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The Lucknow Sentinel, 1994-03-30, Page 1PUBLISHED IN LUCKNOW, ONTARIO Wednesday, March 30, 1994 55Q G.S.T. Included Phase II of arena may be reality Phase II of the Lucknow ,and, District Arena. construction may become. a reality if the four municipalities of Lucknow, Ash- field, Kinloss arid West Wawanosh can come up with $100,000 each, and local service clubs have the backing of their club members to commit to fund-raising. Lucknow council previously in- dicated , they would commit $100,000 towards . the project, and Ashfield, during a . combined meeting of councils and , servite clubs representatives last Wednes- day, made the same commitment. Kinloss and West Wawanosh council . representatives • indicated that they would discuss the proposal at their upcoming meetings. Representatives of . the. Lucknow and District Lions stated they cur- rently have $60,000 earmarked for the project. The Lucknow and District Kinsmen said they have $25,000 at present to contribute. The Lucknow Legion and Luck - now Agricultural Society were also represented at the meeting. Kinsmen Wayne McDonagh explainedthat around 18 months ago, representatives from the Kinsmen and the Lions approached the recreation board to determine if interest could be generated in the Phase II completion. At that time the proposal was not pursued. McDonagh said that recently the two clubs were approached by the recreation director, Gary Nicholson, asking for funding . towards the much needed upgrades and renovations facing the • recreation board. Estimatesfor repairs amount to $203,000 and includes; - upgrade substandard. lighting = $16,000 plus installation; - new boards around the ice surface = $75,000; - new compressors - $80,000; - solar insulation panel - $32,000. Councillor •George .Gibson .(Luc - know) also expressed concerns with the possible additional costs of locating an existing ammonia leak. McDonagh and fellow Kinsmen Jim Murray proceeded to present the Phase II proposal again to the recreation board, to see if it might now be feasible to proceed with the new construction, in view of the costly repairs needed to the ice 'surface. It was clarified that Phase II of the arena project involved the construction of a new ice surface, seating, storage capacity for ice maintenance equipment and a new exterior shell enclosing the above. Phase II would include the cost of, all of the components comprising the estimated $203,000 repair, and renovation total. •turn to page 2 Long-time pharmacistdies at 75 Eltner Umbach, a Lucknow phar- macist, who dispensed common sense advice along with prescrip- tions for 42 years, died on Mar. 22, 1994, at the University . Hospital, London, of congestive heart. He was 75. Born Sept. 6, 1918 in Kitchener, Mr. Umbach embarked upon his career with a three year appren- ticeship at A.B. Learn Drug Store, Waterloo. Following two years at the University of Toronto, he graduated in 1942 and worked in pharmacies at the Royal York and Prince George hotels, owned by the Rutherford chain, and subsequently • returned to the place of his appren- ticeship for a period of time. In 1949, Mr, Umbach moved to Lucknow where he established the Elmer Umbach Drug Store, in the Murdie block„ where the Lucknow Sentinel is now located. Ten years later, he amalgamated his store and the A.E. McKim Drug Store under the name of Elmer Umbach Pharmacy, and moved across the street to the former McKim building, where the business has continued. The strength of Mr. Umbach's convictions was displayed in the early '60s when he burned a large Elmer Umbach inventory of cigarettes. Being a health dispenser did not go hand-in- hand with selling a product that was a health danger. This was well before the time health experts and government were advocating the dangers of smoking, and the present-day attempt to halt the sale of tobacco products by all phar- macies. After 42 years of serving Luck - now and area, Mr. Umbach sold the business to Dave Pellow in October 1991. Although officially retired, he continued to assist the new owner by working on Saturdays. His declining health forced him to completely forego his association with the pharmacy in December last year.