Amherst News-Times, 1998-01-21

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d finds at cemetery — Page 3       Cops target trouble spots — Page 6
I
Lmherst News-Times
nuary 21, 1998
Amherst, Ohio
50 cents
Bl
Sl
3
3 re;
only d_
homes up
in 1997
by GLEN MILLER
News-Times reporter
The construction of new homes
and business in Amherst appears to
be slowing down based on 1997 statistics released by the city.
Based on information collected
by the building department, 53 new
homes were built in the city last
year, 23 fewer than in 1996.
The slowdown may be the result
of the closing of the Ford Motor Co.
assembly plant in Lorain, mayor
John Higgins said.
In monetary value, the difference
represents about a S4 million decline. More lhan S8.2 million worth
of homes were built last year compared to more lhan $12 million the
previous year.
The construction slowdown will
affect counly properly taxes. The
city's main revenue source comes
from employee withholding taxes.
City treasurer Kathleen Litkovitz
said seven businesses, including
Rich's Auto Body on Park Avenue,
closed or moved out of Amherst.
Others downsized and a few others
reported lower lhan expected
profits.
"Most of our revenue comes from
employee withholding lax, so when
it falls off for one reason or another
ii affects us," she explained. "It's
imporlani for council to know this
as iis spends money.
Total income tax revenue from
employee withholding tax amounted
to more than S2.9 million last year.
Lilkovitz said she expects this
amount lo be maintained this year
and may increase slightly, but nol
much.
"Il's important to recoup the businesses wc lose," Litkovitz added.
Higgins noted that a few businesses, including a Pat Calan's craft
siorc, plan lo move into vacant
buildings in the Amherst Plaza on
Cooper Foster Park Road this year. ♦
Employccss al the craft store and
other new businesses will provide
the slight boost in income tax revenue, Lilkoviiy. said.
In addition, the mayor said HTM,
a dirt motorcycle firm now located
in Lorain, plans to move its corporate headquarters to Amherst this
year and has purchased a local firm
thai makes trailers for them. The
firm was slated to go out of
business.
Seven new commercial buildings
were buill and three others buill additions last year. Another three businesses were remodeled.
In addition to the loss of some businesses Lilkovitz. said the cily continues to deal wilh the problem of
CONTINUED on page 2
Road, sewer job,
new park will top
1998's projects,
mayor predicts
Four of the founding members of the Amherst Women's League take a break during a
dinner with June Petrillo (seated), an Elyrian
who helped the women charter the club. From
left are Elaine Smith, Ruth Husar, Dorothy
Kurth and Thelma Powers.
For 50 years, they've been
in a league of their own
by GLEN MILLER
News-Times reporter
For five decades, inc Amherst
Women's League (AWL) has
been a quiet catalyst for starling
community projects. The trouble
is, nol all of today's Amhcrsto-
nians have heard of the AWL or
its accomplishments.
Only   1ft members remain in
ihe club oul the 50 who belonged in 1966, the height of its
membership. That was the year
the social and civic group had lo
purchase name tags to identify
everyone. Still, other women
were waiting lo join.
Since men, many have moved
away and some have died. Still
others went on to raise families
and never rejoined.
The remaining members arc a
lightly-knit group that will mark
the organization's golden anniversary Jan. 24 at the Nordson
Depot beginning at 12:30 p.m.
"It's hard to say where the
time has gone. We're all older
now and don't do as much as we
used to all those years ago,'
founding member Rulh Husar.
72, said.
by GLEN MILLER
News-Times reporter
The cily expects to spend up to
SI.8 million this year on projects
ranging from the mapping of city
utilities to continued street improvements, according to mayor John
Higgins's annual state of ihe city
report.
Presented during the Jan. 12 city
council meeting, the report ouUines
projects completed during 1997 and
those planned this year.
Among ihe most ambitious projects will be the mapping of city
utilities using the Geographical Information System, or GIS. The
longitude and latitude of each sewer
and water line, utility poles and
even fire hydrants will be placed on
a map using a small electronic backpack equipped with an antenna.
