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Times Advocate, 1989-09-27, Page 2Page 2 Times -Advocate, September 27 1989 Reeve thanks ratepayers for response to recycling program USBORNE TOWNSHIP - Reeve Gerry Prout used the occasion of the regular September 19 meeting of council to express his apprecia- tion to township residents who en- thusiastically participated in the blue box recycling program during the first two weeks of pick-up. Ratepayers are asked to be patient while Bluewater Recycling be- comes familiar with the area and establishes appropriate routes. Thank -you cards will be sent to the Elimville, Hurondale and Kirkton Women's Institutes, in appreciation for their assistance in delivering re- cycling information sheets and blue boxes. A 1989 grant of $100 was made to the Ontario Special Olympics Inc. The subject had come up at a spring meeting attended by the grade 8 class of Usborne Central School. Although the municipali- ty had not donated before, the stu- dents convinced councillors the - cause was worthy of support. A bylaw outlining policies for professional development of council members and employees attending conventions and seminars at town- ship expense was passed: Individu- als are entitled to attend one event annually. Any additional ones must first be approved by council if 'the municipality is covering ex- penses. Now that the policy is in place, Usborne is eligible for gov- ernments grants that are available for such purposes. A livestock protection claim of S275 was approved to Rick Ether- ington for the loss of two sheep. A dog running at large is suspected. This type of claim is paid out of revenue from the sale of dog tags. Usborne is applying for a grant under the Waste Management Im- provement Program to offset the 1990-1991 expenses which will be incurred in the operation and closure of the Kirkton waste disposal site: Prout and deputy reeve Pat Down will attend a Southwestern Ontario Planning Conference put on by the ministry of Municipal affairs at the Lamplighter Inn, London on Na vember 2. Topics of interest to Us - borne include housing and the con- flict between urban development and agriculture. The fire chief, deputy fire chief and fire prevention officer of the Ex- eter and area fire board are invited to the October 17 council meeting to discuss costs as related to the level of fire protection in the outer limits of the municipality, and how to im- prove service in Usborne's eastern limits. Biddulph to allow mobile home as temporary residence LUCAN -After considerable dis- cussion at a recent meeting, Bid- dulph council gave permission to Jim Thomas to occupy a mobile home as a temporary residence on property in the township he pro- poses to purchase. Thomas will be allowed to reside in the mobile home on the proper- ty at part of Lot 29, Concession 2 during the period a new residence is being erected, but not to. exceed September 5, 1990. A bond or satisfactory deposit of $1,500 is being required by the township to guarantee completion of the agreement. Such deposit would be returned when the tempo- rary mobile home is removed. Thomas told council he already has permission from the Ausable- Bay field Conservation Authority to construct a pole barn in addition to the residence. The land owner also revealed he has permission from the Middlesex London District Health Unit for septic services and drilling for a well would be started immediatley and a sample would be submitted for testing. Thomas also indicated he would be willing to provide council with Fitness a letter stating he would not hold the township liable for any losses he'may sustain if the deal for the property should fall through. A total of six building permit ap- plications were approved including one from Thomas for a 32 by 40 foot pole barn. The others are to Robin Kool, a sunroom at part of Lot 20, SB Concession; Mario and Marilyn Le- vesque, renovations and two addi- tional rooms at part of Lot 7, SB Concession; Michael Blake, a two - car garage at Lot 33, Concession 8; Gerald Straatman, a garage at Lot 32, Concession 4 and Bill Vilos, a single family dwelling at parts of Lots 7 and 8, North London Road Concession. Deputy Reeve Jim Shipley re- ported verbally on the status of the North Middlesex District Building System. He said ads had been placed in various newspapers inviting ap- plications for the position of chief building official and he hoped one would be hired by November 1 to begin duties at the beginning of 1990. Clerk treasurer Ray Hands report- ed Sprict Associates had completed survey work of repair and mainte- nance of the Elginfield municipal drain in Biddulph, but had encoun- tered problems surveying the arca of the drain in London