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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1992-10-28, Page 1Fall Allred Bunches 995 cash and Carry lb COUNTRY flOWtRS Exeter Serving -South Huron Inside --Zurich's new sidewalk Dedicated to Gordon Erb page 2 Massage New therapist opens shop page 5 Week of the Child Hensall continues celebration page 10 Car Care Get ready for winter pages 11-14 Hawks Juniors take three straight Second front How you voted Municipal results from Huron Bruce page 30 Police beefing up patrols for Hallowe'en EXETER - While Hallowe'en hasn't posed much of a problem for police in recent years, they aren't taking any chances this Saturday. Extra patrols will be out Ain the meets, hoping to pre-empt ' any Hallowe'en hijinks. Acting chief Brad Sadler said that although Hallowe'en has been fairly mischief -free in the past few years, it wasn't all that long ago when vandalism and destruction of property tempted the fire depart- ment and Citizen's Band clubs to aid the police in their path sis. "Actually, they've been excel- lent," said Sadler of recent Hal- lowe'ens, and said he wasn't even aware of any soaped windows last year. However, since the festival falls on a Saturday this year, the police aren't going to lel it pass without precautions. As many as six con- stables and auxiliary officers will be patrolling the streets in cruisers and unmarked cars. The police arc also asking citi- zens to be watchful and prepared to call the police as soon as any- thing suspicious happens. "Hopefully, it will be very mild and meek," said Sadler. More lots could spur more building, council told EXETER - Although the building rate clearly shows the effects of the recession, Exeter's growth is hold- ing its own. In fact, the building official speculates that there may be more demand for buildable lots than is available. Council were reviewing Septem- ber's building figures last week, noting that the year's total is $2.3 million, compared to $3.6 million at the same time in 1991. Neither 1991 nor 1992 can be compared with the record building boom of 1990 which saw over $8 million added to the town's assess- ment. Moyer noted that 13 new houses have been built in town so far this year, which mayor Bruce Shaw not- ed was not as bad as he expected. "A couple of years ago, we were over 40, weren't we?" asked Shaw. Moyer agreed but added that "there is not the choice or quality of Tots available today." Moyer sug- gested' developers and property owners might be encouraged to go ahead and create new lots. North Middlesex & Lamhton Apr Since 1873 Wednesday. Octoher 28, 1992 41. �C Geiser -sibs .1e Insurance Service Experience Value 235.12420 75 cents Huron Yes, Canada No By Adrian Harte T -A Editor SEAFORTH - As the results from the polls trickled in to the Seaforth Returning Office Monday evening, it was appar- ent that Huron -Bruce voters held a more positive view of the Charlottetown Accord than the rest of the country. Finally, with all 204 polls reporting, 52.4 percent of voters in the riding had marked their ballots 'yes'. In fact, the Ac- cord's strongest support came from the southern part of 1lu- ron County. In the Lambton-Middlesex riding, the 'yes' vote received only 46.5 percent support, and in London -Middlesex 46.3 percent. In Ontario, the 'yes' side squeaked by with the smallest of margins, but it all was a moot point after Nova Scotia, Que- bec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia came down on the 'no' side. As Prime Minister Brian Mul- roney said, only one province voting against the Accord would effectively kill it. Scanning across the poll returns for the Huron -Bruce rid- ing, however, it almost appeared a coin -toss for most of the results, with 'yes' and 'no' sides nearly deadlocked. But a closer analysis began to reveal certain patterns in the deci- sion-making and help explain why Huron -Bruce voters gave more support to the Accord than most Canadians. The three municipalities with the most opposition to the deal were Tiverton, Paisley, and Teeswater, with 58, 56, and 56 percent support for the 'no' side, respectively. The dissat- isfaction with the deal in the riding's northern reaches was more than overpowered by a strong 'yes' vote in the south. Goderich came in with 56 percent 'yes' support, Clinton 58, McKillop Twp. 59, Bayfield 57, Stanley Twp 58, Exeter at 58 percent and Usbome Twp. at 59. The biggest 'yes' vote came from Zurich's three polls with 61 percent support. Seventy-four percent of eligible Huron -Bruce voters cast Roy Qingedch receives his ballot from Helen Walker at the Blue Water Rest Home in Zurich Monday afternoon while Roberta Robertson looks on. L�cal church services -on the air starting this Sunday EXETER - This Sunday at 10 a.m., an entirely new service will be coming to local cable television subscribers. Channel 10, the com- munity channel in Exeter, Central- ia, Huron Park, and Dashwood, will be broadcasting the first of a regu- lar series of church services taped in four Exeter churches. All videotapes will be of recent services, usually within the two Sundays previous to broadcast. The Exeter Reformed Church will take • the spotlight this Sunday for the one hour, 25 -minute introducto- ry program. Later programs, which will be coming from the Exeter Pentecostal Tabernacle, the Exeter Bible Fellowship, and Emmanuel Baptist Church, are expected to be `edited down to about one hour and 15 minutes each week. The first four broadcasts, one from each church, will also feature a shared tape of a musical presenta- tion given by the 52 massed voices from the choirs of each church - as a sign of the unity of the four churches for this video ministries projec The shows will be as visually in- teresting as possible, given the en- thusiasm of the amateur videogra- phers who will represent their churches. A superimposed logo has been chosen for the broadcasts, and some churches will be using more than one video camera in or- der to edit in a variety of camera angles. "We'd like to make our programs • as interesting as possible, but we're not entertainers," explained Harold Devries, one of the video project's proponents, and the camera man for the Christian Reformed Church. Videotaped services may be a lit- tle different for the congregations, as efforts to accommodate the cam- eras will be made. One church, for Continued on page 3' Police budget target set, but almost impossible to reach L By Adrian Harte T -A Editor EXETER - What works nicely in theory is often hard to put into practise. This is likely how council and the police services board are viewing their ef- forts to resolve their year-long bud- get