Macon Chronicle-Herald from Macon, Missouri • Page 1

rWeather 39i Mostly sunny and cool today with a high near 60. Winds north to northeast at 5 to 15 mph. Clear tonight with lows between 35 and 40, and light east winds. Partly sunny Wednesday with highs in the mid 60s. High Monday 66 (See WEATHER page 3) Her Chronicle ingle Copy 35C Macon, Missouri Tuesday, October 3, 1989 VOL.80 NO.

67 06 City Council Will Let Voters 1,062 Sign Petition Opposing Change To Appointing City Officials said. Meyer said the reference to the election was placed in the ordinance to eliminate any argument that the council must hold an election, since it would not be needed if the officials were appointed. Leslie Crow of Macon said when heyread in the Chronicle-Herald "What Changed everybody's mind so quickly? How come you're tabling it now and doing away with it?" -Leslie Crow the first reading had passed by a vote of 6 to 2, and wondered why the council had suddenly decided to place the issue on the ballot. "Now did this petition that, we got up, did that have any bearing on it? What changed everybody's was held on the issue since the last regular council meeting Sept. 18, but he had talked to council members individually about the issue.

Whitley then explained, in response to another question from a person in the audience, that the council decided that because of "The council feels like perhaps it would be better if we put this on the next general election ballot and let the people decide." -Mayor Dale Whitley the magnitude of the proposal it would be best to "yield" its authority to the voters. Meyer then said he believed the election would be "advisory only" and the council actually would not be bound by the outcome of the tabling it now and doing away with it? I want to know what happened? What's the reason? You've got to have a reason? Is it the petition that we got up that you know about so you decided it's no use?" Crow said. Whitley responded "no," the petition was not the reason for the change. Crow then asked again "What is your reason?" Whitley said "We decided to let the people decide." Crow continued to press for a reason and Whitley said the council simply decided it would be best to let the people decide, even though enough council members were prepared to vote in favor of the issue for its passage. Had "they (the council) reconsidered after the meeting was closed?" Crow asked.

Whitley responded "No." He then explained that no meeting Drug Raid Charges Filed On Six Macon County Men Charges stemming from drug raids Friday night and from Sept. 17 were filed Monday afternoon in Associate Circuit Court in Macon, Mncon County Prosecuting Attorney Donald Meyer said. The charges filed Monday involved a total of six Macon County residents, Meyer said. The charges range from misdemeanor possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia to felony possession of cocaine and marijuana. As a result of the charges filed Monday, warrants for the arrests of Robert Morton, Mark Hustead, Shawn Ruggles and Robert Watts all of Macon, David Baker, of La Plata, and Norman Rati iff, of Callao, were sent to the Macon County Sheriffs Department today, Perhaps the more serious charges were filed as a Tesult of a search at the Baker home southeast of La Plata Friday night.

Arrested in that raid was Baker, who is charged with felony possession of marijuana (over 35 grams). He is also charged with possession of narcotic paraphernalia, a paper tube homemade pipe. Another search warrant executed Friday night at a Callao home resulted in charges being filed on Ratliff, for misdemeanor possession of under 35 grams of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia, which included a wooden pot pipe, a plastic pipe, rolling papers, a brass casing pipe, a tea strainer, roach clips and scales. The final Friday night search, that resulted in drug confiscation was at the home of Ruggles, 207 Dameror Macon. As a result, Ruggles is charged with misdemeanor possession of under 35 grams of marijuana, and possession of (See DRUGS page 3) mind so How come you re election.

Council members could vote opposite the outcome, although lie did not feel the council wanted to do so. Crow said he disagreed with Meyer's statement that the election vote would not be binding. Meyer responded "I'm not here to argue with you." In response to a question by Harlan Ellerbnck of Macon, Whitley said the issue would most likely be placed on the ballot of the April election. Since the incumbents currently serving would be up for re-election on the April ballot, they will still be allowed to file for re-election. Opponents may also file and the winners of the election will be allowed to serve out the elected term, regardless of the outcome of the vote on the appointed vs elected ballot measure, Whitley said.

That means it will be 1992 before the appointment of officials would be implemented, he said. Glen Grady said he felt it was clear a majority of the residents of the city were against the measure and challenged the mayor to allow the council members to vote on the second reading so people could see how they stand on the issue. Crow said he would also like to see the council vote on the second reading, but he would like to talk to them first. Whitley responded that there was a motion to table the issue pending and he would allow the audience to comment after it was voted on and the remaining busi-ness-on the 'agenda was dealt with. Several members of the audience then asked the council to vote to abolish, rather than table the issue.

