Council Approves Emergency Funds for Road Repair Work
BY NANCY GAGNET — MIRROR REPORTER
Maumee City Council appropriated emergency funds to cover costs associated with a water main break on Dussel Drive.
At Monday’s meeting, council approved a $36,959.25 contract with Atlas Paving for road repair work made necessary when a pipe burst at 3:30 a.m. on August 23.
Four contractors submitted bids based upon field quantity measurements taken by service department staff.
According to city service director Larry Gamble, the pipe broke on Dussel Drive near South Reynolds Road, damaging several sections of the storm sewer as well as the pavement.
In addition, council authorized Gamble to seek emergency funds from the state.
On Tuesday, Gamble learned that the application had been approved and the Ohio Public Works Commission will allocate $14,322 in emergency funds to help cover the repair costs.
Also at the meeting, council members:
• Approved a $11,764.69 contract with Ohio Cat to perform preventative maintenance on standby generators.
• Approved a $247,992.45 contract with Quinn Concrete for the 2008 sidewalk program, with work to be completed by October 30.
• Authorized legislation to accept memorials in honor of longtime finance director Richard Pfaff and youth football coach Rod Dinkens. In addition, council referred the issue of placing memorials on city property for joint review by the parks and recreation and code committees.
• Accepted the resignation of firefighter/EMT Ryan Glazener.
• Placed on file a notice from the Ohio Division of Liquor Control for an application by Max and Erma’s Restaurant for a change in corporate stock ownership.
• Authorized the issuance of $162,000 in special assessment bonds for the property owners’ share of the phase three, area two sewer separation project and ordered legislation to issue the 10-year bond at a 3.75 percent interest rate.
• Authorized legislation requesting that the Lucas County auditor place $11,245.26 in unpaid charges for weed-cutting services in 2007-08 on the 2009 property taxes of owners who have not maintained their property.
• Authorized the preparation of a proclamation for the Maumee board of education for the school district’s excellent with distinction rating from the Ohio Department of Education.
• Accepted a $1,000 donation from Maumee Elks Lodge 1850 for the D.A.R.E. program.
The next Maumee City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 15 at the administration building, 400 Conant St. The committee of the whole meets at 7:00 p.m., and the regular meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.
Maumee Student Fiddles Her Way To The Top, Texas-Style
BY KRISTEN SCHWEITZER — MIRROR REPORTER
When she first started fiddling lessons, Kristen Robideaux was voted most likely to quit by a colleague of her teacher.
The joke, however, is on him because Kristen is the only one of those students still taking lessons. The others have all since quit fiddling.
When Kristen was 4 years old and watching an orchestra perform on television, she decided she wanted that to be her someday.
“I wanted to be an awesome violinist,” she said.
Eleven years later, with some persuasion from her music teacher, Kristen has switched from classical to fiddle and performed in over 40 fiddle competitions, recently placing third in the Ohio State Fiddlers Contest.
The difference between playing fiddle and violin is all in the music choice, explained Kristen’s teacher, Kerry Varble.
Varble teaches two types of fiddling: bluegrass and Texas. Competitions are better won with Texas-style fiddling, she said.
“We didn’t do as well playing bluegrass,” Varble admitted.
This summer alone, Kristen competed in nine fiddle competitions throughout Ohio, placing first in six of them.
“Since she won her first contest, we’ve gone to every competition together,” Varble said.
By the end of the season, the two of them will have participated in 16 fiddle competitions. They average about 10 competitions per year, according to Varble.
“I really like Kentucky because I got to meet my favorite Texas-style fiddler and I was proud of myself for getting fifth out of 19,” said Kristen about the Kentucky State Fiddle Contest.
Usually Kristen competes against eight to 10 players. According to Varble, the Kentucky contest was one of the most competitive events Kristen has participated in.
“She’s so far ahead of most kids in the 13 to 18 (age) category, there’s no contest,” Varble said.
At one contest, Kristen even forgot how the ending to her last song went and still received first place.
Kristen practices two hours a day when she’s not bogged down by homework.
She began lessons with Varble shortly after she began playing the violin.
“She terribly shy in other situations, but it’s a completely different story when she’s on stage,” Varble said.
Varble and Kristen are already planning for next year’s competition season.
The two plan to attend the National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest and Festival in Weiser, Idaho.
At the competitions, contestants must play three songs, including a hoedown, waltz and a tune of their choice.
Varble said she never lets her students play the same songs from year to year in order to make sure they progress and get better, she said.
Kristen, who is a sophomore at Maumee High School, also plays in the school orchestra.
She is not the only musically inclined person in her family: her brother plays guitar and her aunt sings blues, according to Kristen’s father Joseph Robideaux.
Kristen enjoys playing the fiddle and will continue to compete, but she said she hasn’t decided what role it will have in her future.
“I haven’t really decided if I want to keep it as a hobby or pursue a career, but it could be a serious career option,” she said.
She has realized she enjoys fiddling more than classical violin.
“The people (at fiddling contests) are so cool – they come up and tell you how good you are,” Kristen said, laughing. “Classical music isn’t as fun. You have to be too serious – stoic.”
Varble also has a great deal of confidence in Kristen’s playing, encouraging her to join the Toledo Youth Orchestra.
“You should be there. You would be a first violinist – way up in the front,” Varble told her.
Varble, who has a bachelor’s degree in music from The University of Toledo, and her husband Todd Varble have a music teaching business in south Toledo.
Kerry, who teaches between 25 and 30 students, teaches classical violin and fiddle, as well as beginner piano and guitar. Todd generally only takes on a few students at a time but teaches guitar and bass guitar.
These are sample articles that ran in The Mirror Newspaper.
To see what else you've been missing . . .
