1967-01-25; Saline Reporter

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VOLUME 18, NUMBER 20 - Wednesday, January 25, 1967
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10c PER OOP* -- $4 PER YEAR
"TAX
Y GOES 0
Saline's Gene Feldk
Earns High Decoration
For Combat Gallantry
Meet Miss '67!
.   «
A Saline youth, fighting in
Vietnam, has been recommended for the nation's third
highest award for valor, the
Silver 'Star.
He is Sp/4 Eugene E. Feldkamp, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Erwin R. Feldkamp, of 6035
Weber Rd.
In an article headed "Five
Hours Are Lesson in Courage", the 1st Air Cavalry Division newspaper, Cavalair,
. describes the circumstances
which led to the recommendation:
"The battle began for'Sp/4
Eugene Feldkamp in the af-.
ternoon of December 1, 1966,
when his urit, the 2nd platoon of Co. B, 5th Bn., were
called in to help out the
greatly outnumbered 1st
-Squadron of the 9th C^vaW
- against 200 well-armed NVA
■regulars. .The engagement
was to last all that _af ternoon
and end at noint blank range
in the dark."
- "During the course of the
battle, young Feldkamp's fire
team leader was hit and Ipv
helpless   and   screaming   for
.help."
. "As Feldkamo moved,-up
to assist his leader, he was
.Struck in the left shoulder,
the bullet tearing completely
through   his   shoulder and
_,arn_.-j.He- attempte"d^to;'fire
back with his automatic wea-
'jfjion using "One arm, butHv-as
practically helpless himself
now. Suddenly,: t'h e second;
shot' from the North Vietnamese regular struck his
helmet on the left side," •ripping a hole % "inches in: diameter in the steel pot, spinning on through his helmet,
tearing through the fibre
glass liner, and grazing'"'the
side'of his head. Finally,'the
thi'td shot rang out. " striking
his upper right arm and tearing out the flesh x/--> inch
deep."
"Young Feldkamp'now lay
motionless for more than a
half-hour, knowing that a cr\
for help would bring his buddies  crawling to his  rescue
Council Extends
Appointment List
City Council Monday night
lengthened its list of appointments to boards and commissions, but some vacancies remain to be filled.
Jack Craigmile w a, s appointed as member of the
Board of Review for a three-
year term, replacing Alwin
Gross, whose term expired. A
two-year vacancy, yet to be
filled, was created by the resignation of Robert Breder-
nitz, who moved outside the
city.
Mike Strait and Gerald
Bahnmiller were named to
the new Cemetery Board of
Appeals. The thrpe-man
board was set up bv Council
late last year to deal with
problems such as location of
graves, markers, etc.;.the
third member has not been
chosen.
Oliver Steiner was re-appointed to the Regional Planning Commission for a term
ending December 31. 1969,-
Not yet appointed is a
member of the city planning
commission, to complete the
term vacated by the resignation of Phyllis Douthat.
and certain death."
"Finally he felt the time
was right, stripped himself
of his gear, except for his
rifle, and began crawling
back toward his unit. The
NVA regular fired three more
shots at Feldkamp as he began to move, but it was now
completely dark and all the
shots missed their mark."
"Eventually, he heard the
voices of his buddies; they
loaded him on a 'copter and
he was on his way to Japan."
When asked by his parents
in a letter how it feels to be
called a hero, young Feldkamp replied, "Maybe the
Army feels I am a hero, but
I don't believe I deserve it."
Still recuperating and reported "doing fine" in "Yokohama, Japan, Eugene exrpects
to be transferred to an Army
hospital in the United States
in the near future.
He has one major concern
at the moment, his;parents
said: Some of the packages
that reached him in Vietnam
had been re-wrapped and the
return, addresses had been damaged'sp badly that he-could
not determine the sender.
He is anxious that the
senders should know how
deeply appreciated.their giftr
were, his mother said; and
he asked anyone who did not
receive thanks for a package
to call his parents' home.
