Times-Advocate, 1978-11-30, Page 1Damage $7,000 in tire slashing, abattoir entry
Youths charged in damage spree
A 15-year-old area juvenile
and two youths from Huron
Park face several charges
following police in
vestigation into the slashing
of 40 tires on cars parked at
the Hensall arena early
Saturday evening.
The three are also charged
with break, enter and theft at
Scholl’s Abattoir, Hensall.
The two youths charged
are John Wayne O’Neill, 18,
and Benjamin S. Hillman, 16,
both of Huron Park.
Serving
One Hundred and Fifth Year
Exeter council left a
couple of decisions for their
successors when they met
for their final meeting,
Monday. One of those will be
FUN FOR SOME — This week's first snow may not have been welcomed by adults, but, for
local youngsters, it was a different story. Above, Darryl Sweitzer and David Fergusson pull
Jackie Sweitzer through lhe snow. T-A photo
Could have been higher
Say bill was equitable
A suggestion that a bill
presented to the South
Huron rec centre board by
the Exeter works depart
ment was not equitable was
quickly refuted by members
of town council and works
superintendent Glenn Kells,
Monday.
In a letter to council, the
board suggested the cost
was high and noted they had
not been .involved in the
decision on some of the work
that had been undertaken.
The bill was for $2,652.04,
and while the board ap
parently considered most of
that as being for grass cut
ting, Kells said it included
many other items, such as
work on a storm drain, work
around the rodeo grounds,
grading of the parking lot
PUC trio
get pay hike
Exeter’s three Public
Utilities Commissioners will
get a 50 percent pay in
crease next year.
Following a request from
the Commissioners, Exeter
council this week approved
an increase to $600 pgr an
num for the stipends. They
are currently $400.
Mayor Bruce Shaw, who
sat as a member through his
office, said the increase in
remuneration was his idea
and it had been passed at a
closed meeting of the Com
mission on November 4.
The last adjustment in
fees occurred in 1975, when
they were increased to the
$400 from$300.
PUC manager Hugh Davis
suggested in a letter to coun
cil that the Commissioners’
stipends were not keeping
pace with those of council.
He said that in 1969 when
the Commissioners received
$300 per annum, council
members were receiving an
average of $528. Council
members now receive $1,600
per year although the Com
missioners receive only
$400.
Before the fees can be ad-
isted, they must have coun
cil’s, approval as well as On
tario Hydro’s.
•There was little debate on „
lhe matter this week. “They
look after their own
money,” Councillor Ted
vVright commented.
Incoming mayor, Derry
Boyle, who will sit on the
Commission, declared a
conflict of interest in the
matter as it was approved
by his fellow council
members.
A total of $2,000 damage
was reported to the abattoir.
Windows were broken and
two Toledo weigh scales
were extensively damaged.
The office was -also ran
sacked.
A small amount of petty
cash was stolen, along with
four butcher knives.
Shortly after 8:00 p.m.,
Saturday, Exetei' OPP were
advised by a car owner that
his tires had been slashed
while he was attending an
intermediate hockey tour-
and the use of the backhoe to
take ice out of the arena.
“The town crew actually
spent many hours they never
billed for,” commented
committee chairman Ted
Wright.
Kells also noted that on
many occasions, the board Please turn to page 3
HONOUR CO-OP MANAGER — Jack Schell who completed nearly 10 years as manager of
the Exeter and District Co-Operative before leaving in September for a new position in Ox
ford was honoured at Friday s annual-meeting. Jack and his wife Dorothy are snown receiving
a lamp from Gerald McFalls and Bruce Shapton, representing directors and members.
Co-Op sales show gain,
but profits down sharply
Despite an increase in
sales during 1978 the net
income of the Exeter District
Co-Operative dropped
considerably.
At Friday’s annual
banquet held at the South
Huron Rec Centre members
were told net profits were
reduced from $105,165 in 1977
to $45,577 for this year.
