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Home My WebLink AboutThe Huron Expositor, 1995-12-13, Page 1Education Huron Board considers selling office to save money after cuts from province: See 6 Recycling Contamination a problem in Egmondville, Vanastra bins. see page S *N* CENTENAIREB J11 DMILOpMIMT u)OK!► C11111 Sports Centenaires back in second place after win Friday night. see page 12 Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 — Seaforth, Ontario Briefly No leads'in drive-by shooting The investigation of the drive-by shooting which occurred south of Seaforth on February 28 of this year is at a virtual standstill, according to Detective -Con- stable Sam Lazarevich of the Goderich OPP. "We've .got absolutely zero," he said. Early in the morning on Feb. 28, Julie Bachcrt, 14, of RR 4 Seaforth, was shot in the leg while sleeping. A police investigation revealed a number of bullet holes in the front wall of the houe, which faces Huron County Road 12. She had surgery in a London hospital to remove the bullet and has recovered from the wound. . The story made national television and radio news. and shocked the neighbour- ing communities of Egmondville and Seaforth. Initially several officers were assigned to the investi- gation. Now the only officer left investigating the case is Lazarevich. "We would appreciate learning anything," says the detective. If anybody has any infor- mation on this incident, please call Detective -Con- stable Sam Lazarevich at the Goderich OPP detachment at (519) 524-8314 or Mount Forrest OPP at 1-8(X)-265- 2525. Seaforth doctors to get $70 per hour overtime The Ontario government announced last Tuesday that physicians in 67 com- munities, including Seaforth, will get $70 an hour for working nights, weekends .and holidays in emergency departments. The move was a recommendation of the Scott report, last March. "We've been listening to the Ontario Hospital As- sociation, the Ontario Medical Association and the association representing interns and residents," stated Huron MPP Helen Johns, in a press release. Winter earlier Winter has arrived earlier in Seaforth, but rarely has ' regular sanding and ploughing been as early or as constant here says Public Works Superintendent John Forrest. Winter road main- tenance in Seaforth began in earnest almost exactly a month ago, on Nov. 8. Police radios sold At its • Dec. 4 meeting, Seaforth Council agreed to sell the police radios of the now -disbanded municipal police force to the Seaforth and Area Fire Board Department for 51,(X)0, as is. Theft in Hullett On Nov. 19 a 1987 Jeep Cherokee was broken into on Conc. 7, Hallett Twp. A Legacy amplifier, an Alpine Amplifier, 200 cassettes and a women's leather coat were stolen. The 'value of the goods is estimated ut $8(K). December 13, 1995 — 75 Cents Plus GST ANDY BADER PHOTO TOURNEY WINNER 1N TRIPLE -OVERTIME - Allison Devereaux (#13) of Seaforth's Tween A ringette team scored her second goal of the game in triple overtime on this play Sunday afternoon as the locals nipped their hosts 3-2 in their championship game at the 12th Annual Mitchell Ringette Toumament. Victory was sweet after Seaforth was edged on a late -goal by Mitchell in the opening game of the tournament. The Mitchell defender is Angie Maloney, and the goalie is Allison Eickmeyer. Six Huron libraries to close BY BLAKE PATI'ERSON - SSP News Staff The county's library board bas decided to close six of its smaller branch libraries. At a meeting Dec. 7, the board passed a motion to rec- ommend closing libraries in Auburn, Bluevale, Centralia, Cranbrook, Gerrie and Walton as a way to address a 40 per cent cut in provincial grants over the next two years. This move will save $23,000. County librarian Beth Ross said Of all county departments, libraries 'by far' will be hit hard- est by the province's recent eco- nomic statement. And she said this recommendation is just the first in a long line of cuts. The library board's recom- mendation will now go to coun- ty and municipal level councils for approval. Ross said she is sorry to ha, to recomend the closure of the six branch 3' libraries, but b .d get restraints have left her with little choice. The current $1.3 million library budget will be cut by approximately $46,000 in 1996 and again in 1997, and the county's implementation of pay equity will hit the libraries for another $102,000. Before the vote was made several board members expressed concern that the brunt of the financial crunch seems to be hitting rural coin- munities. Board member Rosemary Rognvaldson said it is wrong "to rush out and slash half a dozen libraries." She said the cuts should be borne