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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1994-10-19, Page 66 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, October 19, 1994 1,--7-- "' 1,Y ---s. News and Views • v Mayor served years on town council BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff After two terms as Mayor and 14 years on Seaforth council, three of them as Deputy -Reeve and another five as a Councillor, Hazel Hildebrand has decided to take life a little easier. She is not seeking re-election. "I like it so sure I will miss it,"she says. " I've been going to meetings every Tuesday night for all those years and have become attached to the other councillors and PUC commis- sioners." But on the other hand she doesn't figure she will have any trouble finding something to do with her spare time: " I sub- scribe to a couple of magazines and a lot of those I haven't even had the wrappers off because I usually spend one weekend a month reading council agendas and keeping up to date." Mayor Hildebrand doesn't take credit for council's accomplish- ments during her two terms, but is proud to have played a part in them. During the past six years Seaforth has completed its sewer expansion, entered into a landfill agreement with other municipal- ities at the Holmesville site, instituted the blue box recycling program and composting at the town shed. The streets are all in pretty good shape, she says, but • the town's sidewalk program has fallen behind because there are no rebates for them and they require 100 per cent tax dollars. Hazel Hildebra "Hopefully we will get some more infrastructure money to do some more sidewalks because a lot of them are in need," she adds. Mayor Hildebrand says the town hasn't gained any new large industries lately but the ones we have are expanding. For instance, the health industry remains Seaforth's largest and during the last six years the Seaforth Manor has doubled in size, the hospital has expanded and we have a new medical building. A widening of the railway bridge removed 30 struc- tures from the flood plain, and we have snazzy new entrance signs coming into town and new energy saving street lights. The town also assisted the Seaforth Co-operative Children's Centre with start-up costs for Horticultural society meets On Wednesday, Oct. 12 the Seaforth and District Horticultural Society met at the Seaforth Public School for a dessert meeting attended by guests from societies in Hensall, Goderich, Clinton, and Blyth. The Seaforth and District Society's Annual service award for years of service to the society was presented to Ruth Beuttenmiller by Marjorie Philips. President Helen McNaughton tmnounced that as part of the National Tulip Tribute taking place in Canada this fall, the Seaforth and District Horticultural Society, with the co-operation of the Seaforth Legion, Branch 156 has created a new bed and planted 100 tulip Vandalism cost to community BY DUANE JESSUP Expositor Staff The cost of vandalism is not only measured in dollars and cents but it also takes its toll on the community. For the residents of Seaforth the cost of vandalism is very costly. Marty Bedard, Recreation Director for Seaforth says, "our insurance policy deductible for vandalism is so high, that what we replace has to come out of taxpayers' dollars," "There was a little period in September after the long weekend that was a bad time, it wasn't really that bad, but it did pick up a little. says Bedard. Most of the damage in September occurred at Victoria Park in Seaforth. The railing around the bandshell in the park was damaged. Some of the wooden containers around the garbage cans were destroyed and picnic tables were broken. Bedard says that some of this could be on account of wear and tear, but some one had to kick the railing in on the bandshell at Victoria Park. The recreation department estimates the cost of replacement at $150, but the big cost is in the labour. • The railing on the bandshell won't be fixed until next spring. Seaforth Police Chief Hal Claus says, there has been no increase in vandalism. Claus also said he had been down to the cenotaph and there is no graffiti on it even though the youths sit around down there. Last September the Seaforth Lawn Bowling Club received some damage to a newly installed and painted fence. Art Finlayson says, "They knocked our picket fence down last year but we've had no problems since then. "We see little things every now and then, like something has been thrown on the green. "These things happen all of the time." bulbs there. There have also been approximately 100 more bulbs planted in other beds in Seaforth and Dublin. The society will also have Mr. Jim Muir and his shop students at Seaforth and District High School build 10 more planter boxes for Mail Street, designed the same as those built last year. The speaker for the evening was Mr. George Pagowski of Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton who spoke and showed slides of roses - past and present. The next meeting will be the annual meeting and pot luck supper to be held Wed. Nov. 9 at Northside United Church basement. U "I will miss it..." - Seaforth Mayor Hazel Hildebrand, who did not seek re-election, speaking on leaving politics. Deficit reduction is a con- stant tune in these times from provincial and federal politicians, and it often leaves their munici- pal counterparts between a rock and a hard place, although Seaforth still manages to balance