HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1978-01-05, Page 1Ag. rep says farmers unshaken
‘X
A BUSY SHOVEL — Snow shovelling was a common chore on Exeter's
Main street Tuesday morning. Hidden behind a huge chunk of snow is
Bea Carpenter. T-A photo
PUC will reconsider
snowmobile
The Exeter PUC which earlier
turned down a request from the
Ausable Bayfield Conservation
Authority for a snowmobile trail
across their property at the
springs pumping station west of
Morrison dam, will reopen
discussion on that decision next
week.
A trail for cross country skiers
has been approved.
Commissioner Bruce Shaw
said Friday that authority
manager Don Pearson had
contacted him following the
Commission’s earlier decision
and suggested the PUC had more
to gain than lose by permitting
the snowmobile trail.
He contended that it would be
better to have snowmobilers
Using that area than racing
d^sround town streets, ‘and- also
no ted the authority would be
responsible for the maintenance
and supervision of the trail and
would be making a check at least
once a week on the PUC property.
“Would he know a broken in
sulator when he saw it?”
questioned manager Hugh Davis.
He went on to explain that if
damage did occur, it would be a
major problem to get equipment
into the site as it would have to be
lugged in because a truck can not
get to the site in the winter.
The more people we get in the
area, the more susceptible we are
to damage,” he contended.
Commissioner Chan
Livingstone commented that the
authority had curtailed
snowmobile access to their
property at the Morrison dam
previously due to tree damage.
It was agreed to have Pearson
attend the Commission meeting
next week to present his case for
opening the snowmobile trail.
Deficiencies
are outlined
Thefts, collisions
up in December
There were no major crimes in
Exeter during the month of
December, but several petty
thefts were reported by Chief Ted
Day in his monthly report to
council, Tuesday.
Day noted there had been a
total of 13 thefts with the loot
being $349.15. None of that has
been recovered.
Other statistics for December
were: 22 accidents with four
injuries and $18,540 property
damage, seven charges and 13
cautioned under the Highway
Traffic Act, 17 parking tickets
issued, 15 charged under the
Liquor Control Act, three places
of business found insecure, one
disturbance investigated, one
person charged under the Nar-
^cotic Control Act, seven animal
'^•omplaints investigated.
In an inspection of the South
Huron Rec Centre in December,
building inspector Doug Triebner
listed several deficiencies and
suggested some of them were the
result of errors made by the
engineering firm of Cambrian
Facilities.
Deficiencies outlined this week
in a letter to council included an
improper furnace, a wall at the
north east corner leaking water,
several cracks in the walls and
floor, an overhead door that
didn’t fit its opening, glass
around the ice surface not
completed, and electrical work
not completed.
Mayor Shaw suggested that the
matter be held in abeyance until
it can be discussed with the rec
centre building committee.
He also noted that he had asked
the PUC to check out the situation
which resulted in the wiring for
the kitchen having to be replaced.
Shaw said he wanted to know if
this was an error in the original
plan.
“There
concern,”
Despite a trying year during
1977 Huron’s Agricultural
Representative Don Pullen
predicts county farmers will
“remain valiant and unshaken”.
Pullen said he was told by one
farmer who failed to harvest 200
acres of white beans and did not
have crop insurance, “well, it’s
my first crop failure in 16 years.”
The ag rep added, “Most of our
farmers are eternal optimists
like myself or they wouldn’t be
associated with an industry
where there are so many risks
which include weather and
variable market conditions.”
The very wet fall weather cut
Huron’s white bean production by
more than 50 percent. Despite
this Pullen says, “I don’t think
this will have any appreciable
effect on the amount of bean
acres to be planted this year. We
hope this was a once in a lifetime
situation.”
He continued, “The weather
this spring will dictate whether
more corn or beans will be
planted to make up for the drastic
cut in fall wheat planted last
fall.”
Talking about the white bean
crop Pullen said, “the weather
certainly turned one problem into
another. At a crops day at Cen
tralia early in August everyone
was wondering what would be
done with all the beans from an
expected bumper crop. Ger
mination was the best ever and
the beans came on very even.
That is, until* the rains came.”
Next to 1975 Pullen said this
past year’s corn crop was the
best on record. He continued,
“With the exception of some
acreage to the north most of our
corn was harvested with the help
of some late Indian summer
weather.”
“Ironically, silage corn yields
were great but when field con
ditions became so wet, the silage
became too dry. Corn prices have
now risen to about $1,90, but, this
is still below the cost of
production of about $2.20”, added
Pullen.
Some farmers especially in the
northern portion of the county
who specialize in livestock are
finding a shortage of hay and
straw.
