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Inside
Danger
Hazards in
the harbour
page 2
Cyclist success
Riders raise
$100,000
page 3
Royals
Win own tourney
Second front
Underwear
thefts worry
town police
EXETER - Unable to decide
whether they have a prankster or
pervert on their hands, the Exeter
Police are hoping to err on the side
of caution after a series of late-
night underwear thefts around
town.
Police say they have investigated
a total of eight incidents of under-
wear theft in Exeter since June 18.
The culprit appears to favour wom-
en's garments that are left out on
clotheslines overnight in the area of
Anne, William, or Gidley Streets.
"Is it just kids doing it as a
prank...or is it someone on the
kinky side?" wonders police chief
Jack Harkness, who said it is hard
for police to keep an eye out for the
culprit because most thefts have
taken place in darkened back yards.
Harkness said he would like town
residents to avoid keeping such ar-
ticles out on lines at night,. but at
the same' te-dew ,'t be ve peo-
ple should change their lifestyles
because of the actions of an un-
known individual.
The possibility that the individual
may be dangerous, said Harkness,
is also in the minds of victims and
the police.
"The perception of danger is per-
haps more than the danger itself,"
said the chief.
Harkness is advising people to
keep an eye out for the culprit, or
culprits, or to report anything suspi-
cious to the police.
Three arrests
EXETER - Town police arrested
David Wright, 32, of Hensall on
August 5 for uttering death threats
and mischief under $1,000. Police
say the charges arose out of an inci-
dent at his estranged wife's apart-
ment building on Victoria Street on
August 3.
At a bail hearing in Goderich on
August 7 Wright was released on
the condition he appear in Exeter
court on August 13.
On July 31 Police arrested Lee
Wilson,19, of Huron Park, for mis-
chief under $1,000. He was appre-
hended for damaging two hght
poles at the Frenchman's Inn and
will appear in Exeter Court on Sep-
tember 10.
On Saturday, August 10, police
arrested Craig McEachern, 18, of
London for possession of a narcot-
ic. The arrest came after an officer
on bicycle petrol inspected a
parked car. McEachern was re-
leased with a court appearance set
.for September 10.
Two children, a seven-year old
boy and a three-year old girl, who
went missing briefly from their
Senior Street address on Saturday
afternoon, were located safely by
their parent, just as police were
commencing their search.
Petition gets
61 signatures
EXETER - In one week, a peti-
tion left at the town office to gauge
Csupport for bus service to
London earned 61 signatures.
The 61 people from Exeter, Hen-
sall, Zurich, and Centralia were
showin : their concern that Cha -Co
trails i' s • • .1 the Hensall-Lucan
leg of . r bus service to London
when they amalgamated two
routes.
Town council and seniors groups
expressed concern at the loss of the
last remaining public transportation
service to the arca.
The petition will remain at the
town office for the next few days.
North Middlesex & Lambton
csa)4 _ 1 __ 1'`—'
Since 1873 Wednesday, August 14, 1991 75 cents
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f - Daryl Weiss makes quite a
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Committee gives nod to bigger .'Bend
GRAND BEND - The Lambton County Boundary
Application has remained steadfast on its recommen-
dation regarding boundaries between the village of
Grand Bend and Bosanquet Township.
A draft of the final report, which has been nearly
three years in the making, states Grand Bend will be
granted annexation and Bosanquet has been denied its
request to amalgamate the resort community.
Following a public meeting, (August 22, 7:30 p.m.
Grand Bend Legion), the committee will be taking its
recommendation to Lambton County Council in mid-
September and if approved will be forwarded to the
Minister of Municipal Affairs.
It is recommended Grand Bend annex 150 acres of
Bosanquet for future development. The village's con-
sulting engineers have predicted Grand Bend's popula-
tion could soar to 3,223 by the year 2008 given land
availabili f velopme
report released in January,'indic ated Grand Bend
would be annexing the 150 acres in Bosanquet and
450 acres of Stephen Township. The committee had
not addressed the Stephen issue in this report.
In the final report which was released Wednesday,
the committee praised Grand Bend for having a coun-
cil which gets the job done.
"Grand Bend Council is likely the most directly in-
volved council in promoting and facilitating economic
development in Lambton County," stated the report.
