1981-01-26; Central Michigan Life

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Central Michigan LIFE
Vol.62   No.50
© 1981 CM LIFE
Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48859
16 pages
Monday, Jan. 26,1981
Former CMU professor earns
Outstanding Citizen Award
by JANET HASTINGS
LIFE Staff Writer
With tears in her eyes, 76-
year-old Ann Louise Welch
accepted the 1981 Outstanding
Citizen Award presented
Saturday by the Mount Pleasant
Chamber of Commerce.
"I don't know how a person
could be so lucky," Welch said.
"I have enjoyed everything I
have done. I just hope I can keep
on doing and doing."
Welch came to Mount
Pleasant from Oklahoma in 1929
to teach at Central State
Teacher's College. She retired
37 years later in 1966. She is a
charter member of the Delta
Kappa education fraternity, the
Gamma Tua chapter. She also is
a member of the National and
Michigan Retired Teachers
Associations.
Presently the chairwoman of
the Reach to Recovery Committee of the American Cancer
Society, Welch also is a Red
Cross Gray volunteer, works at
the Information Desk of Central
Michigan Community Hospital
and the Red Cross blood banks.
Welch is ar member and the
former corresponding secretary
at the CMCH Auxiliary and also
works regularly as Admitting
Hostess Chairwoman of the
Emergency Room Volunteers.
She volunteers her time
providing transportation for
those unable to drive to doctors
office and shops.
A member of the Zonta Club,
CMUFE/Bonnle Trafelat
Ann Louise Welch was given the Outstanding Citizen Award at the annual Mount
Pleasant Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet.
Welch has chaired many important committees. She set up
the first Senior Citizens
Hospitality Corner.
Welch, is a member of the
United Presbyterian Church of
Mount Pleasant and had been
treasurer of the Isabella County
Animal Shelter until her duties
came to an end with the
reconstructing of its administration.
In 1979, Welch was named
Senior Citizen of the Year by the
Isabella County Youth and Farm
Fair.
"I don't think a person could
ask for any more than this, I just
hope I can live up to the title,"
Welch said.
L.A. John was the toast-
master of the awards banquet
which took place at the Embers,
1217 S. Mission. Speakers included Past President Doug
McFarlane Jr., who awarded the
President's Plaque to Robert
Aron. President Jane Eldred,
awarded the Past Presidents
Plaque to McFarlane.
William Sowle, last year's
Outstanding Citizen, presented
Welch with this year's award.
Elected to the Chamber Board
of Directors were Dan Boge, Roy
Crain, Kirk Defoe, Sibyl Ellis,
Dave Heintz, Jeri Jones, Tom
Krapohl, Steve Martineau,
Peter O'Connell, Connie Ososki,
Colin Stutesman, Jeff Tuma, Jim
WojCik, Dick Woddrick and
Doug Yost.
Appointed to the Chambers
Board of Directors were Dean
Warner, Glenn Lowery, Terry
Carey, Tom Martin, Charles
McCollom, Rick Barz, Mike
DeGutis, Bob Viau, Carlo
Barberi, George Garland, Keith
Decker and Chuck Anthony.
Student employees would pay
under city income tax program
by SHEILA GRUBER
LIFE Staff Writer
A city income tax study being
reviewed by Mount Pleasant
City Commissioners would levy
up to a 1 percent income tax on
persons employed in the city —
including about 30 percent of
CMU's student body.
The study, prepared by a
CMU public administration class
under the direction of William
Browne, professor of political
science, was presented to the
Commission by City Manager
Thomas Martin last week.
Although emphasizing that
the information was merely "a
study and not a proposal,"
Martin admitted it had interesting potential which city
leaders may wish to pursue.
According to the study, a 1
percent rate on corporations and
resident employees, and a one-
half percent tax rate on nonresident employees could
generate up to $1.5 million. This
additional revenue could mean a
reduction   in   property   taxes
Although emphasizing the information
was merely a "study, not a proposal/'
City Manager Tom Martin admitted it
had interesting potential which city
leaders may wish to pursue.
without the usual reduction in
services, the report states.
Additionally, the report
claims such a tax is more
equitable because non-residents
working in the city and using
city facilities would be helping
to finance those services.
Broadly affected by an income
tax, without the benefits of
decreased property taxes, are
CMU students. Students
working in the city would "be
compelled to pay additional
taxes," the report states, adding
"the working college student
may become an impediment to
the passage of the city income
tax."
