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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1977-03-24, Page 5Wrap Up All Your Easter Shopping Here * EASTER CANDY * EASTER EGGS * EASTER CARDS * EASTER COLOURING KITS Punch or ABC Heavy Duty Laundry Detergent 51bs. sap 19 Faberge Wheat Germ Oil & Honey Shampoo for Oily and Regular Hair 450 ml $ 1.69 Glade Solid • Lemon • Rose • Cool Lime • Early Spring Air Freshener Deodorant 77' Foster Grant OPEN SUNGLASSES 7 DAYS A WEEK DISC:C1VNT 433 MAIN ST, EXETER 235-1661 Fully Processed, Fully Processed, Fully Processed, Fully Processed, Meat Loaves We Specialize in Custom Processing, Curing and Smoking MARY MILES WIENERS Homemade Hamburg Patties lb. 69' 1 LB, VAC. PK. • Mac & Cheese Assorted • Chicken $ 1 Q • Dutch. Luncheon • •‘• Frozen Turkeys lb. 79' Homemade Lard lb. 39* Schneiders Bacon lb. 5 1,49 LEWIS OR TOASTMASTER BREAD 3/9.0 McCormick's Chocolate Chip & Assorted McBig Cookies 1 1/2 lbs. 1.29 Downy Fabric Softener 66 oz. 1,59 Dream Whip 3 oz. 65' Robin Hood All Purpose Flour 7 lbs. '1.35 Bright's Apple Juice 48 oz. 654 Imperial 4's, Margare 3 LBS. $1,59 Stokely's Honey Pod Peas 14 oz. Hunts Lancia Tomato Sauce Spaghetti 14 oz. 37' 2 lb. 854 Coca Cola 26 oz. Bottles Plus Deposit 3/99* cdri, St. , Exeter Phone 235-p400 FAMIC Orange Juice Case of 24 $1 0.50 1 2 oz 10Ibs: 89' Pink or White 5/75C Old South FROZEN FOOD Betty Crocker Beef Noodle, Chili Tomato or Lasagna Hamburger Helper Potatoes PRODUCE Grapefruit Ida Red Apples 3 lbs. 754 2/89' 69' tk BAKING AIDS HOCKEY — Proceeds of a Thursday bake sale went to aid the Exeter Minor Hockey Association. Above, Agnes Vandergunst sells a pie to Pat Brooks. T-A photo 74, SAVINGS UP TO $500" WINTER MEMORIAL SALE Over 300 monuments in many sizes, colours and shapes. All available for delivery as soon as possible, All priced below 1977 prices. Plus special discounts for winter work and for cash. Some are one of a kind. Visit our large new heated showroom and inspect our craftmanship. Serving Huron and Surrounding Area Since 1919. T. PRYDE &SON LTD. 293 Main St., Exeter 235-0620 Open 9 - 5 Mon. -Sat. V-- pe i : i 11 i BE A + BLOOD DONOR Times-Advocate, March 24, 1977 Page 5 Council, Heritage, Historical views Officials discuss purchase of police office Dear Citizens of Exeter, I believe the citizens of Exeter deserve a more complete ac- count of the events which led to the purchase of a house for the Exeter Police than what appeared in last week's Exeter Times-Advocate. As ehairmn of the Police Committee and in fairness to the five councillors who voted to buy the house, I feel obliged to make this report. Firstly, I would like to assure the Editor that the council meeting was never intended to be secret. It was doubtful if a quorum could be formed at the next regular meeting due to holidays: this was discussed and I think most council members thought it was decided that a special council meeting would be held in conjunction with a finance committee meeting to work on the budget. Because there was only a ten- day option on the property, and because all councillors were pre- sent except Ted Wright, and because I offered to inform the Press, council members decided to convene to take care of this business. I suppose it is the Mayor who notifies the Press of a special meeting; it was cer- tainly not the intentions of the councillors that the Press be ex- cluded (I offered to phone the Press at the time) and, indeed, I would have preferred the Press to be in attendance. To understand clearly the reasons for Council's decision to buy the house, it is necessary to know the events that led up to that decision. Let me refresh your memory. Last year Council decided to give the town hall to the Exeter Heritage Foundation and to lease the land to them for one dollar. The police were to continue to occupy their quarters at the rate of $200. per month for a ten-year period subject to yearly rent ad- justments. Besides this, the town granted $2500. to the Heritage Foundation and exempted them from approximately $800. taxes. These are the terms of our pre- sent lease. Also, keep in mind that it is recorded in the council minutes of July 5, 1976, that Doug Gould, as president of the Heritage group, offered to renovate the police quarters at no extra cost to the town. Also, keep in mind that a report of a study done by the Ontario Police Commission dated May 27, 1976, reads in part: "It is my opinion that you are operating under extreme dif- ficulties. I am referring to the deplorable quarters in which your force is based." The Heritage Foundation has been promised generous grants from different sources with a couple of provisions. Generally speaking, money must be raised locally to match the grants offered and the hall must have "tenants" so that when the renovations are completed, the building will not be an empty monument and consequently a liability to the town. It should be more or less self-supporting. And of course the Heritage Com- mittee was hoping to provide up- to-date accommodation for the police and to secure a