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BY ELLEN EMERY ST. REGIS MOHAWK RESER- VATION-Tribal leaders of the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation say that Saturday's four vote majority against slot machines demonstrates the residents oppose gambling. But reservation business people are arguing the issue is far from settled. In a heavy voter turnout Satur- day that saw 588 people cast ballots, residents voted 363 to 223 to keep high stakes commercial bingo. In a separate measure on the Cross Country Hot Topic Tonight In Lisbon LISBON — A group of parents and students will be at the Lisbon Central School District board of education meeting tonight to de- mand the district reinstate the school's cross country program. Lisbon's Warren Kinney, a staunch advocate of the cross coun- try program at Lisbon Central School, said he has gathered 35 to 40 signatures from students who are interested in participating in the program. The district dropped crosscoun- try citing lack of interest by the stu- dent body. Kinney contends there is plenty of interest and is urging the school board to again offer the fall sport. The district is presently seeking a cross country coach as former mentor Terry Steinberg, the district's business manager, has been told he cannot coach in the fall because of conflicting interests bet- ween the sport and his school posi- tion. Kinney and other parents plan to attend tonight's 8 p.m. meeting to press their demands. Richardson Improved After Crash VALLEYFIELD, Quebec — Ogdensburg's Frank Richardson was listed in improved condition at the Hotel Du Valley in Valleyfield, Que. Richardson suffered exten- sive injuries in a hydroplane crash at the St. Timothee, Que. Regatta on Saturday and underwent emergency surgery. Richardson was injured when his boat went airborne after reaching a speed of 140 mph. Earlier this sum- mer, Richardson was credited with saving the life of a fellow driver who was seriously injured in a hydroplane crash. Richardson, one of the finest drivers in the Canadian-American hydroplane circuit, was pilotting his<5rand Prix class boat in a quest of a world speed record at the time of the mishap. The address for anyone wishing to send cards is: Valleyfield Hospital, 150 St. Thomas St,, 3rd Floor Intensive Care, Valleyfield, Quebec, Canada. 15 Year-Old Faces 3 Burglary Charges HANNAWA FALLS — Canton State Police arrested a 15-year-old juvenile early this morning in con- nection with three burglaries that havecGGured there slncelateJ-une^ State Police, who said the boy had been a suspect, was picked up when they received a report at 12:50 a.m., that there was a pro- wler in the village of Hannawa Falls. The boy was turned over to family court for court action. Stolen in the burglaries was an assortment of clothing which has been recovered. 'Poncho' Sets Wed. Concert In Gazebo \Poncho a singer-songwriter from the Adirondack Mountains, will be performing in the Library Park Gazebo on Wednesday at 7 p.m. \Poncho\ has been performing his music since the early 1970s, developing a strong following in the North Country. \Poncho's\ repertoire consists of songs spanning a wide spectrum of ideas, emotions and experiences. He captures the wonders of the Adirondacks, their natural beauty, and the people who live among them, in a number of songs that were inspired by the mountains that Poncho calls home. ballot, voters narrowly opposed slot machines, bingo jack, dice and other types of casino games, with 291 voting to keep it, while 295 voted to ban it from the reservation. With only a four vote majority, reservation businessmen question: whether it is a clear mandate sup- porting enforcement. Tribal Chief Harold Tarbell said, though, he felt the close vote \says they're (the people) not in favor of gambling here.\ There are \seven gambling establishments (on the United States portion of the reservation) that I'm aware of,\ Tarbell said. A press conference has been call- ed this afternoon at the Mohawk Bingo Palace by the members of the Community Economic Action Committee (CEAG), a group representing the reservation business community. CEAC Ex- ecutive Director Julius D. Heme said the business people want to discuss the vote. Tribal Chief Rosemary Bonaparte, Tarbell said, was pleas- ed with the vote on bingo. \She was pleased with the vote. The people are saying bingo is acceptable here. The tribe never had a referendum on bingo before. Now that issue is set aside,\ Tarbell said Bonaparte had told him. Bonaparte was out of town at the time of the vote. He said in talking with Bonaparte following the vote she also felt the close gaming vote stood. \It's a no vote,\ Tarbell said Bonaparte had toldhim. Tarbell explained tribal ''policy calls for a majority,\ for passage of a referendum. \It's a majority of votes, like in a tribal election.