The Amherst news-times. (Amherst, Ohio), 1998-09-09

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s lose home opener — Page 5        Troop honors one of its own — Page 12
Amherst News-Times
September 9.  1998
Amhrrst    Ohio
City makes corrections to financial ways
The city is in the process or instituting recommendations and correcting several problems cited in a
1996 state audit of its finances and
financial procedures.
Among several citations was the
spending of more than $10,000
without the prior authorization of
city council. An independent audit
by accountants from Hausser St
Taylor of Canton fc id three out of
five contracts made during the year
were entered into before council
passed an appropriate ordinance.
In another case, one of the con-
John Higgins
e^eeaaj
tracts was awarded without the city
seeking the to* ~»: _nd best bid after
proper advertising.
Deputy auditor Barbara Petro said
both procedures have been corrected. All expenses exceeding
$10,000 are now authorized by ordinances enacted by council.
"In the past, this has not been
done consistently, but it is being
done that way now," she added.
In another instance, she said interest earned on a half percent street
improvement income tax levy fund
was not placed in that account
The audit found the interest previously had been incorrectly placed in
the city's general fund by a previous
city auditor.
According to the auditors, state
law requires all revenue derived
from a special levy must be credited
to the special fund for which the
levy was passed.
The same was true with several
other proprietary funds, including
water improvement, water revenue,
the utilities office and health insurance funds.
The city is in disagreement with
the citation and is attempting to resolve the ruling, she added.
Another section of the audit
found fault with parts of the city's
internal financial control structure,
including the failure to form a committee to oversee electronic (computerized) data processing.
Petro said a committee has since
been formed by city council to review all city computer needs.
The report also found failure to
change computer passwords on a
periodic basis. In addition, computers are frequently left unlocked
Mayor
says he's
running
again
Saying he has much left to do,
mayor John Higgins has announced
he will seek a second term as Amherst's mayor.
"I promised to do a job for the
people and to approach certain areas
(of government) that needed help,"
he said. "I thought I could do that
with my background and I'm not
done yet. You just don't wave a
magic wand after four years and expect everything to be done, although
I think we've made terrific headway
toward getting there.''
The mayor will kick off his campaign for a second term as the city's
chief executive with an Oct 10 fun-
dratsmg event from 5 to 8 p.m. at
the Amherst Eagles Club on Milan
He credited the accomplishments
of his administration to the cooperation of city council and several
members of his administration.
The one sore spot has been the
lawsuit filed against him and council by law director Alan Anderson
over the right to select a bond
counsel for the city.
The suit stems from a decision by
Higgins and council to select a bond
counsel for the issuance of bonds
for the renovation of city hall and its
roof. Anderson claimed state law
gave him the authority, but the Lorain County Commons Pleas Court
and a state appellate court have
ruled in council's favor.
While not publicly criticizing Anderson, Higgins said he would prefer to see "a team concept" develop
in the future among the city's administrators and council.
Higgins, 62, is a retired maintenance manager of the rolling mill
division at U.S./Kobe Steel in Lorain. He operates a small consulting
business with the company, but has
done little work because of time required of him as mayor.
"I can't serve two masters. The
city comes first" he said.
Higgins works an average of SO
hours weekly as part-time mayor, a
position that may become a full-
time job pending the approval of
council later this year. The creation
of a full-time mayor's post was recommended by a citizen's committee based on the city's growth and
the demands it has placed on the
mayor's job.
Other than expanded job duties as
defined by council, Higgins said he
doesn't foresee much of a change.
"I'm working full-time now in a
part-time job, so it would be only an
official change with more pay," he
said
One of his chief concerns and goals has been to eliminate the threat
of flooding on the city's northwest
side. Despite the installation of a
new storm sewer this summer, Hig-
gins said "work still needs to be
The fjotemial (for flooding) is
still great, especially as the town-
ship grows and because there's such
big difference (more than 100
in elevation from south to
he explained. "We're a ns-
b«a4 geographic catchall for a lot of
of the cost involved.
Flower power
Jessica Littleton (left) and Stephanie Nixon (right) of Amherst,
along with their Dutch bunnies, donned costumes for the best-
dressed animal contest at the Lorain County Fair recently. The two
are members of the Partners in Pride 4-H Club.