Whitley said tabling the motion indefinitely would be the same as abolishing it. The full council then voted unanimously to table the motion indefinitely. After the council handled the other issues on the agenda (see related story on page 1), Crow (See CITY COUNCIL page 3) By Mark Snow Editor The Macon City Council voted to allow voters to voice an opinion on the change from elected to appointed city officials after being prodded by several citizens attending its regular meeting Monday night. The prodding included a petition against the measure with 1,062 signatures. An ordinance to change the offices of city assessor, attorney, collector, judge, treasurer, and marshal from elected city offices to appointed positions was on the agenda for the second and final readings.

However, Mayor Dale Whitley started the discussion of the issue by saying he had talked to each member of the council individually about the issue and "the conclusion from those conversations is that, even though the vote is here tonight to continue and pass that as its stated, the council feels like perhaps it would be better if we put this on the next general election ballot and let the people decide. "To make this legal what we have to do from this point then-I would accept a motion to table indefinitely the second reading," Whitley said. Councilman Dale Clarke then made the motion to table the measure indefinitely and it was seconded. Sharon Foltz of Macon than asked about the wording of the proposed stating it would be relevant to the wording of a ballot issue. Foltz asked about wording in the ordinance relating to a city office becoming or being declared vacant and about wording relating to there being no election held in 1990.

City Attorney Don Meyer said the wording was designed to allow certain positions, such as the collector, to be done contractually. The ordinance would give the city authority to declare the offices vacant as a method of ending the term of the person serving if a successor was not appointed, he Subdivison Changes Referred Back To Committee; Easement Abandoned motion that the ordinance be referred back to the street committee for further consideration and possible modifications. The motion passed. The ordinance is expected to be considered for the third and final reading, with the street committee's recommendations, during the next council meeting Oct. 16.

EASEMENT ABANDONED Mayor Dale Whitley reported the city needed to abandon an easement on the property next to the Wal-Mart store as a technical measure in the construction of Jack Davison's new grocery store. Whitley said the easement allows Wal-Mart to cross the property. With the new construction project, Wal-Mart has agreed to give up the easement, Whitley said. The council approved all three readings of an ordinance to abandon the easement. BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS Whitley submitted Ed Knowles' name for reappointment to the Macon Board of Public Works.

Knowles' term was expiring, but he had expressed an interest in remaining on the board, Whitley said. HOUSING AUTHORITY Whitley also reported two terms on the Housing (See SUBDIVISION page 3) By Mark Snow Editor In addition to approving the placement of the appointed versus elected proposal described in the story above, the Macon City Council referred an ordinance to change the subdivision regulations to the street committee, approved abandonment of an easement, and made an appointment to the Board of Public Works during its regular jrieeting Monday night. SUBDIVISION RULES Councilman Chris Shoemaker said he had been advised of potential problems with the proposed changes in the subdivision regulations, particularly with the cost of the wider street widths proposed. Shoemaker said the ordinance would require streets in new subdivisions to be 32 feet wide, which probably is wider than is needed. The extra cost of building such streets would likely cause developers to build new subdivisions outside the city limits to save money.

He said the present 24-foot-wide street costs approximately $3,000 less per lot. The council approved the second reading of the ordinance, a motion was made to allow for discussion of the issue. Councilman Dale Clarke then made a Owners Are Famous Animal Trainers PSC Staff Files Complaint Against GTE For High Rates Rare Liger Cub In Macon They train exotic animals for By KimBoling C-II Staff Writer What do you get when you cross a Bengal tiger with an African lion? Give up? A Liger (pronounced like tiger with an 1). There are only about 24 ligers in the world and one spent last week in Macon. Nikki, a 48-day-old liger, was in Macon with her owners, Dr.

and Mrs. Bhagavan (Dawn) Antle, to attend the Lolli Brothers Exotic Animal and Bird Sale. At this time, she weighs approximately eight pounds and is about the size of small dog. Her skin and fur have the coloring of her lion father, but she has the stripes of "I had about 100 exotic animals when I was ten years 'vf Extended Area Service charges, by approximately 125 percent in the first year of its proposal. By the fifth year of the telephone company's proposal, the increase would be approximately 181 percent over the current one-party residential basic monthly telephone rate, including Extended Area Service charges.

