The Billings Gazette from Billings, Montana • 14

4-A Saturday, July 9. 1983 The Billings Gazette Officials mum on supervisor's firing -rv By JOANN BRAAM Of The Gazette Staff Yellowstone County commissioners have fired Vivian Bosch, supervisor of the county Addresso-graph department. Some officials said it was the first time in at least 18 years commissioners fired a department head. A report from the clerk and recorder's office said Commissioners David Gorton and Dwight Mackay met with Bosch early Thursday afternoon and soon after fired her for "unacceptable performance." The county's third commissioner, James Straw, was away on vacation. Reached at home Friday evening, Mackay said the firing was a personnel matter and therefore he would not disclose any more information about the action "at this time." Asked if there was a question of criminal wrongdoing, Mackay declined to deny or affirm the possibility but added that Bosch's behavior has been discussed with County Attorney Harold Hanser.

few details about any problems in the Addressograph office. "We're in shock over this thing," an employee of another department said Friday afternoon. "This just doesn't happen. We all like Vivian. Clerk and Recorder Merrill Klundt said he hadn't even heard about the firing.

In his 18 years at the courthouse, he's never known commissioners to terminate a department head. Two officials said Bosch has been upset by a report that criticized Addressograph operations. A group of local professional and business people studying county government last spring questioned the need for an Addressograph department and said it "has taken on additional functions as its original purpose became obsolete. there are no records to gauge how efficiently it performs these new roles." Commissioners have generally supported the suggestions of the task force and reportedly dis- cussed dismantling of Bosch's office. But they said they had no intentions of laying off employees.

Denise Hilario, a clerk in the Addressograph office, was immediately appointed acting supervisor of the department. Gorton and Mackay increased her salary from $10,100 to $16,800. Hanser told The Gazette his office is not investigating any charges of criminal wrongdoing on the part of Bosch. Gorton said he has no comment about the action, and Bosch also declined to discuss the matter. In August 1972 Bosch was hired as a clerk in the county Addressograph office.

In January 1980 she was promoted to supervisor. Her salary was $20,000 a year. The Addressograph department is one of the smallest in the 18-department county government. The supervisor and four employees are responsible for processing mail, printing materials for county offices and helping the election department. County officials and employees were surprised at the commissioners' decision, and they offered Operating Engineers file wage-claim suit Gazette photo by William Tutokey that the company also is subject to an additional fine of 100 percent of back wages.

If all 30 members had worked 40 hours a week for seven weeks since May 23, their back pay would amount to more than $16,000. A 100 percent fine would bring the total to more than $32,000. The union members ask for a jury trial. The company's other union workers, members of United Food and Commercial Workers, agreed to the permanent wage cut in May, after company president Ken Poggi threatened to close the plant if they did not accept the cuts. The meatcutters went back to work May 23 under the permanent lower wages.

asked its employees to take a $1.90 mid-contract, one-year wage cut. Union members voted to accept the temporary cut. Wages were to return to their contract rate in May 1983. At that time the company asked the union to accept the wage cut permanently. The engineers declined to go along with the permanent wage cut.

The union members allege that the company is bound by contract to pay the contract wages, but since May has continued to pay the temporary wage-cut rate with a small increase. No total estimate of the amount of back wages owed was given, but the union members alleged By MARJ CHARLIER Of The Gazette Staff Forty-one members of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 400 filed a wage-claim suit Friday against Pierce Packing alleging the company is violating a labor contract and owes them back pay. According to the suit filed in Yellowstone County District Court, the pork packing company failed to return the union members to their contract wages after a temporary wage-cut agreement expired. In May 1982, the suit alleges, the company Collision debris Paint cans and other debris litter Interstate 90 just southeast of Billings after a car collided with -the back of this slow-moving Highway Department truck (shown in photo). The driver of the truck, a highway employee doing road work, injured his arm, and the driver of the other car suffered facial cuts and a broken nose.

The driver of the car was ticketed for careless driving, according to the Highway Patrol. German students encouraged to try EMC Man hurt in tower fall ing his all-expenses-paid trip in June. "A real problem is facing potential university students in West Germany," Oksenholt said, pointing out that enrollment is limited in certain disciplines such as chemistry and pre-medicine. Many students study abroad so they can enter the programs of their choice, according to Oksenholt. So he took on the role as ambassador for EMC and encouraged students to come to Billings.

Oksenholt's primary reason for visiting Germany, however, was to discover educational ideas. The German government set up a four-point program for Oksenholt: Foreign-language teaching at the secondary-school and university level, with emphasis on Scandinavian languages. Funding of university budgets. Discussions with education specialists at the state level. German-American relations, with emphasis on cultural exchanges, present programs and future objectives.

