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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1975-10-16, Page 110 •> Whole No. 5614 116th Year FIRST/SECTION PAGES 1 14 THE HURON EXPOSITOR THURSDAY,:OCTOBER 16, 107 , A $14.00 4year An Advance,. r le-copy cg/Its 18 PAGES eaforth can't afford ow arena, councillors sad While brand new arena for. Seaforth would be nice, "there is no way a town this small can afford if," Councillor OW Bennett chairman of Seaforth's arena committee said Tuesday night.. Efforts at raising money to pay for arena renovations are going well, but councillor Bennett said a lot of "flack" is coming from people ho want to scrap the 25 year old building. • A new arena would now cost $800,000, councillor Bennett said. Starts in January With debenturing at the limit of $15,0,000 per year, over twenty ye4s, the average Seaforth tax- payer would see an increase of $150 a year. "Who can afford an increase like that with sewer charges coming too?" councillor Be nnett asked. He said the new renova- tions, at a cost of say $250,000 would not interfere with a new building some time in the future. Expansion could be done behind the planned new arena front. "We could work in stages," he said. Councillor Jim Crocker pointed out that insurance costs on the arena, renovated, and insured for $400,000 could amount to as much as $320,000 over 20 years. Seaforth now pays $2.65 per $100 of arena coverage, and even when renovated will pay $4 per $100. The -new Mitchell arena pays .35 cents per $1.00, councillor Crocker said. According to Kt's -.insurer, councillor e Ellis said, if sprinkler stem at a cost of about $25,000 was installed at Seaord's arena, rates could be to eyed considerably, perhaps. to $1 per $100 coverage.. Councillor Charlie Campbell commented that with other tax levies going up, a new arena could mean a $200 increase in taxes. The old arena will be a "damn viable asset" once the renovations are made, he added, ater rates up 50% A MUDDY WAKE — That's not a boat or a snowmobile that this unidentified person is riding through muddy water, it's a motorcycle, competing in moto cross races near Walton last week. The Maitland Dirt Riders who sponsored the races which attracted competition from Michigan and across Ontario, earned their club name on rough terrain. About 1000 spectators watched 342 motorcyclists. (Photo by Christine Lee) More revenue is needed to update the system in the older sections of town, to provide water lines to new homes, maintenance and extra work expected to be done when the town's sewage system is constructed later this year. Walter Scott, PUC manager said a study is being made to increase the cost to the town -for the work of billing for sewer rates as done by the PUC for the town. Mr. Scott said the PUC charges the town 30 cents for each bill at the present time. He said many municipalities in regional govern- ment areas are paying at the rate of $1.05 up to $1.65 per bill. Mr. Scott stated that since he took over as manager there has only been one increase in billing and that was to 30 cents from 20 cents. Mr. Daly commented' it is surprising the number of people in town who believe the PUC manages the sewage system (Town council does) simply because it does • the billing for the town as it is simpler to add the extra figures to the PUC water and hydro bills than for the town to send out the sewage bills separately. Bucket Truck Mr. Scott spoke of the repairs urgently required to the bucket truck estimated to be almost as much as a new vehicle. The commission authorized him to outline the repairs required and estimates and send this outline to Ontario Hydro to ask their opinion as whether to pay for the repairs or buy a new truck. Mr. Scott proposed a captital electrical (street light) budget for 1976 of $36,900, This is an increase of $3,900 over the prior proposal. This budget must be submitted to and approved by Ontario Hydro. Mr. Scott asked that legal easements be secured for new, registered lots to' enable PUC to do future maintenance work. PUC will ask town council for an extension of George (south) Street to the corporation limit of 66-foot width. Dr. Whitman and Reeve John Flannery chaired the meeting when McKillop was allowed to pull out. Seaforth's position is that they stand on the agreement and that it can't be amended, councillor Jim Crocker said. "What you're saying is that even if all municipalities are in favour of a change, the agree- ment can't be changed?" council- lor Charlie Campbell asked deputy reeve Dale. "Yes, not until 1980," he replied. Deputy reeve Dale said no one was informed at the time. "It's extra cost, why would anyone agree?" he said. He added that McKillop was actually giving up about 8, percentage points in all the equipment the FAB owns by trying to opt out. 4 (By