Archive - Dec 17, 2008

By DEB WUETHRICH

The Tecumseh School Board voted 6-1 to enter into a contract with Foresite Design, Inc. from Berkley for professional design and construction management services for a new athletic complex to be located at Tecumseh High School. Foresite president, Bruce Lemons, was present at Monday night’s meeting to show renderings of the proposed facilities and to answer board members’ questions about the project.

Board member Jason Sines voted no on the project, stating that while the presentation was “excellent and knowledgeable,” he maintained his stance that the board was moving in one direction when there were other options that might have been considered.
“This is a two-part contract for professional services and also for construction management of the project,” Bill Wright, Director of Business and Finance, told the board. “By approving this you will be approving up to $140,175 for various services that Bruce will directly or indirectly coordinate.” He said the bidding process for construction work would come later.

Adopted earlier this year, a revised school code now mandates that school districts must seek site plan approval from the Superintendent of Public Instruction before beginning any major construction or remodeling project. The Superintendent of Public Instruction has delegated the site plan review process to the Michigan Department of labor and Economic Growth’s Bureau of Construction Codes. This is one of the areas where Foresite Design will provide expertise. Lemons, formerly from Hudson, is a well-known expert in the field of sports complex design and a founding member of the Synthetic Turf Council, a national organization based in Atlanta, Georgia.

By JIM LINCOLN

An update on the progress of the due diligence process by Consolidated Biscuit Company (CBC) involving the former Tecumseh Products Company facility was presented Monday night to the Tecumseh City Council by City Manager Kevin Welch.

Welch said site work began last week and will take approximately three to four weeks. Inspection of the plant includes an environmental impact study.  Welch remains optimistic. “There’s no reason to believe that it’s not going to go through,” he said.
Council was also informed that the State of Michigan is reconsidering the city’s request for funding of improvements to Maumee Street.

The city has discussed funding and improvements to Maumee Street with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Michigan Department of Transportation. CBC will use Maumee Street, from Chicago Boulevard to Russell Road with as many as 50 to 75 trucks per day, if plans to open in Tecumseh are realized. Maumee was last surfaced in 2001, however, conditions have since deteriorated.
In other news:

• Council approved the purchase of six Tasers, or stun guns, for use by the police department. The cost of $8,479 to a South Lyon, MI distributor includes accessories and related equipment. Other law enforcement agencies in Lenawee County that have purchased Tasers include the Adrian Police Department, Lenawee County Sheriff’s Department and the State Police.
Tecumseh Police Chief Mack Haun said the incapacitating device will help improve the safety of officers when confronted with belligerent or threatening individuals.

• Future participation on city boards and commissions by students from Tecumseh High School is anticipated. Students would serve as an advisory role only and would not have voting privileges.

After 27 years in business, Carol’s Hallmark Tecumseh location will be closing its doors to the public for the final time on Saturday, Jan. 17. “We are sad to be leaving,” said District Store Manager and Marketing Director Linda Jedele. “We have developed so many great relationships with our customers over the years. It’s hard to say goodbye.”
This store was the last Hallmark Gold Crown Store in Lenawee County. There are other stores that sell Hallmark products, but none of them are stores designated as Gold Crown. Carol Larson opened her first store here in the Tecumseh Plaza on November 27, 1981 under the encouragement of her mother. A few years later she opened her second store in Saline then another in Adrian and Lambertville.

Looking towards retirement, Carol put the Adrian store up for sale. When the lease ran out and there were no buyers, the Adrian store closed in January of 2007. The Tecumseh store has been for sale for over two years.

“In today’s economy it’s tough to sell a retail business,” said Jedele. “Businesses are downsizing all over so it is not a surprise that we could not sell it.” The Tecumseh store has received Hallmark’s “Excellence” award each year since this award program was started. They also won the Telegram’s “Best Gift Store” in 2008. This store has been a supporter of Lenawee County’s Relay for Life by having its own team for six years. This store has supported the community with many other fundraising events for nonprofit organizations.

“We are proud of what this store has meant to the community,” said Jedele. “We hope that our customers will continue to support our other two Gold Crown locations in Saline and Lambertville. We will do our best to make it worth their drive.”

Over a year ago I was invited to hear a speaker from North Carolina talk about the “economic impact of early childhood development.”  Being a board advisor to Communities In School of the Tecumseh Area, and volunteering with kids issues for several years, I was brought to a new level of understanding of what it actually meant to prepare children for life.

The message centered on making the kids of the community “tax payers” versus “tax consumers.”  I must say that I was really blown away with the studies presented that showed the impact of early childhood development on the future of a community especially given our economic picture in Lenawee County.  More importantly, how crucial the development in the first few years of life could actually increase the well being of a community some 20 years later.

I realized that day that I would be involved in some way to insure that early childhood development would happen in our community and we could reap the benefits long term by raising healthy, vital children that are prepared to learn when they reach school age.  This goal is becoming a reality with the development of the Lenawee Great Start Collaborative.  The collaborative is made up of committed people of this county to see that our children are raised with all the services they need to achieve success.  I encourage you to find out more about this initiative by contacting the Great Start office at 424-1000 or by visiting our website at www.lenaweegreatstart.org.

Thomas Pinard, DC
LGSC Vice-Chair

Thank you! The 3rd Annual Tecumseh Thanksgiving Dinner was a huge success because of all your help…

We want to thank you for planning, spreading the word, setting up and decorating, donating food and money, baking, cooking, volunteering, delivering meals, serving, helping people feel warm and welcome, washing dishes, and cleaning up…

Judy and Mike McAran, Brenda and Charlie Rebottaro, Doug and Tammy Eggleston and family, Merrill Murphy, Jan Hunt, Amy and Mike DeJongue, Tom and Vera Hawkins, Tom and Heather Hawkins and family, Peter and Amy Bortell, Russell and Tonia Hawkins and family, George Fiegel, Roger Boley, Rob and Anita Wolf and family, Lydia Jasso, Charlie and Tina Rebotarro and family, Dawn and Heather Major, Gary and Judy Hanna, Martha Plesha and family, Laura Orlowski and family, Margaret Gritman, Beth Jahnke, Yvonne and Ken Trout, Irene Cadmus, Shirley Ross, Mike and Blanche Stanek and family, Janine Decker and family, Dawn and Jim Klauke and family, Deb and Bill Rhodaberger, Tim and Debbie Berges, Julie Lomonaco, Janis and Peter George and family, Lee and Mark Burkhard, Shirley Piepenburg, Barb Burkhard, Beth Yeary, Julie and Kevin Hinkley, Deb Amaya, Donna and Jim Yearsin, Jeff and Cindy Rowe, Jeff Niemic, Anne Walker, Herb and Kathy McDavid, Linda  Posa, Christina Shearer, Louise Salamin, Sherry and Ed Hull, Amy Bergman, Grace Cornelius, Roma Gray, Frank and JoAnn Barritt.

We also appreciate the generous support through donations from the businesses and organizations of Tecumseh…

Busch’s, Dawn Farm, Lev’s Bakery, Jerry’s Market, Wendy’s, Basil Boys, Rotary Club, Big Boy, St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church, Tecumseh Middle School, Tecumseh Garden Club and the Tecumseh Herald.