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The Garrett Clipper An edition of The
THURSDAY OCTOBER 17 2013
VOL. 127 ISSUE #83 On the web at: kpcnews.com
75 cents Garrett, Indiana Established in 1885
Board hears superintendent’s supporters Dozens attend Monday hearing By Sue Carpenter scarpenter@kpcmedia.com GARRETT — More than 60 people attended a public hearing Monday for a proposed employee contract for Garrett-Keyser-Butler Schools Superintendent Dennis Stockdale. The school board proposed an annual base salary of $96,500, the same as he currently is paid. Stockdale’s contract term runs from July 1, 2013, through June
30, 2016. Nearly half of those attending, including teachers, administrators, members of the teachers’ association, coaches, cafeteria staff, bus drivers, parents and concerned citizens offered comments overwhelmingly in favor of Stockdale’s performance as superintendent for the past six years. Many of the speakers addressed concerns based on an alleged
NEWS IN BRIEF
leak of information from an executive session in late summer that the board did not intend to renew Stockdale’s contract. Board members responded that the contract was in place for the next two years. Eleven teachers Stockdale spoke at Monday’s session. Many shared the same sentiments. Anthony Thomas noted when he began teaching a Garrett in
2009, the school was at least 10 years behind on technology. “Now, with Stockdale’s foresight, we have not only closed the gap, but moved out front and are doing what other districts are only dreaming of,” he said. Mark Shea said other school districts tour Garrett schools for ideas. “Garrett doesn’t wait to see if other schools make it happen. We are leaders, and they come to us (to see the innovation). Dennis has given us the tools and the leeway — I would hate to see him go,”
GARRETT — Nanny Aldridge, local representative of the State Health Insurance Programs (SHIP) will be discussing Medicare, Medicare Supplement Insurances, Medicare Management Care Plans, Medicaid and prescription coverage during a free informational program Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 11:15 a.m. at the Judy A. Morrill Recreation Center, 1200 E. Houston St., Garrett. SHIP does not sell insurance. The program is sponsored by Miller’s Merry Manor in Garrett.
Adventure Homes to add 25 jobs
Middle school begins poinsettia sales
Food drive planned Saturday GARRETT —A food drive to help fill the shelves of the Community Care Food Pantry in Garrett is planned Saturday, Oct. 19. Area Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops have volunteered to go from home-to-home collecting food donations. Garrett residents are asked to set non-perishable food donations on their front porches for the drive. Contact Steve Gallaher at 260-226-4094 or Rhonda Shatzer at 357-6383 for more information.
Free program to offer Medicare information GARRETT — Nanny Aldridge, local representative of the State Health Insurance Programs (SHIP) will be discussing Medicare, Medicare Supplement Insurances, Medicare Management Care Plans, Medicaid and prescription coverage during a free informational program Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 11:15 a.m. at the Judy A. Morrill Recreation Center, 1200 E. Houston St., Garrett. SHIP does not sell insurance. The program is sponsored by Miller’s Merry Manor in Garrett.
The Garrett Clipper P.O. Box 59 Garrett, IN 46738 Phone: 925-2611 ext. 45 Fax: 925-2625 attn: Garrett Clipper
Superintendent, Page 5
Garrett industry asks for tax break
SUPERIOR SPELLERS
Free program to offer Medicare information
GARRETT —Garrett Middle School is holding its annual poinsettia fundraiser through Wednesday, Oct. 30. Each poinsettia arrives in a six-inch pot measuring about 15 inches tall by 15 inches across. Plants are wrapped in a decorative pot cover. Standard color poinsettias in red, white, pink or marble cost $11 each. Painted colors including Skydive Blue, Purple Star, Fuchsia Fascination and Chameleon Blue cost $12 apiece. Plants will arrive the week of Dec. 2. Middle school students will be taking orders this week. Orders can also be placed by contacting Mary Schendel at the school office, 357-5745.
Shea said. Shea is also co-president of the teachers’ association and spoke about Stockdale’s honesty a couple years ago when a budget surplus became evident and Stockdale suggested it be given to teachers, first as a stipend, and later as a raise. Kindergarten teacher Micah Hirchak told the board her children are thriving under the personalized learning concept in place at Garrett.
Sue Carpenter
Garrett High School’s Spell Bowl Team, in front from left, are Kaitlyn Ellison, Cassie Smith, Megan Morris, Julia Thorne, Alexa Davis, Sivanah Ybarra and Savannah Lay. In the middle row are Alyssa Patterson, Kayla Davis, Jacquelyne Zahner, Chen Chen, Victoria Stone and Jackson Haynes. In back are coach Mark Claxton, Gabby France, Ben Jacobsen, Bailey Ray, Matt Singleton and Alexis Doster. Not pictured: Mikayla Lawson and Jordan Robbins.
