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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1978-05-18, Page 1GET WARMED UP - — Following their meeting, Thursday, the Exeter Lions adjourned to the town hall to sit in on a rehearsal of Woody and the Main Street Jug Band, who will perform at the Lions' Main St. Festival at the rec centre on June 10. Members of the band include Rick Graham, Ed Mittelholtz, Dwayne Tinney, George Godbolt, Chris Mittelholtz, Bob Fletcher and Woody Davidson. Joining them in a sing-along at the front of the auditorium are Lions Doug Jamieson, Bob Russell, Doug Knowles and • Staff photo * 'J E&Jkjl I I n Chan Livingstone. 2 Sr Exeter council added $2,000 to their budget Monday night to help pay for a store front restoration plan, despite a decision of council two weeks ago not to back the project. The reversal by council came after a presentation by Gerry Gray for the Down­ town Business Improvement Association. Gray told council the plan would cost about $5,000 and suggested the town pay half of the costs. The money would be used to formulate a policy for store owners to follow to keep a uniform appearance in the business section. A by­ law backing the plan would have to be passed by council before the plan was ef­ fective, said Gray “It would allow the town to be able to develop in a harmonious manner. I don't think we can leave it to chance or accident for this to happen,” said Gray. Councillor Lossy Fuller supported paying for the plan, saying it was something that had to be done and could not be put off any longer. She was vigorously op­ posed by councillor Derry Boyle. “If a man wants to design a new store front that should be his prerogative I don’t think the municipality has the right to regulate these things,” said Boyle. Reeve Si Simmons said that council would be prepared to pass the by-law backing the plan, but he objected to council paying any part for the plan. “I don’t see putting tax­ payers dollars into it. If you want a plan, you should be willing to pay for it,” he said. “It is your plan, we are subsidizing you,” replied Gray. Simmons disagreed saying the plan would not directly benefit all the people in the town. Councillor Ken Ottewell said there is little council does that benefits the entire town. A new drain only benefits one area but that is still town business, he said. Ottewell said a uniform store front plan would be a public relations project. “People drive through town and they get an im­ pression of the town from what they see. I do think it will benefit the town as a whole,” he said. Councillor Steve Pfaff agreed, saying “We have an Please turn to page 3 STRIKE SYMPATHIZERS CHECKING AUTOS ENTERING HURON PARK WEDNESDAY Lions get practical view of old town hall's function The Exeter Lions were told Thursday night that the renovated town hall will serve a functional purpose in the community, and they didn’t have long to wait to see that prediction come to fruition. Following a talk by Doug Gould, president of the Ex­ eter and Area Heritage Foundation, the members adjourned to the hall for a tour and then enjoyed sitting in on a rehearsal of “Woody and the Main St. Jug Band”. The band members were practicing for their appearance at the June 10 Main Street Festival, a pro­ ject being sponsored by the Lions. A sing-along quickly developed and the Lions were soon joined by several citizens who wandered into the hall after hearing the rousing music echoing from the upstairs auditorium. The Main Street Festival, an event which the Lions hope will become an annual attraction in Exeter, will feature a rousing “pub night” atmosphere on June 10, with the jug band providing the sing-along music. A barbershop quartet will also be in attendance. A beef barbecue is plann­ ed for the following day and the event will be capped off with a gospel singing program being arranged by the Ministerial Association. be 4, L. Assess fines for liquor and traffic Six persons were fined in Exeter court Tuesday by Justice of the Peace D. W,, Wedlake on liquor and traffic charges. James L. Cottle, Usborne township was assessed a fine of $75 on a charge of driving a vehicle while liquor was readily available. Paying fines of $50 each on similar charges will Larry D, Voison, RR Parkhill and David Thornton, Zurich. Jo Anne Mitchell, RR Ripley was fined $25 for following a vehicle too closely on February 1. Her vehicle ran into the back of another car. A fine of $5 was assessed against Ben Hoogenboom of Exeter for illegal parking between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. The only speeding fine went to Carl Lebelle, London for exceeding the 80 kilometre speed limit by 10 kilometres. 