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The Huron Expositor, 1994-03-09, Page 1a�EHuron • �x p asitor Your community newspaper since 1860. Serving Seajorth, Dublin, Hensall, Walton, Brussels and surrounding communities. Briefly Local rider sets record at riding competition A local horse rider has set a record at the biggest quarter - horse show in Canada. Man McNichol, 18, a student at Seaforth District High School, was the first person to win five barrel racing events in Quarterama. He had firsts in five separate barrel racing events for a show record. He wins about $1,825 as well as trophies for his efforts. He also hopes to qualify for the world championships in Texas in August. "Matt and the horse were quite a team," said Mary Anne McNichol, Matt's mother. "He's worked really hard." The Quarterama competition took place last week at the coliseum on the Canadian National Exhibition Grounds. Parking fines to rise in Seaforth The Town of Seaforth has received approval to increase the town's parking fines. All parking violations have been increased to $10 if paid within three days and $15 for fines paid after the three days have expired. There are a few exceptions to the $10 minimum fete. Those motorists illegally parked or stopped in a Handicapped Zone are subject to a $25 ticket or $35 if not paid within three days. Should a motorist be caught parked for more than two hours in a "Free 2 Hour Parking Zone" the fine has been increased from $3 to $5, or $10 after three days have expired. Bittersweet return to Blyth for Janet.Amos The Artistic Director of the Blyth Festival had second thoughts about returning to the area theatre, she told a crowd of reporters on Thursday. I had a wonderful, wonderful time when I was here," said Janet Amos, with tears in her eyes. When she was invited back after a long absence she thought, "Maybe I'll be trying too hard to recreate this time in my life." Amos promised to help rebuild the theatre after a period of declining revenues and a bur- geoning debt. What is an emergency? Do you ever wonder why you're asked questions when you go to the emergency department? Do you wonder how a hospital determines what is an emerg- ency? A pamphlet entitled Emergency Care is being distributed by the Scaforth Community Hospital. It tries to answer questions such as How is the emergency depart- ment staffed? and Why the wait- ing? The pamphlet is to help explain what people can expect from the emergency department, said Bill Thibert, Chief Execu- tive Officer of the facility. "We're not trying to steer people away," he said. "It's educating members of our com- munity as to the process that's followed." About 4,500 copies of the pamphlet are being distributed this week in The Iluron Exposi- tor and The North Iluron Citi- zen. 4 MILTON J. DIETZ LIMITED SEAFORTH 522-0608 • Pesticides & Custom Spraying • Spraying Equipment & Paris • Nutrite Premium Fertilizer • Ventilation & Livestock Equipment l�l w ■ PURINA FEEDS & PET FOODS HURON EXPOSITOR, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1994. INSIDE The legendary Paul Brothers entertain audi- ences with vaudeville humour and zany jokes. See story on page 12. THIS TRUCK'S HOT STUFF - An electrical source may have been the culprit In the fiTIM CUMMING PHOTO re which occurred in this truck last Tuesday in the Seaforth Community Hospital parking lot. Gord Coyne, who drives the truck for an employer, went in to see his mother in the hospital and returned just moments later to find the truck burning. The heat was so intense it blew a hole through the window. UI clawback affects Hensall By Patrick Raftis The federal govermnent appears to have let some former General Manufactured Housing Workers off the hook, while others will still be expected to repay UIC payments received after the company went into receivership in 1990. After the workers, members of Local 3504 of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners got together to complain about the payback demands, federal UIC officials met individually with affected workers at the General plant in Hensall, March 2 and 3. Interviewed after their review sessions (on the condition their names not be used) last Thursday, workers had mixed reactions to the government's handling of the situation. "I guess I've been treated fairly, because it's not going to cost me any money," said one former employee after his review. The employee, who was off work for 21 months before being recalled for 11 weeks in 1992 and 18 weeks of work in 1993 at GMH, said thc UIC officials told him his now exhausted UIC claim would he re- instated for nine weeks, but the money would he returned to the federal government. "I have to fill out cards, but I won't get any money. It's just a lot of paperwork," said the former employee, who received an after tax payment of $3,600 from the provincial Wage Protection Program in 1992 and 'as being asked to repay $2,300 in UIC benefits. Another worker came out of his review unsure if he would have to pay back any UIC or not. He said he was told workers with a gap of at least eight weeks when they were not working and not eligible for unemployment, were being allowed to consider the provincial money to be funds received for the gap period, rather than the period immediately after the layoffs. The man