The Journal Times from Racine, Wisconsin • 3

tn Journal Times, Wednesday, June 4, 1986 Racine, Wis. 3A MT Onion 'clisios' pFciicfi wt? city job Sosss Va A ll I I Nh -JZ Steve Salvo Detour through September Construction work on Highway 32 from Carthage College, through Alford Park started May 12 and will continue By Marcia Nickow Journal Times RACINE The city's Janitorial staff is shrinking again, and AFL-CIO Local 67 president George Bar-Uey late Tuesday predicted there would be "complete chaos among my union people." A city council decision to hire an outside firm to do maintenance work at Memorial Hall will eliminate the last of four union jobs there, Bartley said. And Public Works Commissioner Fred Larson today said more union jobs probably will be eliminated because of a recent arbitration ruling preventing the city from temporarily reassigning workers with at least 10 years' seniority to other jobs unless they volunteer. The ruling means the city will have to get people from private firms to fill in for workers who are ill, on vacation or on leaves, Larson said. Three jobs at Memorial Hall were cut in the last few months, according to Bartley.

Six months ago, seven union maintenance jobs at city hall, the city hall annex and the public safety building were eliminated to save $83,000 a year. "The experience and the know-how of our present city employees is just being thrown out the window," Bartley said. The union now has 178 members, he said. They are aassigned to the public works department and the parks, recreation and cultural services department. City officials said job cuts have been and still will be made through attrition rather than layoffs.

Bartley said he's upset both about the move toward contracted custodial services at Memorial Hall and another resolution approved Tuesday allowing outside custodial services to be engaged for temporary assignments. Calling that resolution "a scare tactic," he said it's management's response to the arbitrator's ruling and actually will cost the city more money. Bartley said the case stemmed from the temporary reassignment ot a 59-year-old parks department equipment operator with 34 years experience. The man was reassigned as custodian at a community center, he said. Larson agreed it will cost more money to hire temporary workers from outside, but said the city has no choice.

He noted that all parks department employees have at least 10 years' seniority. Bartley said he believes there would be enough volunteers for all temporary reassignments needed but he never had a chance to discuss the implications of the ruling with city administrators. Larson said of volunteering: "That's the game that they want to play, but we don't have time to run around and ask people. That's called co-management, and you can't operate by co-management. We can't spend all day determining who is going to be assigned." Casting dissenting votes on both resolutions Tuesday were City Council President Patricia Obernberger and Aldermen Thomas Daw-kins, Robert Turner and Paul Sme-degaard.

There was no discussion. Obernberger said in an interview she doesn't like the idea that the city is eliminating jobs when unemployment is high. She also said she doesn't think people working for private firms are as dedicated as people on the city payroll. Obernberger said her concerns aren't limited to maintenance jobs, either. She said the city also has replaced other jobs with contracted services, such as night security jobs at the Racine '166.

Obernberger said some constituents have raised questions as to whether city security workers would have prevented or more effectively reacted to the escape of seven wolf pups from the zoo in November than the contracted workers who were on duty. A police sharpshooter shot one of the wolf pups, and the others were captured. iftyGtevamift wants business out first getting an occupancy permit. Wald said despite that, the village had allowed Heck to operate the business under "a gentlemen-type agreement," until the commission started getting complaints about the business earlier this year. Village Auto is located between Town and Country Pharmacy and Faith Lutheran Church.

Wald said village residents complained the business was unclean, and said some complaints stemmed from the fact that some Village Auto patrons park in the adjacent church parking lot and walk to the business because it offers no off-street parking. "We had so many people complaining about that location," Wald said. "We had to do something." soBuftioini postponed in dSayonal City to contract for bill collection By Jocelyn Hathaway Journal Times BURLINGTON Before converting other city streets, city officials said they will monitor the use and safety of Washington Street, which recently was changed to diagonal parking. The streets committee postponed putting a resolution before the city council Tuesday night that would convert two more streets to diagonal parking. At its May meeting, it voted to recommend the council adopt a resolution this month.

Committee Chairman William Johnson said the committee and other city officials informally decided to observe how Washington Street from Kane to Pine streets is utilized and if safety is a concern before more diagonal parking is approved in the city. The council approved diagonal parking for one side of the two blocks on Washington Street in May. But safety concerns about also restriping Commerce Street from Milwaukee Avenue to Mill Street and Chestnut Street from Mill Street to Milwaukee Avenue sent that resolution last month to the streets committee for further discussion. Aldermen and other city officials have said diagonal parking could general contractor Payne the south used cars either, retail or wholesale and no "junk cars" or parts would be allowed to be stored on the" property. In addition, the commission wanted Heck to provide off-street parking and-a crushed stone or asphalt parking area for cars kept on the property.

The commission said Heck had to keep the property clean and make certain all cars there must-have a current vehicle registration. Wald told Kittel on Tuesday to close the business today, but he told a Journal Times reporter today that Kittel told him police couldn't shut down the business until the state's investigation is complete. Johnson said Washington Street parking will be observed for about a month before a decision is made to continue with diagonal parking. In other business, the council: APPROVED: The council approved opening bids for construction of a taxiway at Bur lington Airport. Alderman Thomas Vos said pilots from six stalls at airport hangars have complained they can't use the grass strips from the hangar to the runway when they get muddy.