Feature
Janet Christine M[arion, 1967 baby contest Winner,
is shown here with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Marviri
Marion, 1060 Jordan fed. Janet weighed five pounds, 9
ounces when she arriyed a month early at St. Joseph
Mercy Hospital, Ann Arbor, to take the prizes sponsored
by Saline merchants for the first baby born in the new
year to parents living in the Saline Area School District.
."Bubble* Trouble" is the ti- cents instead. Proceeds .go in-
tle and the theme of the mus- to a fund to defray -the cost
leal performance to be p-e- of band camp. .  *-
sented at 8-p.m; Wednesday,      The comedy finds the suit- /ft   j    „-. ' 7^T~- .•",„ -TTT"
February 1, Thursday, Feb- Gr of Bubbles LaTour reject- tiMD  WlIlS - JTOOP 446 WlUS
ruary _., and Saturday, Feb- ed aftd dejected. In fa;ct, he <-,,.   .        . -      '-' _-."■•    _''V i
ruary 4   by the Saline High is so uGset tfcjt he becomes btate Award Special  AWH-*Cl
School Band for their annual allergic to bubbles of ail kinds     T1_ -   >.-_,*      alju,  ^^     Liw^^tTi,™ *m-
B_tr_LFrolic.-_=**-:^.   -^--^.#4.^^ -   XAc.e.c.4unio__.-C__Ud;.-^u4v- _> -^__^_;Bays^Kife;_5_aop..4_-_.
a!T i     * +•_-«.' k , ^-^^f^W^^W^S- a-ciub in -January Teceived-the: was the duly one'ih'this dis-
_, Advance .sale of tickets by sudsless detergent so .as not top &Ward fo/the    fafe .in trfct to     ^   f     &   ..pr__
band memoers are $1 for ad- to  be  reminded  of the  girl co^petitiori   with   all.- other, pared TxW Citation"■■.   ♦"
_£ Att^S^S SK'S^To^ £? chapters for the 1965,66 bestK In- orderf to, .qualify,   the
or students   ine price at tne lack of success  of bis pro- pro~ram. booklet: troop had to use the four-
door will.be  5.1.25.  and   .5 duct sets the stage for more ^ Mrg_  James  KeUer   presK, point plan from  their" book
t_^Pi!--,.5      ?■ than  Alonso dent ol the group, has been <HFif for Tomorrow15, which
Rudebaker, played by Dave notified that a permanent .ac- According:.© Scoutmasto-
btrait, naa oargamed tor,       khowledgnient wiU be sent in Harold  West,   was   designe"
Others in the cast are Deh- addition to the certificate she to improve their physical _i<
nis Dicks, April Beach, John was mailed. The  group fol- ness.. They worked for a fur-
Christner, Sh a ro n Sackett, lowed the state-wide thefae: month on .first aid practice
Brian Prater and Becky Ealy. "Better Families -* Our Keys as preparedness, training, an
Supporting them are Noreen to   Tomorrow!'. 'Their  cover-they perfected a plan of ac
Ferris,- Carolyn . Wild,  Vicki- design pictured a key chain tion-for .an emergency where
Adams,. Jan   Cochran,.Mary with figures attached, repre- by with one phone call Wesl
Merchant, Alex.Beach, Hen- sentirig the family members, can start a chain of e&lis thaJ
ry Largen, Barb Ealy, Cathy     There are from 20 to 25 will bring the troop togethe
Carpentier and Sandy Jedele. members .ih Junior Child Stu- at a  given place within  an
In the chorus are Ken Mar- dy. Those responsible for the hour,
tin, Kenton Miller, Bruce Ros- winning program booklet, .   There are 43 boys in the
ander, Kathy Chantelois, Al- both cover andL-contents, were troop from the Saline Schoo"
ice McTaggarf, Janet Heinin- Mrs. Ralph Gross, Mrs. Jack District. Assisting West arc.
ger, Carol "Kraushaar, Cathy Kelley. Mrs. Roy McCormick, Harold. Hanselman, Joe Mas
Pick, Pat Handy, Laurie Ro- Mrs. James Keller, Mrs. Del- terson, and Fritts,   in   addi
bison, ' Peggy   West,   Nancy vin -Burkett, Mrs. Neil Haar- tion to a .very active Scotr
Finkbeiner!  Peggy   Malocha* er,  and Mrs.  James Knight, committee headed by. Elme.
and Alberta Gpitz. Jr. Bishop.
