Palladium-Item from Richmond, Indiana • 1

Palladium-Item, Richmond, Ind. Wednesday, Jan. 9, 1985 A3 I Wayne County I I Richmond Job program set OIC role isn't County report claims his agency has been "made a scapegoat" by the Madison office. ACCORDING TO Duncan, his office will decide this week whether the OIC will administer the program until the current contract ends June 30. The JTPA-OIC contract required the program to place 20 en-rollees in jobs by Dec.

31, Duncan said. A review of OIC records showed that from October through December, less than eight students found jobs. Duncan said that number falls below average performance levels. "In evaluating the performance, we try to determine whether the population is being served at the level we have set aside money for," Duncan said. "Under terms of the contract, it is not.

The program came up about 13 youths short of what was contracted for." An acceptable placement rate for the program which instructs high school dropouts ages 16 to 19 on the basics of job hunting would be between 70 percent and 80 percent, Duncan said. The Madison office is investigating how to correct the placement shortage. Another agency could administer the program, Duncan said, but he called that possibility the "worst possible scenario. HE ALSO SAID the program's staff, comprising two full-time counselors and a secretary-administrator, is not at fault. Girten said he is unhappy with the Madison office because it also had little success with the program before "dumping it off" on the OIC.

"I can't understand why they don't give us a normal program, Girten said. "They give us the impossible to do, we don't do it, then we get penalized for it." Girten said the OIC has a "great track record" on other programs and blames the problems with the high school dropout program on the attitude of local businesses. "The difficulty is that most employers don't want to hire high school dropouts," Girten said The program trains enrollees ori applications, job interviews and personal presentation to employers. The firms are expected to provide training. Township assessor to retire Wayne Township Assessor Malcolm R.

Kehlenbrink has announced his resignation effective Feb. 1. Kehlenbrink, 69, whose term would have expired in January 1987, has been the assessor 14 years. "I think it's time for me to move out and give someone else a chance," he said today. Although he has no serious health problems, he said, his doctor has recommended he relieve himself of the job's responsibility.

Wayne Township Republican precinct committeemen will meet in caucus Thursday, Jan. 24, to select a successor. Interested candidates must file a declaration of candidacy with Republican County Chairman Patricia Ravinet by 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 21.

Filing forms may be obtained at Republican headquarters, 8 N. Sixth or by calling 966-0215. Tax form help The Richmond YMCA will teach taxpayers how to complete their tax forms. A class will be held Jan. 10 from 7 to 9 p.m.

in the community room at the Richmond city building. 2 proposals on streets The Wayne County Plan Commission will hold a public hearing on two proposed ordinances at its 7:30 p.m. meeting tonight. The proposals concern vacating and naming public streets. Briefly Tonight's meeting of the Richmond Board of Parks and Recreation has been canceled.

The board will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16. Probationary officer fired for leaving class K-i 1 contact Nimitz by 9 a.m. Tuesday.

The chief said Hughes never contacted him and offered no explanation for leaving the academy. THE FIRING was approved Tuesday by the Police Merit Commission and faces the consideration Thursday of the Richmond Board of Public Works and Safety. Hughes and the other probationary officers were sworn in July 26. They remain on probation for one year. Hughes' firing and the expected retirement of another officer by early March will leave the department with 71 officers.

A full staff is 77. The department received 93 applications in its most recent hiring effort, but only two are By Patrick Kurp Palladium-Item Staff Writer A probationary Richmond police officer has been fired for walking away from his first day of classes at the police academy. Police Chief Joseph A. Nimitz fired Forrest Hughes, 29, 4924 U.S. 35 Apt.

9, effective Tuesday morning. Citing the department's police manual, Nimitz charged Hughes with neglect of duty and "leaving post or station or being absent from duty without permission." Hughes and four other probationary officers began attending the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in Plainfield Monday. Classes last 12 weeks. Hughes, however, asked that a reserve officer drive him back to Richmond, Nimitz said. At police headquarters, Hughes was advised by Lt.

Ron Pennington to Palladium-Item photo by Steve Roger Terry Nicholson, from left, Beverly Sizemore and Connie Myers were on hand as parents gathered to support teachers this morning outside Liberty High School. College Corner Elementary and Junior High School was also opened this morning, but the high school remained closed. Some parents attend school to assess strike Dogs and ducks and geese better be ready to scurry A proposed animal control ordinance and a vandalism ordinance will be discussed tonight by the By Mark Braykovlch Palladium-Item Staff Writer A Wayne County Opportunities Industrialization Center-sponsored program for high school dropouts will continue despite its failure to meet contractual requirements, according to a regional administrator for the Job Training Partnership Act. But the OIC, which took over the program in July, still could lose the Job-Readiness Training and Employment program, said Don Duncan, grants contract manager for the Occupational Development Center in Madison. That center oversees JTPA funding in 11 southeastern Indiana counties, including Wayne.