1, ... NEW LIONS — Exeter Lions president Doug Knowles, left, welcomes four of the new members who have joined the club in re­ cent weeks. They are Gerry Gray, Joe Darling, Al Epp and Jay Campbell. Two other men who have recently joined the club and were not present for the photo are Jim Darling ana Bob Deane, Staff photo IS I 1 wsa V « F.73S <i''" niillliui^lil The event will be held at the rec centre. In his brief remarks to the Lions, Gould said he didn’t have any difficulty talking about the town hall. “It’s all I’ve known for the past three or four years,” he said. He explained that town halls in many other area communities had faced the wreckers’ hammers, but they had been saved by local citizens and most were now listed on the tourist brochures of the area. “All the restored halls serve a functional purpose,” Gould noted, adding that the Exeter town hall office facilities have all been rented and many groups have been booking the up­ stairs auditorium. He predicted the facility would be self-sustaining. “Once we get the bank loan paid off, we’ll be on easy street”. Terming the town hall one of the most significant buildings in Exeter, Gould told the Lions it was built during the jubilee of Queen Victoria (1887) at a cost of $8,000 following a 91 percent approval by the citizens of the community. The building was designed by an architect by the name of Durand, and a professor at the University of Western Ontario is currently study­ ing the works of this man, which also include Brescia College,' Upper Canada College and a church in Hen- sall. The Heritage president said he was certain the old clock could be put back into working order and would once again “be music to the ears of residents of Exeter”. Gould reported he has been told by some area farmers that they relied on the town bell (before noisy tractors) when they were working in their fields. While Gould said he wouldn’t bore members with a recap of the hassles they had with council over the project, he noted he hadn’t had so much fun without laughing in all his life. “The members are not a bit sorry for accepting the challenge,” he said of the Heritage group. In thanking the speaker, Lion Chan Livingstone said he was one of those who thought the Heritage members must have fallen from a tree when they un­ dertook the restoration. “We see now that you’ve done a fine job and the hall is a spot light in the heart of town,” Livingstone said. a “It’s dream fulfilled,” added Lion president Doug Knowles, who admitted he too had been skeptical of the project. The Lions are among the local groups which have financially supported the restoration. Not likely to bargain It appears unlikely the two sides in the Huron County secondary school teachers strike will return to the bargaining table to clean up the remaining monetary issues and avoid an ar­ bitration hearing. The 31-day teachers’ strike ended April 13 with the two sides agreeing to settle the outstanding monetary issues in the 1977-78 and 1978-79 contract through binding arbitration. D.L. Johnston, dean of law at the University of Western Ontario, has set June 14 and 15 as the dates for the hearing in Goderich. In the final days of the strike, there was increasing public pressure for the two sides to go to arbitration. , The Huron County board of education opposed the idea, saying it didn’t feel ar­ bitration would favor its stand on work load. John Elliott, board chairman said recently he is prepared to solve the monetary items through arbitration now. He said the teachers were busy at­ tempting to catch up on work and he didn’t see any benefit in attempting to resolve the outstanding items at the local level without outside intervention. Shirley Weary, spokesman for District 45 of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation, said Wednesday the teachers have not received a formal invitation to resume talks. “So it’s difficult to say yes if we haven’t had a formal request.” She admitted she didn’t know how much could be resolved under the prospect of arbitration. “I think it has an effect on it. I think it would be like bargaining with a cleaver hanging over your neck.” One of the items still to be resolved is salaries for the 1978-79 contract year. The board’s opening offer was for a four per cent in­ crease. Teachers were asking for an increase based on the cost of living plus three per cent. WK: imes - Advocate Serving South Huron, North Middlesex & North Lambton Since 1873 Price Per Copy 25 CentsOne Hundred and Fifth Year IliKr.