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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1983-01-12, Page 1QUALITY lYRNITIRt zmxm —OxCr:t m x m —( -4 Amo, m 01 7? 0 7? .^.v -O 164. London firm wins $I.phon water job Stephen township council' has let the contract for con- struction of -a water supply system to serve the police village of Crediton and Centralia. Omega Contractors of Lon- don were awarded the contact to establish a water line from a current existing line at Khiva. The new main will be an ex- tension of the line from the Ontario Water Resources plant at Port Blake that now serves Dashwood. ' The contract was let in two parts: The first is from Khiva to the bridge at the eastern limits of Crediton, a distance of about five miles for ' $635,7$5. The balance of the line to the police village of Centralia for a distance of slightly less than four miles will be con- structed in the other half of the contract for $437,546. Construction is expected to. start as soon as possible and be completed later this year. An Ontario Municipal Board hearing in Crediton on June 30, 1982 approved the project when a serious need for water was shown with very few objections. At the latest meeting of council, a 1983 bank borrow- ing bylaw in the amount of 3500,000 was passed. All members of council -will be attending at least one day VISIT MUSEUM -- Huron County Council toured the pioneer museum in Goderich as part of its January session. In the photo, Reeves Tom Cronin of Blyth, Bill Mickle of Exeter, Harry Worsell, of Goderich, Calvin Krauter of Brussels and Paul Steckle of Stanley Township watch with curator Ray Scotchmer the working of a water wheel. (outof picture). County tours building View museum problem Iluron County Council came face to face with the structural problems at. the Huron County Pioneer :Museum as part of its January 6 session involved a. torn of the closed facility. 1Veak roof supports were vividly pointed out by museum staff and county councillors experienced first hand the cold temperatures endured by the collection. Museum curator Ray Scot- chmer said it is the first time: council as a whole has toured the museum. Numerous coun- cillors have toured the museum individually, but with 17 new county coun- cillors. the tour provided the opportunity for them to familiarize themselves with the building. A quick trip up to the attic enabled councillors to see the two by four and two by six inch beams holding up the tin roof. Custodian Lee Erb pointed out the section of roof - which collapsed three winters • ago. Researcher Pat Carter and volunteer Cindy F'earnall were also on hand to answer- . questions. in answer to one query. Scotchmer said the possibili- ty of opening up part of the museum in the summer will be investigated by council's property committee. Once council reconvened in Director is quitting After 15 years as director of education .John ('ochrane will retire from the position effec- tive .June 30. Huron ('ouinty Board of Education chairman Dorothy Wallace initially made the an- nouncement in her inaugural address at the board's January 10 meeting. The hoard accepted with regret %tr. Cochrane's formal resignation letter. "For. several years I had planned to refire at the end of 35 years in the teaching pro- fession, ie. on June 30, 1984, and i can assure you that this decision to leave one year earlier than Planned has not been made lightly or easily," stated Mr Cochrane's letter of resignation. ., ('ochrane and Mrs. Wallace pointed out Cochrane's reason for early retirement is based on the changes coming to the educational system. Please turn to page 19 its chambers there were ques- tions regarding the Huron County Pioneer Museum reservebuilding fund and the standing of the museum. Scotchmer indicated that for the present the museum is closed and added if it remains closed for the year it will lose ground as far as attendance goes. Tuckersmith Township • Reeve Robert Bell asked if councilnot getting ahead of itself by establishing the fund. Ile was concerned that if council decided not to go ahead and rebuild a museum they would still have monies from this fund. Scotchmer explained a full record will 'be kept of who gives how much and if coun- cil decides not to go ahead with rebuilding the museum, the money would be given hack to the donors. Clerk - treasurer William Hanly said the fund is a good indicator of how much support there is in the county for a museum. Ile noted that to date there has only been one donation from a London woman. 1 of a municipal councillors seminar to be held in London March 3 and 4. • The agreement with the township of Bosanquet and the village of Grand Bend for construction of a dew fire hall in Grand Bend has been ac- cepted and the necessary bylaw is being prepared. Clerk -treasurer Wilmar Wein reported 93.8 percent of the total 1982 tax roll of $1,433,304.28 has been collected. According to figures releas- ed at the June 30 hearing the frontage charge for an average 20 metre lot if prepaid would be $677.20 and connection charges would be $276.42 for a total of $952.62. Property owners may spread their payments over a 20 year period. In this in- stance the frontage charge payments would be $138.80 per annum and the connection bill would be $5.6.46 each year. The annual fee for use of the water system is expected to' -be $60. rs E� r MAGICIAN AT CHURCH OPEN HOUSE — The Community Bible Church, east of Eiginfield was officially opened over' the weekend. Lorne Overholt, a magician with a Christian message entertained at Saturday's Open House. From the left are -magician