About hay, Pullen said,
“quality of the first cut was
dandy, but, due to dry weather
was not enough. There was an
abundance of second and third
cuttings but they couldn’t be
harvested because of the
weather. A lot of hay went down
the drain.”
Quality and quantity of pasture
was the best in many years. “We
had reports of hefty gains of
cattle out on grass”, said Pullen.
The ag rep said Huron farmers
are showing more awareness to
soil erosion. More sod crops are
being used to help soil structures,
especially on heavy land.
The year 1977 will
remembered as the year
phasing out can-shipping
dairymen. On the subject of dairy
Pullen said, “There will likely be
some frustrations when'some run
out of quotas by the end of the
year.”
The beef cattle situation which
has been “not so good” for the
past three years is expected to
take another three years to
recover.
Pullen said the poultry industry
in Huron was “stable” with
broilers much better than several
years ago.
Some forecasters are
suggesting hog prices may be a
bit easier in 1978 because of
higher production in other areas.
The Huron Ag. rep. said some
Huron hog operators are con
solidating their operations to
include farrowing to finishing.
Bad years like 1977 point up the
changing role of the agricultural
office. Credit counselling and
farm management advice is a
bigger part of the ag. rep’s and
three associate ag. rep’s jobs
when an average 100 acre farm
may have an investment of a
quarter of a million dollars.
Pullen says farm people in this
county are very innovative and
some of the best farm managers
in North America are right here
in Huron. “They are not afraid .of
risk.”
Farmers have made more
gains in productivity than any
other sector of society “but they
are fairly quiet about it” and get
animosity from consumers when
prices go up.
“It’s one of the agricultural
ministry’s jobs to make the cities
understand what a small per
centage of the increase goes to
farmers,” says Pullen.
He admits, “It’s an uphill
battle since farmers are only
about six percent of the
population and most MPP’s
represent urban ridings, but,
OMAF is trying."
The four men who work at farm
management counselling in
Huron, Don Pullen, Stan
Paquette, Dennis Martin and
Mike Miller are always available
when a farmer looking at a major
new investment wants to try
something new.
They can help with cash flows
and debt planning that can be
crucial in a year like this. Short
farm management courses are
offered at Centralia College and
there is more and more demand
for intensive, one to one coun
selling since each farm family
has its own goals and objectives.
Don Pullen and his staff are
always updating their
management knowledge and he
says “from exposure to farmers
I’d say we often learn more from
them than vice-versa.”
Land costs and huge in
vestments in farming make this
year’s extreme weather con
ditions a lot more significant.
The ag office is worried about
the young farmer who has been in
the business only three or four
years and has the highest costs.
More established farmers can
usually wait out a bad year.
The big change in Huron from
mixed farming to cash cropping
also makes a year of bad weather
more serious. Mixed farmers
could hope to “tread water”
during a bad year.
Right now, the ag. rep.
suggests, “Huron *s economy is
like a car in neutral. The big
effect of 1977’s disastrous
weather and commodity prices
will hit when the debt comes due.
The pain will be more ex
cruciating next spring.”
But with reasonable plans and
documentation, he says farmers
should get a sympathetic ear
from the Farm Credit Cor
poration and other lending
agencies. And he and his staff
will make time to help Huron
farmers do this type of planning.
It takes a special kind of person
to cope with the stress and un
certainty of farming these days
and Pullen says he is amazed at
the optimism and reso resour
cefulness of farmers who are
facing big reverses this year.
There will be more stresses in
the future with more people
looking for off-farm employment
in a job market that’s tight, even
in Huron.
Pullen says he has heard some
predictions of land prices
doubling in the next 10 years. He
added, “Some established far
mers see the purchase of another
farm as a good investment.”
are a few areas
he advised council.
of
be
of
for
imes -Advocate
Serving South Huron, North Middlesex
■:.......:*...:■ ■■■ \:<'U:*•>•:■£ vS??-
' s’Sill '.S
WaS SSSSSSSSSS*Sa®
One Hundred and Fifth Year
• ■■ ■ ■ -
& North Lambton Since 1873
EXETER, ONTARIO, JANUARY 5, 1978 Price Per Copy 25 Cents
Board chairmen see need
for some frugal thinking
Both the outgoing and incoming
chairmen of the Huron County
board of education predicted
Tuesday some frugal thinking
will be needed if trustees are to
cope with the difficult financial
year ahead.
Herb Turkheim stepped down
at the board’s inaugural meeting
after two years as chairman and
trustees elected R. J. Elliott to
replace him.
Turkheim said the education
bill sent to municipalities has
increased 100 per cent since 1973.