-. • • > • .'A M!"' -A' ■ “ ■ ••* •' - A, < '"'A CUT JUBILEE CAKE — The honour of cutting the 60th Jubilee cake Thursday for the South Unit of the Federation of Women Teachers of Ontario fell to Mrs. Verna Hicks of Cen­ tralia. Mrs. Hicks who started teaching in 1922 is assisted by Unit president Mary Jacobi of Zurich. Staff photo EXETER, ONTARIO, MAY 1 8, 1978 CCAT hits record in graduate numbers Friday’s 10th graduation at Centralia College of Agricultural Technology produced 138 graduates the largest number since the school was 1967. Principal Donald said was an milestone.” MacDonald said the 1978 class of 138 was the largest in the 10 years the college has been in existence. The previous high was 112 in 1976. The 10 year total is now 938. Greetings were brought from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food by executive director of education and research Dr. J. C. Rennie. Dr. Rennie said Centralia established in James Mac- Friday’s event “important College is “unique in the kind of programs and the man­ ners in which they are taught.” He continued, “Centralia has the only Animal Health and Community Home Economic courses in the province and is the leader in food services.” Friday’s graduation of 10 girls in the fashion course marked the close .of this particular segment of the college. . Dr. Rennie said enrolment in agricultural colleges in Ontario is increasing this year by 10 percent and “this speaks well for agriculture and the food industry.” The guest speaker was Dr. George Jones, research director for Stewart Seeds division of Ciba Geigy of Canada Ltd. In making the in­ troduction, Dr. Rennie said “George Jones better known in the industry as “Corn” Jones is agriculture’s best friend and strongest sup­ porter and a practical researcher.” A native of Prince Edward Island, Jones came to Ontario in the mid 1940’s and was on the staff at OAC in Guelph until his move to the private sector a fe\V years ago. Jones told the graduates, “you don’t know what hard work is because of technology and it will con­ tinue to excite you all your life.” He continued, “food is big business, it’s not for down the road that one million dollars will be invested for each farm worker.” Helen Catherine Duynisveld of Ilderton was named the best all round student and received the class of 1972-73 award. The two top students in pork production were Teresa Ondrejicka, Exeter and Neil Stephens, Kirkton, Supporters return to picket line, OFL president at Fleck next week Following two weeks of quiet at the strike bound Fleck manufacturing plant in Huron Park, about 70 members United Autoworkers Local 444 of Windsor walked the picket lines with striking female workers Wednesday mor­ ning. Today more UAW members from Windsor were expected to show up to offer their support while tomorrow five bus loads of the Ontario Working Women’s Association are expected to show up, ac­ cording to Sheila Charlton of the striking Fleck workers. Ms. Charlton said “From every daynow on” striking Fleck workers will have support on the picket lines from other labour organizations. Ontario Federation of Labour president Cliff Pilkie will be in Huron Park on Thursday to lend his group’s support to the strike. The two busloads of UAW members employed by Chrysler of Canada arrived^ at the main gates of the industrial park at about 5:30 yesterday morning. There were no incidents on the picket line with traffic being allowed in and out of the Ontario Development Corporation complex. Police kept a low profile with one cruiser stationed across from the main gates and a staff car with Staff superintendent H.G. Garry and Corporal Jack Hanes patrolling the area. At 7:45 the two OPP of­ ficers mingled with the crowd and in a few instances asked UAW members to move away from vehicles To consider building law Sidewalks, curbs, boulevards and roadways damaged by construction will become the respon­ sibility of thebuilder if Exeter council passes a proposed bylaw. The bylaw stipulates that an agreement between the town and the owner may be required before any building permit is issued. A deposit of five dollars per foot of the limit of the lot will be required. An overview of the con­ struction site will be carried out to determine the quality of the curbs, sidewalks, and boulevards before and after construction. The sidewalk must provide level clear passage to pedestrians at all times, the bylaw stipulates. Any costs of returning the curbs, boulevards, sidewalks, or roadways to the original quality will be the full responsibility of the owner or his agent. Anyone who disturbs, alters or down-grades a sidewalk, curb, boulevard or roadway, without having a prior agreement with the town will be responsible for the costs of returning it to the original quality. The bylaw will be con­ sidered at the next Exeter council meeting. passing through the gates. By 8:30 both the police and Windsor UAW members had departed. Employees still working made no attempt to get to the plant. Meanwhile, negotiations between the UAW and Fleck appear to be at a standstill