its books and have a reserve, and the town has managed to stay within budget during Mayor Hildebrand's tenure. " It is hard on the school board especially," she says. "They take a lot of flak for things that are beyond their power. They are not really responsible for the big tax raises day care, and has two new sub- divisions on the go now "thanks to Jack McLlwain and Marlen Vincent". During her two terms the town has restructured, dropping two councillors and thus saving money. "We have really good town staff," Mayor Hildebrand says. "Our administrator and office staff do a great job. We couldn't do it without them, and John Forrest and his staff also do an excellent job on the streets." Money Talks goes shopping BY ANDREA FLANAGAN The fourth meeting of McKillop's Money Talks 4-H club was held at Donna Bennett's. Club members dis- cussed going to the Stratford Mall on October 29 at 9:30. The Club sat down for Debbie Malone's game in which mem- bers could'nt look at the clock but had to sit down when one minute was up. They played a memory game using recyciable items. Jane Bennett talked about starting a buisness was very interesting. The next meeting is un Octo- ber 29 is a double meeting. fell /in'i:N1,!/is /or (,n,1f•/f1 The Federal Business Development Bank Presents "Puttin• On The Ritz" "How To Give Extraordinary Customer Service and Alleviate Fear." Presented By Angela Jackson Monday, October 24 Blyth Memorial Hall Main St., Blyth In association with Blyth B.I.A. Dinner Meeting Starts at 6:30 and seminar will continue until 10 p.m. Contact Keith Roulston 523-4792 Wednesday, Oct. 26 Candlelight Restaurant Hwy. 21 Goderich 7:15 - 9:30 p.m. Contact Elisabeth Kruspe Goderlch Chamber of Commerce 524-1171 Strategic Planning You will Learn The Basics Of Strategic Planning Presented By John Parnell Federal Business Development Bank Tuesday, Oct. 25 Grand Bend Municipal Offices Grand Bend 710 - 8:30 p.m. Contact Kelly O'Dea 238-5517 To Reserve Your Spot Scotlabank 1 THU /SANK OP NOVA /SCOTIA —OM11tiE11 MOM t• P113 Imo* ur..w w....n--• that are downloaded from the provincial government" Other headaches new to the municipal landscape in the last decade that have originated at other levels of government include pay and employ went m equity, freedom of ' f on and privacy legislation, occupa- tion and safety acts, the GST and Social Contact, the latter two being the worst according to Mayor Hildebrand. "You put one thin to rest and another two pop up, she adds. What's on the horizon? The mayor says a new fire truck has been ordered and should be here in the new year, a new water storage tower should be coming soon, the town has out in a bid for the district health council, the mobility bus seems a go, infra- structure money will hopefully be found for library renovations and the question of municipal policing remains to be settled. All of the acclamations for this year's council have Mayor Hildebrand perplexed. She really had to work to get the position, just defeating Harry Mero 658 to 515 in the last local election and edging Bob Dinsmore by a mere six votes to win her first term. "That was like going through two elections," she says, adding that she hears lots of talk about how we should get more indus- try or keep taxes down and that sort of thing, but when it comes time to run and do something about it nobody seems to put their actions where their convic- tions are. McMaster Siemon AINSURANCE BROKERS INC. AMID «HOME PARM M TRAVEL .- COMMERCIAL — II.IfIA1E INSURANCE 68 Ontario Rd Mitclwil 348-9150 1-40-561-0183 All Deposits O�V Insured Within Limits Rates subject 5 YEAR To Verification ANNUAL :875 0 8.100%5 j'.875% tYw ViertoWN 1Yw COW. Amu HASP CNN HASP C4t B InuestmeniCenire Investment & Tax Planning Secure Investment Products ... from people you can trust SEAFORTH 96 Main St. 527-0420 The Huron County Board of Education Seaforth District High School Continuing Education for Adults HOW CAN I USE A COMPUTER? 8 weeks - Oct. 25 to Dec. 13' Tuesdays - 6:30 - 9:00 For more information contact Bruce Eccles Vice Principal, Seaforth D.H.S. - 527-0380 Graeme Craig Chair Paul Carroll Director TiiE BiggEST, BEST SE ECTION IN T E AREA Shop NOW FOR OCT. 31• ANNOUNCEMENT! Gregor Campbell It was the newspaper business that first brought Gregor Campbell to Seaforth, and now he returns to The Huron Expositor after a 13 -year absence. He has been appointed to the position of reporter/photographer and darkroom technician. In the interim Gregor worked on the line at General Coach in Hensall for 10 years and established a photography business on Goderich St. West, which he plans to continue on an appointment -only basis. Mr. Campbell is a former sports editor of The Beacon Herald and sports director of CJCS radio, both in Stratford, and a former reporter for the now defunct Weekly News, also in the community. He graduated from The University of Western Ontario with an Honours B.A. in Journalism in 1975. He was born in scarborough and raised in Toronto, Georgetown, Paris (Ont.) and Guelph. He has been the general manager of Seaforth's Junior Hockey Centenaries for the past five years. Now 45, he is married to Sheila, a teacher at Bluewater Secondary School, and has one son, Michael, a student at SDHS, and four cats. Gregor says he has always considered himself a "newspaperman" first and foremost, and looks forward to the challenge of returning to what he considers one of the most honourable of professions. MAIN ST., SEAFORTH 527-0240 1