Times-Advocate, 1988-05-18, Page 1imes
11111111k,
Serving Scuth Huron, North Middlesex
One Hundred and Seventeenth Year
buuk
dvocate
& North Lambton Since 1873
EXETER, ONTARIO, May 18, 1988
PUREST WHITE =Exeter's squirrel guardian Andy DeBoer is looking after this baby white squirrel which fell
out of its nest somewhere on Andrew Street.- DeBoer feeds it a few eyedroppers of miik every four hours.
While many babies dc'not survive leaving the nest, this one is healthy and doing well. DeBoer hopes it can be
returned to the trees in a few weeks.
111 LUIIt;1I
Building in flood plain restricted
ZURICH -Building regulations
applicable to flood plain areas
brought a delegation of unhappy
people to the regular May meeting
of Zurich council to talk to Tom
Prout and Paul Elston from the
ABCA and Bruce Potter from the
B.M. Ross firth of consulting en-
gineers.
Fred Habcrer, his son Steve,
Doug Eckel and Murray Armstrong
and his wifc all own property on
Parksidc Avenue, and some wcrc
preparing to build homes this ycar.
They had discovered that thc
ABCA must approve building per-
mits for proposed construction in a.
flood plain, and these structures
must be flood -proofed to the stan-
dards enacted by the. provincial
government after Hurricane Hazel.-
This
azel.This can be done in three ways:
no basement; steel -reinforced base-
ment walls with no openings be-
low the flood level, an extra -thick
basement floor and extended foot-
ings to protect against buoyancy;
concrete wall to the height of regu-
latory flood data, and a sump pump
•system., Thc latter two options re-
quire the services of a structural or
geotechnical engineer, or both.
Thc added costs of construction
I wcrc a major concern. Armstrong
Animals involved in two mishaps
Investigated by local OPP officers
Animals were responsible for
causing two of the six motor vehi-
cle accidents investigated this week
by officers of the Exeter detach-
ment of the'Ontario Provincial Po-
lice. -
A minute before midnight or,
Tuesday, May 10, a vehicle driven
by William Brintncll, Exeter suf-
fered light damage when it struck a
raccoon on Highway 4, near Exet-
er.
Thursday at 4.45 a.m., a vehicle
operated by Dan Mcllin, RR 3;
Parkhill was eastbound on Huron
road 5 when a deer jumped out in
front of himcausing moderate
damage to the vehicle.
Vehicles operated by Jamie Reid,
Hensall and Brian Straughan, Lon-
don collided at 10.45 p.m., May 8
on Highway 4 in Hay township.
Karen Thiel, RR 2, Crediton and
two children Melissa and Samuel
*dieted minor injuries when the
vehicle she was driving went out
of control on Concession 10-11.of
Stephen township at 8.05 a.m.,
May 9.
Thc same day at 4.30 p.m., a ve-
hicle driven by Barbara O'Rourke,
Walkerton was northbound on
1-lighway 4 when the trailer she was
hauling jacknifed and upset. Dam-
age was moderate.
Friday at 2.45 p.m., a vehicle
driven by Charlene Browning, Hu-
ron Park went out of control while
travelling on Stephen sideroad 15-
16 and went off the road. Minor in-
juries were sustained by the driver
and a passenger Greg Clarke, RR 1,
Crediton. ►
Exctcr detachment officers investi;
gated 41 general occurrences and laid
44 Highway Traffic Act charges,
five Liquor Licence Act charges,
three Criminal Code, two Narcotic
Control Act charges and two .addi-
tioanl charges under the Food and
Drug Act..
Officers wish to remind the mo-
toring public that the OPP R.I.U.E.
program will be engaged at 41
strength at any time of 'day or night
on the roads in Huron county.
RACING UP NORTH
Jim Wallace is general manager
at Sudbury Downs
page 5
said he has had to stop the plans to
pour his foundation this month,
and Steve 1 -laborer said the cost of
steel rods alone would be about
$3,000, not counting installation or
Labour.
