Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1978-04-06, Page 14Page 14 Times-Advocate, April 6, 1978 Tuckersmith phone system plans $150,000 modernization The Tuckersmith municipal telephone system will spend $150,000 over the next three years expanding its service to Bayfield and continuing its modernization program. At the system’s 69th an­ nual meeting in Brucefield. Wednesday, subscribers voted to approve the program which will be financed through debentures issued by Tuckersmith Township, the initiating township of the system. Tuckersmith council ap­ proved the debentures at a meeting in February. The system has about 1,- 800 customers in Tuckersmith and Stanley Townships who have 2,400 telephones. Ed Oddleifson, reeve of Bayfield, was named chair­ man for the meeting. Bob Smith, auditor with the Welders Choose from two John Deere Welder models. The new 295-amp welder is right for big welding jobs. It welds longer nonstop than most competitive welders and welds sheet metal better than most other welders in its class. The 50-amp welder operates on standard household current. It’s right for hobby projects or as a "second" welder. It comes complete with face shield and welding rods. Stratford iorm ot Diegel. Malcolm and H a g e y, chartered accountants, presented the auditor’s report for 1977. He said revenue from various sources such as subscribers, renters, advertising amounted to $224,220 in 1977 compared to $193,416 in 1976. Mr. Smith said operating expenses were $140,140 for the year, up from $105,262 the previous year. Included in this was the cost of a new truck. Administrative ex­ penses amounted to $64,900, up from $59,577 the previous year. Included in the expenses were commissioners’ yearly salaries of $3,000 (each of the five commissioners receives $600): debenture interest of $21,710: officer wages $10,379; rent and of­ fice expenses $12,253 (including office rental in Mel Graham’s residence of $3,000, telephone $1,400, con­ vention expenses $2,800, printing and postage $2,500 and miscellaneous $2,553): secretarv-treasurer’s salary $9,142. The system ended the year with a surplus of $19,180 down from the 1976 surplus Of $28,577. Smith said the prices for materials and wages have increased. “Improvements have cost you substantial dollars,’’ he concluded. Secretary-treasurer and manager of the system, Mel Graham, Mr. Smith and the commissioners fielded questions from the audience. Barry Linden of Brucefield. one of the questioners, asked if it would be more economical to have the telephone office which is in the manager’s home now, in the telephone service building which the system owns in Brucefield. He asked the commissioners to do a study on this. The need for additional service to the Bayfield area has arisen because of an in­ creasing number of cot­ tages, and increasing use of cottages in winter, the com­ missioners stated, to explain why the system plans to spend about $78,000 adding 280 lines in the Bayfield area, where there are now 666 subscribers and renters. Another $59,100 will be spent to install additional equip­ ment and cable in Bayfield and area. To install cable in Egmondville and Hensail areas and to bury cable un­ derground in areas all over the system, will cost another $17,900. The system now has 170 miles of buried cable and 5^ miles of aerial cable. The $150,000 program will be spread over a three-year period commencing this year and ending in 1980. The system expects to raise $12,000 this year through a 10 per cent rate in­ crease effective April 1, Mr. Graham reported. He said studies indicate that to retire the debenture in twen­ ty years with increased revenue from upgraded ser­ vice, it is possible that ap­ proval of an additional small rate increase in two or three years will be necessary to cover added debenture costs. With the increase in rates on April 1 the cost range in the Clinton-Hensall area will be $5.85 for a private line (plus line mileage) to $4 for a multi-party line for residential purposes: and in Seaforth-Bayfield area a private line will cost $5.50 and a multi-party line $4. Prices for business phones will range from $11.70 for a private line and $6.20 for a multi-party line in the Clinton-Hensall area: and from $10.35 for a private line to $5.80 for a multi-party line in the Seaforth-Bayfield area. Mr. Graham reported the installation levy for a residential line is $20.00 and for a business line is $30.00. An extension line costs another $1.25. J. Perce Johnston, Bayfield, and W.D. Wilson, Brucefield, were re-elected to another three-year term on the commission and Johnston re-elected chair­ man. Other commission members, who were not up for re-election this year, are Vern Alderdice, "Kippen, Lloyd Ferguson, RR 1, Hen­ sail and Elmer Hayter, Var­ na. The five commissioners all spoke briefly outlining PIRATES ON ICE — Captain Crook (ailas Laurie Prout) led the Maccaneers in Saturdays' Ex­ eter figure skating club carnival. From the left are Trevor Cottrell, David Josephson, Trevor Ratz, Dean Hayter and John Vander Weil. T-A photo c the program carried out in 1977 when 74,500 feet of cable was buried replacing the aerial cable. It was- noted that the 14,000 feet of underground cable laid in Egmondville and Harpurhey was installed in co-operation with the T.V. Cable Com­ pany laying cable in the area. A contract was made to place both the T.V. and Telephone cables in one trench with each company sharing half the cost. It was noted that it will be difficult to remove all at­ tachments from Hydro poles in built-up areas such as Brucefield and Bayfield in order to put the cable un­ derground. Commissioner Alderdice reported on a special saving made when about 200 old telephones on hand, that were defective, had been sent to a company in Toron­ to where they ■ were re­ conditioned at one-third the cost of a new phone. Stanley Township Reeve Tom Consitt and Deputy­ reeve Paul Steckle, were in­ vited to speak. Mr. Consitt brought greetings from his township and complimented the commissioners on their work in the system. He said, “I agree with the debenture. If you don’t spend money to day it doesn’t take too long to get behind.” Mr. Steckle congratulated the commission on its progressive outlook for the future and said, “It is good when people can come to a forum like the meeting here tonight, ask questions and have them answered.” Deputy-reeve Robert Bell of Tuckersmith Township brought greetings from his township and Tuckersmith Councillor Frank Falconer noted the honour brought to the Telephone System resulting from the recent election of Mel Graham, the local secretary-treasurer and manager, to the position of president of the Ontario Telephone Association. Other speakers were former Huron warden Anson McKinley: former com­ missioner Bill Rowcliffe and one of the system’s renters, Barry Linden, who had asked many questions for himself and for a sub­ scriber who was unable to attend. Mr. Linden said to the subscribers, “While you are paying your money, you are getting your money’s worth." ______' WELDING iCSSf COMPLETE Zdflfe . i? WELDING AND FABRICATION SERVICE ON WHEELS. * Relining of grain boxes * Fabrication of farm wagons * Steel Structures * All types of repairs WALKER'S WELDIHC EXETER 235-1298 a'Sr.t NOW, PATORANFL LIQUID SUSPENSION AT PRICES COMPETITIVE TO PATORAN W.P. (wettable powder) Whelan hints help for bean growers Contact your local Chipman dealer. Keep the Good Things Growing . . PATORAN is a registered trademark of Ciba-Geigy Canada Ltd ATTENTION FARMERS FLAX WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT FLAX AS A CASH CROP IN 1978 1. Flax Seed Varieties now available produce greater yields than in the past. 2. The number of Ontario Flax Plantings in 1977 was the Largest in Ten Years. 3. Input cost for Seed. Fertilizer and Spray is less than $20.00 per acre as of March 31. 1978. 4. A ready market is available immediately for all Ontario grown Flax. 5. Quick unload at Lucknow. Milverton and Seaforth is available for this crop. 6. Forward selling available (ask manager for details). 7. Storage available (ask Manager for details). 8. Contracts available (ask Manager for details). 9. Crop Insurance for Flax is available in 1978 (see your Agent for details). Stabilization assistance may become available for white bean growers in Ontario according to Canada’s Minister of Agriculture Eugene Whelan. Speaking Friday night to the Perth Bean Growers Association at Kirkton Whelan said his ministry was seriously considering making the disastrous 1977 white bean crop eligible for stabilization assistance. He said because a large portion of the 1977 crop was destroyed or damaged by continued wet weather, the agricultural stabilization board must consider requests for coverage. He continued, “My department will soon be in touch with the Ontario Bean Producers Marketing Board to further discuss the request from bean growers.” Whelan urged producers not to depend too much on government to bail them out when weather oriented crop disasters occur , but rather to invest in government crop insurance which is a joint farmer-government prog­ ram. He said that only a third of Ontario’s white bean producers were insured last year, but for those producers who invested a total of $1,092,000 they received compensation of $9,447,000. In Perth County there were 636 claims with a total pay-out of $3,290,000. Perth County farmers paid $791,000. Statistics show the risk of losing crops is higher than the risk of losing buildings, but many farmers do not take out crop insurance, Whelan said. He said many United States politicians and government officials have told him Canada is the envy of many American farmers who do not have a crop in­ surance program to turn to. “Some of the horse racing people in Canada ask why I am against off-track betting and say that I represent the biggest gamblers of all in Canada, namely farmers,” he joked. C.H. LEWIS LUCAN LTD. Licensed Insured Livestock Hauler to and from all sales barns etc. 24 Hour Service LUCAN Call Larry 227-4935 or 227-4406 OPNOTCH TOPNOTCH FEEDS LIMITED Flax contracting and seed booking is now in progress. To avoid disappointment call today. For Seed, Fertilizer and Spray Please Contact: or ANDERSON FLAX PRODUCTS Seaforth, Ontario Milverton, Ontario Lucknow, Ontario 527-1910 595-4941 528-3203* W.G. THOMPSON & SON, Hensall, Granton COOK'S, Hensall, Centralia, Kirkton CENTRALIA FARMERS SUPPLY LTD., Centralia SCOTT'S ELEVATOR LTD., Lucan SPRING IS NEAR Have you thought about or looked at your tillage equipment. How about that big H.P. tractor that has been sitting in your shed all winter? IS IT READY FOR THAT LONG-AWAITED DAY TO GET TO THE FIELD ... PROBABLY NOT, OR DO YOU KNOW? CATTLE FEEDS NO-UREA DAIRY RATION DAIRY RATION 1,2 NO-UREA CATTLE SUPP FULL LINE OF CATTLE SUPPLEMENT CATTLE PREMIXES L.P.S. 35% SWINE FEEDS PEG NURSER PIG STARTER HOG GROWER SOW & HOG SUPPLEMENT HOG PREMIX 25 HOG PREMIX 50 20% HOG WORMER 16% POULTRY FEEDS Chick starter, chick grower, caged layers Broiler starter, grower, finisher supplements. Premixes. FULL LINE OF MINERALS OPNOTCH TOPNOTCH FEEDS LIMITED Phone 284-2591 Collect 29 Robinson St. Case Van Arkel St. Marys SPRING SPECIAL * Free Pickup and Delivery (within a 20 mile radius) * Free Dymo-Test * Complete spring tune-up and check-up of your unit including: annual transmission fluid and filter chanqe and fuel filters, etc. Please Phone For An Estimate Or Appointment For Pick-up Contact Garry W. Rowcliffe Service Manager LTD. N. T. MONTEITH EXETER "The belt in tervice when you need it motti" • 235-2121