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are \J2M. Co ming to By MAURICE D. LEE Two primary ownership plans tor a pro- posed $24million cable television-telecom- munications system for Syracuse are un- der consideration at the local and state levels. The announcement was made yesterday by John D. Fannetti, director of electron- ics communications for the City of Syracuse. In a progress report, he said plans are "slowly but surely" moving along toward getting a system established and installed that would meet all entertainment and se- curity purposes. Fannetti said he spent much of last Wednesday conferring with Robert Kelly, head of the state Commission on Cable Television, in Albany. Discussed in detail were the specifics of the Syracuse proposal, he added. The previous week, Fannetti submitted a request for proposals (RF?) to the commission's director of municipal assist- ance and policy. Fannetti said that the whole "package" was under review by the commission staff. He said he had been assured it would do all "within its powers" to return an approved RFP so that it could go to the City Council Aug. 2. Fannetti said he would go to Albany again this week to make any final adjust- ments the "commission may feel are nec- essary for approval. The primary ownership plans under consideration by the city for a CATV- telecom operation were described by Fan- netti as follows: — A municipally built and owned telecommunications system, leased to separate security and cable television firms. The city would bond for the telecom, as a police and fire alarm signal system. The city would contract with a major electron- ics manufacturer to build and test a "turnkey" system the city would own. Then, the city would lease the alarm portion of the system to a private security company, and the CATV portion of the system to a private cable television com- pany. A contractor would be engaged by the' city to maintain and service the entire telecom system after its installation. — The telecom system under an op- tional ownership plan would be owned, op- erated and maintained by a private con- tractor. He would provide services in accordance with a franchise awarded him by the city. The CATV system would be in private operation and in no way linked up with the telecom system. Fannetti said the state commission's approval of the request for proposals would be presented to the CATV Specifi- cations Review Committee before submit- ting it to the council First proposal in the RFP is for a mu- nicipally built and leased telecommunica- tions system. The second proposal is for a privately owned system that also would be operated privately. In his briefing, Fannetti said he had spent a day last week in Philadelphia, Pa., to make a comparison of the proposed telecom system for Syracuse with the Jer- rold Telecom system. Fannetti said he found both to be very similar. He said Jerrold felt that, "with small changes in design/* it could deliver an off- the-shelf system. Fannetti also has consulted ToCom Inc. and Magnavox to make comparisons. He said that he had learned their sys- tems are compatible with the proposed Syracuse system. Once the council approves the RFP for- mula, anywhere from three to six months would be required to arrange for con- tracts and to complete negotiations, he said. Councilor-at-Large Armond J. Mag- narelli, chairman of a special council CATV committee, would be the most likely person to present the RFP formula to the council. Fannetti said he was optimistic, if the council approves, that a telecom system could be in an initial phase of construction by January, 1977. He anticipates that the city would have a completed CATV-telecom system city- wide four years from now — by 1980. ur Schools Under 1977 By DALE RICE If the city school board approves the tentative $50.4 million 1977 district budget Thursday, the education commissioners will probably have committed themselves to closing four schools in September, 1977. Julius E. Deuble, assistant superintend- ent for administrative services, said that $116,551 has been cut from the proposed budget to reflect school consolidation in 1977. That amount, Deuble confirmed, would probably require the closing of four schools. Deuble has said repeatedly that the dis- trict cannot afford to maintain the same number of school buildings it did 10 years ago, since the pupil population of the dis- trict has decreased significantly since then. Plans Renovation ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^_ ^^^^^ Waiting While the city has already borrowed $1 million for the project and the mayor has appointed an architect, the renovation of Nottingham Senior High School still awaits action of the city school board. Seven months ago, the Nottingham Re- novation Committee asked the board four key questions affecting the modernization of the high school. One month ago, the committee re- quested a special session with the board to address those issues that are stalling the renovation project. Despite the fact that three board mem- bers, the superintendent of schools and the assistant superintendent for second- ary education all