1981-10-21; Central Michigan Life

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Central Michi
LIFE
Vol.63 No.22
©1981 CM LIFE
Mount Pleasant, Mich. 48859
20 pages
Wednesday, Oct. 21,1981
Rezoning raises citizens' ire
by MIKE WRIGHT
LIFE Staff Writer
Despite a packed house
urging it not to, the Mount
Pleasant City Commission
voted Monday night to rezone
47 acres on the corner of
Broomfield and Crawfield
roads for planned residential
development.
A ' standing room-only
crowd pleaded with the commission during an open hearing not to rezone the property, which residents say will increase traffic to a dangerous
level.
Duane Bone, a Lansing
developer who owns the land,
had asked the commission to
rezone the property for 42
acres PRD, and five acres
commercial.
However, Commissioner
Sybil Ellis motioned to rezone
the entire land PRD, with an
option to rezone it again in
the future.
The commission voted 5-2
in favor of the proposal,
despite opposition from about
14 Crawford-Broomfield area
residents who spoke up during the hearing.
One by one, citizens opposing the plan voiced concerns
about traffic safety, student
housing and the fear of total
apartment development.
Richard Senter, 1209
Tomah Road, was first to
speak to the commission, and
he came prepared with a petition with 170 signatures opposing the rezoning.
Senter ran through a brief
history of the issue, pointing
out last year's:xiecisidn-by^thte*
commission ". £o" rezone the
southwest corner of that area
PRD,'While leaving the northwest corner alone.
Senter said the residents
were given the impression at
the time the northwest land
would not be rezoned until
CMUFE/trief
More than 100 people crammed into the Mount Pleasant City Commission public hearing
Monday night. .Many came to voicothaif opposition to a rezoning plan submitted by Duane
Bone, seated front and center.
the southwest land had been
developed.
"The opposition against
this is numerous," Senter,
assistant professor of
sociology, said. "It's also
widespread. We found opposi
tion wherever we presented
the petition."
Senter said his main problem with the proposal was
the traffic increase, making
an already dangerous
Crawford Road more testy.
"I'm afraid Crawford will
become just another High
Street with its high traffic
load," he said.
Senter and other residents
noted the barrier along the
(See "PRD"—page 18)
Jury selected Tuesday
Murder trial arguments begin
by MARK RANZENBERGER
LIFE Staff Writer
Opening arguments are expected this morning in the
murder trial of Richard D.
Saumier, of Mount Pleasant.
Saumier is accused of
shooting his live-in girlfriend,
21-year-old Susan Cheryl
Brooks, also of Mount Pleasant
Aug. 24,1980.
A    14-member    jury    was
selected in Isabella County's
21st Circuit Court Tuesday. The
panel was settled on after 27
prospective jurors either disqualified themselves or were rejected by the prosecuting attorney or the defense counsel.
Saumier is facing an open
murder charge. If convicted, -he
could face up to life in prison.
It's up to the jury to decide
whether Saumier is guilty of
first   degree   murder,   second
degree murder or if he is not
guilty. Isabella County Prosecuting Attorney Joseph
Barberi said he believed a first-
degree murder conviction was
possible.
Two CMU employees are on
the jury. Virginia King, special
clerk in the Payroll Office, and
Patricia Ziemke, Food Services
supervisor, are on the panel.
Fourteen jurors will hear the
case — two will serve as alter
nates.
Saumier was shot in the face
with a shotgun in the incident.
Brooks was shot once in the face
and twice in the abdomen, according to medical examiners who
testified at Saumier's circuit
court arraignment in January.
During Tuesday's jury selection process, Saumier sat quietly
with his attorney Lynn
Chamberlain of Mount Pleasant.
(See "Saumier"—page 19)
Officials offer
remedies for
credit abuses
by JAMES ISELER
LIFE News Editor
DAVISON—Another episode in the saga of Lyman Van Winkle
Jr., the School of Continuing Education and several Flint-area
school district's was played out here Monday night.
Administration officials R. William Dunham, associate vice provost for faculty contractual relations, and Wells Cook, assistant
dean of Continuing Education, met with members of the Davison
Board of Education to outline CMU's remedies for past abuses in
Central's career education cadre.
The incidents involve courses, many of which were taken via independent study, by 103 Flint-area teachers more than a year ago.