township. The engineers are not recommend- ing a drain of this size be started this fall and therefore the delay with the survey would not be detrimen- tal. Reeve Earl French and councillor Herman Steffens reported to council on their attendance at the grand opening of the Bluewater Recy- cling Association. They said they were impressed by the enthusiasm and organization of the association. After careful consideration, coun- cil requested French to discuss with Lucan Reeve Larry Hotson the pos- sibility of having a joint meeting with representatives from Bluewater Recycling and C.H. Lewis Lucan Ltd. Council has been advised by the Ministry of the Environment that they will not pay for the expenses incurred by Biddulph when cleaning up oil spills on certain township roads. The Ministry recommended that the township should sue, to re- cover their costs, from the party who was responsible for the spill if found guilty in court. Centre closes, another opens EXETER - As one fitness cen- tre in Exeter closed its doors last week, another is getting set to open. Owner Sherry Hicks closed Total Concept on Main Street Friday be- cause of health reasons after being open 21 months but a former em- ployee, Lou Ravelle, is starting up the Rec Room Fitness Centre in the Valu Mart Mall. Although Ra- velle still has some work to do be- fore opening, he his hopeful of get- . ting the new business off the ground by Sunday. Hicks, who at one time had plans to expand Total Concept to include racquetball and squash courts, was advised by her doctor to take it easy for a while. She felt it was best to sell the entire business rather then let someone else run it because she would worry too much about it. Hicks, also recently sold Concept 2 Hair Salon to the same man from St. Joseph who bought Total Con- cept, but said she is not sure what the new owner plans to put in place of Total Concept. Hicks said Total Concept's mem- berships peaked at about 386 but dropped off over the summer as people learned it would be closing. All members who have time re- maining on old memberships have already or will soon be getting their money refunded, according to Hicks. Ravelle said he is working to- wards a Sunday opening so mem- berships will not have too much time off between workouts. "I don't want the members to feel alienated or that people are letting them down because I know how hard it is to get back into working out after you have been off for some time. I also don't want the people to have to go out of town to work out," said Ravelle. The Rec Room, in addition to dumbell weights from five to 100 lbs. each, will have several other machines for working out that To- tal Concept didn't have. The Rec Room will have a two-step stair climb, cross-country skier, aerobic treadmill, rower and bike that will offer several different variations to work out which monitor heartbeat and pulse while exercising. Locker rooms will be slightly larger that Total Concept's and will also include a shower and change area. It will also have a whirlpool and tanning bed. Ravelle, who will be running the Rec Room with his brother Mur- ray, said he would like to keep membership prices about the same as Total Concept's and will also of- fer a chance to pay the membership fee over the year or six months de- pending on how long they -wish to join, as Total Conccpt did. Anyone wishing more informa- tion on the Rec Room can call Ra- velle at 235-2536. Costume characters - Winning in the costume characters class of the Exeter Fair parade were Jennifer and Adam Case. Five suspended drivers receive further fines EXETER - Five persons who had been driving while suspended appeared before JP Doug Wedlake in Exeter court on September 19. Douglas Halvorsen, London, had been stopped for a liquour infraction on County Road 4 in Stephen township on September 8. A check showed his licence had been sus- pended in 1984 for unpaid fines. . The accused said he did not know the suspension was still in effect; he had been in jail from 1985 to 1987. He paid the outstanding fines, and was fined another $250 and had his suspension extended for six months. Patrick Seabourne, London, was also fined S250 and given a six- month suspension for driving after his licence was suspended August 1, 1989, for unpaid fines. He had been stopped for speeding on High- way 4 in Hay township on Septem- - cr 1. Paul Bruce Winteringham, Exet- er, was assessed the same fine and suspension for the same charge. He had been stopped in Usborne town- ship on July 30, although his li- cence had been suspended since Oc- tober 17, 1986 for nnpaid fines. Winteringham pleaded not guilty to driving while suspended 10 days previously. An officer had found the accused stopped on the