Judge rules evidence supports embezzlement trial for former Hartford Twp. sexton... Page 3 First Team All-Conference wrestlers honored... Page 10 Drain Commissioner discusses projects with Bainbridge Twp. board... Page 12 Citizen concerns with Coloma Police voiced at City Commission meeting... Page 12 Rain or shine... Watervliet Hardware has what you need! Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Partly Cloudy Cloudy Rain Light Rain Snow to Rain Cloudy PM Showers Hi 64 - Lo 49 Hi 71 - Lo 53 Hi 56 - Lo 39 Hi 38 - Lo 30 Hi 40 - Lo 27 Hi 43 - Lo 33 Hi 49- Lo 35 10% chance 20% chance 90% chance 40% chance 50% chance 20% chance 20% chance precipitation precipitation precipitation precipitation precipitation precipitation precipitation Open 7:30-5:30 M-F 15 % off 8:00-5:00 Saturday lawn Fertilizer 343 N. Main Street Celebrating 70 years married... Page 3 Offer good April 12 - 18 463-5461 The Hometown Paper for Coloma-Hartford-Watervliet 463-6397 E-mail [email protected] E-edition tricityrecord.com TRI-CITYEst. 1882 Vol. 136 Issue #15 April RECORD 12, 2018 Seventy-five Cents Body found in Paw Paw River presumedBy Annette Christie toobserved be a suspicious missing object under the An autopsykayaker will be conducted Thurs- The ongoing efforts by multiple emer- water. Upon further investigation it day in Kalamazoo and the positive gency services agencies to find a was believed to be a human body. identification of the recovered body is kayaker, who went missing in the Paw The Berrien County Sheriff’s Office ongoing. Paw River on February 27, have re- Dive Team was activated and contact Cory Wright, 35, of Niles was kayak- sulted in a body being found. was made with Watervliet Fire Depart- ing in the area with two other men On April 10, 2018 Berrien County ment Chief Dan Jones as well. when they hit a log and flipped over. Sheriff Lt. Marty Kurtz and Undersh- Divers from the Sheriff’s Office Dive One of the men re-surfaced by Wright eriff Chuck Heit were patrolling the Team located and recovered the body did not. Paw Paw River in the continued effort of a white male at 4:47 p.m. The body The Berrien County Sheriff’s Office to locate 35-year-old Cory Wright of was transported by Pride Care Ambu- and the Watervliet Fire Department Niles. lance to Lakeland Hospital in St. have worked together for the last 43 While patrolling the river, Lt. Kurtz Joseph. See POLICE REPORTS continued on Page 6 Watervliet city manager gives notice, leaving end of June; Planners invite public to medical marijuana discussion By Annette Christie Hospital. He said that the Par Course The police millage proposal will be for MEMBERS OF THE BERRIEN COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT Watervliet City Manager Michael is being worked on and will include three mills for the purposes of provid- were able to locate a body in the Paw Paw River on Tuesday, April 10. Uskiewicz has given the City Commis- two quarter mile tracks and eight ing police protection services within Many agencies have been looking for a kayaker who went missing on Feb- sion his contractual required notice that pieces of equipment. He said they will the city. ruary 27. Deputy Justin Goff (standing on the bank) along with Deputy his last day will be June 30. In a letter be planting the trees near the gazebo. The ballot proposal will read, “Shall Jessica Frucci (in the water) assisted with the search. Undersheriff Chuck provided for their April 10 City Com- Becker said this service project is the City of Watervliet continue to levy Heit said that the body of the white male was taken to Lakeland Hospital. mission meeting, Uskiewicz stated that being done with the help of high school a total of three (3) mills, which is equal An autopsy and positive identification will take place on Thursday in Kala- he wished to spend more time with his students. The public is welcome to at- to $3.00 for each $1,000 of taxable mazoo. It is believed that the body is that of 35-year-old Cory Wright of family. tend and to help if they would like. value, on the real and personal property Niles. (Contributed photo) Uskiewicz described his departure as subject to the taxation in the City of a “notice of retirement.” The City Fire and police millage proposals to Watervliet for the tax levy years of Hagar board informed of interest Commission accepted his letter of re- be on the August ballot 2019, 2020, and 2021, inclusive for the tirement unanimously. In addition, he The Watervliet City Commission will purpose of paying for police protection in vacant APL Logistics building; offered them a proposed timeline in ask voters to renew the city’s police services within the City, thereby rais- finding his replacement and offered to and fire millages. They will both be on ing in the first calendar