live in the Nottingham attendance area, the board has neither answered the questions nor set a date for the study session. The committee — reminding the board of its request — last week sent more in- formation on the various renovation pos- sibilities to the education commissioners. Since the committee's original planning sessions, it was noted, many people have suggested that George Washington Ele- mentary School, which is located adja- cent to Nottingham, be closed. Taking that suggested closing into con- sideration, the committee developed three possible plans for the board. They are: • Plan I — Nottingham remains a school for grades 10 to 12 and George Washington remains open as an elemen- tary school. • Plan II — Nottingham becomes a school for grades nine to 12 and George Washington remains open as an elemen- tary school. • Plan III — Nottingham becomes a school for grades nine to 12 and George Washington is closed as an elementary school and annexed to Nottingham. The committee also informed the board that two of its original four questions — on senior citizen and night school pro- grams — would no longer need to be an- swered by the board. The building will be able to accommo- date senior citizens' programs after the renovation, because the modernization will incorporate "barrier-free" require- ments which would enable people of all ages and abilities to use all areas of the school. If the night school program remains at or returns to Nottingham, the building will be even more flexible to handle the program after the renovation, the com- mittee stated. That still leaves three questions for the board to answer. The two asked originally by the committee deal with nursery edu- cation and the possibility of making the school for grades nine to 12 to combat un- derenrollment problems. The third question, raised this spring by the district's building utilization com- mittee and now by the Nottingham com- mittee, is whether George Washington will be one of the elementary schools to be closed in September, 1977. Stereo Equipment Is Reported Stolen More than $600 in stereo equipment was taken in a burglary at a Syracuse University student's residence, police re- ported yesterday. Andrew D. Dorfman, 20, of 101 Corn- stock Ave., told police $665 worth of as- sorted stereo equipment was taken. ;Police reported a window was.forced open to gain entry to the residence be- tween 7 p.m. Saturday and 6:30a.m. yes- terday. "If Plan I is implemented." the com- mittee stated, "the interest centered pro- grams must be supported and publicized to maintain a minimum of LOOO students, or boundaries must be changed to provide this 1,000-student minimum." If Plan II were followed, the interest centered programs would not be able to receive transferring pupils, according to the committee. Also, eight additional classrooms would be needed and there would be an increase in the number of problems experienced by having grades kindergarten through six and nine to 12 on the same site. Under Plan III, the base for receiving state funds for the renovation project would be changed, enabling the district to receive more aid far the modernization project. F * j n j ind Bod Of Cyclist » Under Car John Gaspe, 21, of 108 Nelson St., was killed early yesterday when he fell from his motorcycle in the 400 block of Tomp- kins Street. Police believe the 1 a.m. accident was caused when the man was performing "wheelies" — bringing the front wheels of his motorcycle off the ground by ma- nipulating the clutch and throttle. Patrolman William O'Hern said Gaspe's body was found underneath a parked car about 400 feet from where the motorcycle fell. The car, which police said was owned by Gambles Leasing Corp., was parked in front of 407 Tompkins St. Police were unsure of who the operator of the car was yesterday. The motorcycle came to rest about 656 feet from where Gaspe fell, O'Hern said. Gaspe was traveling east on Tompkins Road near Emerson Avenue when the ac- cident occurred. Arrangements by the Callahan-Hanley- Mooney Funeral Home are incomplete. j^ . ^ . ^^^^^^^ F ^^™^^^^^™ — ^^^^^^^^^™^^^^^™™^^^ w *"**^**^"^"^^ — ^^^*^*^^ ta ^^^» Governor Puts Ryan to Go Apparently, the board members agree. Most have acknowledged they stand ready to approve school closings for next September and have agreed the selection of which schools to close ought to come before the end of this year. The board will conduct a public hearing on the proposed 1977 budget at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow in the auditorium of Fowler Senior High School, 227 Magnolia St. Unlike school boards in the county, the city school board is not required by law to conduct a public hearing on the budget. The board, however, conducts the hearing as a courtesy to city residents. Board President Janet Edison said, "I hope the members of the public will af- ford themselves of this opportunity to comment on the budget/' She noted that the board has made changes in the budget in past years because of input at the pub- lic hearings. Two days after the public hearing, the board will meet in special session at 4 p.m. Thursday at the district's