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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1989-03-22, Page 71 n - the Street By Jim Beckett he question of whether anything was actually accom- plished by the students of SHDHS when they demon- strated against the transfer of their popular principal Monday will undoubtedly be answered in the negative. It will be a tremendous compliment for Bruce Shaw, however, the decision "to bring Joe Wooden back to finish out his ca- reer at South Huron and transfer Shaw to Goderich cannot be changed without the powers that be at the board office backing down and that isn't about to happen if I have interpreted the remarks of director Bob Allan correctly. - It's always been board policy to move principals around in the sys- tem. If you look back, that's how Shaw came to Exeter and Wooden went to Clinton just a few years ago. The transfers arc neither promotions or punishment but could be looked at as a way of bringing fresh ideas and approaches to all the schools in the system. The fact is, that uprooting these principals against their wishes and sending them to a place tht;y aren't keen about, doesn't have any in- fluence on the administration decision. But whether or not the students' action means anything should have no reflection on their right to voice their opinions. A brief, or- derly 3emonstration will let everyone know how they think...something that students have been encouraged to do in our educational system. The thing students have to understand is education is a system. It's develo cd into one of the biggest -bureaucracies in the country. It's a system that has practically unlimited access to our property tax dol- lars. I.'s a system that almost guarantees a job for life once you make it past the early stages of teaching and it's a system where opinions are encouraged but not really wanted. It's also a system that doesnl have any place for fairness or consideration for individuals. Is it fair to impose a -return back to Exeter for Joe Wooden when he doesr't want it? Making a person transfer with only two years left until -etirement and knowing ahead of time there will be objections, makes one question the benefits our students will receive. It will prove the board of education has the muscle and the will to stick to its gins at the risk of losing two seasoned educators who are wanted in thir present positions. Sone have suggested that forcing both men into positions they don'. want could reflect on their dedication and performance. I disa- gree To say that Joe Wooden will offer less to the SHDHS students andthat Bruce Shaw will not do the best job possible in Goderich is notfair to either man. They are both professionals and we have no dotbts they will act in a professional manner in their new positions. Hovever, I would not want to bet very much on either one of them showing up for work in their new schools in September. They could become victims of the system, just as the students and taxpayers ha'e no choiceabout being part of the system. It's bigger than all of us..and it isn't about to change. * * * * * * * * * * is difficult to believe the demonstration by SHDHS students Mmday morning caught anyone by surprise. It was announced days atzad and publicized in both the T -A and London Free Press. The danonstrators wanted to attract attention and they succeeded in catch- irg the attention of everyone including our local police who chose to naintain a low profile. When was the last time you have seen a goup this size marching down our Main Street without any police tars in sight with flashing lights. Possibly the police were hoping ne demonstration would end quickly. A police presence could have :dded to the safety of students and motorists who for a few moments vere on a collision course on Main St. A tractor trailer driver had to wake quickly to avoid the group and other motorists had to pull over .o let the students pass. * * * * * * * * * * If you live in Biddulph township you probably know Wilson Hod- gins who has served the township for many years. The council is holding a special night for Mr. Hodgins on Friday, April 7 at the Lucan Community Memorial Center. All township residents are in- vited to the festivities which start at 7:30 p.m. * * * * * * * * * * The stories that arc filtering back from Mexico after several locals spent the March break there are enough to make me feel I missed out on something special. Apparently one tourist somehow misplaced his trunks while relaxing in a hot tub and no matter how much he begged, his so-called friends refused to return them. Apparently he made his way safely back to his room after cutting the corners out of a plastic garbage bag and slipping into it. * * * * * * * * * * Lynne Farquhar has recently returned from a holiday in Atlantic City and while there she drove to New York to catch a Rangers game. She called Dave Shaw to see if he could help with getting tickets and reports Dave came through with a couple of the best scats available. • Times -Advocate, March 22, 1989 Page 7 The Bend is for boat buyers By Adrian Harte GRAND BEND - Dennis Snider .isn't shy about his future plans for his new boat dealership. He wants Grand Bend Marine to expand into a major concern within the next few years. In fact; he says that is the only way a dealer can survive in today's boating marketplace. The business, operated under a four-way partnership, opened last summer and experienced a good fiat year in business, according to Snider. He adds it will take a while before the magic number of $2-3 million in sales each year is reached: a figure that determines survival in the market, claims Snider. "The only way you can make money these days is by buying volume and selling volume," he said. This is why Grand Bend Marine keeps only one line of boats in stock: Four Winns. Grand Bend boasts' three boat dealerships, and Snider says that makes the resort a good place to buy because of the selection and coverage of the different market di- visions. "There's a lot of cheap stuff on the market," said Snider, but point- ed out it isn't to be found in Grand Bend where most buyers are will- ing to pay the premium price for better quality craft. Grand