HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1978-03-02, Page 1READY FOR MARCH Leader Linda Ropchan helps Tim Carter of the Lucan Beavers
adjust his scarf prior to Sunday's service at Holy Trinity Anglican Church. T-A photo
Teachers, board open talks?
Farm land loses benefit
Drop 79-year exemption
There were indications at
press time yesterday that
some headway may be being
made in the current dispute
between the Huron Board of
Education and its secondary
school teachers.
The teachers went on
rotating strikes two weeks
ago, and the board followed
that action by instituting a
lockout, Thursday.
The negotiating team for
the teachers announced
plans on Tuesday to invite
representatives from the
board back to the bargaining
table to try and settle the
dispute.
Efforts by this newspaper
to contact representatives of
either side proved futile,
although one member of the
teachers’ negotiating team
did announce that a meeting
was planned for some
time yesterday.
Calls to the board office to
contact local trustees
resulted in secretaries say
ing the men were not in the
office. So, it was not known
where the meeting between
the two sides was taking
place.
Teacher representative
Shirley Weary said Tuesday
that their main concern is to
get the present situation
cleared so the students can
get back into the
classrooms.
Chairman of the board’s
negotiating team, Cayley
Hill, said the board would be
responsive tp meeting with
the teachers if they had “a
serious” proposal to offer.
The fact that the meeting
was planned would indicate
that the teachers may have
come up with a serious
proposal.
Principals of Huron’s five
secondary schools met
behind closed doors in
Clinton Monday to discuss
strategy if the dispute bet
ween the Ontario Secondary
School Teacher’s Federation
and the Huron county board
of education continues for
any length of time.
While principal Bob Ritter
of F. E. Madill Secondary
School in Wingham refused
to make any comments
about the recommendations
that the principals will put to
the board, principal Joe
Wooden of South Huron
District High School in
Exeter said that the March
exams scheduled for next
week will be cancelled. The
principal said that in-class
tests and other forms of
evaluation will be used to
3?*:-
form a second term mark.
To make up for the spring
exams, a June examination
period has been scheduled
for the local high school.
Wooden stated that some
form of recommendation
program will be instituted so
that ail students will pot
have to write the final set of
exams,
John Cochrane of the
boards office said that no
Please turn to Page 22
Council wants issue settled
Exeter council this week
passed a motion urging the
Huron County Board of
Education and their striking
secondary school teachers to
reconvene and complete
negotiations as soon as
possible so the schools can
open again.
In presenting the motion,
Councillor Lossy Fuller,
chairman of the social
services committee, said
they did not want to interfere
with the collective
bargaining process or enter
the responsibility of another
jurisdiction, but committee
members were concerned
with the future educational
success of the community’s
children “and wish the
teachers and the board to
get back to the business of
education”.
“As a parent, I’m con
cerned,” commented
Councillor Ted Wright. He
said it was a financial
burden for parents to sit and
watch the prospect of their
children lose a year from
their education.
“It would be a costly thing
if they lose a year of their
education,” Weight added,
noting that the committee
members were not pointing
the finger at either side in
the current dispute.
Councillor Derry Boyle,
who vehemently opposed the
resolution to send letters to
the teachers and board, said
students weren’t having
their education curtailed.
“Education is an on-going
process,” he said. “I’m 68
and I’m still learning.”
Reeve Si Simmons was
also of the opinion the
situation “is none of our
business”. He said it was a
case between the teachers
and the board and council
should stay clear of the
matter.
“We have enough
problems of our own,”
Simmons concluded.
Deputy-Reeve Don
MacGregor argued in favor
of the motion, noting that
council could possibly bring
pressure upon the two sides
to get things started again.
Only Boyle voted in op
position to the motion, while
Simmons and SHDHS
teacher Ken Ottewell ab
stained.
Ottewell said he didn’t
think he had a conflict of
interest in the topic of
discussion, but said he would
not vote.
An exemption of taxes on
farm land within Exeter,
which has been provided for
the past 79 years, has been
rescinded by council.
A total of 12 property
owners will be affected by
the change.
In February, 1899, Exeter
village council passed a by
law establishing the exemp
tions and this was then ap
proved as an act by the On
tario Legislature in April of
the same year.
It provided that parcels of
land over 20 acres would be
required to pay only three
and a half mills on the dollar
for general purposes.
