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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1992-09-23, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, September 23, 1992 Publisher: JIm Beckett News Eger: Adrian Harte Business Manager: Don Smith Composition Manager: Deb Lord Publications Mall Registration Number 0386 SUBSCRIPTION RATES_ CANADA WltkMt 40 miles (85 km.) addressed to non latter eanMr addresses 630.00 phis 82.1.0 O.B.T. Outside 40 miles (85 km.) or any letter canter address 830.00 phis 622.50 (total 52.50) + 3.88 O.B.T. Outside Canada 888.00 40 "Men are never so likely to settle a question rightly as when they discuss it freely." ... Thomas Macauley PvUMMd Easi Wednesday MorMag et 424 Mahe it., Exists*, Onter* NOM 116 by J.W. Eedy Pvbbestial* Ltd. Telephone 1-516`235.1.331 s .r. saiosaaass 1.1)11'(11Z 1 A surprise decision S urprise, surprise. While many, including this editorial page, had predicted that the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services' hearing on the Exet- er police budget was a waste of time, it appears we must all admit to being wrong. The outcome we predicted did not arrive at all. Why? We weren't alone that evening at the Exeter Legion in feeling that the entire hearing was engineered at showing the fledgling police services board report in its best light and that questions directed at the town council's table appeared to pick out flaws in their argument - and flaws there were. Yet, in the final analysis, the commis- sion has come down firmly in favour of the town council's ability to decide just what kind of police force they want and need. The town's council, for instance, has evidently been given the final word on what salaries they can negotiate with police staff, and decide what the town can afford to spend on equipment. It's not such an unreasonable conclu- sion after all. If the residents of Exeter are to be taxed for the support of their police force, then those making the fi- nancial decisions should at least be elected every three years. Obviously, certain .standards have to be met in policing. The police officers themselves would not want the council members interfering in police policy decisions. But the commission clearly seems to agree council deserves to de- cide what kind of force the municipality can afford. The commission agreed with all three of council's main concerns. Had council presented more specific arguments and more accurate reasons for their $510,395 budget...who knows? So what happened between the July 15 hearing and the September 15 report? Did its conclusions come directly out of the meeting, despite appearances at the time? Or is there some underlying poli- cy shift at the ministry responsible for a sudden shift to the municipal camp? The more skeptical among us might find some connection between this re- port and the province's current fiscal shortfalls. If municipalities are to be al- lowed more financial responsibility, will the government follow through and charge those without police forces for OPP coverage? But let's set that aside for awhile and give some credit to a commission that apparently did not come to Exeter with preconceived notions and a report al- ready written. They have listened to the concerns of council and the police ser- vices board and have given them some clear rules on which to base future rela- tions. Given recent events, more clearly de- fined responsibilities are bound to be of value to both sides. A.D.H. Daydreams of yesterday I did a lot of daydreaming as a kid. Wouldn't it be wonderful, I dreamt, to own a fast and noisy motorcycle? Or a sports car? To be rich or powerful or popular? Or all of these? In my daydream I spread my wings. I escaped from dunes and responsibilities, from drudgery and monotony. The whole world was open to me - in my fantasies. J I'm far too busy to daydream now. I have my hands full trying to keep up with today's realities. Daydreams arc for people with plenty of time on their hands. But often I wonder what might have happened if my wishes had come true. What would I be doing now'? Adventure For example, what if I had run away with the circus? I would have started at the bottom, mucking out elephant stalls. helping to pitch the tent, wash- ing trucks and trailers. Then what? A glittering career from stable boy to living cannon ball to target for the knife -throwing Randolini Brothers? Following some unicycle and low -wire training, would I have dazzled the crowds by juggling 17 flam- ing torches on the back of a gal- loping white stallion? I'm sure I would have been washout on the trapeze and a failure as a lion tamer. Maybe 1 would have become and escape artist or a magician wearing a black satin suit and a red cape. I know that eventually I would have ended up as a clown, tooting an old car hom while being poked in the nose or getting somebody's boot in the behind. Peter's Point • Peter Hesse] Bravery But what about my idea of joining the Foreign Legion? 1 might have helped La Brande Nation to lose Indochina, give up Algeria and surrender Equa- torial Africa. Would I have been decorated as a hero liberating damsels in distress or court- martialed as a deserter after the first skirmish? Pethaps I would have advanced to quartermaster or drill sergeant. At any rate, by now I'd enjoy a modest pension, living in an air-conditioned grass hut in Tahiti. surrounded by several ample but ravishing wives, by hordes of admiring children and laughing grandchil- dren. Wealth What if I had launched a bril- liant ftnaneial career at the age of 15, banking my pocket mon- ey instead of squandering it on rubbish? As my grandmother used to say: "If you save only a 1,•l1e_•r tri t.