Reasons given for the
decrease by’ president Jack
Blair were no patronage
payment from the United Co-
Operatives of Ontario and
increased rising costs.
District UCO director Bob
Down in explaining the
failure to pay a patronage
said, “due to certain tax
million dollars into a general
reserve,”
Down continued, “This
will enable us to build better
facilities to provide better
services which you
members demand.”
The UCO director
dicated the Ontario
Operative increased sales by
21 percent to $369 million
with grain sales listed at 10
million bushel.
The Exeter Co-Op sales
were up close to $80,000 to
$2,914,909, but, expenses also
rose by $44,000.
President Jack Blair
reported that a patronage
dividend of one and one half
percent would be paid along
deferments we were able to with one and half cents per
put our net savings of 2.9 bushel rebate on grain
namentat the Hensall arena.
OPP Constable Jack
Straughan arrived on the
scene and arrested the trio
as they were leaving the
parking lot.
During his investigation,
Straughan found that a total
of 40 tires had been slashed
at the parking lot, involving
19 different owners. Some
had all four tires slashed,
while others had one, two or
three damaged.
The car owners were from
various locations, some as
the
the
was charged only for
labor involved and not
equipment used on several
jobs.
“There was no bill for
plowing snow or sweeping
the parking lot,” he explain
as
in-
Co-
far away as Sarnia and
Toronto, They had been
attending the hockey event
as well as a dance.
A few of the owners
managed to get
replacements so they could
leave Saturday night, but
several others were still
looking for tires in the area
on Sunday to get their
vehicles back on the road.
Damage to the tires has
been set at almost $5,000.
Hillman and the juvenile
have been charged with 18
counts of mischief, plus one
break, enter and theft juvenile has not been set.
imes - Advocate
erving South Huron, North Middlesex & North Lambton Since 1873
EXETER, ONTARIO, NOVEMBER 30, 1978 Price Per Copy 25 Cents
New councillors left with decisions
regarding solicitors and dump fees
Don
Will give
Santa boost
Exeter council will have
an entry in the December 16
Santa Claus parade, but it’s
not going to cost the tax
payers anything.
Deputy-Reeve
MacGregor said this week
that the matter of entering a
float had been discussed
prior to Monday’s meeting
by several members and
Lossy Fuller had been
named to chair the project.
Incoming Mayor Derry+5
Boyle said three members’
had already pledged $10 each
out of their own pockets.
“I’m glad I’m getting
out,” commented Mayor
Bruce Shaw.
“We included the present
council,” Boyle quickly
replied.
purchased. These dividends
are exactly half of what they
were in 1977.
The board of directors
report read by Eric Kints
indicated major capital
expenditures during 1978
were were $60,000 for two
new feed trucks and $20,000
as a final payment for the
new 50,000 bushel grain tank.
During the banquet new
manager Derwood Braith
waite was introduced to the
members. -He comes to
Exeter from the Forest Co-
Operative.
Jack Schell who was
manager in Exeter for
almost 10 years and left in
September for a new position
in Orford was honoured.
Please turn to page 3
charge. The latter was laid
by Constable Bill McIntyre.
O’Neill faces one charge of
break, enter and theft and 19
mischief charges.
One of the latter was laid
after the holding cell at the
local OPP office was
damaged. Police charge that
O’Neill pulled the bunk out of
its moorings and used it to
batter the walls and toilet
facilities.
Hillman and O’Neill are
scheduled to appear in
Exeter court on December
16. A court date for the
naming the town’s solicitors.
Raymond, McLean &
Gray, who have handled
those duties for the past 16
years, submitted their
resignation in a letter dated
November 16, but left the
door open to be re-appointed
to the position.
The matter had been
discussed privately by
council and it was decided
Monday night to leave the
decision to the new council.
In the letter, Peter
Raymond explained that the
$50 monthly retainer fee paid
to the firm was set basically
to cover any telephone calls
concerning advice that the
clerk might require, to
swear affidavits from time
to time as are required on
municipal forms and to give
advice as to town bylaws and
matters of that nature.
