HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1981-03-18, Page 1�y
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1981
24. PAS. :
Lucknow Village Council deferred a deci-
sion regarding their contribution to the
VVinghani and District Hospital building..
project to next month, when they met on
March 11.
Chairman of thehospital board, Jack
Kopas and Lucknow's representative on the
board, Prank MacKenzie met with council at
the March meeting to.show the plans for the
renovations and explain the reasons for the
project.
Kopas showed the architect's drawings to
council and 'outlined the :changes, He said
the addition of ultra -sound equipment in the.
radiology department would lengthen, the
lifeof the x-ray machine at considerable
saving to the hospital. He said the radiology
department, laboratory and physiotherapy
departments would be enlarged and the
stroke unit would be moved into the hospital
building from a portable ; on the hospital
grounds whenthe building project is com-
pleted. Kopas said a small addition to the
, front of the hospital would house offices
displaced by the changes in the other
departments. The project would provide an
additional 3,200 square feet of space, said
Kopas.
The province will provide approximately
$300,000 of the funding and Huron -Bruce
municipalitiesusing the hospital would raise
the additional $100,000, council was told.
Kopas said Lucknow's share based on
patient ratio from the Lucknow area would
be six per .cent: of the amount raised by the
municipalities or $6,000.
Kopas said;the project would increasethe
hospital's out patient capacity which is in
line with the Ontario ministry of Health's
philosophy to treat peoplewithout keeping
them overnight and to treat them in a
hospital in their community.
Kopas noted : that the ' hospital's willing-
ness to go along with the ministry in its
direction ,towards increased outpatient care,
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tion hike raises
ow
While Lucknow's mill rate remained, the
same in 1980 • as the year before, the
individual tar bill increased ' because* the;
public school mill rate went up four per cent.
Lucknow collected an additonal $20,500.:
for education in 1980 because of the increase
in the public school mill rate
In 1980, Lucknow collected $130,980 for
the school system compared to $110,212 in
1979, .,
Lucknow . raised 'a total of $268,098
throughtaxation last year. Of this amount 49
per cent was raised on behalf of.the school
• boards and $23,475 or nine per cent was
Lucknow's share of the county levy.This left,,
l ,bd3 as the village's share ti be used for ,
general purposes such as roads; mainten.
ance etc. Lucknow's share represented. 42
per cent of the total taxation.
In 1979 Lucknow raised a'total of $246,693
through: taxation. The school levy repres-
ented 45 per cent of the total at $110;212 and
Lucknow wasallowed the same percentage
as the schools with $111,932. The county
levy in 1979 was 10 per, cent yr $24,549.
Harvey Webster, Luclmow, was -recently presented with a Life 'Membership Pin in the'
Winghain and District Association for the Mentally Retarded by the 'association president
Florence Reavie. Mr. Webster has been an, active member of the local organization since
formation in 1957 and of the Golden Circle School, which 'began' in 1958.
[Photo courtesy of the Wingham Advance -Times]
Candidates discuss farm policies.
'A capacity crowd. attended the All
Candidates Meeting at the Lucknow Legion
March 10 to hear the three candidates
seeking the Huron -Bruce seat . in the
legislature in Thursday's election.
Tony McQuail, new Democrat, Murray
Elston, Liberal and 'Gary Harron, Conser-
vative answered questions from the floor of
the meeting and outlined their party's
proposalson issues.
Questions dealt with the locations of a
toxic waste site," long term financing for
farmers and small business, absentee
foreign ownership of farm land, develop-
ment of alternative energy sources and, the
proposed development at the Bruce agri-
park and energy centre.
The following 'questions were - asked of the
candidates and their answers are paraphras-
ed.
Would, you support the location of an
Indusfrfiai dump in Ashfield Township?
Harron said a dump sho' id never be
located anywhere without the proper envir-
onmental impact studies having been com-
pleted, He said he understands an environ-
inental assessment study will be done to
determine if the South Cayuga location is
safe for a toxic waste disposal site. As long
as the Cayuga Site is determined safe, said
Harron, he wouldn't support a site in
Ashfield Township.
