The Star Press from Muncie, Indiana • Page 1

guard. the White scramble camera office a the first tions Bush room president At minimum He by one. one said Reporters customary brought let didn't -wage point reporters to I it said me Fitzwater up Bush fully and practice ask question. as alter a follow-ups you of interrupted the to photographers a allowing stop president the his sought the to flow needed a set to follow-up answers ask up ques- their the a Low Bidder Public Contract Question Raised in Hartford City By DREW BROWN Star Staff Reporter HARTFORD CITY, Ind. There is an economic debate growing in Hartford City about the criteria city leaders use to award contracts for projects.

The city's policy has long been to award contracts to the lowest bidders, with consideration given to local merchants. Longtime city resident James Kouns has accused Hartford City Mayor Rex Swoveland and members of the city's board of works and council of awarding too many VOL. 112-NO. 305 vs. Local Business: Who Wins? city contracts to outside businesses.

Kouns, a former president of the city's chamber of commerce, claims the job of elected city officials is to do more than simply accept the lowest bid when awarding a contract. "I think their job is to provide leadership and promote their community," he said. "That is their primary function." Kouns says the best way for the leaders to promote the community is by awarding contracts to local merchants even if their bids are higher than those from outside the city. A dollar spent locally turns over five to seven times before it leaves the community," he said. "The funds gained from the tax benefits alone will usually more than offset the price." Swoveland agrees that awarding contracts to local businesses is best for the community, but he says that he and other city leaders have a responsibility to the taxpayers of the city.

"We try to do the job that the city and taxpayers expect of us," he said, "and I think they expect us to buy things at the lowest price possible. "We take local bids as long as the quality is good and the price is right. There is no question in my mind that I would spend every cent this city spends in Hartford City if I could." Kouns cites the last two contract awards by city leaders as examples of local merchants being ignored. The city awarded Blossom Chevrolet of Indianapolis a contract for a 1989 Chevrolet Caprice to be used by the police department. The Blossom bid of $12,413.21 was $2,136.21 less than the bid from Swoveland defended the city's Fincannon Ford in Hartford City.

decisions. The city has bought three other "I want somebody to tell me vehicles from Hartford City auto should spend an extra $2.000 just dealers within the last year. buy that car in Hartford City," he The city's board of works also said. "What would the taxpayers awarded an $11,025 contract to say to me?" Freeman Planning and Design of Board of Works member Chris Muncie to administer the city's Neel said he favored local spending revolving loan fund program. whenever possible, but also pointed The city has used Freeman's out that he and other board memfinancial services for the last 12 bers must answer to the taxpayers.

years. "Our number one responsibility is Blackford County Economic to the taxpayers as a whole," he Development Committee made a said. "We are not just representabid of $12,000 to provide the same tives of the retail community." services. Both sides agree the decision "With these last two decisions boils down to a judgment call. State there was less than $3,000 out of a law is somewhat vague in providing total of $25,000 between where they city leaders with guidelines.

spent the money and the local It requires the city to accept the Kouns said. "To me that is foolish "lowest best bid" on projects to take that money out of the exceeding $25,000 and accept the community." (See CONTRACT on Page 5A) THE MUNCIE STAR "Where the Spirit of the Lord Is, There Is Cor. 3:17 Time Out The Taffetas finally visit Muncie. Page 1B Meet the serious side of Robin Williams. Page 1B Manager says Jackson House Race Here '88's Most Costly Campaign Tab for District 35 Was $119,000 By BRIAN FRANCISCO Star Staff Reporter As a rule, seats at the Indiana Legislature couldn't be bought in last November's election.

That didn't stop people from trying. Muncie Republican Brad Razor raised nearly $67,000 in his campaign for the House. He lost. Marion Republican William Mormost candidate for the 100- rison raised' almost $76,000, the member House. Morrison ran last in a four-man race.

Rep. Hurley Goodall, D- spent a mere $4,400 and won in a landslide. His opponent spent less than $3,900, however. Sen. Anthony Maidenberg, D- Marion, outraised incumbent Republican Roger Jessup, Summitville, by $20,000.

But Maidenberg won by only 154 votes. Campaign financial reports were due Jan. 15 at the State Election Board. The most expensive contest in the House was in Delaware County's district 35, where Razor and Rep. Marc Carmichael, D-Muncie, took in roughly $119,000 between them.