new rental agreement for the ten-year lease period. This seemed very logical and appropriate and could be mutually beneficial. It was at this point that I entered the scene as the new Chairman of the Police Com- mittee. The Heritage Committee wanted a new contract. As I had not been involved in previous negotiations with Council and the Heritage Committee, I think I entered the discussions with an open mind and we did make progress towards a renewed con- tract. I must say that over the past few weeks I have found my negotiations with the Heritage Committee most amicable and, we had good open exchanges. However, I think I made it clear to the Heritage group at all times that Council had given them the town hall with no strings attached, to restore it as they saw fit, but that Council felt under no obligation to support them financially by paying "inflated" rent. I asked them what they would do if Council did not accept their terms — I even suggested that Council might not accept — and I urged them to use some discre- tion in setting the rent for the first year. I argued that it would be easier to raise the rent after people had a chance to see the completed renovations, ' To Council, I presented their proposals on two occasions — the last being their "very best offer" which as you know was not accepted by Council. I might add that I did a cost analysis of the municipal offices and found our costs to be approximately $3.50 per sq. ft. even after considering an investment of $36,000. for renovations. Other newer offices were reported to be renting in the neighborhood of $5.00 per sq. ft. In not accepting the Heritage Foundation's offer, Council had other considerations besides money. Council was not sure how the police department was ex- pected to function during the period of renovations. How long would the renovation period last? And then, even after renovations, there was no guarantee that the noise level due to upstairs functions would not continue to penetrate the ceilings. And what type of func- tions would be taking place in the rest of the building would it be "too busy"? I have been told, on good authority, that town • police departments usually function best from separate quarters in their own building. Certainly the hall location was central and the parking was more than ade- quate; our new location will also be adequate and certainly quieter. Any renovations that need to be done can be completed before the police move into the house. After Council turned down this final proposal, my next step was to seriously look for alternatives and I subsequently found the house, After all council members examined it and indicated suf- ficient support, I took a ten-day option to buy, subject to Coun- cil's approval, It turned out that the support was there because the motion to purchase passed council with only one negative vote, There is no doubt in my mind that the house is a better alter- native, The structure is basically sound and has been recently up- graded to meet commercial standards. The plumbing has been upgraded with the addition of a second washroom, the wir- ing is updated with a new 100 amp. service, gas has been in- stalled along with a new 40 gallon hot water tank, it has aluminum storms, new flooring and decorating. There are kitchen cupboards for storage and a total floor area of approximately 700 sq. ft. which could allow for any future expaniosn. In all, it seems to suit our needs quite well; it requires a minimum of renovations and represents a very favourable in- vestment (due to bankruptcy) that would be difficult, if not im- possible, to match. It will be cheaper to operate and the in- vestment should be fully recoverable in case Council should ever wish to sell. I wonder if the same statement can be made about the town hall when the renovations are completed and another hundred thousand in- vested, In view of all these don- siderations, I fail to see the "short sightedness" suggested by the Mayor who must assume that he has some special insight not endowed to Councillors. In this case, the majority has spoken, What happens now? The original agreement with the Heritage Foundation was made under strain with a definite divi- sion of opinion as to what should be done with the hall. And I'm sure some of these convictions still persist. You may call this "stub- bornness" but I feel every coun- cillor has a right (if not an obligation) to abide by his con- victions until evidence is shown that will prove him wrong. There has been very little evidence of change in the conditions surroun- ding the town hall over the past two years and, until there is,you can't expect people (including councillors) to change their posi- tion, When the original agreement was made to turn the hall over to the Heritage Committee, I'm sure there was intended to be no obligations by either party. I feel some "unwritten" obligations ' have persisted and have caused continuous friction. Now, finally, Council and the Heritage group are entirely free of each other to do as they wish. This should put an end to any