Shirley J. Keller) More county wide co-operation in recreation is needed according to 10 conclusions drawn by members of Cluster 6 and 7; and' association of municipal recrea- 'Afton committees from Huron municipalitiesiy following their intensive study into recreation in Huron. Jim McKinlay, Exeter recrea- tion director told council the study uncovered an apparent lack of co-operation and co-ordination in providing facilities and services for recreation within the county. "There was a cry, a demand for more of this," McKinlay told Tonnal. "There are few examples of co-ordinated efforts around the construction and maintenance of recreation facilities, or around the 'development and maintenance of recreation programs, and there was very -little sign of any mutually agreeable cost-sharing between neighboring municipali- * ties in order to sustain these recreational opportunities." The report laid out the conclu- sions for the study: "Historically, Huron County Council has played only a minimal Supportive role in the develop- ment of recreation in the county. There are a number of examples of capital cost sharing in the construction of recreation facilit- oies among neighboring munici- palities withing the couty. How- ever, there are also examples, where this has not occurred. "With regard to tax dollars allocated for the maintenance and operation of recreation facilities and program, in nearly all cases the cost has born solely by the municipality in which the ifacility or program is located, As a result, „there is a trend toward establish- * ing surcharges for non-resident participants. Participation "Recreation participation op- • portunity is required by both rural and urban residents#of the county including all ages and both sexes. All levels of government within the county have an obligation to share in providing recreation service. "There is general agreement on the need for co-operation and sharing between neighbouring municipalities regarding decision making, financing and planning within the county, but there is " confusion as to how this can be efectively resolved and imple- mented. "There does pot appear to be a great deal of long-range planning * in the total spectrum of creation by municipal councils. There does not seem to be a clear and common understanding of what constitutes planning for fecrea- tion. "The facility standards as laid out by the Province of Ontario are not applicable to a rural county such as Huron due to geography and population density." , More Involved The report asks- that Huron County Council become more involved in the assessment, plan- ning, development and support of recreation in the county. It was suggested that a policy be developed which would outline the county council's role in recreation: • This policy, it was further suggested, would be formulated after consultation by county council representatives with the Municipal Recreation Committee. The report further recommend- ed that neighbouring municipalit- ies be encouraged to develop methods of co-operation in recreation and in education about changing trends in their philos- ophy of leisure. Huron County Council was asked to establish an unconditional grant system to municipalities that establish an area recreation structure. .Rural and urban municipalities that are Change in suggested Suggestions for a change in meeting procedure were "thrown out on the table" at Tuesday's. council meeting by councillor Jim Crocker. Reeve John_ Flannery chaired the meeting. Mayor Betty Cardno has been hospitalized with pneu- monia and was able to return to her home only that day. Council- lors George Hildebrand and John Sinnamon were also absent. Councillor Crocker suggested that members could be better informed about what is going on by having copies made of each committee report for councillors and the press and having the clerk read each report. Questions would be allowed only after the whole report had been read. "Who's going to interpret the reports?" councillot Wayne Ellis wanted to know. "Perhaps We'll A former Seaforth resident, Preven Marcussen, has been given a $600 Canada Council grant to write an account of factory work and people's reactions to assembly-line work. The federal body said it was one of 101 grants totalling Louis Blake, R.R.2,. Brussels, pleaded guillty and was fined $200 or 66 days in jail in Wingham court oh a char ge of improperly operating a sewage tank truck last April. Mr. Blake admitted dumping a 1,000-gallonload of raw sewage now sharing program and facili- ties would be urged to develop joint committees. Finally, the report recommend- ed that an equitable system for cost sharing and decision making among sharing municipalities be developed. It was requested that Huron County rely heavily on the lay and professional resources that already exist