The Journal News from Hamilton, Ohio • Page 51

Foirfield Today Wednesday ROSARY SOCIETY-8 p.m., Sacred Heart Church In Fairfield LWV backs school issue A I Hamilton-Fairfield area League of Women Voters has voted to support passage of a $4,95 million bond issue to build a new middle school in the Fairfield school district. a a a a corresponding secretary, made the announcement in a letter to school board president, John Eaton. The League said the action was taken as "a result of extensive interviews with school board members arid school "This action is consistent with the League's local program effort to support sound public scnool systems." The League thanked those interviewed "for their complete cooperation in our effort to explore the pros and cons of the bond issue." Voters in the Fairfield school district will go to Ihe polls Tuesday, Feb. 3, to vote on the issue, Fairfield honors ex-board members FAlRFIELD-Two former members of the Fairfield Board of Education were honored in a brief ceremony at Tuesday night's meeting. Mrs.

Margaret Lunsford and C. Glen Reid were School tours planned before board meetings OXFORD A public tour of the Talawanda School District school buildings will precede all regular sessions of the board of education during 1976. Instituted at the meeting in Collinsville Monday at request of new member Barton Bell, the plan calls for a 7 o'clock tour for public and press and the customary convening of oard meetings at 7:30 p. m. Next meeting is scheduled for Monday, Feb.

16. at Marshall School. recognized by the board for their service to the community. Senior board member Frank Kelly presented Mrs. Lunsford an inscribed school bell.

Kelly said Ihe bell served as a memento of her "16 years service to the board and community." Kelly commended Mrs. Lunsford for what he termed her "honorable service with distinction." Glen Reid, board past president, will be presented a plaque with the gavel he used as president. Reid was not a candidate for re-election to the board and Mrs. Lunsford was defeated in her quest for a fifth term. Fairfield board lifts restrictions on taping Hy TO.M CHANT Kalrfleld i FAlKFlELD-Atler lengthy discussion, (he a i i Board of Education modified its policy on Ihc use of tape recorders at its meetings.

The board mel Tuesday night at Hie junior high scnool. The board will permit the news media to use tape recorders in its meetings, Previously there were two board policies in effect concerning the recordering devices. One prohibited the use of tape recorders and Ihc second permitted the board to Uipc record its own meetings. Board president John Eaton had asked at an earlier board meeting that Ihe tape recorder policy issue be added to the agenda for discussion. Eaton said the policy that permitted the board to record meetings for its own use said, in effect, the board could be trusted and Ihc public could not.

Board vice president Dr. Stanley Goodman asked "are you slating we arc trying to liide anything from the people? The tapes arc available in the clerk's office." Tapes made at the meeting by the board arc available to Ihe public the day following the meeting in Ihc clerk treasurer's office. "1 can't sec Ihc necessity for everyone taking a tape recorder in a board New teachers for Fairfield Red and blue on sfuff A Bicentennial snowman graces the yard of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Richardson (left), 3883 Van Hook who along with brothers, Dan and Ray Richardson (right), labored from 12 a.m.

Tuesday until about 6 a.m. to finish their snowy tribute to America's birthday. The snowman is about 10 feet tall and'the red and blue decorations were cloth. The hat is and the while stuff, well that was supplied by Mother Nature. Journal-News photo 'by John Janco.

A I FI Fairfield Board of Education hired two teachers and. accepted resignation for retirement of a 28-year verteran teacher. In regular session Tuesday night at the junior high school, the board accepted the resignation of Mrs. Esther Gardner, reading teacher at Central Elementary School. Mrs.

Sharon Dingier was hired to replace Mrs. Gardner and Mrs. Susan Dennis was hired as learning disabilities tutor, replacing Mrs. Dingier. The board approved the recommendation of school superintendent Dale E.

Beckett and named Ray Puteet, distrlcl bus coordinator, rcpresentalivc to the Fairfield Safety Council. a Hann, assistant superintendent for business, was named prevailing wage coordinator for the district. The board agreed to sell Iwo used school buses to highest bidders: Church oF the Nazcrene, Dayton, $803 and Hoy Stratlon, $101. The board approved payment of $200 for school board member liability plan. fMRFIELB 2 1 1 7 6 Jnurnal-Ncus, Hamilton.