central offices, 409 W. Genesee St., to approve the final budget draft. The 1977 budget must be submitted to City Hall by Sun- day. The proposed 1977 budget presently stands at $50,415,504 — up $2,4 million over this year's budget of $48 million. That represents an increase of 5 per cent. Deuble said, however, that the $50.4 million figure is artificially inflated with a new budget category. The actual budget increase, he said, is only 4.5 cent. Deuble said that compares favorably with other school budgets around the county, which were up an average of 5.8 per cent this year. The City School District's staff will be significantly reduced under the proposed budget, which reflects the elimination of 185 full-time equivalent staff positions. There are currently 2,159 people on the district payroll. The district is one of the largest employers in the city. Fringe benefit costs and expenditures for contractual items caused most of the increases in next year's budget. Fringes will cost the district $8.07 mil- lion next year, up more than $604,000 over this year's figure. The largest single cost increase in fringe benefits was health insurance, which rose 38 per cent. Just as businesses and homeowners have been hit with ever-increasing utility bills, the district's expenditures for gas, electricity and telephones will rise con- siderably, Deuble said. Contractual items — which include the utilities and transportation costs — will cost the district $5.4 million in 1977, up $1.26 million over the 1976 level. Last year, 'planned cuts in interscholas- tic'athletics were restored when city resi- dents opposed the cuts and Mayor Lee Al- exander came through with the needed funds. This year, the board has included in the list of budget reductions a 12 per cent cut in sports allocations. The specific sports cuts were recom- mended to School Supt. Dr. Edwin E. Weeks Jr. by Walter N. Black, supervisor of instruction for physical education. The planned cuts include: • The elimination of senior high golf, junior varsity baseball and junior high school wrestling and both junior high school and senior high school varsity cheerleading. • A reduction in the number of teams. On Exhibit Authority forhighscho ° lswimmin *' wintertrack ' Thomas J. Ryan of Constantia, a bank- er, has been appointed by Gov. Hugh L. Carey as a member of the Industrial Ex- hibit Authority. Ryan. 45, is vice president of the Manu- facturers Hanover Trust Co. of Syracuse. He is a former vice president of the Met- ropolitan Bank of Syracuse and an execu- tive of banks in Virginia. high school wrestling and lacrosse. Under the proposal, two swim teams, two track teams and two wrestling teams would be eliminated. In each case, pupils from the four high schools would try out for the remaining two teams. In lacrosse, one varsity and one junior varsity team would be abolished, with pu- pils from all four high schools participat- ing on one citywide team. Elvis Presley strikes a familiar pose as he sings at the War Memorial last night at the first of two soldout con- certs. One of his faithful fans, left, holds up a poster of the rock star as she waits for Elvis to come on stage. Elvis will return to the War Memorial tomorrow night for his second concert. Last night's performance was the first time Elvis has sung in Syracuse. His audience, in response to a question, told him the closest he's ever been to Central New York is Buffalo. (Photos by staff photo- grapher Clement H. Murray) Fat, Puffy, Has-Been Elvis Outshone His Costume By DALE RICE The sex idol is dead! Long live the memories? "Funny How Time Slips Away" was the next to the last song Elvis Presley sang at the War Memorial last night, but it might as well have been the title of his whole stage performance. As a child growing up in the 1950s, I re- member Elvis, not so much as a rock and roll star, but as an idol who glistened in a fairly dull decade. Last night, the illusions were shattered. An overweight Elvis merely went through the motions of what once must have been a polished performance. The show lacked enthusiasm, and the only thing that spar- kled was Elvis' costume. The millionaire songster — who came on stage following the theme from the movie "2001" — was dressed in a baby blue jumpsuit,'embroidered with a red and gold thunderbird design. The suit featured a wide (very wide) belt that must have been designed to dis- guise the fact that Elvis is overweight. It didn't help. Elvis is fat, and there's no hiding it. His cheeks are puffy and he has a double chin. As a sex idol, his once suggestive movements in those skin-tight suits brought women screaming to their feet. At 41, those movements have lost some- thing. To many, Elvis must only embody a remembrance of things past. Musically, the performance was medio- cre. His voice may have improved in the last year since he lost weight, but it still hasn't regained the vitality it once had. Surprisingly, the songs didn't bring peo- ple to their feet. In fact, the audience re- sponse was far less than I had ever ex- pected it would be. He sang his classics— "Hound Dog," "All Shook Up," "Hurt," "C.C. Rider," "I