European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 16, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday August 16, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 9 tax free plan nips Aviano. By Steve Taylor a Munich Bureau Winter May be months a away but even the heat of summer can t melt away memories of the cold expensive Winters in Northeast Italy. Cd Apt. Alexander Kuchma remembers Well. Quot during his first two months at Aviano a Kuchnia heated his Kitchen and one other room just enough to take away the chill. He still went through nearly 2,000 liners of heating Oil in the process. That Bill came to More than $1,100. Unfortunately Kuchniak a Cost of living and extra housing allowances totalled $450 per month leaving him with a $650 deficit to cover on his own. A combination of reasons led to the budget busting Bills accumulated by Servic members serving at Aviano first of All they paid nearly1 the full commercial Price for the heavily taxed heating Oil even though they were buying it through the army and air Force Exchange service. In addition there Are no government quarters at the base. And finally italian Homes done to have the insulation of Homes in colder climates. The building material is normally Concrete Block which absorbs heat from inside the building. A sometimes it a be colder inside than out a said staff sgt. Joyce Devaux who is the historian at the base located about 100 Miles Northeast of Venice. Last september Kuchnia who serves As the base fuels management officer decided that head had enough and came up with a solution sell americans tax free heating Oil right out of . Government stocks. It a been done before during the Oil embargoes of the 1970s. Kuchniak a simple idea proved to be a lot More difficult to develop. To begin with it was hard to meet the conditions in the status of forces agreement that allow americans to Purchase tax free products. There was no emergency to cite this time. Finally it was just Plain hard to gel the italian government  Sieve Taylor staff sgt. Joyce Devaux and her daughter Lacey have something to smile about. Warm up to the plan. A a lot of people with a lot of weight were involved a said Franco turchetto a fuels specialist at Aviano. Turchetto was part of a team from Aviano and the naval support activity in Naples thav went to Rome to sell the idea. Quot we made it very Clear that we wanted this a turchetto said. A i guess that a Why we  after the air Force army and Navy coordinated their plans the proposal received the backing of the . Ambassador to Italy. It then began making its Way through the channels of the italian government. The first Stop was the italian ministry of defense. Turchetto said that while the nato treaty allowed the Sale of tax free gasoline a it took a Little Reading Between the lines Quot to extend it to heating Oil. The bases judge advocate who was also part of the team helped convince the italian government that it was Legal according to the treaty to sell tax free heating Oil to Amer trans turchetto said. Once the ministry of defense was convinced however it was up to the ministry of finance which is responsible for tax collection to give the final stamp of approval. But in order to get the finance ministry a approval . A officials had to assure italian officials that Only those eligible for tax free products would take advantage of the program. As a result of talks stringent regulations govern the  or example the bases morale welfare and recreation activity must buy the fuel in bulk and a base representative must accompany the truck to verify that Only eligible people Are receiving the fuel. Deliveries must be made Only to Homes rented to . Personnel and customers must certify in writing that the fuel is for their use Only a it is against the Law to share Quot heating Oil. Kuchnia said. This causes some problems for americans who share Central heat with italian neighbors they must still buy heating Oil at the base Exchange or from commercial fuel companies. Despite the problems the program has meant warmer apartments and big savings for Many americans in Aviano. When the mar activity began Selling tax free heating Oil at the end of january the original Price was set at $290 per 1,000 liners Kuchnia said. That was a savings of about $420 per 1,000 liners when compared with local Economy prices. After about three months however officials realized that programs actual costs were less than they had estimated. Now. Many Aviano residents Ean buy heating Oil for $190 per 1,000 liners. Those who had paid the higher rate received a rebate in Early june. The next Best Deal is at the base Exchange which charges $580 per 1,000 liners. Americans who done to qualify for the program a retirees and those sharing Healing systems with italian neighbors must Purchase fuel from the Exchange. With such savings Devaux wont have to scramble to find alternate sources of heat like fires and space Heaters in order to take  out of her apartment. And while her daughter wont have to Wear three sets of pyjamas to bed Devaux says the amount of heat still wont be the same As americans Are used to Back Home. But americans at Aviano have finally come out of the  under fire after 4ultimate Hunt for convicts Amarillo Texas a a convicts volunteered to be practice prey for prison dogs in an exercise that came to Light after a prison Board member took two Hunting buddies on what he dubbed the Quot ultimate  Jerry Hodge vice chairman of the Texas department of criminal Justice on tuesday confirmed that friends accompanied him on the exercise. He said he later sent them jackets bearing the inscription a ultimate . Hodge a former Amarillo mayor and longtime supporter of Republican candidates denied any impropriety but conceded the jackets were a mistake. Hodges admission prompted Calls for his resignation from democratic gubernatorial candidate Ann Richards the american civil liberties Union and a state lawmaker from Houston. Gov. Bill Clements denied reports tint e had planned to name Hodge chairman of the prison Board . But delayed the announcement after the revelations. I Hurles Terrell is resigning As chairman sept. I. Clem its said that v. His i Lodge s actions were soap a prop Riate. They did not warrant his ouster. A a i Dunk he made a  Clements said g la Ink he s apologized for his mistake. I m sure he who not do in again. In the exercise called a running the  hound and Homes were used to Cly ise Down sol Antler cons to s Uear no  clothing. Undine to one former a a do Hoy a the Guise end with the dog attacking the prisoner. Quot once they find you and tree you then you get the dogs riled up and then you jump Down and fight Mem Quot said the former prisoner who is on parole and spoke on condition of anonymity. Quot boy that was fun. It was a  the Man said he would set an eight to nine mile Trail for the dogs through land Surro tending the prison travelling through water climbing vines and generally making it difficult for the animals to find him. He said he took part in the exercise an average of three times a week for four or five months of his sentence. At a prison in Navasota. Quot we had a few. People who were afraid of the dogs or were afraid of running through the Brush a he said. Quot they weren to forced to do it if they did no to want  the volunteers earn a reduction in sentence said Paul Sparkman a prison dog sergeant. He added that Texas Lias been using prisoners Lor dog training for years. Of a dozen states checked Only Florid to u is inmates As quart s to Tram dogs. A if you would train die dug on something other than a human that would be pure Tolly a said mice Stanley. A private dog Trainer in  big vn., with about 15 years of experience. The a ultimate Hunt in1, of cd three separate eur a uses on slate property outside the main prison at 11 Uius die. Hodge said he Ami his trends were a huh Seneris. Urn  he said James Lynaugh executive director of the criminal Justice department was also present. A i done to think it was a Hunt it was More a training exercise a Lynaugh said tuesday. A and i done to think it was inappropriate at All. In fact 1 think it is very appropriate for Board members to be  he also denied any impropriety in bringing outsiders to observe prison operations. A i done to think we did anything wrong Quot Hodge said but he added that using the Label Quot ultimate Hunt Quot Lor his Outing with two Bear Hunting buddies Quot probably Wasny to a Good Choice of w  Hodge said it was just an afterthought that he ordered jackets for his friends Glenn Mcmennamy of Amarillo and Bob wilds of Indianapolis Mcmennamy a member of the Texas department of human services said he and wilds Are frequent Hunting companions and longtime Hinds til Hodge who simply wanted to  the dogs work. A its the same theory a hear Hunting trucking by scent a Mcmennamy said. A it Wasny to any ing  a i he ass  press Learned of the a ultimate i Luntz through ail anon Moos Iel Tei. The a a later Learned the identity id is us tar. Who spoke on condition or name remain d set i it i he Wilder said he was i defended by the training program. Hut by the us t e Mso i Lodge and ins 11 lend a. Quot the method to training the dogs dues nut  me. Furl for people it Linss Louie to refer to u As the i inmate Hunt makes me in k at my Sloin Aih the letter Saul