Amherst News-Times, 2002-07-24

              Check out the All Stars — Page 6      4-H contest winners announced — Page 10
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Amherst News-Times
Wl DM SI)AY
24. 21
AMHI US I , OHIO
Community
in song,
celebration
The Community Chorus
sings at the annual Jamboree festival held in downtown
Amherst.
Budget deficit forces look at street taxes
by AMY PERSINGER
News-Times reporter
Still searching for a way to stop
the general fund from bleeding,
members of council and the city administration are considering changing the way taxes are forgiven in the
city.
At last week's council meeting,
councilman Terry Traster asked law
director Kenneth Stumphauzer to
provide a legal opinion concerning
the forgiveness of income tax.
Currently, Amherst residents pay
one and one half percent income tax
to the city. One percent goes into
the general fund and the half percent
goes into the street improvement
fund.
But residents who work outside
the city are given a one percent credit on their income tax in Amherst
For example, if a resident pays two
percent income tax to Cleveland,
when he pays his taxes in Amherst,
he is credited one percent of his
Amherst tax and his half percent tax
is deposited into the street improvement fund.
Some officials complain that the
street improvement fund, which has
a $3 million surplus, according to
auditor Diane Eswine; continues to
swell while the general fund continues to be depleted.
The plan that is in the works
would maintain the one percent for
giveness, but deposit the remaining
half percent into the general fund.
The law director has been asked
to decide if the change can be made
by council because the street improvement tax was voted into effect,..
"I think it's a Band-Aid for trie
problem," city treasurer, Kathleen
Litkovitz said.
She said the departments should
have been asked to make deeper
cuts in this year's budget before
considering changes to the tax struc
ture. She said that council had a
"golden opportunity'' to make deep
cuts.
She said no new equipment
should have been purchased in any
yBjL,*he departments.
"Including mine," she said.
She also suggested a moratorium
on unnecessary classes and
conferences.
She also said that, aside from
raises already mandated in contracts, no new raises should be
granted while money is tight.
She said she made these suggestions to council in November before
they began working on the bugdet
As for the tax forgiveness, Litkovitz says she thinks it will be a help.
"I will support it when I'm shown
they will make it right," she said.
She said all the departments need to
be tightening their belts.
Eswine said she thinks it is legal
CONTINUED on page 10
trying
to aid injured man
For some people, knowing that
someone else is in trouble is reason
enough to roll up their sleeves, dig
in and help.
People who think that way are
coming out of the woodwork since
Derek Carter was injured when he
accidentally touched his head to a
high power line while doing mortar
work on a downtown Amherst
building.
Michele and Jerry Wingard of
Wingard Racing in Amherst, hosted
a car show in Brookpark over the
weekend.
Michele said she had hoped to
have it in Amherst, but she wasn't
able to get a space to hold it.
All of the proceeds from the car
show will go to the Derek Carter
benevolent fund.
This isn't the only fundraiser the
Wingards have led for the fund. Last
month they announced that they
would give a discount to any customers that made a donation to the
fund.
Another one of the people who
wanted to help is Devon Littleton.
She is the youlh group worship
leader at New Life Assembly of
God Church in Wellington.
Her mother, Michele Littleton,
said that Carter would help Devon
by performing during the church's
Wednesday night youth group. Carter is a member of House of Praise
Church and their praise band in Lorain; he played the drums.
When the Littletons learned that
Carter was injured, Devon wanted
to do something to help. She decided to take a collection to buy air
conditioning for the family's home
to help make Carter comfortable
when he is able to go home from the
hospital.
Devon, who is homeschooled and
will be a senior in the fall, went around her neighborhood and collected money from her neighbors,
sent emails to ail of the people in
her mother's address book and approached people at her church. She
also put up flyers around
Wellington.
She was able to purchase three
window air conditioning units with
the money she collected.
"He's an amazing kid," Littleton
said of Carter. Seems the same can
be said about Devon Littleton.
Funds will continue to be collected at all FirstMerit branches.
T
Woman hired to lead
Nordson in lean times
Nordson Corp. auirounred last
week that Ruth C. Smith joined the
company as vice president, operations, for its adhesive systems business segment. Smith will raport to
Donald J. McLane, senior vice
president.
Smith successfully applied "lean"
and similar principles to manufacturing operations for more than 20
years. She will apply that experience to Nordson's operations as part
ot a corporate-wide "lean" initiative.
The lean concept is to build products as orders are placed, eliniinat-
ing unneceasary activities, *pf»r<tt,»f
processes and improving efficiency.
"We look forward to Iter leadership in helping to apply best prac
tices throughout the company," said
Edward P. Campbell, Nordson
president
Smith was director, production
systems and quality assurance, for
the Stanley Works Company in New
Britain, Conn. Smith was responsible for intpletnentation of lean manufacturing for the $2.7 billion manufacturer at its 45 plants worldwide.
Prior to joining Stanley Works,
Smith held general manager positions at three division of Newcor,
Inc., a $250 million manufacturer of
machined and plastic ttwrjonents
tot the automotive, heavy truck and
agricultural markets. Smith successfully utilized lean tnanufacturing
tools to agnifacantly reduce costs,
improve quality and grow revenues.
America's
favorite
pastime
In Amherst, it is apparent
that baseball for participants
of all ages is Important, at
the ballfieids are filled nearly
•very evening. Look to Page
6 for coverage of the Little
League All Star game from
Sunday.
J