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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1993-03-17, Page 1$' oath a el Ing Twos Bag. saw. 12'x" ap COUNTRY ttcWtkS Easter • inside What isisootoO7 Diamonds seeks more input page 2 Tree program MICA makes deal with nurseries page 3 Hospital history Part one of a special report page 9 Mohawks ,Knocked out by Dunnville Second front Athletic awards to SW/ t own ernithWees also thget recognized EXETER - A review of the town's policy on its annual appreci- ation banquet was presented by ex- Frailest ty..eve Hiller said the committee agreed that the practice of awarding plaques to outstanding sports teams and athletes from Exeter should continue and that the costs involved are not too great. In response to councillor Robert Drummond's proposal of several weeks ago, Fuller said the commit- tee agreed new service awards should be given to longstanding town employees. The committee recommends that in addition to attending the invita- tional appreciation dinner, 15 year employees receive $150 cash or an equal value gift. The awards would be given every five years, increased by S50 each time. Drummond asked if the idea to award a dinner for two and an extra week's vacation had been scrapped. Mayor Bruce Shaw said that idea had indeed gone by the wayside. 1 S;r cc i Weclnecd as M2tret, 17 1993 Gaiser Kneaie Investments RSPSs 1 GIC's Sig Funds —I 238,2430 Phase-in of $2 tag baa doomed, council fears EXETER - The controversial plan to put Exeter on a $2 per bag garbage collection system, may not be going ahead as originally pro- posed; although the notion to water down the user -pay plan was criti- cized by some councillors at Mon- day evening's council meeting. The public works committee rec- ommended in their report that the waste reduction program be intro- duced in three phases, and each bo assessed before progress- istgtw the next step. 'Phe recommendation called for bringing in the waste reduction plan Laufer general taxes for 1993, aot the Laser pay tag system. After Fomter RCMP officer Ed Kincaid, blind since a 1973 tractor accident, sizes up Mallory Dow, who wanted to know how he could tell what people looked like. Kincaid even got her hair colour right. Kincaid was making a presentation to the Lucan Scouts, Guides, Cubs and Brownies Thursday evening, emphasizing the importance of protecting eyesight and how important seeing -eye dogs are to the blind. The Lucan Scouts donated $40 to Kincaid's organization, Canine Vision Canada. Preparation needed to host field hockey finals in Exeter EXETER - This fall, the best high school field hockey Seams will be 'coming to Exeter to compete in the_annual OFSAA championships, hosted by South Huron District High School. Tleam coach Jim Workman has presented a list of ideas to town council so that Exeter can be pre - poled for the arrival of 400 athletes, coaches and media. One of the first priorities is that facilities need upgrading including a atecond playing field set up near tho'Nabisco canning factory. The grass will have to be rolled and cut short in early October, and the soc- cer,•goa1 posts removed. Workman also proposes that the town contribute to the official pro- gram and a "goodie bag" to wel- come the visitors. Although the town's recreation commiuee will be reviewing the re- quests in 1, mayor Bruce Shaw said there Mill appear to be much expense to the proposals. 1 think we should stand behind then and do whatever we can," agreed councillor Dave Urlin, add- ing it was an accomplishment just to Mring 400 athletes to the town. EXETER - Town council has giv- en its approval to a request for an unusual zoning proposal. Local developer Roger Dougall presented to a public meeting last Wednesday a plan for four small homes in a court arrangement, to be built off William Street, south of John Street in Exeter. The plan" would require a rezoning from "special medium -density residen- tial" to "special low-density resi- dential". Councillor Bob Spears, when pre- senting the planning committee's conclusion to council Monday eve- ning agreed that the zoning was un- usual, noted the development would require quite a few condi- tions, but the committee was in fa- vour of the proposal and felt it was appropriate to the property. "It is a particular spot zoning in the town, and it would have to live up to those conditions of that zon- ing," said Spears. Among those conditions is the fact that the court would have its gets sperm zoning own driveway connecting to Wil- liam Street, but that roadway would not be assumed by the town as a street. The four properties would be sold individually as homes sized under 1,100 square feet. Councillor Ervin Sillery said he was concerned about the future of that connecting street. "I think it's an excellent idea to have the lots developed...but I have some hesitation about the street and having the owners maintain it...I ,can see problems 25 years down -the road.," said Sillery. Mayor Bruce Shaw said the only .parallel to the proposal was the toad in themobile home park, but (building official Dave Moyer said it was in fact similar to apartment roadways, which are too narrow to qualify as assumed roadways. Spears noted the development agreement provides for a fund to maintain the road, including the re- moval of snow. Other conditions placed on the development include that the private road must be con - Petition presented to cut Lucan speed limit LUCAN - Village resident Rob- ert islosyrinjohn presented a peti- tion to council on March 2 asking that the speed limit on Lucan's Main street be reduced. In presenting the petition with 111 signatures, Mosurinjohn said three pedestrians were almost killed or seriously injured in incidents on Main street during the past week. He said while most signers want the 50 kilometre per hour limit re- duced, some suggested flashing lights to slow down traffic. A suggestion was also made to ban trucks from parking on Main Street as they were obstructing the sight of pedestrians trying to cross the street. The matter of vehicles passing on the right side of traffic was also