Archive - Jul 2009

To the Editor,

I was excited for summer to start, so that I could take my three kids to enjoy the Globe Mill Pond and the Indian Trails. After getting to the top of the mountainous hill and the water came into sight, we headed to the trails. However, we had to dodge sooo much dog poop, it was like walking through a mine-field.

I would assume that the city lets people bring their dogs as a privilege. So, why are they NOT cleaning up after their animals?

This is a public park NOT your backyard. However, to the people that DO clean up after your pet..thank you! I would hate to see what would happen if nobody picked up after their dogs.

Lucy Reese
Tecumseh

To the Editor,

This past week while reading the letters to the editor, I was taken back a bit with the letter written by Ms. Barb Kelly. I was not surprised that there was a letter, there are most weeks from her.

 
Not surprised that it expressed unhappiness with community leadership, volunteer school board members or the local government body doing what they believe to be right, because it never is.

Not even surprised that individual people who are employees or volunteers are called out for not doing their work up to her standards. No one individual or group ever has.  

The surprise and disappointment came from a recent TPS graduate taking the time to put down his thoughts about his school, academics and how athletics played such a major role in his life.  Mr. Wright who is an actual TPS graduate, proud of his time at TPS both in the classroom and on the field.  An individual who is more qualified to speak on the subject than most, but obviously has no right to express an opinion different than Ms. Kelly and others.

I thank Mr. Colton Wright for taking the time to write a letter expressing what many believe but choose not to put down in a letter to the editor each week. It was refreshing and pleasant to actually read something positive about our schools and community.  That doesn’t seem to happen much around here any more.

Tim Vannatter
Tecumseh

By JIM GARTIN
President/CEO
Lenawee Economic Development Corporation

I am approaching my one-year anniversary as the President and CEO of the Lenawee Economic Development Corporation. It has been a very challenging but very rewarding time to be in Lenawee County. From the downs, watching Lenawee loose three of its major manufacturing businesses to the highs of seeing the community rally around the One Lenawee concept.

The major things I have learned over the last year are what an incredible opportunity Lenawee has in the New Economy. We have a strong manufacturing based workforce, excellent physical facilities and organizations with a strong commitment to making the upcoming change a positive one for Lenawee County.

Organizations like South Central Michigan Works! (SCMW), Small Business, Technology Development Corporation (SBTDC), Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC) and our State partners at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) have all committed time and resources in helping Lenawee County businesses succeed.

These organizations coupled with our local partners at the area Chambers of Commerce, Lenawee Conference and Visitors Bureau and our incredible education partners make for a powerful team in addressing our economic recovery.

Our educational partners need to be recognized for the incredible foundation they provide for our community. Starting with our area schools and the Lenawee ISD, they are providing the foundation for our future workforce; The LISD’s programs in chemical, advanced manufacturing CAD Design, and Technology/ITT support are all leading edge and the basis for future jobs. Jackson Community College offers the next line of education and training, preparing students for jobs in the New Economy and Entrepreneurial training.

This is my daughter's 4-H project, one of them anyway. The dog's name is Maggie. Before she was a 4-H project, she was our pet golden retriever. Her routine used to be that she'd wake up, go outside and pee, come in, eat breakfast, sleep, walk, sleep some more, go outside and pee a couple of more times and eat again. Now, since she's been deemed an official 4-H project, she has an extra bit of obedience training scheduled into her busy dog life. I'm not sure what she's making of all of the hoopla. She doesn't say much.

My daughter, however, couldn't be more excited about it. After her first obedience class on Monday night, we rushed out to get Maggie properly equipped with a choke chain, a leather leash and treats. My daughter got a little hip pouch in which to carry the treats and she's been diligently working with Maggie ever since. She also takes care of Maggie; feeding her and brushing her daily. 

Actually, having this to focus on this summer has been a blast. I've been to the Lenawee County Fair nine times as a reporter. That's nine times more than any other time in my life. We never did participate in 4-H when I was a kid. We were city folk...well suburban folk. Yes, our little cement enclave was surrounded by farmland, but agriculture still seemed so removed from anything I knew. Sad, I know. The closest thing to experiencing an agrarian lifestyle was our annual summer berry picking rendezvous. 

A brilliant fireworks display lit up the Cal Zorn Recreation Center on Saturday during the 8th Annual Mending the Sacred Hoop Pow Wow. The event was sponsored by the Leh Nah Weh Native American Organization and the City of Tecumseh.

By DEB WUETHRICH

Members of the Tecumseh Public School (TPS) Board approved final budget revisions Monday night for the district’s 2008-2009 budget, with the general fund projected to be $25,378,314. Business and Finance Director Bill Wright said revenue had increased by approximately $258,945 through various local revenue sources and those revisions were incorporated, along with a few expenditure adjustments.

Like other school districts around the state, Tecumseh also had to work in last-minute figures from a recent Senate version of the state aid act for its 2009-2010 budget, also approved Monday night following a public budget hearing, with the general fund projected to be $24,275,528.

The budget includes a reduction of $110 per student, which equates to a projected loss of $341,232, and the loss of categorical funding for declining enrollment of $60,959, which reduces the TPS foundation allowance to $7,206 per student. Wright said the school district also is projecting a decrease of 120 students for the 2009-2010 fiscal year for a projected loss of $828,690, with the projected state aid revenue loss totaling $1,230,881. School districts had expected the state to use federal stimulus funds to shore up the state’s school aid fund, keeping per-pupil aid the same this year, but the state used the funds on the state’s 2008-2009 budget instead.

Wright pointed out that the budget development process began in January 2009 and that a Budget Advisory Committee met several times throughout the school year as part of this process. He said the projected fund equity of $933,974, or 3.77 percent of expenditures, was getting low for what state guidelines like to see.