Another question was how the
major repairs planned for the Zurich
drain will affect the situation. Pot-
ter stated his opinion` that unless
major restrictions were removed, the
work make little difference. Prout
added that whether the flood plain
were reduced by two inches or two
feet, new homes would still have to
be flood -proofed to the regulatory
level.
Thc regional storm level is about
two fcct above the one -in -100 -years
standard used in some areas. Dele-
gates asked where all the water was
supposed to come from, and Prout
replied that rainfall could do it, re-
ferring to a downpour in Ashfield
township 18 months ago that ex-
ceeded thc one -in -one -hundred years
mark.
Steve Habcrer pointed out that
during the last storm Parksidc resi-
dents were untouched, and homes in
other parts of Zurich were, flooded,
but, Prout said the flood plain rules,
like thc regulatory speed limit, can
not be changed. He said Bayfield
had successfully petitioned to have
the guidelines changed from the re-
gional .storm level to the one -in -
100 -years, but Zurich would have to
get agreement from, all municipali-
ties in (he ABCA watershed to do
the same.
Prout countered the argument that
the building code rules had come as
a surprise by pointing out that the
flood plain had been part of the sec-
ondary plan discussions. Public
meetings were held in 1984, the
matter was an -going issue on
council's agenda, d a newsletter
was sent to each the 17,000
Please turn to page 3
1
Price Per Copy 60 Cents
Sherwood to Highway 83
EXETER - Exeter council Mon-
day night approved a zoning change
to allow the transfer of the Sher-
wood Exeter Limited farm machin-
ery sales and service operation to
move to a new location on High-
way 83 east.
In making the request for owner
Gabby Mol, lawyer Randy Evans
said, "Planners say the official plan
must be changed to accommodate
us. We say it's not required. The
business will relate to what is al-
ready out there."
Mol plans to move his Massey -
Ferguson dealership to a 2.2 acres
of property formerly known as the
Dan Brie property.
Evans cpntinued, " We are right
on the edge of industrial zoning.
All we are asking for is to leave it
industrial with an addition to in-
clude our agricultural operation."
The lawyer went on to say, " In
the past there have been three farm
dealerships in the northern part of
town: In fact, one was almost
across the street from where we arc
proposing to go."
Mayor Bruce Shaw added, " It's
the philosophy ofcouncil to ex-
pand our commercial and industrial
areas." .
Councillor Ben Hoogenhoom, a
member of 'the planning advisory
committee agreed saying, " It
should be the intent of council to
create a much broader sense_ of al-
lowable uses in the future."
Audit reveals town surplus for 1987
at the end of the year were quite
high at $126,961, but I understand
$50,000 from 1986 has been paid
since that time: At the end of 1986
the tax arrears figure was $76,646,
which is practically the same as
now." .
Mills went on to say, " Your re-
serve funds have changed dramati-
cally. You now have a working
capital reserve of $141,461. It's ne-
cessary to have more than a one-on-
one relationship between working
capital and tax receivables."
Half of the $180,000 used last
year to purchase industrial land will
be in this year's budget. Another
$90,000 is in a reserve fund with
the Ministry of the Environment.
The town of Exeter operated in
the black during 1987 according to
the annual financial statement pre-
sented to council Monday night.
The report by Gerry Mills and
Bruce Davis of the accounting firm
of Kime, Mills and Dunlop revealed
a surplus of $31,955 in the consoli-
dated report which in addition to
town business included the South
Huron Rec Centre, the Exeter Ce-
metery Board and the Business Im-
provement Association.
The surplus was much lower than
the $100,192 reported for 1986, but
—Mills explained " A surplus is
considered as income for the follow-
ing year's budget and must be used
to reduce the mill rate."
He continued, " Your tax arrears
Total taxes levied for town pur-
poses during 1987 were $854,932.
The figure in 1986 was $872,770.
Taxes collected for the county of
Huron and school boards amounted
to S1,490,760. User charges in the
just concluded year were $527,111
compared to S472,552 for the pre-
vious year.
Councillor Dorothy Chapman
asked the auditor about the- town's
status for debentures. She said,
"When I started on council I was
told we were not in a financial po-
sition to debenture."
