25tf The Lowell Ledger Volume 18, Issue 10 Serving Lowell Area Readers Since 1893 Wednesday, January 19,1994 Computers, Computers and more Computers; School District tries to balance computer quantity with its use and curriculum application By Thad Kraus committee of the technology believe too much is being established; new middle Lowell Ledger Editor committee. In May of 1992, spent to install a portion of school $217,194; new el- Computer technology the board of education ap- the voice/video system and ementary school, $193,386; recommendations for the proved the technology plan. does not go far enough in and the new high school, How Many curriculums at the elemen- Preparation meetings in 1991 providing computers and re- $676,806. Any decisions on tary, middle school and high were used to formulate the sources to students in much realocating the contingency Computers school levels were based on plan,accordingto Jim White, greater numbers. funds would have to go what was heard in visits to director of curriculum and White noted that the through the school board. Are businesses and industries, and instruction. school expects to have The Lowell High School- Enough? what teachers felt they needed The bond money budgeted $473,000 available for PC teachers' original request was to assist them in implement- for technology was $ 1.3 mil- work stations, as compared for over 400 computers. ing the curriculum more lion. The individual building to the $486,000 figure White said if the school is effectively. budgets break down like this: brought forward by Dave able to meet that number, its The computer technology Alto - $90,000; elementary - McClain and the Citizens for ratio would be roughly one curriculum guide for K-12 $320,000; middle school - Quality Education. computer for every two stu- was adopted by the Lowell $360,000; and high school - "This does not include dents. Board of Education back in $566,500. money which may become White adds however that May of 1993. Opponents to the technol- available through contin- while the ratio of computers The guide was put to- ogy plan put forth by Childs gency fund balances once to students are of some im- gether by the computer Consulting Associates and the new high school project is portance, he believes how curriculum committee, a sub- the technology committee completed," White said. they are used, what their cur- Contingency funds for riculum application is, and if Along Main Street each project are set at seven the school has instructors in iwIJOiifJ ^^yLvI x percent ofthe project amount place to teach the skills are as m and are spent on a priority important. basis at each site for items not "To have 400 computers covered under another bud- in place but not have the in- get. structors who can apply our school computer teacher. White said he hopes so. "It The current contingency curriculum to their use, "They must be in place if we may be at the expense of an- fund remaining as of Dec. doesn't do our students any are to properly implement other position," he added. 31, 1993 for each building is: good," White said. basic computer literacy into Presently, Lowell expccts Bushnell, $0; Alto, $0; Currently, Lowell does not those schools," he said. that the new elementary Runciman/Riverside, not yet haveanelementary ormiddle Will the funding be there? Computers cont'd., p^. 8 STUDENT AMBASSADORS FUND-RAISER Come to aTupperware party and help five Lowell People- Long awaited Cooper agreement to-People student ambassadors go to New Zeeland and Australia this summer. The party will be held Jan. 22 at First Congrega- tional Church on N. Hudson in Lowell from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. moves sewer line project forward The event will be hosted by Jennifer Boyd, Stephanie Brown, Rick VanderWarf, Dena Beers and Becky Cattanach. If you have any questions or would like to place an order, By Marc Popiolek with Richard Cooper to run a along Foreman Rd. and Alden change from Vergennes please call Jennifer or Carlinda Boyd at 897-9176. Contributing Writer sewer line across his prop- Nash. Township. Cooper wanted to erty. Cooper agreed to grant rezone his property from R1 ARTS COUNCIL EXHIBIT Lowell Township has re- The line will run across the easement for $1 in ex- to R2. The rezoning would The recent landscape paintingsof local artist Conrad Bakker ceived a written agreement Cooper's 92-acre property change for a couple of con- have, in his estimation, made will be on exhibit in the gallery of the Lowell Area Arts cessions in hooking up to the a proposed housing develop- Council, 149 S. Hudson St. This exhibit will be on view Public road ordinance line. ment affordable. January 9 through Feb. 