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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1987-02-11, Page 5THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1987. PAGE 5. Confused library picture slowly clearing BY BILL BRAGG There were several new devel­ opments last week at Huron County Council in the continuing saga of the Huron County Library Board and the future of its chief librarian, William Partndge. Council accepted or vote of 23 to 8 the fact that i<. nas lost its majority on the board after Hensail Reeve Jim Robinson, the board’s new chairman said he was “quite willing towork with the situation as it stands.’’ And, acting on the board’s recommendation, council agreed that the county solicitor accept the proposal of Partridge’s solicitor that Partridge “resign forthwith. ’ ’ He will be paid in lieu of notice an amount equal to the pay he would have received until September 30, 1987. The board will provide Partridge “with a suitable letter of reference.” This wouldappeartoclearup the Farm crisis shown in Co-op sales The hard times in the local farm economy hit sales at the United Co-operatives of Ontario branches in Belgrave and Auburn last year but the branches still managed to remain in the black the annual meeting of the two branches was told Friday night. Overall, the Co-ops showed a profit of $28,164 down from $45,7401ast year. The Belgrave operation was down only slightly from last year showing a profit of $30,744 but the Auburn branch showed a loss of $2,580 compared to a profit a year ago of nearly $13,000. All figures are to the year end of Sept. 27, 1986. The bottom line, however, look­ ed glowing compared to the sales figures as farmers tried to cut back West Wawanosh gives to chiller West Wawanosh Township council has voted to donate $1,500 to the Blyth and Area Community Centre, to be used toward the purchase price of the new brine chiller. The $23,000 ice-plant component had to be replaced after it broke down in early January, closing the rink for a week due to unseasonably warm weather. The township has applied for funds to replace the 1977 road grader now in use. At the February 3 council meeting, Reeve Cecil Cranston and clerk-treasurer Joan Armstrong were authorized to apply to the Ministry of Transpor­ tation and Communication for a supplementary allocation of $65,000 to replace the 10-year-old machine. A motion was also passed to purchase a used five-ton truck, Principle leads to Brussels spat A matter of principle over a $30 expenditure set off a heated debate at Brussels Village Council Febru­ ary 2. The debate arose over a request from Barbara Mutter of the Brussels Play School who asked if part of the cost of installing exhaust fans in the washrooms in the library could be deducted from the $5 per day rent she pays for use of the library basement. In order for the basement room to be used for the school, it had to be inspected by the health inspector and the Ministry of Community and Social Services and she had been told fans were needed in the washrooms. Asked back at the October meeting of council if she was just looking for permission to install the fans Mrs. Mutter said she “might have money left to do it” after other confusion at the January meeting of county council when Partridge told council that “to date there has been no letter of resignation.” This left library board members trying to explain how they could have accepted Partridge’s resigna­ tion effective June 30, 1987 last December 4 when Partridge said on January 8 that he had not resigned. County Solicitor Dan Murphy later in the January 8 meeting refuted Partridge’s statement by telling council that Partridge’s solicitor, Scott Ritchie, had assur­ ed him the librarian’s letter of resignation was in the mail. The board has also agreed to pay $76 to renew Partridge’s personal membership in the Ontario Library Association. Meanwhile, back at the board and “the situation as it stands” referred to by chairman Robinson. Until this year, the library board on their input costs. Total sales dropped by 11.5 per cent in Belgrave and 18 per cent in Auburn. Sales of feed were off 16 per cent in Belgrave and up two per cent in Auburn. Fertilizer sales were off 23 per cent in Belgrave and 14 per cent in Auburn. Chemical sales plummeted 30 per cent in Belgrave and 37 per cent in Auburn. Seed sales dropped 19 per cent in Belgrave and 31 per cent in Auburn. The big gain was in petroleum sales which were up nearly 10 per cent and in store sales which increased by 13 per cent in Belgrave and six per cent in Auburn. The Co-ops also managed to trim expenses in many areas leading to an overall bottom line of being in the black. formerly owned by the County of Huron, from the Bluewater Truck Centre in Goderich. In other business, the clerk was authorized to advertise for aperson to count dogs and sell dog tags in the township. Council heard an unscheduled delegation from George McKinn­ on, who