The Herald-Palladium from Benton Harbor, Michigan • 3

Twin City Highlights Twin City Highlights combining J) JJtHJS'Pfillitnil and the herald-press BENTON HARBOR ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN SATURDAY, JULY 12, 1975 Three Events. Sunday Bridge-Building Starts Underwater Oh Lake Bluff :5 Preparations have been completed for three major attractions scheduled for Lake Front park at the bluff in St. Joseph Sunday, July 13. The 14th annual art fair which last year attracted 35,000 visitors will be held from 10 a.m.

to 7 p.m. with 156 artists from nine states and Canada displaying their works. The fair is sponsored by the St. Joseph Art Association and proceeds from the advertising in the fair program will be earmarked for the association's Art Center, 600 State street, St. Joseph.

An ice cream, social will be held in the park near the bandshell by the St. Joseph auxiliary to Child and Family Services of Michigan with proceeds benefiting that agency. Time is from noon until 6 p.m. Third attraction is the SL Joseph municipal band which will present two concerts at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. featuring, the songs of Penny Jones of St.

Joseph. Deputy BH Manager Denies Tax Charge Melvin Farmer, deputy Benton Harbor city manager, was one of the city officials named by the "Clean Slate" candidates as receiving "a silent rollback" in taxes. The "Clean Slate" asked for a response on the alleged favoritism. Following is the complete text of a letter, Farmer wrote to all members of the Benton Harbor dty commission, dated July Mh city, including Clean Slate candidates. I fail to see how this constitutes "favoritism" or "special privileges" due to my being a city employe.

4. I have enclosed a copy of the charter of the City of Benton Harbor, Chapter IX, Assessment of Taxes, which clearly indicates who is responsible and under what procedures tax assessments are set. At no time have myself or a member of my family ever contacted, written, discussed, or requested any tax adjustments from any member or anyone connected with the Board of Review. And I defy anyone to produce evidence or testimony to the contrary. Gentlemen, I have responded in this written fashion due to my firm convictions of being accountable for my action, especially as a public employe entrusted to perform the duties of my office with imparitality, efficiency, and in a manner that denotes dignity to the city and Gentlemen: I have been urged by the "Clean Slate Candidates" to make "an immediate response" to the enclosed accusations of "favoritism" and "special privileges" in an alleged silent rollback of property taxes due to my being a city employe.

First of all, to somewhat clear the air and set the record straight for those people in the community who are not acquainted with me personally or professionally. I have nothing to hide and will openly match my personal and professional background with any elected official, public employe and-or private citizen, I am a product of this community, having resided, been educated, and worked here for the past 31 years" I have been a public employe since 1963, serving six years as a state employe for the Department of Social Services and the Michigan Civil Rights Commission and the last six years with the City of Benton Mich, general contractor. Taylor said metal sheeting is set dpwn first, then concrete is poured underwater (concrete base is known as tremie). After concrete hardens, water is pumped out. COFFERDAM: Box-like cofferdam is assembled to keep out water while construction workers install substructure for $9.2 million bridges between Benton Harbor and St.

Joseph, according to Donald Taylor, superintendent for Walter Toebe and Wixom; (See back page, sec. 1, col. 7) Harbor and Benton, township, MELVIN FARMER Denies Charge Marine Weather By Phone Recorded marine weather forecasts are now available through the U.S. Coast Guard station at St. Joseph by calling 983-1820.

The Coast Guard said that- is only number over which weather information will be given. The forecasts are updated every two or three flours. The information includes a complete Lake Michigan forecast, plus a regional recreational boating forecast covering from New Buffalo to Grand Haven. A Coast Guard spokesman said: "We feel this will be a very convenient service for boaters. And what a load off us." He explained the station had been receiving 1,500, to 2,000 calls a day for weather information.