roadside in Stephen township. The accused was in the driver's seat and the keys were in the ignition. The accused said another man, who at the time was outside the vehicle drinking a beer, had been the driver. Wedlake said that as a matter of credibility, a suspended driver found sitting be- hind the wheel by police would in most cases strongly deny he was driving. He imposed a further $250 fine, and another six months' sus- pension. Riddell gets new position in resources TORONTO - Premier David Pe- terson announced this week that Jack Riddell, MPP for 'Huron, has been appointed Parliamentary As- sistant to the Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Lyn McLeod. The appointment is for one,year. Commcnting on his new position, Riddell said, "I am delighted. The it vnlUavtc;-OifP pti3Liti4;43 have long been of interest and con- cern to me, and I look forward with enthusiasm to my new responsibili- ties." Fastest rider - Caitlin Rowberry, winner of one of the heats in the T cidlers • Trniterc (ACR AT Sunday's Exeter Fair, receives her prize, a, western hat,. from 1989 Fair Queen Patty O'Toole. Capacity of sewers Continued from front page tion where we were 10 years ago," he said, but added that a costly sewage treatment plant is thc only option for the town's future. This, he said, comes right on the heels of spending $1,000,000 on expanding the lagoon system. Chapman thought pumping of sewage had gmwn faster than the population. Works superintendent Glen Kells agreed, saying that sewage moni- toring confirmed average house- hold use has risen over the last few years. Hundey later told the T -A that concerns over sewage capacity may be premature. While the min- istry of the environment only pre- dicts Exeter's sewage capacity to meet the needs of another 550 per- sons, other factors such as average household use, the capacity of the Ausable River to handle lagoon dis- charges, and new ministry emission standards have yet to be taken into account. It could be a false alarm to say we're in trouble," said Hundey. Mainly, he said, Exeter is in a po- sition of needing to ask questions about exactly what its sewage sys- tem is capable of handling. Horsepower - Marc and Michael Hodgins won in the (horsepower class in Saturday's Exeter Fair parade. Also pleading guilty to the charge was Dennis R. Ford, Exeter, who had originally been stopped on Concession 2-3 in Stephen town- ship for not wearing a seat belt on July 14. A check showed he had been suspended beginning February 6, 1989, for unpaid fines. His record showed six suspensions since 1986, and two previous convic- tions. Wedlake levied a fine of $750, and a six -month -suspension. Failing to remain at the scene of an accident cost Ken Grose, Grand Bend, $153.75. Police were called to a residence on Concession 2-3 in Stephen township where a flower barrel and a mail box had been dam- aged. A torn piece of a leatherette car bra was found at the scene. Later that day, a vehicle with dam- , age consistent to the one involved in the accident was found aban- doned on Highway 83. The accused admitted his guilt. He had a previous conviction on a similar charge dating back to De- cember 2, 1987. Wedlake suggest- ed Grose make restitution for the property damage. Damian A. Sunn, RR7 London, paid a $53.75 fine for driving in Hay township on June 22 without his seatbelt assembly fastened. Though Arnold J. Kester, RR2 Dashwood, was not in court, he was found guilty and fined $53.75 for not wearing a complete seat belt assembly when stopped on Highway 81 on July 13. Stephen okays safety signs at Port Blake CREDITON - Stephen Township will co-operated with the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority in some safety measures at the Port Blake park, just north of Grand Bend. The township will pay 50 percent up to a limit of $500 to install proper signs and Life saving buoys. The request for assistari a was made by ABCA general ,manager Tom Prout and Allan Walper, repre- sentative for Stephen and Grand Bend Exeter administrator Rick Hundey and cemetery superintendent Harry Knip attended a recent meeting to ask for a zoning change from agri- cultural to institutional for property to be used for cemetery expanIion being purchased from Dalton Fink- beiner. Request were received for munici- pal drain repairs from Melvin Steele for the Keller drain at Lot 21, Con- cession 12 and from Don Baker and Harold Finkbeiner for the O'Brien drain at Lot 11, Concession 17. The township will be applying to the Ministry of the Environment for additional funds for work at the landfill site and engineering costs in connection with phasing out of the site. An agreement has been finalized with the Ministry of Agriculture for ice time