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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1988-07-27, Page 1aY es Serving South Huron, North Middlesex One Hundred and Seventeenth Year voca e & North Lambton Since 1873 EXETER, ONTARIO, July 27, 1988 Price Per Copy 60 Cents Labour not in vain DON'T LET THE RAIN FALL DOWN -- Members of the congregation of the Emmanuel Baptist Church worked hard to replace the old roof Mon- day while the weather man, if not the,sky, threatened rain. In the work de- tail were Jim Wilkinson, Alan Webster, Glen Davidson, Mike Van Giesen, Ed Potter, Vern Postill,`Dave Woodward, Vernon Montmorency and Rever- end Kevin Rutledge. Ed Norris, pastor of St. Marys, took charge of the work detail. Reverend Norris was formerly a roofer. Fence dispute fuels beach ownership GRAND BEND - In order to stop over -night parking and estab- lish ownership of a strip of land currently used for parking in front of Sanders on the Beach, Grand Bend Council plans to build a -- fence along Government Road, blocking access to the lot. But it is a move hotly disputed on all sides. Informed that Gerry . Sanders, owner of Sanders on the Beach, had instructions from his lawyer to tear down the fence should he be denied access, council grappled with the decision to build the barrier. Recvc Harold Green and council- lors- Bruce Woodley and Marsha Lemon stood by the decision to build the fence. "What we have to do is maintain ownership of that property." Lem -- on said, adding future plans to, build a sidewalk along the beach might be impeded should the village allow Sanders toestablisha claim on the lot. - Woodlcy said the village should build the fence and call the police if Sanders fears it down: Green summed things up, saying: "All we're thinking of is who is go- ing to -run -the town; councit or'Qer- ry Sanders? That's what it comes down to." A conciliatory Deputy Reeve Dennis Snider embraced clerk Dianne Mollard's suggestion that Sanders be allowed to build the fence at his own expense and con- trol the lot. "If he's prepared to guarantee that people won't sleep there over -night and if- he's willing- to patrol it, we should let him build it (fence)," whcn that land is in dispute," Sand-' Snider said. "It would be an im- ers said Monday, referring, to Mal- provement." • calm Archie Gibbs hid for owner - As the debate continued, Snider ship of a portion -of the North admitted: `I just don't want another beach. -legal hassle." To which Green re- Sanders claims to be in favour of torted: "Where do you draw the such a fence, providing his custom - line'?" ers have access to the property. . "I don't know," Snider replied. "I agree (to the fence) as long as I Council resolved to=go ahead with ---could take -it (thc lot).over.and-clean- the construction of the,fcnce. it and police it and have it for my Still negotiating own use,' Sanders explained. Sanders said Monday he didn't . The restaurant owner also main - wish to cause problems for council.. twined that the village docsn't ade- To that end, his lawyer was trying quatcly patrol the arca. - to reach an agreement with the vil- lage Monday night. But -he is adamant about maintain- ing access to thc lot. "My lawyer, David Fischer says they have no right to erect a fence OI the question of ownership, Sanders was firm. "If they're trying to establish ownership, that's one reason I'm not going to allow them to build the fence." Brief sent on future of county government EXETER - Exeter council has . forwarded a lengthy brief to the Pro- vincial Task Force studying the Patterns for the Future for county government. The 13 page brief authored by Reeve Bill Micklc outlines the con- cerns of council that if the impact of the report is implemented with- out change would place burdens on citizens that they could not bear. The . preamble to tate brief con- cluded, it is paramount that any changes incorporated into a new county structure will fill the needs of local residents, not the desires of bureaucrats. The first point of Exctcr council is to have the option to delegate the first county representative if the ma}'or- docs not have enough time to fulfill the duties. Local responsi- bility would require. the head of council to place first priority with Beach patrol saves four from treacherous waters GRAND BEND - Good luck and the Grand Bend Beach patrol combined to oven tragedy Tues- day night when no Icss than four swimmers were overcome by stiff currents and rough water around the government pier. - Representing a delegation of lifeguards fresh from the scene of the incident, Mike Vcrhocve told village council that the patrol pulled four swimmers out of the turbulent water in Icss .than ten minutes' "I feel confident in saying that two of them would have drowned, Verhoevc told a horri- fied council. "They wouldn't have come out of that watcr tonight if we hadn't been there.`' Vcrhocve explained that it is cuslomary'for the .Beach Patrol to conduct one hour of practical training each week after hours. They were just finishing the ses- siowhen screams for help were heard rom pier --------= • An unidentified man with artifi- cial arms was swimming on the north bcach when he was caught in a current and pulled toward the pier. The current was strong enough to pull his artificial limbs off, leaving the man virtually helpless. All four guards jumped into the water to save the man. A human chain was formed to haul him out . when he was close enough to the pier. Just as they were writing a re- port on the rescue, another call for help came from three swimmers who were in trouble off the end of the pier. Patrol members swam out and pulled the victims to safe- ty on the south beach. Under normal circumstances, there would have been no life- guards on the scene. They go off- duty at 6:30 p.m. "When we're on duty, we keep people out of there," Vcrhocve said. "But when we're not thcre,; there's nothing to stop people (from swimming in the dangerous area)." in light of those incidents, Ve- rhoeve asked council to post warn- ing signs along the pier immedi- ately. Council noted that the .pier was out of their jurisdiction, bcing government