Times-Advocate, 1987-05-27, Page 3Huron Park driver is convicted
after coming. close to pedestrian
A Huron Park man who skidded to
within a few feet of a pedestrian
before getting his vehicle stopped,
was convicted of careless driving in
Exeter court, Tuesday.
Justice of the Peace Douglas
Wedlake brought down the decision
and levied a fine of $278.75 against
Scott J. McClintock, 174 Columbia
Drive. That was more than double the
normal penalty of $128 for the offence.
Exeter Police Constable Will
Chisholm was the first witness call-
ed to the March 23 incident on An-
drew St. in Exeter. Ile was on foot
when he heard a vehicle roar from
behind him and saw it proceeding
south on Andrew at a speed that he
estimated at 70 to 80 kph.
The witness said he yelled at a
female pedestrian he saw crossing the
street and said the vehicle had skid
marks of 37.1 metres before coming
to a halt about one to two feet from
the woman on the roadway.
The pedestrian said she saw the
vehicle in the distance but figured she
could cross the street before it arriv-
ed, but it approached quickly and she
Trauma plan
Continued from front page
At the end of Hardy's moving
discourse, Dorothy Chapman, Exeter
council's representative on the town's
police commission, arose to say she
agreed the post -trauma unit was a
good program. Her only objection
was to municipalities being asked to
bear the entire financial burden. She
wanted to know why police associa-
tions couldn't pay part of something
which benefits them directly.
Her position was supported by
Marcel Beaubien, mayor of Petrolia.
He said the only reason police depart-
ment coffers in Petrolia were enrich-
ed by $400 last year was because eight
new residences were built in the town.
Hardy countered by referring to an
incident in Exeter in January. A man
being questioned at the police station
about a break-in suddenly attacked
Sgt. Kevin Short. A. police constable
was also involved in the fracas. The
man was later charged with attemp-
ted murder of Short, assault on Const.
Brad Sadler, and mischief to the
police office and equipment.
"There were three weeks of listen-
ing to work this out. Exeter is bless-
ed that both men are still on the job.
You have in excess of $50,000 in-
vested in the training and experience
of each police officer, and spending an
initial $400 plus $75 a year is pretty
darn cheap if it can save a
policeman's career", Hardy said.
Politicians and policemen agree the
nit-traulna unit is needed. The only
bble is over who picks up the tab.
Four go
Four union workers at Exeter's
Moffatt and Powell Ltd. building
material store joined 51 at six other
company locations on picket duty on
Friday.
The employees have gone on strike
for a better contract offer.
Everet Winegarden, vice-president
and business representative of
Teamsters Local 141, said the strike
began Thursday at some stores.
Truck drivers, yard workers and
clerks at stores in London, Strathroy,
Watford, Goderich, Mitchell and
Tillsonburg are joining those from
Exeter in seeking a first contract with
the company after being certified in
August.
Exeter employees Tony Robertson
and Dave Kuehl were on the picket
line on Monday. afternoon and the'
former said the main difference is
over money and overtime.
He said employees now have to
work 88 hours in a two-week period
before receiving any overtime pay.
Ile acknowledged Winegarden's
statement that the union is seeking
wages of $10 to $11 per hour. Robert-
son, who is yard foreman, is current-
ly receiving $8.65.
Five non-union staff members are
still working at the Exeter site.
Robertson was upset when two
trucks pulled in with deliveries on
Monday afternoon and crossed the
picket line. Ile indicated the two
laneways at the local store made it
difficult to picket and hopes some help
froze because she didn't think she
could get out of the way by going
backwards or forwards. She said the
vehicle stopped closer than five feet
from her.
A passenger in the vehicle took the
stand and said the vehicle was only
going 50 kmp. when the brakes were
applied by the driver and the skid
marks were only 10 to 11 feet.
The driver explained that he had
been having trouble with the car and
because it was sputtering, he had
stepped on the gas to correct that. He
too said he stopped from five to six
feet from the woman.
The vehicle, he reported, is now in
the junkyard. -
Two fines amounting to $313.75
were levied against John Joseph
.r . n /. S . WIP C'.4
•
McIlhargey, 280 Main St., Lucan,
after he pleaded guilty to driving
while under suspension on May 8 and
having liquor readily available in the
vehicle.
A policeman stopped a car driven
by the accused at 10:23 p.m. on St.
Lawrence Ave. in Huron Park
because the vehicle had only one
headlight and one tail light.
There was an odor of alcohol in the
vehicle and an open bottle of beer in
the front seat.