The owners of 1899
petitioned council to con
sider the relief in view of the
fact they felt their
agricultural land was sub
ject to “unjust and burden
some taxation in respect of
certain rates levied by the
municipal council of the said
village, for electric lighting,
fire protection, the con-
. struction of sidewalks and
other rates’’.
The owners of property
mentioned in the act were
Albert Ford, Mary
McAlpine, Alexander Dow,
Thomas Yellow, George
Blatchford, Thomas Carl
ing, William Carling, Isaac
Carling, Richard Gidley,
William Dearing and
William Bawden.
Some of the owners
affected by council’s deci
sion this week are G. Shaw,
R. Keller, Riverview
Estates, G. McFalls, Ted
Jones, A. Bierling Est., Ex
eter Produce, E. Jones, G.
Dow and R.E.Pooley,
In making the recommen
dation, the executive com
mittee noted that the
original intent of the 1899 by
law is gone and very few
owners actually farm the
land themselves.
Owners of the land can
apply to the province for a
rebate of half their farm
taxes.
It was also noted that if
market value assessment
comes in, the 3.5 mills may
be almost the total general
rate.
One Hundred and Fifth Year
I v,f~'..... , , .
imes - Advocate
Surge of interest
for taxi services
There is a surge of in
terest from people wishing
to operate taxi services in
Exeter, but council
members are treating those
requests with some reser
vations.
In fact, they decided to
deny a request for a licence
requested by Hendrick
Salaries boosted
for council, staff
Members of Exeter coun
cil granted themselves a pay
increase, along with in
creases approved for other
town employees, Monday.
The Mayor’s annual sti
pend has been increased
from $1,800 to $2,000, while
the rate for other members
of council goes up by $100 to
$1,600 per year.
Salary for the clerk was
set at $15,000 and $12,000 for
the assistant. The secretary
will receive $7,300 plus an
additional $800 for duties as
secretary for the committee
of adjustment.
The building inspector will
receive $7,420. Last year he
received a salary of $6,200
and a car allowance of $720.
There will be no car
allowance this year.
The new rate of pay for
the Police Chief is $19,600,
while first class constables
receive $16,500 and the se
cond class rate is $15,400.
Two of the four members of
the local department are
now first class constables
and the two second class
constables are expected to
be promoted in April.
Salary for the works
superintendent has been set
at $16,200, while the hourly
rate for the staff range from
$5.90 per hour to $4.75.
The recreation ad
ministrator will have an an
nual stipend of $14,580, plus
a $600 car allowance. The
other two staff members
receive $13,000 and $11,200
respectively.
Rates of pay for several
casual staff members were
also approved. The dump
attendent and school cross
ing guard will receive $4.25
per hour.
Wolfe Cleaning will re
main at $110 per week and
Dale’s Answering Service
will receive $10,080 per year.
The town will also pay 100
percent of the employees’
benefits, with the exception
of OMERS pension, Canada
pension and unemployment
insurance. They will con
tribute 50 percent of those.
Town employees will also
receive five weeks’ holiday
after 15 years’ service. In
the past, the maximum
length of holiday time was
four weeks.
Several fees
are boosted
It’s going to cost more to
keep dogs, ride bicycles and
undertake building projects
in Exeter this year, but
there won’t be any increase
in the cost of marriage
licences.
On the recommendation of
the executive committee,
Exeter council this week
agreed to increase the fee
for dog tags from $5 to $7.50
for males and spayed
females and from $10 to $15
for females.
The minimum charge for
building permits will be in
creased from $6 to $10. The
cost for projects Will in
crease from $2 to $3 for each
additional $1,000.
Bicycle licence fees will
jump from 75‘ to $1 and the
issuing of tax certificates
will go from $2 to $5.
Marriage licences will re
main at$15.
“We don’t want to dis
courage people from getting
married.” commented
Councillor Ken Ottewell.
The fee for marriage
licences goes to the clerk.
Schoonbeek. He had a
licence granted two years
ago but never did establish a
taxi service in Exeter.
Police Chief Ted Day, who
was asked for his
recommendation, suggested
that Schoonbeek only
wanted the local licence so
he could operate a taxi ser
vice from the Toronto Air
port. Operating such a ser
vice on an Exeter licence is
considerably cheaper than
getting a licence from the
municipality in which the
airport is located.
It was learned that
Schoonbeek has received
licences from other
municipalities in this area
and never established taxi
services in those
municipalities.
