Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • 6

-k 3rd ED. 6 CityTdwn 39 Vernon Manchester Willimantic FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1977 Manciieefiyeiiter Faces 0. Inflation Hits Landmark Tab osing 4f I I fM 'h The appraisal has been sent back to HUD for its approval, she said. If HUD approves the appraisal price, she said, the sale of the building will be taken before the Common Council for final approval. The Historical Society president, Lucy Crosbie said Thursday she was disappointed with HUD's rejection of the $1 sale price.

She said she will meet with the society's executive board, possibly next week, to discuss the increased cost. Mrs. Crosbie, the owner and publisher of the Willimantic Chronicle, said she also wants to find out if the $1,620 figure is negotiable. The society hopes to raise between $75,000 and $100,000 in donations to buy and operate the house as museum. She said it has so far raised $18,000.

The Jillson House was the home of William Jillson. founder of the first textile mill in Willimantic. WILLIMANTIC The price of the 152-year-old Jill-son House, a bargain four months ago at $1, has jumped to $1,620, according to an appraiser hired by the Willimantic Redevelopment Agency. The agency's executive director, Betty Lou Williams, said the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has rejected the town Historical Society's offer to pay $1 for the Main Street landmark.

The non-profit society plan's to operate the building as a museum. agency agreed to the purchase price in July but Mrs. Williams said HUD officials turned it down and asked the agency to have an appraisal done of the two-story stone structure. The appraiser hired by the agency, put the value on the property at $1,620, she said. Mrs.

Williams said the appraiser based his estimate only on the value of the land, since the site can be used only for educational Finally, shortly after 4 p.m., Ms. Vater met with about 20 concerned parents at the day car center situated in Center Congregational Church, to explain the situation to them. Ms. Vater told the group that it now has been agreed to keep the center open at least through the end of the current semester, Dec. 23, while officials try to work out a long-term financing solution.

"If we can make cutbacks and work within a lower budget, we can continue to operate," the center director said. Precise budget information on the center couldn't be obtained late Thursday. Founded in 1973 as the first day care center in the community college system, the facility was designed to be self -supporting through tuition but has run into deficits the last two years because of escalating costs. Center staff metniws said they were hopeful the college mmld gr to contribute additional funis TVy said the center serves both lb Wr of students and students themsrK are enrolled in the college's eartv rluLihodd education program and do field work at the center. This year, however, many programs at the college have been operating under severe fiscal constraints and some have been eliminated.

"We're in the process now of having to cut a whole slew of programs here," Maddox said. Early this fall, for example, the college dropped two intercollegiate sports, cross country and golf, eliminated its cheerleading program and cut back the fall baseball schedule. By MARC GUNTHER MANCHESTER The day care center operated by Manchester Community College for the past four years may be closed later this year because of financial difficulties at the college, college officials said Thursday. The center serves about 70 children, most of whom are sons and daughters of college students and staff members, according to its director, Susan Epperson Vater. Last year, it ran at a deficit of about $8,000, college officials said.

The threatened closing was announced at the end of the day Thursday after a series of fast-moving, confusing and sometimes contradictory developments affecting the center. Earlier in the day, Carroll Maddox, director of college relations, said there would be a press conference at 3 p.m. during which officials would announce the closing of the day car facility. The news conference was abruptly canceled one half hour before it was set to begin, and later Maddox said he had been mistaken about the plans to close the center. "Evidently the press conference was not being called for the purpose that I told you," he said.

Its actual purpose was "to clarify the situation" concerning the center, which has been the subject of campus rumors for some weeks, Maddox said. Meanwhile, unaware of the press conference, Ms. Vater met early in the afternoon with Dr. Ronald H. Denison, the college president.

At the meeting, she said afterwards, they decided to try to keep the center open and seek to cut back on expenditures to reduce the level of the college subsidy to the center. Business as Usual Elizabeth Zwick, a teacher at Manchester Community College's day care center, goes on with her work Thursday afternoon despite the day being one of turmoil for the center, which is threatened with closing because of budget problems at the college (Gunther Photo). 2nd Ellington Site Eyed for School Field are the two most likely field sites, Herold said. The school board is seeking land to comply with a federal law requiring equal athletic opportunities for boys and girls. The school board this month asked the Board of Finance for up to $9,000 to study the feasibility of using a 17-acre parcel east of the high school, but the request was denied because the property, which is partially wetlands, has been projected as too expensive to develop.

nesday when they were struck by a car while walking. "In general, a number of problems have been discussed in the past concerning land that involved anything going across the road," School Superintendent Bruce C. Shepard said Thursday. "Dangers would have to be something to be considered." Safety precautions might include constructing a pedestrian bridge, installing traffic lights or hiring crossing source who asked to remain unidentified said Thursday. However, the Limbergers said Thursday they haven't been approached by school officials.

