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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1969-03-06, Page 1010 Clinton News4R.Gord, Thursday,. March.t 1909 Action in County Council By :Shirley .J Keller _Assessing cost higher than expected A budget of $797,425 was .adopted by Huron County Council Frida*, for the assessment department. The report submitted by A, D, Smith, reeve of Turnberry, said cost was "considerably higher than the Ontario Department of Municipal Affairs led us to believe." Speaking on behalf of the budget, assessment commissioner E. F. Hall said there was from $40,000 to $50,000 which the department of municipal affairs "somehow forgot about," He said council was not deliberately .misled by the department but that the department obviously had no idea of what it would cost because the department had "no. personal experience" in assessment matters. ' Deputy Reeve Anson McKinley ref :Stanley asked if next year's •budget would be somewhat lower, shocked," he said, "to learn this will cost over $7,000 for every municipality in the county," "If this will be the ease from now on, we were a Hanan sight better off the way we were be fore.„ "The 'job has not been done in the past, sir," retorted Hail who estimated that about $31,000 would be deleted from next year's budget if salaries remain static. "The Act states that every home will be visited annually and this 'has not been done. The records are wholly inadequate," "It depends on the individual who is ' building a set of cupboards whether he hires a carpenter or a nail puller;" said Hall. Reeve Roy Pattison, Start, regional government talks Frank McFadden, reeve of Bayfield who chairs the special committee to study regional government, reported on a meeting with J, O. E. Pearson, co-ordinator of the Regional Studies Program and S. J. Clasky, director of the Municipal Research Branch, Department of Municipal Affairs. Although the committee has accepted an invitation from Perth County to discuss the subject of regional government, no other commitments have been made, Mr. McFadden said. To date, discussion has been general, with the provincial representatives Pearson and Clasky both indicating the province is quite willing to listen to any proposals on the subject. Any future legislation would, it is hoped, be flexible to incorporate local situations. McFadden did ask all reeves and deputy reeves for their co-operation in a "very comprehensive study of the administrative structure both at the county and the local level." "The committee believes quite, sincerely if such a study is carried out, this information will form ' the .basis for any recommendations pertaining to regional government as it would Wawanosh, asked Hall if there was as much "hidden. assessment;' in the county as council had been led to believe. Hall said that, after working in Huron County for only about two months, he was convinced that there has been a great deal of business assessment overlooked. He told Reeve James Armstrong, Clinton, that a businessman pays strictly on the property he occupies and not the volume of business he conducts. Hall told council his department would assess properties according to the Act and 1 assure you, you will hear about it," said Hall. Newly appointed directors of the Children's Aid Hoard are Jack Alexander, reeve of Wingham, and Lloyd Hendrick, deputy reeve of Hay, apply to the county of Huron," McFadden said. Council approved a budget of $20,000 for the planning board, Mervyn Cudmore, Exeter, as chairman and Anson McKinley, Stanley, vice chairman. Municipal Planning Consultants Co, Ltd. has been invited to submit an estimate of the cost of an appraisal of the county, which would be the first step to an official plan. One such appraisal was made in 1967 by Dryden and Smith Planning Consultants and the committee hopes to compare the thoughts of both consultant firms before engaging any consultant. Library. spending to total $145,000 Huron County's share in the library budget for 1969 will be $77,500, reported Clarence `Berry' Boyle, reeve of Exeter and chairman of the library committee, at county council's meeting last Friday. Total budget is $145,000, with the province paying the greatest share of the remaining Money although a small, qmount will be received in fines. A library has been established once more in Gorrie in the home of William Strong. The committee reported discussion on whether or not .to continue library service in the schools since most schools have excellent libraries of their own. County Librarian Carolyn Croke will review the subject and report to the committee before the next meeting. Some library services will be rendered to Canadian Forces Base Clinton in the future, the committee said, In answer to a question from Reeve A. D. Smith, Turnberry, regarding remunerations for librarians in the smaller centres, Miss Croke said librarians are paid according to the size of the municipality in which the library is situated, the number of hours the library is open, the number Of people served and; in general, the amount of responsibility the librarian takes. Clinton is site of fly control program Huron County Council last week endorsed a resolution to encourage all farm organizations to promote the need for a provincially co-ordinated educational, program to control the warble fly foster