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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1975-07-10, Page 1THE TEST TELLS — One of the judges at the recent Elimville United Church beard growing contest Alice McLean checks the softness of the beard of Floyd Cooper. T-A photo Committee succeeds in salary requests Offer tower for removal The Exeter PUC have offered the former water tower behind the town hall to Bluewater Cable TV with the stipulation that the firm will be responsible for removing the tower when they are finished with it. Two weeks ago, Ron McIntosh of the cable firm advised council his firm was interested in using the facility as a receiving tower. The tower would be for tem- porary use while the firm prepares an application to the CRTC to bring TV signals to Exeter customers via microwave. Council asked the PUC to give the request favorable con- sideration. When notified this week of the PUC decision, Deputy-Reeve Tom MacMillan said that the firm should be required to post a performance bond to ensure that the tower would be removed if in fact they agree to the PUC offer. The PUC said in their letter to McIntosh that they would probably sell the tower for the price of $1.00, noting that they had one offer to have the tower removed at no cost. Another offer given the PUC for the tower in- cluded a cost of $1,000 for its removal. Councillor Ted Wright said Monday he never was in favor of allowing the cable firm to use the water tank and he still wasn't. However, Reeve Boyle said he was anxiously awaiting cable TV personally and also noted that many local residents were in the same position. It was finally agreed to concur with the PUC in their offer, but only if a performance bond was required. A suggestion that a time limit be placed on the use of the tower was not approved. ' The time limit suggestion was made after members of council noted that a delay in removing the tower would result in cur- tailment of plans by the parking authority for the town hall and adjacent properties. The town owns the land on which the tower is located., FIRE LEVELS BARN — File caused by lightning levelled a barn on the Usborne township farm of James Gardiner, Monday afternoon. 'Vehicles of the Exeter fire department are shown of the right. T-A photo MEASURING BEARDS — Numerous prizes were awarded for the best beards at the Elimville United Church Centennial, Wednesday. Above judge Jerry McLean meorures the length of Dan Traquair's beard. T-A photo Three area youths sustain dog bites ELIMVILLE'S BEST BEARD — The grand championship in the Elimville United Church beard growing contest went to Squire Herdman. Trio penalized $550 for drug possession Bad week for area drivers Warrant issued cotter. chose Damages over $18,000; 12 „hurt "The precedent is set!" That was the comment of Deputy-Reeve Tom MacMillan after council agreed this week to pay members of the local com- mittee of adjustment for their services. The committee, which consists of Mery Cudmore, Dr. Gary Balsdon and Bob Russell, had requested that they be paid $5 per each application heard. Reeve Derry Boyle said the request was "reasonable," but told council it would be establishing a precedent that Incidents of thefts continues in town Thefts continued to be a problem in Exeter during the past month. There were two thefts over $200 with total loot amounting to $840, with no recovery. In addition, there were seven thefts under $200 with the loss being $207.15. Of that, $157.15 had been recovered. A month ago there were two thefts of over $200 and 12 under $200. Other information contained in the June report submitted to council this week by Chief Ted Day was as follows: Seven accidents, 32 charges under the Highway Traffic Act and 11 warnings, five charges under.the Liquor Control Act, one break and enter with loss of $50, one investigation under the Narcotics Control Act, one fraud investigation, two impaired drivers charged, two people charged with causing a distur- bance by fighting, two juveniles warned after disturbing the peace, two places of business found insecure. Chief Day reported that 512 bicycle licences have been sold to date this year. He said the officers worked a total of 40 overtime hours, 15 of them in court, in June other appointed bodies such as RAP, the cemetery board, planning board, etc. may wish to follow as well. "It's a very important decision," he explained. However, Boyle told council that members of the Exeter Area Fire Board receive a stipend for their regular meetings. MacMillan argued that the committee of adjustment was slightly different than some of