Amherst News-Times, 2000-06-28

              Swimmers open with a win
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10
Amherst News-Time
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^dnnsdny.  June ?8.  2000
Cross-Roads
street repairs
Amherst.  Ohm
gets
job
The city has awarded a $40,487
bid to Cross-Roads Asphalt Recycling of Columbia Station to complete crack and joint sealing to a
number of Amherst streets.
The repair list includes the following streets:
• Cleveland Avenue, from South
Main Street to Leavitt Road, 22,000
feet
• Washington Street, from Sun-
: rise to Shadylawn, 1,718 feet
• Lincoln Street, from Cleveland
Avenue to East Martin Street,
; 3.060.
• Lincoln Street, from 215 feet
! north of Rainbow to 191 feet north
of Greenlawn, 3,915 feet
• Shadylawn Avenue, from Blossom to 169 feet west of Cherry
Valley Drive, 1.718 feeL
• Westlake Drive, from West
• West Martin Avenue, from
North Lake Street to 900 feet west t
2,607 feet
• Crestline Avenue, from North
Lake Street to 900 feet west 2,598
feet
• Fallen Oaks Lane, from Sleepy tt
Hollow Drive lo Westchester Drive, fl
3,313 feet
• Sleepy Hollow Drive, from Fallen Oaks Lane to Westchester
Drive. 2,203 feet
• Westchester Drive, from Fallen
Oaks Lane to 167 feet south, 356
feet
• Westchester Drive, from Fallen
Oaks Lane to Fallen Oaks Lane,
3.184 feet
• Holly Lane, Sleepy Hollow
Drive tt> Westchester Drive, 1,283
feet
• Rome Beauty Road, from 162
: Martin Avenue to the end, 2,310 feet west of Mcintosh to Golden
| feet Russett, 2,434 feet
■    • May field Court, from Westlake • Winesap, from 155 feet Mcln-
: Drive to the end, 277 feet tosh Lane to Golden Russet 2,551
;   • Plaza Drive, from Middle feet
Ridge Road to the end, 3.850 feet • Baldwin Court, from West
• Lancer Drive, from Dodge Martin Street to the end, 2,691 feet
Drive to the end, 7,247 feet All together, the crack and seal
;   • Dodge Drive, from Middle program will cover 76.392 feet of
Ridge Road to the end, 7,077. streets.
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Catching a wave
It isn't exactly the ocean, or even Lake Erie, but when you're hot
and you're a kid, a sprinkler on the front lawn will do just as well on
a summer oay.
Senior citizens get break in sewer bill increases
jp*:'".
by VICKIE HAUFF
News-Times correspondent
At a special meeting of the utilities enm«d»» last week, John
Courtney of Courtney and Associates, outlined a three-year plan for
sewer rate increases for Amherst
residents.
The proposed plan is a three-year
projection that would hike sewer
rates from the current flat rate of
$21 per month for single-family units to $25 per month over a three-
year period.
The purpose of this analysis was
to determine the revenue adjustment
needed to meet projected operating,
capital, and debt service expenses
that the city will be facing. This projection includes the cost of a new
wastewater treatment plant with an
$8 million price tag.**
With this proposal, residents using 5,000 or less gallons per month
would not see an increase until
2002, at which time the rate will
jump to $23 per month, then to $25
per month in 2003.
The 40 cents per 1,000 gallons increase would allow the city to stay
on track to pay back the loan taken
out for the wastewater treatment
project at an estimated $650,000 per
year over the next 25 years.
.John Courtney of Courtney and Associates talks to city council
oommlttee members last week about keeping up with the cost of
maintaining the city's sewer treatment through increased rates.
Typical Bill
Comparisons
Monthly usage
Existing Rates
2001
2002
2003
Residential
0
$21.00
$21.00
$23.00
$25.00
5,000
$21.00
$21.00
$23.00
$25.00
10.000
$21.00
$42.00
$46.00
$50.00
Non-Residential
*
•         .
0
$21.00
$21.00
$23.00
$25.00
10.000
$42.00
$42.00
$46.00
$50.00
25,000
$105.00
$105.00
$115.00
$125.00
50.000
$210.00
$210.00
$230.00
$250.00
100.000
$420.00
$420.00
$460.00
$500 00
Courtney stated that each year his
company will review the sewer rates
as well as water and electric to ensure the city is on track to stay
within their goal.
If the rate increase does not go
through, although normal operating
revenues will be met the wastewater treatment project monies will
have to come from other venues.
An increase of 37 percent in revenues is needed in order to sustain
the project while meeting normal
projected revenues that are required
for the city to maintain.
While the projection considers
the city's growth at a rate of about 6
percent per year, committee members were concerned for the city's
senior citizen population who are
living on fixed limited incomes.
'What can we do to accommodate our senior citizens living on
fixed incomes and cannot afford an
increase?" asked councilmember
Steve P'Simer. "I'm talking about
those who have been paying the $21
and using less than 5,000 gallons
per month."
