AUGUST 23 - 29,1987 THE t.tICHIGAN CITIZEN 7 Benton I-Iarbor area news \ o B sc 00 • exec WI business venture. He bought a building in Indianapolis and turned it into Big Fella's res­ taurant in 1971. To become the fastest-gro - ing trucking firm no an easy feat "The fir t good ape. ce ters, b en began to op for the rate they could find," cFadden says. "We realy went through some difficult times." A - Gene INDIANAPOLIS - Gene cFadden, form r assistant superintendea of the Benton Harbor Area Schools, was named the Indiana En­ repreneur of the Year. President of Freight aster Inc. of Indianapolis, cFadden founded the fastest- growing minority-owned truck­ ing company in the Midwest following failed try at selling railroad aossties. He began his quest for sue- e o cFadden heads fastest-growing minority-owned trucking firm cess picking cotton in Arkan­ sas, then selling papers. He earned a Ph.D. in secondary education, rose to assistant su­ perintendent of the Benton Harbor Area Schools, left to take up directing the Division - for Community Services in in­ dianapolis. "I have always had an inter­ est in business - since I was a kid, " McFadden told an in­ diana publication. That interest Jed to his first o 1 The DDA boundaries are approximately the riverfront on the west, east on Empire one block, then all the way along 11th Street to Wall Street, west along Wall and Highland, back to Main, north­ along Fourth, to Graham and back to the river. Irvin said she and the other fired members have ques­ tioned the legality of Little serving as director. 'He's not bonded," said Irvin quoting the law requiring directors to be secure a $10,000 bond prior to assum­ ing duties. "I also don't think he ever too an oath as the law requires. DDA President John Die ey told the Michigan Citizen that he knew nothing about the let­ ter from Petrie and was un­ sure of whether or not Little was bonded or had been cDonald Chiropractic Clinic B CK, HIP & LEG PROBLE S ECK, SHOULDER & AR CO DITIO S WHIPLASH I JURIES sworn into office. Other DDA board mem­ bers, Dickey said, include . Mayor Wilce Cooke, LMC president Anne Mulder, Whirlpool's Andy Tackas who sends Dale Sorget to repre­ sent him, Thayer Paper Co. president Kay Vargo, Rev. Delano Bowman, Rev. Bar­ bara Snell, and Hair Un­ limited owner Jimmy Norton. The membership of the board raises another legal I question, Irvin said The la requires that five of the eight DDA board members have "an interest in the property" in the DDA area. Only Vargo, Dickey, Norton and Whirlpool would meet that requirement. Commissioner Wolf has questioned Little at city com­ mission meetings about DDA compliance with the require­ ment that a detailed projec ROBERT BELL CO TRACTOR Bob - n arl tr et PAINTING & DECORATING ROOFING*TILE*MARBLE REMODELING STATE LICENSED 310 Searles Street 926·6859 Benton Harbor, MI 49022 That understatement describes a Clap er 11 filing in 1983, after which three emp oyees - McFadden, a partner and one other person- did all the dispatching, invoic­ ing. ccounting and everything else required by the business. Freight Masters pulled through, and now hauls freight for some of the biggest com­ panies in the country, includ­ ing General Motors Corp. and Chrysler Corp. plan be submitted for expendi­ tures. The question was raised when Little admitted paying city workers who were off duty on vacation leave for pouring a sidewalk infront of Thayer Paper Co. DDA money was used 0 bids were solicited, little admitted. Dickey told the Michigan Citizen he knew nothing about the sidewalk job and that no checks had been written to pay for the job. According to Wolf and the law establishing DDA's, a 14- point breakdown is required to be submitted detailing things such as how bids will be solicited Wolf charges that has not been done. Irvin also said that monthly financial statements are sup­ posed to be filed and available to the public. The three fired, former Now Open In BENTON HARBOR Home ear You HIGHL D DULT FOSTE C RE HO E Stat Lic n d, Comfortabl tlv­ ing you can afford, 24-hr. car and sup rvision, home for th aged and handicapped, m ntal h alth also. Sch duled shopping trips, thr meals daily, eon­ v nience in town location. Give you room to grow. Car for all ages, 30-80. Ampl parking spac in r are PHONE 926-6454 . • 1 HOUR SERVICE TIL NOON • • SAME DAY SERVICE DAILY. EXPERT SILK CLEANING. SHIRT SERVICE EXPERT LEATHER & DRAPERIES DDA board members ha filed suit in Circuit Court as­ king for court revie of their firing. A trial date has been set for February, Irvin reports. '1 guess the judge saw some merit in our charges or this ould 110t have been set for trial," she said Half of Alex Little's salary is paid for by a PIC job-creation­ grant to the city. He is paid $23,100 from the PIC grant Another $23,100 of his salary comes from the $1.3 mil­ lion paid back to the city by Alreco Metals. Alreco received that amount in an Urban Development Action Grant in 1983. The final $4,000 of Little's salary comes from the city's general fund . Little also serves director of the TIP A, whose president is Public Works Director Carl BOWD. It is not know who signs those checks. director of the DDA with the uthority to co-sign checks ith DDA Board President Dickey. . This too, concerns Irvin. She noted that the DDA did not have a treasurer since Cooke fired the treasurer last sum­ mer. Dickey confirmed that he and Little signed DDA chec . Irvin said the la requires t treasurer and bonded director sign the checks. The DDA has $365,806 budget for the year 1987-88, ccording to Dickey, 0 or a small business developer for the Chamber of