the other appointed bodies in that a fee was received by the town for their services, He said the fee, which must be paid by applicants wishing rulings from the com- mittee, could also be increased to cover the costs of members' remuneration. Boyle doubted this would be possible as he said the present $50 fee is the maximum. Councillor Ted Wright said he favored paying the members because they have a responsible job and due to the fact some revenue is received from their meetings. It was noted that the members may hear between four and five applications in one evening and that this would make their stipends around $20 to $25 per session. A report tabled at the council meeting from the committee indicated they had heard four applications at the latest meeting. Apnrovals had hepn f or severances for Tim Stire, Norm Stanlake, Ed Hunter-Duvar and Gaiser-Kneale. Permit for office held in abeyance Exeter council has held in abeyance a building permit request for the office building planned by Gaiser-Kneale on the former Cann's Mill site. An injunction has been served on the local firm by solicitors acting on behalf of Bill Rowe of Exeter Electric, prohibiting them from undertaking any construction that would erase the right-of-way between their property and that owned by Rowe. It is claimed that the 15-foot right-of-way has been in existence since 1910 and therefore cannot be built on as Gaiser-Kneale had originally planned. Reeve Derry Boyle said this week council should "stay out of it," and not issue any permit until the issue has been resolved. Exeter council have received a stiff reprimand from the Ausable-Bayfield Conservation Authority for granting a building permit to Len Veri to erect his new home in the flood plain area at Riverview Park. Veri has started construction of a new home on the east bank of the river near the curling rink. The Authority said the ap- proval of the permit "concerns us greatly" and claimed it is quite obvious that the property will be subject to severe flooding. They say this may have serious repercussions because the home owner may ask the Authority or council to take steps in the future to protect his property from flooding, Area drivers experienced oneof their worst accident records in recent months. There were 11 accidents during the past week in which 12 people sustained in- juries and property damage was estimated at over $18,000. None of the injuries was reported as serious. The rash of crashes com- menced Wednesday at 3:32 a,m., when a police cruiser driven by OPP Constable Bill Lewis crashed into the ditch on con- cession 10-11 of Tuckersmith Township while he was involved in a high speed chase. The chase started near Kippen on Highway 4 and continued on Tuckersmith roads until the lights on the cruiser were smashed out by flying stones and the vehicle went into the ditch. , Constable Lewis was treated for a wrenched back and damage to the cruiser was listed at $700 by Cpl, Ray Brooks. As a result of the incident, a warrant has been issued for the arrest of Wayne Ward, RR 2 Kippen. He has been charged with dangerous driving and leaving the scene of an accident. At 7:25 p.m. the same date, two cars and a bicycle were involved in a collision in Hensall. Drivers of the cars involved were Wayne Adair and Alan Baird, both of Hensall, and the cyclist was Stephen Venner also of Hensall. The Authority also charged council with violating their, own official plan by permitting development below the top line of the bank. It was suggested council should have waited for the floodplain study being undertaken by the Authority before approving any development near the river. Reeve Derry Boyle said the Authority has already written Veri advising him they will in no way assume any responsibility for flooding that may arise in the future. Boyle wondered if council should write a similar letter. However, Deputy-Reeve Tom MacMillan said no member on council was qualified to write Venner and Adair had been stopped, while Baird was westbound on Richmond St. when the collision occurred. Total damage was listed at $70 to'the Venner hike and Adair car by Constable Don Mason. There Was one crash Friday at 9:50 p,m, when vehicles operated by Edward Rooseboom, RR 3 Zurich, and Laurie Ward, Lon- don, collided on County Road 21 at the intersection of concession 2-3 of Stephen. Damage was set at $800 by Constable Lewis. Two motorcycles were in- volved in the first of the four accidents on Saturday. At 12:15 Dogs, thieves and vandals were busy in the area during the past week. Exeter OPP report three in- cidents of dog bites. Ten-year-old Donald