Lititz Record Express

              99th Year
T H E R E S S
SERVING THE WARWICK AREA FOR NEARLY A CENTURY
ESTABLISHED APRIL. 1877. AS THE SUNBEAM
)CONSOLIDATED WITH THE LITITZ RECORD. 1937.! Lititz, Lancaster County, PA 17543 Thursday, May 8,1975 10 CENTS A COPY; $4 00 PER YEAR BY MAIL
WITHIN LANCASTER COUNTY 24 PAGES — No. 7
Local Man Challenges Pay
Hike for Warwick Teachers A Warwick Township
resident, Ed Dinsmore,
challenged a few of the
educational community’s
sacred cows — and a nine
percent salary increase for
teachers — at the public
budget review meeting held
Tuesday night by Warwick
District School Board
Tuesday night at the
Rothsville School.
“I can’t understand why
we would come up with a
nine percent pay increase for
teachers in a time like this
when many people would be
glad to even have a job,”
Dinsmore said.
“ Why this tremendous
salary increase given when
most of the taxpayers here
haven’t had a raise in a year,
don’t have a guaranteed job,
and are bringing home less
money?” he asked.
In response to School
Board President John
Evan’s reply that the district
has to be competitive,
Dinsmore said:
“Why? Will $1200 buy
more than $10,000? Who
cares what other school
districts are doing? My tax
money goes here (in War­wick).”
“Quality education seems
to be the catch-all phrase,
but we’re worse off today (in
education) than before
where is the quality
education we’re paying
for?”
“You’re nickel 311$ duping
over $3,000 for sneakers and
walking right over the big
issues," Dinsmore told the
school directors. He said it
was unfortunate that the
only choice the school
directors have left is “how to
stick the taxpayer" for the
bill.
Commenting that he had
sat through similar budget
hearings last year, Din­smore
said, “I wonder why
I ’m wasting my time here —
almost everyone here has a
vested interest,” he said,
referring to school em­ployees
and directors, and
political candidates present.
“My voice, and the voice of
other taxpayers don’t carry
any weight.”
School Director Raymond
Groff of Rothsville, who
noted that he was speaking
as a private citizen, also
challenged the Board’s
projection of a 13 mill real
estate tax increase.
“I predict the same thing
will happen this year that
happened last year,” Groff
said. “We’ll set a high tax
' increase, then one man will
decide we can do it for five or
six mills.”
“I’ve been trying to find
out how many teachers will
be dropped next year, and
I’ve gotten the answer, ‘Wait
until after the election.’”
Groff said. “I think it should
be known now.”
Evans replied that next
year, two teachers could be
cut from the Middle School
and the district could still
maintain the same teacher-pupil
ratio. He referred to a
restructuring of the Middle
School, now under con­sideration.
School Director Bill Owens
said to Groff: “If there is any
idea that this (the restruc­turing)
is being stalled
because of elections, I want
to dispel it.” He said the
Board had been urged to put
the new structure together
first before restaffing.
“ Then we can give a
reasonable answer on
staffing,” he said. “When the
restructuring comes back to
the Board, it will be an­nounced
at a public
meeting.”
A second public meeting
on the proposed school
budget for 1975-76 will be
held today (Thursday) at
7:30 p.m. at Warwick
Middle School.
Ken Keener, a teacher,
commented that the “whole
thing” (restructuring) had
been brought to light last fall
and asked: “Couldn’t it have
been speeded up more —
teachers have to have their
requisitions in by February.
We need to know about the
restructuring.”
Superintendent H. Dale
Winger replied: “ It will
make no difference at all.”
About 25-30 persons at­tended
the meeting, the bulk
of them members of the
teaching staff and ad­m
in is tr a tio n , sch o o l
directors, and candidates for
the spring primaries. Much
of the talk focused on the
School Board’s recent
decision to stop buying
sneakers, socks and athletic
supporters for school
athletes, whether or not to
implement an entire new
Candidates Program
To Be Held Tonight
A “Meet the Candidates
Night” program will be held
at the Lititz Rec Center
Center today (Thursday) at
7:30 p.m., sponsored by the
W a rw ic k E d u c a t io n
Association. Refreshments
will be served by the WEA.
The program will feature
candidates in the spring
primary election and is open
to the public.
girls sports program next
year, whether or not to add
another guidance counselor,
and of course, the alter­natives
to increased real
estate taxes.
Evans, who conducted the
meeting, said that the new
budget, as it now stands, has
a $263,000 deficit, which
means a 13 mill realty tax
increase. In an effort to
pinpoint just what 13 mills
will mean to a taxpayer, he
explained: a taxpayer whose
property is now assessed at
$20,000 pays $390 in realty
taxes (at 78 mills). If the tax
is increased by 13 mills, that
same taxpayer will be
paying $455 next year.
Relief could come from
three sources, he said: “I’m
sure we will save about
$10,000 in replacing two
retirees,” he said. He said
that reorganization of the
Middle School could result in
a lesser staff. And he pointed
out that if the state passes a
bill to allow school districts
to take one and a half per­cent
of the wage tax (school
districts now take one
percent), it will mean
$324,000 more for Warwick.
