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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1980-01-09, Page 1Whelan denounces budget rail ets nod a CRAIG ACC LAIMED Graeme Craig will represent the Liberals in the Huron-Bruce riding in the February 18 election. Above, former agriculture minister Eugene Whelan chats with Craig at Thursday's nomination .meeting. BUNDLED UP — Monday's change in temperature also forc- ed a change in dress for school children. Shown bundled up against the cold are Jeff Baldson and Robbie Dunn.T-A photo Good Roads event One hundred and Seventh Year EXETER, ONTARIO, JANUARY 9, 1980 Price Per Copy 25 Cents Serving South Huron, North Middlesex WIN COMPETITION — The senior cheerleading team from South Huron District High School won the annual Red and Black tournament recently. Back, left, Kelly Livingstone, Audrey Regier, Cindy Janke, Becky Baker and Catherine Raymond. Centre, Patti Regier, Michele Veri, Suzanne Mothers, captain Jane Sullivan and Sandy Somerville. Front, Kelly Tiedeman. T-A photo Two hit and run incidents Area driving record improves Board looks to reduce some costs, Huron County -hoard Of education trustees and ad^ ininistra,tors will take a hard look at everything. from W- ing to budgeting procedures this year as they try to cope with decliningenrolMent and rising.operating costs. Trustees took on those tasks. Monday when they adopted a 1980 priority list which administrators had prepared in consultation with the county's principal and, teacher associations.- Senior administration was assigned to prepare a report on declining enrolment JO relation to staffing needs and the number and variety of subjects offered. It also is to study and make recommendations on the growing problem of empty clasroom space as student ranks decline. Education superintendent Don Kenwell said in an inter, view that preliminary , forecasts show the elemen- tary decline "seems to be bottoming out" but the number of secondary students is expected to con- tinue dropping fox' at least several more years. The combined elementary and secondary student popula- tion totalled 11,454 on Sept. 30, 1979, down about 100 in each level from the previous year. The board's management committee will look at transportation problems that have developed in re- cent years because of both declining enrolment and es- calating costs. Education director John Cochrane told trustees that further integration of bus routes may be necessary and the management committee may have to look for ways to shift school boundaries. The committee also will review budgeting procedures to help make them more efficient and br- ing the board's fiscal timing closer to the fiscal years of the provincial and local governments. The education committee will review the curricula, assessing the importance of subjects being offered in relation to costs. Extra- curricular activities also will come under scutiny. The personnel committee will look for problem areas in existing contracts between the board and its 267 secondary and 342 elementary school teachers. Trustees hope this preliminary work will im- prove upcoming negotiations for new aggreements. Cochrane said although the priority list was adopted Monday, trustees began put- ting "some of the machinery" in place late last year. One over-all goal for the board is to establish better communications with the various levels of govern- ment and other boards of education this year. • Graeme Craig was acclaimed to the Liberal nomination in Huron-Bruce for the February 18 federal election in a meeting attend- .ed by about 360 people at Blyth's Memorial Hall, Thursday night. Mr. Craig, who was enthusiastic about the election, said Tory promises, like the shifting of the Canadian embassy in Israel, had affected the residents of Huron. He pointed .out that because of the threatened move, Domi- nion Roads in Goderich lost a large order and had to lay off workers. This is Mr. Craig's second federal election campaign, The 31 year qld farmer and United Breeder's technician was defeated by longtime PC MP Bob McKinley last May. With Mr, McKinley not Tax relief made by Exeter council may be asked in the near future to consider some tax relief for the local Masonic Lodge on the new building they have just completed behind the OPP station on Highway 4 north, The. OPP station is also owned by the lodge. Mayor Derry Boyle said Monday that he had been approached by former mayor Benson Tuckey about some tax relief on the new facility. Boyle indicated that the lodge had apparently gone overboard in their building program and the costs were over estimates by a con- siderable amount. He noted that tax relief had been granted to other facilities in the past, namely the Exeter Legion hall and the curling rink. Councillor Ted Wright said the lodge should make a formal application by letter or attendance at a council session and Boyle said he would pass that directive along to lodge members. The only controversial item on Monday's agenda centred around a suggestion by another former mayor, Ted Pooley, that council Area grads win award Graduation ceremonies were held at Fanshawe College recently for ap- prentices enrolled in the Advanced Electricians and Advanced Motor Vehicle Mechanics programs. Allan D. Keys of Exeter was chosen from his class of advanced electricians to receive a prize for out- standing academic achievement. Recipients of advanced motor vehicle mechanics' prizes were: Thomas L. Morley of Lucan; Gerald P. Friesen of Springfield; Lawrence C. Goudge of London; and Mr. Robert D. Miller of London. The graduation ceremonies, which mark the completion of. the students' in-college training were held at Fanshawe's main campus (1460 Oxford Street East, London). seeking the nomination this time, party faithful are con- fident of a Liberal upset in Huron-Bruce, A lifelong resident of the riding, Mr. Craig ifas farmed near Walton since graduating from Bidgetown College of Agricultural Technology, He is a director of the' Huron Cattlemen's Association, secretary- treasurer of the