“The retainer “Was never
meant to cover real estate
transactions, subdivision
work, easements, rights-of-
ways, road closings, or items
of a larger nature,” he said.
Earlier in the year, council
had discussed appointing
another town solicitor
because Raymond, McLean
& Gray had been unable to
serve in that capacity due to
a conflict of interest in
volving other clients.
Raymond explained that
when conflicts of interest
arose, the firm had been
honest with the town and
declared their conflict of
interest and explained why it
would be impossible to
represent the town.
In most of those cases, the
town had to go to out-of-town
solicitors, often using a firm
in Stratford.
“I know that on some
occasions this firm has been
criticised for representing
an individual or a company
rather than the town where
there is such a conflict,”
Raymond stated. “I am sure
that you can realize that any
in-town lawyer is going to
run into the same situation.
It would be impossible for a
lawyer practising in this
Town gives
hall grant
In a decision that had been
considered behind closed
doors, Exeter council this
week approved a grant of
$17,500 for the Exeter and
District Heritage Society to
be used to pay off the debt of
restoring the town hall.
The recommendation had
come from the executive
committee.
The Ontario Heritage
Foundation had earlier
promised an additional grant
to the restoration of the town
hall if council would approve
a similar amount.
Mayor Bruce Shaw said
this week that council had
earlier discussed the
prospect of the grant to
enable the local group to get
the full amount of grants
available.
The written motion by
Deputy-Reeve Don
MacGregor and Councillor
Ted Wright had been at
tached to the Monday night
agenda. It was one of the few
times a written motion had
been prepared prior to a
meeting.
The approval was given
without discussion.
Two incidents of van
dalism are also under in
vestigation by the Exeter
OPP this week.
Friday evening, ap
proximately $100 damage
was done to the Usborne
Central School. Glass panel
of a door was kicked in and
the lawn torn up and gouged
by a vehicle.
Eight mailboxes were
ripped off their posts and
damaged in Usborne on
Friday night as well.
Constable Straughan
charge of those
vestigations.
is in
in-
town to refuse to do work for
any person that might cause
a conflict with the decisions
of the town council.”
The local lawyer said the
only way to avoid this
ANIMAL TECHNOLOGY ON DISPLAY AT OPEN HOUSE — Animal Health Technology was one of several courses which
had a working demonstration at the Centralia College of Agricultural Technology's open house Wednesday. As Brian McGill
of Bowmanville holds the test animal, Pat Varney of Toronto demonstrates how a blood sample is removed from a dog. Look
ing on are Nancy Nicolak of Toronto and Billy-Joe Rowcliffe of Hensall. T-A photo
Thirty days for dangerous weapon
Two
Two people were sen
tenced to jail terms when
they appeared before Judge
W.G. Cochrane in Exeter
court, Tuesday.
Ahmed Osman, London,
former owner of the Stardust
Restaurant in Crediton, was
sentenced to 30 days on a
charge of possession of a
dangerous weapon.
He had been found guilty
previously and the sentence
had been delayed awaiting a
pre-sentence report.
Exeter lawyer
McLean said items in the
report suggested that Osman
had been the victim of
persecution by some of the
youth in the community.
The charge he faced arose
after three shots were fired
from a rifle at a pickup truck
in which three youths were
riding. One of the bullets hit
the vehicle.
The Crown Attorney noted
K.I,
Boost rent
at town hall
The Exeter and District
Heritage Society will pay a
sizeable increase in rent for
the town hall over the next 10
years.
At their final meeting this
week, Exeter council voted
to enter into an agreement
whereby the rent will be
increased from $1.00 per
year to $2,000.
No explanation was given
for the increase, which lias
been approved by the local
Heritage Society.
TIRES SLASHED On Tuesday morning only one vehicle out of the 20 that had their tires
slashed Saturday evening remained in the parking lot of the Hensall and District Community
Centre. Two youths from Huron Park and a juvenile face charges arising out of the incident.
situation entirely is for the
town to hire a full-time
solicitor “but of course this
is impossible”.