wasn't sure if he had such a gap in his employment/UIC eligibility status or not and would have to recheck his records. If no such gap exists, he said, he will be expected to repay UIC. Complicating matters for this man, was the fact the provincial payments in 1992 raised his income enough to make him ineligible for federal GST credits for low income earners. He said the UIC officials told him it would be up to him to take up that issue with Revenue Canada, if he is required to make a repayment. Ken Fenwick, orLocal 3504, said he hasn't had a chance to discuss the results of the reviews with either affected former employees or UIC officials. However, he said he met with Huron -Bruce MP Paul Steckle (who made an appearance in Hensall to talk to workers and UIC officials during last week's interviews) and said the MP "was quite adamant that he wants to do something about this situation." Fenwick said the union is attempting to set up meetings with UIC officials and Steckle, to review the situation. Several calls to London UIC office by the Lakeshore Advance were not returned by deadline. GMH workers are not the only oncs affected by the apparent conflict between the provincial Wage Protection Program, introduced in 1991 to compensate workers for wages lost through corporate bankruptcies, and thc Federal UIC program. No inquest into accident There will be no inquest into a fatal accident which occurred on Highway 4 in Hay Township, Jan- uary 9, Coroner Dr. William O'Connr has announced. Walter Knowles, 79, of Hensall and Michael Herbert, 17, or RR 2 Kippen were killed in the head-on collision involving Herbert's car and an ambulance which was trans- porting Knowles, a heart patient, from Goderich to London. Sales - Service - Selection Sports pages 6, 7, 9 Entertainment page 13 Obituaries page 3 65 cents Plus 5 cents GST (70 cents) Town should pay cost for OPP switch: police boird BY TIM CUMMING Expositor Editor There would be many costs asso- ciated with disbanding the town police force, said members of the Seaforth Police Services Board on Monday. "There are a lot of costs involved with negotiations, dispatchers and building to meet their (OPP) codes," said Bill Teall, Vice -Chair of the Board. In attempting to trim its budget the board eliminated a budgeted $4,000 transfer to reserves for expenses incurred in a switch to OPP policing. "Four thousand dollars would be a little drop in the bucket," said Teal!. The Police Board budget already contains many sacrifices and the Town of Seaforth will have to come up with the money for the costs associated with a switch to OPP policing, he said. "If OPP is what they want they have to be prepared for the addi- tional costs of takeover," said Teall, who sits on council. "If they're going to make that decision they'd better have the money to do it." The board was able to draft a zero increase budget by cutting four hours a week from a civilian constable's work week, cutting the payment to reserves and taking $1,000 from board travel expenses. The cost of group benefit pre- miums for the police force could rise by as much as 30 per cent for a possible increase of $4,000, the Board was informed at the meeting. At the start of the meeting the draft budget was about $8,634 above a zero increase budget. There is an anticipated decrease in provin- cial transfer payments of three per cent, for an estimated loss of $1,330. In discussing the budget board members said they were running out of places to cut expenditures and asked if revenues could be increased. "I think all the police services are looking at the same thing, at the revenue side," said Teall. Police Chief Hal Claus said with a new schedule of fines being intro- duced in Seaforth there might be more in revenue. The Board added an anticipated $100 more in fines. Traffic fines in Seaforth are rising to $25 fauking in a handicapped zone, $5 for parking overtime (up from $3) and $10 for parking in a no -parking zone (up from $5). Delegation asks McKillop to pave road Family Paradise Road is paved with protest instead of asphalt. A delegation of 14 residents from Concession Rd. 12-13 (Family Paradise Rd.) attended the March 1 McKillop Township Council meet- ing to present their proposal to have their road paved, with the funds from the infrastructure program. McKillop Township is allocated $111,859 from the federal and provincial governments and must contribute $55,930 itself for a total of $167,789 for township spending under the program. There was some discussion con- cerning the application of asphalt on McKillop Sideroed 10 between Highway 8 and County Rd. 17, at the Feb.1 McKillop Council meet- ing. No decision was made on the road work at the February meeting. A letter was sent to McKillop Council dated Mar. 1 from Peter and Lillian Raithby, of Family Paradise Campground, spokespersons for Concession 12/13 residents and businesses. The volume of campers, vehicles and trailers visiting Family Paradise Campground each year was men- tioned as well as the numerous businesses on the road, their employees and the number of vehicles using the road. "Of our potential 34 houses, farms and businesses, three are unoccupied at the present time. When informal of council's paving decision (*according to McKillop Council, no final decision had been made on paving), we