Oksenholt said he will study the materials he gathered. By KIM LARSEN Of The Gazette Staff Eastern Montana College can help resolve a problem facing students in West Germany, according to a professor who recently investigated Germany's education system. Svein Oksenholt, EMC professor of German and Scandinavian studies, was invited by the German consulate general in Seattle to tour universities in the Federal Republic of Germany. Oksenholt interviewed education and government officials in several cities dur in Emerald Hills Subdivision, the Sheriff's Department reported. Dunbar underwent surgery Friday in Saint Vincent Hospital, then was in the intensive-care unit.

Specific information on his injuries was unavailable, but authorities said he may have suffered multiple fractures. A 28-year-old Billings man remained hospitalized in serious condition Friday after he fell 60 feet off a radio tower south of the city. Jerry Dunbar, 1524 Cheryl an employee of Communications Services, fell Thursday afternoon while doing maintenance work on the tower SVEIN OKSENHOLT tour for education ideas How. hot was it? 7 00 in Billing after a cool and blustery Fourth of July weekend. Temperatures this weekend will moderate somewhat.

The high today is expected to be 94 degrees, with Sunday '-'only" 85. A few afternoon and evening thunderstorms also are predicted. 100 in Billings. The record on that date, set in 1936, was 96. The 100-degree marks were minor-league compared to other places in the state, however.

Friday, the state high was 107 degrees in Miles City. The week-long heat wave comes Summer finally hit Billings with a vengeance. The city has had record high temperatures two days in a row, according to the National Weather Service. Friday the high was 100, which beat Billings' record for July 8 of 97 degrees, set in 1960. Thursday also hit Miller, Chicago group buy KOOK "Major" Dan Miller, an employee of KOOK radio for 25 years, and a Chicago-based broadcasting group Friday signed a contract to buy KOOK-AM and KOOK-FM for an undisclosed amount.

Owner Bob Matthias confirmed the agreement was reached Friday afternoon. The sale must be approved by the Federal Communications Commission, and the parties plan to transfer ownership Aug. 31, Miller will continue as co-owner and general manager of the station. He bought the station with Mesa Broadcasting Group, a 12-year-old broadcasting company with AM and FM stations in Grand Junction, and Cheyenne, Wyo. KOOK-AM is a top-40 station with a 14.2 percent share of the market at 970 kHz.

KOOK-FM bills itself as having "beautiful music" at 102.9 mHz. The new owners plan no changes in programming or in the 27-member staff. Gazette photo by William Nell jali DAN MILLER station manager Racing down river Laurel has new roller rink Laurel has a new roller-skating rink. Starlite Roller Rink opened July 1 in a new building at 18 Eighth Ave. It is operated by Deanna and Richard Smith.

A raft cruises down river Friday from the launch of the Boat Float at Livingston. A Miles City woman drowned near here. Story, Page 1A. dDLZZY Billings Today Sale Sale Sale 9 Interest ODD you sq. n.

nome with basement and garage appraised at $63,000. SALE PRiCE FREE MICROWAVE Water-line work restricts traffic Water main and sewer line work along Minnesota Avenue beginning Monday will result in some lane closures, but no traffic detours. Contractors will work eastward along the street for about seven blocks, beginning at South 22nd Street and moving toward the underpass connecting Minnesota Avenue and North 13th Street. Work is expected to be completed by the end of July. Federal Census records available Parmly Billings Library has resumed its popular program of borrowing Federal Census microfilms for patrons.

The service had been curtailed by the National Archives in 1981, but has been resumed by a private company. Since loan of films is no longer free, the library will charge $3 for renting one roll of microfilm for seven days. Census records from 1790 to 1900 will be available. For more information, call the library's reference department at 657-8258. New West End Subdivision i a a i iittm 1 a i -wjiinvi at a Mm.

mm FHA-VA Approved 738 Torch Open 1-4 July 9 10 (Go West on King Ave. to 36th St. turn right watch for Kober Homes sign) Mayor adds to county jail group OPEN HOUSE Yellowstone Exhibition Fairgrounds Two shows today 1:00 and 7:00 p.m. Saturday, July 9 (Ages 6-12) Under 6 years free First time drive pickups Diesel semi trucks Laurel Mayor Albert Ehrlick has appointed L.D. Collins to serve on the Yellowstone County jail committee.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL BRIAN 656-2131 KOBER PROPERTIES Collins owns Blue Ben Antiques in Laurel ana is a member of the Laurel air pollution board. The jail committee is developing a plan to solve problems caused by overcrowded conditions at the jail. The group Intends to recommend a project county commissioners next month..