with a meeting in the office of labour minister Stephenson resolving Fleck president Berlet, Canadian director Bob White and Vic Pathe of labour ministry’s industrial relations division were involved in the discussions. Two proposals were made to the parties, by Pathe, Dr, Stephenson said which resulted from recom- Bette little. Fred UAW Poundkeeper is appointed Exeter pet owners will be faced with fines if their pets are found running at large, town council decided Monday night. Council approved an agreement Monday night appointing The Exeter Animal Hospital as pound­ keeper for the town. The Animal Hospital will also be responsible for patrolling the town for eight hours a week. Pet owners who have their animal captured for the first time will be faced with a $15 fine. Subsequent captures will cost the pet owner $25. Any animal captured must have a tag before it is released. Rabies shots are also required if there is no proof the animal has already had one. The pet owner will be responsible for paying the cost of the shot as well as a fee for board. There will be a $3 a day charge for small animals and $4 a day for large animals over 30 lbs. The pound-keeper is authorized to keep each cat or dog for a period not less than five days after which the animal may be sold or destroyed. DAFFODIL SALE AIDS CANCER — The recent daffodil sale sponsored by the Exeter chapters of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority raised $1,576.82 for the Canadian Cancer Society. Above, Sorority representatives Leona Amos and Brenda Hennessy present the cheque to Charlie Smith. • T-A photo mendations made by a special two-man disputes advisory committee named earlier by the minister. Dr. Stephenson would not declare the session a flop. “My main concern was getting them back talking again.” On thing that was agreed upon was meeting again on May 26 in another try to get the dispute settled. On Friday, the Ontario Labour Relations hearing that is reviewing the UAW’s application to prosecute, the company, plant manager Grant Turner, MPP Jack Riddell and two OPP officers learned that White told Turner that he should resign and the company should have negotiators without “Personal hangups.” According to White, Turner said he had given his non-striking workers assurances that they would not pay dues or join a union. Only Fleck president Berlet of Tillsonburg could overule him and if he had to give the UAW a union security clause of that kind, he would resign, White quoted Turner as saying. On questions by a Fleck lawyer, White said no union could survive where the payment of dues and union membership was voluntary. White said a company could use various ways of per­ suading employees not to pay dues. The UAW director said union security is crucial if the workers are to return to work. Earlier in the hearings, Fleck workers testified they were frightened following a meeting with two company officials and a plant em­ ployee, Dorothy Wallace of Huron Park said Turner had warned the union local about conducting a strike and the serious consequences that might result. Mrs. Wallace stated the three, Turner, former plant manager Ray LaCourse and stock man Bob McNoll had “fortified themselves with liquid courage’’and that the three men had stood in front of the lunch room doors, when they were sure everyone was in. Turner expressed concern Essex Wire and Cable of Tillsonburg might take away some of the contracts and the plant might have to close down. James Fleck deputy minister of industry and tourism said he will not get personally involved in the strike. Fleck said he hasn’t been involved in the plant’s operation, although he is interested in seeing the strike settled. “It’s been 18 years since I’ve been active in the business on a day-to- day basis,” he said. Fleck said the current dispute is a “Management” consideration and it would be “inappropriate” for him to become personally involved. The strike which began March 6 is in its tenth week and has been the scene of various incidents. The strikers who were paid between $2.85 and $3.25 cents an hour, are seeking their first contract. Fireman retires after 32 years Ray Smith, a member of the Exeter area fire depart­ ment for the past 32 years, has announced his retire­ ment. The Gidley St. resident became a fireman when the brigade was known as the Defiance Fire Company No. 1 under Chief R. Davis. He became a captain in 1970 and five years later was elevated to the position of platoon chief. He held this position until his retirement. During his 32 years on the local department, Ray answered 564 alarms and also engaged in countless hours of practices and train­ ing. He received his 30-year medal and plaque from the Ontario Fire Marshal’s of­ fice two years ago.