The court learned that the driver
wouldn't identify himself and he got
out of the car, took a case of beer from
the back seat, and started walking
away.
Later, a taxi passed by and the ac-
cused was in the front seat of it as a
Missing some grants?
Exeter council representative
Dorothy Chapman contended this
week that the South Huron rec centre
board could be missing out on hun-
dreds of dollars in various grants.
She suggested that a board member
should be named to consider the ex-
tensive list of grants as documented
in literature at the town office.
However, board chairman Jim
Workman said that the responsibili-
ty to seek out all grant avenues was
already contained in the staff job
descriptions.
When facilities manager Cam
Stewardson said he was aware of
some of the grants available, member
Ken Oke quickly asked him why he
didn't apply if he knew about them.
Stewardson responded by noting
that the grant money was turned over
to the town and not the board.
Mrs. Chapman then tossed down
her pen on the table and turned to
Stewardson to say she couldn't
believe the attitude indicated by that
statement.
She opined that it didn't matter who
got the grants, as long as they became
available locally.
CCAT CELEBRATES 20 YEARS — An alumni reunion and retirement
party for director of student affairs Don Orth Sunday was part of the
20th anniversary celebrations at Centralia College. Above, cutting
the cake are principal Bill Allen, Dor, Orth, Alumni vice-president
Sandy Broadfoot and president Phylli%'Klumpers. T -A photo
WeiSNOMMOSeVABOSMONANNOWNERNMISINRIIIIIIIIIIII
passenger and the vehicle was stop-
' ped, but the Lucan man still wouldn't
identify himself.
He was given 90 days in which to
pay the two fines and his licence was
placed under suspension for a further
six months.
In other cases on Tuesday's docket,
the following were given fines:
Dennis C. Beuerman, RR 1 Blyth,
was fined $78.75 after pleading guilty
to a charge of using licence plates that
were not authorized for the vehicle he
was driving on April 12.
Thomas W. Mabbett, Windsor, was
convicted of driving at a speed of 110
in an 80 km. zone on April 5 and was •
fined $48.75. A problem arose when
the court clerk explained there was
not an official receipt available and
Mabbett was told he could mail in the
fine. However, the latter refused to do
that because he said it would cost him
36 cents. He wanted a receipt or he
wouldn't pay, and finally accepted a
handwritten receipt.
In the final case, Stephen J. Ander-
son, Kingston, was tried in absentia
and was convicted of having liquor
readily available and was fined
$63.75. He was charged on February
14 when a car parked near the Exeter
cemetery was checked and open beer
was found.
Authority proposed
Continued from front page
rather than being told what they have
to do.
If approved by the municipalities
and the present 35 directors at their
November meeting, the implementa-
tion of the change may not be before
February 19::, or it could even be
delayed until 1989 as the province also
has to approve the changes being
considered.
Prout said one idea being presented
is that the directors being chosen for
the reduced membership could be
selected by ratepayers as part of
municipal elections, although he
quickly explained he didn't expect
that avenue to be followed.
Among the problems could be that
only one of the two or three
municipalities sharing in one director
could be staging a municipal election
if all other officials were acclaimed.
In addition some municipalities have
only portions in the watershed and
there could be problems in deciding
on the exact area from which voters
would be eligible.
Municipalities in the watershed
should be receiving information on
the proposal in the immediate future,
hut will be given considerable time to
make their wishes known as the deci-
sion will not be made until November
27 by the full authority membership.
on strike at /umber yard
may come from employees at other
yards.
It was indicated that no --further
talks between the union and company
officials were planned at present.
Manager Jim Rolph was out
operating a forklift to unload one
truck that was carrying a Targe supp-
ly of lumber to the firm on Monday' .
Rolph said the business is being
operated as usual and he has noticed
only minor effects in the early stages
of the strike as a few potential
customers have turned around after
seeing the picket signs. Conversely,
he said some customers are adamant
that they won't be affected by the cur-
rent situation.
PROGRESS REPORT — Gerry and Ann Boersma, RR 1 Exeter, are iri charge of the 1987 Flowers of Hope
campaign by the South Huron and District Association for the Mentally Handicapped. They discuss the
campaign with captains Gerda Postma, Varna, and Wendy King, Centralia.
Anummarsamia
Pollee .dit changes given praise
The Ontario Police Commission. in
Exeter recently to audit the local
department's filing system. lauded
the efforts undertaken in that regard.