explained a proposal to sever a portion of the 100-acrefarm he recently purchased. The clerk was directed to request, by registered mail, that landownersH. Menary, W. Rit­ gen, M. Bakker, R. Hallam, R. Boyle, R. Foster, R. Sohn and P. de Graaf attend an information meet- ing at the township office on February 16. Mrs. Armstrong was also direc­ ted to contact Slade Insurance improvements were paid for out of money donated by the Brussels Lions and Leos. But apparently the initial quote on how much the installation would cost had been inaccurate and faced with higher-than-expected costs, Mrs. Mutter asked if council could help out. Councillor Betty Graber suppor­ ted the request but Councillor Malcolm Jacobs objected saying Mrs. Mutter had promised to put in the fans and that she was running a business and should pay the extra costs herself. “What’s the sense of making agreements with people and changing your mind five days later.” Reeve Hank Ten Pas pointed out that the fans would be part of the building and would remain village has been made up of four members of the county council and three citizen appointees, giving council a majority. The striking committee thought it was within its rights, and so did Murphy, the county’s solicitor, when it attempted to replace citizen appointee Janis Bisback, with Isabel Elston. But Lily Munro, minister of citizenship and culture, said the board couldn’t do this. In a letter to Warden Brian McBurney, Munro said that under the Public Libraries Act 1984 library board appointments are for a three-year term concurrent with the three-year term of municipal council. So the board again called on Murphy to help it out of its dilemma. After previously interpreting the act to mean that appointments would be made each year in the case of a county operated board, Belgrave manager Darryl Cui- bert in his report said that in light of thetough year in agriculture he was happy to report the profit. He noted that the co-op’s new Mertz liquid floatation sprayer had cover­ ed more than 10,000 acres, well beyond expectations. The Co-op had vut costs by selling its feed truck and having deliveries done by the UCO truck from Wingham. In addition the Co-op had purchas­ ed a “Green Plan II” computer to help making crop recommenda­ tions. An election for four new direc­ tors ended with four men being acclaimed to the positions. They are Wilbert Hewitt, RR 1, Bel­ grave; Gordon Daer, RR 1, Au­ burn; Fred Meier Jr., RR 4, Brussels and Siebolt Siertsema, RR 1, Auburn. Brokers, OME Insurance Brokers, and the Frank Cowan Company, requesting that a representative from each attend the March 3 council meeting. Council agreed to set the clerk’s salary at $19,000 for 1987. Grants of $50 each were allocated to both the St'. John’s Ambulance and the Huron County Farm and Home Safety Association. General ac­ counts totalling $18,003.82 and road accounts totalling $14,647.12 were authorized for payment. Mrs. Armstrong was directed to return the form indicating that West Wawanosh Township Coun­ cil feels that the provincial govern­ ment should be responsible for legislation governing retail store openings on Sundays and holidays. The next township council meet­ ing will be held at 9:30 a.m. on March 3. property after the playscnooi was no longer in the building but Councillor Jacobs compared the situation to getting estimates for work at his home, finding out the bill was bigger than expected and asking the town to pick up the bill for the extra costs. An angered Councillor Neil McDonald pointed out this was a public building, that Mrs. Mutter was helping children out and that if people thought she was making money out of it he knew differently. He made a motion that council donate $30 to the play school to help with the $140 cost of the fans. Councillor Graber seconded the motion. It ended in a split vote with Councillors Jacobs and Gordon Workman opposed and Reeve Hank Ten Pas voting in favour of the donation. Murphy said that the word * ‘term in Section 10 (3) of the act as it applies to county council “proba­ bly” means three years. “In the circumstances, while the legislation is not clear,” he said, “it is my opinion that the appoint­ ments that were made to the library board one year ago would probably be deemed to be three-year appointments.” Murphy also recommended that county council take no further action until the position of a private member’s bill before the Legisla­ ture is clarified. The bill if passed would abolish the library board and place county council in sole control of the library system. So, at the moment, the library board has four council and four citizen members. Exeter Reeve William Mickle said he couldn’t understand what the solicitor meant by “probably”. “Ifeelweshouldabidebythe act,’’ he said, “but the solicitor says to take no further action until the private member’s bill is dealt with. “I would like to know what’s going on here.” He said he always understood county