News of that possibility angered the Rev. Robert Girten, OIC's executive director, who Sports (Continued from Page Al) "We voted to have him walk the line with us, rather than coach," Don Brown, president of the Union County Teachers Association, said. "We want to shut it down." Lang indicated before the vote he would abide by the union's decision. He could not be reached for comment after the vote. THE UNION'S VOTE left Brandenburg with four people who could take over the team, which is tied for the Tri-Eastern Conference lead.

Brandenburg said Charles Roach, the high school principal and Richard Trapp, the assistant principal, are both qualified to coach the varsity squad. Brandenburg, the varsity girls coach, might be able to take over the boys team. And the athletic director didn't rule out the possibility that Tony Gulley, who coached the freshman team Tuesday, might become the varsity coach until the strike is settled. While the basketball post is up in the air, the remainder of the school's coaching positions are covered, according to Brandenburg. Gulley, who coached the freshman team at Hagerstown two years ago, has stepped in for Mark Howe.

Brandenburg is still coaching the girls team. The athletic director said wrestling coach Brian Stenson, who is not a teacher, is still working. HOWE WAS NOT the only coach to miss the freshman game Tuesday. Centerville Coach Mike Baumer decided not to attend the contest, which was picketed by teachers. "I just felt as a teacher I couldn't in good conscience cross the picket line," Baumer said.

Doug Price, the Centerville varsity coach, went to Union County with the Bulldog freshman team. Meanwhile, one member of the girls varsity team did not play in Monday night's game and two members of the freshman boys team missed Tuesday's encounter. All three are childen of Union County teachers, according to Brandenburg. Two girls from the junior varsity team, who are not teachers' children, also did not play Monday night. Physical education teacher Vicky Lakoff, who is the school's girls athletic director, questioned the school's decision to play athletic contests and let teams practice when school has been called off.

She said the policy at Union County has always been that when school is cancelled, so are athletic events. "Now, all of a sudden, something has happened and they've decided they can cancel education and not athletics," Lakoff said while walking the picket line Tuesday. "I don't understand how you rank your importance. I think athletics are very important. But I went to school to teach education, not athletics." Brandenburg said athletic events were not cancelled because the strike was a "special situation." The athletic director was also worried about rumors that were reaching athletes.

He said several students have asked what would happen if they chose not to participate during the strike. Mildred Ball of the Indiana High School Athletic Association said today that athletes who miss five days of practice during a strike would need to participate in four separate days of practice before being eligible to play in an athletic contest. Ball said six days of practice are necessary after missing 11 or more days. BRANDENBURG WANTED students to know the school would not take action against them if they chose not to participate. "We will put no pressure on the kids to participate," he said.

"If they want to continue the program, I'm making it available for them. We just want the kids to know where they stand." as normal as possible. "JUST RELAX," he told the children in the gym. "What is going on is that the teachers and the board had a disagreement. The teachers are protesting and that is their right." McCabe told the children they would be taught by "real tion of any part of the proposed law.

The vandalism ordinance would prohibit the firing of any type of gun within the city limits and sets a $100 fine for violation. The law would not apply to law enforcement officers or firing ranges. The proposal would also prohibit the throwing of "any stone, snowball or any other missile" at people, buildings, vehicles, trees or any other public or private property. Council will consider the proposals at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Building.

Kicnmona my council as a com- mittee-of-the-whole. I The animal ordinance would re-! quire dogs to be registered and to be kept under restraint at all J- times. The law would also forbid city residents from keeping any domestic animal, defined as "any live cow, steer, bull, calf, horse, mule, swine, sheep, goat, chick-, en, duck, goose, or other poultry, and any other animal of the bo vine, caprine, equine, uvine anu porcine species." A $25 fine would be set for viola MCCABE TOLD PARENTS they were welcome to stay at the school, but he asked them not to enter classrooms because "substitute teachers need to establish themselves and we're trying to make things as normal as family were going to see what things were like inside. "I didn't send my kids on the bus," said Sharon Clevenger. "I want to know what's going on." THIS MORNING at College Corner (Ohio) Elementary and Junior High School, there were no picket lines to cross.

Parents bringing their children were relieved to find everything calm. Perhaps as many as one-third of the school's children gathered in the gymnasium awaiting assignments to classrooms and substitute teachers. Assistant principal Phil Karl "was satisfied that it was well over 100" out of the school's 400 or so students were in class today, said Londa Schwirking, Ohio treasurer for the school district. Debra Sintz, a parent of three children, said she also came to make sure her children entered the building safely. "My bottom line is my kids.