Grand Bend Councilappears to spend a lot of time
caring and nutu'ring the business community."
The committee recommends the term of Grand Bend
Council elected in November 1991, cease as of Decem-
ber 31, 1992. At that time a special election will be
held in November 1992 for a council whose term
would commence January 1993. This is to ensure that
the estimated 130 electors to be added to Grand Bend
from Bosanquet would have a voice in their local gov-
ernment.
Also in the recommendation which will be going to
the Minister of Municipal Affairs, a Liaison Committee
called the Grand Bend Liaison Committee comprised
of the Heads of Council and Clerk -Administrator of
both Grand Bend and Bosanquet and Stephen meet as
often as required and at least once every six months to
set out joint agreements and arrangements for the co-
operative provision of services to people of the Greater
Grand Bend Area.
—At one Erne; Sosangeet requested the right provide
Stephen with piped water from Highway 21 and under
the Ausable River so Stephen can develop the Green
Acres Subdivision. The committee determined this was
not in the best interests of Grand Bend.
The boundary adjustment proposed by the committee
would result in a loss (1990) of $25,738 of Bosanquet's
total local share of taxation.
The committee stated it had made a major compro-
mise by insisting that Southcott Pines subdivision not
be included in the boundary adjustment and therefore
the proposed boundary adjustment be without financial
compensation to Bosanquet Township.
Town ready to
call province's bluff
EXETER - With the realization they may be turned down flat, Exeter
council is making its own choices for its police services board, a board
which is to replace the present police committee.
Council, concerned they were losing financial control over the town po-
lice department to the province, held off their .decision on whether to
choose a three-member or five -member board. However, unlike the police
committee which was made up of council -appointed members, the new
board will include provincially appointed members and could override the
wishes of council.
Council, however, decided last Tuesday evening that they will forward
the names of the present committee, councillors Dorothy Chapman and
Dave Urlin, and mayor Bruce Shaw, to the Ministry of the Solicitor Gener-
al as candidates for the new board.
"They're [the province] going to force you to do things you don't want to
do unless you take a stand," said reeve Bill Mickle.
Mickle, who made the suggestion to forward the current committee's
names, said the town could see if the province dared to overrule council's
decision, and if so, could demand to know why. -
Mickle accused the province of "tunnelling" Exeter into this program
"because of something that happened in a big city that doesn't apply here".
Mickle cited inequalities in the way police services are funded and paid
for in the province and insisted Exeter had to start the protest.
He said the Town of Brighton has given up its police force and is not
paying one penny for OPP coverage, whereas another village is being
billed $200,000.
Chapman agreed with Mickle's position, but argued that a letter to the
province would likely not have much effect. She argued the town should
be prepared to fight it all the way. • -
"I think if you're going to do this, it has to be done legally," said Chap-
man.
Zurich debiting
`fine line' on
handicapped housing
ZURICH - Village council are
going to be taking a hard look at
Ir bylaws in an effort to find out
if they can approve a new kind of
residential ,program for develop-
mentally handicapped programs.
John Grey from Ootnmuntty
ing South Muga attended ootmcil's
meetingThursday evening to ex-
p the difference between group
h and the SIL program (sup-
portive independent living).
Grey said the organization cur-
rently has adequate facilities in Ex-
eter for the size of the town, and is
looking to expand into other com-
munities in the area.
"One of the places we are looking
at is Zurich," said Grey, explaining
that the village has adequate servic-
es for SIL candidates, especially
since the new pharmacy came into
being.
However, unlike group homes,
which are homes purchased and su-
pervised for several tenants, the
SIL program either rents or pur-
Lucan levy
LUCAN - In an attempt to save
the current residents of Lucan
money, council will be incr+easin&
- its levy on new lots:—
Thursday night, Lucan council
made the first steps to raising the
tax by drafting a development
charges bylaw.
Under new provincial legislature,
council must have a new bylaw in
place by November 23 or lose the
right to charge development fees.
Lucan is currently expanding its
sewage treatment facilities and up-
grading its water supply system.
Those projects will be funded up
to 80 percent by the provincial
chases smaller properties for ten-
ants who require less supervision.