• Mr. Umbach was a man who "lived what he believed" says John KTeutzwicser, a close friend and business associate for 50 years. Mr. Kreutrwieser and his wife Anna worked with Mr. Umbach from the •turn to page 2 County budget trimmed; no increase in tax levy Bruce County ratepayers wilt see the. same county tax level as last year, but it comes at the expense of some services and jobs. "The fat is long gone on our expenditures," said finance chair Paul Eagleson at council's March 22 meeting. "There's layoffs; we've got three unions that have gone in with zero per cent increases; we've got non-union at zero per cent; there's definitely a reduction in services now• such as the library", The county set its budget without knowing what transfer grants it will get from the province, and with the prospect of another 20 per cent cut in the highways grant. Eagleson said if there is "bad news" on those grants, the county will dip into reserves, cut more services, or run a deficit to avoid imposing a tax increase on the municipalities. He noted provincial grants have decreased 16 per cent in the past year, while the cost of provincially mandated programs has risen at above -inflation rates. While the social services' budget is up six per cent and the Children's Aid cost expected to increase 16 per cent in 1994, sever- al departments were hit hard in the effort to keep the $6.7 million county levy at a zero per cent in- crease. •turn to page 2 `Visionary .perspective' may reduce welfare caseload Acting on the suggestion .of. Bruce Township• Reeve Ron Andrews, Bruce County Council has opted for a direct approach to job creation. The county will request contrac- tors bidding on county tenders to estimate the number of jobs for county residents and days of em- ployment they will create for each. contract. . • Andrews, at council's March 22 meeting, said it is counterproductive to take part in the federal -provincial infrastructure program if there is no effort to employ more county resi- dents. A projected 6.8, per cent rise in the county's welfare caseloads this year only confirmed Andrews' opinio.n. , He said Bruce County's welfare rate is continuing to rise while the rate in neighbouring counties is going down. "It used to be two things were inevitable, death and taxes. Now a third one has crept in, and that's welfare," said Andrews. He said he has county_ solicitor George Magwood's opinion that his resolution is legal, as 11ong as it suggests. rather than dictates con- tractors use local labor. "It will give a kick-start," Andrews said of his proposal. "It's an initiative I,think will stand well in the eyes of the public. -turn to page 20 Teacher notices say they may be `surplus', Notices have gone out to 32 'elementary school teacher$ with the Bruce County Board of Education that they "may be surplus to county needs", according to Education Director Paul Martindale: Martindale said the notices were sent out Friday, March.25 to comPly with a .deadline set in the elementary teachers' collectiye agreement. "This is a black day from my point of view," Martindale said. The notices affect• 26.47 full-time equivalent jobs or 32-.33 people,. Martindale said in an interview. Earlier this year figures showed the Bruce board has 462 full-time equivalent elementary staff. Declining enrollment and a possible cut in transfer . grants are the main reasons behind the job terminations. . "Obviously, the .Ontario Hydro' situation hurts the Port Elgin area schools," he said. Port Elgin's Saugeen Central is the board's largest -elementary school, but has lost 80 - 90 students over the last two years. It could lose even more if young families that have taken Hydro's voluntary severance ,package leave the area over the summer, Martindale noted. . Current enrollment projections call for 223 fewer elementary students 'in county schools by September, including, a drop of 125 students/ in kindergarten alone. While last week's provincial budget promised a flat line on transfersf to education, Martindale said there are still fears that could end up as a two to three per cent decrease for Bruce County once the details are worked out. Given the expected' fall in enrollment and the tightening of grants, he said the board had to declare surplus positions to protect itself and its ratepayers from the expense of being overstaffed in September. • "It's our best rationale and estimate as of March 25," he said. In spite of Friday's drastic move, Martindale is confident many of those declared surplus will still find positions with the board by September. ' "1 know 10 people (of those served notices) planned to be out of the system next year," Martindale said, noting reasons such as leaves of absence and resignations. "Unless some catastrophe hits us, I'm sure we'll hire the majority back (by September)." Bruce Women Teachers' Association president Karen Burr was not. available for comment. • is .per ~, is The entry of Jordan Hamilton (left) science investigation, junior division, Technology Fair. The boys tested iiisplays a carpet they stained with a carpet stained with elderberry advance•on to the Bruce