Ohio Pay raises granted by Talawanda board Energy crisis not phony, expert telis county council By PETE ClIAPPAiiS Oxford Editor OXFORD The Talawanda Board of Education has raised the salary of its assistant superintendent and its coordinator of adult high school i a i programs. Dr. Ernest C. White was unanimously voted a $21,000 annual salary, effective Jan. 1.

When given a new three-year contract last August, White turned down a similar salary increase, and he has continued on an 518,500 salary since that time. At the January session Monday White accepted the increase in pay. By 4-1 vote, Mrs. Kathryn Hill, coordinator and a teacher in the evening-class program, was granted a pay raise from S1.200 to $1.300 a semester as coordinator and from $5 to $6 an hour as a teacher. Other teachers also voted the new $6 rale were Mrs.

Laura Lee Stuckhardt, Mrs. Sue Ellen Morris, and Ron Webb. Tuition rales for evening classes will remain those adopted Aug. 18, 1975, according to a recommendation made by Dr. Marius P.

Garofalo, superintendent, and approved by the board. Dislrict sludents will pay $15 a credit and $10 a half- credit, and out-of-district sludents will pay $25 per credit, with partial credit pro-rated. In other actions the board: Granted disability leave of absence to Archie Depew, school district employee. Approved hiring of Joe Haggard as bus driver at $13.56 a day for Route and $5.55 a day for Route a half route. Approved compensation of board members at rate of $20 per meeting for nol more than 12 meetings, same rate paid in the past.

Approved a policy of approving without reading minutes of previous meetings, on approval of members. Resolved to dispense with adoption of resolutions of approval of debts or claims and warrants for payment of items in the appropriated budget lisls. Approved continuation of membership in the Ohio School Boards Association at cost of $450 a year. Amended Ihe policy statement for free and reduced price meals effective Feb. 2.

By NANCY BAKER Journal-News Wriler If you think the energy crisis is a fabrication of the oil companies to increase prices and rip off the consumer, you're dead wrong. Thai's the message of Robert J. Anderson, associate director of the Batlelle Energy Program in Columbus. Anderson was the speaker Tuesday at the annual meeting of the Butler County Environmental Study Council at Waldo's Supper Club. "Since oil was first discovered in western Pennsylvania a century ago Americans have been using petroleum products as if there was no end to the supply," Anderson said.

"But, the most difficult fact you must admit to yourself is that we are dealing wilh a finile supply. How much oil is lefl? I don'l know, but 1 know it's limited." Anderson said there will be no more petroleum left in America after the year 2000; no natural cas after 1988. "That's il. No more. And no amount of writing letters to Ihe editor or letters to your congressman will do any good," Anderson emphasized.

Hesaid the national energy "budget" includes three sources of energy basically used by Americans today. Almost half the energy used, or 46 per cent, is supplied by petroleum; natural gas supplies 30 per cent of Ihe nation's energy needs; coal provides 18 per cent; four per cent of (he energy is through hydro-electric power; 1.8 per cent is through atomic power; and .2 per cent comes from miscellaneous energy sources. "So you can see 94 per cent of our energy comes from petroleum, natural gas or coal and these three are going to supply the energy requirements of Ihis nation for Ihe remainder of the century," he said. Anderson said Ihe only way the supplies will be able meet Ihe needs is through conservalion efforts by to meet Ihe needs everyone. "We're going Ip have to stretch these supplies.

I'm talking about using less. Driving slower. Insulating houses. Turning out lights. Turning off the TV when we're not watching it," he said.

And American environmentalists may have to loosen controls on the burning of coal lo meel Ihe energy needs. "The coal situation is completely different from the oil and gas picture," Anderson said. "Last year we mined 600 million Ions of coal. At that rale, we have enough coal left lo last 500 years." But, added, there are two things wrong wild coal. "You can't burn it and you can't mine it.

Half Ihe coal mined comes from open surface mines and sometimes (he coal has been taken out and the country left ripped open. And there are regulations against burning it, so what can you do." Anderson suggested lhat a compromise would have lo be reached to permit the use of coal. "Until a compromise can be worked out (between the environmentalist and the coal supplier and user) we're going to have lo realize lhal what olher resources we have left are finite," he said. Anderson said solar energy may some day be the answer to some of America's energy needs but "if you're going to use solar energy in a serious way, you've got to learn how to slore il." Anderson has bachelor and master degrees from Columbia University and was trained as a geologist and employed as a field geologist by State Geological Surveys and Mining Companies. He joined Ihe Ballelle staff in 1948.