Ruth Husser, 311 Balmer
Rd., a candidate for School
Board, questioned the
wisdom of discontinuing the
practice of buying sneakers
for school athletes. “Will we
get to the point where
families with several
children can’t afford to buy
shoes?” she asked.
On the issue of a girls
sports program, Mrs. Husser
said she favors adding all the
suggested sports next year,
but added that if the Board is
“even thinking of a gym­nastics
program,” they
should purchase “ good
equipment” now so it won’t
have to be replaced.
Another candidate, Vic­toria
Badorf, said she favors
phasing in the sports
program, starting with a
coeducational gymnastics
program.
A Warwick Township
resident, Mrs. William
Dussinger, said she objects
to school children being
asked by teachers to bring in
small amounts of money to
do classroom projects.
“ Teachers should have
enough education to look at
the supplies and judge what
is needed,” she said.
Her husband, William
Dussinger, elaborated on
this further, stating that he
agrees with Mrs. Husser —
“If you’re going to run a
program, then fund it right,”
he said. He asked whether a
student who can’t afford to
bring in change, or buy
sports equipment, is
penalized in any way.
Dr. Winger replied that the
school district discourages
this (asking students to bring
in money) but that “there
are always some who will do
it.”
One taxpayer, com­menting
on the budget in­crease,
told the directors:
“You’re treating this thing
like an endless pit.” He said
he wanted no tax increase at
all this year.
“How much (of a tax in­crease)
could you swallow?”
Evans asked him. “In fact
I’ll go first,” Evans said.
“I’d like to see it stop at
about eight mills.”
“Well, that’s better than 13
mills,” the man replied.
“And I would much prefer to
[Continued on Page 8]
Fire Trucks Moved
To New Building
Lititz Fire Company
moved its engines Monday
night from the old fire house
on South Broad Street into
the new station on West Main
Street. The parking lot at the
new firehouse, which has
been used by the general
public, is now restricted to
use by fire fighters only.
Alger Mishler (right), 148 Front St., has a word
with his state legislator, Rep. Nick Moehlmann from
the 102nd Legislative District, during a GOP
political rally last week at the Lititz Rec Center.
Mishler, who is 78, is a long time resident of Lititz,
noted for his keen memory and ability to recall
X»ititz R e co rd E x p r e s s P h o to
dates and places of events that happened long ago.
Three years ago, as a civic gesture, he donated
a riding lawn mower to Lititz Springs Park because
the park had been one of his favorite retreats while
he worked at Wilbur Chocolate Company.
See story and more photos on Page 22.
Zoners Tell Man to Move Shed, Offer to Help Him
Lititz Zoning Hearing
Board may have gone
“formal,” but it has retained
its home town flavor.
After ordering a local
citizen to move a utility shed
that is in violation of the
zoning ordinance, two of the
zoners and the borough
m a n a g e r v o lu n te e r e d
Monday night to help him
with the job.
Joseph Zahn, 224 Skylark
Rd., had built himself a
wooden utility shed for his
back yard, and reportedly
found out after it was
finished that he needed a
building permit.
“I didn’t think I needed a
permit because I see these
things going up all around
me,” Zahn told the zoners.
He said that about the time
he had completed the frame
* * * * * * * * * *
In This Issue
Business Directory 20
Church News 16
Classified Ads 22,23
Editorial Page 4
Sports Section 6,7
Women’s 14,15
* * * * * * * * * *
fc. 1V ‘ shed, a “borough
man” came into his yard and
took some measurements.
“He didn’t even say why,”
Zahn continued. He said he
later got a letter from the
borough notifying him he
was in violation of the zoning
ordinance, but by that time
the building was finished.
Thus, Zahn was seeking a
variance for three feet of
side yard and five feet of
rear yard to leave his
building in place.
The zoners pointed out that
the only “hardship” moving
the building would constitute
would be financial cost , to
Zahn (which the ordinance
does not recognize as a
legitimate “hardship”), and
proceeded to deny the
request for a variance.
At the same time, Zoning
Board Members, Bob
Bingeman and Devo Bear,
volunteered to help Zahn
move the building to another
spot in the yard, and Boro
Manager David Anderson
offered to get him help with
the moving.
Anderson also commented
that he had instructed
borough employees to
“knock on the front door”
before thay take this kind of
measurements, and the
Zoning Board asked that
local residents check with
the borough office about
zoning regulations and
building permits before
putting any accessory
buildings on their properties.
Following its new cour­troom
procedure of swearing
in witnesses and having
testimony recorded by a
stenographer, the Zoning
Board heard three other
cases Monday, approving
two requests and denying
one other.
-Martin Herr, 118 W.
Orange St., was granted a
special exception to
establish a dog grooming
business, as a customary
incidental home occupation
at his residence.
-Mrs. Dorene Buonomo,
506 Front St., was granted a
special exception to
establish a dog grooming
customary incidental home
occupation at her residence.
-Timothy D. Myers, 533
Golden St., was denied a
request for a side yard
variance to build a carport
over his driveway in Sutter
Village, on the basis that his
property was not different
from the rest of the neigh­borhood
and warranted no
special consideration.