Il allows a signal to be sent lo a
special satellite and bounced back to
earth marking the utility's location
within a fraction of an inch.
"This will give us one whole
composite of the city and ihe utili
ties we have. This way, we will
know exactly where they are and
what we have," Higgins explained.
The GIS mapping process will
cost ihe city about $40,000 and create maps for different kinds of utilities. A consulting firm has been
hired to do the project, but no start
date has been set.
The continuing repair and upgrade of city streets will begin in the
summer and involve paving and rebuilding bridges over Cooper Foster
Park and N. Quarry roads.
The work on ihe bridges will cost
an estimated $125,000 each and the
installation of a new 36-inch sewer
line along Middle Ridge Road will
cost about $350,000, Higgins
reported.
Extensive blackiopping, sealing
and concrete work also will be done,
bringing the total road work to at
least $1 million.
Pending cily council approval, the
cily may hire a consultant to help
prepare proposed revisions in planning  and  zoning  ordinances  this
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page
Amherst Women's League members help a      Pauline La France, Ethel Moyers and Bernice
child pick out a Christmas gift at Santa's Sec-      Wyvill.
ret Shop in the Nordson Depot. From left are
City's competing
for share of cash
from state to pay
for park project
by GLEN MILLER
News-Times reporter
The city has applied for a
$200,000 Natureworks grant from
the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) lo help pay for its
portion of a joint park project.
If it is approved, mayor John Higgins said the grant will help pay for
the city's share of building the park
with the Lorain County Metro
Parks.
The city has agreed to contribute
a total of $600,000 and the Metro-
Parks an equal amount Another
$600,000 is to come from other resources, including the grant and
public and business donations.
The joint project was announced
earlier this month after more than
two years of planning. The land will
be purchased from the RLR Development Co. in Elyria.
ODNR land management division
administrator Mike Cook said a total
of $11 million is available to cities,
counties and townships throughout
the state in 1998. The grams are
awarded on a county-by-couniy
basis.
The cily is competing with nine
municipalities and townships for about $251,000 in grant funds for the
county in 1998. The other applicants
are Elyria, Avon, Lorain, the Lorain
Pori Authority, and LaGrangc, Grafton, Pcnfield, Huntington and
Brownhelm townships.
A total of more than $1 million in
grants is being sought.
"That means there are four limes
the number of grant applications
than there is the funds we have set
aside for ihe county, bul it's often
like that," Cook said.
A decision is expected to be announced in May based on a community's needs, financial resources,
the recreation facilities offered in
the park and other factors.
Representatives from the land
management division reviewed the
site in September.
"Wc know Amhersi is a quickly
CONTINUED on page 2
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Goldman's 'Lion in Winter'
on Workshop Player stage
Tom Cotton, Dustin Jasinski and Leon Of-        The Lion in Winter,
fengenden in Workshop Players' production of
Workshop Players, celebrating its 50th season
this year, will present 'The Lion in Winter," by
James Goldman beginning Jan. 29.
The production is directed by David Cotton,
who is assisted by Aliie Jenkins. "The Lion in
Winter" is the story of the fiery relationship between King Henry II of England (played by
George MacDonald) and his queen, Eleanor of
Aquitaine (played by Pamela Pickworth) and how
they plot, love, cheat, connive and try to politically devour each other.
The queen tries to align herself with France to
ensure her eldest son's (Richard the Lion
Hearted, played by James Darvas) position as
heir to ihe throne.
King Henry favors his youngest son John
(played by Dustin Jasinski) for the coveted tide.
The sons care little for either parent, and each
will stop at nothing to obtain personal power.
Rounding out the cast are Leon Of fengenden
as son Geoffrey, Tom Cotton as King Philip of
France and Connie Osborne as the French Princess Alais.
Highlighted with comic moments, "The Lion it
Winter" is a powerful drama of fierce ambition
and family honor.
The production will be presernted on Jan. 29,
30. 31, Feb. 6. 7. 12, 13 and 14 at 8 p.m. Sunday
matinees will be Feb. 8 and 15 at 3 p.m. Tickets
are $7.50 each and available by calling the box
office at 988-5613.