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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1996-01-10, Page 1Vol. 12 No. 2 Wednesday, Jan. 10, 1996 6104-40GST 650 On the edge This young tobogganer looks a little apprehensive about what's to come as she waits for the push down the slope. Many youngsters took advantage of sunny skies this past weekend to get in some winter fun before it's back to school. Feature Longtime Blyth Festival directors retire from board Starting page 6 Sports Brussels Atoms win tournament's A championship See page 9___1 News Entrepreneurial grads ready to take on world of small business See page 17 The North Huron itizen County closes small libraries Prov. cuts $1,700,000 to county Provincial goverment cuts will leave Huron with $1,170,000 for services in 1996 with further cuts to come in 1997, Huron County War- den Bill Clifford told county coun- cillors at their Jan. 4 meeting. Clifford, in his opening remarks to council, ran down the list of cuts, which ranged from $948,987 to the road grant down to $4,600 to the Huron Co-rity Museum and the Historic Gaol. Unconditional grants were hit with a $173,000 cut while the library will take a $45,822 cut this year and a similar amount in 1997. Still to come are cuts to two large areas, health and social services, which will be announced about April 1. If the county wanted to make up the effect of the cuts without trim- ming services, Clifford said, it would result in a tax increase of 14 per cent for county purposes. But council has already instructed staff to prepare a budget that will result in no tax increase. Departments will be discussing the impact of the grant reductions and will bring rec- ommendations to the March ses- sion of county council, he said. But the pain won't end with this year's budget. Similar cuts are proposed for 1997, the warden said. Council- lors will spend a good deal of 1996 looking at how to meet those cuts, he suggested. Huron County councillors Thurs- day voted to close northern Huron libraries in Auburn, Bluevale, Cranbrook, Gorrie and Walton in addition to Centralia in south Huron in an attempt to prevent a tax increase while at the same time dealing with provincial government cuts and a pay equity settlement. Leona Armstrong, chair of the Social and Cultural Services Com- mittee said with county council's instruction that there be no tax increase, on top of a 20 per cent cut in provincial funding and a pay To some residents, it may just mean revving engines and flying snow, but to local merchants, the arrival of snowmobilers in town each winter brings an increase in business. Favourite stops for snowmobilers are locations where both the machine and themselves can be refueled. "This past weekend was unbe- lievable," says Kim Babcock of the Grand View Restaurant in Blyth. The Brodhagen snowmobilers had a rally and Blyth was about half way through the course, says Babcock. "There was an unbeliev- able number that stopped for food and fuel." Aside from rallies which pass through the Area, Babcock says this area gets a lot of snowmobilers from the south who trailer up then ride the trails here. Babcock sites one example of riders from two hours south, at Glencoe, bringing their machines to Hensall and then riding north. JRs in Brussels has seen a similar increase in traffic with the snowy weather. "The snowmobilers are great for our business," says Manager Sue McNeil. Though the majority of riders come through the area on week- ends, the entire holiday period was good, she says. "We sell a lot of gas, evident in the increase in premium gas sales used by snowmobiles." The Ontario Fire Marshall's office and the Ministry of Labour are investigating an explosion and fire which occurred at 6:10 a.m. Jan. 5 in St Helens. • According to a report from Goderich OPP William John Dankwardt, 44, was repairing .a pick-up truck in his shed when there was an explosion, followed by fire. retroactive equity settlement of more than $100,000, some $175,000 had to be cut from the library board budget. The six libraries are the last of the "branch 3" libraries in smaller villages and hamlets. Closing those libraries will allow the board to concentrate its resources on the 12 remaining larger branches, she said. But not all reeves were happy with the decision. Norm Fairies, reeve of Howick, said he had one day's notice that the motion to close Continued on page 14 Babcock agrees that gasoline sales are good. "Even if each snow- mobile only takes $8 worth of gas, when there are five filling up at a tithe, the amount adds up." Both businesses have realized increased customer traffic both at the pumps and for the restaurant facilities. The Golden Lantern Restaurant in Brussels also benefits from the winter travellers. "We get a lot of business, partic- ularly on Saturdays, but it is all through the week," says Jane Drap- er. At the Blyth Inn, Peter Irwin agrees there is a definite increase when they see the snow machiners again. The Inn has been fairly busy, par- ticularly near the end of the week and in the evenings, he says. "This past Saturday afternoon and supper, we were quite busy." Even parts stores such as Rad- ford Auto, Farm and Industrial Parts Ltd. in Brussels, notices an increase in business when the snow flies. Most of the business comes from locals maintaining their own machines or from those who repair machines, says Gaye Datema, as many of the parts need to be ordered a day in advance. However, there are always belts and plugs in stock for the out-of town riders, she says. "This has been an excellent year." Lucknow Fire Department was called to extinguish the blaze. Dankwardt was taken to Wingham Hospital, then later transferred to Clinton. Police say he suffered first and second degree burns to his hands, arms, face and hack. The injuries were not life-threatening. Police believe that gasoline fumes caused the explosion. Snowmobilers boost economy Explosion injures man