Alderink of Ada. David viving are her brothers and and Julia DeHaan, Helm ating. Interment Fallasb^ Steffes of Greenville, Tho- sister. Eric and Theresa Van Premli minary exam waived, Zubrickas, all of Grand Rap- Cemetery. OBITUARIES mas Steffes of Gowen and Sledright, Christopher, Mat- ids. The Funeral Service was several great-nieces and neph- thew and Paul Bonner: her held on Saturday at the Cal- ews. Funeral Serv ices were grandparents, Richard and Lowell woman charged with vary Christian Reformed held Saturday at Rolh-Gerst Kay Zubrickas, Henry and i AKV-.AneclaE.Can.accd aged SO, a resident of the Chapel. Rev. Darwyn Hassert ^4 . of Low ell, died April 1 Leonard Terrace Apartments, of Smyrna Bible Church offi- trying to poison teacher W^3. She is surv ived by her Grand Rapids, died April 16. ciating. Memorial contribu- -iMtr. Kathleen Wineeier; W93 at her home. She was Decent, safe & sanitary: tions may be made to the cousin. Camilla Wehan, both preceded in death by her hus- American Heart Association. Paula Krebs, 18, Alto, hits tained ink matching the type Dubbink is in her ninth year o{ Lowell: also many nieces band, Earl Jones; and two That's the goal of the Kent been bound over in Circuit given to Krebs earlier in die of teaching. It is her sixth at and nephews. Mass of Chris- daughters. Beverly and TINGLEY - Neva Tingley, Court on charges of allegedly day. "Because die mug was Lowell High School. She tian Burial w as offered Mon- Carole. Surviving arc three aged 74. of Saranac, passed trying to poison Sheila dark, it would have been im- spent diree years at Birch Run, day at St. Patricks Church. children. Robert and Betty County Community Development away at her residence April Dubbink (Feb 26), a Lowell possible to notice diat the drink a suburb of Saginaw. Parnell. Rev. Wayne B. Jones of Evansville. IN. 17, 1993. She is survived by High School teacher for the had been tainted." The incident has given W heeler Celebrant. Stephanie Jones, Debbie Housing Rehabilitation Program self contained/emotionally Dubbink reason to diink about her husband, Gerald O.; one Dubbink said upon hear- Jones, both of Lowell: 10 impaired students. elementary counseling. son, William G. (Linda) ing what Krebs did, another JAMES- Mattie May James, grandchildren: and one niece. " Iliere isa need for it. It would Tingley; one daughter. According to Police Ser- student told the Lowell aeed 55.of Freesoil. formerly Mrs. Jones was a retiree of also put me in a spot to help Pamela K. (Michael) If your house is in need of moderate income households. materials, such as paim geant Al Eckinan, Krebs ad- teacher. of Grand Rapids, passed aw ay Ainw ay Corporation. Funeral kids at an early age and not Sigafoose, of Saranac: one repairing die Kent County The loan has monthly pay- brushes and rollers are in- mitted in the police report to Friday. April 16. 1993. Sur- Services were held Tuesday necessarily at a point in their sister.