Remembering More News & Features Inside our dearly Watervliet Mayor seeks aid of City of Hartford... Page 9 Police departed CHS bug sculptures bring in $1,000 for Sarett... Page 9 of 2011 & Fire Eagle Scout saluted for food pantry work... Page 9 see Reports Page 2 Local veterans help set up “Lest We Forget” display at Watervliet District Library... Page 12 Page 6 The Hometown Newspaper for Coloma - Hartford - Watervliet Call... 463-NEWS E-mail... [email protected] TRI-CITY RECORD Our 130th Year Issue #4 January 26, 2012 Seventy-five Cents Four Winds Hartford could pay out $1 million to revenue sharing board; 58% for Township, 30% for City By Angela Stair Attorneys Ed Williams and David mirroring percentages of the other by- The Local Revenue Sharing Board Peterson met for the first time on laws, of 2% of the slot machine rev - (LRSB) for the Four Winds Hartford November 1, at the Hartford City Hall enue were outlined in one section. casino owned by the Pokagon Band of to begin their work. Paragraph one dealt with the Board Potawatomi Indians, met on January The Committee used the by-laws of allocating no greater then 10% of the 18 to look at the first draft of their by- the New Buffalo Revenue Sharing Tribal payment for administrative laws. Board as a guide because most bugs costs and expenses as provided in the 2012 WATERVLIET ROYALTY... (from the left): Miss Congeniality At the Board’s October 19, 2011 have been worked out. The Board was annual budget. Micayla Carlson, 1st Runner-up Jacinta Reck, Miss Watervliet Kassandra meeting, they had appointed a com - given the first draft prior to the meet - Paragraph two was to cover specific Collis, and 2nd Runner-up Halie Fisher. (Amy Loshbough photo) mittee, comprised of Yemi Akinwale ing to look over and prepare any ques - actual costs that are incurred and and John McLellan to draft by-laws tions they might have. approved by the Board to be allocated Kassandra Collis crowned for them. The committee along with Disbursements of the Tribal Payment, and distributed. Paragraph three explained that after Claims less qualified employees were hired paragraphs one and two were taken Miss Watervliet 2012 care of, 65% of the balance of the By Amy Loshbough Watervliet High School. Kassie’s Tribal payment would be set aside for Watervliet High School Auditorium dress for the evening was a floor Former Watervliet City payments in lieu of taxes. This is to was at capacity Saturday, January 21, length blue and black, open back, fit - cover any taxes that would be lost to for its annual Miss Watervliet ted sheath with black beading. the local units of Government because Pageant. Some of Kassie’s honors include hav - Clerk lawsuit still active, of the casino and the tribal lands sur - Twelve contestants were vying the ing perfect attendance, while being a rounding it. A formula has been crown and banner of Miss Watervliet captain on her cheer squad she has worked out to figure these fairly. 2012, but only one girl, Kassandra also been voted Most Improved seeks $600,000 in damages The fourth paragraph described the Renee Collis better known to her Cheerleader and Most Valuable Commissioners also OK management pacts disbursement of the remaining Tribal friends and family as “Kassie”, won Cheerleader. Payment as follows: 9% to Van Buren the title. Kassie plans on furthering her educa - with township and approve fire truck financing County; 58% to Hartford Township; Kassie, the 5’6” brown haired, blued tion at Southwestern Michigan eyed daughter of James and Rhena College for two years and then trans - By Annette Christie 30% to Hartford City; 1% to Hartford Sue Openneer claims Collis, is a 17-year-old senior at - ferring to Grand Valley State A lawsuit against the City of Public Schools; 1% to Hartford Public discrimination and University Majoring in Nursing. Watervliet filed by former clerk Sue Library; and 1% to Van Buren County harassment by city Opening the entertainment for the Openneer is still active and a special Intermediate School District. officials as the City Tax deadline pageant was the Watervliet High meeting held Wednesday, January 18, Attorney Peterson said it took a lot of Clerk and later as a School Jazz Choir performing the tra - included a closed session to discuss it. work on this section by the Committee candidate for the ditional National Anthem. The theme Shortly after the beginning of the and he feels they did a good job and extended by vacant treasurer of this year’s pageant was “The meeting held at 7:30 p.m., City that the percentages are both fair and and clerk positions. Muppet Show” complete with an Commissioners entered into the reasonable. Coloma opening dance number by all twelve closed session with their attorney Like the age discrimination that The remaining local units of govern - By Christina Gelder