Archive - Jul 21, 2010

By DEB WUETHRICH

The Tecumseh School Board held its annual reorganization meeting on Monday, July 19, swearing in Dr. Edward Tritt and Stanley Ames, who were elected to the board in May. They join present board members Karen Januszek, Kevin Packard, Jason Sines, Robert Kelley, and Jimmie Rice.

During an election of officers, Tritt was named president; Januszek, vice president; Rice, secretary; and Ames, treasurer. Tritt, who formerly served eight years on the board, also previously served as president. When approaching the agenda, he took a deep breath and said, “It’s been awhile,” then got down to business.

The board discussed the fact that the district is in a better financial position than previously expected with the state aid act for Fiscal Year 2011 finalized and signed by the governor and a projected cut of $118 eliminated and Section 29 funding restored. In a report, Chief Financial Officer Bill Wright, who was out of state, reported a revenue increase of $489,877 in the budget.

Superintendent Mike McAran led a discussion reviewing cuts the district had to make in order to balance the budget. He made a recommendation to restore the position of principal at Tecumseh High School, and to create a position in the area of pupil accounting.

“We haven’t had that in a long time,” said McAran, “but today there is so much at stake, and you can’t afford to make a mistake.”

He used the example of Tecumseh High School not making AYP due to an error in pupil accounting, and stated that the position would need to be filled by someone who would be solely dedicated to the state record-keeping and accounting process, which now involves precision and tracking of students, even when they move to another district. Currently, various individuals fill out different forms, and having one person do it would provide continuity, McAran said.

By JIM LINCOLN

City of Tecumseh residents will see an increase in their water and sewer utility bills starting this month following approval by city council on Monday to raise rates by 10 cents. The new rates are $1.35 per 1,000 gallons for water and $3.41 for sewer.

According to city manager Kevin Welch, the average residential user will pay a total of $4.20 more for both water and sewer on each quarterly utility bill.

Councilman Jack Baker dissented with council’s decision. Baker said he agreed with the need for the increase, but not with its timing because it would be charging residents retroactively to July 1, 2010. “I think we need to give people a chance to comment and be aware when there is an increase coming down the pike,” he said.

Although Welch recommended the July 1 date, he said the increase could just as easily begin in October with the next billing cycle.

Councilmen Larry VanAlstine and Gary Naugle both said the increase was such a small amount that they didn’t have a problem with it.  

In a comparison of other cities’ rates, Tecumseh’s new water and sewer charges remain lower than Clinton, Blissfield, Hudson, Saline, Chelsea and South Lyon.
In other council news:

• Council heard a report from Welch regarding the Southern Michigan Railroad which plans to perform a permanent repair of the rail crossing on Chicago Boulvard on either the third or fourth weekend in October following the Appleumpkin Festival. The project will temporarily close traffic on the boulevard from 5 p.m. on Saturday through Monday.  Baker said rail crossings repairs were also needed at other crossings, including Pottawatamie Street. Welch said the city did not have the authority to require SMRS to repair the other crossings.  

By DEB WUETHRICH

Tecumseh Parks

It hasn’t been quite a year yet since Tecumseh Parks and Recreation Director Shelley Lim took the helm as longtime director Pat Sorise stepped down, but she recalls how she hit the ground running.

“It was fall and someone asked if we were going to have the flag football tournament,” Lim said. She admits she had no clue what that was all about, but soon called Tecumseh High School (THS) Athletic Director Griff Mills, who helped facilitate a fantastic tournament under the lights at the school’s new athletic complex. “Griff was instrumental in making that happen. Since I’ve been here, we’ve had some wonderful partnerships that have produced activities where everybody benefited.”

Others that came to mind included a project where Parks and Rec staff Heather Marsh and Ehrika Cormack put together a fitness weight loss challenge during the winter months, working with the Fitness Connection, and working with Adam Benschoter at the Tecumseh Area Little League (TALL) to make sure the Parks and Rec baseball program would work compatibly with theirs. TALL also used several area diamonds for practices.

“We also met with THS basketball coaches to determine how we can use our parks and rec programs to help provide the skills and drills they would like to see,” said Lim. “They were delighted and it was mutually beneficial.” She likes to be part of win-win situations.

Theresa Miller, 86, of Tecumseh, died on Monday, July 19, 2010, at Herrick Medical Center under the care of Hospice of Lenawee and with her family at her side. She was born on Jan. 5, 1924, in Detroit, Mich., the daughter of Matthew and Agnes (Bora) Solarski. She was united in marriage to Russell C. Miller on June 28, 1947, and he preceded her in death on April 1, 2010.

Theresa was a lifelong member of St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church. She was a homemaker and worked at Tecumseh Products during WWII as a “Rosie the Riveter.” She had also worked at H.W. Tuttle and then Faraday in Tecumseh until retiring in 1987. She was an avid gardener and animal lover and enjoyed crocheting. She was a great cook, and she adored her family, her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren.

She is survived by three sons, Gregory Miller and Vincent (Penny) Miller of Tecumseh, and Dennis (Julie) Miller of Sand Creek; one daughter, Elizabeth (Rick) Steele of League City, Texas; seven grandchildren, David, Carrie, Daniel (Biz), Noah, and Benjamin Miller and Corey and Cally Steele; and great-grandsons, Bradley and Conrad.
In addition to her parents and husband Russell, she was preceded in death by three brothers, Ray, Ed and Walter Solarski and two sisters, Mary Richardson and Rosie Solarski.

Visitation will be on Thursday, July 22, at the Tecumseh Chapel of Handler Funeral Homes from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. The funeral mass will be at noon on Friday at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until service time at the church. Rite of committal will follow at Lenawee Hills Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Tecumseh. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Lenawee.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.handlerfuneralhomes.com.

To the Editor,

On behalf of many grateful community gardeners, we’d like to thank the caring people who have helped us make the Tecumseh Community Gardens a growing success. Six years ago, the City of Tecumseh started a Community Garden downtown for anyone interested in growing annual vegetables and flowers that didn’t have enough space or good growing conditions for these sun lovers in their yards. For a nominal plot fee that helped cover water and maintenance costs, area residents could rent a plot from 10’x 15’ to enjoy the love and bounties of gardening. Last year, because of an increased interest in community gardening, a larger location with plots 20’ X 25’ in size was started in the Industrial Park in commercial property owned by Tony Menyhart, an enthusiastic community gardener.

This year, Don Gaskinski, the manger of our local ACO hardware, notified the City of ACO Hardware’s interest in supporting community garden projects. Our local ACO store donated $200 worth of hoses and connectors to help this year’s gardeners be successful. In addition, the Tecumseh Arbor of Gleaner Life Insurance Society offered to donate supplies for the gardens as well. The combined donations have greatly improved our watering resources which have been heavily used so far this summer.

To the Editor,

Well, the astro-age of George Jetson has finally arrived in Tecumseh Schools! Oh, yay! We now have the latest possible technology for educators to use and 30+ fewer teachers to utilize same!

With Michigan leading the nation (except during the few recent months when we were able to hire more census workers than lesser-populated Nevada), and Lenawee County amongst the hardest hit counties, for job losses this first decade of the 21st century, sacrificing jobs for the technology is a very ill-advised precedent! Geez! Don’t expect kudos. In fact, Jetson, “You’re fired!”

Celina V. Crystal D. R. Roault
Tecumseh