Spellers statebound GARRETT — Garrett High School’s Spell Bowl team has qualified for the state finals for the fourth year in a row. In qualifying competition Monday night, Garrett’s score of 53 points ranked fourth among all Indiana schools in enrollment Class 3. The top eight teams in Class 3 advanced to the finals. Garrett’s team will compete in the finals Nov. 16 at Purdue University’s main campus in West Lafayette. Cascade led the qualifying in
Class 3 with a score of 74 out of 90 words spelled correctly. Other Class 3 state finalists and their scores are Greencastle 70, North Posey 57, North Putnam 47, South Vermilion 45, Andrean 44 and North Newton 42. Mark Claxton and Jonelle Furnish serve as co-coaches for Garrett’s 20-member team. At each competition, 10 students spell nine words each. Team members who spelled in Monday’s qualifying round are Matt Singleton, Julia Thorne,
Alexa Davis, Alexis Doster, Megan Morris, Jackson Haynes, Alyssa Patterson, Cassie Smith, Kayla Davis and Victoria Stone. Additional team members are Jacquelyne Zahner, Chen Chen, Mikayla Lawson, Kaitlyn Ellison, Bailey Ray, Sivannah Ybarra, Savannah Lay, Gabby France, Ben Jacobsen and Jordan Robbins. Also in the area, East Noble High School qualified for the state finals in Class 1, consisting of the state’s largest schools.
Ort’s closing Garrett store Family business spans 8 decades By Sue Carpenter scarpenter@kpcmedia.com GARRETT —A longtime Garrett business that spanned over three generations will close its doors in the coming weeks. Ort’s Furniture, Jewelry and Gifts will begin a ‘retirement sale’ today to liquidate the store’s inventory of furniture, bedding, jewelry and gifts at 1308 S. Randolph St. “After serving DeKalb County and surrounding counties for over eight decades, we have decided to retire from the family-owned business,” family members said.
Wage ordinances considered
Store opened in early 1900s Charles Ort moved to Garrett from Hartford City in 1911 to work for Henry L. Wehrly Jewelry store in a building that now houses Timmy’s Pizza and BBQ in the 100 block of North Randolph St. Wehrly agreed to move into the new Masonic building at the corner of Keyser and Randolph streets in 1924, but did not live to see the finished product. A corporation was formed by three businessmen with Ort as
By Sue Carpenter scarpenter@kpcmedia.com GARRETT — The Garrett Common Council Tuesday approved a declaratory resolution to give a tax break for an expansion project for F & H Associates LLC, a holding company for the building occupied by Adventure Homes. Co-owner Walt Fuller told the council he plans to add an 18,180 square-foot expansion to the existing building valued at $375,000 at the plant’s facility at 1119 Fuller Drive in Garrett’s industrial park. The proposed expansion is needed to lengthen the plant’s assembly line area in order to install and paint drywall in the manufactured homes. Fuller said he hopes to be able to add 25 jobs in the next three years, starting with 10 each in the first and second years and five in the third. Fuller and partners purchased the plant in 2009 when Fleetwood Homes announced it would close and its 65 workers would be out of work. “I am asking for a little help, We don’t make the money I’d like to make,” he told the council. Ken McCrory from the DeKalb County Economic Partnership told the board the company pays good wages and plans to add the additional employees. City attorney Dan Brinkerhoff reminded the board the abatement would not apply to taxes currently paid on the assessed value of the facility, just the for the increased valuation based on improvements. Under the city’s tax abatement formula, the project qualifies for an eight-year abatement. He estimated the base taxes would be $50,000, saving the company about $40,000 over the eight-year period. A public hearing on the measure is planned at the Nov. 5 council meeting.
Sue Carpenter
Ort’s owners Alice Weller, Vicky Ort and Chuck Ort have decided to close the family-owned business that has spanned eight decades in Garrett. manager. Ort eventually went to Chicago and borrowed money on a handshake from Webb C. Ball, owner of the Ball Watch Company to purchase the business. The
Garrett store carried Ball watches, which include railroad grade watches. Ort’s, Page 3
Three wage and salary ordinances were introduced and passed on first readings giving an across-the-board 3 percent raise for police and volunteer fire department and appointed officers and city employees. Councilman Brad Stump cast a negative vote, saying he would rather see up to a 5 percent increase if within the budgets of the departments and achieved without raising customer rates or taxes. He also opposed an ordinance giving Clerk-Treasurer Marcie Conkle a 3 percent raise, in favor of a higher amount. The mayor and council members would not be getting a hike under the proposed ordinance. “I think she should be given a living wage,” he said of Conkle. Council, Page 5