in the county and the provincial Ministry of Culture and Recreation to develop a system. The 42-page report, the impe- tus for which originated from a resolution passed by the Town of Clinton and forwarded to Huron County Council in/January 1974, was the result of the collection of much data, including an attitude inventory. In all, 150 question- aires were distributed to elected officials and municipal recreation people. Mr. McKinlay said that meetings at council have to write better reports", Councillor Crocker replied. The clerk could make notes as questions are raised after he reads the report, he added. He said the objective wasn't to make meetings shorter, but to "make sure things are carried out." County council would never do anything if they didn't follow this system, deputy reeve Bill Dale said. Councillors Ellis and Charlie Campbell said that was on a much bigger scale. Most councillors agreed that chairmen should write better reports. "They do become records", counJllor Crocker said. His committee will look into hiring a secretary to take notes and write reports of each of council's committee meetings, which might involve about eight hours work a month. $366,056, resulting from the first Explorations competition of 1975 which attracted 431 applications. Mr. Marcussen, who attended school here, is a son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Marcussen of 5eaforth. He now resides in Toronto. from his tanker • truck on Concession 14 of Grey Township, about two miles south of Brussels. The charges were laid by the Huron County health unit under the Environmental Protection Act. 69 questionaires were completed and returned. He called that a "grand response". Costs Vary • The study revealed that recrea- tion costs per capita in the various municipalities vary all the way from a high of $54.25 per capita in . the village of Zurich to 21 cents per bead in Stanley Township. The towns pay an average of $25.66 per capita; the villages, $27.52 and the townships, $2.74. Total cost of recreation across the county was $665,434.03. With a population here of 53,493, that means that the cost per capita in the county for recreation was $12.43. Another interesting set of figures in the report showed that of 53,493 personi in the county, 15,558 are under 15 years of age; 14,646 are, between 16 and 35 years of age; 13,319 are between 36 and 60; 8,819 are over 61; and the age of 1,151 persons in Huron .County is unknown. - Council Reaction Reeve Bill Elston of Morris Township said that while costs do look out of proportion, arenas in small communities like Belgrave and Belmore operate "100 per cent gratis" when local people give time and effort to the programs. He reported a recent commun- ity supper for 1,100 people the proceeds of which will "run our programs". "These big arenas with artific- ial ice are nice to have, possibly," Reeve ,Elston said, "but I'm wondering if we can afford it". Reeve Gerry Ginn of Goderich Township said his first impres- sion of the report was that it was "just another way of getting dollars out of the rural municipal- ities." "But now I've conic to believe there are some very worthwhile , recommendations in the report." Reeve Ginn went on. He said now that most municipalities have their own recreation committees, ' it is a natKal steppOg stone to the kind of proposals contained in the report. Reeve Ginn said there is a need for an overall planning board for recreation in Huron County to ensure that some facilities are located in the town and some in the rural municipalities, and to ensure that all possible recrea-' tional facilities throughout the county are being utilized. Reeve Ginn further recom- mended that the restructuring committee of county council, previously charged with the res- ponsibility of studying the co- ordination of such services as recreation, police and fire protec- tion and garbage disposal, study the report with an eye to Muting District Recreation Boards and a County Recreation Advisory Board, Better Community jack McCutcheon, Reeve of Brussels, said that recreation (Continued on Page 3) (By Wilma Oke) , Seaforth residents will find an increase of 50 per cent in, water rates when they pay their January bills. Public Utilities Commissioners approved the increase to cover the usage period beginning Oct- ober 15 at a meeting last Wednesday afternoon. The increase will bring the monthly rate to $7.50 and produce revenue amounting to $88,121.86 for 1976, an • increase of $22,030.06. This will be the second increase in about six months. The first increase in several years was approved ef- fective last July 1 when the rate was increased from $2.50 per month to $5.00. Dr. Rodger Whitman, commis- sion chairman said: ."We can't operate on any budget of $33,000' This would have been the amount of revenue prior