Amherst News-Times, 1998-01-14

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BOE elects '98 leaders — Page 10 Beanie Babies in APD raffle — Pa
Amherst News-Time
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Wednesday, January 14, 1998
Amherst, Ohio
Township sheriffs station needs phone lin<
by GLEN MILLER
News-Times reporter
Ncnrly four months after a sheriff's substation was created in the
Amhersi Township hall, Lorain
Counly sheriff deputies are being
forced to use a cellular phone in lieu
of a regular line.
The reason for the delay has
spurred questions by the township
trustees, the sheriff's department
and at least one county
commissioner.
Sheriff Martin Mahony said he
realizes the commissioners have
much to do, but noted that his request for funding was made Dec.
19.
Indoor and outdoor lines are
needed. Lorain County 911 has
agreed to provide special outdoor
call boxes at substations in Amherst,
Pcnficld and Eaton townships. The
lines, however, must be financed by
the county commissioners because
the sheriff's department does not
have money budgeted for them.
The department's money is used
for investigation and day-to-day operations. Any extra funds must be
provided out of the county general
fund by the commissioners, the
sheriff explained,.
The outdoor call boxes can be
used by people with an emergency
and will connect them with 911 service when deputies arc not in the
substation. Deputies will be in the
general area, less than five minutes
away,
"So that's why we'd very much
like to get this off the ground, but
we don't want to throw stones at
anybody," sheriffs captain Joe Bell
added.
Township trustee Denny  Abra
ham was reluctant to criticise the
commissioners. Nevertheless, he
noted that the township has spent
more than $3,500 of its own money
lo make the necessary renovations
for the substation.
"It's an asset for the community
and they (phone lines) arc not all
that costly," he added. "So, it's hard
for us to understand the delay."
Commissioner Mary Jo Vasi said
she is particularly disturbed by lack
of action on the cc
eluding the failure ot teiiow commissioners Betty Blair and Michael
Ross to agree to put the funding on
a meeting agenda.
Vasi said she and the commissioners have received letters from
the sheriffs department asking for
funding bul have nol taken action as
quickly as she would have liked.
CONTINUED on page 3
First
at local
baby
born in 1998
hospital flies in
Joel and Michelle Miller may be
hoping the newest addition to their
family doesn't continue to be late
the rest of his life.
Their 10-day-old newborn son,
Austin, has the distinction of being
Amherst's New Year's baby even
though he came into the world at
8:54 p.m. Jan. 4 — four days behind
schedule.
According to Michelle's pediatrician's projection, he was due sometime New Year's Eve. Instead, he
decided lo show his mom, dad and
21-month-old brother Andrew just
how stubborn little kids can be.
Nol only was he late, he gave his
parents and everyone else a very
early scare. He had to be helicoptered to Rainbow, Babies and Chil-
dens' Hospital in Cleveland after
doctors at Amhersi Hospital discovered he had a probelm with one of
his lungs.
It turned out to be a tiny hole that
created a little air bubble between
his chest wall and lungs. In addition,
his oxygen level was lower than
normal.
Doctors  decided  the  Cleveland
children's hospital was better
equipped to deal with ihe abnormality than was the local hospital. As a
result, Austin took his first flight at
a very early age and was placed on
oxygen.
The Millers live less than a block
from Amherst Hospital and arc used
to seeing the LifeFlight helicopter
land and take off.
"Never in our wildest imagination
did we think we'd ever have to use
it, but we're glad it's there," she
added.
Fortunately, the lung hole healed
itself without surgery in a short time
and continued tests revealed everything was okay. Austin came home
to 161 Cleveland Avenue Jan. 10.
Bul his late arrival wasn't abnormal and had nothing to do with his
lung problem. Births can be plus or
minus 10 days from the projected
due date, according to what doctors
I old Michelle.
"We're just happy everything
turned out okay because it was scary
for me and Joel," she added.
Nevertheless, the late arrival was
a little disappointing for bolh. She
City council, staff
sworn in, given
committee duties
Amherst's small city council
chamber was filled to capacity
Jan. 5 as nearly 35 friends, relatives and curious people
watched as a new city council
and cily administrative staff was
sworn in by mayor John
Higgins.
"This looks like it will be a
very active and good council,"
ihe mayor said.
Taking their oaths of office
for ihe first time were first ward
council member Terry Traster,
second ward council member
Edwin Cowger and third ward
representative Steve P'Simer.
Joining them were fourth
ward councilman John Mishak,
council president Wayne White
and council members-at-large
Nancy Brown, John Dietrich and
David Kukucka. Kukucka also
was chosen to serve as president
pro tern.