Technicalities Stalling
Hospital Expansion
■                                           '    _r
■ - - .  ,
KarolEnters >
-.-•:'■"'
Junior Miss
.'•' ■
Competition ;
.  .' ',        't
ii
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PRELIMINARY
FIRE HALL
PLANS OK'D
Council has approved preliminary plans for the new
fire hall and appointed a committee to prepare specifications for new fire trucks.
City voters approved a
$90,000 bond issue on the November ballot, for construction of the fire hall, site acquisition, architect's fees, etc.
The bonding proposal is now
being prepared for submission to the Michigan Finance
Commission, City Administrator Mike Strait said,, "but
we probably won't be ready
to ask for bids until late February or March".
As drawn, the fire hall garage will have two drive-
through bays and two other
bays, with room for the fire
department's present four
trucks plus about three more,
depending on size.
There will be a meeting
room, radio room, office, closets, and small kitchen and
shower; the design provides
space that could be used as a
dormitory when the department, now volunteer, becomes
a full-time fire department.
Appointed to the committee to prepare specification's
for new trucks w.ere llie supervisors of townships served
by the department,: the city
administrator^ Fire Chief Harold Armbruster, and Councilman Glenn-' Clark. The
townships pay their share of
the cost of the department on
a rental, basis. (The word
"trucks", was made plural in
the council resolution in case
the committee should decide
morel than < one is needed,
Strait said.)
R_kp|^ition
Feetl to Fete
Bill'Muir ^V
Council's Stand,
Brittains'Letter
Follow Tax Blast
. »
City Council this week issued a 10-point reply to assessment questions^ raised two weeks ago by Frank and
Mary Brittain, in an advertisement in The Reporter.
Council approved a motion that the Brittains' ai_
"and all subsequent communications regarding this matter" be answered "in the manner set forth In Attorney
Grossman's letter of January 23, 18<37 ..."
A "subsequent communication" from the Brittains
reached The .Reporter and the city oh Monday. It, and
the city's letter, are both printed in full below:
BRITTAINS.,.   COUNCIL...
V
We are pleased.to know our
city of-icials will review not
only, our recommendations,
but"'will also investigate other
matters of our Letter of Protest. Since the problem is now
in the hands of the city officials, we also hope you will
be willing to consider the following matters- for the taxpayers of Saline.
1 Establish a City Tax
Commission for the, protection of the Taxpayer. (It appears there is a real need for-
this.)
2. Appoint members to our
Board of Review who are experienced in land values, market values, and reconstruction, costs. (Real Estate Brokers, Bankers, and Building
Contractors should make good
Board of Review prospects.)
.__ .3- ;Se^exo_ur;_City^ChMt^
so* the Taxpayer 7_ould elect
the City fax Assessor.
4. Require the Board of Review, to employ a Court Reporter. This would provide a.
written. report for the- City
Council. Board of Review arid
City. .Tax Assessor's Office.
_3ie•'-.Court< .Reporter - should
especially, be in attendance at
__1 meeting^'in-the absence of
the protesting taxpayer.
; 5. Investigate tne City of
Saline's Assessment to see
how they Compare with other
communities our size and surrounding Townships.
. 6. Require ' any .significant
assessment change to be discussed .with- 'the taxpayer,
either verbally or in writing,
of . why, their assessments
(Continued on. Page 3)
January  23, 19S7
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Brittain,
Re: -Your   open   letter   of-
January 9,  1967
We have investigated the
matters referred to in your
above letter and find th'efacts
to be as follows:
1. The Saline City Assessor
found your house and land located at 351 Pohdviev. to
have a fair market vals__ of
$85,000.00.   .