He said the country faces a
similar financial strain but that
doesn’t make the board any less
responsible to taxpayers.
“Somewhere we have to take a
long, close look at our expenses.”
Turkheim said the board has
the additional problem of
declining enrolment which
results in lower provincial
grants.
While it may be logical to close
schools ‘ to keep costs in line,
Turkheim said: “Last year in
stead of closing a school we
opened one. We may not have
done the right thing but I think we
did the right thing politically.”
He later explained he was
speaking about the Vanastra
school which opened last Sep
tember.
He said 500 ratepayers turned
out to a meeting and influenced
the board to open an old army
building for a school even though
it would have been cheaper to bus
students elsewhere.
He said the Vanastra decision
was “foolish but political.” He
stopped short of saying the
decision should be reversed and
told reporters trustees have a
responsibility to the people of an
area even though it may cost the
county more in the long run.
“Unfortunately, we are still
politicians,” he said.
School enrolment in Hensall is
declining but Turkheim said as
the representative for that area
he is responsible for keeping the
school open.
“As long as I am trustee of
Hensall. . . it will be over my
dead body
school.
Turkheim said there are other
ways of reducing costs such as
ending courses with low student
enrolment.
Elliott said he wasn’t sure
opening the Vanastra school was
financially or politically wise.
He agreed with Turkheim that
the taxpayer must be willing to
support board decisions to make
cuts.
“This board Will endeavor to
keep costs down. It depends on
how much is demanded (from the
public),” he said.
Elliott feels the main thing is
communication with the public.
He said while taxpayers may not
always agree with decisions
made by trustees it will be easier
to accept them
understand why
done.
Alex Corrigan
earlier as vice-chairman of the
board.
The chairmen of the four new
policy committees are: John
Henderson, fiscal and property;
Shirley Hazlitt, instructional
personnel; Dorothy Wallace,
school programming; Dorothy
Williams, student policies.
Mayor is optimistic
routine events only
that their term of
Although he suggested Exeter
council memb^fs may wish to
give some consideration to pay
hikes this year, Mayor Bruce
Shaw said Tuesday night that
they will probably end up
overpaid.
He noted
office will only be for 11 months
this year, as the date for
municipal elections has been
pushed back and the new council
will assume their duties on
December 1.
However, Shaw said that this
year’s budget established by the
current council would be for the
you’ll close that
Value of permits
nears $3 million
The total value of building
permits issued in Exeter last
year was $2,817,854.
The major portion of that --
$1,184,500 -- was for new
residential dwellings.
Other permit totals as outlined
by building inspector Doug
Triebner were as follows:
residential renovations and
additions, $252,440;
mercial
renovations,
pools and
government
stitutions,
renovations,
and garages, $40,250; tool sheds,
$14,300.
There were 265 permits issued
by the building inspector.
Permits approved in December
included a new house to be built
by Frank Van Den Akker at 146
Huron W.
Residential renovations were
approved following: Robert
Brand, repair porch at 41 Sim
coe; Wayne Truemner, renovate
at 321 Huron W.; William
Poulton, erect foundation at 75
^jhames Road W.; Jessie Ross,
'^Mlpair house at 162 Andrew;
^Savid Hann, install fireplace at
103 Main.
new com-
buildings and
$783,835; swimming
fences, $27,450;
buildings and in
additions and
$515,079; carports
Junior grade students at Exeter Public School were making use of summer
■J
>
fi
i 'i '
.1
u
N
I'
WINTER CLIMBERS — -------- „------------------------- -------- -------------------- .... „
playground equipment despite Tuesday's cold temperatures. From the left are Kim Crawford, Shawn
Moody, Dennis Crawford, Karen Hoffman, Shelly Black, Dwayne Coolmah and Todd Jones. T*A photo
Decision is
profitable
A decision to recall tenders for
a line truck turned out to be a
profitable move for the Exeter
Public Utilities Commission.
In November, only one bid was
received for the purchase of the
truck, which will be replaced,
and it was for $600. Com
missioners felt at that time the
truck was worth more and decid
ed to advertise again.
This week, they received a bid
of $1,800 from Pfaff ElectricJ’his
was accepted, although manager
Hugh Davis said he felt the vehi
cle was still worth more than
that.
The Commission also agreed to
write MP Robert McKinley to
enlist his support for the removal
of federal tax on equipment and
supplies purchased by Com
missions. The move is being
promoted by the OMEA on
behalf of Utilities across the
province.
Bruce Shaw said he supported
the removal of the tax, noting
that the federal government had
a broader tax base on which to
generate revenue than Utilities.
He also suggested that there was
more waste at the federal level.