Laura Skeels (far left) with her Costa Rican family: Vivlana
(back), Mirta and Manuel.
Sisters 'share'
adventure opportunity
by OLEN M.LLER
i
CQNTINUeo an pane 1
News-Times reporter
You could amy Laura
Skeeles eocountered a rainforest and a once in a lifetime
Central American adventure
this summer by default
Skeeles, 13, look the place
of her sister, Angie, 17, when
*» spent Jobs 2 through July
11 in Com Rica wasting
through a reiafeseat, axptotisg
s volcano, and Mviag with s
Amhent Insiders 4-lt" Club,
was one of several Ohio
teenagers chosen by state 4-H
officials to take part in a
dab tswiurtional study tour.
AB that changed ia late
spring after she was offered a
at NASA's Lewis
Cosier ia Cleveland.
"It was a bard decision for
Angle. She wanted to go very
badly, rjot this was just as
t't pass up, so she
eWCber
aad ran a coffee
Angle, a
eft*
enaaea 9
Historical Society hosts
antique market Sept. 12
As part of the Amherst Historical Society's 25th anniversary
celebration, the group will be hosting an antiques show and sale,
flea market and plant sale on Saturday, Sept 12 from 10 tun. to 4
pjn. .
The event will be held at the Historic Sandstone Museum Center on Milan Avenue. Sales will feature antiques and collectibles,
an outdoor flea market and plant sale and a lecture on herbs and
plants. The lecture will begin at 2:30 p.m. at the chapel.
An "antique roadshow*' will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in
the grange annex. Residents who want to know whether they have
"trash or treasure" on their bands are welcome to bring an object
to experts who will be at the roadshow.
Anyone interested in setting up s table to sell items at the show
can call coordinator Sally Van Nuys Brown at 984-3486, or the
AHS office on Wednesday at 988-7255.
Police searching for clues
in woman's death at home
It may be at least a month before
Amherst police know what caused
the death of 34-year-old Catherine
Bolyard. who mysteriously died in
her fiance's mobile home Aug. 26.
The Lorain County Coroner's
Office is waiting for the results of
toxicology tests to determine the
caare of ta woman's
when not in use, posing s potential
threat to data security.
This is among the things being
looked at by the committee, she
added.
The auditors also recommended
what they called a disaster recovery
plan should something happen to the
city's computer system.
Petro said financial information is
now being backed up on a floppy
disk and placed in the police department's safe. In addition, the city is
CONTINUED on page 3
According to police reports. Borer* was discovered ia far aad by
David Weaisch, of 107
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Lieutenant Lonaia DiUoa said
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Humming
along...
Raffle
benefits
ballfields
The Amherst Children's
Baseball Foundation is giving
Amherstonians a chance to
find out what soldiers ride around in by raffling s
Hummer.
The raffle is an attempt to
raise money for the continued
development of ball fields at
Harris Elementary School that
was started last year.
The vehicle, which costs
more than $50,000, is s two-
door hard top pickup similar
to a black four-door Hummer
often seen parked in front of
the Crystal Mortgage Co. at
ues rive rotors insenecoon.
The foundation hopes to
raise enough money to finish
work on fields to be used by
T-ball players, the boys'
Rainbow League and the
girls' Yearling League.
The Hummer that will be
given away is black and currently being kept at the east-
side Cleveland area auto dealership from which it was purchased, according to foundation spokeswoman Terry
Myosky.
The Hummer is a V8
diesel fueled injection vehicle
with a four-speed automatic
transmission.
The group's goal is to sell
at least 60.000 $1 tickets before the Oct 30 drawing at
Five Points. If it doesn't the
foundation will reserve the
right to convert the drawing
to a SO/50 raffle so it can
break even on the fundraiser,
she explained.
The raffle was the
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founders, David Moore, Job
Barnes sad Bob Perritt
Although the raffle win
benefit local children, Myosky
said the foundation is promoting the event nationaDy by
placing advertisements in a
nationally known auto trade
The wiener wiU be
stole for all taxes, license and
transportation, but need not be
present for the Oct 30 6
p.m. drawing at Five Points.
Tickets are available at the
following locations: Crystal
Mortgage, Bayskk Tide, Wy-
vill Mandsoa staon. Your
Deli, Olde Town Pizza, Zaber
Pools, Ridole
Dr.
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