helpers Helen Kluge and David Overholt, youngsters Chad Romphf and Cheryl Shipley, church elder Tom Jenken and magician Lorne Overholt. . T -A photo Ames Serving South Huron, North.Middlesex One hundred and Tenth Year A y qqL 7anfilf act: y .., b ..... ;AFy,.,.: . itv Rec board name head - Exeter representative Gary Birmingham was elected chairman of the South Huron rec centre board of manage- ment at the group's inaugural meeting, Thursday: He succeeds Usborne representative John Pym in that position. Named vice-chairmanwas another Exeter represen- tative, Carolyn Merner. The board has two new members Iodate and Usborne has yet to name a replace- ment for Ann lirout. The new members are Kathy Whiteford and ' Gaylan Josephson. Committees named at the brief inaugural session were as follows: Facilities _ - John Pym. Kathy Whiteford. Gaylan Josephson and the Usborn..- representative. Personnel and policy - Bill Rose and Gary Birmingham. Program - Eric Finkbeiner. Bill Rose and Usborne representative. Finance - Carolyn Merner and Eric Finkbeiner. The rec board of manage- ment will hold its first regular meeting on January 20.. vocate & North Lambton Since 1873 EXETER, ONTARIO, January 12, '1983 te 14, Price Per Copy 50 Cents County plans for five percent increase everse•stand Huron County Council, in a -recorded 17-I3 vote, narrow- ly approved having 1983 budgets prepared using five percent increase as a max- imum guideline. Approval was given to a • recommendation from coun- cil's executive committee at council's January 6 session. The recommendation was made in anticipation of pro-' vincial legislation being pass- ed stating all employees ear- ning less than 315,000 a year must receive a. minimum in- crease of 3750 and if employees earn more than 315,000 they must receive a five percent increase. "1 feel that we're somewhat undoing what we did a few months ago," com- mented Stanley Township Reeve Paul Steckle. Reeve Steckle was referr- ing to a decision made by the 1982 county council that employees' salaries not be in- creased in 1983. "The private sector is try- ing to maintain these goals ... it's difficult to say we'll pay everyone five percent. Back home (Stanley Township) they (employees) say they'll stay where they are if the county does." added Steckle. The. Stanley reeve sug- gested council maintain its position of not increasing salaries. Tuckersmith Township Reeve /�M� err Bell who spoke on beha1 `o"f ;tie executive committee, said he personal- ly agrees with Reeve Steckle, but the executive committee was advised by clerk - treasurer William Manly that a five percent increase is mandatory. Hanley noted that all employee salary schedules go through council for final ap- proval and decisions may be made at that time to hold the salaries. Ile added that under the legislation all union employees must receive five percent, but county council has authority over non-union employees. "That's where the problem lies," stated Reeve Bell. "11 the unions get five percent • BRINGING IN THE BOTTLES The Exeter Scouts and Guides staged a successful bottle drive, Saturday. shown bringing in a car Toad of bottles are Chris Eccles, Gillian Simpson, Tony Armstrong and leader Soren Petersen. Deal for Hughes stifl in limbo There is still no change in the situation regarding the former Hughes Columbia Inc. plant at Huron F'ark. The pro- spective new owners have still not closed the deal for the boat huilding facility. "Not yet", replied former employee Jack O'Neill when asked this week if former employees have given up hope that the transaction will be completed and some of them will return to work. "They,'re still working on it ( the deal) and it's not dead," O'Neill said from his Huron Park home Tuesday morning. A Kitchener couple had an- nounced plans to purchase the firm back in November. Under terms of the deal, some 35 employees were to be re•hired " and all employees were to receive a portion of the back pay owing them. Some of the employeeshoped to receive up to 31,500 under terms of the plan which they unanimously ratified when the prospective purchasers announced intentions to re- open the plant. O'Neill said the employees had set a deadline of January 10 to start legal action to col- lect money owing them. He reported that he wasn't cer- tain if the employees' lawyer had initiated that action when the deadline passed this week. "Hopefully it may speed things up," he said in reference to the plans of the employees to proceed in at- tempts to collect money ow- ing them. The Huron Park man also indicated there may be other investors interested in the boat firm. Ile expressed disappoint- ment that no deal could tie made in time to have some of the firm's boats on display at the major boat show in Toronto. Ile noted that orders from the show usually get the boat builders off to a good start in the new year but that won't happen now. and non -unions don't, we'll have everyone in the county unionized," Morris Township Reeve William Elston point out that the employees earning 315,000 or less will actually be receiv- ing more than a five percent increase. Reeve Steckle add- ed that employees earning between 315,000 and 320,000 may receive a 81,000 increase and increment or merit in- creases for those earning less than 330,000 are excluded from legislation. "The guy making $15;000 may receive five percent but he is falling way behind. That's where the legislation is wrong. We should treat everyone the same. We are told what we must pay and that goes against what 1 believe is democratic," stated Reeve Steck le. Exeter Reeve William Mickle questioned the