Vos said the cost for a new taxiway will cost about $14,000. ACCEPTED: The council accepted the recommendation of the streets committee to let the state Transportation Safety Commission study a proposed ordinance for liability that requires a warning at the Kane Street train crossing. LISTENED: City Administrator Thomas Lebak told the council the Chamber of Commerce will not be selling beer at the annual street dance in the downtown loop because of liability insurance problems Chamber President Randy Oakliof said today the group can't afford the insurance, priced between $1,000 to $2,000. But Oaklief said other groups are considering selling beer. The dance, set for June 19.

will be leldnhestnut Streetrwhich will be closed off between Milwaukee Avenue and Pine Street. effort for more tourism funding in the 1987 Legislature, but whether the source would be the tourist in-, dustry or the general taxpayer was uncertain. Those who believe Wisconsin has so many natural attractions that tourism advertising is unnecessary are wrong, Holperin said. "Why would a family from Missouri or Illinois decide to go to Min; nesota, Wisconsin or Michigan?" he asked. "It's image.

Even if we have a good tourist business, that's no reasosn not to advertise," he said. "Ford, GM and Chrysler are alt selling more cars now, but they don't cut their advertising budgets because they're doing well," he said. "They all want a bigger share of the market." Is there evidence that tourism advertising pays off? "Yes," said Gavinski. She cited a study showing the Wisconsin Dells Devils Lake area had a return of $76 for every $1 of advertising last year. "Michigan's goal is to outdraw Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and Ontario in tourism, and they're doing it," said Maxine' O'Brien of Wisconsin Sen.

Walter Chilsen, R-Wausau? said he is convinced Wisconsin should spend more for tourism until September, according to and Dolan. This view is toward Heck has a wholesale dealers license which lists a Caledonja address, Wald said. That license, does not cover the Sturtevant location, he said. Kittel said the state is investigating Heck's alleged misuse of the wholesale dealer license. The Sturtevant planning commission ad a meeting with Heck on April 17, in which Heck was told he needed a conditional use permit from the village in order to operate a business.

The commission told Heck that if he didn't apply for the the permit by May 30, police would be told to shut the business down. The commission's list of conditions included no car body work or painting there, no sales of new or pose a safety hazard with drivers having to back out a full car length into traffic and also that diagonal parking even on one side Of the street may make city streets too narrow according to state specifications. But May 20 the streets committee voted 2-1 to encourage diagonal parking, which merchants have said would increase their business, and decided it would re-introduce the resolution to the council Tuesday. "We want to do Chestnut and we want to do Commerce, but we decided to wait and see how Washington works," Johnson said about the delay. Johnson said he talked to drivers parking in the new Washington Street spaces, which were resfriped Monday, and said the response has been good so far.

"I went and talked to people today (Tuesday) most of them were ladies in their 50s and 60s and they said they liked it. Most of them also said they could parallel park, too, but thought diagonal parking was easier." Much discussion at the streets committee meeting centered on the difficulty of parallel parking and -whetherMmvers-prefeFFed diagona parking despite having to overcome a blind spot when backing out. keeping pace with neighboring states in the growing competition for tourist dollars. "The state has got to start doing more" to promote tourist attractions, Gavinski said. Wisconsin spent $600,000 in a spring campaign for tourism this year.

That's not an insignificant amount. But it pales in comparison with the $10 million Illinois has ear-. marked for tourism this year and the $3.4 million and $3.3 million spent by Michigan and Ohio, respectively. Ironically, a boom year for tourism might mean it will be more difficult for the tourist interests to sell the Legislature on the need for more funds to pump into advertising campaigns. Some observers say.

"That's a possibililty," said Rep. James Holperin, D-Eagle River, 'chairman of the Assembly Committee on Tourism and Recreation. "But more funding is absolutely essential." In the last session, Holperin helped lead an unsuccessful battle to initiate a 0.25 percent tax on the tourism industry for promoting tourist attractions. The plan, which would' have yielded an estimated $9.2 million a year, fell on deaf ears in the Legislature. Holperin said he would renew his By Marcia Nickow Journal Times RACINE Bill collectors soon may be contacting people here and around the country who owe the city money for damaging city property.

The city council Tuesday night authorized Finance Director Jerome Mailer to negotiate a contract with a nationwide collection agency that has proposed to track down debtors for fees of up to $10 per account. Mailer said Transworld Systems which approached the city offering its services, has offices in Milwaukee and many major cities and the contacts and resources to collect from people whom the city attorney's office either fails to get cooperation from or can't locate. He said collections have been less of a problem with accounts totaling $800 or more than with smaller accounts that don't warrant as aggressive an enforcement effort by the city attorney's office. 1 "Most of the large ones, the city attorney's office has handled quite well," he said. Mailer said some people who owe the cityjlioney forjamaging property such as light poles, traffic signals, barricades, vehicles or other equipment leave town or don't respond to letters or phone calls and get away with not paying.