proper use of systemic insecticides. A seminar on systemics will be held in Clinton Legion Hall March 19 at 1:30 p.m. and council members were urged to attend. The resolution also requests strict enforcement of regulations controlling the entry into Ontario of cattle not treated for warble fly. A copy of this resolution will be forwarded to the proper government agencies. The reforestation budget has been approved at $4,500. A bylaw will be prepared to permit municipalities in Huron to be reimbursed for the loss of taxes in connection with reforestation plantations. Weed control budget was set at $13,500. Grants totalling $4,525 were approved for various agricultural associations in the county. Grants to the various spring and fall fairs will be based on a formula of eight percent of the prize money, with a minimum of $150. Exceptions are Lucknow, where the grant is $75, and Kirkton where the grant is $100. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR To the Editor: I would appreciate some space in your newspaper in which to ask persons who are alarmed and concerned about the two bills recently presented in the Ontario Government, bills No. 73 and 74, to write to the local M.Y.P. and protest. If these two bilis should pass and become legislation, it will mean virtually the end of the humane movement in Ontario as it now exists. Some 50 years of work from dedicated people giving of their time and money to build a good society to protect animals from cruelty will be for naught. The one bill will compel shelters to deliver up unclaimed and unsold animals to be used in laboratory experiment and the other bill makes it necessary for a humane inspector to have a warrant before investigating complaints of abuse and cruelty. At the present time many animals are saved from further abuse by the timely investigations of qualified inspectors. A short note to the Hon, Charles MacNaughton to say ou oppose the passage of these two bilis would be greatly appreciated by the people working to keep the excellent humane operation now present in Ontario, Mrs. G. Graham Bayfield, March 1 TO the Editor The Government of Ontario has introduced legislation which will have the effect of destroying the huntane movetnet t rtt Ontario as we now know it. At present, the Ontario tigai l ne s` Otiety ' has the authority to investigate complaints of cruelty and neglect of animals. The society employs inspectors throughout the province to carry out this task. The government intends to limit the authority of these inspectors in such a way that for all practical purposes, they will be helpless. Apart from requiring all inspectors to obtain special warrants before making any investigation, the government is also proposing to set up a board to review these officers' actions "on complaint from the public." There is no doubt that this will so intimidate inspectors that they will be unable to carry out their job. In addition, the legislation will force all humane societies to surrender all unclaimed animals, not only to research institutes but to dealers in animals for research. In other words, any private animal dealer operating for profit will have the tight to enter any shelter and demand any unclaimed animal. Even worse, the government legislation specifically protects dealers' establishments against any investigation or inspectioh by inspectors of the Ontario Humane Society. Remember, these are the premises that have led to so many prosecutions and convictions for neglect in past years. There are over 700 farms in Ontario where pregnant mares are kept under inadequate conditions, deprived of exercise, deprived of an adequate diet, and which producecountless thousands of foals every year, the majority of which are weaned at a very tender age and transported long distances before being sold. The legislation will classify these premises as "research premises" and protect them against any inspection by the society. The Ontario Humane Society does not release animals alive for research. Our constitution and bylaws prohibit this. This clause of our constitution has been ratified from time to time, only as recently as 1967. There seems little doubt, therefore, that the Ontario Humane Society will refuse to comply with the government legislation requiring them to surrender these animals. The only alternative left would appear to be for the society to close down its animal shelters or turn them over to municipalities for operation as dog pounds. There are 28 modern shelters in the province today and a competent force of uniformed inspectors. This organization has been built up over the last 50 years by the dedicated efforts of countless thousands of voluntary workers. It would be a tragedy if the government by this thoughtless, ill considered action were to destroy this organisation. The research procurement legislation is a drastic invasion of civil rights and should be rejected on these grounds alone. Everybody who is concerned with the prevention of cruelty to animals, who is concerned with civil right, should protest these two bilis, 73 and 74, by writing to their Provincial Member Of Parliament in Queens Park, or by registering a protest hi any other Way. T. J. Hughes `Potonto, March 1 wspapers Cres Ain shone 308 OCT'67 M.P. 55 Fog PEOPLE .. . COMMUNITIES ... 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