to the 'July 'increase. Commissioner Edmund baly said: "This is more of a catch-up program." Councillor Campbell asked Reeve Flannery if he was not aware when the agreement was changed. The reeve replied yes, and said he had told McKillop he thought the thing was "over their heads". But the motion was moved and what was the chairman to do, he asked? Councillor Wayne Ellis said he couldn't believe that the agree- ment could not be altered before 1980 with the written consent of all members. Reeves Dale 'and Flannery repeated that this con- sent hasn't been obtained. Councillor Crocker commented that the loss of $800,000 in assessment made problems be- cause the whole FAB budget and planning was set up to include that amount. Mr. Scott agreed George Street should be renamed to avoid confusion with another George Street in town. PUC will ask for a meeting with town council and the Seaforth planning board to discuss matters related to both PUC and council such as extend- ing streets so that all will -be informed of the needs of the other party. A request by Mr. Scott that he take at least two weeks of this 1975 vacation time was approved. Chief Coroner A copy of a letter from the Chief Coroner of Ontario to the Association of Municipal Electri- cal Utilities of Ontario was distributed to members of the PUC. It was prompted by an inquest into the death of a North York boy who had died as the result of electrocution by contact with a hydro wire adjacent to a tree house in a park in which he had been playing. The report included sugges- tion.s that parents take more responsibility in impressing on their children the dangers of electrical hazard; that hydro should expand their communica- tion with and supervision over tree trimming contractors. In a discussion on delinquent accounts br. Whitman said due of the hidden costs of PVC was tracking down and trying to collect between $500 and $1,000 every month in delinquent accounts. Town asked for crossing guards Town council is looking into a request that they provide crossing guard protection for students at Seaforth Public School who cross Highway 8 several times each day, Education recently voted to stop The Huron County Board of supplying crossing guards at several county schools. SPS had a student safety patrol but principal J.W. Talbot wrote council that the Board told him he should not reorganize the patrol. Mr. Talbot asked council to arrange protec- tion. The Huron Board has decided ' that they can no longer assume responsibility for children after they leave the county's schools. Counicllor Wayne Ellis said the town is not legally obligated to supply protection but his police committee feels some is neces- sary. On the other hand, he said, "you can't have the police sitting up- there four times a day." There is a good chance the town would be liable if they supplied crossing guards and an accident happened, councillor Charlie Campbell said. "How broad is this...could it cover high school students?" he asked. Councillors asked Clerk Bob Franklin to get in touch with other area towns and see how they handle school crossings, before they make a decision on the request. Deputy Reeve Bill Dale said he figured the Board of Education's withdrawal- of respotisibilitym fight be a move to force the highway department or the police to take on the job of protecting students at cross. Seaforth native gets Canada Council grant Fined for dumping sewage County needs more co-operation in recreation , study says The Seaforth Fire Area Board meets Monday night to discuss McKillop's opting part of its area out of the supposedly iron clad fire area agreement. "I have a legal opinion that they are locked in. Where do we stand?" deputy reeve Bill Dale, 'one of Seaforth's representatives to the FAB, asked council at Tuetay's meeting. Ab ut a year ago McKillop took about $800,000 in assessment out of the board and went to Blyth for fire protection. Seaforth con- tends that no participating munic- ipality can opt out of the agreenient until 1980, and then only with. six months notice. McKillop says Seaforth knew about the opting out when it occurred OW did not object then. ISRAELI FARMER IN SEAFORTH — Gordon Hill of Varna, left, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture had lzchak Ziv-Av, chairman of the central committee of the Farmers' union of Israel visiting his farm last week. Mr. Hill brought his guest, who is also editor of Farmers' Monthly in Israel in for a tour of the Expositor office, where he talked with publisher A.Y.McLean. Mr. Ziv-Av is touring Ontario farms on his way to the International Federation of Agriculture Producers convention in October.He has travelled a lot and says Canada sand New Zealand are the paradises of the world. (Staff Photo) Stick to agreement, Seaforth tells Fire Board member • --