need for negotiations in 1983. "Why do we have to spend money in negotiatibns? There will be no benefit increase, salary , increases are legislated at five percent, our hands are tied. We should forget about negotiations in 1983," suggested Mickle. Hanley said some negotia- tion meetings have been scheduled and if there were no guidelines there would be no negotiations. The recorded vote, to authorize the_clerk-tre,.surer to have 1983 budget prepared using the five percent as a maximum guideline, was as follows: Yeas - Grey Township Reeve Leona Arm - Two hurt in collision Two Huron Park residents sustained minor injuries in onerof the two area collisions investigated by the Exeter OPP this week. injured were Elizabeth Stnith and Mark Leblanc, drivers of the vehicles involv- ed in a Saturday collision on Huron Park Road 21 south of the Crediton Road near Huron Park. Both had been southbound and Leblanc's Vehicle collid- ed with the rear of the Smith car. Datnage in the accident was listed at 34.000.. The other collision •was in Ifuron Park on Sunday when a vehicle driven by Robin .Winger, Iluron Park, went out of control. hit a post and then collided with a parked vehicle at 278 Algonquin Drive. The parked vehicle was owned by Mark Hearn. Winger told police he fell asleep. He escaped' injury and damage was set at $3,000. During the week, the local detachment officers charged two area residents with im- paired driving and laid a number of charges under the Liquor Control Act Ii�Idiiis li strong, Ashfield Township Reeve John Austin, Reeve Bell, Goderich Deputy Reeve Jim Britnell, Clinton Reeve Earnest. Brown, Seaforth Reeve William Campbell, Blyth Reeve Tom -Cronin, Hullett Township Reeve Tom Cunningham, Reeve Elston. Colborne • Township Reeve Russell Kernighan , Brussels Please turn to page 2 RUSHING THE SEASON -- John Volk of Shipko and Grond Bend's Mike Mueller tried out their fishing abilities Sunday afternoon along the south shore of the Ausable river at Grand Bend. T -A photo Huron's mortality rate well above the average Mortality rates in Huron County are higher than pro- vincial averages. Medical Officer of Heealth (MOH) Dr. Harry Cieslar presented health unit statistics to Huron County Council at its Jan. 6 session. Based on a per 100,000 cen- sus population Huron's death rates in 1981 were higher than the province's rates. Heart disease is' a leading killer in both Huron and the province, with cancer a close second. The heart disease death rate is 333 in Huron and 260 in Ontario. Cancer's death rate in Iluron is 210 with 173 being the provincial rate. -Vascular diseases or strokes and diseases of the arteries are the only areas where the provincial mortali- ty rate is higher than in Huron. The county's mortali- ty rate for vascular diseases is 71 while the province's is 73. The provincial rate for diseases of the arteries is 24 while Huron's is 21. The accident death rate is 76 per 100,000 census popular tion in Huron while the On- tario figure is 38. The motor vehicle accident rate in Iluron is again much higher than the province's. Iluron has a death rate of 34 for motor vehicle accidents while Ontario's rate is 16. The- death rate for pneumonia and influenza is 42 in Huron and 21 in Ontario. For suicides, Huron's death rate is 16 while the province's death rate is 12. Dr. Cieslar admitted Huron should have better rates than it does and concluded that Huron residents Smoke cigarettes more than the pro- vincial average. "These are staggering results," commented Zurich Reeve Don Van Patter. Ile asked if the MO11 has any plans to reduce the couh. ty's rate and Dr. nester replied the health unit doesn't have control overall factors. The MOH added that alcohol consumption had a Int to do with motor vehicle accidents. Ile noted that Canadian statistics show that 50 percent of all fatal motor vehicle ac- cidents are alcohol related. Howick Township. Reeve William Newton commented that Huron has a higher pro- portion of citizens over 65 than the province and therefore is more apt to have a higher death rate than the province. "That doesn't influence the statistics dramatically," responded Dr. Cieslar. County' council approved the hiring of Sheryl Gilbert as the health unit's full-time health educator at a salary of 321,320. Dr. Cieslar noted that the death rate statistics show a need for a health educator in Huron. Osborne building shows an increase The value of huilding per- mits issued in Osborne township in 1982 was up from the previous year. • At Tuesday's regular meeting, building inspector Herman Van Wieren reported the issuance ,of 37 building permits for a total value of 3404,500. That was up 324,500 from 1981. Van Wieren also made 237 inspections and travelled 2.935 kilometres. The tile drainage commis- sioner reported the near com- pletion of the Cooke muniiJpal drain construction and no real problem uncovered on the Cornish drain. One new tile drain loan ap- plication for 810,800 was ap- proved along with a final loan debenture for the season of 320,000. • Road superintendent John Batten reported total 1982 ex- penditures for roads of 3278,291.58, being 827,500 under budget and preliminary engineering plans for the Etherington bridge are being considered by the Ministry of Transpor- tation and Communications. Tax collector Ifarry Strang reported that 97 percent of the 1982 property taxes had been received. Salaries for council members will remain at the present level while all ap- pointed officials and road department employees will receive an increase of five percent. Sandra Strang has been named assistant clerk -treasurer.