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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 23, 1976)
Weather Mostly cloudy today with a high in the lower 80s. Low to night in the upper 60s. Con tinued cloudy tomorrow with a high around 80. Showers and thundershowers are expected both today and tomorrow. Cbe Battalion Vol. 112 College Station, Texas Friday, April 23, 1976 j Staff photo by Roger V. Messersmith Easy does it! Students had an opportunity yesterday to experience firsthand the problems facing handicapped students. Students Con cerned for the Handicapped, sponsors of the all day affair, loaned wheelchairs to any student wishing to try one out. Some students got a little carried away with the whole idea. Nine-month market causes rent raises i By JIM CRAWLEY Higher utility rates and taxes will ac count for $9.32 of the $100 per month rent increase that the Barcelona Apartments will put into effect next fall. The disclosure was made by Councilman Lane Stephen son at last night’s College Station City Council meeting. Charles Kaufmann of the Max Kaplan firm, which owns Barcelona, had said ear lier that the increase was due to higher utility and tax costs and that the apartments had lost a total of $122,000 for the previous year. The $9.32 utility and tax increase was based on 100 per cent occupancy for nine months and was derived from information from the municipal utility bills of the com plex, Stephenson said. Last year’s utility bill for the apartment complex was $92,781, an increase of $20,296 from 1974, said owner Max Kap lan. Last year’s taxes for the complex total led $41,329, according to the city, county and school tax rolls. The increase in the taxes amounts to $1,079 from the previous year. Although the city would not release the actual amount of last year’s utility bill for Barcelona, City Manager North Bardell said the figures Kaplan gave The Battalion were “slightly elevated”. Bardell said Kap lan’s figures could include more than just the apartments’s utility costs. With the deficit of $122,000 from last year, $54.22 per month would be required from each apartment for nine months to cover the loss. Many of the recent apartment increases are to recover losses of the past year, said Dr. Roy Hann, president of the Bryan- College Station Apartment Association. “A lot of people that build apartments here have no understanding of the nine month market in College Station,” added Hann. Kaplan agreed. “I was pulled in there (College Station on the intention of a year-round market,” Kaplan said. “If I had realized that (the nine-month market), I would never have done it. We re actually running a dorm. And so are the others.” An apartment owner either has to have a 12 month lease with low rates and low tur nover of occupants, said Hann, or a nine month lease with a high rent and turnover rate. The apartment market in College Station differs from most other Texas cities because of the high proportion of students to per manent residents. The rent increase at Barcelona makes the ; complex the most expensive in College Sta tion. The rent rate for a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment next fall at Barcelona will be $380 per month. The next highest rate for a similar apartment is a three- j bedroom, two-bath apartment at Briar- , wood which will rent for $360 per month this fall. At last night’s council meeting, Gary I Halter proposed the creation of an ad hoc housing committee with two primary re sponsibilities. The committee would examine ordinance 628, dealing with hous ing requirements, recommend changes in the ordinance, and investigate enforce ment of the building code. A secondary function of the committee will be to look at the apartment rent increases. The proposal was approved by the council. Council denies new ward vote By JAMIE AITKEN Battalion City Editor In a four hour session last night, the Col- ege Station City Council refused to take iction on a request by Mayor Larry fravenec to reconsider the passage of the vard system in the city. Among other con- iderations, requests for extended liquor lours and ordinance changes to allow raternity and sorority houses in certain Bfrtment and commercial zones were ta iled. Bravenec suggested that a straw vote be :aken to re-evaluate the validity of the April 3,city charter referendum, in which the ward system was selected. He suggested that, if 55 per cent of the straw votes oppose the ward system, then some legal action be taken on the actual referendum. The mayor’s motion was not seconded and con sequently, disposed. Jeff Dunn, former president of student government, and Robert Harvey, student government city relations director, re quested extended liquor hours on Fridays and Saturdays until 2 a.m. After much dis cussion, the council voted to draw up a liiitable ordinance, but to table the request until its next meeting. May 6, so that more public input may be considered. The council also tabled a request for an amendment to a zoning ordinance concern ing fraternity and sorority houses. A spokesman for the sororities said the trend is toward a lodge-type arrangement, where members of the various organizations find their own living accommodations but meet at specific rented apartments. The fraternity view was that not enough time had been given to adequately study the zoning amendment. The councilmen elected to give the group two weeks to consider the proposal before action will be taken. In other business, the council approved the rezoning of an area at the corner of MacArthur Street and University Drive from duplex residential to general com mercial. The request was made fry Tri- County Teacher’s Credit Union. Further council action is expected to rezone this land admi nistrative-professional. The council also amended a nonresiden- tial utility deposit ordinance. The use of surety bonds to cover deposits was stricken from the original ordinance. City Manager North Bardell said that the use of the bonds was too much a risk, as holdings rarely are enough to cover the city’s losses. The Capital Improvements Committee was to give its report on recommendations of capital items deemed for a bond election. Councilman Gary Halter asked