Johnson, Huron Park, was bitten on the leg by a dog while he was collecting for newspapers on Thursday. The animal was owned by Fred Smith, 110 Algonquin Drive, and was tied at the time. The lad required four stitches. Another Huron Park youth, Tim Peacock, was bitten on the left leg while riding his bicycle on Huron St. West. The dog was owned by Thomas Triebner. The third bite was recorded at Turnbull's Grove on Lake Huron, when Timothy Shea, Michigan, was bitten on the hand by a canine owned by Maxine Lewis, London. All three victims were treated at South Huron Hospital. Residents of the Lake Huron subdivision of Norman Heights were victimized by thieves on the weekend. Shirley Hay reported the theft of a portable radio such a letter and suggested that the matter be turned over to Stratford solicitor Robert Mountain. A fair portion of Monday night's council meeting involved discussion about various developments being undertaken by Veri. Rec director Jim McKinlay noted that the right-of-way into the park beside Veri's new home had not yet been put into useable condition. Veri had been asked to have the new access readied in "reasonable condition and in a reasonable time." McKinlay wondered what a reasonable time and condition constituted. a.m., the machines driven by David Phillips, Hensall, and Richard Walker, RR 3 Zurich, collided on concession 22 of Stephen Township, Both drivers sustained cuts and bruises, as did a passenger on the Phillips machine, Yvonne Phillips, Hensall. Damage to the machines was listed at $3,200 by Constable Lewis, At 1:10 a.m., three vehicles wet e involved in a crash on High- way ,1 about one mile north of Exeter. A car operated by Randolph Dietrich, RR 3 Zurich, had stalled on the highway and was being pushed off the roadway valued at $79, while three other residents reported the loss of ladies' bathing suits. The victims were Susan Schonberg, Barbara Robertson and D. Walmsley. A stone was tossed through the windshield of an antique truck owned by Eugene Pritchard, Crediton, with damage listed at $100, Gordon Leslie, RR 3 Granton, also reported someone broke a headlight and let the air out of one tire on his truck while it was parked in Dashwood. Several road and railway signs were reported missing in the area as well during the past week, An aluminum ladder owned by Hogan Painting„ London, was stolen at Huron Park. It was valued at $50. Over the weekend, police charge three boaters as OPP Constables Dale Lamont, Exeter, and W.D. Rehm, Mt. Forest, patrolled the lake area north of Grand Bend. Two of the charges were regading registration numbers and the other was for lack of life jackets. Reeve Boyle said he would take the matter up with Veri in the hope of having the access prepared for use by the park crew to get into the area below Riverside Drive with their equipment. Earlier in the meeting, the question of Veri's display mobile homes came up again and members pondered how they could have the units removed. In the first instance, it was noted that because one of the units was being used as an office, a business licence would be required, if in fact such a business could be operated in a residential zone. However, this discussion became side-tracked when a problem about dust on George St. was raised, This prompted council to suggest a letter be written the PUC to have the matter rectified and' the discussion over Veri's mobile homes was dropped. However, Councillor Harold Patterson broached the topic again later in the meeting and noted that the National Building Code had been breached because no permits had been secured for erecting the homes. Councillor Barb Bell suggested the matter be referred to their solicitor to see what action could be taken. — Please turn to page 8 when struck by a car operated by Martin Bonner, London. A pickup truck driven by Robert Head, also of London, then collided with the Bonner car, Total damage was set at $1,750 by Constable Bill Osterloo and Bonner sustained cuts and bruises. A pickup truck driven by Harold Bender, RR 1 Dashwood, crashed into the bridge at the east of Crediton at 1:50 a,m. The driver was cut in the crash and damage was listed at $1,100 by Constable Osterl000. Two cars were demolished and three people were injured when Residents of Usborne township will meet July 14 for the first of five workshops to study recommendations for a secondary plan for the municipality. The county wide plan, which prescribes land use, was passed by the Ministry of in 1974, The main thrust of the plan is to protect and promote the long term future of agriculture in the county. Huron was the first