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Times-Advocate, 1987-02-18, Page 1600 PER COPY Wide range of rate increases okayed by rec board Rate increases ranging from zero to 122 percent were approved by the South Huron rec centre board of management, Thursday. The majori- ty of increases were in the five to 10 percent range, and given the inflation factor. the revenue to be generated could fall far short .of meeting the needs in view of an almost 30 percent grant reduction from the four suppor- ting municipalities for the current year. Some of the increases approved by the board will not come into effect un- til the new ice season opens next fall and others won't apply antil 1988. Board members had previously ex- pressed concern to Exeter council over a gigantic decrease in the town's grant for 1987. Last year the town con- tributed *95,000 and propose to give only $60,000 this year. The three townships have all increased their grants for the present year with Usborne going to.*11,500 from *11,000, Stephen up from *1,200 to $5,000 and Hay moving from $800 to *1,500. Stephen and Usborne have both ad- vised Exeter council they will not sign a formal agreement regarding the funding. Exeter plans to subsidize minor ice participants directly this year with money saved from the normal grants to the board. 'Exeter Councillor Dorothy Chap- man told her board cohorts that they should go ahead and draw up a budget so it can be looked at by the town. She indicated council would be open to negotiations on the matter. The biggest increase approved by the board this week calls for the Ex- eter Agricultural Society to pay a fee of 51,000 for use of the grounds and facilities for the fair. The rental rate for the past threeyears has been $150. The SLOW fee is the same as that which will be charged for homecom- ing and the home and garden show. Last year, those groups paid $700 and $750 respectively. Chairman Kathy Whiteford of the facilities committee, which made the rate recommendations, said "we ex- pect to hear from the fall fair" and in- dicated the rate could be subject to negotiation., Usborne representative Pat Down suggested the rate should have been negotiated with the board first, to escape any bad publicity. Mrs. Whiteford explained that the fair had use of the grounds and facilities for a longer period than either of the other two major events and Mrs. Chapman said that the sug- gested fee was "very reasonable" when the normal rental rates for all the facilities over a three-dayperiod were taken into consideration. When Mrs. Down noted that the agricultural society members do a lot of their own clean-up and setting up, facilities manager Cam Stewardson and Mrs. Whiteford agreed, but noted that all the groups involved in the special events did the sameand were very cooperative in that regard. Ice rates for the 1987-88 season were set at $55 per hour, up from this year's *50. Tournaments will be charged at the $55 per hour rate, whereas their price was $450 per day or $45 per hour it:this season. . Rental forthe hall with the ice will -remain at $200 per day. Friday night rentals for the hall auditorium were left unchanged for 1988 at *200, while the Saturday night rate was boosted from $300 to $315. Rates for Sunday through Thursday will be $30 per hour for groups of over 75 and $15 for those under $75. The previous rate was $25 across the board. Rates for the use of the bar were in- creased about five percent, ranging from $42 for groups up to 150 to $180 for groups over 400. The range was BIG AND LITTLE BROTHERS — Jeff Lomond (left), Little Brother Gor- - die -Webb, and Tony -Pickering and_hi_s_Big Brother John Den Otter await their turn in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters bowlathon at,fown and Countr Lanes in Zurich. READY FOR BREAKFAST — Lindsa d 0 T I th ' fates y an Drew y ler carry en p a es to a table at Sunday's Kirkton-Woodham Winter Carnival brunch Sun- day morning. T -A photo IMO Serving South Huron, North Middlesex One Hundred and Sixteenth Year $40 and $165 respectively. Use of the kitchen will be 75e for hot meals for groups over 200 and 50 cents for under 200. Cold meals will be charged at 15 cents. The arena floor rental goes up by $25 for 1988 to $325 and the same price and increase was set for a bar in eon• junction with the arena floor rental. The price charged for mix will jump by 100 per bottle to $1.60 The 1987 rate for the agricultural building for auctions is up $20 to *100. . Please turn to page 3 K -W CARNIVAL QUEEN — Marianne Denotter was named Queen of the Kirkton Woodham Winter carnival Friday night. Above, she is crowned by last year's winner Jill Burgin. Beside her is Princess Beth Williams. T -A photo VOC & North-Lambton-Since-1873- - EXETER, ONTARIO, February 18, 1987 Price Per Copy 60 Cents Expose on county shows 'conflicts need addressing' "This is a very serious thing," Ex He did say -ilial it appears that "the eter Councillor Gaylan Josephson less You know, the better off you are." commented al Monday's session in As an example of not getting infor- answers back from the county. reference to a two-page spread car nation as requested. he was unable - "For some reason they feel. ried7trthat-morning's-edition-of-the---tc find out-the-amount-ollegal fees -the. ____threatened,_hesaid_.I_cant.account_ London Free Press regarding some of .county expended to have a private for it." •He also noted it was unfortunate honest and direct questions.. they The Free Press noted that Elsa often don't get honest and direct I laydon a Goderich columnist. was at the centre. of the storm and that she charges that Huron County is being run_ hy__-ama11= group within--the- 31-member council, under the direc- tion of clerk -treasurer Bill Hanly, which wants to control everything and_ which tolerates no opposition. While some of the Huron officials have refuted claims made by Hayden. Goderich Reeve Harry Worsell is one of her supporters, claiming .she studies everything "pretty darned good" and isn't wrong too often. He also.had some shots for his fellow county council members. sug- gesting that "only about eight of the 31 county councillors ever ask ques- tions: as for the rest you might as well take a cushion and have a sleep". erg �t .1 4.:. .. .. .— TV1Y" .ry.!R j61R yi the policial unrest at the Huron coun- ' member's bill introduced at the tes- ty level. - nario Legislature to change the While noting it was critical of. some library system to a committee of county members and administrators touncil. - in particular. "Huron County as a He said the repeated unsuccessful whole got a slap in the face," he said. attempts to get answers "has an un - He said the articles, which referred fortunate effect on county council .to the recent resignations of three members". - He also recalled that the county received a document from the minister of health indicating council members and administrators were too directly involved in the Health Unit administration. That document was turned over to the administration for an answer and Mickle said he can not recall any response forthcoming as yet. "It's not a very glowing report," he continued in reference to the news spread, adding that it shows a lot of conflict that needs to be addressed and brought to a point where people understand what's going on. Josephson said he appreciated the Reeve's candid remarks, noting that they were similar to those which had been aired by !tickle and Deputy - Reeve Lossy Fuller at previous coun- siens. The latter was not in at- tendance on M6nd. "Hew do we get to know the truth and whether there is anything behind this?" Josephson asked. "is there any independent body to look at county council?" Mickle said he had- heard of ,1i isftictlti�tl;i�anda gtlR ,Aals over by provincial authorities to resolve. matters. but said he wouldn't even suggest whether that was needed in Huron. "The more you ask, the less response you get," he continued. Referring to council's debate with the county planning committee, Coun- cilor Dorothy Chapman said members appeared to have their minds made up and it didn't matter what Exeter had to show to prove a point. Problems wouldn't arise if people didn't vote or agree on something un- til they understood it," she added. noting that it appears some members of county council vote without understanding the issue!;. Mickle said his involvement on county council "drags me to the bot- tom of the pits" and indicated he would give up his role in that regard. "i don't need the - frustration," he said. Mayor Bruce Shaw, referring to some past experience, said he had the impression that while people ask y department heads, lett a 101 0f insinuations. but no conclusions. - "You were left with the impression it (county ) is run by a very few peo- ple with a lot of power," he added. before asking Reeve Bill Mickle for his response. "It is quite an article," Mickle opined, saying that many of the facts and opinions presented mirrored the thoughts of how "some of us" on coun- cil feel they are happening. He said when questions were ask- ed, there was no real effort by some personnel to provide answers, adding that he was not going to condemn any one person for the current situation. Judge changes plans for speaking An Ilderton area man had his conducted at his residence on October weekend plans changed after appear- 3. Police found a plastic bag with ing before Judge Gary Hunter in Ex- some marijuana, pieces of a mari- eter court, Tuesday. juana plant and a cigarette in an William Revington Stanley, RR 2 Il- ashtray, a stem of a marijuana plant derton, advised that he had planned on a picture frame in a bedroom and to be speaking at an Alcoholics An- some resin in the kitchen. nonymous convention. However, he The value of the narcotics seized was sentenced to 30 days in jail after was estimated at about $80. ----pleading-guilLj_te being in care and The 29 -year-old had no previous control of a vehicle while his b1 i—record and-he<was$iven 3o_d_a sin alcohol level was over the legal limit. .which to pay the fine. In additon. the 46 -year-old was A fine of $250 was also levied giver* a three-year driving against T. Edgar O'Dell, RR 3 suspension. Crediton, after he pleaded guilty to an Judge Hunter ordered that the jail assault charge which was laid follow - sentence was to be served in London ing an incident in the Outer Limits Ar- on weekends from 7:00. p.m. on rade in Exeter on November 8. Fridays to 6:00 a.m. on Mondays. Evidence- revealed that O'Dell Stanley was charged on May 26 became involved in a mild argument after Exner_ Police eeceiveda_call---..witir-anottrer•gatruir