year approxi- Study of area roads planned stay on after that date if everything is the August 7, 2018 ballot and will be mately $81,060.” By Jon Bisnett will be seeking the Republican nomi- not in place by the June 30 date. for 2019, 2020, and 2021. Personnel Committee items The April 9 meeting of the Hagar nation for the 21st State Senate posi- Commissioner Duane Cobb stated that The fire millage proposal will be for Based on the recommendation of the Township Board showed signs of tion now held by Sen. John Proos who Uskiewicz has done an excellent job two mills for the purposes of providing Personnel Committee the City Com- spring with several new building per- will leave office due to term limits for the nearly two years that he has fire protection services within the city. mission voted on some personnel mits, an equal number of blight ordi- Supervisor’s report been here. “City Hall is running The ballot proposal will read, “Shall handbook changes. In a unanimous nance actions and a pair of inquiries for Supervisor Izzy DiMaggio began his smoothly,” Cobb added. the City of Watervliet continue to levy vote, the commission voted to limit the the idled APL Logistic property. report by noting a productive meeting In other business the Commission ap- a total of two (2) mills, which is equal amount of vacation time that can be Sheriff’s report held on March 19 with the Drain Com- pointed David Coyle, Arclight Brew- to $2.00 for each $1,000 of taxable carried over to another year to one Sergeant Ryan Sullivan visited to re- missioner which resulted in a commit- ery owner, to the Downtown value, on the real and personal property week, it acknowledged that vacation port on February activity in the Town- ment by the DDA to fund up to Development Authority to fill the va- subject to taxation in the City of Wa- payouts will not be allowed, and it ap- ship. A total of 42 complaints were $20,000 for a study of issues on Hamp- cancy left when Jennifer Moore moved tervliet for the tax levy years of 2019, proved paying employees a $100 worked in Hagar. The report showed ton, Coloma and Fikes roads. DiMag- her business out of the city. 2020, and 2021, inclusive for the pur- stipend per pay period if they obtain only two traffic tickets issued and just gio was pleased to say the study will be Bob Becker announced that on April pose of paying for fire protection serv- their healthcare by other means. In ad- one arrest during the month. performed by the local firm of Wight- 20 at 11:00 a.m., the Paw Paw Lake ices within the City, thereby raising in dition, they voted to make that retroac- Guests man and Associates. Rotary Club would be planting trees on the first calendar year approximately tive for an employee that recently had Commissioner Dave Vollrath visited DiMaggio announced a request from the new Par Course behind Lakeland $54,406.” stopped using the city’s health insur- reporting the State Supreme Court rul- the Paw Paw River group to visit the ance. ing against Berrien County’s appeal ef- May meeting with a short presentation City Commission seats fectively closing down the of the group’s work towards develop- Clerk Dena Yow announced that there controversial gun range in Coloma ing the Paw Paw River for recreational are three commission seats that will be Township once and for all. non-motorized watercraft navigation. on the November ballot. She has pack- Vollrath also told that initial work has Two entities have made initial inquires ets available at City Hall for anyone in- begun at the new county park site on of the former APL Logistics building terested in running for City the Paw Paw River in Watervliet. on Coloma Road. The massive ware- Commission. She also reminded During the meeting, Vollrath made house facility had operated in one form everyone that the May regular meeting clear his intention to run to retain his or another for 50 years, but went dark of the City Commission will be held on appointed post as commissioner. in July of 2016. DiMaggio reported an Wednesday, May 9 due to the school 79th District State Representative Kim initial inquiry from a Detroit area election on May 8. LaSata was also present and com- lawyer who represents a client looking mented on the recent gun range ruling for a building to house a large scale Medical marijuana on agenda for calling it “a lesson to be learned.” She commercial medical marijuana grow- Planning Commission; went on to say that she wished the ing operation, while a second inquiry public input sought clock could have been turned back be- came from the Ludington area for use Planning Commission Chairman Luke fore all the costly legal wrangling say- as warehousing for steel building ma- Strunk announced that medical mari- ing she wished all concerned parties terial.