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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1991-03-13, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1991. Some things don ’t change In a world that seems caught up in the constant turmoil of change, it’s nice to see some things stay the same: like the typically Huron county political trait that can see the value of “hard” services like roads but can’t understand the value of “soft” services like culture and recreation. That long-held belief is alive and well as illustrated by comments of several councillors at Huron County Council last week. Faced with an 8.3 per cent mill rate increase and hoping to get it closer to the five per cent inflation rate despite a $500,000 increase in their commitment to Huronview redevelopment, several councillors turned to cultural institutions as the way of cutting the budget. One suggested keeping the Huron County Historic Gaol closed to save money. Another suggested cutting staff or at least cutting back on staff hours at the County Museum. Another wanted to cut off the county’s grant to the Vanastra pool. The executive committee was instructed to find a plan that will phase out grants to organizations like the Blyth Festival, Huron Country Playhouse, seniors day centres in Clinton and Wingham and Goderich airport. Yet the same councillors over and over repeated that the county could not cut back on its road construction and repaving programs even though much of the paving program doesn’t get any provincial government support. Now anyone who travels on county road systems in the province knows Huron has one of the best. County councillors have even worried aloud that our county road system may be so good people are abandoning provincial highways in the county to take county roads instead, putting more wear and tear on the county highways. Councillors are right when they say they don’t want to jeopardize the conditions of the roads by delaying repairs. Still, one has to wonder at their logic when they reject, with hardly a word of debate, any cuts to the highway budget then spend long periods trying to save what amounts to pennies in the cultural and recreational areas. Cutting the entire museum budget out would save the county only $319,180. The road departments repaving budget alone is $1.46 million. It might be easier to understand the thinking of the politicians if you could see a direct benefit in terms of dollars from the highway system, if, say we had a toll system that brought in money. But councillors seem able to grasp that there are hidden benefits of a good roads system even though, after provincial grants, the road system costs the county taxpayer $2.6 million. They’re unable to see the same kind of hidden benefits from cultural facilities like the Museum, Gaol or the two theatres. They can’t see how many tourist dollars these organizations pump into the county economy and, even more so, they can’t see the benefit county residents get from attending these strange places. One might think that after 40 years of having a museum, after nearly 20 years of having two fine theatres, county politicians might be able to see the benefits but it appears that some things are destined to forever stay the same about Huron. An unusual breed No matter how one feels about the Gulf War, one must feel happy for the veterans and their families who have been reunited in Canada and elsewhere in the last few days now that the war is over. The men and women who served in the Gulf are an unusual lot by today’s standards. They were people who risked their lives in the service of their country. Most Canadians today are more preoccupied with what they can get from their country than what they can give. If John F. Kennedy made his famous speech today about asking not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country, he’d be laughed off the stage by cynical Canadians. Most people seem to be wrapped up in “what’s in it for me”. People complain about the government debt but it’s a time of the year when accountants and tax lawyers make fortunes finding loopholes to keep people from paying a cent more tax than they can get away with. People are shopping across the border to save GST and provincial sales taxes. Businesses that deplore government spending are lining up to get government grants, loans and over-priced contracts for government services. People insist on their right to draw unemployment insurance even if they don’t need it. People are so focused on “rights” that they forget they also have responsibilities. They feel they can blame politicians for everything and duck their own requirement to take action to improve the situation. It wasn’t always so. A generation that lived through the Depression, that offered its young lives for its country, knew about giving more than getting. Today we have too few people of that kind. Our young air force and naval veterans are an example we could all follow. Still winter Looking b ckward ONE YEAR AGO MARCH 14, 1990 After three years in business Grey Owl Enterprises in Brussels closed its doors. Hank Ten Pas of Brussels and partner, Doug Ber­ trand of Elmira invested their own money into the giftware packaging operation when they began. They had to seriously consider whether or not they could afford to keep the business going any longer and how GST was going to affect it. A chimney fire left the family of Ivan Shannon, his wife and two children with use of only the ground floor at their house at Lot 34, Cone. 12 in McKillop Town­ ship. The house is owned by Murray McCall. The fire started in the woodstove in another room when the pipes overheated. Paul Josling, Blyth fire chief estimated the damage to be as much as $25,000. Harvey Gamiss retired after 32 years of delivering the mail. Mr. Garniss first began delivering mail on RR 1, Blyth in 1957 or 1958 (he couldn’t remember for sure) and then added the RR 2, route as well. It’s people he will miss the most, he said, but his retirement will leave him more time for one of his hobbies, horse racing. Tammy Vincent received the Howson and Howson award for most improved figure skater at the Blyth Figure Skating Club’s achievement night at Blyth arena. THREE YEARS AGO MARCH 9,1988 Winners of the Blyth Legion Poster Contest for Remembrance Day were presented by Mary Lou Stewart. Junior winners were Jody Button, first and Karen Bromley second. Intermediate winners were Debbie Logue, first and Jonus Irving, second. After he returned from skating at the closing ceremonies of the Calgary Olympics, Brussels figure skater, Kevin Wheeler, accepted a cheque for $225.59. Made out to the Kerry Leitch Figure Skating school in Preston, the money which was the surplus donated by local well-wishers to send a “Good Luck’’ telegram to Mr. Wheeler and his skating pairs partner Michelle Menzies in Calgary, will go towards the young athletes training and ice time. Winners of the Blyth Legion Remembrance Day essay competi­ tion were recently presented with their certificates. The winners in junior competition were Mandy Medd, Hullett, third; Jodee Medd, Blyth, second and Marie Cronyn, Blyth, first. Intermediate winners were Michelle Nesbit, second and Continued on page 19 The Citizen The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $2O.5O/year [$19.16 plus $1.34 G.S.T.] [$40.00 Foreign). Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth We are not responsible for unsolicited newscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright. P.O. Box 429, BLYTH. Ont. N0M 1H0 Phone 523-4792 P.O Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. Editor & Publisher, Keith Roulston Advertising Manager, Dave Williams Production Manager, Jill Roulston Second Class Mail Registration No. 6968