Bend Marine handles fibre- glass boats from 16 to 30 feet in size, but Snider says the biggest de- mand lies in the 18-25 foot range. Another trend in the market is the acquisition of boat manufacturers by engine suppliers. OMC, a pop- ular stern -drive manufacturer, now 'owns Four Winns, Chris Craft, and Johnson outboards. "Now it's getting like cars," said Snider, explaining that smaller en- gine manufacturers, like Volvo or Yamaha, who have yet to tie in with a boat builder, may find them- selves squeezed out of a competitive marketplace. Four Winns is currently the third largest North American boat build- er, but has only six dealers in Onta- rio. "We hope to be the largest Four Winns dealer in Ontario within two or three years," Snider claimed Although boaters are buying big- ger and bigger craft as the market booms, Snider can see a day when the biggest boats will be forced out of the smaller harbours as lake wa- ter levels drop. "People may have to go back to smaller boats," he said, explaining that the costs of dredging harbours, including Grand Bend, are going to skyrocket. "Who's going to pay .for it?" asked Snider. "The village certainly can't afford it." He predicts a user -pay system will be needed to keep everything fair. Even so, he thinks Grand Bend will survive; smaller, shallower har- bours, like Port Franks, will face prohibitive costs. Another trend is the extension of long-term financing to boat buyers. CORRECTION The Times -Advocate mistakenly referred to Frank Leishman as Fred in the story on raising exotic birds in Dashwood. We regret any in- convenience or embarrassment this may have caused. Darlings drop IGA franchise in favour of independence EXETER - Aftcr 33 years of briny, an IGA, Dar- own advertising. This will give us the flexibility to Zings arc going independent. Jeff Darling says now is advertise the items that are unique to our stores such the time to let the IGA franchise go and become a true as Darling's homemade sausage, or the smoked meats independent grocery store. from our own smoke house," explained Darling. Darling says that over the past few years he has . _ "Our advertising will be produced by local firms. found it increasingly difficult to operate the store with Hand bills are prepared by Stephen Printing of Exeter a franchise that has become more dictative and strin- and full-page ads by the Exeter T -A," he said. gent with its wholesale buying policies. Jim Darling says with their own advertising they He says he felt within a short time the grocery can make better use of their own government - stores that were founded by the late Fred Darling inspected meat processing plant, adding that Darlings would become just another Loeb 1GA and lose thriz.._are.Lbc only stores he knows of with the facilities to identity as stores unique to Exeter and Lucan. hbeuy live beef and pork and -process it and ship it fresh 1`A .- �` 7 gy'tru .-rvaiw. i'`yeai'3--o hir tet, -L�i • T� .;-.;.1-51-14.Arosia.atifiiiimaatvt ing other wholesalers and independent suppliers he de- and pass the savings on to the customer. cided he could put together a pricing and advertising "We take a lot of pride to be able to say that our program to better meet the needs of a very competi- meat is selected from local producers in Huron and tive market. Middlesex Counties," said Darling. "Many of theta "Now, as an independent, we will be producing our are customers in our stores." Darling's, FOOD MARKET • New sign - Jeff Darling (left) and Jim Darling oversee the raising of their new sign renaming the store "Darling's Food Market". Both Exeter and Lucan stores are involved in the ,decision to be- come independent. It's Your Business The boat business - Dennis Snider of Grand Bend Marine is waiting for spring launching time when his customers will come to claim their new boats on his lot. Until then, he plans to promote his mer- chandise at the region's boat shows. A few years ago, a boat was usually. financed over three years, but today 20 -year "mortgages" are common- place. "The banks are going after boat loans agressively," said Snider, sug- gesting most owners will trade boats several times before paying off the loan. This also means banks consider boats better investments than cars. A boat can actually maintain, or even increase, its value. "You have to keep it in good shape and you have to buy some- thing that won't fall apart," cau- tioned Snider. Grand Bend Marine will bp parad- ing its best at the London Boat Show this weekend. The Sarnia show will follow in April. The amounts of sales generated at these shows is indicative of a strong boat- ing market in Canada, according to Snider. The shows, plus meeting the needs of customers in time for spring launching, means dealing in boats is no longer a summer -season business. In fact, Snider says a dealer has to offer employees year- round employment just to keep a good service staff- again something requiring a larger dealership. Winter is not a dormant time in the boat business. Even though Snider has seen fewer people come through his doors in the past few months, he points out most of the boats on the lot are already sold and just waiting for warm weather. Grand Bend Marine is also slated to get a new frontage 'this season,. along with an expanded service bay and showroom. While Snider contested the seat of Grand Bend reeve in the Iasi munici- pal election, he doesn't mind talking about the extra time on his hands now that he has left municipal poli- tics. "I missed it for a while. I still do. I'm interested in what's going on," commented Snider, adding that he will eventually be moving to Bosanquet Township, but may find himself once more running in a fu- ture election. Otherwise, he has no trouble finding ways to stay occu- pied. "They're not unhappy to see me spend more time here at work," he said. E }4 The members of the Andex Group of Companies; 9tndex Metal Products Ltd, ¶aeon Inc. D.T. Industries Inc. invites friends from the Exeter community and surrounding area to participate in our in celebration of our 20th anniversary to be held at 97 dames V. East, 5(wy. 83 Exeter, Ontario ._ Thursday. evening, March 23, 1 89 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.