Environmental Study Council officers were elected al Ihe meeting Tuesday. James L. Hinchbcrger, county sanitary engineer, was named president, replacing Harold Judd; John Thompson, chairman of the Miami University geography department was named vice president; Donald Ferris and Kelsey Singleton were named Irustees. mccling," Dr. a said, The board adopted 5-0 a resolution permuting the news media to record the meetings, The board interpretation of the news media was said to i Ihe school newspaper.

The board agreed to seek legal advice on another board policy concerning news releases. The present board policy requires all news releases from Ihe board to come through Ihe office of Ihe superintendent of schools. The policy also provides lhal the board be polled and a majority be in agrecmcnl before a news release fs issued. According to Ihc policy read al the meeting, Ihc polling of Die board is to be done by telephone. Eaton contended the polling procedure ns stated in the policy was a violation of Ihe new state sunshine laws which i i meetings closed lo Ihe public.

The board agreed by 4-1 vole to meet in city council chambers at 7 p. m. beginning Tuesday, Feb. 17. the board also included in Ihe meeting resolution a provision to mcel at North, West and Soulh elementary schools within Ihe next year, Frank Kelly, who opposed the resolution, said he was not objecting to an occasional mceling there.

Kelly said "a permanent, meeting there (council chambers) would not be in Ihe best interest of the schools." "In 14 years (Kelly has served 14 years on Ihe Fairfield we have never had a request from city council to meet in school building," Kelly said. II was reported lhat clerk- treasurer Charles Whitson borrowed $250,000 from Citizen's Bank at 4.8 per cent inlerest per annum to mcel the district payroll. The hoard also agreed to study a report on committees prepared by members Louis Jacoboski and Vincent DiGiovanni. Mosler awarded contract A $150,700 contract from the U.S. General Services A i i a i to the Mosler Safe Co.

will not mean more jobs at the local plant, but will help stabalizc the current job level there, according to Ihe company. The contract is a for special security tiles to be used in various government offices. Perry Newcomb, Mosler vice president of industrial relations and personnel, described the impact of Ihc contract. "It's a nice order and we're happy to have it, but it won't really result in any layed off workers being recalled. will, however, help in stabilizing Ihe current level of employment." Armco hopes to stave off New Miami coke oven closing By JIM BLOUNT Editor of the Journal-News Armco Steel Corp.

may have a parlial answer lo its critical gas problem and a boost for Ihe Hamillon-area economy all in one package. Whether il is a dream or a reality will depend on in a federal agency in Chicago. The gas bonanza is at Armco's New Miami operations just north of Hamilton, according lo Carl Fiora, manager of Armco's Middletown Works, which includes New Miami. The coke ovens al New Miami aresupposed to close by Sept. 1 as an aftermath of an environmenlal hearing and a consent order signed in 1975 by Armco and the Environmenlal Protection Agency." But Armco is seeking reconsideration of the closing.

an action which also would have positive effects on the lax revenues of the Village of New Miami and Ihe New Drastic impact on faxes Armco Sleel Corp. paid more lhan $277,000 in properly taxes to the village of New Miami and the New Miami schools in 1975, a figure which would be reduced drastically if the company is forced to go ahead with the closing of its New Miami coke ovens by Sepl. 1. Serious financial problems are foreseen by village and school officials if the Federal Environmental Proteclion Agency forces the coke oven closings. Job picture brighter The employment picture at Armco Steel Corp.

operations in the area continues lo improve, according to a report Tuesday by Carl Fiora, manager of Ihe Middletown Works, "We still have 193 people on layoff because we haven't been able lo gear up Ihe plant," Fiora said, "but we should have all or mosl of Inese people back lo work in about a month." He also said lhal "the level of business that we are seeing is improving" and it will have a positive effect on Armco plants in Middletown and New Miami. "We will be hiring by spring," Fiora explained, "because of Ihc upswing in business." The village budget is about $260.000 a year and about S1CO.OOO of lhat total comes from Armco sources. The school financial picture is complicated by a refund due Armco from Ihe school district. The lotal is $20,172, which is scheduled to be spread evenly over calendar years 1976 and 1977. Presently, the Armco plant in New Miami represents aboul a third of Ihe school district tax duplicate.