I wish more people would think about the kids," she said. She said she was surprised to see one or two regular teachers in the classrooms. Harry McCabe, principal of the College Corner school and assistant superintendent, was busy this morning reassuring parents and students that school would be LIBERTY Although many Union County parents kept their children out of school Tuesday and today, others were in the buildings to observe the conditions during the first teacher strike in the county's history. Attendance was far below normal Tuesday in Liberty Elementary and Liberty Middle School and today at those two buildings and at College Corner (Ohio) Elementary and Junior High School. The high school has yet to open.

PARENTS HAD varied reactions. Sheila King said it was not a hard decision to bring her children to school. When asked whether the teachers were right, she said, "Whatever suits them. The cost of living has gone up, I do know that for a fact." Susan West had a dilemma: "I support the teachers. I have two children and I'm keeping one of them at home," she said.

However, her youngest daughter, Emily, who is in kindergarten, has perfect attendance. "She cried and cried to go to school so I Drought her. I'm going inside to stay with her for a while." Connie Powell said she still hadn't decided whether to let her children stay and she and her Jerry Dils re-elected president of board of commissioners Union County- Jerry dus yjfcj LA r.t'A 27 vehicles parade in support of board By David Holthaus Palladium-Item Staff Writer Two Republicans will head the Wayne County Board of Commissioners in 1985. Jerry Dils was reelected president and newly elected commissioner Max Smith will serve as vice president. Dils, 45, is entering his 10th year as a commissioner.

He is a partner in the insurance firm of Robbins Matherly Dils. Smith, 37, a Hagerstown grain farmer, was elected in November to replace Arnold Dougherty, who retired. Smith has been president of the Wayne County Farm Bureau since 1980. The commissioners also made 1985 appointments to county offices. Appointed were: Plan Commission: Mary Agnes Little; Louis M.

Kettler. Board of Zoning Appeals: Robert Luker. County attorney: Gregg O'Ma-ley. Highway superintendent: Ira Hollinger. Highway engineer: Henry Gardner.

Building superintendent: Tom Price. Building Inspector: James Per-rin. Veterans service officer: Homer Henry. Insurance representative: Ted Lyons. Youth Center board: Richard Hamm.

Road viewers: Manford Smith, Richard Study, Mary Williams. (Continued from Page Al) causes problems in a small school corporation such as ours," she said. Asked whether she was preparing for a lengthy strike, Bueschel said that when the vote taken by teachers was so overwhelming, the board began to prepare for that. The board has never said it would not sign a "no-reprisal? contract, Bueschel said. "OUR TEACHERS are acting in a very professional Bueschel said.

She also reported that the raise received by Union School Principal-Superintendent Harry McCabe really amounts to a 9 percent raise, considering he working on a 10-month contract now instead of a 12-month one. "In 1983-84 he earned $145 a day. Now he earns $158.70 a day. Those two extra months are during the summer, which can be our busiest time with budget preparation," Bueschel said. Once again, parents asked Bueschel questions after the press conference.

Some pointed out that the conflict seems to be escalating, now that top negotiators from out-of-town have been called in. "Lets take our pride and stick it in our pockets and get this settled for the kids," said Ron Soper. Democrat commissioner Elmer Toschlog voted against Henry's appointment. Toschlog delayed voting for Price's appointment until after an afternoon closed session that resulted in Price's promise to better define the responsibilities and work routines of two employees who had filed grievances against him. Dils will serve as the commissioners' representative to the Richmond Area Chamber of Commerce, the Civil Defense office, the Reid Memorial Hospital board and the insurance board.

He will oversee the operation of the county administration building. Toschlog will serve on the youth shelter board, the Dunn Mental Health Center Board and the 4-H board. He will oversee the county jail and the courthouse. Smith will be the commissioners' representative on the plan commission and will oversee the transfer station, ambulance service and the bridge program. Brown said he thought the threats came from parents.

Teachers were pulled from the Layman Street picket lines and were replaced by about 30 parents to reduce the possibility of violence, said Brown. Teachers returned to the lines at 11 a.m., said a spokeswoman from the Indiana State Teachers' Association. Liberty police patrolled the area, and violence never materialized. Three Indiana State Police officers observed the picketing this morning. Sgt.

Mike Marcum of the Connersville post described their presence as "a daily check." Marcum said no one requested the troopers' presence, but added, "We just kind of monitor things." LIBERTY Thirty-nine pro-school board parents and residents drove 27 vehicles past the Union County schools superintendent's office and Liberty Junior High School on Layman Street in a peaceful show of support for the school board this morning. The group gathered at the entrance of Whitewater State Park and left the park for Liberty at 9:30 a.m. The demonstration was over by 10 a.m. There were unsubstantiated, anonymous calls Tuesday to striking teachers' headquarters threatening violence during the demonstration, but nothing materialized. "There were some threats (of) bottles (being thrown) and so forth," said Don Brown, representative of the Union County Teachers' Association..