Raymond, McLean & Gray
said their services would be
given jail terms
that the police were only a
telephone call away if
Osman required assistance
to deal with the youths in
volved in the situation.
Judge Cochrane said he
felt the sentence had to act
as a deterrent. In addition to
the jail term, he ordered that
the gun be forfeited.
Osman will be given
working privileges during
the time he is serving in jail.
David Donald Lawrence,
Hensall, was sentenced to a
total of 60 days in jail after
pleading guilty to charges of
break, enter and theft in
Exeter and Hensall.
He was charged with the
October 25 breakin at Exeter
United Church, where $10 in
change was taken, and also a
breakin at the Devon
Building when $92 was
stolen. About half of that
amount was recovered.
Lawrence was sentenced
to 30 days on the first count
and 20 on the second.
He then pleaded guilty to
break and enter with intent
at the Hensall United Church
on October 23. Nothing was
taken. He was given 10 days
for that offence.
The court learned that
Lawrence has already been
in jail for five weeks.
James Martin Rowe, a
resident of Vanastra, near
Clinton, was fined $200 or 20
days after pleading guilty to
a charge of stealing a motor
vehicle in Clinton on August
12. He was given 90 days in
which to pay the fine.
An area man, Ricky
Richard Bilcke, R.R. 3
Exeter, was handed fines of
available to the new council,
but suggested that no
retainer be paid on a mon
thly basis, but that the work
done for the municipality
would be billed based upon
$250 and $350 for a total of
$600 or 60 days on two
charges of driving with an
alcohol content over 80 mgs.
He had been charged on
October 13 and again on
November 24 when police
spotted his erratic driving.
He was given two months
in which to pay each of the
fines. Breathalizer tests on
the two occasions gave
readings of 110 and 140 mgs.
In other cases heard on
Tuesday:
Three people hurt
in area collisions
Area drivers had their
first major test with winter
driving this week and handl
ed the situation com
paratively well with only
five accidents being in
vestigated.
.Three of those occurred on
Saturday, the first involving
vehicles driven by Dale Erb.
RR 2 Zurich, and James
Geoffrey, Redford.
Michigan. They collided on
Goshen St. in Zurich and
damage was set at $3,150 by
Constable Jim Rogers.
Erb sustained cuts and
bruises in the collision.
A vehicle driven by Gor
don Kenney, RR 1 Exeter,
was forced off sideroad 20 in
Stephen by an unknown vehi
cle and struck a tree.
Damage was estimated at
$500 by Constable Wally
Tomasik and Kenney
sustained cuts and bruises. ‘
In the other Saturday acci-
the work done from time to
time.
"This writer has served
the town as its solicitor for
the past 16 years. Usually,
Please turn to page 3
James Martin Rowe,
Vanastra, was fined $54 or
five days on a charge of
driving a motor vehicle in
which liquor was readily
available.
Peter Roth. R.R. 2 New
Hamburg, was fined $100 or
10 days on a charge of public
mischief, which was laid on
April 24 after he drove his
car across the lawn at the
Huron Industrial Park and
did damage of about $75.
dent, a car driven by Doreen
Beuerman. Exeter, skidded
on an icy patch of road on
Highway 83 west of
Dashwood and struck guide
posts on the south side of the
road Damage was es
timated at $975 by Constable
Boh Whiteford
The other two accidents
occurred last Tuesday, the
first involving vehicles
driven by William Anderson
and Marjorie Morgan, both
of Huron Park. They collid
ed on Algonquin Drive and
damage was listed at $475 by
Constable Bill Osterloo.
A vehicle driven by
Douglas Mason, Huron
Park, went out of control on
fresh gravel on concession 2-
3 of Stephen and struck a
hydro pole.
Mason sustained cuts and
bruises and damage was set
at $1,800 by Constable Al
Quinn.
f