property, but they agreed to post warning signs on the beach in front of the OW:— The The village acted quickly and a large,sign was erected Friday which read: "Danger: No swimming or diving off the pier." The treacherous water conditions arc caused when high waves are di- rected down the length of the pier on either side, creating unpredicta- ble undertows and shifting cur- rents. The Beach Patrol noted that thc artificial limbs might wash up on Shore in the next week. if anyone finds them, they should contact the lifeguards. the municipality. With concerns that equity will not be achieved at the representation level, the brief continues, " We ask' you to consider that money raised to operate a county system comes in part from property taxes. Somc ratepayers have subsidized taxes; others .do not. Those who arc not subsidized must have some equita- ble way of expressing their con- ccrns on issues that cause tax in- creases or changes. Representation must, by necessity, fall into two categories - physical representation and voting patterns that create equi- ty." Council agrees that there arc func- tions that arc best served by the county and should be mandated as core functions. Such services would include homes for the aged, social services, health, roads and -waste management. Areas such as planning at the lo- cal level, cconomic development, building inspection, local roads, in- dustrial, commercial and recreation- al development, recreation, parks, policing; local water.and sewers arc bcst served by local rnunicipalifr` Areas such as transit, museums and Please turn to page 2 We'll be late Due to Civic Holiday, Monday, the Exctcr Times Advocate will be published one day later than usual next week. Advertising deadlines will be ex- tended to 4 p.m., Tuesday and the paper will be printed Wednesday night for Thursday morning deliv- ery. Huron considers office relocation GODERICH = The County .of Huron will conduct a feasibility study to determine if it should -move county offices from Goderich to •the. present Huronview building just south of Clinton. . • -In a 27-4 recorded voteat its rcgu= lar July 'session, Huron County Council approved an executive .committee recomrnendation to study the possible move. - - - • "What is the rationale. of even thinking about this?" asked Gode- rich Deputy Reeve John Doherty. Goderich, he pointed out, has al- ways been the hcadquartcrs'of coun- ty govcrnmcnt in Huron County-, and any move -would be a step back - d. McKillop Township Reeve Marie Hickncll, -the committee's acting chairman, pointed out during pres- entation of the _executive committee report that the present overcrowding in thc Goderich Court House, a pro- posal for building a new facility for -Huronvicw residents; -and -what to- do with the old Huronvicw building were all factors which must be_con- sidered in making a decision. The move is jjst being investigated, she said. It isnot cut and dried. • The proposal grows out of a study on the future of Huronvicw which recommends the construction -- of a new seniors' facility on the. county -owned 110 -acre site. The study .also includes plans for con- struction -of satcllitc'hornes later -in the northern and southern parts of the county. This -action would leave the -county with the existing. large Huronvicw- building which would cost too much to. renovate to mod- ern standards for seniors' care, but is. in too good condition - in the opin- •ion of many people - to be demo- - lished. This comes at -a time of .mount- ing concern over overcrowding at the court house."On June 30, a pub=. lic inspections panel, looking into various public buildings around the county,m criticized the-overcrowd--- ing at the court house and called for a third -party consulting firm to plan the renovation and reorganization of the building. The court house serves a double role as headquarters of county gov- ernment and site of the courts. The County of Huron owns the building and rents space. to the Attorney General's office for the courts and offices for court officials. Provin- cial officials arcalsoseeking more room for the court needs.- Ilay Township Reeve- Lionel Wilder was the only non-Goderich member to vote against the feasi- bility study. Since the proposal is for the courts to take over the court house,. Mr. Wilder said, It should be the courts which should be look- ing for 'another -building, not the county. - - • Goderich Recvc Harry Worsell wondered who would conduct the study and how much it would cost. Mrs. 1lickncll"replied that no out- -side holy was being brought in. Others, who eventually voted in- favor of the study, still, expressed - - reservations on the idca.of moving - thc.county scat from Goderich._ -Colborne Township Reeve Rus - Sell' Kcrnighan .warned .that the study: ha.,fairly,hroad implications - and Exctcr Recvc Bill Mickle said hecould understand the thinking in proposing the move, hut hoped there would be a•very balanced and open investigation before a decision is made. "There may he Aiwa of - a - lot of• costs. in relocating," Mr. Micklc sail. . The matter now goes to the coun-. ty's agriculture and property com- mittce which is in -charge of all county -Owned buildings. - Those who voted against study- • ing the move are: Mr. Worsell•(two votes), Mr. Doherty and Mr: VVild- cr.. Recorded as voting in favor arc: - Ashfield Township_ Reeve- Allan Gibson, Mr. Kernighan, Goderich Township Reeve Grant Stirling, Goderich Township Deputy Reeve Laurie Cox, Grey Township Reeve Leona •Armstrong, Hay Township Deputy Reeve Claire Dcichcrt, - —Howick__Township"Recvc Gerald D'Arccy, Mullett TownshipRcevc-:"•" Tom Cunningham, -Mrs. Hickncll, • Morris Township Rcevc Doug Fraser, Stanley Township Reeve Please turn to page 2 ZURICH OUEEN '88 • Tracey Fisher was Queen of the 1988 Zurich Fair Friday night. Runnersup were.Karen Steckie and Laurie Forrester. FRIEDSBURG DAYS Light girls for Queen title page 2 SUPERWOMEN Huron County women write play page 6 FIRE TRUCK Hensall and area fire board gets new pumper page 10 - • EQUI-FEST Olympic dressage trials near Thorndale page t A ZURICH FAIR A photo review of the 1988 edition page 14A e 1