With deficit problems in the 2007 budget, trustees are considering a dip into Independence Township’s savings. Among items discussed at the Jan. 9 budget workshop at fire station one was the idea of using excess fund balance to save some programs lost to budget cuts. General-fund revenue is set at $6,047,830. This is $27,355 short […]
Budget problems continued to disrupt Township business last week. Citing budgetary concerns, the Township Board voted unanimously Jan. 2 to table a salary proposal for elected and non-union employees. The proposal, submitted to the board by Supervisor David Wagner, includes a 2.5-percent pay raise for elected officials and 3-percent raise for non-union employees. The rate […]
The people of the Clarkston area made Santa real for an Independence Township girl this past Christmas. Readers responded in a big way to the article ‘Mother needs Christmas help,? Dec. 20 edition. One young family brought in a sparkling new bicycle, while others brought in a PSP portable game unit, books, gift certificates, food, […]
The technology is impressive: fire trucks communicate with traffic lights via satellites so that as they approach, the signals cycle to green. Cross traffic stops and through traffic clears, so firefighters can get through as quickly and safely as possible. Also, the 3M company is offering its Opticom GPS Priority Control System to Independence Township […]
When trustees, planners, and department heads meet for a budget workshop Jan. 9, they will have plenty to talk about. The budget, as approved Dec. 5 by the Independence Township Board, is in deficit. The general fund is short $27,355, and the other funds, except police and safety path, also post deficits. ‘There will be […]
From left, Halley Sosnowski, Caylee Price, and Julie Smail race to wrap a present during their classroom holiday party Wednesday at Independence Elementary School. Photo by Phil Custodio
I’m a commuter. This is my first job where I had to drive more than 10 minutes to get there. My 30-minute commute now isn’t too much. My wife drives about 45 minutes each way to get to work. Traffic can be strange, though. Vehicles move in packs. Others drive in formation across all three […]
Shirley, a woman who lives in Independence Township, can’t afford Christmas presents for her 10-year-old daughter this year. She had some money to spare, so she decided to try to use it to purchase an ad in the Clarkston News. It would have said something like ‘Single disabled mother needs toys from Santa for 10-year-old […]
The Independence Township Board voted down the township union employee contract in closed session Dec. 5, after approving a deficit budget. One of the main issues with township officials is the contract’s pay increases for the union members, represented by American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. ‘With the economic state we’re in now, […]
B. David Warner of Clarkston has always wanted to be a writer, and wrote as much in his high school yearbook. ‘I’m one of those few people that actually wound up doing what they said they would do,? he said. He has written for about 30 years, using about the last 10 to research and […]