Huron Plowmen, past president of county Junior Farmers and of the Brussels Agricultural Society. He has been a 4-H swine club leader for the past 12 years. Mr, Craig said high in- terest rates had eroded the confidence of people. The pre-Christmas sales in- dicated a cutback in con- sumer spending, "The refundable tax credit request Masons consider joining the Ausable- Bayfield. Conservation Authority in attempting to secure ownership of the river flats west of, the Main Street bridge.Thepropertyis owned by Canadian Canners Ltd. Mayor Boyle said Pooley had approached him about the subject which has been discussed on occasions in the past. Boyle said he would like council members to consider the proposal although he Please turn to page 3 Unity move `gimmick' Exeter council members are all for keeping Canada unified, but some are a little concerned about the number of gimmicks being used to reach that goal. This week, council received a letter from the Ontario Mayor's committee for Canadian unity, asking their support for .a petition and also individual cards to be signed by local gitizens which would be presented to the citizens of Quebec some time in March prior to 'the provincial referendum on separation. Councillor Don Cameron termed it another "gim- mick" and questioned whether it was nothing more than a money-raising scheme in view of the fact council had to buy the cards to distribute to local citizens at a cost of $7.35 a thousand. "I'm sick of gimmicks," he explained in presenting a motion that the matter be filed. However, that motion was defeated and council asked deputy-Clerk Brian Parsons to provide them with copies of the material so they can con- sider it more fully for the next meeting. "I certainly support the intent of what is happening here," commented Coun- cillor Jay Campbell in reference to the petition. However, he said he was wondering how it would be presented to be effective. At a meeting late last year, council did endorse a resolution supporting Canadian unity. the ConserVative govern- ment was. promising would only cover 20 percent of the low income families." said Mr. Craig. Former Liberal agriculture minister, Eugene Whelan. M.P. Essex Windsor, was guest speaker and came down•.hard on the budget and the minority ConserVative government, "We (the Liberals) know about' Minority governments- said Mr,. Whelan." We had a. minority government under Lester Pearson and Pierre Park plan progresses Plans to redevelop the recreation area east of the South Huron rec centre have not died, according to Councillor Don Cameron. He advised council this Week 'that while there had not been much presented yet to the public, the planning was continuing and all recreation groups in the community appeared to be happy with proposals for the park project. Cameron said that plan- ning and costing were well underway and a fund-raising committee has been named. He indicated he would keep council posted On the matter as it progresses. Some drainage was un- dertaken at the park in the fall. "The budget Meant slow growth and. double digit flation." ;Mr. Whelan said, "TheoanWaigrishould be an interesting one and will take a lot of werk-. Also at the convention, treasurer • Murray Elston reported on the campaign for .centribntiOns. He in- dicated that more funding would be necessary to cover the greater volume of adver- tising that will be done to overcome the fact_ that the road campaigning may be cut shed by winter. Exeter's building boom waned cOnsiderably during the past 'year according to statistics released this week by building inspector Doug Triebner, The value of building permits issued dropped from a record high of $3,858,545 in 1978 to last year's $2,179,571, a decrease of over a million and a half. Oddly enough, only four less permits issued in 1979 over:the previous there were year. • The biggest drop came in new residential dwellings. The number of housing starts declined by 10 to a total of 14 with a value of $726,000. The previous Year's tetal-was $1,,842410. There was also a sizeable decline, neW ,commercial buildings and renovations. The 1979 total was $451;015 compared to the $1;054,460 of 1978. Government buildings and institutions additions and .renovations also declined by almost half a million from $611,800 to $118,724. ' About the only major gain came in new industrial buildings, additions and renovations, where last year's figure was $511,080, compared to the 111,500 of Dock space up for draw • Win-a-dock! That's the new lottery sponsored by the village of Grand Bend. The lottery idea began when Grand Bend council received numerous requests for their five docking spaces on the river. Prior to this, their policy had been to give the five spaces to the first five applications they received in the new year. However, complications arose when they received several letters in late 1979 asking that the writers be first on the list for 1980 docking space. Other applicants believed that they had a fair chance at the docks because they were the first to ask for spaces this year. At Monday night's meeting, reeve Robert Sharen told council the situation was getting ridiculous. Council members feared that next year there would be a line up at the clerk's door on January 1 and they would have to time applicants to see who got there first. To avoid confusion, council Voted to use a lottery system- -all appliciations for docking space will be put in a hat, and five will be piilled Out, Council decided to an- nounce that they will be open for applications until February 15 and they will make the draws at the February 19 meeting. Council discussed the possibility of going to a point System where residentS of Grand Bend would be rated higher than others, and give the docks to the applicants With the highest points. But in the meantime they'll have to find a big hat to make this year's draw for those precious spaces along the river. One accident and three thefts were investigated by the Exeter police depart- ment during the past week, The one theft included a quantity of meat, cigarettes, chocolate