Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1987-03-25, Page 1THE OLD FASHIONED WAY --- Dwight Henderson of Main street in tucan is joined by neighbours Jamie and Sabrina McKay in watching the sap evaporate on his outside wood burning stove. Henderson has more than a gallon of syrup in the first four days of his small maple syrup operation. Imes Serving South Huron, North Middlesex One Hundred and Fifteenth Year Expect good stip run Although the vernal equinox mark ing the official beginning of spring 1987 occurred at 10:52 p.m. on March 20, sap -started flowing in area sugar ushes a month earlier. Albert Schilbe, RR 1 Bayfield, began boiling on February 24, and production has been continuous since. The current frosty nights and sunny days are ideal for a good run of sap. Schilbe anticipates a better than average yield this year, to make up for last year when the sudden onset of warm weather brought maple syrup production to an abrupt halt. His last boil in 1986 was on March 27. Wayne Tuckey is carrying on a five - generation tradition of making delicious maple syrup in the Tuckey sugar bush norwest of Exeter. He started carrying sap to the evaporator about three weeks ago, and has produced 56 gallons so far. Tuckey aims for an annual produc- tion of approximately 150 gallons in a good year, enough to satisfy his long-time customers, before pulling out the spiles and leaving the trees to- do their own thing until next February. - ----- Tuckey has lost some young, vigorous trees in recent years, and is concerned that acid rain is going to be anincreasing worryile has talked to other producers, and all are experien- cing some decline in their bushes livelihood of some maple syrup pro - The problem is threatening the ducers in Quebec and the Maritimes. .•f THE SAP WAS RUNNING -- Dwight Henderson gets* = -from neighbour Sabrina McKay in gathering sap. Saturday afternoon. Henderson has o small number of maple trees tapped on his proper- ty on Main street north in lucan. T -A photo vacate & North Lambton Since 1873 EXETER, ONTARIO, March 25, .1987 Price Per Copy 60 Cents County budget hiked •six percent Huron County Council approved its 1987 budget totalling $21,125,184, with the county's apportionment being $4,897,547 which represents a six per- cent increase over 1986 at the coun- cil's budget meeting on March 19. To taxpayers, the average assess- ment rate in the county will rise 1.6 percent resulting in a net increase to the county levy of six percent. Bayfield will bear the biggest in- crease in the county levy with a 16 percent increase while West Wawanosh Township was assessed the lowest amount with a 1.2 percent increase. To get to the six percent figure, the executive -committee of the county were forced to make numerous budget cuts in the preliminary budget which represented an 11.75 increase over 1986. County Clerk -Treasurer Bill Hanley referred totthe budget as a "nickel and dime" budget with a number of small expenses being cut to arrive at the six percent increase over- 1986. However, the budget included the cut- ting of a $23,000 grant for the new run- way at the Goderich Municipal Air- port and a reduction of $250,000 in the Huronview reserve, set aside for the proposed rendirations at the County - run home for the aged. The budget did include a $75,000 to be included in the hospital reserve fund for the Seaforth Public Hospital. The grant will be set aside for each of the next four years with the last -two PUPPETS GONE FISH(N' --- The puppet show "Gone Fishin" was presented by the Huron library Board at the Exeter library Tuesday afterngon. Above, puppeteer Marion Doucette is surrounded by Jason Elliott, Jared -Neville; •te now and Courtney Oke. T -A photo Planning director poses questions in Exeter move Iluron County planning department director Dr. Gary Davidson said this week he was uncertain how to react to an announcement by Exeter coun- cil that the town would not requipe the services of the planning department after the end of this year and would' contract out their requirements with an independent planner. Davidson. who was on a skiing holi- day during'spring break. said that the department has not yet been formal- ly advised of Exeter's decision and his knowledge of the situation stemmed only from. the report in last week's Times -Advocate. He said initially that he hoped the matter could be resolved by the end of the year`with Exeter changing its decision. Kul failing that, that the separation wotiltl at least be amicable. Davidson said Exeter officials were correct in explaining that the Plann- ing Act gives municipalities the authority to do their own planning. but he was uncertain atxnrt some of the ramifications. The planning director explained he was at a loss to understand how some of the figures about county planning costs cited by co(ttcil members had been arrived al. noting that planning department costs are contained in the county's general levy and are not ascertained on a direct charge -hack system to individual municipalities for specific services rendered. While Exeter members have in- dicated they would not have to con- tribute to the Huron planning depart- ment costs. Davidson said he was uncertain how that would work, "i don't know if there is a mechanism for it," he added. He cited several areas of concern, one being the question of equity in One injury in collisions One injury was reported in the two collisions investigated by the Exeter OPP this week. That was the result of a Friday -col- lision involving vehicles driven by Carman Cable, Hurrn Park, and. Peter Van-Riel, RR 2 Grand Bend. They collided on Highway 83 at the in- tersection of Stephen concession 2-3. Damage was set at $6,000 and Cable sustained minor injuries. The other crash was -on Thursday, when a vehicle driven by Carol Par- sons, RR 3 Exeter, skidded through an intersection at the Usborne- Ilibbert townline, went into the ditch and rolled over. The driver escaped injury and damage was estimated at $2,000. During the week; the local detach- ment officers laid 45 charges under the Highway Traffic Act and six under the Liquor Licence Act. that the department -has undertaken work on the town's official plan and zoning bylaws while other municipalities in the county - par- ticularly rural ones - are still awaiting this service and in fact have been con- tributing to the costs of providing other communities with those services. Davidson said it would be another three years before all municipalities have official plans and zoning bylaws copipleted by the county department. Ile explained that the county plan- ning department would still have to review many of the planning matters undertaken by