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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1973-12-13, Page 1Clinton, Ontario 20 Cents Rainfall .32" Rain .64" Snow 4" 108 Year No. 50 Thursday, December 13, .1973 Weather 1973 HI (.0 DECEMBER .1977 HI LO 4 53 42 21 16 5 52 35 34 16 6 . 35 27 42 20 7 33 28 21 9 8 32 23 32 8 9 34 24 35 32 10 33 23 32 23 t ig on e M47 Huron LIP grants Oked Local Initiatives Program grants for the Huron riding have been approved by the department of manpower and immigration. In Huron, the largest grant — $12,480 — goes to Clinton and District Christian School Society of the Dutch Reform Church to add two classrooms, storagerooms and washrooms to its Clinton school. The school serves children in the Clinton, Goderich, Exeter, Seaforth and Blyth areas. The Tuckersmith Municipal Telephone System, which serves 1,500 subscribers, receives $10,840 to hook subscribers to un- derground _cable and reduce the number ef connections on multip-party The .usable-T3eYfield Conservation Authority receives $7,200 to improve woodlot and wildlife management at the Parkhill Dam. Two Goderich senior citizen projects were given loans: The Information and Friendship Centre gets $12,480 to provide social, recreational and information ser- vices for senior citizens; Helping Hands receives $7,200 to make minor repairs to homes of the elderly and provide winter transportation, snow shovelling, window cleaning and other services. Teachers protest legislation A Seaforth woman, Mrs. W. Titford won a completely decorated Christmas tree and dozens of gifts in the Clinton chapter of the LO.D.E.'s annual Christmas draw. Here Mrs. Bill German, left, and Mrs. Ted Davies of the Clinton Chapter draw the lucky name. (News-Record photo) Clintonians to pay taxes four times a year BY WILMA OKE Over 100 Huron-Perth Separate school teachers attended a meeting Tuesday night in St. Columban Roman Catholic Church where they agreed unanimously that the teachers are interested in the education of the children and do not wish to see the schools closed because of teacher resignations. The teachers authorized their president, Sister Audrey Dumouchele, Stratford to send a telegram to the Huron-Perth County Roman Catholic school board advising it that the provincial association of the teachers, through Peter Murphy,' of Toronto, was handling the salary negotiations for them. The board also was asked to advise Sister Audrey by Wed- nesday night, whether the board would BY J.F. Just another reminder that the News- Record's Christmas edition will be coming out on December 20 this year, so we would ask any advertisers or those with Christ- mas messages that the deadline is very fast approaching and we must have all the ads by next Tuesday December 18. We will also be publishing on December 28 one day late, and because both Decem- ber 25 and 26 are holidays, we are asking for full cooperation from our correspon- dents and advertisers to get their copy in as early as possible, * * * With all the flurry of holiday activity, don't forget the Clinton Centennial meeting next Wednesday night in the Town Hall at 8 p.m. Concrete plans for the gala year long celebrations are now being made and every interested citizen is invited to at- tend, We would just like to make a belated thanks to the Town of Clinton for bountiful banquet and fun dance yours truly and wife Lois attended recently. The small cost of such an ,outing is well worth the money in going a long way to promote community co-operation and spirit. meet to negotiate with Mr. Murphy. This telegram from the teachers was sent in answer to one from the board which Sister Audrey received Tuesday morning. It said "The board's negotiating committee is available to meet with the local negotiating committee of the teachers to continue negotiations so that a mutually acceptable agreement can be reached." The board said the committee was available to meet on the evenings of Dec. 12, 13, 18 and 19 if necessary at the Huron- Perth board office in Seaforth. Concerned that the board might refuse to meet with Peter Murphy of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association. The teachers agreed, in that event, to send a telegram to the ministry of education requesting a mediator to settle the salary dispute. They will then send, as well, a telegram to the board chairman requesting the board to ask for a mediator too, to set- tle the salary dispute. Prior to the start of the meeting, two representatives of the ministry of education met with the teachers' salary negotiating team. They explained the emergency (Bill 274) which Ontario education minister Thomas Wells is proposing regarding the teachers' bargaining rights. The local negotiators expressed their displeasure with Bill 274, especially the sections that ruled that the resignations are void and forced the compulsory ar- bitration. Following this, the teachers held their meeting to discuss the legislation and the current salary impasse. The teachers elec. ted Gary Birmingham of Stratford, corn- municationa officer for the Huron-Perth milt to attend the emergency meeting being held in the Westbury Hotel in Toronto, Saturday. He will express the displeasure of the teachers with Mr. Wells' emergency legislation and discuss a possible one-day walkout. The teachers questioned whether the legislation Making resignations void was legal as Mr, Wells proposed. Local winners! Winners this week itt the Clinton Retail Merchants drew are; Mrs. Tom Chuter of Clinton, who won a $50 gift certificate from Lees; Carole McDowell of RR 1, Belgrave, Who was the first winner of g $25 gift cer- tificate from Hermann Men's Wear; arid Mrs. M. MacLean of Clinton, who won the first $15 gift certificate from Holland Shoes. Beginning next year, Clinton property owners will pay their municipal taxes four times a year instead of the present twice a year. Clinton Council passed a by-law Monday night that would divide the yearly tax levy into approximately four equal