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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1976-01-15, Page 1photo by Bagley. the chorus in the capacity of pianist, since the vocal group was found- ed, eight years ago. RETIRING PIANIST — Mrs. Dorothy Wildfong, Exeter, accepts flowers of appreciation from Huronia chorus member Gerald Skinner and director Mrs. Marianne McCaffrey. Mrs. Wildfong has been with People and events THE MARCH OF DIMES blitz in Exeter is slated for Monday, January 26. Mrs. Harvey Pfaff has asked anyone who would like to be a marching mother to call her at 235-2013. A NEW FIRE CHIEF AND HIS DEPUTY were sworn in at the Hensall,council meeting Monday night. Jim Hyde is the new chief and Wayne Reid is the new deputy chief. HURON TRACTOR (Exeter) Ltd. one of the most modern farm implement dealerships in the country, will be holding their grand opening on Friddy, January 16. Many farmers from this area are expected to tour the new premises. AN ANNOUNCEMENT by the OPP states that although seat belt legislation became effective on January 1, they will be issu- ing warnings only to violators until February 1. The report also states that no stop-check program will go into effect to enforce the legislation. A PETITION is being circulated in several stores in town urging the minister of helath to reconsider closing the Goderich Psychiatric Hospital. It may be too late as an announcement has been made stating the government's decision is final. MUNICIPAL LEVIES to the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority 'will be presented at the ABCA's annual meeting, scheduled for February 13, Authority secretary treasurer, Lila Hume says. HEAVY DRINKERS OF POP in this area consume around 600,- 000 bottles of Kist Products manufactured in Exeter each year. The area serviced by the local plant is about 50 to 60 miles in radius, circling out to Listowel, Teeswater, Forest and Stratford. ONE OF EXETER'S POLICE CRUISERS was laid up for a week because it needed three new tires. The police couldn't do anything about it because they didn't have authorization from the police committee of town council to spend the necessary money to get new tires installed, The cruisers didn't get back on the road until Tuesday of this week. Perhaps the problem resulted from the police committee taking on a new chairman who wasn't yet acquainted with all of his duties. We certainly don't think that it had anything to do with budget restraints for 1976, do we? PEOPLE SNEAKING INTO THE DUMP SITE in front of Bendix in Hensall will be out of luck for illegal dumping in a few weeks. Washers are being welded onto the gate hinges so it cannot be lifted off as has been the case in the past. IT'S LEAP YEAR and girls if you're going to make your move this is the year to do itl Fellows, beware. EVEN THOUGH THERE'S ONE MORE DAY IN FEBRUARYthis year drivers will still have to have their car licenses purchased by the 28th, That's because the 29th falls on a Sunday. WILF REEVES, uncle of Mrs. Verna Wurm of Exeter was installed as monarch of London's Xella Grotto Lodge, Mr. and Mrs. Wurm attended the installation ceremony. SNOWMOBILERS are happy this year. The heavy fall of snow is ' taking more and more people out on the snowmobile trails. Mrs. Culbert at the licensing office reports there's been a rush to license 'many, many more snow vehicles than last year.' Car licenses are being purchased at a steady pace mostly by people going south for the winter and by old-age pensioners who seem to like to buy theirs in January. A FASTENED SEATBELT probably saved Jerry Boersma, Mt. Brydges an extended and painful stay in hospital. Above are the remains of Boersrnals car after he slid off Hwy. 83 last Friday and struck a tree. Boersma suffered minor cuts in the mishap. Damage to the car is estimated at $1500. photo by Bagley he AxelercilMineseativocafe One Hundred and Third Year EXETER, ONTARIO, JANUARY 15, 1976 Price Per Copy 25 Cents THE CUTTING EDGE — of a sriV'plough pushes back accumulating snow on hwy. 84 east of ,Hensall dur- ing a snowstorm last Tuesday. photo by Bagley Turkheim predicts 1976 as toughest budget year yet • Exeter Rodeo future looks good, form new executive The Exeter rodeo is alive and well and waiting for another season. That's the opinion of the new executive committee appointed at the Rodeo meeting held Wednesday night at the Exeter Public School library, Although the newly appointed executive committee was selected to serve on an interim basis for the next two weeks, most everyone attending the meeting felt that the members of the committee would remain for the entire year after nominations By LEIGH R'OBINSON The controversy over closing of the Goderich Psychiatric Hospital continues to grow and it's taking on the appearance of a full-fledged political battle at Queen's Park between the minority Conservative govern- ment and the official opposition NDP party. Just before Christmas Ontario Health minister, Frank Miller, P.C., announced the hospital would be closed down as of the end of March