"What we do is provide the stiff
to help them live here; said Grey.
He said it was up to council to
decide if they would designate SIL
residences as being different from
roup homes, which are restricted
m certain residential areas.
"In a group home, we pay for
everything," said Grey, explaining
that SIL residences are paid for out
of the tenants own pension.
Grey said it was not to the vil-
lage's benefit to "ghettoize" a cer-
tain part of town for such residenc-
es, and he would rather see them
distributed around town and rented
from local landlords.
However, unable to find suitable
rental units, Grey said the organiza-
tion had looked at purchasing a
semi-detached home for the pro-
gram, but present bylaws prohibit
group homes in such structures. If
council would agree that SIL resi-
Continued on page 2
increasing
government, however if, in the fu-
ture, Lucan has to again expand its
water and sew a systents,-the
government will not be providing .
any additional funding.
Therefore instead of having cur-
rent homeowners pay again, coun-
cil will increase its development
charge so the new residents will
have to pick up the tab for any fu-
ture expansion.
"There should be no cost to the
existing homeowners for the devel-
opment of the new subdivisions,"
said Don Pletch of Huron -
Middlesex Engineering. He brought
Continued on page 2
Exeter's growth- startles council
EXETER - The results from the
1991 census are in for Huron
County, and leading the pack in
population growth is the Town of
Exeter. While some say the
growth is not surprising, others:
say it was still more ibthl anti&
Patel.
The county experienced an
overall population increase of
5.05 percent since the last popula-
tion report in 1988, bringing Hu-
ron's population to 58,394. But
Exeter underwent dramatic
growth in the past three years, go-
ing from 3,767 to a new total of
4,264, an increase of 13 percent.
By comparison Godench's pop-
ulauon expanded by less than one
percent in the same period, now at
7399 persons. Clinton grew by
three percent to 3,183. Seaforth
grew by nine percent to 1,126 per-
sons. Only the Village of Brus-
sels was able to match Exeter's
percentage of growth, but not the
sheer numbers.
"That's quite an increase," said
mayor Bruce Shaw of Exeter's
new population figures, saying
such growth had been suspected
by the schools, the PUC, and the
works department, but only the
census could provide the proof.
"We've jumped 500 almost
overnight," he said.
Councillor Ben Hoogenboom, a
member of the planning commit-
tee, agreed that years of plannin
ahead for residential
paved the way for new apart-
ments, co-op housing, and subdi-
visions.
Reeve Bill Mickle agreed, say-
ing that Exeter's housing studies
accurately gauged what was need-
ed in the town.
Councillor Dorothy Chapman,
surveying the growth of other
South Huron municipalities, said
she began to doubt the tendency
of County Council and the Huron
Planning Department to put as
much emphasis as it does on the
northern regions. Hay, Township
also expenence a 10 percent
growth over the past three years,
maml due to cottage subdivision
"I think when you look at the
populations of Exeter, Usborne
Stephen and Hay,you have to
question where they're puttinii
nursing homes in this county,
said Oil *man.
Mickle said the new figures
may have to be figured into to the
ongoing Huron County Study,
adding that it may affect the out-
come of the study.
Works superintendent Glenn
Kells said it won't be long before
Exeter's population signs are up-
dated to reflect the new figures.
Gone will be the "Exeter, popula-
tion 3,800" signs. The new itigtta
will claim a population of 4,300,
making Meter -the second largest
municipality in the county, with
Stephen Township a close third.
Stephen grew two percent to
4,178 persons in the past three
years, but still short of its peak
1981 population of 4,277.
On the down side, a population
of 4,300 puts Exeter dangerously
close to its servicing capacities for
water and sewage, especially
when current subdivision surveys
are included in tire equation. If
the town wishes to avoid a total
development freeze in coming
years, those services will have to
be expanded. While new water
service sources are being sought,
it appears likely that additional
sewage capacity can only be
created through the construction
of a sewage treatment plant to re-
place the present lagoon system.
A treatment plant for a town of
Exeter's size will likely cost in ex-
cess of $5 million.
Ooodby* 19801 - Exeter's population has surpassed the 4,000
mark, way past, making a new challenge for the 1990s: to be
able to keep up with such growth.