parts. Presently, Clinton taxes are collected on Clinton gave third and final reading to a by-law Monday night at their regular meeting that establishes a joint fire area around Clinton. Included in the area besides Clinton are the surrounding townships of Goderich, Hullett, Stanley and Tuckersmith. Each township will send a member to a newly established seven man fire board , while Clinton will have the other three members. Clinton will still be the centre of the area, caring for and manning the equip- ment. Each municipality will pay a fee based on the assessment of each municipality. Fees will differ according to the amount each municipality requires the fire protection. On top of the fee, each township and Clinton will pay on an hourly basis for BY JIM FITZGERALD The possibilities of the nearly 400 laid- off workers of the Hall Lamp Co. of Canada plant in Centralia receiving any money before Christmas now seems very dim. The Company closed two .weeks age4 laying off all the employees and stating that they were short of materials necessary for making taillight assemblies for the automotive industry. A few days later, however, the company, which is a subsidiary of Leader Inter- national Industries Inc. of the United States, declared bankruptcy and Chrysler, Ford and American Motors removed their dies and tools from the Centralia plant, At a meeting Monday of this week in Exeter, Huron MPP Jack Riddell said that the Hall Lamp closing may trigger the shutdown of six or seven other plants in the area, one in the Mitchell area and one near Zurich. The Hall workers learned on Monday that their claims for holiday and severance pay would not likely be fulfilled before Old fire truck Clinton's 1975 Centennial celebrations received a big boost from the Clinton Council Monday night when they voted $850.32 to repair and refurbish the Town's 1928 fire truck. The truck will be taken by the Clinton Fire Department to various parades and fairs in the next two years to advertise Clinton's Centennial. The work, being carried out by Clinton Radiator and Body Shop, is to be com- pleted by February. Council was also advised by the protec- tion to persons and property committee that the Christmas lights have all been put up by the Clinton PUC, but would not be turned on until December 15, as part of the town's contribution to the saving of energy program. The police committee told council that the. Town is advertising for a new police cruiser to replace the present one, which is two years old. Council also gave final reading to a by- law to increase to towns sewage rate fro, 140 percent of the water bill to 375 percent of the water bill. The minimum charge will be $5.75 a month, and the maximum charge will be $50 a month. An average Clinton water and sewage bill will jump from $48 a year to $96 a year. In other business, by-law committee chairman Don Hall, who is sitting in for the ailing Deputy-Reeve Frank Cook, infor- med council that a revised traffic by-law, a new taxi by-law and a bicycle by-law will be ready for the January meeting. Council police, and the two snowmobile clubs in town will meet to also go over the town's present rules concerning snowmobile use in Clinton. Boxing bay, December 26, Was declared a holiday by council And they else decided to give a $10 Christmas bonus to oath of the Town's employees. Council also voted themselves their regular sessional Allowance. Clinton will again next year' buy $250 worth of advertising it the Blue Water Vacation Guide, with emphasis in the ad June 30 and December 15 of each year.' Beginning next year, taxes will come due on February 15, May 15, September 15, and November 15. Because the Town's yearly budget is not usually finalized until late May, the first two tax installments will be based on no more than 50 percent of the previous year's each fire. Goderich Township Clerk Robin Thompson will look after the accounting for the area. Final details of the area have yet to be ratified and members of Clinton council stressed that they could back out of the agreement in a year if it wasn't working.. Three of the townships have agreed to the area and now, only the approval of Stanley Township is needed. Council, in another motion, authorized Mayor Symons and Clerk Cam Proctor to sign the agreement on behalf of the town. In other business, council received a let- ter from the Ontario ministry of treasurer, economics and intergovernmental affairs stating that a land freeze has been placed on Goderich and Colborne Townships. Council filed the •letter. Christmas, and they openly booed Bruce Whyte of the Unemployment Insurance Commission office in London when he told them they would have to wait two weeks before filing claims and then it would take at least 25 days to process their claims. The workers also booed Robert Nielter- s'cin,. international representative of Local `4620 of the United Auto Workers, becuae he told them money cannot be taken from the union's strike fund for workers who have been laid off. The union represents the hourly rated employees at the plant. Earlier, Dwight Strain of Clinton, a for- mer purchasing agent with Hall Lamp, said that eight of the former company executives were trying to secure money to reopen the plant, with no connection with Leader International, Mr. Strain said that banks and financial institutions want more information on the present financial status of Hall Lamp and the reasons behind the closing before they commit themselves to any loans. This information will be available when the receiver-manager, R. M. Lowe of Toronto completes his report. repair backed on Clinton's 1975 Centennial, Two cards of thanks for flowers were received from the Town's building inspec- tor Gene Rath and from Deputy-Reeve Frank Cook, who is recuperating from a heart attack. Reeve Lobb was appointed by the town to be Clinton's representative on the Holmesville Landfill Committee, with Councillor Don Hall named asanalternate. Representation from each municipality was trimmed to one delegate