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LOCAL NEWS
Council
Dad’s considers
higher
last wish rec fees for
nonresidents
Friends, relatives rally around BY ANDREA GOODELL
andrea.goodell@hollandsentinel.com

family after man’s cancer returns (616) 546-4275

Shooting hoops could

BY GARY BROWER a 6 percent success rate. get more expensive for the
gary.brower@hollandsentinel.com Schaap knows the num- youngsters in Holland’s
(616) 546-4238 bers are daunting, but he’s recreation program, espe-
not ready to give up. Dennis R.J. Geppert/The Holland Sentinel cially for those in the Hol-
Nick Schaap is locked in “Pretty much right away Relatives and friends of Nick Schaaps are rallying behind his family, from left Dillon, Nick, land Public School District
a life and death battle with I said, ‘We are going to do Logan, Jennifer, Makenna and Emilie, after Nick was diagnosed with terminal cancer. but not the city.
cancer, and he’s running whatever it takes to win.’ The Holland City Coun-
out of ammunition. Whatever has to be done, lot over the past few years, dream.” fund, just as money might cil is expected to discuss
The 29-year-old from Bor- we are going to do it,” he including divorce, custody Family friend Tabitha be given to any other family at its Wednesday meeting
culo was diagnosed with said. “It seems like there is struggles and his bout with Kent has set up an account the church opts to help. whether to increase rates
melanoma two years ago, so much unfinished work cancer. called Nick’s Last Wish on “It’s our goal to get that for youth recreation after
went through a year of che- here with my wife and kids. Now he’s worried what the social networking site house paid off,” Kent said. a discussion about how
motherapy and thought he’d I want so badly to be part of will happen to them if he Facebook, hoping to raise “Nick’s biggest fear is to not much nonresidents pay for
come out on top. In Novem- graduations and weddings can’t beat the disease. money to help the Schaaps know that is family is OK.” the program compared to
ber, he learned the cancer and grandbabies.” “I’m not afraid of dying. pay off the mortgage on Schaap knows if he dies residents.
had returned, and doctors Schaap has three children I’m good with the Lord. I their home. there is no guarantee his Though not in the city
later told him he had six to from a previous marriage believe I know where I’m Her goal is to get 2,000 wife would be granted cus- limits, residents from Old
12 months to live. — 8-year-old son Logan, going,” he said. “But I fought people to donate $100 each. tody of his three children. Orchard Road to Lake
“That hit me like a truck,” 5-year-old son Dillon and for quite a few years to get Nick’s Last Wish has more He says having a solid home Michigan are in the Hol-
Schaap said. “I couldn’t daughter Makenna, 3. His full custody of my kids. I than 1,850 fans. life, including a safe and land Public School Dis-
believe (the cancer) had gone wife, Jenn, also has a 9-year- feel like I’m their best shot. I The site lists two ways secure house, would help trict, and for now receive
from where you couldn’t see old daughter, Emilie. The want to be there for them. in which those wishing to Jenn gain custody if he is the better rate, but under
it on the scans to where we couple, after several years “I want to be the influence help can donate, directly to gone. the proposal would pay
could bring up the scans on together, was married in for them and the one who Chase Mortgage in Louis- “The hope is that long nonresident rates begin-
our home computer and mid-December after Schaap raises them to be good, hon- ville or by donating to the term the kids can stay in ning this spring.
you could see huge tumors was rediagnosed. est, Christian people. The Harlem Reformed Church this house because it’s their Nonresidents would
all over my body.” When he received a clean hard part would be missing benevolent fund. For more home,” Schaap said. “And remain eligible for schol-
Earlier this month, Schaap bill of health in the spring, out on their lives.” information, visit www. the hope would be that Jenn arships that cover 25 to 75
traveled to the Karmanos the Schaaps began looking Schaap knows he’s facing facebook.com and search is taking care of the kids.” percent of a program fee.
Cancer Institute in Detroit for a house. They bought long odds, so he has made for Nick’s Last Wish. Nick’s Last Wish is also set The Leisure and Cultural
for treatments of the anti- a five-bedroom home in one request, something his Money sent to the mort- up to help inform people of Services Commission rec-
cancer drug interleukin. He Borculo over the summer friends and family are call- gage company is not tax the dangers of melanoma. ommended youth fees go
is scheduled to return to and settled in for what they ing “Nick’s Last Wish.” deductible and goes directly Schaap’s cancer came from from $27 to $30 for resi-
Karmanos in February for expected to be a long life “My hope is that my kids toward paying down the a small mole on his back dents and $37 to $45 for
his second course of treat- together. would stay here and be in Schaap’s home loan. Funds that he disregarded for sev- nonresidents.
ment. Schaap was happy to pro- the home they love, and donated through the church eral years. By the time he “There ought to be a
Though interleukin is the vide a stable home envi- be in the school that we’ve are tax deductible and will be finally got it checked out, benefit to living in the
best defense for stage IV ronment for his children, got them in,” he said. “That distributed to the Schaaps the cancer had spread to his city,” Mayor Kurt Dykstra
melanoma, it has only about who have been through a would be my hope and through the benevolent lymph nodes. said.
He suggested possibly
doubling the fees for non-
residents, who do not pay
city taxes, that also sup-
WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM? BY JIM HAYDEN | jim.hayden@hollandsentinel.com | (269) 673-1701 port the programs.
The city tries to recoup
half the direct costs for
youth recreation programs

