The Michigan Daily-Tuesday, June 16, 1981-Page 9 Cuts finalized at 'U' Botanical Gardens (Continued from Page 1) Collins said. The remainder will come from several other sources. They plan to ask for a 75c donation from visitors as well as a fee from organizations that hold meetings at the Gardens, he said. ABOUT $20,000 of the deficit will hopefully be made up by charging researchers for space used at the Gar- dens, Henry said. Collins added that they 'will also be charged for any materials and staff time used. Henry said the Gardens area most jeopardized will be the section open to the public, because with the reduction in the number of groundkeepers, the staff will be unable to keep it up. Collins said that since the main fun- ction of the Gardens is teaching and research, there will not be as much out- side maintenance needed, which con- sumes considerable staff time. FORMER GARDENS Director Erich' Steiner said, however, that the gardens were never fully utilized because they never had a research staff. "If the Botanical Gardens had a research staff," he said, "there would be, perhaps, a greater interest in keeping (the facility) at a maximum level." Dean Knott said there have been ef- forts to have more researchers at the Gardens in the past, but that they haven't worked out "for one reason or another." Collins said some of the areas which cannot be tended to will be "let go into natural areas." He added that some of the outside-maintenance will be done by volunteers, particularly from the Friends of the Botanical Gardens. HENRY CAUTIONED that volun- teers don't always work out. They need a lot of supervision, he said, "tying up our personnel" and often can only do fairly simple things just because they don't know how to do more involved work. The Friends also sell some of the plants grown on the grounds, giving a portion of the money made back to the Gardens. This portion amounts to bet- ween $7,000 and $10,000 annually, Henry said.I Two groundskeepers were among the three full-time positions eliminated. Anna Tobias has been transferred to central campus and another has decided to retire. THE THIRD full-time employee to be terminated is horticulturist Roger Keller. Keller, said he believes the reason he was terminated was because he is the only person in his pay grade without a college degree. Keller, who has been with the University for three years, said he has been in the profession for 15 years. Keller said he knew for a long time that there were going to be positions eliminated, but "each person always thinks it's gonna be someone else, some other position." The University is "trying to help me find another position within the Univer- sity system," he said, but they are not legally bound to do it because he is a non-union worker. HE ADDED that the cuts that are being made to the Gardens will "very significantly diminish the ability of the Gardens to produce material for class and diminish the quality of the Gardens as a public education resource." Collins denied that the reason for Keller's dismissal was lack of a degree, saying "No, that's not the case at all." He added that the position termination has had nothing to do with personality. Henry said he believed it was the positions that were eliminated, not the people in them, and that it had nothing to do with job performance. The two part-time positions that have been eliminated are two weekend -groundskeepers. Henry said thi$ also concerns him because, now the regular workers will have to work some weekends, making the staff short- handed during the week. Greenhouse 3, which holds mostly personal collections and class material, is slated to be closed to save ap- proximately $1,000 in heating costs, Henry said. ,,, . l I Y il Z l n..w FOUR CHILDREN PEER into a pool at the University's Botanical Gardens, about five miles north of central campus. The Gardens' budget is slated to be cut 36 percent by July 1. Reagan draws more sharp critism om mayors From AP and UPI LOUISVILLE, Ky. - President Reagan sent a qualified peace overture to the nation's rebellious mayors yesterday, but found himself accused of an "unprovoked attack" on the cities because of his economic policies. After two days of criticism from the annual convention of the U.S. Con- ference of Mayors, Reagan sent an open letter to the city leaders, saying he sympathizes with their problems but in- tends to push ahead with his economic programs anyway. AT THE SAME time, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Samuel Pierce said the mayors are beingunfair to the administration and asked them to consider both sides of the budget debate "before concluding, that this ad- ministration is abandoning the cities." Mayor Richard Hatcher of Gary, bid., president of the mayors' group. and a vocal critic of the Reagan proposals, criticized budget cuts he said would force cities to lay off workers, limit housing programs and reduce public transit services. "We are the primary victims - in- deed, almost the only victims - of the budget-cutter's indiscriminate and in- sensitive acts," Hatcher said. "Cities are being asked to volunteer as guinea pigs for an economic experiment that is untested, unproven and - I fear - un-. sound." REAGAN WAS asked to appear at the conference but chose instead to send a letter in which he said the historical flow of tax dollars'to Washington must be reversed. "I am committed to decentralizing the power and authority in Washington, and returning it to local and state governments where it belongs," Reagan's letter said. I'm planning a Father's Day treat By taking my dad out to eat: No gimmicks, no deals, No kiddie appeals, Lunch 11:30 to 1:15 Just League food that no onetcan beat. Dinner 5:00 to 7:15 SPECIAL LOW PRICES FOR STUDENTS Send your League Limerick to: TheMichigan Manager, Michigan League 227 South Ingalls Next to Hill Auditorium You will receive 2 free dinner Located in the heart of the campus. tickets if your limerick is used in it is the heart of the campus . one of our ads.