Retirement Plan Discussion Postponed.

A discussion concerning the Police and Fireman’s Pension fund was postponed at last Monday’s Budget/Ways and Means Committee meeting. Committee Chair Jackie Boyer informed the Committee that the Pension Committee requested the postponement to further clarify their position.

The City police and fire personnel use a different retirement plan that other City employees. There have been some questions raised as to the difference in the amount of funding that is contributed by the City to the two funds. The City owned utility, CW&EP, has a separate retirement fund for its employees.

Each fund uses their own particular actuary to determine the amount of funding necessary to produce the desired benefits.

The City contributes 11.1% of salaries to the City employees’ fund. It contributes 6.3% to the Fire and Police Pension fund. CW&EP contributes 14.1% for its fund. The various funds produce similar benefits for retired employees. The City employees do receive a cost of living increase after they retire. The Police and Fire Pension plan does not provide for a cost of living increase.

For those of who know the frustration of tryin’ to repair some type of machine and bein’ confronted by rusty bolts or inadequate tools, there is always the satisfaction of venting the anger with the primitive, but effective, shade tree hammer throw.

‘Course throwin’ tools isn’t near as therapeutic as the havin’ to walk out in the yard to retrieve the instrument.

It does seem that with maturity comes the wisdom of just takin’ the walk and not endangering the neighborhood pets with the tool toss.

This insight usually comes after a forgotten hammer inflicts mortal damage to the lawn mower.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Carthage Printing Services

PRIME TIME WITH KIDS
by Donna Erickson

"THROWAWAY" PUZZLE
If you are looking for a rainy-day project to capture the interest of both your preschool and school-age children, try this puzzle-making project. It’s easy, fun and the best part is that your kids are recycling cereal boxes, old calendars and magazines and turning them into a charming puzzle.

When it’s all made, the youngest in the family will like to handle and guess the figures on the chunky puzzle blocks, while your 8-year-old will no doubt be challenged to put the pieces together.

Collect nine empty same-size single-portion cereal boxes or gelatin boxes and glue the open ends shut. (For a more challenging puzzle use 12 boxes.) Line up the boxes in even rows to make a square or rectangle. Measure the length and width.

Look through magazines for a favorite picture the same dimensions as your combined boxes. Measure and cut the picture in rectangles the size of each box. When we made our puzzle, we used a colorful picture of a lion from an old calendar. This worked great because the calendar grid on the back side made it easy for my son to cut it.

For other ideas, use a painting or drawing your child creates, print his/her name in big letters across a sheet of paper, or photocopy and enlarge your child’s photograph! Glue the cut-out pieces from the picture or drawing on one side of each box. For a double-sided puzzle, turn the boxes over and glue on pieces of another picture.

To play with the puzzle, mix up all the boxes and try to put them together to make the completed picture. It’s not as easy as it first appears!