and that the 300 pei.sons employed there would be laid off. The announcement was not a welcome one to the em- ployees, administrators, or municipal politicians in the area. Last week a public meeting was organized by persons opposed to the hospital's shutting down and it was resolved that the town of Goderich would seek a court injunction to prevent it, Now NDP leader, Stephen Lewis has entered the struggle. At a Rotary Luncheon in Goderich on Tuesday after touring the hospital, Lewis said that he would urge Frank Miller to reconsider his decision to close it. After the public meeting a week ago, Miller had indicated that he would take the matter of closing the hospital back to the provincial cabinet for recon- sideration by its members, It was felt that a final decision would probably not be reached for several weeks. "There is no way Huron County will be able to replace such specialized services as the hospital's addiction centre, the have been taken from the floor and votes have been cast at the next meeting on January 21. The new executive committee consists of Glenn Northcott, president, Dalton Finkbeiner, first vice-president, Carfrey Cann, secretary, and Jack Malone, secretary, Outlining priorities, Dalton Finkbeiner suggested that this year's rodeo would be a success if certain projects were un- dertaken. "We will certainly distribute the work load much more than we have done -in the adolescent centre, where about 16 emotionally disturbed children are treated daily, the oc- cupational and industrial therapy classes, and the geriatrics ser- vices", Mr. Lewis told those present at the luncheon. "To not give any prior warning that the hospital would close is what I call bad faith right down the line. Just as bad is Mr. Miller's presumption to refer to the employees at the hospital, faced with being laid off their jobs, as surplus staff. In cutting health care costs, ,the govern- ment always seems to attack the human element. It finds it much easier to cut the Goderich Hospital than to cut a highway." Lewis remarked that the government plan would probably not even save tax dollars in the long run. He said the Ontario government plans to transfer the hospitial 'facility over to the ministry of community and social services and turn it into an institution for the mentally retarded in order to take ad- vantage of a 50-50 cost sharing program with the federal government. He told reporters that such a move would require provincial funding, only from a different source, and at the sacrifice of an existing psychiatric facility that "has already proven itself" as well as the employees who would wind up without jobs. The Ontario government decision to close the hospital which has 230 beds and $00 em- ployees, was only part of a general cutback program that it past", he said. "We must con- sider various categories• for a rodeo. For example, we have never had any trouble raising money from a dance." Finkbeiner said that one of the first steps would be arranging for the raising of funds to provide initial capital for another rodeo. Secondly, the type of rodeo that would be most successful, and finally, some decision on whether the rodeo should remain on the traditional Labour Day weekend or be moved to an earlier date in the summer, as has been has initiated in the health care field. The government plans to close down 3,000 hospital beds throughout the province and reduce staff by some 5,000. Where these workers will go to find jobs has not been indicated by the government. It would appear that budget cuts in the health care field, symbolized by the local situation in Goderich, is one of the more significant issues that the P.C. and the NDP party will be con- tending this winter and spring. Disagreement over what priorities would be with regard to budget restraints, as well as different points of view on saving tax dollars may well bring down the minority government before spring turns to summer. No parking overnight Exeter police remind citizens of Exeter of the town by-law for snow removal which covers all vehicles parked on the town streets, There is no parking between 1 am and 6 am. If you leave your vehicle on the streets, and it is in the way of the snow plow you can expect to receive a parking ticket. In ad- dition, you will be required to pay the tow truck bill when the vehicle is removed by the police. The police department report several recent accidents. A large Texaco Tanker truck, filled with gasoline became stuck along the CN tracks justsouth of Wellington Street, January 7. The tanker truck, driven by Peter Sylvester of Alvinston, Ontario, was towed from the deep snow by Graham Arthur's tow truck, assisted by the town's grader snow plow driven by Gary Middleton. Canadian National Railways, London, were advised about the truck on the tracks but the truck was removed before the train arrived.Constable Kierstead at- tended. January 8, at about 4:30 pm, a motor vehicle driven by. Lorne Turnbull, 86 Waterloo Street, Exeter, was involved in a collision with a motor vehicle driven by Marjorie Calhoun, 