Carmichael, who won re-election handily, had a budget of $52,000. "The Republicans were out to win the seat back, and I was determined they would not buy it, and it escalated from there," Carmichael said Friday. "I'm chagrined it turned out to be the highest-spending race in the House. "Even after the race is over, you're not sure what you could have gotten by on," he said. "You leave no stone unturned, but they get to be pretty expensive Carmichael noted he had been outspent last year and in the 1986 election, when he unseated former House Speaker J.

Roberts Dailey of MUNCIE, INDIANA, SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 1989 The Muncie Star 25 CENTS Muncie. Among Razor's contributions was $3,000 from the Dailey Political Committee. Dailey said he had not formed a political action committee but was merely spending money that remained from his last campaign. "Over the years I have given to other candidates," he said. "We just changed the name from 'Dailey for Legislature Committee' to 'Dailey Political The rest of his money, about $7,000, is being used to publish a book by Dailey titled Mr.

Speaker. In the two-member House district 31, Republican challengers Morrison and Ralph Duckwall of Van Buren together compiled 000. Democratic winners Richard A. Beck and Tracy Boatwright, both incumbents from Marion, had 000 between them the same amount as Morrison alone. Boatwright took in $41,000 and Beck $35,000.

Morrison's war chest included $31,000 from a pair of state Republican organizations, while Duckwall, a former House member, got nearly $28,000 from the same groups. In the same neck of the woods, Maidenberg received more than $19,000 from two Democratic organizations in unseating Jessup in Senate district 20. Incumbents generally fared better no matter how much money was involved. Only two were defeated Jessup by Maidenberg, and Republican Thomas Coleman by Democrat Douglas Kinser in House district 54. Kinser raised $38,000, with many donations coming from physicians and hospitals.

Kinser is a hospital administrator in New Castle. He also accepted $1,500 from the Transportation Political Education League of the United Transportation Union, a railroad employees organization. Coleman had been chairman of the House Roads and Transportation Committee. (See HOUSE on Page 5A) GA 800 Star Photo by Kyle Evens A Tailgate Party? While it appears he is part of a tailgate party, Charles Davis is simply enjoying his lunch. Davis chose the tailgate of his truck, which was parked in front of the Fieldhouse, to soak up some of Friday's warm rays, and to take a break from his job.

Davis is a construction worker on the Justice Center. Bayh Cautious on Public Employee Bargaining Law By DOUG RICHARDSON Associated Press Writer INDIANAPOLIS Gov. Evan Bayh said Friday he planned to put off until the 1990 session of the General Assembly his effort to legalize collective bargaining for public employees. Bayh, whose support for collective bargaining was criticized by Republicans during the 1988 gubernatorial election, said the issue raised a series of questions he wanted to study for several months before endorsing a collective bargaining bill. "I've determined an orderly and responsible approach is what's necessary and that to rush headlong into this process in this session BAYH of the General Assembly is not in the best interests of the people of the state of Indiana," Bayh said at a news conference in his Statehouse office.

Bayh said he wanted advice from experts in Indiana and from states that have collective bargaining before preparing a proposal he can recommend to the Legislature. Under current law, state employees' salaries are set by the administration after appropriations for (See BAYH on Page 5A) U.S. Embassy Staff Leaving KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) The few remaining staff members locked the U.S. Embassy's gray steel doors Friday and planned to evacuate before the Red Army leaves the ragtag Afghan army to a showdown with Moslem guerrillas. One Western diplomat said the decision to close the embassy was a surprise and indicated lack of confidence in both the Soviet-sponsored government and the insurgents, to whom the United States provides arms.

A Soviet official called it "psychological warfare" intended to undermine the government and get other nations to do the same. Britain and Japan announced Friday they also would shut their Kabul missions. France said its embassy would be closed "provisionally." In Rome, Foreign Ministry sources confirmed the Italian Embassy would close soon. State-owned Kabul Radio broadcast a Foreign Ministry statement deploring the decisions and insisting the government can defend expatriates: "The government of Afghanistan is capable of defending peace in the entire country, including tour may be last. Page 1B Sandi Patti to sing in Washington, D.C.

Page 1B Also Inside Today's Star Area News Churches 4A Classified Comics 8A Deaths Editorials. Landers A Lotteries Marketal On Record Sports 1-4D Television Theaters Weather Week Ahead What a Day! This morning will be sunny with increasing clouds in the afternoon. Highs will be 50 to 55. There's a chance of rain tonight with lows from 35 to 40. Details are on Page 8C.