"It is certainly gratifying to the
O.P.C. to recognize the vast improve-
ment in record's management now in
place in the Exeter Police Force's
record bureau," they slated in a
report included in the police commit-
tee's report given to council last week
by chairman Dorothy Chapman.
"The force should be congratulated
for the manner in which they address-
ed recommendations in the previous
audit. Special recognition must be
made to Mrs. Elaine Baynham for
contribution and dedication," the
O.P.C. added.
Mrs. Chapman's report noted that
the committee approved reimbursing
Sgt. Kevin Short $264 for the univer-
sity course he successfully com-
pleted. A letter of commendation to
him was also received for his par-
ticipation in the Students Against
Drinking Drivers (S.A.D.D.) week at
South Huron District High School.
Chief Larry Hardy has been award•
ed the certificate for management
level 11 course from the Ontario
Police College at Aylmer that he
recently attended. He attained a
mark of 90 percent.
Ile has also received the level I11
from the University of Western
Ontario.
Mrs. Chapman told council that
four people have been chosen for the
Exeter auxiliary police. Uniforms
have been ordered and work is pro-
ceeding on bylaws to cover their
duties and responsibilities.
The committee also approved 'an
expenditure of $400 for the post
shooting trauma team that will --be
organized and made available in
situations where required.
Mrs. Chapman explained that the
trauma team would also be working
with polite department members in
other situations where it is determin-
ed their assistance is required.
The addition of two staff members.
only one on a full-time basis, were
among several recommendations
from the executive committee ap-
proved by Exeter council, Tuesday.
The committee included the recom-
mendation for a full-time employee
for the works department starting in
September. That approval had been
tentatively given in the adoption of
this year's budget deliberations.
A part-time employee will be add-
ed to the building inspection office.
Brian Johnston has been authorized
to engage a third year engineering
technician for up to two days per
week during the summer to assist
with inspections, etc. A maximum of
$2,000 was set for that to include
wages, statutory benefits and
workers' compensation.
Other recommendations approved
were as follows:
Each councillor, in point form, is to
draft up concerns on as many issues
as possible to assist in the preparation
of the town's brief to a committee set
up by, the provincial government to
review the status of county govern-'
ment. The council members are to
have their presentations handed in to
the clerk by June 1.
Reeve Bill Mickle.was authorized to
develop terms of reference on his sug-
gestion that council establish an audit
committee to oversee budget
preparation and consultation with the
auditor.
That the committee proceed to
prepare a bylaw in respect to the ex-
tension of services beyond the town's
boundaries.
Two members of the executive are
to carry out evaluations of secretaries
employed at the municipal office,
police office and the recreation office.
That a meeting be set up with
Riverside drive residents to discuss
draft agreement of a policy regarding
the discharge of drainage from
private property onto the town's
parkland.
Times -Advocate, Ma 27, 1987
TOP SHDHS STUDENTS — The top students at South Huron District
High School were selected at Friday's annual formal dance. Above,
female winner Lee O'Rourke is shown with Greg O'Toole and Dove
Dougall who shared male honours. It was the second straight year
that two male students were deadlocked. T -A photo
Store coming?
Now appears reality
A new 12,000 square foot depart-
ment store could be open in Exeter by
this fall.
Dwayne Tinney of GK Realty & In-
surance Inc. confirmed this week that
only a couple of details have to be
completed for the new store to be
located on the north-west corner of
Main and Victoria St.
Three private residential properties
are expected to be removed to make
way for the new home of Saan's, a
Winnipeg -based department store
chain with 200 outlets in western
Canada.
The firm plans to establish several
outlets in other Ontario centres.
The local building will actually be
developed by Hawk Properties Inc. of
Calgary and then will be leased.to the
Winnipeg firm.
Tinney, who says he's "99.9 percent
certain" that the deal will go through.
explained that the firm has been in-
vestigating local possibilities for the
past two years. Ile was instrumental
in negotiation for the proposed site.
He noted that the firm has a strong
emphasis on fashions and officials
have told him that they will be com-
plementing other local stores and
won't be direct competition.
The building is to front on Main St.
and be located at the north side of the
three -lot property with parking being
made available at the rear and south
side.
Engineering drawings to be
presented to the town for a building
permit are now underway and finan-
cing for the project is being arranged.
It was announced in St. Marys last
week that Saan's would be
establishing there in the former Pro-
tective Plastics building.
A London company is developing
that property and lists Saan's as "a
very progressive company" which
maintains bright. clean premises and
carries a wide range of current
merchandise.
Boder found
Kippen man drowned
The body of Kippen area farmer
Douglas K. McKay was found wash-
ed up on a beach by a cottager in the
Port Albert area about 9:00 a.m.,
Saturday.