Armco would continue to operale ils blasl furnaces al New Miami if il is forced to close the coke ovens because they fail to meel EPA emission standards. There are about 550 employees at the New Miami operations, according to Armco officials. The coke oven closing would eliminate about 200 positions at New Miami, although mosl of the workers would be transferred lo new ovens under conslruction in Middletown. Besides the loss payroll taxes, Ihc closing of the coke ovens would reduce Armco's property taxes because of Ihe loss of coking equipment, related buildings and coal inventories, a company spokesman said. Armco has asked Ihe EPA lo sel aside a consent order which would force closing of the New Miami coke ovens by Sepl.

1, The decision will be made by EPA's Districl Five office in Chicago. Miami Local School Dislricl. The gas byproduct from the Xcw Miami coke ovens is piped to Middletown where it is used as lucl in Armco's sleclmaking operations. The surplus gas from New Miami supplies about per cent of Armco's gas needs at Middlctown. according to Kiora.

Closing of Ihe coke ovens al New Miami would limit the capacity of the Middletown Works because the company's supply of natural gas from other sources is being curtailed, and Ihe curlailmenls promise lo be increased in future years, he said, "There has been a tremendous change in the energy situation since we began considering Ihe closing of me New Miami coke ovens," Flora said Tuesday in a press conference in which Armco earnings for 1975 were announced. "So much has happened that is bad in (he energy Held lhal we have lo do somolhing," he said in explaining the value of Ihc gas byproduct from New Armco is building new coke ovens in Middlelown. Those units, which arc expected to begin operation in July, originally were supposed to replace Ihe batteries at New Miami, but now Armco officials are asking the EPA to permit them lo operale bolh batteries "Coke also is in short supply." said Armco Chairman William Verily, who predicted a need for expanded steel production in the U. S. in Ihe next few years But Fiora stressed Ihe value of the coke gas.

"Armco uses ahoul 50 million cubic feet of gas a day." he said, "The New i a i coke ovens produce aboul seven million cubic feet a day for use in Ihe Middlelown Works in addition to gas used in Ihe New i a i operalion." Verily emphasized that the gas byproduct from Xcw Miami is equivalent to aboul 21 per cent of Ihe natural gas produced in Ohio and equal to more lhan 25 per of the oil produced in the state. "Without gas, Ihe Middletown Works is restricted lo only about 7. per of ils capacity," Kiora said. He said Armco's Middlelown Works in 1075 used onl.v 55 per cent as much gas as il did in 1971. Ninety per cent of (he reduction was because of curtailment in supplies and only 10 per cent because of the business slowdown during Ihe early part ol the year, Kiora explained.

"We have proposed to local, slate and federal officials that we be allowed to continue to operale (he coke ovens at New Miami," he said. "We can reduce the emissions (Ihc reason for Ihe closing! by Ihree-fourlhs of what they are now," Kioia said, "by doing a number of things, including reduced produclion Ihcrc. "There is no way to achieve absolute compliance i Ihe emission slandards," he said. Armco officials said that 200 jobs are directly involved in the decision. If Ihe New Miami ovens must close, Armco will transfer workers to the new coke ovens in Middletown.

If not, about 200 additional jobs will be created Without the gas byproduct from New i a i and the resultant cutback in capacity for steclmaking at Middletown. Ihe total number of jobs lost would be about 950. Fiora said "I just don'l see how anybody could be against having more jobs al this time," Fiora said "Al Ihis moment don'l have a red light or a green light from Ihe government" afler a four and a half month a i The decision will be made by Federal EPA's District five of (ice in Chicago, where the question has been languishing since September. Fiora said Ihe gas Ihe New Miami coke ovens has about half Ihe BTU value of nalural gas (which is 050 BTL's per cubic footi. The seven million cubic feel piped daily from New i a i lo Middletown would provide enough power (or aboul 10 per ccnl of the daily usage of nalural gas in the Hamilton municipal system.

A city ulility department spokesman said daily natural gas consumption Hamilton in January has averaged about 34.8 million cubic feel. The New Miami surplus gas would be equivalent lo aboul 3.5 million cubic feet of natural gas..