2. You disagreed with this
■finding and, in accordance
with the proper procedure
provided by law, appealed
this finding to the Saline
Board of Review, consisting
of three resident property
owners not connected with City Government as required
by our City Charter.
3.' The Saline Board ofRe-
_.yiew_. duly. _heard. your objec-
Taoft^s/tcF the findings of the
Saline "; City * Assessor, who
was-present at said hearing
as Qlefk of said Board as required by:, .our C*ity Charter.
After hearing_your objections, the Saline City Assessor -recommendefl to ..Sard
Board that the..fair„_m_(rket
value of your said property
be reduced byr $3,600.00, from
$85,000.00   to   $81,400.00.'
4. The Saline Board of Review,. accepting the recommendation of the. Saline City
Assessor, found the fair market value of votir.- said property to-be $_1,400.00.
5., "Notwithstanding  a n y
other" provisions;i of .law ...
property shall be assessed at
50% of. its true cash value hi
(Continued on Page 3)     -
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Bus Drivers'
Class Set Here
Classes for all school bus
drivers in Washtenaw County
are slated next week;, one of
them will" meet from 7 to 10
p.m. Tuesday at the Saline
High School library.
Others will be held Monday
evening at the Dexter High
'School and Wednesday evening at Lincoln Consolidated
School. New laws concerning
school buses will be- discussed.
Karol
Karol Engel; the reigning
Miss Saline, "will represent
Saline in Michigan's Junior
Miss competitipn held in Pontiac on Thursday, Friday, and
Saturday. Saline's Junior
Miss is sponsored by the Saline Jaycees.
Phe will be accomoanipd
tn_Pon_j. c bv h**" na^pnts. the
Rw. and Mrs-. H. L. Engel. of
68 Tower Dr:. and Robert H,
"Beapchamo. Javcpe chairman
of the • "Miss Saline" event,
and Mrs. Beauchamp.
Junior misses representing
37 Michigan Jaycee chapters
will take oart in the ninth
annual Michigan Junior Miss
nap-eaht; thev will vie for
$4,500 in. •" scholarship's and
awards and a. chance to represent Michigan" in the national finals at Mobilp. Ala.,
wjiere an additional $42,000
in .cholarships will be awarded.
The -purpose of the Junior
Miss pa .eant is to reward
outstanding senior high
school girls for their accomplishments and provide an
incentive for younger girls to
set their goals higher.
NURSE TO GRADUATE
Mrs. Douglas Harvey, of
412 N. Ann Arbor St., is one
of 51 area students who will
graduate from the Ann Arbor Practical Nurse Education Center, in ceremonies
Thursday evening.
Saline Community Hospital's long-needed expansion
has been stalled by technicalities, stockholders learned on
Tuesday at the annual meet-
ting. But' a new approach to
the problem is now under
consideration.
Plans for a prooo. ed addition to the hospital have not
gained approval from the
Greater Detroit Hospital
Council. Pat Roesch, chairman of the buildin . committee renorted. The Council actually has no statutory jurisdiction in the matter . . . but,
in practice,, it is \ _rtu .Ily impossible to oualify for Blue
Cm ,s without their ok .v.
TKe G.D.H-C. has said that
Washtenaw Countv is alreadv
"overbuilt" pri medical .surgical beds. Said Roesch: "Even
with the corning of tlje Ford
plant" (which- will increase
the need here) 'T am satisfied now that we will not pet
that approval. _iow or in the
foreseeable future."
But the G.DJH..C. has no
authority, official or otherwise, over the number o| extended care beds, he pointed
out. "We are now thinking
that possibly we can develop
an extended care facility, that
in the future could be con
verted to a medical facility.
We. could then modify the
present medical facility and
later build additional medical
facilities." .