contestants dancing in Miss Piggy James Straub of Straub, Seaman, & Openneer states she withstood during ment that have been attending the The Coloma City Commission took attire to “Me Party”. The Second for - Allen. Commissioner Richard Wicks her original employment, Openneer meetings were not mentioned. They time during their brief January 23 mal appearance for all the contestants made the motion to go into closed ses - states that the age discrimination was are the City and Township of Bangor, meeting, to extend the winter tax was followed up by a special perform - sion to discuss a trial or settlement present again during the interview Covert Township, Lawrence Village deadline. This is something they do ance by “Kermit” the frog (Tyler strategy on the case. process in the fall of 2011, for the two and Township, the City and Township every year and it offers the residents Coffin), singing a special Kermit orig - Openneer filed a lawsuit in vacant positions. The suit claims that of Watervliet and the Watervliet two extra weeks before they will be inal. November 2010, for damages from both the clerk and treasurer positions Public Schools. penalized for late payments. The new First Runner-up honors went to the City of Watervliet, Michael Hart were filled with individuals that were Chairman Chris Randall asked for a deadline will be Wednesday, February Jacinta Reck, the 17-year-old daughter (former City Manager), Mayor David younger than Openneer and that their clarification on the conflict of interest 29, at 4:00 p.m. of Andrew and Mary Reck. Jacinta is Brinker, and Commissioner Melanie qualifications were not superior. section in the draft. Election workers approved her Senior Class President at Lake Marvin and Pamela Loyd (former Openneer is seeking $600,000 in dam - Attorney Peterson explained that as City Clerk Martha Darling asked for Michigan Catholic School and is Commissioner, currently Treasurer). ages. an example if business should come approval on the election workers involved in Environmental Club and The lawsuit claims that Openneer suf - A status conference was held between up, say a grant application, at a meet - needed for the February 28 Primary is a Key Club officer. She is also a fered discrimination, harassment, and the lawyers and Judge Alfred M. ing that would involve a relative of election. Maureen Saltzman will work member of the Berrien County Kennel other misconduct by the named defen - Butzbaugh on January 17, which led one of the members, they should cease along two other workers in the morn - Club and Berrien County Right to dants. to the closed session. As of Monday, to participate in that decision. ing and then be joined by two different Life. Some of Jacinta’s hobbie’s Openneer was the City Treasurer January 23, there were no other dates After some discussion it was general - workers in the afternoon. Roseann include dog handling, softball and from 2002-2004, Deputy Clerk from scheduled in court pending a possible ly agreed that the person should also Clements and Donna Dill will serve as cheerleading. Jacinta’s future plans 2004-2007, and Clerk in 2007-2008. settlement. leave the room at that point to relieve the receiving board. All of the workers are to attend Michigan State In September 2010, she applied for the Once the City Commission came any hesitancy by the Board to openly will again have to attend training and University to study (pre-med) bio - vacant clerk and treasurer positions back into open session at approxi - discuss the issue. it was approved to pay them $10/hour medical science. and while she was interviewed in the mately 9:00 p.m., they took no action Tribal Chairman Matt Wesaw said a for training and election day. The Second Runner-up honors went to second round of interviews for the on their discussion. rough estimate of what kind of money receiving board will each be paid $25. Halie Fisher, the 17-year-old daughter positions, she was not selected for The commission did have two other they would be looking at when they St. Patrick’s Day of Nicole and Bruce Fisher. Halie is employment. items on the agenda that have been receive their first payment in October plans are in the works currently in the 11th grade at Grace The suit states that Openneer, 62, previously discussed and were 2012, is to use the figure Four Winds Chana Kniebes of the Coloma Christian High School, and some of trained her replacement as treasurer approved. Casino Resort in New Buffalo. This Watervliet Area Chamber of Com- her hobbies and interests include pho - and then was promoted to Assistant Commissioners approved a resolution past year the Revenue Sharing Board merce announced that plans are in the tography, yearbook, horse back riding, Clerk, followed by another promotion supporting the concept of the City there received $6 million.