friction. I don't feel Council has jeopar- dized the Heritage group at all. Council's first obligation is to act in the best interests of all citizens in making sound finan- cial decisions. It is very simple — we gave the Heritage Founda- tion the town hall, we tried to negotiate a business deal which was unsuccessful, and now we are fortunate to find a better alternative. That's simply good business and I think the tax- payers should expect that much of Council. To say that Council "stabbed the Heritage Com- mittee in the back" is implying that we made a "dishonorable deal" and is a very repulsive ac- cusation. I hold no bitterness towards the Heritage Committee and I feel I have nothing to apologize for, They made it quite clear dur- ing our final negotiations that they wanted an answer — be it yes or no — so that they could line up other tenants, Council gave them the answer. They can now get any tenants they wish. In this way, taxpayers are not being forced to contribute to the hall project through a decision of Council. Townspeople now have the free choice if they wish to contribute to the hall project and, besides, can get credit on their income tax. If you are one who supports the hall project, I suggest that now is the time to do so and to give your Heritage Committee the moral boost they deserve. They have been offered substantial grants, but to use them they need funds. Many members of the com- mittee have exemplified a rare kind of dedication and I am only sorry that they feel Council has been working against them. What happens to the town hall now is entirely in the hands of the heritage-minded citizens of Exeter — Council gave your committee the hall with no strings attached. What are you going to do with it? Sincerely, Ken Ottewell * * * To the Editor, In February of 1975, at the invitation of the Mayor, seven citizens of Exeter began to serve on a committee to make recommendations for the future of the Exeter Town Hall. These people were of diverse opinions about the value of the Town Hall. After a period of study and investigation, the Committee recommended restoration of the building for productive uses. Apparently Council did not like this answer, gave the group one frustration after another and finally gave permission for restoration only when it became obvious that the Committee was not about to go away quietly. The antagonism of Council to the Committee and its' successor, the Exeter and District Heritage Foundation, continues to the present. Several people, including ar- chitects, historians, planners and museum advisors have inspected the building in question on many occasions and have said that it is sound and significant from both architectural and historical perspectives. Wintario and the Ontario Heritage Foundation have been willing to back up their opinions with considerable sums of money but these grants are conditional upon money being raised locally and upon viable uses being determined for the Town Hall. It has always been the feeling of Heritage Foundation members that, if possible, at least a part of the building should continue in public use. It now seems that we have been unable to reach an agreement with the Exeter Police Com- mission for rent for expanded police quarters. Two-thousand dollars have been spent on ar- chitectural drawings for these quarters. The Police Department ex- pressed satisfaction at the plans and liked the location which is central, has ample parking and is close to other facilities such as restaurants when meals are needed for prisoners. The present police station is also close to the Royal Canadian Legion Hall where court is held. It will cost at least $2500.00 to alter the architects plans. There has been much discussion about the proposed rent for police quarters. At present, the Town pays $200 per month. For renovated quarters, doubled in size, heated and air- conditioned, the Police Com- mission offered $250,00 per month, Considering that the Ministry of Transport presently pays $50.00 per month to rent the former Council Chambers, the Heritage Foundation would be the loser if the deal were ac- cepted, Space would no longer be available for the Ministry and money would be spent on the renovations. In order for renovations and restoration to be completed in 1977, it will be necessary for the Foundation to take out a mor- tgage, With continued fund- raising activities and rent from the police and other quarters, this mortgage should be paid off within five years, at the very most. At this point the building would be turned over to the Town and the Police would no longer be paying rent. There would of course, be some cost to maintain the premises but the building would already be in first-class shape with such things as storm windows and a new heating and cooling system. There would be rent from the former firehall area and the auditorium to help offset costs, and last but certainly not least, this restoration will be done at no extra expense to the taxpayers of Exeter. Even if the Police Commission were to pay rent at the rate of $7.00 per square