across the board and not in a particular area such as small rural centres. - Rather than closing any libraries, Rognvaldson said hours at all libraries should - be reduced and short closures dur- ing slow times at libraries may be a possible alternative. But board member'Barbara Macdougall disagreed. Macdougall said although such an option might be politi- cally sound, it does not address the reality of the situation. "We are put here to make decisions, not discuss," she said. Despite uncertainty about how the cuts will come and what money the county will have to work with next year, Macdougall said there is no question the board will have to make up at least $100,000 in the next two years. THE KIND HEART OF HURON - Showed itself in Seaforth last week with an overwhelming response in donations at 1st Presbyterian Church for the annual Huron County Christmas Bureau. The bureau is distributing items for those in need at Christmastime this week. "If we procastinate till the April meeting," she said, "the process (of closing libraries) will not end till July and we will have lost six months of savings." Ross said Huron County libraries will feel the impact of the cuts more than any other county department. She said basically the library service in Huron has been hit with "a double whammy." The direct cuts of the provin- cial government will reduce the library's funding base, and sec- ondly, a 37 per cent cut to the Southern Ontario Library Service will reduce support to Huron libraries in the form of consultation, inter -library loan services and training. "All services at all libraries will be affected," said Ross. "The cuts are devastating us." Talk to Martin Got something you would like to say to Canada's minister of finance? You can send messages to Paul Martin on the Internet: directly by e-mail to pmar- tin@fin.gc.ca; or, via the com- ments area of federal finance department's home page, located at http://www.fin.gc.ca. Local conservation authorities .may become extinct soon BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff Area conservation authorities are scrambling to survive. Provincial Finance Minister Ernie Eves reduced transfer payments to all conservation authorities by $8 -million in the government's belt -tightening mini -budget Nov. 29. Deficit reduction could mean the beginning of the end for some authorities. "This is designed to be more than a cost saving venture," says the general manager of the Upper Thames Conservation Authority in an interview with the Mitchell Advocate. "It ap- pears it was calculated to suf- ficiently impale the authorities so they would be looking at dissolution. Huron County Planner Gary Davidson also told the Dec. 4 meeting of Seaforth Council 'that in the wake of provincial cuts conservation authorities are in crisis and their existence is threatened immediately, as it appears Ontario's government is going to give municipalities the power to opt out of such levies. The province also terminated $6 -million a year rural beach clean-up program (CURB), which conservation authorities administered, with its cuts. CURB subsidized private lan- downers to improve the quality of water in streams and rural areas on lakes with beaches, such as Bayfield, Grand Bend, the such, and Ipperwash. The Ausablc Bayfield Conservation Authority was one of the largest participants in this program with 821 projects, $2.3 -million in grants and $5.8 -million in total spen- ding When this figure is coupled with the landowners' share. Before the Ontario government's firm economic moves, Seaforth faced an es- timated 1996 general levy of $8,466 to the Ausablc Bayfield authority, an increase of 5479 on last year's payment, accor- ding to ABCA correspondence tabled at its Dec. 4 meeting. The figure, represents a 2.3212 per cent apportionment. In its new levy estimation to Seaforth Council the.Ausable Bayfield authority gave figures indicating its local levy increased by 52 between 1993 and 1995, with 1993's levy at 57,985, 1994's at 58,076 and Continued on page 3 Sea • returns to NHL Ovrq. Au{uel. with six NHL teams: Wan, Winnipeg, Buf- alo, New York Islanders, on nto and the Senators. scored five goals''nnd six in 43 games last , while plagued by injuries. •He didn't dress for Ot- tawa's 7.3 ' loss to the Colorado Avalanche Satur- day. The Senators are now Ott a west coast road swing and playedin San Jose last night sday). W.Llwain runs a popular hockey school in Scaforth every ust. but Senators Fri morning. He had been on loan to tlx evehtid Lumtairjacks, seventh in League 31 from Ott and ' 24 autos when he taros Called back to the big kapott, last week. McElwain, 28, has so far