and-pushed-the— about a person who had passed out in a vehicle parked at the Exeter inn. They found the accused sleeping in the vehicle with an open bottle of beer beside him. - A breathalizer test gave a reading of 130 mgs. Stanley told'the court he had slop- ped drinking in 1984 but had severe financial pressures when this incident occurred and he had started "drinking again. He had previous convictions for drinking and driving offences. A fine of *250 was levied against Jeffrey Dean Oesch, Goshen St.. Zurich. after he pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of narcotics. latter into the wall and hit him on the jaw, causing his head to hit hard on the wall. That resulted in a mild con- cussion for the victim, who was described as being smaller and younger than the 234ear-old accused. O'Dell was given 60 days to pay the fine. Jason VanHaarlem, 73 Huron St. W., Exeter, and Dianne Dearing, RR 1 Exeter, were each ordered to post a peace bond for .12 months and to have no contact with each other dur- ing that period. • They were involved in an alterca- tion in the latter part of January and the court was told that each had fears He was charged after a search was for personal safety from the other. .-T_ - • ish has moved The continuing saga of Exeter's satellite TV dish has apparently come to a conclusion. Councillor Ben Hoogenboom advis- ed council this week that the di9h located at the Mirky, Mommersteee rence had been moved. He said it was now on the garage. but was corrected by others who ex- plained that it was actually on a pole. "it meets the zoning bylaw,". building inspector Brian Johnston advised. "Perseverance does pay off," Hoogenboom commented. The controversy boiled throughout most of last year and Mrs. Mom- mersteeg was fined for contravening a town bylaw. Assault charges and counter -charges were also laid against Fred Mommersteeg and Johnston, but they were quickly dismissed when the court ruled that they were not worthy of consideration. UNUSUAL TRANSPORTATION - - Youngsters speeding around Huron Park on a sleigh powered by a couple of Irish Setters are becoming o common sight. Shown ready to go for a spin ore Nathan Barlett and Bobby and Danny Mcfadden. The two setters Boy and Paddy are owned by Larry Walker. PERMITS UP • Although only four building permits were issued in January by building in- spector Brian Johnston. the 1987 total for the month is higher than that of the previous year. The four permits, two for residen- tial renovations and additions, one for an industrial renovation and one for a garage, were valued at *20,500. The January total in 1986 was $17.000 and (hen continued to climb to an all-time record by the end of the year. There were also three permanent signs and four ,temporary ones ap- proved during the past month. that some people appear to get on county council "by dumb luck" through acclamations and have something less than the honorable in- tention to serve their community and county. The Mayor wondered aloud why some members are in Goderich. given the amount of input they provide. Council finally decided to send the issue to (he executive committee for further consideration. "It's too serious just to drop." Josephson commented. r • ikw ..wr.j WELCOME GRANDPA Christy Duchorme of St. Boniface Separate School in Zurich pins a name tag on her grondpo Jim Dolton as. students entertained seniors to Valentine's party. Plan emergency shelter - Exelef s social services committee. in conjunction with the local ministerial association and two -coun- ty social agencies will he zttlempting to "develop a routine" that can be us- ed in emergency requests for shelter. Committee chairman Peter Snell explained that the project was aim- ed primarily at teenagers and youths who may require acommodation for a variety of reasons. While county agencies can assist at most times. personnel are often not available on weekends arid' the -pro- gram is geared to fill that need. Reeve Bill Mickle said that county personnel were available on weekends, but unfortunately the in- formation needed by municipal police or other agencies had not been up- dated in that regard. Mayor Bruce Shaw announced that the Anglican Bishops have promised $5,000 in support for the project and a request for assistance from the United Church was being presented to Presbytery. The committee alsorecommended that council set a.figure of $:3.500 for donations this year. Also recommend- ed was a $500 grant to the Vanastra • rec centre and $1,000 for the building of a permanent town float that could be used at local and area parades and events to promote the community. The latter three recommendations were not voted upon by council and will be forwarded lo the budget com- mittee for their consideration. Council diff approve a recommen- dation that the recreation director set up a meeting with representatives of each minor sports group to discuss surcharges for participants from out- side the four contributing municipalities. as well as to gain in- formation from the groups asio what costs are incurred lo run their pro- grams, including the South Huron rec centre facility cost. From the findings of this meeting, Snell advised. a policy will be for- mulated in respect lo future assistance to minor sport groups in .the municipality. •