each. During discussion of the building permits for December, Councillor Bill Stauttener noted that Clinton's per capita spending on building this year was equal to that of Lon- don Ontario. Permits passed were: Falconer Brothers two dwellings at $25,000 each; Andy Van Altena, dwelling, $30,000; John Anstett, sign, $600; Albert Robinson, alterations and sign, $1,000. Building permits in Clinton for 1973 total nearly $1.2 million, the highest on record, Two men receive appotnIments At a recent meeting of the Huron-Perth Advisory hoard, CNIB, Harvey Howard of Clinton, joined John Outlet, of Seaforth as the two newest members of the Board. Mr, and Mrs. Howard attended the Christmas Party for the blind of Huron County held on Wednesday evening, December 5th, at Ontario Street United Church, Clinton. Eighty-five people en- joyed a wonderful meal, excellent enter- tainment by local artists, and the spirit of this season of the year pervaded the auditorium. Mr, Howard's responsibilities es a mem- ber of the Advisory Board will be to keels in contact with the blind of Clinton and area and assist in every way possible, He is also a Member of the Clinton Lions Club who conduct the annual campaign along with the kinsmen for funds On behalf of the ON/13 each year, taxes. When the budget is finished, taxpayers will make up the difference between the old rate and the new rate in the final two in- stallments. In previous years, Clinton has found it necessary to borrow large sums of money at the beginning of each year until the taxes started rolling in, in late May. The bank interest on that borrowed money was costing the town up to $5,000. a year in in- terest charges, Council thought that much of this extra money could be saved if taxes were collec- ted on a regular basis, Default of a payment will mean, as it has in the past, a penalty charge of one percent ner month on all unpaid taxes. In another motion, council backed a resolution from County Council asking that the Huron County board of education tax levy be paid on June 30 and December 15 of 1974 . Clinton council spent 45 minutes last Monday night at their regular meeting arguing with James Edward of Clinton on several subjects, including hiring policies of If the company reopens, Mr. Strain said, it plans to diversify its operations so it wouldn't depend on contracts from the car companies. About 80 percent of the Hall production was exported to the United States. Last week, Mr. Riddell revealed that the Hall' Company still, owes $150,000 of a $25,000 Ontario Development Corporation performance loan which it received four years ago when it located at the former air base. Mr. Strain said that the ODC has pledged financial support if his group can prove its operations would be profitable, He said that more meetings are planned with Ontario and federal government of- ficials to try and re-organize the company under new owners. Clinton's chances of carrying on a federally financed Local Initiatives Project this year look very slight after council was read a letter Monday night from Huron MP, R.E. (Bob) McKinley. Mr. McKinley said he had put in a good word with the dept. of manpower and im- migration for Clinton's $75,000 application for dead tree remove]. and sidewalk con- struction in town, In other business, council granted the Clinton Cemetery Board an additional $2,000 for 1973 after the board wrote coun- cil saying that expenses have risen, but revenues are down this year. The board gets much of its money from the sale of funeral plots, and this year, the death rate in Clinton is down, Council received word from the Ontario ministry of the environment that approval has been granted for the sanitary sewer ex- tension on Pugh's Terrace, The Clinton PUC has already completed the work. A letter was received from the Clinton Kinette wondering what council's reaction• would be to the possibilities of the Clinton Kinettes wondering what council's reaction would be to the possibilities of the Clinton Kinette Club renovating the basement of the library for-use by senior citizens. Coun- cil appointed Councillor Don Hall and Bill Stauttener to look into the matter. the Public Works Department and discussion of the planning board and the issuing of building permits. Mr. Edward had written several letters to the editor which appeared in the Clinton News-Record in recent months. Council then invited Mr. Edward to the council meeting to further discuss his allegations. Mr. Edward argued that council had hired several men 'for the Public Works Department behind closed doors in the committee room, and that one of those men knew he was getting the job before it was passed in open council and before the job had been advertised, Both Public Works chairman Ernie Brown and Mayor Don Symons denied the charge, seying the job was advertised first and then the applications were considered. Mr. Edward also thought that the coun- cil was giving special consideration to Bud Kuehl, a local developer, and Mr. Edwards said it was a conflict of interest for Mr. Kuehl to also be chairman of the Clinton Planning Board. After 45 minutes of allegations and potentially slanderous statements, both sides called a truce and council continued on with its business, with Mr. Edward as a spectator. Mr. McKinley said that the program had been reduced to $85 million this year from $200 million last year. Only $50,000 has been designated for Huron County this year, compared to $90,000 last year. Mr. McKinley noted that there were 16 applications from Huron, asking for a total of $320,751. No doubt, many of the projects will be turned down. Council back fire area Hope fades for Hall workers Man claims council unfair Clinton's LIP chances gloomy Sante paid en unexpected visit to the Clinton Centre of Conestoga College last Friday night as the college held a Christmas concert and patty. Santa, however, denied that he wee related to Clinton Centre dhaittnert ROsi atid that It was coincidental that he looked like Ro$e. (fOniva.liecorcl phOtO)