foot, for a full five years, the total rent would be $22,995.00 — less than the cost of buying a house for new quarters and before any renovations are undertaken there, If the house were to be sold after ten years (or some other period of time) Council might regain its original investment but what guarantee is there that the sale price would cover the costs of renovations, maintenance, lost tax revenue, heat, light and water (all included costs for Town Hall Quarters). If the house were sold and the invested money regained the Police would face another move and another investment for new or renovated accommodation. This would also mean two moves for specialized equipment such as telephone lines and radio equipment. Considerable support has been expressed among the public for restoration of the Town Hall; this includes the money which has been donated to date and the results of the ballot in the Times Advocate which was four to one in favour. The Town continues to ignore this sentiment and to feel that it has no obligation to contribute to a building which it still owns and which is to be renovated and restored with little cost to the public after Council failed to maintain it for several years. It is unfortunate that Council has not seen fit to agree with the. Heritage Foundation. We are, however, still determined to carry out a restoration program on the Town Hall. It is our hope that this disagreement will not influence Council's deliberations with other groups who may wish to deal with them in the future. Doug Gould * * * RR1, Crediton Thursday, March 17, 1977 Mr. Bill Batten Editor Exeter Times-Advocate Exeter, Ontario Dear Bill, Although I am not an Exeter taxpayer I am very interested in seeing your town preserve early buildings such as the old town hall. It also seems to make good economic sense to preserve the unusual architectural features of such old buildings and still make use of the building for public and commercial uses, Once the lower portion of the building had been renovated it would have made an adequate police station of 651 square feet which is much more than the present facilities. I was hoping that your town council and the Heritage Foundation would have reached an amicable agreement on renovation and rental of the old town hall, I was very dismayed when I read in today's paper that your council in a secret session had rejected the proposed rental figure Of $351 per month and had decided to purchase a house on Main Street South for use as a police station. Beside the lack of communica- tion and consultation between the council and the foundation, I am very concerned to see that an elected body decided in secret session to spend public funds. I am also concerned that the deci- sion to purchase the house for a police station was done in such haste. If the house was such a good purchase could the decision to purchase not be made at a later date at an open meeting? Some people feel that the $6.50 per square foot rental asked by the heritage foundation was too high. It is high but it is not out of line as there are buildings in Ex- eter already being rented in ex- cess of $6.50 per square foot. I have calculated that the $351 per month rented figure would cost $4270 next year and the $379 a month rental figure for 1979 and 1980 would cost the council $4599 per year. For these expenditures in rent the town council would have had a heated, air conditioned and electrified building renovated to the police department needs. The purchase of the house on Main Street South involves an ex- penditure of $23,000 plus $4,000 for cells and inside renovations. As well I would think that providing a suitable parking lot and driveway for the building would be a further $3,000 ex- pense. This amounts to a capital expense of $30,000. Now if this amount were in- vested at an interest rate of 10% instead of buying the building the annual investment income in in- terest would be $3,000. As well the town would lose ap- proximately $300 in taxes from the house once it becomes a public building. Cost of heating the building would be about $350.00. Cost of electricity would be about $200. As well annual maintenance on the building would be about $800. The total annual cost in lost in- terest income, loss of taxes, maintenance, heat and electrici- ty adds up to $4,650 which is $387 per month, This amount is $36 per month higher than the heritage foundation asked for rent on the old town hall. In addition to the financial arguments against purchasing the house it should be noted that the house is not centrally located and appears to have inadequate parking facilities, I sincerely hope that dis- cussions on the whole issue of the rental of the town hall for police facilities can be reopened and that the whole problem can be discussed in an open and amicable manner. Surely such discussions would be beneficial to the heritage foundation, the police depart- ment, the town council and the Exeter taxpayers. Yours sincerely W. David McClure President Huron County Historical Society WANT TO KNOW HOW TO LIE DOWN ON THE JOB?