County • AsH r a aa..e ..,,,•,oJ t d �` "d .. .. .. Nic • • •: .'Es in the physical Science and carpets. Jordan Is holding The entry will MI/Ph, :< and Andrew Pickard took first place at Lucknow' Central Public School's various methods of rdrnoving stains from coffee and used hair spray to clean. Andrew that they tried to remove with toothpaste. level on Apr. 13. (Pat Livingston photo) Phase II of arena may be reality Phase II of the Lucknow ,and, District Arena. construction may become. a reality if the four municipalities of Lucknow, Ash- field, Kinloss arid West Wawanosh can come up with $100,000 each, and local service clubs have the backing of their club members to commit to fund-raising. Lucknow council previously in- dicated , they would commit $100,000 towards . the project, and Ashfield, during a . combined meeting of councils and , servite clubs representatives last Wednes- day, made the same commitment. Kinloss and West Wawanosh council . representatives • indicated that they would discuss the proposal at their upcoming meetings. Representatives of . the. Lucknow and District Lions stated they cur- rently have $60,000 earmarked for the project. The Lucknow and District Kinsmen said they have $25,000 at present to contribute. The Lucknow Legion and Luck - now Agricultural Society were also represented at the meeting. Kinsmen Wayne McDonagh explainedthat around 18 months ago, representatives from the Kinsmen and the Lions approached the recreation board to determine if interest could be generated in the Phase II completion. At that time the proposal was not pursued. McDonagh said that recently the two clubs were approached by the recreation director, Gary Nicholson, asking for funding . towards the much needed upgrades and renovations facing the • recreation board. Estimatesfor repairs amount to $203,000 and includes; - upgrade substandard. lighting = $16,000 plus installation; - new boards around the ice surface = $75,000; - new compressors - $80,000; - solar insulation panel - $32,000. Councillor •George .Gibson .(Luc - know) also expressed concerns with the possible additional costs of locating an existing ammonia leak. McDonagh and fellow Kinsmen Jim Murray proceeded to present the Phase II proposal again to the recreation board, to see if it might now be feasible to proceed with the new construction, in view of the costly repairs needed to the ice 'surface. It was clarified that Phase II of the arena project involved the construction of a new ice surface, seating, storage capacity for ice maintenance equipment and a new exterior shell enclosing the above. Phase II would include the cost of, all of the components comprising the estimated $203,000 repair, and renovation total. •turn to page 2 Long-time pharmacistdies at 75 Eltner Umbach, a Lucknow phar- macist, who dispensed common sense advice along with prescrip- tions for 42 years, died on Mar. 22, 1994, at the University . Hospital, London, of congestive heart. He was 75. Born Sept. 6, 1918 in Kitchener, Mr. Umbach embarked upon his career with a three year appren- ticeship at A.B. Learn Drug Store, Waterloo. Following two years at the University of Toronto, he graduated in 1942 and worked in pharmacies at the Royal York and Prince George hotels, owned by the Rutherford chain, and subsequently • returned to the place of his appren- ticeship for a period of time. In 1949, Mr, Umbach moved to Lucknow where he established the Elmer Umbach Drug Store, in the Murdie block„ where the Lucknow Sentinel is now located. Ten years later, he amalgamated his store and the A.E. McKim Drug Store under the name of Elmer Umbach Pharmacy, and moved across the street to the former McKim building, where the business has continued. The strength of Mr. Umbach's convictions was displayed in the early '60s when he burned a large Elmer Umbach inventory of cigarettes. Being a health dispenser did not go hand-in- hand with selling a product that was a health danger. This was well before the time health experts and government were advocating the dangers of smoking, and the present-day attempt to halt the sale of tobacco products by all phar- macies. After 42 years of serving Luck - now and area, Mr. Umbach sold the business to Dave Pellow in October 1991. Although officially retired, he continued to assist the new owner by working on Saturdays. His declining health forced him to completely forego his association with the pharmacy in December last year.