council had a majority on the library board. Robinson said that when the striking committee met, the inten­ tion was to replace two members of council who had resigned and to Museum gets grant Continued from page 1 ster, Lily Munro, in Toronto and by local MPPs, Agriculture Minister Jack Riddell and Health Minister Murray Elston in Goderich at the museum. Riddell told a press conference attended by about 50 politicians, officials and media representatives that the museum was unique in Canada. “Since its inception in 1948,” he said, “it has been the focal point of a collection of pioneer artifacts first from the local area and then from across Ontario. Over the years the collection of some tens of thou san ds of keep­ sakes from Canada’s early history has made it one of the largest museums of its type in Canada. I think that’s something to be proud of.” He said the museum began 39 years ago with the county’s acquisition of the unique and outstanding collection of J. H. Neill. “The facility opened with the purchase of the Central School building in 1951,” he said. “Over the years, tens of thou­ sands of visitors including county residents and tourists alike have toured these excellent facilities and admired the inventiveness of our forefathers.” He said that two years ago a portion of the museum was condemned making immediate renovation and rebuilding neces­ sary. “In public buildings, public safety and the preservation of historical artifacts are of utmost importance,” he said. Mabel's Grill Continued from page 4 watching Vicki Miller the animal rights activist on the news the other day and he’s wondering about his whole farming operation. Of course he’s been listening to his banker too and that’s had him wondering about his whole farm­ ing operation as well. Tim said he has taken Ms. Miller to heart and is tearing up his whole yard to have it paved over. Ms. Miller has admitted that if animals have rights then plants do too and Tim says the thought of decapitat­ ing those millions of blades of gr ass each week is too gruesome to bear. FRIDAY: Tim was asking Ward substitute one lay member. “This is what we had done, ’ ’ he said. “Then we were told by a letter that we couldn’t drop one.” Robinson said that council does not have to have a majority of its members on the board. “Maybe we don’t need our majority,’’ Warden McBurney said. “Neitherthenewmember nor the one we thought we had replaced raised the matter at the board meeting.” Auburn area woman dies at age 88 ELIZABETH AGNES PLUNKETT Elizabeth Agnes Plunkett of RR 1, Auburn died in Clinton Public Hospital on January 15, 1987. She was 88 years of age. She was born Elizabeth Drennan in Ashfield township and married Wilfred Plunkett, moving to the Auburn area. She is survived by three sons: Alvin, Donald and Gordon, all of Auburn. One sister, Mrs. Violent Raynard of Goderich also survives as do 11 grandchild­ ren and 12 great-grandchildren. She was a member of Auburn United Church. The funeral was held on January 19, 1987 with Rev. Gary Shuttle­ worth conducting the ceremony. Interment was in Ball’s Cemetery. “I am glad that the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture could be of assistance in ensuring that these vital improvements are carried out.” He said that with the installation of an elevator for use by all visitors including the handicapped, the museum will provide full access to the disabled. Elston presented the grant confirmation document. He said he could remember touring the muse­ um as a student and having J. H. Neill demonstrate the exhibits. Claus Breede, project director, presented hard hats to the two ministers. Tenders are expected to close March 10 with construction getting underway shortly afterwards. If all goes as planned, the entire project will be completed early in 1989. Huron County has already con­ tributed $550,000 to the project during the past two years and will provide another $600,000 during the next two years. The Museum Assistance Pro­ gram of the National Museums of Canada has contributed $117,000 toward the cost of all professional fees including architectural and engineering costs. In addition, the Job Develop­ ment Program of the department of Manpower and Immigration has provided a grant of $ 123,000 to pay the salaries ofsix people during 1986 to pack up artifacts so they can be moved to temporary storage at the airport. this morning how he could explain all those scandals that are around the Conservatives in Ottawa these days. Billiejumpedin “Explain it, I can’t even keep track of it. I can’t tell, is the prime minister making phone calls have something to do with the scandal over kickbacks in land deals or about lawsuits by industrialists.” “There’s a job for you,” Julia suggested to Billie who’s always coming up with schemes to get rich. “Start a column for the newspapers like they have to keep people up to date on the soaps only thisone can be on the latest scandal plot developments.”