12. A reception for the artist will be The agreement follows Both the planning com- held on Sunday, Jan. 16. leads to debate between monthsofdelays in finalizing mission and Vergennes Gallery hours are Tues. through Fri., 1 to 5 p.m. and Sat. and the placement of the line. The Township Board denied his Sun., 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. The Gallery is closed Mondays and new sewer line will serve the request saying it did not fall holidays. Lowell Township and new high school and any resi- with the guidelines of the dents who wish to hook up. township master plan. LOWELL LIGHT & POWER TO TRIM TREES potential land buyers Township officials At one point, township Lowell Light & Power has a tree trimmingcontractoron the wanted to run the line across supervisor John Timpson re- By Marc Popiolek guidelines of road frontage property to trim and remove trees as necessary to provide Cooper's property because it ceived authorization from the Contributing Writer set forth in the township's proper clearance from primary and secondary circuits. zoning ordinance for a single offers a natural flow, which board to condemn the prop- This contractor will be working throughout the service eliminatesthe need fora pump erty ifnecessary to insure that In the effort to build two family dwelling. territory. Property owners will be contacted to obtain their station. the line would be in place by homes on 57 acres of land off Currently, the properly permission to trim and/or remove trees which cause a hazard Part of the delay in plac- the time the school opens. Timpson Rd. and 1-96, Rick has a 66-foot easement off with electrical service. The trimming work is currently being ing the line came when Coo- However, a verbal agreement Seese and Todd Verwys arc Timpson as access, but ac- done and will continue through the third week of January. per requested a rezoning Sewer Line, cont'd. pj». 8 trying to convince Lowell cording to the zoning ordi- Township officials that 1-96 nance, it does not reach the COMMODITIES DISTRIBUTION INSIDE THE LEDGER constitutes a public road for minimum 200-foot road Commodities will be distributed Thursday, Jan. 27 be- road frontage. frontage for a single family Sewer contact awarded for new High tween 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Lowell Moose Recreational The debate Seese, a real dwelling. If Verwys were to School, Pg. 7 Building, 210 E. Main. estate agent for Greenridge build a private road on the Check the "expiration date" on your commodities pick-up Realty, and Verwys, a poten- property to meet the 200-fool card. If it has expired and you want to renew it, you must bring tial buyer for the property, frontage, he would then have Grapplers win Invitational, Pg. 15 the following: current proof of total household income; current have with the township is to split the property into five Main St. cont'd, p^. 8 whether 1-96 falls within the Public Rd. cont'd, p^. 8 The Lowell Ledger-Wednesday, January 19, 1994-Pase 2 The Lowell Ledger-Wednesday, January 19,1994-Page 3 sister, Mary Jane Oudendyk Jim and Jo Ann Jamison of Henry and Charlotte Reurink WESTMAAS (Noorman) Joyce Ann Westmaas, aged of Lapeer; mother-in-law, Middleville; 15 grandchil- of Shelbyville, Minnie Helen Vos of Kentwood. She dren; 11 great-grandchildren; VanDorp of NC; brother-in- 56, of Ada, died January 11, OBITUARIES law Melvin Anderson of Alto; 1994. She is survived by her was preceded in death by her Vision 2000 forum tries to help clear the air mother, Mrs. Myrtle Raman son, Steven James Noorman. of Sparta; brother, Carl two sisters-in-law, Louise husband Philip F.; children, Fall ling of Walker; sister, Reurink of Wyoming and Deborah (Darrel) Waid, Den- Memorial Services were held By Thad Kraus faculty with Super Care II world is computer driven and "I wish we had more time time to give the board die Ray Quada. Luanne (Lee) Colby of Sparta; Hilda Reurink of Wayland; nis Westmaas, Shcrrie (Scott) Friday at Cascade Christian Lowell Ledger Editor health insurance for five computers should be so we could tJioroughly cover benefit of the doubt, allow it "I diink he is on die right BROWN - Mrs. Gloria A. dren, Michael, Rebecca, and several nieces and neph- and several nieces and neph- Bothee, all of Grand Rapids, Church, Dr. Clayton months. technology's top priority. all die questions and allow to digest what's been said and path. These are not easy times. Brown, aged 61, of James, Kristen, Jeffrey. Also Ronald Noorman Jr. of Wyo- Klingenfus and Rev. ews. Funeral Services were ews. Funeral Services were Vision 2000chainnan Jim It will spend $348,692.05 Shawn Eshragh, Citizens every one to ask all their acton it," Eshragh said.