Wednesday, May 7, 1975
Goodman, SOc sweep
SGC election; balloting
highest since Fall 1973
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Three I
THE-M-CH-GAN-D-iL- Page-Thre
,. .. F "y... I
By TIM SCHICK
Student Government Council
(SGC) last week declared Deb-
ra Goodman of the Student Or-
ganizing Committee (SOC) party
the new Council president. The
April election drew the largest
voter turnout since the fall of
1973.
SOC also swept to victory in
the races for Council seats, with
all six of their candidates elect-
ed. SOC was the only undeferted
party in the election.
NEARLY 7.5 per cent of the
student body voted in the elec-
tion, which operated under the
tightest safeguards against bal-
lot fraud in recent memory.
Over the years, SGC elections
have gained a notorious reputa-
tion for alleged corruption and
problems forced the cancella-
tion of an election two years
ago.
The use of a double-enveope
voting system apparently avoid-
ed oroblems this time. An outer
envelope contained each veoer's
name and identification num-
ber, which were checked against
a list of enrolled students to pro-
vent persons from voting more
than once.
After the eligibility of e a c Is
voter was confirmed, the outer
enveloe was opened and its
unmarked inner envelope was
removed for counting.
GOODMAN and her vce pre-
sidential running mate David
Mitchell defeated candidate J.
Thomas Buck of the MOVE
(Make Our Votes Effective par-
ty by a 1221 to 866 margin.
Goodman was reportedly elated
over her victory.
Other candidates for president
were Gary Baker, of the New
Action Coalition (NAC) who re-
ceived 396 votes, Candice Mas-
sey of Positive Action with 139,
Michael Forman of New Cam-
Housing conl
Stockwell pr
By BILL TURQUE
The Housing office investiga-
tion into a petition of griev-
ances filed by Stockwell staff
and residents against Building
Director Mildred Morris con-
tinued last week, with Housing
officials remaining tight - lipped
regarding Morris' future.
"It's a management prob-
lem, not to be discussed pub-
licly," said Associate Housing
Director Archie Andrews. An-
drews added that he has been
involved in the probe merely as
a "process observer," as re-
quired by housing regulations in
investigations of this kind.
THE 245 - signature petition,
presented to the offices of Hill
area Housing Director Gerald
Burkhouse, Housing Director
John Feldkamp and President
Robben Fleming on April 15,
cite Morris' failure to partici-
pate in dorm functions, a lack
of regular office hours and an
inability to maintain "a posi-
tive rapport" with the staff
and residents. The petition was
not presented to all residents of
the 400-woman dormitory.
Burkhouse, who has conduct-
ed the bulk of the investigation,
notified every fifth resident of
Stockwell by memo, on Friday,
April 25, asking them to attend
a meeting to be held the follow-
ing afternoon in one of the
elot with 87 and independent Ke-
vin Stiers with 78 votes.
Goodman's victory mared an
apparent victory for radical-lib-
eral campus politics. SOC is an
out-growth of the Graduate Fm-
ployee Organization (GFO) Un-
dergrad Suport Committee, he
group coordinating the under-
graduate activities during t h e
recent GEO strike.
THE DEFEATED MOVE par-
ty was backed by a number of
fraternities and sororities. Many
liberal opponents said their fear-
ed that MOVE would wia the
election with this backing and
work against progressive move-
ments on campus.
In the race for Cosncil seats,
46 candidates vied for 15 posi-
tions. Not a single incumbent
won as SOC took four full year
seats and two half-year seats,
MOVE won three full-year and
half-year seats, NAC took one
full-year seat, PA took one half
-year seat as did the Unversity
Constituents Alliance.
THE ELECTION gives SOC a
total of seven votes, plus the
president's vote which can be
used only to make or break a
tie. This falls two votes short
of a 50 per cent majority, how-
Two ballot issues were also
decided in the election. A con-
stitutional amendment to elim-
inate mandatory funding of the
Student Legal Advocate pro-
gram failed to get the 60 per-
rent of the yes votes necessary
for passage. Only 53.14 per cent
of the vote favored the amend-
ment.
A second ballot proposal al-
Ilocating $2,500 to the Child
Care Action Center this year
and $1,500 in the next three
years passed, receiving an
ovrwhelming 71.19 per cent o
the votes in its favor.
inues
obe
dorm's dining rooms.