received 19 letters and four phone calls in sup- port of our disappointment. That is 74 per cent of the occupied prem- ises on our concession, stated the letter from the Raithbys. McKillop Council was presented with the 19 letters from residents, from the delegation of 14 at the Mar. 1 township meeting. • •• A total of $19,860.11 in invoices from the McKillop Road Superin- tendent for the month of February were approved. McKillop Council authorized the Road Superintendent to advertise for 28,000 imperial tons of gravel for mad maintenance, and for a person to weigh the gravel for road resurfacing. Council also approved advertising fa 335 imperial tons of calcium chloride for dust control. ••• McKillop Council endorsed a resolution from the Township of West Carlton requesting the Minis- ter of Municipal Affairs not proceed with aw,.77. which would delete mayors from regional councils. ••• McKillop Township Council approved a zoning amendment for the west part of lot 4 and the cast part of lot 5 in concession 9. Coun- cil recognizes side lot distances for Dietz's poultry farm which was re eptly decreased as the result of a lend severance. ••• McKillop resident Greg Beuerman attended the Mar. 1 township meet- ing to inform council of a crack in his concrete manure tank wall. He was advising council of his prob• - lems. McKillop Council issued the building ding permit for the manure • • • McKillop Council endorsed the Countyof Huron response to the Consutation paper on a new approach to land -use paper which lets municipalities be responsible for their own planning instead of receiving direction from Queen's Park. ••• The general voucher for the month of March totalled $46,552.50. Two tile drainage loans were approved for a total of S14,200. ••• McKillop Council appointed Ron Murray as McKillop Township's member to the Court of Revision on the 'D' Drain of the Rcgele Munici- pal Drain. ••* McKillop Council approved the 1994 budget for the Seaforth Fire Area Board of $114,525 with the exception of the $1,000 increase for the Fire Chief. McKillop also auth- orized the fire commission to adver- tise for the tendering of a new fire pumper. McKillop Council approved the 1994 budget for the Seaforth and District Community Centres totalling $382,045. Only two members of the Board, Vice -Chair Bill Teall and Bob Dinsmore, were present at Monday's meeting. If Seaforth decides to contract out police services to the OPP it would likely not happen before January of 1995, said Teall. *•* The Seaforth Police Services Board voted on onday night to reduce the work dr for the Special Constable (civilian) from seven hours to six hours a day. Police Chief Hal Claus spoke against any loss of hours. "(OPP Sergeant Peter) McGuinness couldn't believe how little overtime we had," said the Police Chief. "Don't cut it (the hours) down anymore." The Police Board had invited the civilian constable to attend the March 7 meeting to give her input before any decision was made:. Claus said that as a member of the Police Association the employee could not come and discuss the issue with the board. Board Vice -Chair Bill Teall said some of the work currently being done by the civilian constable could be done by officers during -tha.day. . "There aren't enough occurrences that he wouldn't in an eight-hour shift have time to do his (adminis- trative work)," said Teall. As it is theublic is not always seeing the officers on the streets, suggested Teall. He repeated is often -heard suggestion for more foot patrols. Police Chief Hal Claus responded that an officer had to get out of his car to stop an assault on the week- end. "I don't think the victim at that time really cares if the man is on foot patrol." During the discussion on cutting hours board member Bob Dinsmore suggested this cutting of service was no different than cutting the level of service with a switch to OPP contract policing. "You're going to have to cut back on service somehow," said Dinsmore. Seaforth Police Chief Hal Claus responded, "I don't think so." He said there would be administrative savings with a switch from a town force to Ontario Provincial Police service. "I don't see any way the town can afford to keep going the way it is and the only way we cut back now is service,' said Dinsmore, in reference to the escalating costs of policing. • * • The Seaforth Police Services Board would ask police officers to use up time owed to them for over- time hours should Scaforth opt for Ontario Provincial Police Service. The Police Association had asked that if the town police force were disbanded unused time from the overtime bank should be paid out in cash. Seaforth native honoured with Order of Canada Sister Veronica Ann Nolan, originally from Seaforth, was one of 80 appointees to the Order of Canada. The 80 -year-old Grey Sista of the Immaculate Conception in Pembroke, Ont., was one of 52 people appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada. "Fa more than 40 years she has devoted herself to public education for thepeople of the Dominican Republic," according to the citation for the award. "She is a well -loved missionary, teacher and public school admin- istrator, whose schools have long been recognized as models of community assistance based on self-help." Now retired, she lives in the Dominican Republic.