197 Maple Street, Preston. The ac- cident occurred on Main Street south of John Street with an estimated damage of $100.00. Constable Fice investigated. Another motor vehicle collision occurred on Thames Road, W., January 8, between cars driven by John Rasenbury, RR 3 Zurich, and Bruce Pilgrim, 132 Algonquin Drive, Huron Park, Constable Robertson in- vestigated. Damage was estimated at $550.00, January 11, a motor car driven by Gord Hyde, 571 Clarke Side Road, London, was involved in a minor collision at Walpers Supertest Station, north of Exeter, when his car struck a gasoline pump on the service station lot. There was an estimated damage of $50.00. Investigation was made by Constable Kierstead. On the same day a car owned by Sheila McMurtrie, 371 William Street, Exeter, was struck while parked along William Street by the Exeter snow plow,Damage was estimated at $350. Constable Kierstead was the investigating officer. Good month, few accidents The Exeter detachment of the OPP reports that the year of 1976 has been a good one so far in terms of accident and crime. There have been only seven accidents since the beginning of the year and none occurred this week, even with the heavy snow storm Tuesday night, according to Sgt. Norton Rhiness, head of the detachment. Only 15 charges have been laid since the beginning of the year and no major crimes have oc- curred. Police have investigated about 50 general occurrences, suggested by Ben HoogenboOrn, representing the Chamber of Commerce. It has been no secret in past months that the Rodeo was in trouble, Attendance has dwindled during the last three seasons, largely a result of bad weather. Profits had been off and last year's event ended up with the committee losing money on the Rodeo, leaving their usually full coffers with only about $600 to span the event in 1976, The committee is confident, however, that with a few changes in format, -a little sold planning with regard to financing, and perhaps a change in the days set aside for the Rodeo, that the future should be bright. One interesting possibility that the committee is currently 'toying' would involve ap- pearances of famous show business or sports personalities. In his address at the inaugural meeting of the Huron Board of Education, Monday, chairman Herb Turkheim said 1976 would probably go down in history as the toughest year trustees on any Board have ever faced. Turkheim continued, "We are looking at increased costs of operation with less provincial funds available and this can only mean increased costs to local taxpayers, whether we like it or not." He outlined a few of the highlights of the new grant structure announced recently by Ontario's Education Minister Thrimas Wells as follows: The ceilings on ordinary per- pupil expenditure eligible for provincial ' grants will be in- creased by eight percent for elementary and secondary • students with an additional $80 per pupil to be added at the elementary level. In 1976 the maximum ordinary expenditures per pupil which will be recognized for grant purposes are $1,080 for each elementary school student and $1,556 for each secondary school pupil. Any per-pupil spending that exceeds a board's grant ceiling will not be eligible for provincial assistance. To these regulations, the Huron chairman added, "What this really means is that any spending beyond these grant ceilings is a direct responsibility of the local school board and the additional funds can only be raised by in- creasing the local mill rate. "Believe me, local taxes in Huron will increase sharply in 1976, so we must be willing to do our part in trying to avoid any unjust spending. Commitments made in 1975 will already use up more than our increase in grants, so we must examine any further expenditures very carefully before approving them." Turkheim said despite the cut in provincial monies, he was hopeful that the building project at Exeter Public School will be allowed to go ahead sOnictimc in 1976. He added, "The regional office in London tells us they propose to approve this project which is in the sketch plan stage— from current funds in 1976. There is no doubt, however, that. some of our capital projects such as the facilities at l'Iuron Hope, the Science Lab al South Huron, Town hail plans proceed A meeting of the town hall citizens' committee had to be cancelled Tuesday night when snow strangled the main arteries in southwestern Ontario and prevented a Toronto woman, who is an expert in renovating historic buildings from attending. Doug Gould, chairman of the committee, said that preparations are underway to begin the task of fixing up the building, but the L.I.P. grant has not yet been received. He said that before the committee can undertake any renovations projects, they must first check with town council and get its approval. The LIP grant has received final approval but has not arrived in town yet, Town clerk, Eric Carscadden, will be in charge of administering the federal government funds for committee projects. Commenting on a report last week from Reeve Derry Boyle, that