Approximately 35 residents
cameto the meeting, also at-
tended by Morris and Andrews,
in which they were asked to fill
out a two-page questionnaire ex-
panding on the specific charges
in petition. There was no dis-
cussion of the issuesaccording
to those present, just the com-
pletion of the questionnaire. Re-
ceiving less than 24 hours no-
tice, some students felt the pro-
cedure was wholly inadequate.
"IT WAS THE weekend be-
fore finals," said one resident,
"and a lot of people who were
asked to come to the meeting
had gone home. Also, she (Mor-
ris )got to see the answers we
had written right as we handed
them. in. She was staring
straight at us."
Burkhouse, Andrews, and
Morris held similar meetings
that same day with Stockwell
staff members, and dorm gov-
ernment representatives.
Burkhouse held a final meet-
ing on Monday evening the 28th
for those residents who could
not attend on Saturday. Burk-
house, Morris, and Andrews
have reportedly had individual
sessions with at least one staff
member and several residents
regarding the charges. Burk-
house declined to comment on
any aspect of the investigation.
Oops!
Is President Ford pushing former Treasury Secretary George Shultz to the ground? Not really--
Shultz simply slipped while ascending the steps of the Treasury Building and Ford reached out
to assist him. The two were on their way to the formal unveiling of a portrait of Shultz.
Council splits on
Mayor Pro Tern
By ROB MEACHUM
Voting along party lines, the Ann Arbor City
Council failed Monday night to elect a Mayor
Pro Tempore-each nomination being defeated
6-5 except Human Rights Party (HRP) Coun-
cilwoman Kathy Kozachenko's nomination of
herself which died because it wasn't seconded.
In other action, Council refused to consider
a motion by Kozachenko to amend the 1975-76
city budget, tabled a motion by Councilman
Ronald Trowbridge (R-Fourth Ward) to place
preferential voting on the ballot in the next
general election and accepted the resignation
of City Attorney Edwin Pear.
THE DEMOCRATS nominated Councilwo-
man Carol Jones (D-Second Ward), the Repub-
licans nominated Councilman Louis Belcher
(R-Fifth Ward) and Kozachenko nominated
herself to become Mayor Pro Tem. Each vote
resulted in a split, with Kozachenko voting
against both Democratic and Republican nom-
inations. Kozachenko has vowed not to form
a coalition with the Democrats.
Because of her actions, Kozachenko's mo-
tions and resolutions were not seconded, there-
fore dying for a lock of a seconding motion.
It was in this manner that her resolution to
amend the 1975-76 city budget failed.
But that didn't stop party members from
presenting their alternatives to Council as they
instead used the opportunity of public com-
ments. They called for, among other things,
a reducing of administrative positions and
salaries, increasing monies for day care and
legal aid and creating nine additional posi-
tions for firefighters-a move that could create
a fire station on the city's south side.
KOZACHENKO used the hearing to say,
"The Democrats have stated to me personally
that the changes are not radical enough, are
not sweeping enough.
See COUNCIL, Page 15
Wheeler certified Mayor
By ROB MEACHUM
Two years of Republican domination in city
politics officially ended last week as Democrat
Albert Wheeler was sworn in as the new
mayor - 23 days and a court ruling after the
hotly-contested election was held.
In that election, Wheeler received 14,684
votes while Republican incumbent J a m e s
Stephenson received 14,563 votes, the differ-
ence being a mere 121 votes.
THE DISPUTE arose after the Republican
members on the City Board of Canvassers re-
fused to certify Wheeler. According to state
law, if that board doesn't certify, the results
go to the county canvassers for certification.
A similar bipartisan split occurred there, how-
ever.
The entire case went to court as a result -
Wheeler demanding to be certified as the
"duly elected mayor" and Stephenson asking
the court to declare the city's unique but con-
fusing "preferential voting" system unconsti-
tutional.
Under the system, Ann Arbor voters could
make several choices for mayor. Since no can-
didates received a clear majority of votes, the
candidate finishing third (Human Rights Party
(HRP) candidate Carol Ernst) was eliminated
and her second choice votes redistributed
among Wheeler and Stephenson. It was this
redistribution that gave Wheeler the win.
IN HIS court ruling, Judge James Fleming
of Jackson said, "The right of the electorate
to have their votes tallied and the office of
Mayor filled is paramount. This right of self-
determination is basic to our system of demo-
cracy, and the office of Mayor should not
be suspended in limbo ."
Stephenson, along with other Republican
members of Council voted to keep themselves
in office while the matter with in the court.
Although there is likely to be further legal
action taken by the Republicans, the Council
makeup at present is five Democrats, f i v e
Republicans and one HRP member who vows
See WHEELER, Page 16