Why are waste haulers still collecting fuel surcharges? and 100 percent of the
direct costs to run adult
recreation.
“If we lower the num-
The issue Problem update ber of people, some things
• Arrowaste — 10 percent charge called a fuel won’t even happen,” Coun-
Fuel prices have dropped from a high of $5 a gal- adjustment. In December 2008, when diesel cilwoman Nancy De Boer
lon in 2008, but fuel surcharges at some service was cheaper than today, the fee was 9.7 per- said.
businesses have not. Why are local waste haulers cent. The amount is fixed quarterly. She cited women’s soft-
still levying gas surcharges when gas prices have • Chef Container — No comment. Custom- ball — enough participate
dropped by nearly 50 percent? ers in Allegan County cite fuel surcharges within the city for one
of 9.75 percent on 2010 invoices. Residents team. The rest come from
of Holland are not paying the 9.75 percent outside Holland’s limits.
The status fuel surcharge. According to Cindy Osman, Nonresidents make up
“Fuel surcharges are based on the rising costs of neighborhood and community services assis- 52 percent of adult partici-
petroleum-based products including examples tant, the city of Holland is not being charged pants.
like fuel, oil, rubber, plastics and so many more,” directly for fuel as the city negotiated its “If you charge double
explained Matt Biolette of Chef Container, 4368 contract when fuel prices were high, she said, to a nonresident, you’re
60th St. in Laketown Township. so a surcharge doesn’t kick in until diesel hits going to lose programs,”
“Fuel is so volatile,” said Russ Boersma, manager $3.60 a gallon. Leisure and Cultural Ser-
at Arrowaste Inc. 4392 M-40 in Holland. Diesel • Potter Disposal — No fuel surcharge. vices Director Gray Gogo-
prices are now about $2.79 a gallon. In August • Waste Management — The company’s Web lin said.
2008, prices were close to $5 a gallon, according site supplies a chart to determine the cost. At Holland Township
to the Department of Energy. $2.79 a gallon, the charge is 9.2 percent. already duplicates many of
A garbage truck gets about 4 miles to the gallon, the recreation programs.
according to Boersma.
How to submit a problem “If you charge
If you have a problem, we would like to help. Send
More information a detailed account of the issue, your name and double to a
•The local waste haulers use the Department of Energy contact information to: nonresident,
fuel price charts to determine their surcharges. MAIL Editor, The Holland Sentinel,
• Fuel prices: Department of Energy — www.eia.doe.gov. 54 W. Eighth St., Holland, MI 49423 you’re going to
Choose “Petroleum” under the title “Energy Services” on the left. E-MAIL newsroom@hollandsentinel.com lose programs.”
Under “Reports,” choose “Gasoline & Diesel Fuel Update.” PHONE (616) 392-2314
• Waste Management: Go to www.wm.com. Type in “Fuel surcharge” into the search bar, then choose
“Fuel/Environmental Charge — Waste Management” option. Scroll to “Fuel Component” and click GRAY GOGOLIN
on “WM Collection Fuel Surcharge Table.” A PDF will download. Holland Leisure and
Cultural Services Director

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