Amherst News-Times, 1997-04-30

              Lease signed for Post Office — Page 3       Pump station gets lift — Page 10
Amherst News-Time
<~>  •-  O   O   i
r~  00 m  m
cr en o o
3 I
■   <   X   H
c m m
■7";
Wednesday, April 30, 1997
Primary 1997
Bond issue
would help relieve
crowded situation
by GLEN MILLER
News-Times reporter
Amhersl area residents will decide whether to solve the anticipated
"space jam" in the Amherst Schools
when they go to the polls on
Tuesday.
At question is whether property
owners arc willing to help finance a
$16.7 million renovation and expansion project to add more than 40
classrooms, libraries, cafeterias and
other facilities needed by its five
schools.
The only alternative will be lo institute half-day classes in the school
district, a solution superintendent
Howard Dulmage wants to avoid.
Morning sessions would begin at
6:30 a.m. and dismiss at 12:30 p.m.
Afternoon classes would begin
shortly after 12:30 p.m. and end at
5:30 p.m.
'That would affect academic performance," he said. "We've consistently lead the county in proficiency
test scores That's a good indication
of quality of education they (students) receive. Half-day sessions
would hurt this."
Amherst recently was named one
of Ohio's 26 high performing school
districts.
Both Dulmage and assistant
superintendent of schools Timothy
Logar said they view the bond issue
as an investment in the growth of
the Amherst area and the education
of students.
"This is not too much to ask if
you arc interested in the advancement of our kids," Logar added.
Based on projections by the Lorain County auditor's office, the
3.954 mill bond issue — Issue 14 on
the ballot, will cost homeowners
with a $70,000 home $84.76 yearly.
Those wilh $100,000 homes will
pay $121.09 annually and those
with $120,000 homes will pay
$181.64 a year.
The unprecedented residential
growth within the school district has
brought about the "space jam" in the
schools, the theme of the campaign.
Enrollment in the school district
has increased by more than 500 students in the last five years and projected to continue to grow by at
least 100 or more students yearly.
The school district now has about
3,700 students but was built for no
more than about 3,500. If new home
construction in the school district
continues as projected, there will be
around 4,200 school children enrolled by 2001.
ln some schools, storage rooms
arc being used as small classrooms
or offices. Mobile classrooms have
been installed at Nord Junior High
School, Shupe Middle School and
Harris Elementary School.
Buying more mobile classrooms
CONTINUED from page 2
Republicans
vie for right to run
in fall auditor race
Michael Nolte
There will be some familiar faces
from the political scene as well as a
few newcomers on the May 6 primary ballot on Tuesday.
There is only one contested race
in the primary between Republicans
John Dunn and Michael Nolte, who
are competing for the right to represent their party in the November auditor's race.
No Democrats will appear on
Tuesday's balloL
Candidates for city offices who
have filed petitions with the Board
of Elections include the following:
• Auditor: Republicans John
Dunn and Michael Nolte; Democrat
Diane Eswine and Independent candidate Darlene Klingenmeier.
• Treasurer: Republican James
Klaibcr and Democrat Kathleen
Litkovitz.
• City council president: Democrat Wayne Whyte.
• Council at large (three): Republican Dann Swift and Democrats
David Kukucka, John Dietrich and
Nancy Brown.
• First Ward: Republican Robert
Sisler.
Darlene Klingenmeier
• Second Ward: Democrat Edwin
Cowger.
• Third Ward: Democrat James
P'Simer and Independent David
Rice.
• Fourth Ward: Democrat John
Mishak.
Candidate profiles, from those
candidate who provided information, follow:
Republican candidate Michael
Nolte, 162 Woodhill Drive, has not
made any prior trips to the ballot as
a candidate. A 17-year resident of
Amherst, he and his wife, Maria,
have a daughter, Laura. A graduate
of Bluffton College and the Graduate School for Bank Administration
at the University of Wisconsin,
Nolte has been involved in public finance for 17 years.
He has served as a city finance
director for the last nine years. Prior
to that, he was assistant vice president of Lorain County Bank for five
and a half years and a bank examiner for the US Treasury Depart-
CONTINUED on page 3
Amherst, Ohio
(A
3 H
3>   O
■33
t> H
<  O
o
n
Slime time
Students in Jane Wagner's science club at St. Joseph's School
celebrated Earth Day last week by learning about Ihe habits and
benefits of earthworms. Wagner was assisted by parent-helper
Christine Byrne, as children from grades one through four oohed,
ahhhed and yukked through the session.