Elston answered the question by saying he
would not accept a dump being located in
this "area: The Cajsuga dump is just one of
numerous plans the Conservative govern-
ment has tor the land they have purchased in
their land banking scheme, he observed.
McQuail said he opposed a toxic waste
disposal site in Ashfield Township. He said
he wrote to the minister of environment
earlier this year when he learned of the
proposed site at South: Cayuga. He saidhe
received a -letter from .the minister saying
that an environmental assessment, allowing
the opportunity for a full public hearing, was
necessary before any site could be approved.
As the public is aware, the residents of
South Cayuga have only been promised
there may be a study now that an election
has been called, noted McQuail.
The Conservatives have also backed out
on the proposal of a monitoring system they
agreed ' to with the Ontario Federation of
' Agriculture. This is a clear indication, . said
McQuail, that . the Conservatives are not
committed to preserving farm land for food
production.
Farm Credit Corporation'interest.rates are in
the range of 14 per cent, what will you do to
assist farmers with long term financing?
Elston said the Liberals would assist
farmers with long term financing by devel-
"oping programs such as the Junior Farmer
loans which were available at five per cent
interest. While loans would not be available
at five per cent, he said the Liberals would
bring forth long term financing at low
interest rates. He said they would also revise
and expand tile drainage loans at lower
interest rates.
He also suggested assistance programs
which would make Ontario farmers more
competitive,' would be made available. He
commented that such programs are assisting
farmers in Quebec to remain competitive
and Ontariofarmers should have the same
advantage.
McQuail told the meeting the New
Democrats would implement a land banking
system 'similar to a program working in
Saskatchewan. It would allow a farmer to
retire and get a fair price for his land and it
also allows . the son to farm for the first five,.
years without the \Capital drain of outright
ownership. At the end of the five years, the
son could lease or buy the land, said Me-
Quail. He pointed out that on a 5200,000
land purchase, a young farmer would still
have to make $20,000 to pay the interest.
That's a pretty good net for a young farmer
to turn over in his first years of farming;
McQuail observed.
Harronnoted that the Conservatives
would make long term financing available at
low interest and alluded to the Junior
Farmer loans once available. He said that
the province must be willing to fill the gap
left by the Farm Credit : Corporation.
As a farmer he said he . is afraid of
government interference in ' his farming
through assistance programs. He said he
would rather see development of better
markets for farmers.
What is your position on alternative energy
sources?
Harron replied that he sees a real future in
the development of hydrogen as an alternate.
form of energy. It is clean and available by
using electricity available at the Bruce
Nuclear Development to produce it, said
Hayton.
Grants are also available for farmers to
use on farm distilleries to manufacture
gasahol, said Harron, -\and the government is
working to get the licensing fee reduced.
We must be more self-sufficient' in
energy, said Harron, who added he wants _...
Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Alberta.
Premier Peter Lougheed to come to an
agreement on oil pricing.
Elston said the Liberal party would work
away from a dependancy on oil imports. He
said they would promote the production of
hydrogen. He said he had hoped Premier
William Davis would have announced that
the hydrogen pilot project, jointly sponsored
by the federal and provincial governments,
was t� be done at the Bruce Nuclear.
Development when he visited the riding a
week ago. He said he was disappointed that
the premier. did not mention the project
would be done at the Bruce.
Elston said the Liberals would also explore
the possibility of making natural ' gas
available to consumers in this area. He said
they would also fund the research and
development of solar energy as an alterna-
tive energy source.
McQuail observed that he is a user of
renewable energy sources on his farm and it
is one of the best investments he and his
wife have made. He criticized the hypocrisy
of the federal Liberals and the provincial
Conservatives when it comes to actually
dealing with the energy problems we have in
this country. He said he wants to see the
development of renewable energy sources
where they are needed, in the towns and
villages where the people are. We can
develop a secure energy future if we act
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