The PSC Staff, in its complaint case filed (See GTE page 3) Apparent Coup Attempt In Panama PANAMA CITY, Panama (UPI) Heavy gunfire erupted Tuesday morning at the headquarters of the Panama Defense Forces and a Panamanian official said renegade troops tried to kidnap Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega to turn him over to the United States. U.S. officials called the situation an "insurrection" and 'internal matter" but immediately ordered all 12,000 U.S. personnel to remain in place.

The whereabouts of Noriega were unknown and the Panamanian government made no immediate statement on the situation. The U.S. Southern Command put the 12,000 American soldiers in Panama on "personnel movement limitation delta," its highest advisory, which requires all military personnel and their dependents to remain in place. Witnesses said the shooting broke out about 7:30 a.m. near the headquarters of the security forces in the western part of the (See COUP page 3) Alleging GTE North Incorporated's current rates are unjust and unreasonable, the staff of the Missouri Public Service Commission has filed a complaint against the telephone company seeking to reduce annual telephone revenues in the range of $2.8 million to $3.6 million, the C-H learned shortly before press time today.

Staff states in its complaint tiling, GTE North Incorporated is "earning in excess of a reasonable rate of return and that its rates and charges produce revenues that are excessive in relation to GTEN's cost of providing service." GTE North Incorporated currently has a rate case pending with the Missouri Public Service Commission in which the telephone company is seeking to increase annual telephone revenues by approximately $8.3 million. Macon City Clerk John Lewis has led local opposition to the proposed rate increase and is planning to testify against it. Lewis and other local residents have asked GTE to give a timetable for improving Macon's telephone system to digital switching, the newest technology in telephone service available which allows for the use of call forwarding and other modern services. The staff bases its recommendation to reduce annual revenues on an audit of the books and records of GTE North Incorporated. Staff started its audit during the week of May 15, 1989.

As part of GTE North Incorporated's rate case filing on March 23, 1989, the telephone company is seeking to increase basic monthly telephone rates. The telephone company is seeking to increase the average one-party residential rate, including television commercials. The couple was attending Lolli's sale to buy some new animals for their park. They arrived late Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 26, and were going to stay until Saturday evening or Sunday afternoon.

The Antles and Nikki stayed with Scott and Carol Phillips at St. Agnes Hall Bed and Breakfast. Dr. Antle had read about it in Lolli's catalog. "Lolli's sale is the best I've attended," he said.

"I've been here before." Antle said he has been interested in exotic animals all of his life. "We are the number one suppliers of exotic animals for television commercials in the Eastern United States." -Dr. Antle "I was a child fanatic for taking care of wild animals. My family thought this was a good thing and let me take care of baby animals. I had about 100 exotic animals when I was ten years old." He grew up on his family's 30,000 acre cattle ranch so he had plenty of room for his animals.

After he graduated from high school, Antle went to the British College of Natural Science where he obtained his Ph.D. in zoology. He has been working with animals full time since 1981. Antle's park now has about 100 animals, but these are the bigger varieties than when he was 10. "We have about all the big cats, lions, tigers, panthers, (See UGER page 3) UIU.

-Dr. Antle her tiger mother. Taking care of a baby liger is just like taking care of a human baby. "Nikki sucks on my finger to go to sleep," said Dawn. She sleeps with us and when she goes to sleep she moves around, wiggling and making noise.

She was up until 2 this morning." Nikki doesn't actually growl or meow, her sound is somewhere in-between. "She's not one of ours, said Antle. "We bought her from Pat Hockter who is the number one breeder in the world. We just got back from Berlin, Germany, where we were on a TV show with a lion, tiger and the liger. The Antles reside in Buckingham, Va.

where they own T.I.G.E.R.S. (Training Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare LUNCHTIME FOR A LIGER-Shown above is Nikki the hger drinking her lunch with her owners, Dr. and Mrs. Bhagavan Antle The liger cub currently drinks a puppy formula of Ezbulac mixed with Poly-Visol children's vitamins. "She currently drinks an 8-ounce baby bottle containing the formula about four times a day, said Dawn.

"We are trying to get her to take a little over 8 ounces at each feeding now." According to Dr. Antle, she will average a weight gain of about a half-pound a day in the first two years. When she is done growing she win get to db auuui (Staff photo by Kim Boling) Species), a private zooiogy r'.