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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1993-08-25, Page 1We now *any the Crabtree and Evelyn Scarborough Collection fir COUNTRY FLOWERS Exeter Servw South Huron ,;.i "" Inside Lunen en TV Native returns to do special page 2 Freeze Grand Bend halts rezonings page 2 Movie star Dashwood teen lands role page 3 Opening Tuckersmith Telephone cuts ribbon page 5 Bean Fest Zurich ready for big weekend pages 9-13 'Fundraising 'Pro hockey helps out Grand Bend Second ;front Gas ,lines Residents .eager to hook up page 26 OPP seek car thieves EXETER - The Exeter OPP are investigating two vehicle thefts which occurred in Stephen Town- ship. Police say a yellow Ford F250 pickup was taken from A.G. Hayter Ltd. on Highway 81 in Stephen Township sometime in the early morning hours of August 14. Print- ed on the doors of the truck are the words Hayter Contractors Ltd. Police have recovered a Chevro- let Monte Carlo that was taken from the front of a residence on Main St. in Dashwood on August 18. Police say they have the de- scription of a male who may be re- sponsible for the theft. The OPP are also seeking infor- mation about a brawl that broke out among a group of teenagers in the gas station lot across from the Zu- rich Community Centre. The inci- dent took place about 1:30 a.m. Sat- urday morning, but no injuries were reported to police. A gas pump was damaged during the brawl and police are seeking those responsi- ble. • Le Zurich is the place 10 he this weekend 0 Gaise r -K ne aie insurance Service Experience Value 235-2420 Wednesday. August 1993 Illegal dumping feared to be on increase SHIPKA - A car fire Iasi week- end uncovered a cache garbage in a local forest, which some see as the tip of the illegal dumping iceberg in the area. The car fu -e occurred in the lane - way of an Ausable Bayfield Con- servation Authority forest on Con- cession 18 of Stephen Township last Saturday night. Destroyed was the car of a Toronto man, who ARCA staff say was illegally camping on the property. The car was ignited by the nearby campfire. After the fue was extinguished by the Dashwood Fire Department and towed away, investigators dis- covered the Janeway was not only a popular spot for campers aiming to stay close to Grand Bend, but was also a dump for dozens of bags of garbage, old tires, appliances, building materials, brush, and even a riding lawn mower. One garbage bag appeared to be filled with nothing brit pizza boxes. "We think we're getting some of those garbage bags from Grand Bend...since there's a charge now," said Steve Harburn at the ABCA. Commission denies striking deal Who really okayed chief's convention' ex ses? involvement with deals struck be- tween the lawyers of the town po- lice board and Harkness' lawyers. Shaw said the whole thing may be just "political games". The chiefs last contract stated Ile was eligible to attend the an- nual chief's conference, but Shaw said that contract expired last Jan- uary. EXETER - The plot grows thicker as new doubts arise as to who was responsible for author- izing police chief Jack Harkness' attendance at a convention. Town council members in past weeks have expressed outrage at what they believed to be a deal between the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services and police services board law- yers which allowed the chief to spend $990 in attending a chiefs convention, even though he is removed from active duty. However, a letter from Doug- las Drinkwalter, chairman of the OCCPS, denies making such a deal, saying the commission only decided to suspend its in- quiry into the board and chief, and to remove Harkness from duty while an OPP contract was drawn up. "That's not the impression we got from our lawyers," said may- or. Bruce Shaw when first told about Drinkwalter's letter. Shaw said he understood the chairman was very much in- volved in the decision to ap- prove the convention expenses, but pledged to take the issue up With the police services board's lawyer. Shaw said if the board and council were misled about the commission's involvement, then the deal -'ver the convention "stinks...I something they [the lawyers] worked out among themselves." After speaking with the lawyer, Shaw acknowledged that it was "quite possible Drinkwalter didn't know anything about this", but said it appeared unlikely. Shaw noted the chairman's let- ter only restated his official deci- sions upon closing the inquiry, and does not actually deny any Chairman's letter " This Commission did not approve the Chief's atten- dance at this con- vention, or any- where nywhere else" Dear Sir. I have been provided with a copy of an editorial from your publication which ran recently (August 11?) cane ening the Chiefs attendance at a conven- tion. In the editorial you say "what really annoyed Council was that the Chiefs attendance was ap- proved by the Civilian Commis- sion on Police Services - who have no accountability to the mon- ey spent whatsoever (sic)." I as- sume your reference is to the On- tario Civilian Commission on Police Services and if so, you are in error sir. This Commission did not approve the Chiefs attendance at this convention, or anywhere else. The Commission did agree to delay the public inquiry which is now underway in order 10 give Council and the Board an opportu- nity to eleplore the possibility of . providing policittgawinsasaafan a rahgement for service by the Ontario Provincial Police. Part of this arrangement was that the Chief would not function as Chief in the interim. Yours truly, WD. Drinkwalter, Q.C. Chairman Merry Christmas from Grand Bend? GRAND BEND - Residents of this village will be sending a special Christmas greeting to as many as 800 boners across Ontario and Michigan. Monday night at its council meeting, Grand Bend Council, received a recommendation from its harbour committee that Christmas cards be sent to all transient and seasonal boaters. "Leamington sends Christmas cards to its visitors. It's a little merchandising and marketing," said mayor Tom Lawson. This is the first time the village has decided to send the special holiday message and it was felt that the cards may keep some boaters coming back. "The harbour makes us money and sometimes you have to spend money