• Mr. Umbach was a man who "lived what he believed" says John KTeutzwicser, a close friend and business associate for 50 years. Mr. Kreutrwieser and his wife Anna worked with Mr. Umbach from the •turn to page 2 County budget trimmed; no increase in tax levy Bruce County ratepayers wilt see the. same county tax level as last year, but it comes at the expense of some services and jobs. "The fat is long gone on our expenditures," said finance chair Paul Eagleson at council's March 22 meeting. "There's layoffs; we've got three unions that have gone in with zero per cent increases; we've got non-union at zero per cent; there's definitely a reduction in services now• such as the library", The county set its budget without knowing what transfer grants it will get from the province, and with the prospect of another 20 per cent cut in the highways grant. Eagleson said if there is "bad news" on those grants, the county will dip into reserves, cut more services, or run a deficit to avoid imposing a tax increase on the municipalities. He noted provincial grants have decreased 16 per cent in the past year, while the cost of provincially mandated programs has risen at above -inflation rates. While the social services' budget is up six per cent and the Children's Aid cost expected to increase 16 per cent in 1994, sever- al departments were hit hard in the effort to keep the $6.7 million county levy at a zero per cent in- crease. •turn to page 2 `Visionary .perspective' may reduce welfare caseload Acting on the suggestion .of. Bruce Township• Reeve Ron Andrews, Bruce County Council has opted for a direct approach to job creation. The county will request contrac- tors bidding on county tenders to estimate the number of jobs for county residents and days of em- ployment they will create for each. contract. . • Andrews, at council's March 22 meeting, said it is counterproductive to take part in the federal -provincial infrastructure program if there is no effort to employ more county resi- dents. A projected 6.8, per cent rise in the county's welfare caseloads this year only confirmed Andrews' opinio.n. , He said Bruce County's welfare rate is continuing to rise while the rate in neighbouring counties is going down. "It used to be two things were inevitable, death and taxes. Now a third one has crept in, and that's welfare," said Andrews. He said he has county_ solicitor George Magwood's opinion that his resolution is legal, as 11ong as it suggests. rather than dictates con- tractors use local labor. "It will give a kick-start," Andrews said of his proposal. "It's an initiative I,think will stand well in the eyes of the public. -turn to page 20 Teacher notices say they may be `surplus', Notices have gone out to 32 'elementary school teacher$ with the Bruce County Board of Education that they "may be surplus to county needs", according to Education Director Paul Martindale: Martindale said the notices were sent out Friday, March.25 to comPly with a .deadline set in the elementary teachers' collectiye agreement. "This is a black day from my point of view," Martindale said. The notices affect• 26.47 full-time equivalent jobs or 32-.33 people,. Martindale said in an interview. Earlier this year figures showed the Bruce board has 462 full-time equivalent elementary staff. Declining enrollment and a possible cut in transfer . grants are the main reasons behind the job terminations. . "Obviously, the .Ontario Hydro' situation hurts the Port Elgin area schools," he said. Port Elgin's Saugeen Central is the board's largest -elementary school, but has lost 80 - 90 students over the last two years. It could lose even more if young families that have taken Hydro's voluntary severance ,package leave the area over the summer, Martindale noted. . Current enrollment projections call for 223 fewer elementary students 'in county schools by September, including, a drop of 125 students/ in kindergarten alone. While last week's provincial budget promised a flat line on transfersf to education, Martindale said there are still fears that could end up as a two to three per cent decrease for Bruce County once the details are worked out. Given the expected' fall in enrollment and the tightening of grants, he said the board had to declare surplus positions to protect itself and its ratepayers from the expense of being overstaffed in September. • "It's our best rationale and estimate as of March 25," he said. In spite of Friday's drastic move, Martindale is confident many of those declared surplus will still find positions with the board by September. ' "1 know 10 people (of those served notices) planned to be out of the system next year," Martindale said, noting reasons such as leaves of absence and resignations. "Unless some catastrophe hits us, I'm sure we'll hire the majority back (by September)." Bruce Women Teachers' Association president Karen Burr was not. available for comment.