The zoning ordinance
permits such variances if a
property is “peculiar” to the
neighborhood. Zoners
pointed out that the houses in
Sutter Village had been
constructed without grages
and carports deliberately
because the lots there were
too small, and the houses too
close together, to permit
them.
In further business, the
board passed a motion of
record to approve sand
blasting Roma Pizza at 54 E.
Main St. The work has
already been done, zoners
pointed out, but they were
putting approval on record
noting that the work con-
Notice The monthly meeting
of the Lititz Retailer’s
Association has been
scheduled for the second
Wednesday of this
month. The May
meeting will be held
next Wednesday, May
14, at 7:30 P.M. at the
General Sutter Inn.
All area businessmen
are welcome and invited
to attend.
sitituted a betterment to the
borough.
The board also decided to
inform Kent Gardner, 201 E.
Main St., that no permit has
been issued for demolition
work Gardner reportedly is
doing on a bam behind his
house. Gardner had been
issued a building permit in
January 1974 to refurbish the
exterior of his home, in the
Historical District, but this
permit reportedly has ex­pired.
He was also granted
permission at a hearing
April 1, 1974 to establish a
gift shop in his home and
remove part of the bam to
provide off-street parking,
but zoners said Gardner had
not obtained a building
permit for this work.
In a special Zoning Board
meeting April 21 the board:
-Granted a special ex­ception
to Rev. Malcom L.
Boultbee, pastor of the Lititz
F irst Assembly of God
Church, to erect a sign in
front of the church building,
the former Dunkard
Brethren Church on Willow
Street.
-Granted a variance to
Mrs. J. Lloyd Sheaffer, 326 S.
Broad St., to erect a one-story
room and a screened
porch to her residence.
I iitit z R e co rd E x p r e s s P h o to
Obviously not taken yesterday, the above photo
exemplifies the kind of winter fun that's been
shared by kids of all ages on Rudy Dam Pond for as
long as most readers can remember. Now the Rudy
Dam land has been sold again . . . this time to an
owner who plans to build a home and live on the
property. Although many of the trees have been
cleared away for the new house, the owners do not
plan to make any drastic changes in the landscape
but wish to preserve as much of its natural charm
as possible.
Rudy Dam Property Sold Again
Owned by Bonnie Szymanski
Fifteen years ago, the
pond at Rudy Dam was
known as a great place for
fishing in the summer and
skating in the winter.
Purchased in 1945 by Dr.
Howard B. Minnich, retired
Lititz dentish now living in
Brickerville, the eight acres
of wooded land ribboned by a
rushing stream has long
been a landmark in the Lititz
- Warwick area.
Now, after 30 years, Dr.
Minnich has sold the
property to Douglas H.
Woolley, a building con­tractor
from Lancaster, and
his family.
Dr. Minnich and his wife,
both winter sports en­thusiasts,
had purchased the
property during the forties
with the intention of
establishing an ice skating
club for nearby residents.
The Minnichs had been
members of a figure skating
30 Years club in Hershey for about 15
years and wanted to share
their love for the sport with
others interested in joining a
skating club.
Dr. Minnich rebuilt the
dam and spillway in 1946,
shortly after purchasing the
property, “primarily for the
entertainment of the public”
and built the small club
house.
The building used by club
members to change skates
and get out of the cold is still
standing along the shore,
though now in a state of
disrepair. Reminiscent of
pleasanter days, the outside
of the building still clearly
reads, “Pine Valley Skating
Club.”
In a recent interview, he
said the club lasted about 10
or 15 years durng which time
members had the privilege
of skating on one of the best
ponds in Lancaster County.
Sometimes, it was the only
By Dr. pond for skating as, ac­cording
to Dr. Minnich, it is
uniquely situated in such a
way as to be protected by
trees from the sun’s direct
rays; consequently, it often
stays frozen longer than
other ponds.
The fishing was excellent,
too, said Dr. Minnich, for the
pond was stocked with blue
gills and bass. As a result,
Rudy Dam Pond was for
years synonymous with the
kind of good times from
which fond memories are
made.
“The all of a sudden I went
down one day, and all the
windows in the shed were
broken,” Dr. Minnich told
the Record-Express. “ I
replaced them but they were
soon broken again.”
Vandalism began to
become too great a problem
and a burdensome expense.
Dr. Minnich decided to turn
the operation of the club over
Minnich to the Boy Scouts who
charged admission and ran a
concession stand as a money
making project for a few
years.
Since the scouts left about
ten years ago, interest in the
pond and in outdoor skating
has diminished.
Rudy Family Land
The Rudy Dam property
dates back to 1847 when
John and Daniel Rudy
deeded the land to Charles
Rudy. That was the first
transaction on record and
the first in a long line of
transactions involving Rudy
family heirs.
The land was originally the
site of a grist mill owned and
operated by a Rudy. Ac­cording
to Dr. Minnich,
there’s no record of any
homes every having been
built on the property.
The original 10.4 acre tract
of land was parceled into
1 Cnniimied on Pago 8)