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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1971-03-11, Page 1Weather 106 Year - No. 10 Union, Oft i it rio 15 vents 1971 HI LP 1970 HI 1,0 War. 2 28 5 33 23 3 24 9 34 24 4 26 10 37 30 5 36 1-9 32 27 6 35 26 34 10 7 33 20 37 24 8 20 15 31 7 Snow 8" Rain 1.2" Snow 4" Thursday, March 11, 19 71 Clinton News-Record it Area shaken b storm ... again It happened again. As if we didn't have enough snow we had to get another storm. So rather than prolong the agony of a winter people are already tired of, by showing pictures of all the blocked roads and banged-up cars, We decided to show the better side of the whole mess with a picture of winter beauty. The snow lay deep around the home of Mr. and !vers. Money counter on William St. but the sun was shining brightly when this picture was taker' leaving the hope that we may get spring — . someday anyway. Armstrong worried about welfare costs You e( it t stop 'eta rill Young Pat Riggin, goaltending tensation of Huron East Steelers Missed on this one as Ken Clark trio. 16) of Whitby pokes the puck between his legs. Clark, being -checked vainly by Brian Randall, faked twice to fool the 11-year-old goaler who led his team to a 3-2 upset and the AA championship at the Clinton Bantam 'tournament. .1\ orth Huron farmers angry at power failures 1 st Cohima Clinton police investigated an accident at Rattenbury and Orange Streets on Sunday that resulted in approximately $800-$900 damage to the two cars involved- Drivers of the cars were Fredoline Murray of Hull, Quebec, and Douve Veldhuis of Ontario Street, * * We unmarried a lady last week. In a picture of the new Ontario Hydro ffices at CFB Clinton last week we referred o Mrs. Ken Caldwell by her single name, arg Skov. Sure cuts the high cost of ivorce. Apparently Mrs. Caldwell has been getting few calls in the last week asking if there is new employee at the offices. Sorry for any convenience it may have caused either to s. or Mr, Caldwell. * 5 * Somebody got a big charge in a petty eft recently. Clinton Police report that a attery was stolen from a parked car at ttenbury and Orange. * * * It would be nice to think the unholy mess e have this week after the storm would be e last reminder of a stormy winter. The d part is, as columnist Lucy Woods points t in her column this week, March came in e a lamb so could go out like a lion. nfortunately, this is one old wives tale that oyes true too often. By the way, we welcome Lucy's mblings back this week after a short sence when she was indisposed. * * * Some thieves made off with a huge haul hen they broke into two north-end usinesses on February 26. Only a small ount of change and some cigarettes were ken in the entry at Kingwell Welding and cruton's Tire and Auto Service. Crime esn't pay. * * Street crews made fast work of clearing reets and sidewalks following the storm of unday and Monday. They performed pecially good service on the sidewalks with ose along Albert Street passable even at e height of the storm on Monday. * * * In last week's picture of the Clinton Wee ee team that won the Consolation trophy t the CFB tournament, the name of Ray lynn, who was missing when the picture as taken, was unfortunately left out, * * * Mrs. James Patterson of Clinton is a atient in Wingham and District Hospital ith an insured knee after Mr. and Mrs. atterson were in an auto accident on ighway 4, south of Wingham. * * * A geriatrics nurse to work with the lderly citizens in Huron County and a nurse work in the field of drug and alcohol ddiction have been approved for the Huron aunty Health Unit this year. A bid for a fourth public health inspector d a total dental program was rejected. The additional nurses will cost $11,650 presenting about two-thirds costs for a ear since the nurses will not be working in he county for a full 12 months in 1971. Council cut from the budget $6,300 for a• nitary inspector and about $11,000 for the creased dental program. Total budget will be $209,462.28 for gular program; $53,700 for program begun 1970 and continuing in 1971; and 11,650 for new program. The total roposed budget was $294,041. * * Increased wages has been blamed for the eatest increase in the Huron County ibrary budget in 1971, from $157,781 in 970 to $171,405 this year, The province contributes a fixed $70,900 the budget; Huron County ratepayers Ow up $93,705; schools will contribute 4,000; fines will realize another $2,400; d miscellaneous accounts for $400. Circulation is up, but the budget for rehasing books remains unchanged. The .ommittee will spend $65,000 for this nirpose. Rental fees for all the county library uildings were discussed and adjusted with 'ocierieti and Wingham getting more; Exeter tting less; and Brussels, Seaforth and Tinton remaining the smile: ids at Council Deriuty.reeVe Eugene Fraytie introduced members of the Grade 7 and 8 class from Kingsbridge Separate School Friday morning, February 26 at the regular session of Huron County Council. The students were at the county session on the invitation of Mr, Frayne who wanted the young people to witness first hand the Workings of the democratic system, Mr. Frayne had met with the students in their classroom and had tried to impress upon them the need to learn how to speak freely and easily in order to express opinions and the hope that each one of them would have a desire to vote when they were of age to have that privilege. "I find it an appalling situation that so few people'exercise their right to voter" stated Frayne. "People haven't taken, any lesson from other countries. I heard a priest say that Christianity was in more danger because of indifference than because of communism or any other -ism. I think that goes fot politics, too." Mr. Frayne told county council of the `ngsbtidge school's project to bring 22 ndian children from Moose Factory