The Michigan Daily-Friday, June 12, 1981 -Page 3
a potential economic oasis
By GREGOR MEYER
With a major research university, a
core of high technology business, and a
considerable amount of undeveloped
land at its disposal, Ann Arbor has the
potential to become an economic oasis
amidst the financial chaos plaguing
much of Michigan.,
Community leaders, however, stress
the need for controlled development of
industry in the area.
"For the first time ever (in Ann Ar-
bor), lots of people are attuned to the
fact that you need economic growth,"
said Jim Frenza, president of the city's
Economic Development Corporation
and director of the Chamber of Com-
merce. "However, we are not min-
dlessly pro-development."
COMPARISONS with industrial ex-
plosions such " as Stanford's Silicon
Valley and the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology's Rt. 128, are inevitable
when discussing high technology
development, but City officials say Ann
Arbor does not seem to be heading in
that direction.
'U' helps
Ann Arbor
reeyling
By ANN MARIE FAZIO
Daily staff writer
Recycle Ann Arbor, a local non-profit
organization, has made an agreement
with the University to provide a free
pick-up service of recyclable paper to
those University departments or
programs thaat are willing to cooperate
with theprdgram.
"The University throws away about
1,000 tons of waste a month," said
Kerry Sanford, of Ann Arbor Recycle.
"As much as one-half of that could be
recycled."
Director of University Business
Operations, John Weidenbach, said he
is all for the program because it will
save the University considerable sums
of money.
IN A MEMO circulated to all Univer-
sity deans, program directors, and
department heads, he said by having
Recycle Ann Arbor pick up this
material free of charge "the University
could reduce waste disposal costs."
He added that "the community would
benefit by reducing pressure on the use
of landfills, and the country gains by
saving valuable raw materials and
energy used in making paper."
Sanford said he is pleased with the
response he has gotten from various
departments in the University. Curren-
tly, Recycle Ann Arbor makes 20 pick-
ups in the hospital complex, and about
15 in other buildings and six in dor-
mitories.
SANFORD SAID the primary goal of
Recycle Ann Arbor is tb "recycle the
whole city." At present, they service
about 20 percent of residential Ann Ar-
bor with bi-monthly "curb-side pick-
ups."
Most of the pick-ups are done by
alout 20 of their volunteers. The center
is run by about 50 volunteers. There are
also three paid employees, whose
salaries come from the money made by
selling the paper to a recycling station
in Romulus.
Newsprint, which is the most
available paper to recycle, will sell for
anywhere between 60 cents and $2 per
100 pounds, depending on the season,
Sanford said.
"We can become an area that has a
good niche in high technology without
having all the liabilities that a Silicon
Valley faces," said Mayor Louis
Belcher. He said the city can avoid
problems like overcrowding, higher
housing costs, and traffic congestion by
putting an emphasis on "quality and
good planning."
Ann Arbor's unique environment
enables planners to expand its
economic base, enhance the quality of
education at the University in the face
of declining state support, and maintain
the character and quality of life in the
city and surrounding townships.
"I'M CONFIDENT we can sustain
growth without becoming a blight to the
area," said William Ince, senior vice-
president of operations at the Irwin In-
ternational electronics firm, and
president of the Michigan Technology
Council.
The council is designed to provide a
forum for interaction among high
technology leaders and enhance the
positive relationship between the
university and industry. It also assists
in the establishment and growth of
regional enterprises.
Ince and others say they think the
council has become the prime mover in
aggressively developing the attitude
that Ann Arbor is a leading and expan-
ding industrial center. Cooperation
with the University is vital to this ef-
fort.
"Anything the University does should
not impede academic progress," said
Don Smith, Director of the University's
Industrial Development division. Ince
said University-industry interaction is
educationally beneficial when industry
solicits consultation from its faculty, he
said.
"The more that professors relate to
See ECONOMIC. Page 6
DalyPrnotooyrAUL eNGRO sM
Theresa Nicks (right), narrowly out-racing her competitor, wins her round of competition at the third annual Hospital-
ity Week contest.
Local -watpersons race-
in, cha mpagne olymics'
By JENNIFER MILLER looking black vest, Creeger dashed to the first table
Daily staff reporter with his bus tub, and efficiently cleared it-plates fir-
Two waitpersons, each carefully balancing a tray st and glasses last, of course. Creeger circled the
with three brimming champagne glasses, stood nearest tree and whisked the dishes off the second
poised and ready ... no, not for the next onslaught of 1 table.
customers, but for an obstacle course race around HE MADE IT back to the starting point in seconds
downtown's Liberty Plaza. flat, grabbed the proper amount of clean dishes, and
Dave Deaver and Theresa Nicks raced up the returned to set up the first table. A broken cham-
steps, dodging the trees and people, with champagne pagne glass didn't faze him as he headed for the tree
sloshing out of the glasses. A small cheering section and the second table before completing his mad dash
from the Pretzel Bell shouted encouragement, 'Don't to the finish.
look down! You're doing great!' Meanwhile, Tracy McKay checked the score for the
THERESA TRIED not to laugh or look down, but champagne race. "I have the slowest time," she
alas! she spilled most of her champagne on the laughed. Her manager was also amused. "Just wait
treacherous steps. until promotion time," he kidded.
Why are they doing this? "Just for the fun of it," THE THIRD ANNUAL Hospitality Week is in-
said Tracy McKay, a waitress at Win Schuler's. Ac- dicative of the friendliness between Ann Arbor
tually, the race between area restaurants was part of restaurants and hotels. The week kicked off with a
the "Hospitality Week" festivities sponsored by the Sunday picnic and softball game, and continued with
Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce. a bed-making and luggage-carrying contest between
The winner, Dave Deaver, divulged his tricks of the hotelemployees. Area restaurants strutted their stuff
trade. "The secret to success was using the palm in- at a food fair at Liberty Plaza. The week will wind up
stead of the fingertips," he said. with a culinary competition and display at Briarwood
LOSER CRAIG Cather, from the Campus Inn, Mall today and tomorrow, with an awards banquet
smiled in the face of defeat. "There were some tricky Sunday.
maneuvers, but it wasn't too hard," Cather said. Bruce Bommarito, general manager of Holiday Inn
The next event was the busboy race. Campus Inn West and chairman of the events, said, "The
busboy Scott Creeger wag doubtful about his chances. hospitality industry here is one of the best in the coun-
"There's some stiff competition," he said. try." The week gives some attention to service em-
Wearing a determined grin and a professional- ployees who"don't get much recognition," he said.