\ Gil White, co-owner of the Mohawk Bingo Palace, disagrees with Tarbell on the gambling out- come. \The chiefs certainly didn't receive any mandate,\ Whitesaid. Tribal chiefs had called for a clear mandate from the people on the Issue of reservation gambling prior to the vote. \If that's a mandate then it is a new definition of mandate,\ White said. He added that perhaps when electing an individual to Office a one vote margin might elect, but when \you're judging the expres- sion of public opinion\ in a referen- dum the slim margin isn't a man- date. White defined a referendum as \an expression of community feel- ing...the sentiment of the com- munity.\ Using this definition, White said, \the sentiment of the community couldn't be much closer (on the issue of gambling).\ White said the chiefs couldn't think of \putting 300-400 people out of work because of a four vote margin.\ He added he didn't think people would \stand idly by while hundreds Were put out of work.\ White said he was \happily Continued On Page 12 THE SECTION TWO TUESDAY, AUGUST 18,1987 L PAGE7 On CRC Lease Contract BY SUE ELLEN McADAM The St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center has been waiting for several months for word from the state, approving their request for $80;000 to help pay the $140,000 leasing costs to relocate their Community Resource Center into the GharlestownMall. The Psychiatric Center currently leases the Ford Street facility for $60,000 per year. Rental space in the mall will cost $28,000 annually, officials say. And, the mall offers an additional 7,000 square feet of space. But so far the center hasn't received approval on their funding request, according to James Spooner, director of Community Services at the psychiatric center. Special Allocation \We're still waiting for the special allocation of these funds from Albany, Our request is with the New York State Division of Budget. We need their approval of those special lease funds before we can begin leasing space in the mall,\ Spooner explained. Brian Gaetano, owner of the Ogdensburg- Charlestown Mall, spoke with Sen. James Donovan's office a few weeks ago. And the word is that the psychiatric center should \hear something soon,\ according to Spooner. \We're optimistic. We're hoping to accomplish that before the snow falls. We requested it several months ago. But $80,000 is.a large amount of money so it would take awhile,\ he admitted. \But it is needed and it's not in our regular budget. That's why it's in the special budget. As soon as the money is allocated, we can begin work,\ Spooner said, adding that it'll take about six weeks worth of renovations to get the space ready for the CRC's use. \We figure it'll take over a month. An architect did draw some blueprints for us a year ago. We've had some modifications since that'll have to be worked out,\ hesaid. With the $80,000 special funds from the state, the psychiatric center would add that money to the $60,000 they now pay to lease the CRC facility on Ford Street. 5 Year Lease The center is looking to negotiate a five-year lease with the owner of the mall for $140,000. That figure in- cludes the cost of the renovations. \Gaetano will bear the cost upfront renovations and we'll pay them back over the five-year period,\ said Spooner. The move to the mall will allow the psychiatric center to serve more out-patients, he added. Expand'Services \We now have 13,000 square feet. In the mall we'll have 20,000 square feet. With that increase, we're hoping to expand the Shelter Workshop Program. Right now we have 85 to 90 out-patients using it. We'd like to have up to 130 using the facility,\ Spooner ex- plained. \We're hopeful that we'll get the funding soon to be able to do that,\ he said. Russell, McKee File Their Independent Ticket Petitions LOVE AT FIRST HUG - Beagle puppy \Whiskey\ gets a big hug from new owner Ryan Tebo of Parishville in this photo taken by Parishville and Hopki'nton correspondent Helen Condon. Ryan and Whiskey were among those gathered for Parishville's Historical Day and townwide garage sales on Saturday. (Helen Condon Photo) Madrid Candidates File Petitions BY THOMAS DOLIN MADRID — Five people in the town of Madrid have filed to run under the independent line for the upcoming November elections for town office. Rebbeca A. French has filed to run for town clerk in the Town of Madrid under the Independent line. French is also running, on the Republican ticket for town clerk. Virginia Molnar, a possible Democratic nominee and incum- bent town clerk and tax collector for the Town of Madrid is also runn- ing on the independent line for town clerk and will face French, •. George R. Runions filed an in- dependent petition for superinten- dent of highways and John H. Mc- Call a possible Democratic nominee filed an independent peti- tion for reelection as superinten- dent of highways. Also filing a petition under the in- dependent line was Donald A. Barney, a possible Democratic nominee and incumbent town coun- cilman is running for Supervisor against