Crumbling town hall may be fixed
by BILL ROSS
News-Times reporter
Vowing to do whatever it takes to
kc*p city halt*from succumbing to
the ravages of old age, city council
has begun an in-depth effort to facilitate renovations on the building.
"I'm not trying lo be brash with
city council, but you better consider
fixing this building up — or moving
out," mayor John Higgins told council  members during an  April 21
building and lands committee
meeting.
Total costs for restoring the historical landmark are estimated to
run al least $500,000, according to
Higgins. *"
The mayor said lhal portions of
city hall are showing serious signs
of decay and issues of safely have
been raised by office workers —
who arc concerned about the possibility of falling beams or a collapsed
ceiling.
Additionally, the building suffers
from bad wiring, poor ventilation,
rolling beams, a leaky roof and a
heating system that barely works,
according to the mayor.
Details of ihe repairs and renovations needed were outlined by Higgins at the committee meeting for
the first two stages of renovations.
"Construction Resources has completed their inspection of the exterior and has recommended a number
of repairs," he said.
The recommendations include:
• Bell Tower, masonry, ledges,
stone and chimney repairs —
$119,000
• Plumbing and wiring —
$100^)00
• Replacing exterior shingles,
including (he removal of old asbestos — $80,000
• Aluminum frame windows
throughout — $75,000 (for wood
frames, an additional $75,000 would
CONTINUED on page 2
Habitat gets plenty of human help
The small animal habitat at Powers Elementary School is ready to
take on spring — and a few additional residents.
A second grader has donated a
handmade birdfeedcr and his classmate has contributed enough birdseed to keep the birds chirping for a
while.
Second grade teacher Rcnee Vanderwyden said each class volunteers
one week during the school year to
take responsibility for feeding birds
who visit the small animal habitat.
The preserve was built in May of
last year, as a way of increasing the
students' awareness of nature and
the environment.
Vanderwyden said that eight-
year-old Robert Abfall was so enthusiastic about the habitat, that he
look it upon himself to make the
birdfeeder to welcome his feathered
friends back from their southern
vacation.
"The children have come up with
various ways lo feed (he birds in the
past, like coating pine cones with
peanut butter," Vanderwyden said.
"But this young man wanted to do a
little something extra."
Abfall constructed the birdfeeder
from a recycled peanut container,
Alexandra Levine and Robert Abfall prepare
lunch for their many feathered friends who visit
coathangers and tape, and mounted
il on a tree the week before Easter
— where it has provided a quick
lunch spot for birds.
Robert said he was inspired to
make the feeder because "I thought
the small animal habitat at Powers Elementary
School regularly.
it was a good idea," and he wanted
to make sure the birds had a safe
place to dine. He gave credit to his
mom for assisting in the design of
his projecL
Another  student  of  Vanderwy-
den's, Alexandra Levine, eight, donated a 50 lb. bag of birdseed to the
project.
Levine won the birdseed as a
CONTINUED on page 6
Cops help avert cemetery suicide
By using restraint instead of
deadly force, two Amherst police officers were able to thwart
a suicide attempt by a man who
planned on killing himself in
Ridge Hill Cemetery on Tuesday, April 22.
The despondent 44-year-old
Vermilion man had recently left
Erie County Courthouse after
being sentenced to 30 days in
jail for failing to pay child support, and told a relative he was
going to kill himself, according
to chief William Hall of the Amherst Police Department.
The relative notified Vermilion police, who passed the word
to 'toih Amherst police and the
Lorain County Sheriffs office.
After hearing on the police radio that the subject may be in
the area, officer Hector Rivera,
who was on routine patrol, located a blue Chevrolet S-10
pickup truck matching the description of the subject's.
Rivera called for backupwat
10:55 a.m., as he saw the subject
in the cemetery, walking from
the passenger side of his truck to
a grassy area near several
graves.
"He walked about 10 to IS
feet, and then just dropped on
his back — almost like he had
been shot," Rivera said.
Officer John Balog was returning from Lorain County Jail
and provided backup for Rivera
as ihe man lay down on the
CONTINUED on page 6
I