for a special meeting of the council to discuss the lengthy report. The meeting was set for April 27 at 4 p.m. Various final plats were approved by the council. Included were the Foxfire Sub division east of the East Bypass; Quail Run Estates south of Wellborn Road; Green Acres Subdivision on West Luther Street and southwest of Wellborn Road; and Southwood Valley (Section 6-B) between Longmire Drive and Southwood Drive. Also approved was the preliminary plat of Brentwood, Section II, located northeast of Texas Avenue at the end of the existing Brentwood Drive. An ad hoc committee was formed under the liaison of Councilman Gary Halter to study housing in College Station. The committee will examine Ordinance 628, which deals with housing quality. Rent in creases will also be studied. Boston courthouse bombing tied to ‘climate of hatred" Associated Press I BOSTON — Recent racial violence in Boston could have created the climate for a bombing at the Suffolk County Courthouse in which 22 persons were injured. Gov. Michael Dukakis says. 1 “At this time — and I stress at this time : — there is no evidence linking that bomb ing with the racial incidents which have occurred in the city during the past month,” the governor said in a televised address last night. “But there is no question that the vio lence that has plagued this city has created a climate of hatred and irrationality which could give rise to senseless acts such as the morning’s bombing. ” The governor announced creation of a special police unit made up of city, county, state and federal officers to investigate crimes of violence. He also said such cases would be taken directly to grand juries, bypassing the district courts. A march in downtown Boston against violence sponsored by Mayor Kevin H. White was to be held today. The governor and prominent churchmen said they would join the procession. (See Boston, Page 4.) Office created by Congress New judge race set By DEBBIE KILLOUGH John E. Hawtrey and Bradley Smith have entered the race for the new office, judge of county court at law, created by I Congress last session. Elections will be held May 1. The new judge will preside over county i court-at-law cases involving civil cases up to $10,000, misdemeanors, guardianships, j Hawtrey, 38, is an attorney-at-law with Seymour, Hawtrey, hnd Ryan in Bryan. He grew up in Iowa and has 126 credit hours of law from the University of Iowa Law School and John Marshall Law School in | Chicago. He is presently taking some law courses at Bates College of Law in Hous- ; ton. Hawtrey taught at Texas A&M Univer sity for two years, is married and has three children. Hawtrey said he feels qualified for the position because of his eight years of ex perience as a defense attorney. “It is a new job and it needs an experi enced person,” Hawtrey said. Hawtrey said there are no issues in this race, and the most important point is the experience of the candidate. He said most of the involvement that college students have in law cases deal with consumer cases such as minor automobile accidents and landlord problems. “As a judge it is important that you have an understanding in these areas of con sumer affairs, and I do,” Hawtrey said. Smith, 30, has been an assistant district attorney for nearly three years. He grew up in College Station and received his B.A. from Texas A&M University, and his doc torate of law at the University of Texas Law School. Smith also said there were no issues and Bradley Smith experience is the main factor of the race. He quoted the code of judicial conduct which says: “. . . a candidate for judicial law should not make pledges or promises of conduct in office other than the faithful and impartial performance of the duties of the office. ” The code also prohibits a candidate to announce his views on disputed legal or political issues. Smith said he feels he is qualified for the John E. Hawtrey office because of his experience as an assis tant district attorney. He has handled over 25 jury trials, over 50 nonjury trials, and over 200 juvenile hearings. The winner of the race will serve for two years, and the winner of subsequent races will serve for four years. The first judgeship will only be for two years so that each con secutive election will fall on nonpresiden- tial election years. Specialists differ on significance of housing decision time . . . Associated Press WASHINGTON — The regular schedule for Daylight Saving Time will take effect again this year, with long days beginning a half-year run on April 25, when most Americans will turn the clock forward one hour. Congress considered new legisla tion this year, but the efforts were blocked and the 1966 Uniform Time Act took effect again, providing for DST from the last Sunday in April through the last Sunday in October. In January 1974, at the height of the Arab oil embargo, provisions of the 1966 law were suspended after Congress concluded that energy could be saved through year-around observance of DST. But before long, lawmakers heard the protests of farmers and rural pa rents who sought the early-morning daylight hour, and standard time was returned in October 1974. In 1975, the nation had eight months of DST and the Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill decreeing eight months of DST every year, beginning in February, but the legislation failed. Backers of extended DST have cited Department of Transportation studies that found fast time can save a slight amount of energy, hold down street crime and probably reduce . the number of car accidents. Associated Press WASHINGTON — Civil rights and housing specialists differ about the signifi cance of this week’s Supreme Court deci sion on dispersing public housing into the suburbs, but they generally agree that another case scheduled for argument in the fall should clear up any doubts. Both cases involve Chicago and its sub urbs and raise the issue of what powers the federal government and the courts have in opening up suburbs to low-income housing now concentrated in poorer central cities. The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that federal courts have the power to require Chicago and the U.S. Department of Hous ing and Urban Development