After a short discussion, it was
agreed that a special current rate status can be put into effect for those
seniors who meet the limited income requirements, the same type
of program that die city uses for
their beat program.
Applications would be available
at city hall and proof of income
would be required to qualify for the
discounted rate once the increase is
put into effect
Tbe analysis also determined that
the average family in Amherst uses
5,000-6,000 gallons of water per
month while an elderly couple uses
only 3,000-4.000 gallons per month.
Offering the lower rate to i
who need it will not affect the projected needs the city must meet over
the next three years.
Courtney's analysis is designed to
provide die minimal impact on consumers and also provides for interest
rates incurred during the construction of the wastewater treatment
plant project
Courtney also staled that the city
should re-think its budgeting strategies, with the onslaught of the
wastewater project the "budget as
needed" attitude will not suffice and
the city should adopt a "depreciation
schedule" method instead,
This would mean that the budget
would be gone over on a regular basis to ensure that the city is staving
on track to meet its goals.
Mayor John Higgins added, "I
think it's the most efficient thing to
do, to stay on top of the budget"
Red Cross training pays off for boys
by VICKIE HAUFF
•*v  News-Times correspondent
When Matt Chonko's
. mother asked him to attend a
,'" lied Cross training course
'with her in 1998, she never
dreamed he would be using
-'what he learned leas than a
'•' year later to help someone
who was injured.
;;'. That's just what happened
however when on Oct 22,
1999. while playing at a bus
-Mop with friend Skyler Gnn.
:' the then 11-year-old Matt was
. abb to put his knowledge of
basic emergency skills to
good we.
Skyler. also 11 at the time,
ran into the street whore he
was stock by a car. Matt ran
to lis friend and asked if be
was -right Whea Skyler did
not respond. Matt alerted a
.-'Alfchbor to «- 911 and
whh Skytar m* he
made sure that gathering onlookers understood that they
were not to move him.
He then retrieved his
mother, Marcie Chonko, who
is an employee of the American Red Cross, and helped
keep Skyler stable until paramedics arrived.
When Skyler's father arrived at the scene, according
to Marcie, he said "Skyler,
it's dad, I love you." And
that was the first and only
time Skyler opened his eyes
at ihe scene.
The Grms told Marcie later,
she said, that doctors at
Cleveland Metro Hospital informed them that ihe first
few minutes of an accident of
that caliber are crucial, and
had Mitt not responded as be
did. Skyler may not have recovered from Ms injuries as
well as he did.
Skyler suffered a fractured
_a_l and gent fear days ht
a coma. He then underwent
several weeks of rehabilitation
but was back at school within
a few months.
Recently, Matt received The
American Red Cross Certificate of Merit awarded to
those individuals who help
save a life.
The award, which is signed
by President Clinton, wu presented to Matt during a
school assembly at Shupe
Middle SchooL
1 don't think be is aware
of how unportsiu what he did
_, but probably in tbe yean
to come, be will realise it,"
Marcie Hid.
Marcie said that she was
taking the coarae aa part of
Red Cross and asked Matt if
he wanted to take it wife her.
The Gnas are probably glad
he did.
Matt _*> received a citation
Ohio State Representative acknowledging his courage and
quick thinking.
"It takes a lot of courage
for someone to get involved,"
said Sherrill McLoda, Amherst
City Safety-Service Director.
"Even adults don't always do
that and for an 11-year-old,
that is commendable bravery."
As far as hero worship for
Matt, forget it his mother
said nothing has really
changed. Matt, now 12, goes
about his business like nothing has happened
Skyler. these days is bqck
in the swing of being a
12-year-old himself, with
baseball games to get to and
being a normal kid.
The Grms were not available for comment on the matter, but McLoda says she is
mm surprised that Matt took it
■pan himself to help his
friend, stating. "The people of
st really do look after
Workshop Players
stage 'zany' show
Workshop Players presents the final show of the 1999-2000
season, John Ford Norman's "A Coupla White Chicks Sitting
Around Talking" with music by Laudon Wainwright DI.
Directed by Val Farschman, this zany comedy takes place
in the kitchen of Maude Mix. played by Amy
Brotheron-Stak-s, perhaps the archtypal suburan housewife in
Westchester County. N.Y.
Maude is having a tough day. Mot only is her husband off
on a weekend spree with bit secretary, but she can't seem to
get rid of her peaky neighbor Hannah Mae. played by Tereaa
Jenkins, who haa feat asoved up from Thus aad won't take
"gat kMt" for an answer.
Eventualy they Join forces against their errant erring husbands, b the end. Maade has been Bbereted into a wider
and wiaer world.
Performances are July 6, 7. g, 14. IS. 21 and 22 at 8
p.m. There wifl also be Swnday ana-Nee on Inly 16 and 23
at 3 pjn. Ticked are $gJ0 sack and may be reserved by
calling fee ban oflke at 9gg-5613. Gaoap "
abfe far gRNfn of 10 or anon.
Workshop Players Theatre is located on
Road ia Amherst halfway between Stats Rome 2