to live n the community for a few days in May. e same number of Kingsbridge young ople will refute to Moose Factory for a it to live with those families in their nies. He said the exchange will cost each horn participating about $700 or $800, elediati children have already raised the ecessary funds while the Kingsbridge tudents are still working on the project. Closure of CFB Clinton could hit Clinton hard financially in more than just lost employment. Councillor James Armstrong, chairman of the Clinton health and welfare committee expressed concern Monday night that welfare costs could rise dramatically because of the number of vacant houses and apartments that Would become available as employment at the base grew smaller. Mr. Armstrong said there had already been one case where the Children's Aid Society had directed a family from Goderich who could not find accommodation there to Clinton where they found a home and received welfare. Turf dub goes to races What do members of the Clinton Turf Club do to get away from the rigors of winter training? Go to the Races On Saturday, March 6, the turf club chartered a Murphy I3us to Windsor Raceway. A number of the members and their wives, plus eighteen guests from the area took advantage of a day away to the races. The group left Clinton at 9 axe, enjoyed title tams plus a delicious dinner in the comfort of the Club House area of the grandstand, and arrived back in Clinton at 9 p.m. The Town of Clinton gained some publicity from the outing. Windsor Raceway muted the fifth race for the Clinton Turf Club-, plus taking a picture of our President Frarik MacDonald and Secretary August DeGroof with the winning horse in front of the grandstand. Mr. Armstrong said thls was not a serious problem yet but he had heard that another such 'case was developleg and was afraid It might become a common occurance. "We could be the hardest hit of any of the towns around because of the number of vacant houses and apartments", he said. Mr. Armstrong referred to the renewed discussion by Huron County Council last month of a county welfare system. He said he felt that the county should pay the costs of welfare in order to balance the cost out across the county but felt that the local municipalities should administer the program in order to keep costs law. Reeve Harold Lobb, who took part in the touety discussions, said he didn't think the Ontario government would go 'for this. If a county welfare system was set up, he said, it would have to have its own administrative staff. In other busiriess Council approved the budget for road and street construction and maintenance for this year. The 'budget calls for $9,100 for construction program, and $28,000 for maintenance. Except for the completion of reconstruction of Albert St. and the installation of new sidewalks, no new construction programs are indicated, After a tour of the town with Chief of Police Lloyd Westlake and Dave Ball, Public Works foreman, Russ Archer, chairman of the Public Works committee noted that a lot of changes have to be made in the use and placing of street signs in Clinton and that action has been delayed until spring on a few proposed changes so that a 'complete review can be undertake'' and proper thanges incorpora eel in 'a bylaw. A grant of $7:640 was voted to the Clinton XinSmen at the Meeting, The Kinsmen had spent the Money in fixing up the ball park at Community Park ,and 'a grant for the work had been received by the town from the government so it was passed on to the Kinsmen. Huron County farmers, partite" !''y those at the north end of the county, are very -unhappy about efforts of Ontario Ilytiro during the blizzard that bit western Ontario in January and February. Complaints came to light again last Thursday night at a meeting of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture when two resolutions, one from the TurRberry Township Federation and one from a‘group of individual members from the northern part of the county, were introduced. The Turtiberry resolution asked that Ontario- Hydra be made to subsidize the cost of 'at elliary power units for farms since For the second time this winter Huron County was practically crippled by a violent winter storm that dumped at least 12 inches of snow on the area in two days. Although the effects of the storm were not as lasting as the, week-long blizzard that caused a minor crisis in the area in late January, this storm blocked many secondary roads and limited travel on major highways to a single lane, The storm caused school cancellation at most area public schools and the Central Huron High School was open for study purposes for town students only. The storm, which started Sunday morning, caused cancellation of three of the six championship games at the Clinton Bantam Tournament on Sunday afternoon and evening. This storm caused more trouble on the roads than the earlier blizzard because it did not stop people from travelling, only from being able to see properly, Poor visibility was the cause of a number of accidents. About 10:15 Monday morning a five-car pile up occurred about two and one-half miles north of Clinton on Highway 4. .No injuries were involved but damage totalled $3,000 in the series of rear-end collisions involving Mrs, Faye Fear, Brussels; Steven Kennedy, Sarnia; George Johnston, Belgrave; John Riley, Londesboro and Diane Shepherd, London. Another rear-ender occurred near the Ontario Hydro office at CFB Clinton involving Len Arnston, Queen St., Clinton and Anton Dykstra, Ingersoll. About $350 was the estimate of damage to the Dykstra vehicle and no estimate was available on the Arnston vehicle. Visibility was poor and O.P.P. had been stopping traffic on the highway at the time, except for those going to the base. The new storm brought the total of snowfall in the area this winter to over 100 inches, not as much as in hard-hit