But for Mount Pleasant
residents now paying property
taxes at a rate of 13.179 mills, a
five to eight mill reduction could
be in the future if an income tax
was adopted, ■ the report
predicts.
Noting the growing tide of
resentment against increased
property taxes, the report
explain^ that with federal and
state revenue cuts becoming a
grim reality for the city, the only
remaining alternative for increasing the additional revenue
needed "would be to implement
a city income tax."
Gary Knight, newly-elected
mayor, echoed the report's
description of taxpayer sentiment at the meeting.
"It would have to alleviate
property   tax   burden   on   the
citizens. I would not be interested in us just adding (taxes)
without giving some relief to
Mount Pleasant residents."
The study estimates that such
a tax would cost the average
resident employee between $100
and $125 yearly, and the average
non-resident employee between
$58 and $61 yearly, generating
about $1,212,000 total individual
payments. An additional
$112,000 yearly income tax
would come from city
businesses, Browne's class
calculated, with about 2 to 5
percent of the tax revenues used
to administer the procedure.
If the city wished to implement such a plan, allowable
under state law, the proposal
would have to be studied by a
citizen task force and then put
before the voters, who—with
the exception of non-residents
and CMU students not affected
by property tax reductions —
would "not be antOgonized," the
report concludes.
The commission will discuss
the study more completely at a
later meeting, Martin said.
CMLIF&GmryMttew
This alcohol-producing still was made by four CMU students.
Still no longer
solely for booze
bySANDY McHUGH
LIFE Staff Writer
When someone talks about stills, the first thing that usually
comes to mind is hillbilly moonshine or bootleg whiskey. The
search is on for alternate forms of energy and the still now has
other uses. Yes, stills are no longer made for booze alone.
An ethanol alcohol-producing still is getting the final touches
on it by four CMU students who made the still for a semester
project last semester.
Bill Green, Montrose junior, one of the students working on
the project, said work began in the middle of September and
more than 100 hours of work have been put into it'
The other students working on the project are Kevin
Mulder, Harrison senior; Kerry Pytel, Dearborn junior; and
Brian Ruddy, New Lothrup senior.
"We were given the opportunity to work on the project on a
volunteer basis. The idea was to modify the plans a little and
change it," said Green.
Barry Duvall, Industrial Education and Technology
Department chairman, said the students will get credit
through the class and probably independent study.
"I opened the possibility to the students to work on the still
in lieu of some other design problems for the class," Duvall
said.
Green said they used plans from the Mother Earth News in
North Carolina and pretty much followed the plans.
"We had to substitute a few of the materials because we
used what we had around," Green said.
The main part of the still is a fuel oil tank set in a metal
frame with columns rising from it.
The still produces 20 to 25 gallons of alcohol from a batch,
and a batch takes approximately 20 bushels of corn.
"The corn and water are put inside the vat, which is sealed
off. Then we let it ferment and heat it, and as the process rises
it to the boiling point, steam rises up through the columns,"
Green said.
The alcohol vaporizes at 100 degrees Fahrehneit, and since
the boiling point of water is 212 degrees, the alcohol vaporizes
before the water boils.
"The starch forms alcohol, and we just run it off after it
steeps through the column," Green said.
The still was built with an alternate energy grant received
by Central to research alternate energy sources.
Green said he hopes the still will be fired up soon, but Duvall
said it may have to wait until near the end of the semester.
"We plan to use it in a class to be offered in the summer mini-
courses," Duvall said, "The class will explore alternate sources
of energy, including gasohol and methane, or using chicken
(See "Still"—page 16)
In Brief
CMU will offer a IBM computer class at
Mount Pleasant High School this winter.
Registration and the first meeting of the class,
which provides three credit hours, will be Feb. 5
at 7 p.m. at the school.
For more information, call the School of
Continuing Education and Community Services*
774.3715,
Campus
Student    Association
class    representatives
are still living up to their
campaign promises,
page 3
The movie "Wind-
walker" provides
beautiful scenery, but
lacks a plot.
page 5
Sports
Toledo received some
extra assistance in
beating the Chips, 70-68
in overtime.
page 12
Index
Arts and Leisure 5
Classifieds 15
Comment 4
Doonesbury ,4
Off the Wire 2
Sports .12
Spotlife. 15
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