If Transworld is hired, "we'll have another arm that will be after them," he said. to By Don Schauf Journal Times STURTEVANT The dealer licensing section of the state's Department of Transportation is investigating an alleged violation of a wholesale car dealer's license by a small business here. Police Chief Ronald Kittel said today. And when the state is done with its investigation of Village Auto Center, Kittel said the village's planning commission wants him to close the business because it is in violation of the village's zoning ordinances. Village President Lester Wald said Tuesday that Dennis Heck opened Village Auto at 8620 Durand Ave.

about two years ago, without Pefer C. Myers deputy agriculture secretary Racine native voted in By Daria Labinsky For the Journal Times WASHINGTON The Senate late -Tuesday night approvedJhe jiomL nation of Peter C. Myers as deputy secretary of agriculture. The Racine native's nomination was approved by unanimous consent. Agriculture Secretary Richard E.

Lyng gave him the oath of office at 11:30 a.m. today, in a private ceremony. Sens. William S. Cohen, R-Maine, and George J.

Mitchell, D-Maine, blocked Myers' nomination for three days because the Agriculture Department reneged on promises to Maine potato farmers. The senators dropped their objection when the department agreed to purchase 2.2 million pounds of surplus Maine potatoes. Myers will begin his duties as deputy agriculture secretary immediately, but will not physically move into his new office until Friday. Myers, 55, has worked for the department since 1982. President Reagan nominated him for the No.

2 position as deputy secretary in early May, and the Senate Agriculture Committee confirmed the nomination late last month. Myers, a Horlick High School and University of Wisconsin graduate, left the state to become a Missouri farmer in 1955. While working on his farm in Matthews, Myers belonged to many farmers' organizations, including the Missouri Soil and Water Conservation Commission and the Missouri Farm Bureau. He and his wife, Mary, now live in Annandale, a suhurb of Washington. -J Mailer said he was tempted by Transworld's offer because the collection effort wouldn't cost the city much money: "We've got nothing to lose." The city had a collection agency "many years back" and ha'd to pay it 25 to 50 percent of all its collections, he said.

Assistant Finance Director Paul Sullivan said if a contract with the firm is approved, the city will give the firm $25,000 to $50,000 worth of accounts, monitor its progress over six months and give a report to the council's finance committee. In other business Tuesday, the council: Awarded a $75,345 bid to Edward E. Gillen Co. of Milwaukee to compact about 80,000 square feet of soil at the festival site to be sure it can support buildings. The total cost of the festival site project has been estimated at $4.5 million, including soil preparation.

According to Public Works Commissioner Fred Larson, the contractor will compact about 45 percent of the 4-acre site mainly the area directly beneath where the festival hall and colonnade are to be built. Approved conditional use" permit allowing S.C. Johnson Son Inc. to build a flight center on 35 acres north of the airport. The plan commission voted May 28 to recommend the city rezone the 35-acre site from residential to industrial use and annex it.

reassign director of the district's new assessment center at Franklin School. Principal Frank Osimitz, whose Red Apple Elementary School will move from Franklin to Washington, will give up his duties at Winslow Elementary School and oversee the middle school Academy at Washington. Fine Arts Elementary School Principal Douglas Julius will become principal of Winslow as well. Woods said he made most of the changes because administrators requested new assignments or additional challenges. He wouldn't identify which administrators requested changes.

In Kurland's case. Woods said, the senior high Academy he directed is closing this month, so he needed a new assignment. The changes do not require school board approval, Woods said, since they are lateral reassignments. TotLflFosinrD pdso sooetd seven administrators By Arthur L. Srb Associated Press MADISON With the Memorial Day weekend.

Wisconsin's tourism season moved into high gear, and barometers suggest the industry could be headed for a banner year. Motel and resort reservations are up in most areas, and the response to the state's summer advertising campaign has been overwhelming, says Milton Strauss, administrator of the state Tourism Division. In the Wisconsin Dells-Devils Lake traditionally one of Wisconsin's busiest tourist attractions, requests for 'information through April were running 110 percent ahead of a year ago, a tourism official said. That likely will mean mega bucks for area merchants. Last year, the area had a million visitors in July and August, a market research study by the University of Wisconsin Extension showed, said Kelly Gavinski of the Visitor and.

Convention Bureau in Wisconsin Dells. Although Wisconsin's tourism industry with $4.1 billion gross receipts in 1984 appears to be healthy, voices of concern are being heard, asking, in effect, "compared to what?" Gavinski said Wisconsin is not By Len LaCara Journal Times RACINE Seven Unified administrators will be reassigned July 1, Superintendent of Schools Don Woods said today. Dawn Kloften, principal of Jefferson Lighthouse Elementary School, and Patricia Rogers, principal of Jones Elementary School, will switch jobs. Kloften, an administrator since 1968, has been principal of Jefferson since 1980, according to Unified records. Rogers, an administrator since 1973, has been principal of Jones since 1982.

Two longtime high school activities directors, Owen Evans of Hor-lick and Donald Ford of Case, also will switch positions. They have held their respective positions since 1972, according to district records. George Kurland, director of Washington Academy, will become Goin's each Times, takes places you've Sunday in the Journal you away to explore never been..