A second taxi licence re
quest was received from
Michael Milne, also of
Toronto. He sent along a
cheque for $45 to cover the
fee and indicated it may be
some time before he can es
tablish in Exeter as he has
to dispose of his Toronto
business and find a local
location for his three-vehicle
taxi fleet.
In his letter to council,
Milne wondered what
church denominations were
available in Exeter as he
“wants to thank God for the
opportunity” of being able to
move here.
Council treated his re
quest with some reservation
as well and will advise Milne
that he should appear before
them to outline his plans for
establishing the local ser
vice when he has some idea
of what location he will use
for a base.
Buckle up
or pay up
Exeter police chief Ted
Day announced this week
that officers of his depart
ment are being instructed to
step up enforcement of the
use of seat belts.
Day said officers on patrol
will be making periodic
checks to make the public
more aware of the seat belt
law.
He continued, “Warnings
will be issued on the first oc
casion and later charges will
be laid for failure to abide
by provincial regulations.”
Serving South Huron. North Middlesex
BEAVERS INVESTED — The investiture of the Beavers, a group consisting of boys aged five to eight interested in the scouting
movement, took place Thursday evening in the Exeter scout hall. In the front row (left-right) are Alexander Lebedew, Harlen
Tinney, David Mack, Mark Mathers, Jason Hern, Jeffrey Playfoot, Tim Nethercott and Dennis Webster. In the second row are
Keeo-Drew Haselback, Darren Simpson, Robbie Mcknight, Mark MacDonald, Colin Campbell, Scott Bishop, Scott Crawford
and Chris Eccles. The third row consists of Kaeo-Bill Crawford, Jason Eccles, Scott Wedlake, Ricky Topp, Michael Rankin, Chris
Chapman and Chris Swartman. The leaders of the group are Mrs. Kenley Campbell, Mrs. Marian Tinney, Mrs. Donna Webster,
Mrs. Carol McDonnell, Bob Crawford, Andy Rees, Mrs. Evelyn Lebedew and Mrs. Colleen Waddell. T-A photo
& North Lambton Since 1873
S' : :
EXETER, ONTARIO, MARCH 2, 1978
. ■ >
Price Per Copy 25 Cents
QUESTION COSTS
OF RADIO SYSTEM
At the suggestion of their
executive committee, Ex
eter council passed a motion
Monday night that they take
no further action on the
proposed police communica
tion system for the county
“until several points are
clarified”.
Mayor Bruce Shaw ad
vised members that a few
things had come up recently
“to call into question some
of the recommendations
which have been presented
to council”.
He said the recommenda
tion was not to opt out of the
proposed system, but rather
“just to go slowly at this
time”.
Following the meeting,
Shaw told the T-A that there
is a hint that the capital cost
of the new communication
system to hook up the police
forces in the five county
towns may be “substantially
higher” than previously out
lined to council.
He said there was also
some question as to the
desirability of the Goderich
location for the base of the
communication system.
In another police-related
matter, council asked the
police committee for a
recommendation and cost
outline of a proposed right-
of-way across the parking
lot at the South Huron Den
tal Clinic.
Police Chief Ted Day has
approached the hospital
board seeking an exit from
the rear of the new police of
fice and the board has ad
vised that the request should
be formally made by coun
cil.
Councillor Derry Boyle, a
member of the hospital
board, said they feared
there could be some legal
implications in permitting
the exit.
New postal
opens in Crediton
Merchants want plan established
to control store-front renovations
The board of management
of the downtown business
improvement association
advised Exeter council Mon
day they are proceeding on
the establishment of an
overall plan to be used for
the future renovation of any
store fronts in the core area.
Gerry Gray, spokesman
for the group, said that the
plan would act as a guideline
for any property owners
planning alterations or new
store fronts and it was being
developed in an effort to
avoid the present “helter
skelter” situation.
He explained to council
that under the policies of the
new official plan, council
has the power to ensure that
new store fronts compli
ment other buildings in the
surrounding area, and the
plan was needed to set the
guidelines to be used to im
plement that policy.
The board has met with
architect Nick Hill to dis
cuss the situation and Hill
has indicated that drawing
No aid 'at present' for hall
At the recommendation of
the executive committee,
Exeter council will not
make any donation to the
restoration of the town hall
“at this time”.
In outlining the reason
behind the decision, Mayor
Bruce Shaw said the com
mittee felt that making a
donation at the present time
could jeopardize the public
canvass for funds in the
local citizens would consider
that they have contributed
through their tax dollars.