to adopt such a plan. "It is fairly well recognized as a bold and far reaching step, commented Huron County planner, Nick Hill. "It indicated that the county could administer its own affairs thereby attaining local 'autonomy." In the introductory workshop on July 14, the planning program will be explained along with the details of the public participation program, The background research and mapping carried out by the Huron planning department will be reviewed by way of a slide presentation and an exhibit of maps and in- formation. Residents are invited to attend the workshops to give their views on the "problems and opportunities" of the secondary plan. The next five meetings scheduled between July 17 and August 7 focus on the main land Okay tenders in Usborne Contracts were awarded for the construction of four municipal drains in Usborne township at the latest meeting of council. R. Nicholson Construction of Sebringville was the lowest of two bidders on the "C" Pym drain and will complete the job for $2,300. Parker and Parker Drainage of Hensall were the successful bidders on the Hern-Miller, Cronyn and Horne drains. One other bid was submitted for each drain, The accepted bid on the Hern- Miller drain was $6,684.75; the Cronyn price was $7,875 and the low bid on the Horne drain was $4,965. A petition for a municipal drain presented by Wayne Hern and others for lots 7 and 8, Concession 9 was accepted and referred to A.M. Spreit Associates, engineers for a survey and report. The Down and McDougall municipal drain reports were provisionally adopted. Bylaws will ,be mailed to the assessed ratepayers on the two drains in time for a court of revision on August 5 if necessary and tenders will be called for the construction of the work. One tile drainage loan ap- plication in the amount of $13,500 was accepted. Special pickups will be reviewed Exeter Councillor Ted Wright this week expressed concern about the mounting piles of rubbish left out for special garbage pickups and succeeded in having the matter turned over to the sanitation committee for review. "It's getting out of hand," Wright said in noting that local residents were piling trees, stumps, etc. out on their boulevards for the special gar- bage piekups. He said this created a tremendous amount of extra work for the town crew and questioned if it was a good policy to pick up some of the items now being set out. Works superintendent Glenn Kells said the pickups,which are held once a month, now take up to three days to complete and can amount to as many as 10 to 14 loads of rubbish. the vehicles collided at the junction of the Crediton Road and. County Road 2 at 10:20 a.m., Saturday. Drivers involved were Bradley Barnes, Grand Bend, who had been westbound on the Crediton Road, and Mary Roberts, Lon- don, who had been proceeding north on County Road 2, Constable Frank Giffin estimated damage to each of the cars at $2,000. The two drivers were injured as was a passenger in the Roberts vehicle, Laura Smith, London, The two London women were taken to St, Joseph's Hospital. use activities of the township, Agriculture with Reeve Walter McBride in charge will be the topic for July 17. Land use will be discussed in view of control and the reclaiming of arable land for farming purposes. On July 22 the natural en- vironment, concerning the preservation of standing forests, and possible reforestation will be considered. Approximately six percent of Usborne township is in forest. Authorities maintain desirable coverage could be up to twenty percent. What is the impact on the ecology of the landscape? This will be a question considered by the planning board. Recreation developments on the Ausable River and Morrison Dam will be examined in detail for future development. Extractive resources such as sand and gravel deposits located in the north part of the township will be designated and protected A motorcycle was involved in Sunday's only collision. At 2:15 p.m., the machine driven by Donald Ramage, London, crashed on a curve on'Highway 81 when the kickstand caught on the pavement. ,He and his passenger, Karen Noescaler, also of London, suf- fered cuts and bruises and damage was set at $400 by Constable Al Quinn. A 1975 pickup truck driven by David Holden, Goderich, was totally demolished in a crash on Monday at 2:15 p.m. It went out of control on concession 18-19 of — Please turn to page 3 for future use. Deputy-reeve Bill Morley will act as chairman. The four hamlets of Woodham, Kirkton, Elimville and Win- chelsea are on the agenda for the July 29 session. Planning now and in the future for these com- munities