brought up. Mosunnjohn said 100 or more of the signatures were from Lucan cit- izens, identifying their concerns and requests for the traffic situation in Lucan. He said the petition was a one -day, one-person effort with a 90 percent positive response. In response. reeve Toni McLaughlin said Staff Sgt. Bob Erskine of the Lucan OPP detach- ment had indicated a few weeks ago that speeding was not a prob- lem in Lucan and said the noise of large trucks may suggest they arc going faster than they really arc. At that time, Erskine also said that passing on the right side of an- other vehicle on a paved portion of the highway is not an infraction. After unanimous rejection by council of the suggestions by Mos- urinjohn, the petition has been for- warded to Sgt. Erskine for his peru- sal and comments. Reeve McLaughlin said the On- tario Ministry of Transport has ju- risdiction over Main Street through a connecting link agreement and any requests for changes must be approved by that department. In all likelihood MTO would demand a traffic survey to substantiate the need for any changes. In his presentation, Mosurinjohn said he checked other similar towns an found most had traffic lights at almost every intersection. I` Lucan has a pedestrian crossing Tight near the post office, but it has been found very few people use it. structed •to municipal standards, and that provision must be made for a fire lane, given the narrow road allowance. review; a bag tag system could be brought in for 1994, with house- holds receiving the fust 52 tags free, and then the possible introduc- tion of a full user pay system for 1995. Although he was presenting his committee's report, councillor Rob- ert Drummond said he could not agree with that proposal. "I don't feel that this addresses one of the main problems the waste committee noticed, and that's the volume of material going to the landfill," said Drummond. "1 don't think carrying on with this option is going to do the job that needs to be dont' he said. Drummond said the gradual in- troduction of user -pay garbage col- lection only "accepts that it may not work". Drummond called to drop the "status quo" period from the program, but got no seconder to his motion from council. Continued on page three Forest. Parkhill. Ilderton Hensall Co -Op buying three local retail outlets HENSALL - The Hensall Co -Op, already one of the largest farmers' co-operatives in the province, is getting larger. A tentative purchase agreement is on the table for the Co -Op to buy three retail outlets in Forest, Parkhill, and Ilderton. The agreement, reached February 19, is expected to be completed by the end of March, an audience of about 200 were told at a public meeting in Forest two weeks ago. The purchase, the first major ac- quisition for the Hensall District Co -Op since.it took over the Exeter and Ailsa Craig operation of the ail- ing Exeter Co -Op in . November 1990, comes hard on the heels of an announcement of a major restruc- turing of the United Co -Operatives of Ontario. The organization, which has been losing money for several years; agreed March 10 to sell off most of its retail businesses to member co- operatives in the hope that locally - run refill operations would be more profitable and more responsive to customers' needs. UCO acquired the retail businesses in the 1960s and 70s when over 70 local co- operatives merged with;it. Six •UCO directors retired after the announcement of the restructur- ing plan, including Stewart Ander- son of Tavistock who had been rep- resenting Huron and Perth co-ops since 1986. Joining the board is Evert Ridder of Clinton to repre- sent this area. As for the Hensall operation's de- cision to purchase the three stores, there are apparently no immediate plans for any major changes at the locations. The stores sell retail hardware, lumber, farm and urban supplies, as well as operating gas bars and bulk fuel sales. Although it is as yet unclear, the new outlets may bring some chang- es to the Hensall Co -Op. The Ilder- ton Co -Op has been a strong sup- porter of the ethanol gasoline program offered by UCO, a product the Hensall Co -Op has yet to em- brace. Despite its aggressive expansion over the past few years into Zurich, Brucefreld Seaforth, Londesboro, Bate 14iiir7Citsti Craig, the' Tien sail and4erstrict eo-Op has remained on solid financial ground. With the exception of 1985, the Co -Op has declared a dividend to its share- holders every one of the past 12 years. Donations flood in Food Bank aids family left with nothing after house fire AILSA CRAIG - A Corbett family who lost everything in a house fire last Wednesday are getting a helping hand to restart their lives through the generosity of the local community. Jim and Gloria Barker, and their three children aged 5-14, were looking for a place to live after fire caused by a woodstove destroyed their Corbett home. In- surance on the property had lapsed while the couple were off work. Jim had recently returned to work at Kongskilde in Exeter. Left with nothing but the clothes they were wearing after they escaped their burning home, the family's plight attracted the attention of several charitable or- ganizations. Ron Myles at the Ailsa Craig Food Bank said that donations quickly 'began to arrive at the store. Food, clothing, money, and even furniture was being dropped off to help the Barkers. One woman brought in a $100 bill, another donated a beautifully finished table she had just com- pleted. Someone else called from Toronto, wanting to know how they could ship in a set of bunk beds. As of Friday the family were living with relatives in - Grand Bend, and were considering liv- ing in a trailer beside their de- stroyed home until it can be re- built. Donations to the Barkers were also. being collected at Kongs- kilde in Exeter, a hank in Park- hill, and at McGillivray Public' School. it's starting to be a r lRani.. munity effort," c NIMIll 100 Myles. -ttton Myles at the Ailsa Craig Food Bank with just some Anyone wanting to contact the the items donated to help a Corbett family left homeless Food Batik coo all 293-3637. a fire, of by