The recommendation
suggested the Exeter and
District Heritage Founda
tion “return to council re
questing a grant when the
canvass is completed”.
Councillor Derry Boyle
said that phrase should "be
deleted from the motion. “I
don’t think we need to give
them an opening,” he
stated, adding that it was
unfair to consider a grant
when council had not con
sidered giving financial
assistance to the committee
raising funds for the new rec
centre.
“Can they return (for a
grant)?” Councillor Steve
Pfaff asked.
Boyle said that any group
could appear before council
requesting assistance
whenever they wished.
A letter was received
from the Ontario Heritage
Foundation thanking council
for their reception of
representatives from that
group recently.
The letter noted that the
communication between
council and the local
heritage people could be im
proved and it concluded by
saying that the Ontario
group “look forward to hear
ing of the decision on fun
ding”
up such a plan would cost in
the neighborhood of $3,500.
Gray said council would
end up with a document that
the building inspector could
use to determine if new
store fronts basically fit the
idea of what the Main St.
should be like.
Council members were
asked to share in the cost of
developing the plan.
Reeve Si Simmons asked
the businessmen what
theme would be followed in
the plan for uniformity.
Gray replied they wanted
to stay
“gimicks” and “work with
what we have” in the basic
structures of the existing
■ buildings.
He stressed the fact that
the merchants wanted the
plan to be as inexpensive as
possible so it would not
create a burden on anyone to
meet its requirements.
The local lawyer said the
main intent was to ensure
that renovations or new
store fronts would be done in
such a way that they “look
like they belong” with the
other structures.
Councillor Derry Boyle
suggested the establishment
of such a policy would be un-
democratic in that a
business owner couldn’t do
what ho wanted with his
property.
“Council controls private
property all the time,” Gray
replied, adding that he
agreed council would in
effect be limiting people’s
choice, but they do that
every time they pass a
bylaw.
Boyle suggested the plan
would result in council en
away from
ding up in “hassle after
hassle’’.
“I agree it would be
work,’’ Gray replied.
“It’s not the work that
concerns me, it’s the ill
feeling,’’ Boyle commented.
Councillor Ken Ottewell
said he could see the objec
tive of the proposal, but
noted that unless the majori
ty of property owners in the
core area were in agree
ment, it would be difficult
for council to impose any
rules.
Gray said at the present
time, some store fronts
tastefully done, while others
are not.
Boyle said that was an opi
nion, and Gray agreed that it
was only his opinion.
Mayor Bruce Shaw ended
debate on the topic by
suggesting council appoint
some members to work with
the businessmen and Nick
Hill in drawihg up the plan
and to make their
recommendations to coun
cil.
Councillors Steve Pfaff,
Harold Patterson and Lossy
Fuller volunteered to act in
that capacity.
The police village of
Crediton has a new post of
fice and a new postmaster
this week but that’s where
the newness ends.
John Stewart takes over
the post of postmaster in one
of Crediton’s oldest
buildings complete with two
front stained glass windows.
The building located on
the north side of Victoria
street, only a short distance
from the main intersection
was constructed in 1880 by
the late Henry Eilber.
Mr. Eilber was this area’s
respresentative at the On
tario Legislature for more
than 10 years at the turn of
the century as well as clerk
of Stephen township and
agent for the Hay Mutual
Fire Insurance Company.
The two stained glass win
dows were imported from
Europe by Mr. Eilber. John
Stewart, the new post
master has made extensive
renovations to the building
but will leave the historic
windows in place.
Stewart purchased the
property recently from Leo
Boyle who operated a barber
shop from the time the
Stephen township muncipal
offices were moved to new
quarters in the fall of 1967.
Stewart takes over as
postmaster from Bob
Jackson who has assumed a
similar position in
Maidstone. Phyllis Lightfoot
has been the acting post
mistress since Jackson left
for his new post.
Until Saturday the post of
fice was housed in the
former blacksmith shop and
service station property
which Jackson bought from
Mrs. Vera Bullock.
CREDITON POSTAL CHANGE <— Residents of Crediton will find several changes when they go for their mail this week. The
post office has been moved to the former Henry Eilber building on Main street and John Stewart has taken over as Postmaster.
Shown during the changeover are assistant postmaster Rosemary Stewart, area post office supervisor Harvey C. Pfaff, post
master John Stewart and Phyllis Lightfoot, acting postmaster for the past three months. T-A photo
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