Got a Woman," "Don't Be Cruel," "Can't Help Falling in Love." Early in the performance, Elvis put in a plug for the Bicentennial with his own rendition of "America the Beautiful." The total Elvis performance — which was the second half of the show — lasted just under an hour. The first half was less than mediocre. It featured J.D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet, who sang gospel songs. J.D., ac- voice in the world. The speakers appar- ently could not handle such low notes and distorted his voice at times to where it lost all musical quality. Also on the bill were a poor Las Vegas comedian, Jack Kahane, and the Sweet Inspirations, a trio of black women who were not half bad. Elvis is in Rochester for a show tonight. He will return to the War Memo- cording to Elvis, has the lowest bass rial for a second sellout tomorrow night. Visibility Problem In Search for Boater GREGORY W. MILLER The murky depths of Onondaga Lake hindered attempts by divers to recover the body of a Liverpool man believed drowned in a boating accident Saturday afternoon. David Neff, 32, of 4040 Arrowhead Lane was last seen by his boating partner about two-thirds of a mile from the Solvay shore. The sailboat the two were in had overturned. Yesterday, divers from more than 20 police and fire departments in four coun- ties joined a search that had been called off at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday. But by nightfall yesterday no trace of a body had been found. "There's at least seven feet of murk 'and sludge at the bottom," Deputy John A. Hickein said yesterday afternoon. "It's impossible to swim through." Hickein, who coordinated the divers' efforts, said small boats were removed from the search effort when swells on the "Polk Salad Annie"-and closed with water reached heights of 2V» feet. Council to Get Requests Aug. 2 - _— t ft, it IT" "•" ' [•iJBTl —•— —— - • • _'•- — —_-" _ ^ I II J I^JUL Tf_riT_| •JI_*~>_J»_M_M_1^_1> •! I -~ — —- — • - -..^^-^1 _ _ ^ ^ - ^ ^ ^ • ^^^-^^^™—.^«—-^^^—^^^^^^^^•-^^^qt^**^fe^^^^ II 4^^^fe^^^£^M^^b^^*A^^^^^^^^UM^^ta^^^^^^^^^^^^^^4i^^ta^^B^^^^^^_^igph City to Seek Renewal of Job Funds •/ • Two requests for federal grants totaling $1,830,000, needed by the city govern- ment to fund continuing employment and training programs, are expected to go to the City Council Aug. 2. One would authorize Mayor Lee Alexander to apply to the U.S. Department of Labor for a $1.5 million grant, the city's anmual allocation under Title I of the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA). A second measure would authorize the mayor to apply to the department for a $330,000 grant under Title II (CETA) so the city may continue to offer public service employment during the 1977 federal year. Mrs. Ann C. Michel, city coordinator of federal and state aid, has advised city councilors that city funds are not required in either instance. Concerning the request for the larger sum, Mrs. Michel said: "Under this title of the act, the city is eligible as a prime sponsor to receive funding to continue its current program for the delivery of manpower services to economically disadvantage^, unemployed and underemployed city residents/' She has informed City Clerk Mortimer P. Gallivan that the program includes classroom training, work experience and on-job training. Mrs. Michel also said the program is designed to provide manpower and sup- portive services to enable a participant to obtain and retain unsubsidized employment. "The manpower services being provided include outreach, recruitment, assessment, orientation, counseling, job development and job placement/' she added. That was similar to lake conditions at about 5 p.m. Saturday, when the small sailboat Neff and Carl Bell were sailing capsized, according to sheriff's Sgt. Thomas J. Paglia. Neff and Bell apparently became sepa- rated. The men were neighbors. Bell, 29, lives at 4041 Arrowhead Lane. Bell was able to swim about two-thirds of a mile to the Solvay shore, where he flagged down a motorist. It took nearly an hour for Bell to swim the distance, Pa- glia said. The boat capsized in water about 65 feet deep, Paglia said. The searchers as- sumed it hadn't drifted far, since there is little current. The searchers used the grid method: buoys were placed in lanes and divers concentrated on the areas between the lanes. Paglia said the search area was, rough- ly, two-thirds of a mile west of the east shore and 4.5 miles north of the barge canal terminal in Syracuse. Even a few feet below the water, divers could see only a few feet. At the bottom, even lights didn't help, Paglia said. Divers were puM late in the after- noon and the recovery team turned to dragging tools. The operation was halted at about 9 p.m. Paglia said the sheriff's department would assemble more divers tomorrow. The search was started Saturday by water rescue teams from Onondaga Coun- Graduates at Windsor David M. Horowitch, son of Dr. and Mrs. Sheldon J. Horowitch of 4728 Lim- berlost Lane, Manlius, has graduated from The Loomis-Chaffee School at Wind- sor, Conn. He will attend the University of Rochester in September. t f t t I I I