Although the land, which is classified as farma-ble in town records, hasn't been listed with real estate agents. "It is for sale if the price is right," Mrs. Limberger said Thursday. A local realty agent estimated Thursday that the land, which has frontage on Maple Street and Rt. 83, probably is worth about 000.

It has been used recently for growing corn. School board member Michael Herold said Thursday that the board didn't discuss Wednesday the potential dangers of students crossing Maple Street. "It wasn't mentioned because we don't know yet what's going to happen" with the property, he said. Unless board members can find other suitable property, the Limberger and Brookside Park parcels now guards, Shepard said. He also said another possible site for athletic fields, the town's recreational facility at Brookside Park, would mean that students would have to be bused, which "involved additional dangers." The school board, in executive session Wednesday, discussed strategy relating to the acquisition of the Limberger land.

School Business Manager. John Kelly within the past two weeks has asked a local realty agent to investigate the property, a By MARK STILLMAN ELLINGTON The Board of Education apparently is turning its attention to land across the street from the high school as a possible site for new athletic fields, it has been learned. However, developing that property 24.5 acres owned by George and Wanda Limberger would mean that students would have to cross Maple Street (Rt. 140), the road where a high school student was killed and another seriously injured Wed Vandals Damage Manchester Store MANCHESTER For the second time in two weeks, vandals have caused damage at the Goodwill Thrift Store that opened here on Main Street eight months ago. The victims of the vandalism, said Marjorie Mcll-wain, the store manager, are the handicapped persons who work to prepare the store's products for sale.

Disturbed by the damage, Mrs. Mcllwain told The Courant Thursday morning after its discovery to send a message to the vandals. "Tell them to leave us alone," she said. This time, according to Mrs. Mcllwain, a plate glass window facing Eldridge Street was broken.

Last week a door to the store was forced open and had to be replaced. The costs are expected to exceed $250. Nothing was taken from the premises in either incident. A beer bottle was found Thursday morning near the broken window. In addition, youths were discovered in the store backyard several days ago, apparently attempting to start a fire.

As a result, empty boxes no longer are being left outside. Mrs. Mcllwain said she believes the police are doing all they can to protect the area but that it is impossible to keep a constant watch on an individual store or business. Goodwill opened the store at 1085 Main St. in March.

Since then, Mrs. Mcllwain said, donations of goods from other stores, factories and residents have been coming in well. "Manchester's people have been good to us," she said. The goods clothing, books, furniture, shoes, mattresses and dozens of other items are prepared to be sold by the handicapped persons working in the Goodwill factory in Springfield, Mass. The store's earnings are then used to pay the wages of the handicapped workers.

McCoy To Look Intd Vernon Fire Co. Bylaws plagued with internal dissension since March, stemming from arguments about the new bylaws and conflicts with Johnson. Firemen have been publicly critical of the new bylaws, saying they aren't substantively different from the old ones. Two officers also have resigned since October, and a third, Co. 1 Deputy Chief Gerald Grotton, resigned Monday.

Grotton, a 14-year department veteran, said Wednesday he is resigning "just so I can have more time at home. The resignation will become effective after a Dec. 12 meeting when the department will name an acting deputy chief, Grotton said. But Grotton said Wednesday his resig- "I am going to talk to him (Johnson) as soon as I can and get some background," McCoy said. He refused to comment on the Bettinger incident because "I haven't had a chance to review it.

I was aware of prior problems, but not of what's going on now," he said. McCoy also said he hasn't received a copy of the new bylaws, although former Mayor Thomas A. Benoit told the department to have them submitted to the mayor's office by Tuesday. "Whatever the deadline was, they're (the bylaws) not here at the moment," McCoy said. The Vernon Fire Department has been nation isn't prompted by disagreements.

"I have a very good working relationship with the chief and I've supported him wholeheartedly," he said. Co. 3 hoseman James Bogar resigned from his position as deputy chief on Oct. 1, citing differences with Johnson and criticizing the new bylaws. Assistant department Chief G.