areas such as London and Montreal, but enough to burden the budget of most municipalities with the cost of snow removal. Many were already well over their budget before the last storm hit. The new snowfall renews the danger of flooding with the spring melting. Such fears had been abated in this area after the last storm due to the gradual melting that had taken place during a two-week period of mild weather. Nancy MacDonald wins contest Nancy MacDonald of Clinton Public School won the senior elementary public speaking contest at the Legion Zone C-1 finals held Saturday at Kincardine. The Kincardine competition involved 19 schools from Huron and Bruce counties, Earlier she had won over nine contestants from Clinton area schools in a competition at the Clinton Legion Hall last Tuesday to decide who would go to Kincardine. Barbara Westlake of Huron Centennial School, Brocefield placed second in the local senior competition. Third place was won by Shirley McFadden, also of Huron Centennial. Mary Ann Cummings of Air Marshal Hugh Campbell School, Adastral Park won the Clinton competition over eight other speakers In the grade 1-6 category. Glenna Ellis of Hullett Central was second and Xaren 13eliveati of Hugh Campbell was third. Miss Cummings placed second to Eleanor McMillan of Goderich In junior competition at Kincardine. hydro service was not being properly maintained and farms were having to do without power for days at a time, After considerable discussion the motion was defeated. The other resolution, however, was approved. It tailed on hydro to have equipment available to deal With Such crises so that farms would trot be cut off from power the future With drastic effects to both homes and farming operations. It also called for an investigation -of communications within the hydro- offices. Most of those complaining about service during the storm were served by the Ausable likely conservation choice If the results of an unofficial poll of municipalities remains the same when an official vote is taken, it would appear the Bayfield River watershed will become part of the Ausable River Conservation Authority in the near future, Councillor Clarence Denomme who was Clinton's representative at a meeting of representatives of municipalities along the Bayfield in Goderich last Thursday, said an unofficial poll at the meeting was 7-2 in favour of the Ausable over the Maitland. Councillor Denomme said he had voted in favour of the Ausable. He said despite the feeling of the meeting of Clinton-area municipalities which met here last month, that they should push for their own authority, he had been convinced by information he had asked the Department of Energy and Resources Management for that such a project was unworkable, In a reply to his letter, N. D. Barnes, Director of the Department had told the councillor that the Ausable and Maitland were both Tether small authorities and the Bayfield would be even smaller, without the economic base needed to pursue a worthwhile program. He said the costs of setting up a new authority and duplicating staff and equipment made a third authority impractical. The letter also informed that grants of 50 per cent are available on most projects of conservation authorities with grants of up to 75 per cent in some cases, Councillor Denomme said he wanted to gain more information of projects of the two existing authorities in the 1971-72 period before having council make a final decision on which way he should vote in a meeting expected sometime next month. Councillor Denomme said he had favoured the Ausable because the combined size of the Ausable and Bayfield areas would be about the same as the Maitland area. He also felt that the older Ausable Authority was further along in its programs and the Bayfield would be apt to get action sooner. Mayor Don Symons commended the councillor on the research he had done on the subject. Council will make a final decision within the next month at a committee of the whole meeting. Road costs 81,494,000 for County BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER Expenditures on roads and bridges under the provision of the Highway Improvement Act were set at $1,494,000 for 1971 at the February session of Huron County Council in Goderich, February 26. County funds will amount to $738,000. Last year Huron County raised $726,000 locally, but according to engineer Jim Britnell, less money will be required in 1971 from the taxpayers on a mill rate basis than in 1970. Maintenance for roads and bridges will account for $582,000 of the total budget; road construction, $662,000; bridge construction, $250,000; and bank interest and committee pay (100 percent of county funds) $70,000. Britnell said he had no definite figures on the cost of snow ploughing for this year, although it is known that "we are in the midst of the highest snow ploughing cogs in our history". "If March conies in like a lamb I guess we'd all better look out," observed Britnell who was hinting that a severe Snow storm in March could play havoc with road department budgets. Council also approved adding to the county road System .06 mile approaches to the new Benmiller Bridge and deleting from the county toad system .13 mile length of the approaches to the old BemnilIer Bridge. These approaches will revert to the Township of Colborne. Walkerton area office. Vince Austin, a Dungannon-area farmer, complained of being without power for several days during the storm. He claimed that the area office'at Walkerton had been notified about some breaks but had failed to notify crews in the field with the result that some crews were neat trouble areas but did not even know there was trouble. Other fahners complained that the telephone comparees would not even allow thern to call the hydro office to report brefiks. ThecOMplaint is to be forwarded to the head office of Ontario Hydro.