William ■ Thompson, representing Cuddie, Gillett As. o-
ciates, Etrchitects arid engineers, of Clawson, showed -a
"site utilization study" o n
how this could be accomplished.
Jaycee Auxiliary
Ptos SDring
Style Show, Cards
A spring fashion style show
and card party are planned
bv the Javcee Auxiliary on
February 28 at Leutheuser's
Restaurant, it was announced
at their "Monday meetin..
. The group is selling "John
F. Kennedy Flame of. Hope
Candles", about wliiclrinter-
esfed persons may contact
any member. ■
Police Chief James Levleit
ppokp and snowed a movie at
the January 23 meeting at
the home, of Mrs. John Lodi-
giani. Mrs. Edward Bates and
Mrs. Jameson Ford were co-
hostesses.
The first step would add a
30- to 34-bed extended care
unit oh the north side of the
preserit building. Convalescent patients, could be transferred there to release beds
in the medical-surgical sec-,
vtion. Tbe two-story addition
would also provide badly
needed space for storage and
offices.
Step two would add 36 medical surgical beds in a two-
story building behind the present hospital. This would also
accommodate a larger kitchen, laboratories, possible
out-patierit facilities, and
storage.-^
The entire ulan is "extremely flexible", the architect said. -      ,
Five, hospital board members were re-elected to new
terms at the meeting: Leonard Burmeister, Don Ford,
Stanton Roesch. Roger Stevens; and Leonard Wight; and
all officers were re-elected:
Ernest Girbaeh.. president;
Gerald Bahnmiller. vice president; and Robert Bredernitz,
treasurer.
Erwin C. Feldkamp was
elected to the board to complete two years of a three-
year term vacated by the resignation of Joseph T. Neili.
E. J. "Bill"
One of the best-kept se
erets in the -city, came ou*
this week, as E. J. "Bill''
Muir, retiring clerk-treasurer
climaxed his career by "revealing all". He finally told
people what the "E. J.''
stands for.
Muir, who has been em
ployed by the city for If
years, will be feted at a Rec
ognition Dinner, Friday evening at Inn America restaurant in Ann Arbor. A socia1
hour is slated at 6:30 p__i.
with dinner at 7:30.
Reservations for the dinner
must be made at City Hall
before.5 p.m. Thursday.
" Muir and his wife, Ethel,
live at 210 S. Davenport St
Before accepting his position
with the city, in January.
1952, he was manager of the
C. F. Smith grocery store
then located on W. Michigan
Ave.
He served as district secrf
tary of the Michigan Municipal. League for one term,
about four years ago. .
But whenever he Was asked what "E. J." stood for, he
eheerfnllv evaded .the question. This week he answered
it at last: "Everett Jay". But
call him "Bill".
SAUERKRAUT SUPPER
SET FEBRUARY 9
The Wm. B. Lutz post of
the American Legion and its
Auxiliary will hold a sauerkraut sunper at the American
Legion Home on Mills Rd. on
Thursday, February 9. Serving will begin at 5 p.m.
The supper is open to the
public.
* "Oh, that.ll be fun!" said Abigail Cairigan, this
week's winner of .the Pick Weekend Contest. "It surprises me,, too," she added. "I forgot I had entered the
contest." Her entry was placed at El-Rad's Restaurant,
she recalled. "     -
The Carrigans will spend their prize weekend either
during spring vacation or in June, since both are teachers and Andrew has a Saturday- class. He teaches now at
Forsythe Junior High School in Ann Arbor . . . at the
time of their marriage last August, he was teaching at
the English Language Institute, so they couldn't get
away for'a hbneyjnqon then, «ither. Abbie, who teaches
kindergarten at Walker School in WajScte, is the former
Abbie "Young of Saline. The couple live at 212 W. Henry St. .-■-.■■ -
Last week's winner of a Pick Weekend was Warren
Rentschler, who had entered the contest at the H. I.
Johnson Co.
J