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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1986-04-23, Page 1 (2)e Cit Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. c Fire destroys barn Fire early Thursday morning destroyed a Walton -area barn and nearly spread to nearby buildings before Blyth and District Depart- ment was able to bring it under control. Larry Walsh, Blyth village clerk, was driving past the farm of Harold McCallum, east of Walton on County Road 25 shortly after midnight when he noticed smoke coming out of the side of the barn. He drove into the McCallum lane, woke the family and the Blyth brigade was called. Flames threatened to spread to a nearby driving shed from which they could have spread throughout a series of buildings. "It was pretty scary," Mrs. McCallum said. She estimated another two to five minutes and the driving shed might have caught fire. As it was the beam over the door was charred. Lost in the barn was a large truck and a grain dryer as well as many other smaller items. The deep well and pressure system for the farm was located in the barn, so one of the first tasks in the days after the fire was to drill a new well. The McCallums had no ready estimate of loss but said it would be higher than the insurance cover- age on the building and contents. Morris taxpayers get break Despite higher levies for Huron County and the Huron County Board of Education, taxpayers in Morris township will see no increase in their mill rate this year. Clerk -Treasurer Nancy Michie explained there were two reasons the township was able to absorb the higher costs without raising the mill rate. This past year the township recorded a $16,000 sur- plus compared to a $26,000 deficit a year ago. In addition. in order to pay off the new township complex last year the mill rate had been raised. With the building paid for by the time it opened, this money became available for other uses. Total residential and farm mill rate will be 202.78 exactly the same as last year. Of that 38.45 mills will go to the county, 51.51 to township uses, 64.35 to public elementary and 48.47 to secondary school. Roman Catholic Separate School supporters will pay an elementary mill rate of 66.74. (The mill rate for separate school supporters will actually decrease .14 mills). The commercial mill rate will be 238.53 made up of 45.23 mills to the county, 60.57 to municipal uses, 75.71 toelementary public, and 57.02 to secondary schools. The mill rate means that if a residential house is assessed at $3,000, the tax will be $608.34 for the public school supporter and $615.51 for the separate school supporter. A commercial esta- blishment valued at $8,000 will have a tax of $1,622.24 for public school supporter or $1,641.36 for a separate school supporter. In the budget, adopted by the council April 15, the township will spend a total of $1,170.336. Aside from the $515,000 that goes to senior levels of government, the township will spend $306,300 in general road costs. In addition $90.000 will be spent on road construction and equipment and $45,000 on the Concession 9 bridge. Fire protection will cost $20,500, not counting $7,000 in capital costs to the Wingham Area Fire Board. Waste disposal costs will be $20,000 (60 per cent of which will be paid by Brussels). Recreation will cost $12,000 and drainage maintenance $13,000. A working capital reserve of $45.000 will be set aside. VOL. 2 NO. 17 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 1986. 40 CENTS The wonder of a heartbeat amazed these students at Blyth Public School last week when Dr. Laverne Clark let the grade one students use his stethoscope to hear their hearts. Enjoying a new sensation are [left to right] Kurt Lentz, Mark Wilson, Shawn Clark and Trent Richmond. Dr. Clark, a veterinarian, also taught the children how to properly treat their pets as part of the school's Work Day program to give students a chance to learn more about jobs in the community. PubIic schools a priority, board says BY RHEA HAMILTON SEEGER The Huron Board of Education reaffirmed its position that public schools be given full support and that independent schools be offer- ed co-operation in using facilities already available in the public sector, at its April meeting. This motion was in response to the Report of the Commission on Private Schools in Ontario by Bernard J. Shapiro, released last October. Board members were given a 46 -page extract of the report. Robert Allen, Director of Education, brought out four of the report's 61 recommendations which include: that private schools be renamed independent and that after meeting specific conditions, McKillop taxpayers face 5% tax increase for 1986 McKillop township ratepayers face a five per cent increase in the millrate as a result of the budget approved by township council at its April meeting. Total mill rate for the public school supporters for farm and residential taxes will be 258.437 and 259.477 for Roman Cathlic Separate School supporters. The township millrate will make up 85.527 mills of that while the county levy will be 43.698; Huron Board of Education elementary levy, 55.432 and secondary school levy will be 55.432 mills. The Huron -Perth Roman Catholic Sep- arate School Board's elementary levy will cost 74.82 mills. The township's rate for commer- cial and business will be 100.62 mills. The county rate will be 51.409 mills, elementary public school 86.8 and secondary 65.214 for a total of 304.043. The separate elementary rate is 88.024 for a total mill rate for separate school commercial and business suppor- ters of 305.267. In other business at the April meeting council did not consent to the land severence requested by John DeKroon on Conc. 6, south half of lot 6. The severence would have divided off a 3.5 acre parcel for a residence and mixed livestock operation. Council recommended that a distance of 100 feet be required between the barn and the property line for a manure storage facility. The recommendation will goon to the county land division Continued on page 5 can enter into associations with local school boards to share in funding; teachers in independent schools be required to hold specific qualifications; and that all schools meet certain curriculum require- ments. The first motion on the floor was to accept the spirit of the Shapiro report as published. It was defeat- ed with a majority. The second motion was to reaffirm the board's original submission to the commis- sion. MaryAnne Dempsy was con- cerned that not enough board members had read the report to fully understand the intent of the report's recommendations. Tony McQuail requested Mr. Allen to comment on the matter. "When everything is said and done I am squarely behind the public school system", said Mr. Allen. He continued to emphasize his original belief that the public school system should not be further fragmented. In the board's submission to the commission last year it was pointed out that the public schooling has been one of the major positive factors in culturally unifying an area where so many different cultures have come to settle. The report went on to say that the board feared that any change from the present system would weaken the community bonds. But the bottom line is dollars. There are already too many vacant pupil places in the secondary school level. Since funding is on a per student basis this places a further drain on the ratepayers to make up the loss. In August 1983 the Huron County Board of Education ap- peared before the Ontario Munici- pal Board to oppose a land severance for a private school. The argument used then was a practical one based on lost revenues due to student reduction. Daylight Savings Time starts Sunday When your alarm clock goes off Sunday morning, you may feel like you've lost an hour's sleep, which you will have, IF you remembered to set your clock for Daylight Savings Time. Daylight Saving Time officially begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday morning, meaning clocks should be put ahead one hour. While the change may temporarily upset people who need every hour's sleep they can get after a Saturday night on the town, it will be blessed by parents of young children who have been getting up earlier and earlier as the sun comes up sooner in the morning .