Republican nominee con- tender and former councilman William Carkner. James Hargrave has filed a peti- tion to run for the Republican nomination, for Town councilman. BY SUE ELLEN McADAM When voters go to the polls in November, they may see Council members Bobert Russell and Roland McKee on the ballot under two separate party designations. The two Republicans, who are facing challenges from their own party members in a September 15 Republican Party primary for the GOP Council nomination, have filed petitions to run on the In- dependent line in the November election. If Russell and McKee win the GOP primary, they'll be Republican candidate? in November. But they'll also be on the independent line. Russell filed his petition with the Board of Elec- tions a week ago; McKee submitted his petition shortly after 9 a.m. today. McKee said today that he thought more Republicans would also have filed Independent tickets because many of them had said they would. \I was surprised that 1 was the only the second one to file, especially because this is the last date to f He,\ he said. But neither Russell nor McKee feel that this is a strategic move. It's just a means of toeing more ac- cessible to a larger scopeof voters, they say. \To me, it's just getting one extra line on the ballot. I don't feel being on two lines hurts my chances of being elected. \But it's an opportunity that if I'm not elected in the primary, I'll still be on the November ballot,\ McKee explained. Russell agreed. \It's not any more strategy than the other can- didates who are filing on more than one line. (Ed- ward) Keenan (a Republican who is running in the mayorial race against Democrat Richard G. Loekwood) is running as a Republican, Liberal, In- dependent and on the USA Today parties,\ said Russell. But the reason he chose to file Independent is because he \was advised by a number of both Democratic and Republican friends that it would be a good thing to do. It would give me a little more ex- posure,\ he said. \So with the opportunity to get a little more ex- posure, I'll be more available on the voting machine,\ Russell added. The two incumbents will be running against GOP Republican Party Chairman William Graham and JohnBadlam and ChrisEricksen. The winners of the primary will face off in the November election against Democrats David P. Kiah and Incumbent and Deputy Mayor Richard Du- pont. Edward Keenan will challenge Mayor Richard Lockwood in the mayorial race. Littlejohn To Run For Town Supervisor School To Open Without Construction Completion BY JOSEPH D.GRAY ANDP.K.PRASHAW MASSENA - Long-time Village Trustee Clifford Littlejohn will file a petition today to run as an In- dependent candidate for the office of Massena Town Supervisor, ac- cording to a local official. Charles Boots, chairman of the Massena Democratic Committee, said Littlejohn, along with other Democrats, will file their petitions with the county board of elections today. Incumbents Rene Hart and Andrew Spanburgh will also seek re-election as town councilmen, while newcomer Ralph Thibault will seek the town clerk's spot. Boots said he expects these in- dividuals will also be the Democratic candidates for these positions, but that will not be of- ficially decided until the party's caucus on Aug. 27. \Unless somebody else shows up at the the caucus...\ Boots said, \this will be the Democratic ticket as well. It's not struck in stone, however. It can't be until the Continued On Page 12 _ BY PAUL MITCHELL The Ogdensburg city School District board of education receiv- ed an update on the school's cur- rent Phase 7 and 8 renovations pro- jects during Monday night's meeting in the school cafeteria. On hand was the district ar- chitect Peter Brellochs, who in- formed board members that cer- tain areas of the project won't be complete by the opening of school on Sept. 8. Brellochs pinpointed the six- classroom addition as one major area of completion in the Phase 7 project. He said the building needs a thorough cleaning, ceiling work, lighting fixtures and window trim- mings and probably will be finished one to two weeks beyond th@ open= trig date. \We are pressuring the contrac- tors to finish before school opens but it appears they will be one or two weeks late,\ Brellochs told the board. Also in Phase 7 , construction of a new girls lockerroom facility has been slowed by an unavailability of new lockers. According to School Superinten- dent Wesley L. Stitt, the arrival of the lockers from a Minnesota firm has been delayed several times. But the latest word from the com- pany is that the lockers will delivered to OF A on Monday. \If they arrive Monday there is gesd chance the lockerroom area will be finished in time,\ noted Brellochs. Also in Phase 7, the ceiling in- sulation work in the Golden Dome is about 40 percent complete with the target date set for October. Brellochs added that the refrigeration unit, used for the Dome ice rink, will be tested