dispute. Council and the Police Services Board met earlier this month to rec- oncile the outcome of the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Ser- vices hearing with the board's bud- get. The commission held a July 15 hearing in Exeter to arbitrate the dis- pute between council and the board over the amount of the police bud- get. On October 8 a special couuncil session agreed that the commission's ruling effectively cut $23,995 off the police budget. Reductions included the S19,000 the board spent on a new cruiser, and $2,545 and $2,450 off the police secretary's and police chiefs salaries - due to pay increases the commission ruled were too high. But theory falls apart in light of the fact that the cruiser was purchased long ago in the spring, and salaries have already been paid for 10 months of the year. Since the cruiser has already been put haled, the board is being asked to trim spending from other parts of its budget to compensate. The town payroll department were ditected to re- duce the salaries of the secretary and of the chief, who incidentally has been suspended with pay since Labour Day, but council at their last meeting came ammaime to realization they could not enforce the payroll cuts because both salaries had been set down in contracts signed by the police services board earlier this year. Theory collided with legal reali- ty. "I was surprised that (council) made that motion [to cut salaries) in the first place," said police ser- vices board chairman John Ste - 1, adding that the board had signed contracts with the secretary and chief in the spring. position we're in is, if you'vt got a signed contract, can you legally roll it back?" queried Stephens. Legal advice is now being sought on whether or not the ruling of the commission hearing can override the contracts. Town clerk Liz Bell noted the Civilian Commis- sion was unaware that the salaries of the chief and secretary were under contract. As for finding ways to meet the magic $548,715 figure stipulated by council by slashing 23,995 from the budget, Stephens said the board w tr its beat. "We're wider some obligation to bring the budget down as far as we can," said Stephens, and added that legal counsel on the salary issue will be a big factor. "To bring it down that much...1 don't know if it's possible." conceded Stephens, pointing out that with 10 months of the year already gone and 10 months of the budget already spent. the board has limited options for cuts dist are either feasible or legal. �r. their votes. Only 172 of the 47,770 ballots cast were rejected by polling officers. There were pockets of dissent within the southern pan of the riding. Five of nine Stephen Township polls turned in majorities for the 'no' side, with the strongest objection to the deal coming from the Huron Park area. Hensall, another area hit hard by the recession and uncer- tain employment, also turned in a slim 'no's vote, 277 ballots to 265. Returning Officer for the riding, Art Bolton, reviewing the close poll -by -poll results as they came in to the Seaforth Orange Hall Monday evening, said there were early indica- tions the referendum would be close. Bolton said at an advance poll held at the Office of the Re- turning Officer, one woman told him she hadn't made up her mind on the issue even as she collected her ballot, and would not finally decide "until the pencil was in her hand". Disappointed with vote, MP says time to turn to other problems By Adrian Harte T -A Editor SEAFORTH - With the national referendum destroying all hopes to base a constitutional agreement on the Charlottetown Accord, Huron - Bruce MP Murray Cardiff says the government have to respect the wishes of the population and take the chance to get on with solving other issues. "My biggest concern is nothing is resolved," said Cardiff, while wait- ing for results from his riding at the Seaforth Returning Office. Cardiff noted that this vote was only the third time Canadians have .been offs ed_a ref- erendum, the first in 1898 over prohi- bition of alcohol, and the second in 1942 over con- scription. So how about those Blue Jays? Actually, Cardiff agreed that the weekend's World Series win by the Toronto team did have a positive ef- fect for the 'yes' side of the issue, although he said that he felt that some of the negativism holding up the 'no' side Oas dropping away anyway. If the vote had been held last week, 1 think it would have been a lot worse," said Cardiff, who said he had expected a close win for the 'yes' side. "Tomorrow we can go on...it has to," said Cardiff. But rather than go back to the constitutional discussion table to hammer out another deal, Cardiff said he agrees with those who say the 'no' vote means backing away from the issue and focusing the government on pressing problems such as the economy. "i would hope we can set this aside and get on with other things. That is what some of the people said they want," he said. "No is just 'we reject the deal', that is what they've said," stated Cardiff, but noted that the 'no' vote will doubtless be seen as a rallying cry for the separatists. He predict- ed the Bloc Quebecois will be up to its old tricks again, disrupting the House of Commons. It may be a long time before the constitution issue gets reopened. "Nobody's in a position to put to- gether a constitutional package that the country will accept," said Car- diff, but said this referendum offers a lot for governments to learn from. One sentiment Cardiff said he discovered dur- ing this debate is that "people don't want refe- rendums". Al- though he would not go so far as to say the Reform Party's beliefs are wrong, he said Canadians clearly felt they wanted stronger leadership from politicians, and to not put such difficult policy questions on the shoulders of the public. Economic uncertainty triggered by the rejection of the Accord is possible, said Cardiff, but down- played any suggestion it could be Ionglasting or permanent. "We could see some uncertainty in the money markets for the next few days until they see what direc- tion the country is going," predict- ed Cardiff. Although disappointed by the na- tional results, Cardiff said the re- sults from his riding were comfort- ing. "1'm very pleased we've come out with a majority...at least in Huron - Bruce," said Cardiff, and comment- ed on how actively discussed the is- sues were and how well the voters turned out at the polls. "If Quebec /ial'e said 'no', that's lt...1, mut-ay C'u►'di f / Huron nuns MP Murray Cai' f was fielding questions about how his government would respond to the outcome of the ref erendum even before the results were tallied Monday evening.