The Parks Department and Golf Course Maintenance will see the largest increase in funding of all City departments if the proposed budget for fiscal year 2000/2001 is accepted by the Council.

The proposed budget overall shows about a fifteen percent increase over last year’s. Increases in health insurance costs and a 4 percent cost of living increase inflated the overall budget to some degree.

The Park Department and Golf Maintenance both saw an approximate 30% increase in their projected expenditures. About a third of the golf course increase will be offset by the $1 per day surcharge recently put in place. The Park Department increase is partially due to a proposed new park maintenance building that will be financed over a five year period at approximately $50,000 per year.

In comparison, the Police Department budget rose only 2.32%, the Fire Department rose 5.36% (including a $65,000 payment toward two new fire trucks), the Street Department increased by 9%, and General Administration rose by just over 8%.

Council approval is still required.

Don’t see many June bugs in my neighborhood. As a kid we would use ‘em in various ways to amuse each other durin’ the early summer months. The most common trick was to catch one (which wasn’t much of chore, ya had ta watch your step to keep from crunchin’ one a the critters) and gently place in on a buddy’s shoulder. The fun was just waitin’ and watchin’ to see if the bug would make it up to the neck. ‘Course the more squeamish the individual, the bigger the laugh when they jumped and started swattin’ themselves.

Some of the more adventuresome would tie a piece of string to the critter and then watch it fly up into the darkness. The thrill was to see the flutter of thread flyin’ by at some later time. Homin’ bugs.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

CLICK & CLACK
TALK CARS

by Tom & Ray Magliozzi

Dear Tom and Ray:

I readily admit that my overall knowledge of the intricacies of automobile repair is extremely deficient. This has not been a problem for me, though, since I have an ex-boyfriend who considers himself quite the foreign-car motorhead. He has owned a number of foreign cars, sometimes several at a time, and has been eager to give me advice whenever I ask.

Sounds like I’ve got quite the setup, right? Well, let me draw your attention to the "ex" in front of "boyfriend." My pride has driven me to slowly wean myself away from ringing him up with every pathetic little question I have. So I figure I’d bother you guys! Here’s the question: The ex always told me to have my oil changed with only a Volvo oil filter, instead of using the cheap, buy-’em-by-the-crate American oil filters that my neighborhood oil, lube and filter shop installs. Do I really need to bring my own filter with me and insist they use it? I don’t want to have a showdown with these guys if I’m not absolutely sure that I’m right. -Erin.

TOM: Your ex-boyfriend has his head in his oil sump, Erin. The filters made by aftermarket companies such as Fram, Bosch and Purolator -just to name a few - all meet original equipment (OEM) standards. That means they meet or exceed the filtration standards that Volvo has specified for its oil filters. And, in our opinion, these aftermarket filters are every bit as good as Volvo’s own filters.

RAY: And besides, we think how often you change the filter has more effect on your car’s longevity than the brand of filter you use. And we recommend an oil and filter change every 5,000 miles.