the public washrooms behind the building would have to be closed up due to freezing pipes, Gould said that the committee was not concerned and per- sonally felt that the frame ad- dition should be torn down. The committee has been gathering additional information on renovations and has been in contact with the fire marshall's office. The first priority when repairs begin will be work on the exterior of the building, ac- cording to Gould. He said that the committee is confident that the project will meet with success and noted that members are still looking into the possibility of canvassing the town for additional funds. Asked whether such funds Would also come under the auspices of council for ad- ministration purposes, Gould responded that he thought that the committee would probably be in charge of such monies to be used in the project. IP Controversy grows over Goderich Hospital closing South Huron Hospital's fate to be decided soon Industrial Arts and Home Ec facilities at several locations and the much discussed computer project will suffer from the restraint programs." Turkheim urged his fellow trustees to strive for equality of opportunity in all Huron County schools. He added, "At all times we must consider what is best for the entire county and not only for our individual area. This is the basic principle of a county system." In closing the new chairman said, "We have in our teachers and administrators people who have dedicated themselves to educate our children and their work must be made known to give parents a better un- derstanding of what is being accomplished for their families. Also speaking briefly was Huron's retiring warden Anson McKinley of Stanley township. A large number of Huron reeves were also in attendance. Budget uncertainties are at least partially to blame for South Huron Hospital's concern about a $1,000 a year garbage pickup fee that Exeter has decided to charge the hospital, according to ad- ministrator, Elmer Taylor. South Huron's budget un- certainties stem from two sources which revert back to the same source, the provincial government. The provincial ministry of health has made a number of recent announcements concerning health care cutbacks which could possibly affect Exeter's hospital. The most recent and significant decision, at least from a local point of view, was the govern- ment's announcement that the Goderich Psychiatric Hospital would be closed at the end of March, At this point, South Huron has received no word one way or the other from the ministry, as to how austerity measures in the' health field would affect the hospital, but closings and staff cutbacks in other provincially supported hospitals leave the possibility open that budget cutbacks could affect South Huron. ' The second source of un- certainty derives from the fact that the provincial government has yet to lay a budget down with regard to health care for 1976, "We usually have a budget ap- proved by the end of November", Taylor said. He told the T-A that the hospital's working budget will not come down until some time in February, making it difficult to project how much spending the hospital can do in 1976. For these reasons, Taylor reacted to an announcement from Exeter Town Council that the town would begin charging $20 a week for garbage pickups in 1976, by asking for an audience with council to discuss the situation, In the past the hospital has not been charged for garbage pickup, which it receives six days a week from the town works department. Taylor said that the regular pickup is a necessary requirement for the hospital and told council last year that South Huron would like the service to continue. Asked why the new health budget has been so long in coming down, Taylor replied that he believed the federal wage and price guidelines had a lot to do with the delay. with the province waiting for specific directions from the federal government before proceeding with its own budget . He said that if the hospital could not reach a suitable arrangment with the town with regard to fees for regular pickup, that "we would have to look at possible alternatives." Taylor will meet with council at the next regular meeting, January 19. McCutcheon is new warden Jack McCutcheon, a five year veteran of Huron County Council, was elected to the post of warden of the county Wednesday night by his colleagues on council. The election took two ballots as McCuicheon, the reeve of Brussels, ran neck and neck with Allan Campbell, reeve of McKillop township, until the tie vote was broken on the second ballot by Stan Profit, reeve of Goderich. McCutcheon was chairman of the county planning board in 1975 and a member of county council's restructuring committee. The new warden had a few things to say about the possibility of restructuring Huron County. "I am opposed to change for the sake of change", he told repor- ters. "But we still must keep the door open on restructuring. We need a detailed study on any benefits we might receive and we might also be able to pick out what we feel is best for Huron County."