and coaching fees connect- ed with Centralia College hockey teams at the township arena. Councillors Bill Weber and Gary Eagleson and building official Mil- ton Dietrich will attend the Western Ontario Planning- Conference in London November 2. Business Computer Services will continue to prepare township tax notices for the year 1990. The township has been informed by the London PUC that they will raise the rates for producing Ste- phen's water bills effective January 1, 1990 and will continue the serve three years later. Council has declared recycling Week in Ontario from November 20 to 26. Stephen is expected.to be- gin blue box pickup with the Blue - water Recycling Association on January 1, 1990. Bill Dietrich, an engineer with W.K. Kelly will prepare a report on the open portion of the Smith Carroll drain at Lot 20, Concession 6. Third reading and final approval was given to the township's manure storage facilities bylaw. Plans are being made for an up- coming public information meet- ing to discuss planning in the area of Highway 21. A grant of $100 was made to the Huron Plowmen's Association. A resolution from the Huron County Farm and Home Safety Association was approved. It calls for pesticide companies to accept returnable containers for recycling or safe disposal. Approval was given to the Ste- phen Minor Hockey Association for a special occasion permit for a Monte Carlo night at the Huron Park annex on November 18. Letters to the Editor Editor, Exeter Times Advocate Exeter, Ontario Dear Sir: Several months have gone by now since the new postal system became a reality and everyone has adjusted to the new system. So now lets look back and see how good we really had it. Speaking for myself, I now have to make three stops -- one for per- sonal mail, one for business mail and one at the post office for stamps and quicker out -going mail service. The weather is nice now, but im- agine getting your mail from the box on Highway 4 (or any location) at -20C and 18 wheelers blowing more snow in your face. The key hardly fits now -- what happens when it freezes over? We used to go �...unnc .bnildinn,antl, n .r ni►r- titliiI tivrir d inYx^-� ilillf U t Gj'i i properly! I thought property would be lit- tered with junk mail. So far, not so. But we get two doses of the same junk mail instead. The social aspects of picking up mail, of course, are just not there. How many times has someone else been at the new boxes when you were? Now think about the people put- ting mail into the new boxes, com- pared•to the warm dry confines of •► •�a •.,.,1 -ti..onffirn !mac -wino -being out there at -20C or pouring rain! All of these wonderful features in the name of improvements in ser- vice and increasing costs. Imagine it wasn't that long ago that we could pick up mail three times a day and even on Saturday moming - - and we always had our Times Ad- vocate by 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday. How times change! Yours truly, W.G. Balsdon. Dear Sir (Madam): Huron County Poultry, Pigeon and Pet Stock Association takes this opportunity to thank the T -A for the tremendous coverage and publicity given us on our Lawn Show held. at Peppers Farm on Au- gust 5. Special thanks to Yvonne for coming to the farm to take the pic- tures and to Ross for his part in the publication. It was indeed appreciated. Again thank you. Sincerely, . Laura Pepper Secretary H.C.P.P.P.S.A. Seaforth, Ontario NOK IWO Dear S ir; The name Gavin Green will re- kindle memories for many of your readers about the late, local histori- an who wrote two, now out of print, volumes "The Old Log Horse" apd-"Ite Old ,Log_School", .t.tiarat- iiitc-b.':.:t erar7intpo t.' nt parts of Huron County history and nostalgia, are actively sought out by history buffs and others looking for a candid review of local history. An effort is underway to re -print these books. The Huron C.ounty Historical Society has agreed to provide a grant in the amount of $5,000 to support a re -publication. venture to be undertaken by Natural Heritage/History fnc. under the guidance of Barry Penhalc, thc well-known heritage publisher. `The purpose of thisjettrr is to encourage your readers to consider supporting this venture. Additional ' funds arerequired to supplement the grant made available by the Histori- cal Society. I have undertaken, as a personal task, to solicit an addition- al $5,000 to make this venture pos- sible. History buffs or organiza- tions wishing to make a contribution can do so, in trust, to the Hui on County Historical Socie- ty, Clinton, specifically for this purpose. I would be pleased to provide ad- ditional information for anyone who wishes to contact me at my home in Seaforth (527-1860). Sincerely, Paul Carroll