Nelson Skinner also resigned from the department that same day, saying his business is demanding more of his time. Grotton had been a captain for four years before becoming deputy chief about two years ago. VERNON Mayor Frank J. McCoy said Thursday he will request a copy of the old and new Vernon Fire Department bylaws and will review the new operational procedure that led top officers to ask a Co. 3 fireman to resign this week.

Charles Bettinger, a hoseman, was asked to resign because he allegedly violated an operational procedure when he" asked questions of mayoral candidates during an Oct. 26 public meeting. The procedure, approved unanimously by the Board of Fire Officers about a month ago, states that only persons authorized by fire Chief William Johnson may talk to the press. Tolland Man, 20, Pleads Innocent To Kidnapping Little Pals Prepare For Season ,1 -it trial and his case was continued to the next trial session. He is being held in the Community Correctional Center, in lieu of $35,000 bond.

Defense Attorney John King asked the court to dismiss quash the Grand Jury indictment because the Grand Jury had been improperly instructed of its duties by the court and the indictment failed to give sufficient allegations and facts concerning the kidnapping charge. By MANIRA WILSON VERNON A Tolland man, indicted by a Grand Jury in September on a first-degree kidnapping charge, pleaded innocent to that charge Thursday in Tolland County Superior Court. Peter Luurtsema, 20, of White Birch Lane, entered innocent pleas to seven charges after Judge John J. Daly denied defense motions to quash and dismiss the Sept 29 Grand Jury indictment. All the charges stem from Aug.

13 incidents in which Luurtsema allegedly broke into two Vernon homes, sexually assaulted two girls and abducted one. He also is 'charged, in connection with the theft of a vehicle from a Tolland man the same day. The six other charges are two counts of first-degree, burglary, one charge each of first-degree sexual assault, third-degree sexual assault, second-degree larceny and third-degree larceny. Luurtsema selected a jury U.m.nm.mmtm. i i i iii.iiiin W.rn Practicing Pivoting Pat Risley, 12, of 468 Pleasant Willimantic, practices pivoting and ball control during basketball practice for the 'Little Pal' league at the YMCA (Funk Photo).

WILLIMANTIC They charge down the basketball court, pivot around, then shoot toward the hoop, without a basketball. Then they scramble around their defenders, three-foot tall metal chairs. It's not a new version of an old sport, just a bunch of youngsters running through an afternoon practice session at the YMCA as they firepare for a new basketball eague here. The "Little Pal" league. The league is designed for youngsters ages 8 to 15 years old.

Tryouts will be in December. Until then, a group of mostly pint-sized hoopsters are busy spending afternoons in the gymnasium sweating, shooting and. shouting their way through workouts with Ron Pires, basketball coach at the Main Street YMCA. Pires' idea of a workout involves plenty of shooting, dribbling and rebounding by the players, as well as a few foot routines to get the players in shape for a game. The youngsters range in size from the diminutive to the ext large.

Manchester Wins Suit Over Purity of Water Groups of "youngsters four rows deep scramble on the balls of their feet to the left then right as Pires shouts out directions. They occasionally scramble into each other as right and left gets blurred in the translation. Pires also has the players running around the gymnasium as often as possible. When they break, the sound of panting provides background noise for his instructions. The idea of the new league is to allow any youngster the chance to get out on the court and play, regardless of size or age.

Most of the players busy these afternoons also are on the YMCA's team, which challenges local school teams in competition. The league is free for YMCA members. Other players will be charged a fee. In addition, all the coaches and referees volunteer their time on the court For the rest of this month, the players will keep practicing for the new league. MANCHESTER Common -Pleas Court Judge Paul Falsey has ruled in favor of the town government and against Joseph Reynolds in Reynolds' suit against the town seeking damages for the Water Department's alleged failure to supply his home with pure water.

The judge said in a two-page ruling that Reynolds failed to prove that alleged illnesses resulted from impure water and, in fact, was unable to demonstrate that the water was impure. The resident represented himself during the two-day which he called sev eral town and state officials as witnesses. He had sought $750 in damages from the town. A Republican candidate who won election as a selectman last week, Reynolds became active on the water issue after circulating a petition demanding clean water among- residents of "tie town's southwest section affected by a 12-day contamination episode in August. (i The judge's decision was disclosed Thursday by Edward-J.

Daly an attorney for the Travelers Insurance Co. who represented tfc town in the suit. Store Destruction Marjorie Mcllwain, manager of the Goodwill Thrift Store in Manchester, points to a window broken by vandals Thursday. The store has been struck twice bv vandals (Gunther Photo). i 0.