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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1987-04-08, Page 1Premier Peterson to visit Huron next week Ontario Premier David Peterson will meet business and municipal leaders and tour an in ter nation- ally-successful industry during a visit to Huron county on Thursday, VOL. 3 NO. 14 Lift fund half way to goal Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1987.40 CENTS The Handicapped Lift Fundrais­ ing project for the Blyth Commun­ ity Centre has passed mid-point with donations approaching $18,000 pledged or received. Legion Ladies Auxiliary presi­ dent Janice Henry advises that their fundraising goal of $30,000 appears within reach, thanks to donations from local organizations including$5,000from the Blyth Legion, $2,000 from the Blyth Lions Club, $1,000 from the Blyth Trinity Anglican Church Women, $1,000 from the Blyth Broomball League, $300 from the Blyth Lions/Ladies’ Auxiliary Sno-pitch, $200 from the Londesboro Wo­ men’s Institute, andSlOO from the Blyth Women’s Institute. These donations added to the Legion Auxiliary’s original $5,000 plus an additional $500 originally earmarked for the “Back the Biter” campaign have produced enough confidence in the commun­ ity that the Ladies have ordered the lift. Additional private donations of amounts ranging from $5 to $200 have been received from Jack and Helen Lee, Don and Lenore Scrimgeour, Bill and Jean Little, Ray and Shirley Vincent, Ruth Stewart, Ann Mcinnes, Rena Watt and the evening unit of the Blyth U.C.W. Further donations are being accepted at the Blyth Municipal Office where tax deduc­ tible receipts are available. The highlight of the fundrais­ ing campaign is the Dinner Auction andJamboree slated for April 25 at the Blyth Community Centre. Auction Chairman Kay Hessel- wood said some of the items up for the auction include a Pesi Cola antique “Gibson Giri” mirror Continued on page 16 Brussels to hold ratepayers meeting Brussels village council will celebrate Local Government Week by holding a ratepayers meeting to let village residents have their say. The meeting will be held April 15 in the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre auditorium at 7:30 p.m. During the meeting councillors will be available to answer the questions of the ratepayers and tell them more about what council has been doing in the year and a half since the last election. April 16. In announcing the visit, Huron- Middlesex M.P.P. Jack Riddell said it will provide an excellent onnortunitv for Huron residents to Brigid Pyke, presidentof the Ontario Federation of Agriculture dealt with farm issues from animal rights to free trade when she spoke to a large audience in Belgrave Thursday at the annual meeting of the East Wawanosh Federation of Agriculture. She worried that the new business transfer tax add to farmers' input costs. Business tax could hurt farmers, Pyke warns Federation The federal government’s plan for a business transfer tax, if it comes into being, could drive up farm input costs and increase bookkeeping for farmers, Brigid Pyke, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture told a large audience in Belgrave, Thurs­ day. Speaking to the annual meeting of the East Wawanosh Federation of Agriculture Mrs. Pyke said Canadian farmers buy $9.2 million a year worth of inputs from fertilizer to tile drainpipe. Taking a four or five per cent business transfer on that $9.2 billion would mean farmers would have an extra $4-5 million added to the cost of their inputs. In addition, farmers would have to pay tax on the extra value they added to the product, including the contribution of sunlight and rain (“They’ve finally arrived at a system to tax what God contribut­ ed,” the colourful speaker said.) While Michael Wilson, federal finance minister has said he wants to decrease taxes in some areas by broadening the tax base, she said, the business transfer tax has the potential to siphon more money out of the economy and to the government. meet the premier. As well as touring Champion Road Machin­ ery Company in Goderich and meeting local mayors and county officials in Clinton, the Premier Keeping track of how much tax should be paid to the government will mean a lot of extra bookwork to farmers, she said. It will be like keeping two shoe boxes, one with all the bills of input costs, one for the receipts from the sale of a product. He will have to subtract the input cost from the sale price and pay tax on the difference. There is a possibility there will be tax rebates on commodities for export, she said, that would complicate the situation and could change the entire way farm products are marketed. The Federation is working with farm groups in New Zealand, where there is a similar system in use, to get information for its fight against farmers being hit with this new tax, she said. Mrs. Pyke also dealt with subjects ranging from animal welfare to free trade to the federal government’s$l billion special grains program to farm debt review boards. On the farm debt review boards she said the OFA is surveying farmers whohave gone through the process to see how they feel it has worked. There have been complaints from both the farmers will speak at a luncheon hosted by the Seaforth Business Improve­ ment Association. Tickets can be obtained from Tom Lemon of the BIA at 527-0160. and the creditors on the working of the system, she said. The review process, like divorce, is always going to be messy, she said. If both parties are angry it’s probably a Continued on page 18 Wayne Lowe named Citizen of the Year Wayne Lowe has been chosen the Brussels-area Citizen of the Year by a committee of Brussels-area residents. Mr. Lowe, active in everything from the recreation program to the Agricultural Society was chosen from among 10 nominations made by Citizen readers earlier this year for the second annual Citizen of the Year award. Last year’s recipient was former Brussels reeve Cal Krauter. In making their choice the committee members cited Mr. Lowe’s work in the building of the Brussels, Morris and Grey community centre, his work as vice-chairman of the Homecoming Committee, his central role in the annual Santa Claus Parade, his key role in the organization of the annual recreational ball tournament. “There are probably numerous services,” his nominator said, “that this man has contributed that go unnoticed. This is not because they are done poorly. Wayne gives unselfishly of himself, quietly with integrity.” Mr. Lowe will be presented with a plaque from the Board of Directors of The Citizen at a later date. “This visit will allow David Peterson to tour Champion which is one of Canada’s most innovative and successful businesses”, Mr. RiddelT said. “At the same time it will give the premier the opportun­ ity to meet many people in the county. Newfoundland doctor offered MOH position BY BOB MURPHY The Huron County Board of Health has offered a Newfound­ land doctor the position of medical officer of health, county council learned at its regular meeting last week in Goderich. The news was included in a report, presented the council by Goderich Township Reeve Grant Stirling, health board chairman. The board, at its March 18 meeting, made a decision to offer the position to Dr. Maarten Bokhout, effective Sept. 1, 1987 or sooner, should an earlier starting date be negotiated. Starting salary offered is $70,209 with regular employee benefits. Moving expenses to a maximum of $12,000 will also be paid by the board, according to terms of the offer. The search for a full-time medical officer of health has been underway since the resignation last June of Dr. Harry Cieslar. Dr. James McGregor of Wingham has been acting medical officer of health since that time. During presentation of his re­ port, Mr. Stirling said at least five health units across Ontario are currently searching for a medical officer of health with little success. Dr. McGregor, in his remarks to council, described Dr. Bokhout as a “bright young man who would be an asset to the community.” The acting MOH also recommended tht the county hire the Newfoundland doctor. Warden Brian McBurney, Turn­ berry Township reeve, answering reporters’ questions outside the meeting said the salary offer is at the top of Huron County’s five-year grid because that is probably what it will take for Dr. Bokhout to come here since his present salary in Newfoundland is very close to that figure. Should Dr. Bokhout accept the offer, his appointment will be based on a “mutually satisfac­ tory" five-year renewable con­ tract, the board of health report states.