(tow nickel a day for ten years, you'll end up wealthy." That was before pocket calcu- lators were invented. Neither m' grandmother nor I ever ques- tioned the truth or wisdom of that statement. Now I can figure out that in ten years my nickels would hasc grown to about 2(X) bucks. Hardly a fortune, even then. No, 1 certainly wast meant to be rich. Fame What if I had exploited m) natural ability to carry a tune'? "The boy has musical talent!" people used to tell my mother. So I sometimes pictured myself as a performer - alone on the stage of Carnegie Hall with an enormous concert grand, or play- ing first violin with the Boston Pops. Finally my mother took the bull by thc horns and paid good money for bad piano les- sons. They were characterized by their short duration. How 1 hated them! I don't remember who quit first, my teacher or I. Needless to say, I never made it to the Conservatory of Music, al- though I am moderately compe- tent with thc mouth organ, and 1 can whistle thc Colonel Bogey March. Daydreams - all of them. They're fun to recall after a handful of real successes and a bucketful of real failures. Will you tell me some of your own daydreams? Those of your child- hood and those of today. Congratulations to the Legion Dear Editor: The Exeter and Area Jr. D Hawks would like to congratulate the Exeter Legion Br. 167 for a successful Chili Cookoff. It's nice to sec the community spirit alive and well. From run. We would like to thank them the dunk tack to for allowing us to be a pan of it. the face paintingme 50150 winner was Didi for the children, ' VanDyken. everything was iso Wayne Dickins well organised and AN`ITHING MULRONEY AND THE TEN PREMIERS AGREE ON 'IOU WON'T CATCH ME VOTING FORS" Hats off to Terry Fox runners As you may know, I was the organizer of this Sunday's Terry Fox Run in Exeter. Being se- lected for this task, I am sure, was probably some kind of pun- ishment for having written something or other in past years. Nevertheless, 1 decided I would rise to the occasion. Rule one: I always aim high. Last year's Terry Fox Run brought out 20 people. I knew that number should be at least 200. That's not unreasonable for a town of 4,300 and its sur- rounding communities. Well, we had 54 participants arrive at MacNaughton Park Sunday to enjoy the 10 kilomet- re route in absolutely glorious September weather. Sure, I had hoped for more, but I was grate - f ul for every one of those partic- ipants. With more than twice the number of last year, I can't com- plain too much. We're at least going in the right direction. Per- haps I can't discount the reality that the event is neatly sand- wiched on the one weekend be- tween the Chili Cook -Off and the Exeter Fall Fair. I hope everyone enjoyed the route. Ray and I roared around town that morning, posting all our little signs at every comer. I'm also pretty sure that of all the runs in Ontario we had one of the best route maps to accom- pany a course featuring treed streets with sidewalks and grassy boulevards. Hold that thought ... By Adrian Harte I was a little worried the police would pay us a visit, concerned about where we stuck our mark- ers, but all went well right up until I went around taking them all down like some deranged bi- cycle courier (yes, I did do the route!). I hope I got the chance to thank all the participants and volunteers. It all went more smoothly than I expected, and yes, $2,619 was raised, every penny of which will go directly to cancer research. All adminis- tration and supply costs for the Terry Fox Foundation are paid for separately by corporate do- nations, in case you were won- dering. One of the highlights of the Letters to Editor Chili cookoff planned Dear Editor: 1 would like to thank you and your staff for the excellent cover- age of our Exeter Legion Chili Cookoff, both before and after the event- As a result of the terrific turnout, we will be holding a third annual event next year. I know you are aware of the tens of thousands of dollars, each year, that thc Legion donates to the many sports and charitable or motions, as well as in- stitutions, in the 111 Exeter area. An event such as the cookoff only allows us to continue our support of these groups. Without the kind assistance of Exeter Times -Advocate, not day I was unable to share with those who participated and helped out on the route. It came late in the day after I sat here at my desk tabulating thc results to be called in to the provincial of- fice in Toronto. Martha McClew wrote down my totals and called them out to those at the office: "Exeter, last year $1,800, this year $2,619". I could hear a big cheer go up in the background over the phone line. Sure I know they do that for everyone, but that moment did drive home what those 54 participants had achieved to- ward fighting a disease that touches the lives of absolutely everyone. At the same time, I would like to give a tip of my hat to the crew up in Zurich who still set the standard for what can be achieved in a Terry Fox Run in this area. They are amazing. But perhaps 1 should wam them. This was our trial run. 1 have learned a few things, Next year, 1 promise to give them a "run" for their money. Now it all depends on you. Where were you on Sunday'' Where will you be next year when the Terry Fox Run comes around'.' Keep us in mind. for next year ganr- the to mention the many Legion volun- teers, it would be very difficult to promote and present such an event. Yours truly, Dave Grundy, ('Iiarrrnurn, Exeter Legion ('hili ('ookul I Note: A full Inst of contributing businesses appears in an advertise- ment on another page of this issue Goderich Lions purchase video tapes Der Editor. So often letters 10 you are ex- pressions of rage or discontent We are delighted to give you a break and toil you about a truly u- gacious decision die was made by the Goderich Lions Club this s At proposal. they purchased a series of 12 video tapes of lec- tures given by Brian Swimtne Ph.D., an atomic physicist std col- ieeague of th eoiogtan Faber Thom- as lecture aches L called 'Can- ticle to the Comma cad in it Swimme draws upon data sad the- ories of contemporary science sad the poetry of spiritual traditions and teUs the story o[ the universe in language and lmt es aoseaiiile to all. The videos poignantly portray that the contemporary race to save the ecology of our earth is rooted in ancient wisdom, history tra- ditions. Ill is likely that with- out a new em- brace of these timeless values our eaviroameot may continue its' drastic decline. The lecture titles are as follows: 1. The Sorry of Our Time 2. The Primeval Fireball 3. Feast of Con- sciousness 4. The Fundamental Or- der of the Universe 5. Destruction sad Loss 6. A Magical Plant 7. Sex, Death and Dreams 8. The Nature of the Human 9. Fire in the Mind 10. The Timing of Creativity 11. The Human Story 12. A New Prosperi- ty. In the proposal to the Lions Club, we volunteered to share the videos with the community by ar- ranging to show thein to anyone in- terested and then making them available through the Goderich Public Library. On Thursday, September 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Huron County Museum, 110 North Street, Gode- rich, we will show the first video - 'Ttte Story of Our Time'. Everyone is welcome. There is no charge for admission. We hop:, to see you there. Sincerely Pauli Sommer 519-529-3227 Jim Hollingworth 519-524-9911