to make money," said councillor Cam Ivey. However, the recommendation may have to be brought up in the committee's minutes again as the Au- gust 17 Harbour Committee minutes may not be offi- cial. With an eight -member committee, five is the re- quired number to form a quorum, but the August 17 meeting was documented as only having four present. Other recommendations brought up at the Harbour Committee meeting included that delegations to the committee only be allowed 10 minutes to speak. Also, the committee recommends to council.that the committee utilize the funding from Small Craft Har- bours and also recommends that the municipal funding be incorporated into the 1994 budget. Another recommendation made was that any surplus monies above estimated budget figure be allocated to the removal of trees on the north docks. Mike Winbow with his impressive crop of sunflowers In addition to the camping equip- ment left behind at the site, the ABCA also hauled away all the re- fuse, filling a 12 cubic -yard truck. The bill at the Stephen landfill came to $144, plus 37 tires at $2.50 a piece. Harburn estimated with staff time and truck expenses added in, the clealtup will cost the Conservation Authority about $500 if a $150 gate is added to the lane to prevent fu- ture dumping. "This may be the start of what we get," said Harburn, noting other ABCA properties in the area may be targeted by those seeking to avoid higher landfill disposal fees being charged by local municipali- ties. He said he already knows one river lot is littered with old appli- ances the ABCA will have to haul away.— The illegal campers were charged with not having insurance for their car; and the Dashwood Fire Depart- ment is sending them a $300 bill for the fire call. Harbum said he is not sure if the Conservation Au- thority can recover any of its costs. There is no policy at present to charge illegal campers on ABC,4s Property. As for the illegal dumping, Har- burn said the garbage bags would be inspected in the hope the identi- ty of the culprits could be found. "We're going to look through the garbage, see if we can find names," said Harbum. "You'd think with all the environ- mental awareness these days, things like this wouldn't happen," commented Kate Monk, ABCA communications manager. Group petitions ABCA over shoreline GRAND BEND - A petition con- taining 750 signatures is asking that the Ausable Bayfield Conser- vation Authority's Shoreline Man- agement Plan be closely examined. Grand Bend Council has received a letter from lawyer Joseph Hoffer who represents a group called the Lake Huron Preservation Associa- tion. The ABCA has been working on a plan to help control numerous problems that are reoccurring along the Lake Huron shoreline. Howev- er, according to the letter, the Asso- ciation is concerned ` about the ABCA's method of presentation. "There' is a general concern that perhaps the ABCA is simply solic- iting public input as a formality and prerequisite to final approval of a document which it drafted in substance long ago," states the let-' ter. Grand Bend councillor Cam Ivey said that there is a tentative meet- ing in Zurich scheduled for Sep- tember 16 which will hopefully provide these two groups a chance to get together. "The ABCA did say that Septem- ber 1 was the deadline, they want this resolved now," said Ivey. "They want ideas and concrete sug- gestions." • Exeter stores join together for Green Day this Thursday EXETER - Thursday is Green Day in Exeter. A combined effort of town hall's environmental youth corps and local businesses, the aim is to promote environmentally friendly purchases and buying habits. The Business Improvement Area is asking businesses to monitor Thursday's success " so maybe they'll can -y it on after we leave", ex- plained Paula Hohner, a youth corps summer student at the town office. Hohner came up with the idea for the Green Day, developed with the help of Jacob Petersen, and quickly gained the support of the BIA. Consequently, a trip to an Exeter store Thursday might mean seeing carpeting made from recycled pop bottles, the prYYrnotion of Australian diamonds mined with less harm to the environment, or energy-efficient appliances. +. Hohner said some sots are offering rebates for customers who bring eir own shopping bags!Isnother will be charging a nickel for bags giv- out, donating the money to the Conservation Authority. Even the Library is iis on the effort, and will be accepting old books find a home for them. Some of these promotions are extensions of existing programs, said Hohner, who added that Valu -Mart has been offering a three -cent re- bate for each shopping bag reused. "That's the kind of idea we're trying to get across," she said. As of Monday afternoon, 31 businesses had signed up for the promo- tion, and Holurer was still getting interest from more hoping to join in on Green Day. Picture Perfect Kirkton farm attracting attention with colourful crop By Catherine O'Brien T -A staff KERKTON - Anyone travelling on County Road 6 towards Kirkton over the past few months has been witness to a postcard perfect sight - 14 acres of large bright yellow sun- flowers. "I see a lot of people scoping to taking pictures", said Mike Win - bow who owns the land. "This year the flowers definitely look more brighter," he said. Winbow and farming partner Steve Willis have been farming sunflowers for the past three years. "It's a different seed this year," said Willis. "That's probably why they look different this time. "We also planted more of them so tltt field looks quite full." Although sunflowers in a home garden can grown to be 12 feet, the ones on this farm will grow to an average size of 6 feet. "There's beuer yield in the short- er height." The face of the flower is also smaller in diameter. If they get too large, Willis said, it becomes heavy when the seeds are produced and this can make the • flower topple over. \ Sunflowers usually face east, but sOrnetimes shift around towards the west. And if one does - they all do. "For some reason, they act as a group," Willis said. But they're not just a pretty sight. Harvesting sunflowers for commer- cial use can be fairly profitable business. "It's a great alternative crop," Willis said. The sunflowers they grow are Continued on page two.