Exeter under current provincial regulations. "We wouldn't have as much work to do ( for Ex- eter), but there would still he some." he said in explaining that the county would be required to review any of- ficial plan or subdivision changes pro- posed by Exeter. At the present time. those reviews are done in conjunction with the preparation work done by the depart- ment ori behalf of municipalities. In addition, the planning depart- ment is also in charge of..ionomit development, tourist promotion and energy conservation in Huron and, Davidsonsaid there would t d to be some deliberation regardin Exeter's involvement in those progr ms. -We certainly can't exclude Exeter." he emphasized. Please turn to page 3 years provisional on the approval of the new council. Council itself was subject to a budget cut with the overall commit- tee pay for councillors reduced by $4,880. According to Warden Brian McBurney, the reduction in commit- . tee pay was possible by making a clearer distinction between commit- tee pay for a half day ora whole day. A full day pay is now defined as three hours or more of meeting time. Stanley 'Township Reeve Clarence Rau said a number of the committees start anywhere between lu a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and. after lunch, meet for another hour and consider it a full day meeting. Ile recommended that. with a bit of effort on the part of the com- mittee members. he said the meeting Stephen= concerned over levy increase Stephen council will be sending a letter to the Ausable-Bayfield Conser- vation Authority. to voice their displeasure on the 9.7 percent in- crease 'proposed in the 1987 levy. Council members feel the authori- ty should stay within five percent guidlines for municipal increases. The tender of MacDonald Sanita- tion of Crediton was accepted to pro- vide twice weekly garbage collection services in the residential area of Huron Park. The MacDonald bid of $9,580.86 was the lowest of three received. The con- tract will run to March :31, 1988. Amending bylaws were passed con- cerning the Fleming -Morrissey and Marlene municipal drain repairs. The resignation of Tony Jones as a member of the Stephen recreation committee was received. Chairman Mike Glavin, committee member Roy Wilson and manager Frank Funston were in attendance lo review the 1986 operation and 1987 budget of the Stephen township aTenn . Application is being made to the Ontario Ministry of Energy for a grant to install a new heating system in the -township community centre in Crediton. Cost will be approximately $6,000. Tenders are being called for the supply of diesel fuel. regular gasoline and furnace oil for a two year term for the township works department and community centres. . Building official Milton Dietrich will be attending a new home warran- ty meeting April 1 and an Ontario Property Standards meeting June 14 to 17. Both are in London. - The 1987 proposed budget of the Pinery Cemetry Board was recreived. but not approved. Huron county weed inspector Joe Gibson will handle similar duties in Stephen. Council has suggested the services of Mark Lerner of Lerner Associates in London to give assistance in a legal matter. ' - • John and Catherine Gielen are claiming a number of pigs on -their lot 9, concession 9 property were killed due to drinking contaminated water. ORDERED TO TRIAL Two area residents charged follow- ing a massive police drug raid in Huron County late last summer ap' peered in Goderich court last Monday and were ordered to stand. trial on, charges laid under the Narcotics Con- trol Act. They were Eugene King and Rowena Schaufler, both of RR 1 Exeter. King also appeared on charges of unsafe storage of firearms and possession of a prohibited weapon. The latter charge was withdrawn and King was found guilty on the other and was given an absolute discharge. The Gielens say the contaminated water came from an improper hookup from the township's water system. - could start earlier and be classified as halt day meetings. "There's no reason why meetings can't start at 9 a.in.. end at 12 or 12:30 p.m.. and be considered:a half day meeting.- he said. Goderich Reeve Ilarry %VorseJl said he. because he lives in town. could be at the committee meetings by 9 a.m.. but he said other council members in the -country- would -have- a -difficult Iime.arriving at the early morning_ meetings on time. "1 don't know. how you can cut i the meetings i down." he said. Rau said a number of farmers have now turned to cash cropping which has cut back on the amount of time re- quired to work in the mornings. : t number of councillors brought up the suggestion of having evening . Please turn to page 2 GOOD FLYING DAY Rob Dunn and Tony Armstrong were out kite flying near the Exeter Public School. Saturday afternoon. Huron Park site for area courses Students in six elementary schoc is in South Huron will join their counter- parts in other,parts of the county in being provided with family studies and industrial arts training this fall. The Huron board of edueation, al their March meeting. accepted a recommendatt'on from director Robert Allan and other board ex- ecutives to have the courses for grades seven and eight provided al J.A.D. McCurdy school in Iluron Park. The students from Zurich. Hensall, Exeter, Ustbornef Stephen and the host school will attend the classes on a weekly basis for approximately one hour. . Allan -acknowledged that a more centrallocalion in Exeter would have been preferred. but the required space was only available at the Iluron Park school. The programs have been offered in the central portion of the county since the early 1970s and were•added for northern students at the Wingham high school last year as the hoard moved to make the courses universal across the county.. Allan said the programs are similar to what were known as home economics and industrial arts when they were providedaat SHDIIS several years ago. However, the main dif- ference now is that the programs are co-educational: In earlier limes. the girls were enrolled in home economlies. while the boys took in- dustriaT arts. The industrial arts course will pro- vide instruction in preliminary wood working. drafting, metal and plastic work and soldering. Family studies centres on food preparation and textiles. The director said that Iwo kitchens will be established in the Iluron Park school along with a number of sewing machines and cutting and -pressing tables. Lathes. work benches, metal •and plastic tables and a room for painting will be provided in the industrial arts section. Two additional staff members will be hired to teach the classes.Work on renovations to house them is expected to start- shady at McCurdy. •