"I'm looking forward to two
very fruitful years," White said.
Among those in attendance
was Lorain Counly auditor Mark
Stewart, who said he wanted to
meet all the cily officials.
"I just think it is important for
mc to know them and for them
to know mc," he explained.
Also taking the oaths of office
were newly elected city auditor
Diane Eswine, formerly a council member-at-Iarge, and treasurer Kathleen Litkovitz, who
was re-elected to her post last
November.
No business was conducted at
the meeting, which lasted aboul
25 minutes.
Among the issues that are
likely lo come before council in
the coming months include the
lawsuit filed against council by
city law director Alan Anderson,
the proposed rezoning of pari of
N. Leavitt Road from residential
to commercial use, hiring additional cily employees and temporary repairs needed to the roof
and bell tower of city hall.
"I think we'll stay pretty busy
and there are always things we
don't think about or know about," White said.
Committee appointments include the following:
Finance committee, Kukucka
chairperson and Dietrich vice
chairperson; public utilities
commission, Dietrich chairperson and Traster vice chairperson; police and fire committee,
Mishak chairperson and P'Simer
vice chairperson; Community
development, capital improvements and ecology, Traster
chairperson and Brown vice
chairperson; streets, sidewalks,
sewers, draihs and creeks committee, Brown chairperson ancf
Trastcr vice chairperson; cable
television, John Mishak chairperson and Cowger vice chairperson; ordinances and legislation committee, Cowger chairperson and P'Simer vice chairperson; recycling committee,
P'Simer chairperson nd Mishak
vice chairperson; building, lands
and grounds committee, John
Dietrich chairperson and Kukucka vice chairman; executive
and insurance committee, Mishak chairperson and Cowger
vice chairperson; and the annexation committee, Cowger
chairperson and P'Simer vice
chairperson.
Ali seven council members
serve on each committee.
was hoping for an additional tax deduction for 1997 rather than 1998.
Joel just thought having a New
Year's baby would be "neat."
"If wc had gotten closer to midnight, I might have asked her to
push harder, but we're just happy to
have a healthy boy," he joked.
So far, Andrew has accepted the
idea of having a little brother. He
hasn't just shown jealousy but
nearly sal on Austin — accidentally,
of course.
It seems mom and dad took Austin out of his crib and thought it
would be cute to place nim in Andrew's bean bag TV chair. Andrew
was concentrating more on TV as
his walked backwards into his chair,
forgetting it had a temporary
occupant.
His parents caught him before he
parked himself on Austin. They
have decided to keep little brother in
more a protective place until he gets
older.
and Joel both work; she
is a secretary for a Westlake electric
company and he is a stone mason
for Stonchingc in •Amherst.
Joel and Michelle Miller enjoy time with their
two sons: new-born Austin, and his older brother
Andrew.
Wet work
The pouring rain and cold temperature didn't deter this hardcore
mechanic from doinq necessary repair work on a car. James Con
way of North Ridge Road preferred to brave the rain last Thursday
and beat the snow and freezing temperatures to get the work done.
New design in store for Rt. 58 'pike
by GLEN MILLER
News-Times reporter
The Lake Shore Railway Association is chugging closer toward
completing plans to place tracks
through an old rail underpass initially sought for a new Ohio Turnpike interchange on Rt. 58.
The step forward was made possible by a $ 1.8 million loan approved
Jan. II by the Ohio Rail Development Commission.
The only stumbling block seems
to be the Lorain County Commis
sioners' willingness to approve a
loan guarantee.
Commissioners Betty Blair and
Michael Ross discussed the railway
wilh its opponents and supporters at
a Jan. 11 commissioners meeting.
Commissioner Mary Jo Vasi was
nol present.
The two commissioners decided
lo lake no formal action until they
can obtain information on the railway's finances, according to clerk
Roxann Blair.
Thomas O'Leary, executive director of the development commission, said it approved the loan last
week partially based on supportive
letters individually written by commissioners Ross and Blair.
Neither commissioner could be
reached for comment.
Blair and commissioner Vasi said
ihey were unaware of the letters.
Regardless, they said the commissioners must pass a resolution to
guarantee the loan but will not until
they have more information on railway finances.
Vasi said she is opposed lo the
railway. County money should nol
be used to support a private entity,
she explained.
The loan will pay for a redesign
of the interchange planned by the
Ohio Turnpike Commission on Rt
58.
Turnpike officials had agreed to
delay final action on the nearly
three-year-old construction project
until the rail development agency
announced its loan decision.
The deal was worked out between
ihe railway and turnpike authorities
nearly two years ago after both parlies learned they each wanted lo use
ihe underpass.
CONTINUED on page 3
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