bars and money after theives broke into the South Huron rec centre. The breakin was discovered on Wednesday after the centre had been closed for the new year's holiday. During the same period, Canadian flags were Area drivers started the new year with a much im- proved record over the manner in which they concluded 1979. After a rash of accidents in the final two weeks of the old year, the Exeter OPP have investigated only two in the first eight days of 1980. The first crash was on Saturday, involving vehicles Triebner also reported that there were eight projects completed under the Ontario Home Renewal Program and that he con- ducted a total of 1,680 in- spections. There were 12 stop work orders issued, 10 certificates of compliance, 51 occupancy permits, 51 violation orders. Total revenue from per- mits was $10,991,71. The latter figure was about the only one questioned by council, with Councillor Don Cameron asking how it could workout to odd cents when permits were usually reported stolen from the residences of Garnet Hicks, 109 James St. and Ted Pooley, 38 John St. The lone accident was reported on Thursday in- volving vehicles operated by Russell Guest, London, and Elizabeth Rasenberg, RR 3 Zurich. They collided on Main Street and damage was listed at $400. Constables Kevin Short and Jim Barnes are in charge of the investigations. driven by Stella Kennedy, Huron Park, and Kimberley Parsons, also of Huron Park. They collided en County Road 21 near the industrial park and damage was listed at $800 by Constable Larry Christiaen. On Sunday, a vehicle driven by Timothy Glousher, Goderich, was in collision with an unknown vehicle rounded off to the nearest dollar. Campbell suggested that perhaps it was the result of interest on overdue ac- counts. Block plan endorsed Exeter council this week heartily endorsed a project of the Xi Gamma Nu chapter of Beta Sigma Phi to attempt to organize a Block Parent program in the community. An organization and in- formation meeting will be held at the Exeter Public School on January 16 ta, outline " the plan to local citizens. "It's a great program and as a citizen I want to get involved in it," commented Councillor Alvin Epp. Mayor Derry Boyle and Councillor Lossy Fuller also commended the group for considering the plan and Boyle noted there had been occasions in the past where youngsters had run into problems. The Block Parent plan is a scheme whereby homes in the community can be designated as refuges for children who may need help to escape molesters or bullies. which left the scene on High- way 4 south of the Kirkton Road. Damage was estimated at $150 by Constable Jim Rogers and a passenger in the Goderich vehicle, Gordon Blackwell, sustained Minor injuries. There were two accidents investigated last Monday, the final day of 1979. A vehicle driven by John Stilson, RR 2 Wean, struck a culvert at the south entrance to Huron Park with damage estimated at $500 by Con- stable Ed Wilcox. A vehicle owned by Budfield Ford was damaged on the firm's lot by an unknown vehicle. Damage was set at $175 by Constable Bob Whiteford. While a seminar on energy conservation attracted some interest from members of Exeter council this week, it is still the Good Roads convention that draws the most enthusiasm. At least four members of council indicated they planned to attend ,the Good Roads event in Toronto in late February. They include Reeve Don Mac Gregor, Deputy-Reeve Harold Patterson and Councillors Ted Wright and Alvin Epp, It is also expected that works superintendent Glenn Kells will be attending the annual event. This year's convention is attracting so• many municipal councillors that the Exeter delegation will be unable to get rooms at the site of the event, the Royal i .....;, . THIRD WIN * Mary Ford, caretaker at the Exeter Post Office has won the Building Ex- tellence award In category one for the third consecutive year. Presenting the award to Mrs. Ford it maintenance supervisor for area 4 George Lauzon. T-A photo Trudeau. -And when you are a minority you take some of the other parties' views and consult with them." Mr Whelan said the _Conservative government only represented 38 percent of the country. Everyone would have been affected by the budgeti com- mented Mr. Whelan.. Th4 Conservatives tried to sell the excise tax on fuel as a , conservation measure but this tax, said, Mr. Whelan , would also affect public transportation as . well as fuel for food production. continues popular York hotel. They have been booked into another facility. Mayor Derry Boyle, who said he wouldn't be attending because he didn't like the idea of commuting bet- ween hotels, suggested that to keep the costs down the delegation travel together. In fact, he suggested they take the train from London and not bother billing the town for the mileage costs to London. "You're not going, so you can't tell us how to get there," Patterson replied to the Mayor's cost-saving scheme, The energy conservation seminar will be held in London on January 24 and Councillors Lossy Fuller and Jay Campbell indicated they would like to attend. It is being sponsored by the ministry of energy for the purpose of presenting practical information on measures for reducing energy consumption through energy-sensitive planning. Councillor Don Cameron suggested that recreation administrator Ian Smith attended in view of the high cost of energy associated with the rec centre. "It's a pretty important concern these days," Cameron noted. the previous year. Councillor Jay Campbell termed that five-fold in- crease "significant" and said that while he would like „to think it was the result of the work of the industrial committee named by council last year, he doubted they could take the credit. Making up the balance of the 1979 total were the following, with the 1978 comparisons in brackets: garages and tool sheds $23,608 ($42,465), swimming pools $53,260 ($41,365), residential renovations and additions $286,919 ($354,807). Thieves hit centre, take off with flags wilding permit values drop million and half OM