An autopsy on the 32 -year-old
trucker -farmer of RR 2 Kippen was
held on Sunday and Cpl. Chuck
Vessey of the Goderich OPP detach-
ment said the cause of death was
drowning.
It is not known whether the cor-
oner's office will hold an inquest.
McKay, the father of three, went
out into Lake Huron to fish on April
25 with 28 -year-old Bill Daters, 310
Carling St., Exeter. The latter's body
has still not been recovered.
The OPP said the search for Daters
will continue with the use of a
helicopter and marine units.
Searchers have been conducting an
exhaustive patrol along the shoreline
and in a wide area of Lake Huron
since the two men were reported
missing. .
Their 12 -foot aluminum boat was
found eight kilometres south' of
Bayfield. some 180 metres from the
shore a few days after their
disappearance.
A child's lifejacket. that was also
identified as part of the contents of the
boat was discovered floating 415
kilometres offshore and a hat owqrd
by one of the men was jecovered
about the same time.
The major portion of the search
was conducted between Grand Bend
and Goderich. McKay's body was
located about 16 kilometres north of
Goderich by the Port Albert cottager.
Funeral service was ijeld for
Mckay on Tuesday. A memorial ser-
vice for Daters was held in Exeter
three weeks ago.
Usborne idea
Could cut neighbours
Part of a submission being made by
Usborne Township council to a pro-
vincial committee studying the status
of county government could have
some ramifications for three of their
neighboring municipalities.
Usborne will suggest to the commit-
tee that the entitlement to a deputy -
reeve on county council be raised
from the current requirement of 1000
electors to 5000 electors.
That would leave only Goderich
with the number required as the town
currently has a population of 7282.
Deputy -reeves from Exeter.
Stephen and Hay would be eliminated
if the change was approved. The three
join only Goderich at present with
deputy -reeves sitting on county coun-
cil in Huron.
The Usborne submission will op-
pose a suggestion that mayors be con-
sidered as representatives on county
council.
Council will suggest that common
services such as tax arrears collec-
tion. economic development and
municipal planning should be con-
tinued at the county level since it
would not be financially feasible for
individual small municipalities to
maintain staff in those areas.
The township will advise the com-
mittee established by the ministry of
municipal affairs that they would be
pleased to attend a consultation
meeting.
In other business at their first May
meeting, council:
Moved to accept a recommendation
from Reeve Gerald Prout that a guest
book should be kept as a record of the
public guests who attend council
meetings.
Okayed a $50 increase in the grant
to the Hensall recreation centre. This
year's grant will be $600.
Stephen taxes
Only .slight increase
The majority of taxpayers in
Stephen township will be looking at an
increase of 3,9 percent when they
receive their 1987 tax noticts in the
near future.
The overall rate for residential
public school supporters will be
291.627 mills. That's up from 280.213
mills in 1986.
The increse of 11.414 mills is made
up of 2.537 mills for township purposes
5.646 for the county of Huron and 3.862
for elementary public schools. The
secondary public school levy dropped
by .731 mills.
The total commercial rate will be
343.089 mills compared to 329.662
mills a year earlier.'
Separate school supporters in the
township will be facing an increase of
7.2 percent as the overall residential
rate rrose from 277.568 to 299.149
mills.
The biggest rise came in the secon-
dary separate section up 6.529 mills
from 1986. The separate elementary
levy is basically the same as the
public school rate at 91.400 mills. the
increase here is 6.770 mills, but a year
ago the rate was 2.645 mills lower
than the elementary public figure.
The separate school commercial
rate is 351.939 mills. A year ago it was
326.546 mills.
Tax levies for the three police
villages and Huron Park along with
any special rates will be set at the
June 2 meeting of counci'.
The tender from Becker Farm
Equipment for the supply of a grass
cutting machine was accepted. At
$42,274.65 it was the lowest of three
received.
The report of the Wilson municipal
drain was received and provisional-
ly adopted. Court of revision on the
drain will be held June 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Tenders are being invited for the
work.
Four tile drain loan applications
totalling $41,400 were received and ac-
cepted. No objection voiced to a zon-
ing bylaw amendment in Grand
Bend.
The services of animal control of-
ficer Jim McLeod have been ter-
minated aryl advertising is appearing
this week for a replacement
A grant of $1,000 was made to the
Pinery cemetery committee.
Permission was given for the sale
of alcoholic beverages at the official
opening of the Centralia ball park on
June 13.
•