The remedies include a number of changes to the career education
system, and  cost the University about $13,000, Dunham said,
The abuses came to light last summer when it was discovered Van
Winkle, a former CMU student teaching supervisor who also taught
graduate courses through Continuing Education, was awarding "excessive" graduate credit to some Flint-area teachers who used the
credit to move up the pay scales at their respective schools.
Van Winkle was fired in February following a separate incident in
which he fraudulently filed evaluations of student teachers under
his direction.
In the Continuing Education incidents, Dunham said, it had first
appeared that many students wer • duplicating courses or just signing up for courses, paying tuition and receiving credit. However,
after investigation, Dunham said he and Cook found this not to be
the case.
"We found the instructor involved had indiscriminately used
course titles," Dunham said, declining to mention Van Winkle by
name during the public meeting because the former instructor has a
grievance pending against CMU regarding his termination.
For instance, students in the same class, with the same work, and
who met at the same time would have a variety of course titles written on their registration cards.
(See "Van Winkle"—page 2)
Feelings against
drilling run deep
by KEITH NAUGHTON
LIFE Copy Editor
Stuart "Shorty" Merrill was a
lonely man Tuesday night.
He was the only Mount Pleasant citizen to say he favored oil
drilling in county parks at a
public hearing of the Parks and
Recreation Commission.
About 30 citizens turned out
to let the commission know they
still are strongly opposed to
drilling on county park lands.
The County Commission approved a motion Sept. 16 to lease
county land for oil and mineral
exploration.
The group complained the
drilling would be noisy, smelly
and would scar the land.
But Shorty continued to plead
his case.
"It's like agriculture and the
University, it's one of our
leading industries around here,"
he said.
Parks Director Peter Gorton
questioned whether the park's
environment would be protected
by law. Shorty reassured him.
"There's a thing called the
DNR (Department of Natural
Resources). They take care of
you buddy, don't worry about
that," Merrill said, adding,
"They've covered all of this
many, many times."
Merrill, of 107 W. Gaylord, is
somewhat of an expert when it
comes to oil drilling. He owns an
oil company and has been in the
business since "nineteen hundred and forty," he claims.
He imparted his knowledge
and shared experience with
fellow citizens but it did not
'seem to sway their opinions.
"I have very strong feelings
that the park lands were purchased for public recreational
purposes," said Joan Bradshaw,
324 Hiawatha Dr. "It's practical-
(See "Drilling"—page 18)
IPCD hearing
postponed
again
In Brief
? The Homecoming Sky over Perry Shorts
Stadium will light up Thursday with a fireworks
display following a CMU pep rally which begins
at 7 p.m. It is free of charge..
by SANDY McHUGH
LIFE Ass't. News Editor
An administrative hearing between the CMU's Institute for Personal and Career Development and the Ohio Board of Regents, set
for Tuesday, has been postponed until Dec. 8.
The hearing came about after a request by CMU to offer off-
campus degree programs in Ohio was denied July 17.
The hearing was postponed because the Assistant Attorney
General for the state of Ohio requested it, due to a heavy work load,
said Larry Fewell, academic administrator for off-campus and non-
traditional degrees with the Ohio Board of Regents.
The programs in question are those requested by the Cleveland
Hospital Association in Cleveland and the Defense Construction
Supply Center in Columbus.
Central asked for a certificate of authorization to offer a Master of
Arts in Management and Supervision degree in Cleveland and Columbus.
With the refusal of the request came the right for CMU to request
an administrative hearing, which consists of going before officials
that have not worked with either side before. Both sides present
their cases using evidence and witnesses.
The initial date set for the hearing was in August, but CMU requested the October date be set to allow time for preparation.
Now, less than a week from the hearing, the date has once again
been pushed back.
"I don't think (pushing the date back) has any effect on Central,"
said President Harold Abel. "It certainly does not help and might
have a slight effect because we had one person brought in from
England, and now we don't have an opportunity to put him on the
stand. We have to take a deposition."
Abel added another problem with the "kind of short notice" was
the shifting of schedules for all that were to testify on Central's
behalf.
"It's frustrating," said Provost John Cantelon. "We were all lined
(See"IPCD"-pagel9)
Campus
Central's Greeks are
going to be the focus of
a psychological study,.
page3
"Mommie  Dearest"
is  something  only  a
mother could love,
page 6
Sports
OMU's women's tennis program has lost
its number-one singles
player.
page 14 „
ndex
Arts and Leisure  6
Classifieds. Y.. 19
Comment  4
Doonesbury ... *.... 4
Horoscope  19
Off the Wire .._
Sports „ 14
Spotlife  19
Weather 19
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