Peak hours were 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. with phones jangling constantly. Remember! 983-1820. During this time as a public employe, I have been called many things, mostly complimentary, but never has my integrity in openly carrying out my responsiblities as a citizen or public employe been so severely distorted by such pure -fabrications as.

the enclosed. I feel a moral and professional obligation to my family, citizens of Benton Harbor, and fellow employes to categorically deny and denounce these allegations which on the surface are defamatory, libelous and slanderous of my reputation and character. The following information will in no uncertain terms prove the state charges as being totally false and unsubstantiable relative to my involvement in any property tax reduction claims: 1. The valuation on the property in question was reviewed and adjusted in 1971 at the request of the former owner. 2.

My wife and I purchased the property in September of 1973 with no knowledge of or request by myself or member of my family to reduce the equalized valuation of the property. On the contrary, we would prefer that our property value remain stable to protect our subszantial investment in this property. 3. In 1974, the state equalized value for every piece of real property in the city decreased by 10 per cent, thereby causing a reduction of property taxes for every property owner in the BRAINS BEHIND BRAWN: Fred Holland (left), general superintendent and construction engineer, and Donald Taylor, superintendent, both of Walter Toebe and sWixom, are in charge of muscle, mechanical and human, that will be needed io put up Wayne-Main street bridges. For Holland, bridges are only one of number of projects he presently heads for Toebe and Co.

nf'ni- ton in i i BH Panel Issues Statement On Taxes The Benton Harbor board of review Friday entered the tay fray between "Clean Slate" candidates and present or former city officials. The board of review statement, in the board's words, "confirmed the report given by the Clean Slate committee concerning certain practices of -tax relief for city employes." See story on page 18. DRY INSIDE: Construction workers move about inside dry cofferdam while St. Joseph river surrounds, them outside. Work in this cofferdam is being done on pier No.

3 of bascule bridge. There will belotal of four piers for bascule bridge and five for fixed bridge across Morrison channel. Donald Taylor, construction superintendent, said 1,320 yards of concrete were used to make tremie, concrete base at bottom of A number of cofferdams will be used throughout project. When one assignment is completed cofferdam is disassembled and moved to another location. Concrete tremie stays and becomes part of bridge.

Lake Temperature The temperature of Lake Michigan at shoreline today is 72 degrees. BH Manager's Job 'I- rr Ji 1 fMJ-I i i It iiilliiiil mm ib Balance I vlondav 'yy The Benton Harbor city commission is scheduled to vote Monday night at its regular meeting on whether to accept or refuse the resignation of City Manager Charles Morrison. Yesterday in a closed, unofficial meeting, the jcommissioners reportedly voted 4 to 3 to refuse tn accent Morrison's resignation. resignation yesterday were Commissioners Arnold Bolin, Charles Yarbrough, Edmund Eaman and Carl Brown. Voting for acceptance were Mayor Charles Joseph and Commissioners Alfred Williams and Virgil May.

"Nothing was resolved today," Brown said after the meeting. "It's the same old story." "The problem is that this whole issue involves too many emotions and feelings," Mayor Joseph said. "This has kept us at an impasse." Morrison resigned June 9 after a commission vote of confidence failed, in a tie vote. Commissioners had called for the confidence vote after Joseph had charged Morrison with "irresponsible arid called for the termination of his contract. Under terms of his contract, Morrison will remain on the job 90 days or until Sept.

7. But Commissioner Winston Minott, who had voted against the vote of confidence in Morrison prior to his resignation June 9, was absent from yesterday's meeting. The probable result of a vote Monday is a 4 to 4 tie, which means the motion fails. Therefore the outcome could depend on whether the motion on Morrison's resignation called for acceptance or rejection. This could mean various parliamentary maneuvering and more motions.

Voting to refuse acceptance of Morrison's Joseph river and Morrison channel are scheduled for completion in; 1977. Pier shown here is hydraulic bascule bridge which will cross St. Joseph river and part at center and open like pair of drawbridges. (Staff photos) OUT OF COFFERDAM: Recently completed pier No. 4 is shown with remains of of partially disassembled cofferdam shown around it.

Donald Taylor, Toebe superintendent in charge of bridge projects, said construction is right on schedule. Bridges over St. 1.