next week, pending cooler temperatures. Once the work in the Dome is complete, including some cleanup around its perimeter, the facility will be \the best it's looked in six or seven years,\ commented Continued On Page 12 Morristown Superintendent Sets 1987-88 School Goals BY PAUL MITCHELL MORRISTOWN - Discussing goals for the 1987-88 school year, Morristown Central School District Superintendent Beverly Ouderkirk met with three departments heads during Monday's night board of educaion meeting. Ouderkirk, in her superinten- dent's report to the board, explain- ed goals that were established for Nancy Crosby, supervisor of the elementary school; Robert Crosby, head custodian; and Rupert Bailey, head mechanic. Academic goals within the elementary realm include continu- ing development of educational programs, examining students in both academics and behavior; scheduling parent conferences, staff support, continued work on the school enrichment, kindergarten graduation ceremonies, and maintaining parental input through com- munication in the school newslet- ter, said Ouderkirk. She added that in the maintenance department, Crosby handles both the buildings and grounds and transportation aspects of the school operation- He will periodically present a maintenance schedule, mainly with the school's heaters and ther- mostats; a utilization plan of the school facilities; keep bus drivers up to date on new vehicle and transportation laws, and develop- ing an emergency calling card pro- gram in case of bus accidents. Bailey, whose duties overlap with Crosby's job, will continue to keep the buses in good shape and conduct necessary bus safety checks. In other business, the board ap- proved the sale of two school buses to Don Brown, the highest bidder. A 1980 66-passenger school bus with 60,000 miles was sold for $9,156.80 while a 1982 29-passenger bus with 70,000 miles went for $10,361.90. Tim Hunt, guidance counselor, made his annual report on the district's curriculum for handicap- ped students, The board approved a recommendation for member- ship to the Committee for Special Education. The next board of education meeting will be held Sept. 17. Massena Memorial Cutting Hospital Beds To Meet HSA Rules BY JOSEPH D.GRAY MASSENA - The Massena Memorial Hospital Board of Managers last night decided to reduce the number of acute care beds at the facility by 20 in an effort to meet state requirements and fall in line with the conditions of a plan recently approved by the St. Lawrence Hospital Council, The hospital currently has 60 acute-care beds. Last year the state health department establish- ed a 65-percent occupancy fate for rural hospitals. Massena Memorial's occupancy rate, with 60 beds, is at 60.8 percent. The state will impose penalties if the 65-percent guidelines are not adhered to. Such penalties will potentially take the form of Massena having to repay the state for reimbursement monies already received. Thus, a penalty could potentially cost Massena Memorial some |263,O00. By reducing the number of beds, MMH can achieve the required 65- percent occupancy rate and avoid any penalties which the state might Impose. Furthermore, the plan adopted by the Hospital Council late last month called for the elimination of some 20-30 beds at Massena Memorial as an alternative to the complete elimination of acute care services at the facility. The Hospital Council has submit- ted the plan to the Central New York Health Systems Agency (CNYHSA) for approval. It was CNYHSA that originally called for the elimination of acute care ser- vices at MMH. MMH Administrator William Ab- bott said by decertifying the beds, the board of managers is \moving toward that goal\ established by the HospitalCouncil. \The 65-percent is an average oc- cupancy. Nothing says, by making this reduction, that -we can't go above 40 beds on occasion if our census dictates such,\ said Abbott. Last week, Abbott said Massena Memorial would be laying off ap- proximately 20 full and part-time workers, or the equivalent of eight and one-half full-time positions, to help the facility \position\ itself for the plan set up by the Hospital Council. The layoffs were the result of an effort to meet the reduced need for staffing of only 40 beds. At that time Abbott told of the forthcoming bed decertification. He said last Wednesday, \The (Hospital Council's) plan calls for that and our census indicates that to be a proper level. If our census changes, then we will certainly make the coordinating staffing changes.\ In January of this year, CNYHSA addressed the issue of hospital ser- vices survival in a St. Lawrence County with a recommendation that Massena Memorial no longer function as an acute care facility. The CNYHSA plan called for the total area to have a bed count of 229 — only retaining 117 beds in A. Bar- ton Hepburn, 76' at Canton- Potsdam, and 20 at Clifton Pine in Star Lake, The Hospital Council paid a con- Continued On Page 12
