By By JOHN EBY / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- Greg and Diane Hover gave six grave sites in Sumnerville Cemetery to Pokagon Township, which used the donation Wednesday night as a springboard to an infant burial area.
Six graves will accommodate two infants each. At the recommendation of Trustee Robert Shaffer, the township set aside another six "so we've got 24 different grave sites. We're talking about 6 months or younger who are residents of Pokagon Township, in honor of (Hover's) grandson who was stillborn. I thought it was a very nice gesture."
Board of Commissioners Chairman Johnie Rodebush, D-Howard Township, reported on the anticipated 5-percent revenue sharing reduction.
As part of Gov. Jennifer Granholm's Wednesday executive order slashing $379.8 million from the state budget, community colleges will see their state funding reduced by 5 percent.
Those that don't boost second-semester tuition next month and hold tuition increases next fall to the rate of inflation or less would see a lesser cut of 2.2 percent.
Assessor Bill Kays sees Pokagon residential assessments increasing 6.5 percent, but Clerk Linda Preston said, "I see a real trend of residential selling for less than even what we've got them assessed for."
Kays said a two-year sales study consists of the last three months of 2001, all of 2002 and the first quarter of 2003.
Pokagon is seeing building permits for three or four new houses a month.
Pokagon Fire Chief Chuck Bower reported three November calls: a power line down on M-51 Nov. 7; a crane truck fire at a building site on Crystal Springs when it became stuck in the sand and overheated the engine Nov. 8; and assisted Indian Lake with Mroczek's house fire on Middle Crossing Road Nov. 11.
As discussed at the Nov. 17 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, Dr. J.R. McCanse's chiropractic clinic on M-51 South will be getting an 11-foot by eight-foot "message" sign with time and temperature.