As guest speaker at the monthly Berne Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Tuesday, South Adams Superintendent Cathy Egolf took the opportunity to encourage her audience to remember and support two prominent Berne families who have suffered the loss of loved ones in the past couple of weeks.

Egolf was referring to two almost identical tragedies which occurred in the community only a few days apart. Husband and wife Art and Gloria Muselman died in a car accident on State Rd. 218 the end of August, and 19-year-old Craig Amstutz was killed this past Monday when a log truck allegedly ran a stop sign and struck his vehicle on Ct. Rd. 700 S, east of Berne.

"The Muselman's were great supporters of South Adams, and of this community," Egolf told approximately 40 Chamber members during her opening remarks. "You have to consider what the Muselman's did for this community in 80 years of service," she said. "Also, please remember Butch and Arlene Amstutz (Craig Amstutz's parents) -- and not just for today, but for the coming months and years. These families' lives have been changed forever," she said.

Egolf went on to thank everyone involved in the recent petition drive for the building of the new South Adams elementary and middle school. "It was a great thing for me, personally," she said. "But I also have to thank (legal representative) Jim Beitler, Senator David Ford, Rep. Mike Ripley, plus Kemper Amstutz and Audrey Muselman, who did a phenomenal job heading up the petition drive and the letter-writing campaign, and just generally keeping things moving. There were 20 people willing to go down and represent the community before the tax board," she said. "We really nailed it."

The head of the tax board, Cheryl Musgrave, chose to wait the 90 days allowed before making a decision, Egolf said. That meant an answer would not be forthcoming until sometime in January, which would have interfered with South Adams' school funding, costing the school an extra 1.3 million in interest charges.

"That's when Tony Mellencamp (South Adams School Board president) talked to Senator David Ford and Mike Ripley," Egolf said. "The letter-writing campaign started shortly after and we ended up with 294 handwritten letters to take with us to Indianapolis. It was just phenomenal," Egolf repeated.

Once in Musgrave's office, Egolf said she and Mellencamp were surprised to learn that the proposal the county had sent in was not in compliance. Egolf questioned the finding, saying that everything had been sent in on August 17. The status of the proposal was rechecked and Egolf and Mellencamp were told it had come into compliance about an hour before they arrived.

"At that point, Musgrave told us to sell her on the proposal to build the school," Egolf said. "I described the 20 pounds of ceiling that had fallen at the elementary school, and how the teachers had to choose between lights, computers, and fans for their students, in 100 degree heat, and that they had chosen the fans. We also handed her the 294 handwritten letters from the members of our community, and she was just overwhelmed: she said, 'Let's just sign it now,' and that's exactly what she did."