to draft a plan to disperse new public housing units throughout the metropolitan area rather than only within the city limits. The case hinged on an earlier finding of past dis crimination in the selection of sites and tenants in Chicago. Those who give a broad interpretation to the Supreme Court ruling say the public housing discrimination found in Chicago is typical of most big cities. This view holds that HUD’s response to the ruling is crucial to determining the case’s significance. The narrow interpretation is that HUD’s powers are limited and Chicago cir cumstances are unique and thus the na tional impact of the decision would be li mited. But advocates of both views say any doubts should be cleared up by a case set for argument before the Supreme Court this fall. A developer has challenged the right of Arlington Heights, Ill., a Chicago suburb, to use zoning laws to exclude a low-income federally subsidized housing project if the effect is to maintain the virtu ally all-white character of the suburb. Here, in question and answer form, is how analysts view the Tuesday decision. Q. What did the Supreme Court case involve? A. In response to a 1966 suit by Dorothy Gautreaux and five other black public housing tenants or applicants, the federal courts had already found the Chicago Aggie lobbies legislature By VIR ANDERSON One of A&M’s three assistants to the president, Robert G. Cherry, is also sec retary to the Board of Regents and serves to present the views and positions of the A&M system before legislative bodies in Austin. When the Texas legislature is in session. Cherry and representatives from other schools within the system—Moody Col lege, Tarleton State and Prairie View A&M— spend a great deal of time follow ing the legislation. “We get a copy of every bill that’s intro duced and if it could be amended to affect the system, then we track the bill and watch the amendments,” said Cherry. He said that quite frequently a proposed bill will affect A&M even though the author had no intention of changing some manner of the school’s operation. “It’s a vast, big and important process, legislature is. So we use all the sources at our command in assisting the legislature in understanding bills as they affect us,” said Cherry. Cherry said he and other representatives of the system go to Austin from time to time to try and talk to individual members of the legislature about a bill. Texas A&M has representation in the Texas legislature through Sen. Bill Moore and State Rep. Bill Presnal, both former students. Both are highly respected and influential members of the legislature. Cherry said. “When we have a position on a bill, we keep Sen. Moore and Rep. Presnal in formed. One thing I want to stress is how much we rely on them,” said Cherry. Sen. Moore is chairman of the State Af fairs Committee which handles many bills concerning institutions of higher education and is also a member of the Senate Finance Committee. Rep. Presnal is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. The appropriations bill is quite impor tant to A&M, being a state-supported school. “You understand that we live or die, prosper or perish by the legislature. Good legislative relations are essential be cause all our funds are appropriated by the legislature,” said Cherry. In his duties as secretary to the Board of Regents, Cherry prepares the agenda for board meetings, writes the minutes and serves as their keeper of records. (See Aggie, Page 4.) Housing Authority and HUD guilty of dis crimination in selection of sites and tenants to keep public housing out of white neighborhoods of the city. (See Specialists, Page 4.) Option play on grid tickets By HOLLY HUTCHINSON Football fans may request football season coupon books during preregistration and , pay for them with foil semester fees. Any remaining coupon books may be purchased 1 at the Kyle Field Ticket Booth from Aug. 23 through Sept. 10, 1976. Beginning Aug. 23, a student may pick up his coupon book by presenting his 1976 fall semester activity card and his paid fee receipt. Students must have proof of their classification when the coupon book is ob tained, as there will be no exchanging of books for classification changes. If any books are left, these will be sold as student spouse coupon books for $42.00, and will go on sale Wednesday, Sept. 1, 1976. These may also be purchased at the Kyle Field Ticket Booth. Any remaining books will be sold as date coupons books for $42.00, and will go on sale Sept. 3. Both spouse and date coupon books will be sold until Sept. 10, or as long as the supply lasts. The random method of distributing foot ball tickets will be used this year as the result of the referendum taken during the general school election. The random method was selected over the first-come, first-serve method by a vote of 2,488 to > 2,294. Details concerning the random method have not been decided. Tickets will be dis tributed to student season coupon book holders by classification on the week prior to the game. If there are any tickets available, stu dents may purchase individual game tic kets for $3.50 on Friday with their fall semester activity card. A schedule will be posted with dates concerning purchases of away game tickets. Each student will be eligible to get a maximum of ten tickets and at least half of the coupon books must be of the higher classification. Students desiring refunds for their sea son coupon books must apply in the Athle tic Business Office, G. Rollie White Col iseum 113, between Sept. 1 and Sept. 10. No refunds will be given after Sept. 10. All season coupon book purchasers are guaranteed a student ticket to home games, if picked up by closing time (4:00 p.m.) on the Thursday perceeding the game. The minimum student allocation for all home games is 22,809 seats. r Index A This week’s movies. Page 3. An astronomer says comet patterns indicate they originated when a giant planet between Mars and Jupiter exploded. Page 4. The Better Business Bureau says local businesses that lost money on the ill-foted first version of a University directory might get their money back. Page 4. Quarterback David Walker has decided not to play with the Ag- gies next year. Page 5.