High School Basketball Highland 83 Jay County 71 Elwood 66 Blackford 61 Eastern 66 Eastbrook 65 Madison-Grant 59 Mississinewa 47 Monroe Central 80 Burris 77 Cowan 79 Indpls. Lutheran 67 Pendleton Heights 60 Daleville 49 Delta 70 Wapahani 62 Alexandria 95 Wes-Del 67 Blue River 77 Randolph Southern 43 Union City 68 Hagerstown 67 Yorktown 71 Lapel 43 New Castle 69 Central 68 Huntington 62 South 57 Details in Section Kabul," it said. "The life of not a single foreign national was lost in the last 9 years of fighting." In Washington, President Bush said there was "uncertainty about what follows" the Soviet departure and the embassy was being closed to protect American lives. When asked when the embassy would be formally closed, Jon D. Glassman, U.S.

charge d'affaires, said: "That's not information we are giving out." The State Department said Thursday the remaining Americans would leave in a few days. Dependents and all but 11 diplomats and security guards already have been evacuated. A battle for Kabul, which is surrounded by insurgents, is expected after the last Soviet forces withdraw Feb. 15 under a U.N.-mediated agreement. The embassy is in the heart of the capital next to the state radio and across from secret police headquarters, both prime targets for the guerrillas.

A dispatch from Kabul by official Soviet news agency Tass said five rockets fired by "extremists from among the intransigent opposition" hit residential areas of Kabul on Friday, killing a child and damaging several buildings. LaRouche Gets 15-Year Term U.S. attorney's office said the criminal convictions against LaRouche and others on Dec. 16 had served the government's interests "from the point of view of both deterrence and punishment," and that further prosecution was not warranted. While about 60 followers sang, chanted and picketed outside the Alexandria courthouse, LaRouche told Bryan in a presentencing appeal that he was the victim of a government campaign to "eliminate me from the political scene." But the judge scoffed at such claims by LaRouche, a three-time fringe candidate for president, and the other defendants.

"I reject that as arrant nonsense," Bryan said. Undaunted, LaRouche said "the vital interests of the United States have been put in jeopardy" by his trial and conviction, and that "it is time for this evil and reckless prosecution to be brought to a halt before further damage is done." "This is not a political case," retorted U.S. Attorney Kent Robinson. "This was a case of theft." million through credit card and loan fraud, ended in a The Law Catches Up With mistrial last May. A new trial had been slated to begin Feb.

23. Leader of Political Cult In a petition filed in the Boston court Friday, the By ROBERT M. ANDREWS Associated Press Writer ALEXANDRIA, Va. Defiantly declaring his innocence, political cult leader Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr.

was sentenced to 15 years in prison Friday for scheming to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and deliberately defaulting on more than $30 million in loans from his supporters. Chief U.S. District Judge Albert V. Bryan also imposed lesser prison terms and fines on six LaRouche aides who were convicted last month on 35 counts of mail fraud and conspiracy for their roles in the fund-raising effort. While Bryan was handing down the sentences in Alexandria, government prosecutors dropped all charges in a related case against LaRouche, six associates and five political organizations in U.S.

District Court in Boston. That case, involving charges that LaRouche's 1984 presidential campaign had raised more than $2 AP It's All Downhill A daredevil skier gets airborne while some parts of the country have been less than clearing a jump recently at Hurricane Ridge in ideal, conditions at this spot in the Olympic Port Angeles, Wash. While skiing conditions in Mountains are just right. Bush Receives High Marks for His First Press WASHINGTON (AP) Barely a week into his new job, President Bush proved himself deft at his first full-blown White House news conference, making his points while keeping things light with an going style. Laughter was frequent as Bush, occasionally bantering with reporters, showed the relaxed and upbeat demeanor he has maintained since his election.

Although Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater had said the conference would run 15 or 20 minutes, noting that Bush had a cold and a raspy voice, the president stood before the White House press corps for 43 Conference minutes. "I sound worse than I feel," Bush said as he stepped to the podium. The session seemed to mark a departure from the pattern of Bush's predecessor, President Reagan, whose news conferences were few and far between. In his first week, Bush has had a long interview with newspaper reporters immediately given out to the entire press corps and now the lengthy news conference. At one point Bush looked down at a digital watch on the podium and laughingly counted down the seconds saying "this thing i is buzzing away up here" and suggesting he had to wrap things up.

He then proceeded to take several more questions. At another juncture, after an answer he gave on Third World debt, Bush admitted, "I'm not sure I got to the substance of your question there," and offered the reporter a chance to ask it again. The news conference at 11 a.m. Friday came as surprise, true to Bush's admitted efforts to keep the press off corps It was announced by House press on 15 minutes notice, causing a by crews, reporters up in the where conducts daily briefings. reporter follow were when about "Wait, answer question..