However, Chan Livingstone
said he wasn’t in agreement
because the money had to be paid
one way or the other, although he
finally did agree to the motion.
In other business, the Com
mission:
Approved increasing the rent
for the apartment above the of
fice from $117 to $125 per month
for the coming year.
Set their next meeting for
Thursday, at which time they
will elect a chairman and vice-
chairman.
Learned that the employees
had approved the wage offer as
submitted by the Commission. It
basically covered the request as
submitted by the employees.
Asked manager Davis to ap
proach Harold Wolfe to ascertain
if he would be interested in tak
ing over the cleaning of the of
fice. Foreman Bob Pooley has
been doing the work but has ask
ed to relinquish those duties.
entire 12 months.
Shaw also hinted that coun
cillors may be overpaid in view of
the light work load they should
face this year. He facetiously
suggested that he expected 1978
to be “the year of the
bookkeeper” in which council
would handle only routine
matters.
Noting the many interesting
and controversial issues which
faced council in the past three
years (rec centre, race track,
town hall, shopping centre) he
said there couldn’t possibly be
any more problems that could
arise.
“We’ll just coast through this
year,” he predicted, although
there was an expression of doubt
on some faces around the council
chamber.
In his brief remarks at the
initial meeting of the year, Shaw
said committee chairmen should
be prepared to give their annual
reports at the next meeting and
suggested they may wish to make
some recommendations
regarding the reshaping of
committees.
He also encouraged members
to supply him with names of
citizens who may be interested in
serving on some of the boards to
which council makes ap
pointments each year.
Those appointments will
made at the next meeting.
if taxpayers
something is
was elected
DECORATIONS DOWN — What goes up, must come down. Above,
Dennis Hockey of the Exeter Public Utilities Commission brings down
the Christmas decorations on Main street.
Windows smashed
by bat and bullets
be
One theft and three incidents of
vandalism are under in
vestigation by the Exeter OPP
this week.
At 1:30 a.m., January 1, the
police were advised by a motorist
that a 1978 Lincoln was in the
ditch along Highway 83 east of
Exeter. Upon investigation they
found that the vehicle had been
taken from the showroom at
Liz Bell appointed
new clerk-treasurer
Two Exeter employees were
given promotions by council this
week.
Liz Bell, deputy
treasurer for the past
clerk-
three
Liz Bell
years, was named as clerk
treasurer to replace Eric Car-
scadden, who will retire at the
end of the month.
The recommendation to ap-
point Mrs. Bell came from the
executive committee and when
the motion to approve the
recommendation was made by
Reeve Si Simmons, almost all the
hands in the council chamber
went up to second the motion.
That prompted Mayor Bruce
Shaw to suggest that
wasn’t even necessary.
“We know you’ll do
job,” he said to Mrs.
congratulating her on
pointment.
At the same time,council named
Brian Parsons as the new deputy
clerk-treasurer. He’s from
Thorndale.
Council also approved a
recommendation of the executive
to suggest to the local committee
of adjustment that they appoint
Laurie Richards as their
secretary.
The other promotion approved
by council this week was naming
Jim Barnes as a first class
constable with the local police
department.
His probation year was com
pleted in December and the
additional salary will be
retroactive to December 1.
a vote
a good
Bell in
her ap-
Hensail Motors Ltd.
The thieves, who gained entry
by forcing a door, also took a
small amount of cash from a
coffee dispensing machine.
Constables Jack Straughan and
Al Quinn are investigating.
About $600 worth of damage
was caused to a truck owned by
William J. Finch, RR 4 London,
after it was shot up while parked
at Cann’s gravel pit in Usborne
Township, Tuesday
Five or six .22 calibre bullets
were fired through the rear
window, the windshield and the
dashboard.
Constable Ed Wilcox
vestigating.
On Friday morning,
were advised that nine
glass windows at Thames Road
United Church had been
smashed. A partial baseball bat
was found at the scene.
Damage was estimated at $150
by Constable Wally Tomasik.
Constable Frank Giffin is in
vestigating a wilful damage
complaint received from the
Huron Industrial Park, Tuesday.
Six windows in the old chapel
were smashed. The vandals
apparently threw spikes through
the windows.
is in-
police
plate
ONLY TWO IN COURT
Two persons were fined in
Exeter Justice of the Peace
Court, Tuesday morning by
Justice of the Peace W. D.
Wedlake.
Mary Ann Crossan, Huron
Park was assessed $28 for
making a left turn not in safety in
Huron Park, November 5, 1977.
Fined $20 for driving a vehicle
at 97 kilometers in an 80
kilometer per hour zone was
Oliver McIntosh, RR 1, st.
Marys.