Mills replied, " It would take
some calculations to determine that
for sure; but I would -say there is
some room."
Agricultural Society offered cut
of 25 percent from normal rate
EXETER - The South Huron
• Rec Centreaccepted a motion Wed-
nesday night to offer the Exeter
Agricultural Society a 25 percent
discount on the rental cost of the
recreational facilities for the Exeter
Fall Fair.
A cost analysis, done by Rec
staff, revealed that the weekend of
thc Fair costs the board $1,007 -- a
price which includes hydro and wa-
ter costs, supplies and labour
costs. -
Giving the Agricultural Society
special consideration, the 25. per-
cent deduction was granted, lower-
ing the rental price to $750.
Prior to the decision, the board
received a letter from the Agricul-
tural Society stating that thc group
would stick to its original offer of
$700 for the use of the Rec Centre.
Thc letter concluded: "We would
be happy to continue negotiating a
mutually acceptable contract and
await your reply."
Rec Board Chairman Kathy
Whiteford said later that by gradu-
ally increasing rental fees to a rea-
listic price and by lowering the
costs of running the centre, the
board he es to develop a system in
which rental fees cover the costs of
running the facilities during use.
Thc Board justified the discount
offered to the Society, citing -grants
which have been passed to to the
board by the group, and• the con-
struction of the Agriculture Build -
Input invited
from public
EXETER - The public will be
welcome at the June 6 meeting of
Exeter town council.
Anyone who wishes may attend
to listen to and join in on a debate
concerning Sunday shopping.
At Monday's regular meeting;
Mayor Bruce Shaw said„ " We
know how our council and the BIA
feel, but we need to have a debate
with inoput from the general pub-
lic."
Councillor Ben Hoogcnboom
added," As a member of BIA, we
have gone on record .and have
joined a coalition against Sunday
shopping. We supported our feel-
ings with a full page ad in the lo-
cal newspaper.
WE'LL BE LATE
Due to the holiday, Monday, the
Exeter times -Advocate will be pub-
lished one day later than usual this
week.
It will be printed Wednesday
night for Thursday morning deliv-
ery.
ing behind the Rec Centre.
The Agricultural Society also do-
nated the land for the Roe Centre in
1947.
It was noted by the Board that a
bylaw written in 1981, which
promises special consideration to
the Socicty, makes no mcntion of
rental fee discounts. The bylaw
states that the Society is entitled to
use the facilities at the time of the
Fair for the next ten years (from
1981) and that the Society "shall
pay such rental rates as negotiated
with the South Huron Rec C.entee
Board of Management".
Building permit boom continues
EXETER - New records in
building permits should be
achieved in the town of Exeter for
1988 if thc first four months of the
year arc any. indication of what is
to come.
Building official Brian Johnston
presented hiss -report for the month
of April and it showed the issuance .
of 24 permits for -a total value of
'S596,000.
This surpasses the figures for
thc same month of 1987 by
S74,000 and puts the four-month
total to S1,221,104.46. That's ahead
of last year by $65,721.
Of the 24 permits issued in
April, five -were for new residential
dwellings valued at S504,500. Per-.
mits were also let for 10 residential
renovations and additions, three
commercial renovations and addi-
tions and four tool sheds, sun -decks,
carports and garages.
Four -temporary sign permits
wcrc issued bringing the 1988 total
to 21. Thc permanent sign figure
for this ycar.i s four.
CATCH 0' THE DAY -- Jeff Foster landed this 14 inch trout with kernel
corn, one of the more popular baits used by anglers Saturday at the Morri-
son Dam when the annual Fishing Derby was held. For more coverage of
the Derby, turn to page 13.
_MISSIONARIES .
Frayne's returning
to Senegal
page 6
TAPPING ALONG
Erin Kraftcheck continues
to excel in ballet
page 8
GB FUNDRAISER
Barbecue brings in money .
for medical centre
page 10
FASTBALL
Lucan Harry's and Irish Nine
merged for the better
page 1 A