will be thoroughly discussed. Zoning of building lots for commercial and residential development will be a prime consideration. Gordon' Johns and Murray Dawson will act as chairmen. Following the summary workshop August 7 with the entire council present, a first draft of the secondary plan will be prepared by the planners. Preparation of the first draft will take about six weeks. After ap- proval by township council, the plan will be mailed out to all residents prior to another public meeting. All meetings will be held at Usborne Central School with an 8 p.m. starting time. suspensions and fines of various amounts after pleading guilty to impaired driving or driving with an alcohol blood content of over 80 mgs. Leroy Guy Harrison, Centralia, was fined $150 and an additional fine of $53 for having liquor in a place other than his residence, Allan Raymond Keillor, Beigrave, was fined $150 and had his licence suspended for three months and also an ad- ditional $53 for having liquor in a place other than his residence. Philip Edgar Hartman, Hamilton, $100 for driving while over 80 mgs, and Roy Emerson Scott, Seaforth $200 and a licence suspension of six months, A fine of $200 was levied against John Relouw, Exeter, after he pleaded guilty to failing to remit income tax of an em- ployee to the Receiver General. The court learned the money owing, $87.92, had been paid previous to the court appearance, James W. McLinchey, rat 3 Parkhill, was fined $103 for failing to remain at the scene of an accident in which he was in- volved in Stephen Township oti May 24. Randy J. Quesnel, RR 2 Cen- tralia, was fined $43 for following another vehicle too closely on June 16. Exeter joins fight on Hydro costs Exeter council concurred with a suggestion from the Ontario Association of Muncipalities to register concern to the Ontario government over the excessive rates that will be experienced by consumers if anticipated in- creases are approved for Ontario Hydro. Hydro has indicated their costs will jump 30 percent in 1976, followed by increases in the two succeeding years to bring the total increase in the three years to 95 percent. The resolution noted that Hydro rates would have to double in that period to meet these ex- penditures. dik In urging council to concur with Ilirthe resolution of concern, Councillor Ted Wright said Hydro was "not trying in any shape or form to curtail expenses." He said the increased costs were worse than the increases for gas and oil. Barn in Usborne destroyed by fire An Usborne township barn was struck by lightning during a severe Monday afternoon storm and was completely destroyed by fire. The barn located at lot 11, NEB Concession is owned by James Gardiner. Loss was estimated at $10,000 by Exeter fire chief Gary Middleton, Contents including wiring and miscellaneous items valued at $1,000 were also lost. The alarm was received by Exeter fire department at '3:45 p.m, but by the time firemen arrived the blaze was out of control. Chief Middleton said his department could only protect a nearby shed. The local fire department was called out again Tuesday mor- ning when fire broke out in a truck parked on Sanders street west, just west of Main street, The blaze which broke out due to a short in the wiring was ex- tinguished as firemen arrived. The truck was owned by Xer- ovas ohan Home Centre of London. hief Middleton said no damage , incurred, Council given stiff reprimand for letting home in floodplain Three people were fined a total of $550 when they appeared before Judge Glenn Hays in , Exeter, Tuesday, on charges of possession of drugs. The charges against the three had originally been for possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, but these were changed to only possession when special crown attorney P.L. Raymond said he would offer no evidence on the trafficking charges. John ,J. Koopmans, London, was fined $300, it being his second conviction for possession of drugs, Paul Derek Dykeman, Lucan, was fined $150 and Suzanne Claire Leckie, Lucan, $100. 'All three pleaded guilty to the charges which had been laid by OPP Constables Bill McIntyre and Don Mason. The two officers had been observing the Koopmans' residence (formerly RR 3 Zurich) and stopped a car oc- cupied by Koopmans and Dykeman. A search was later conducted in the house and a total of 10 ounces of marijuana was found by the policemen, some in the car, some in the kitchen and one package in Suzanne Leckie's purse. Pour drivers were given One Hundred and Second Year EXETER, ONTARIO, JULY 10, 1975 Price Per Copy 25 Cents Usborne planning sessions to get underway this week