Loading...
Times Advocate, 1993-09-08, Page 2HurOt+ Co;;-+?tJ' Community S4O (4, Futures Commitkir • Don Pullen, chalr of the Huron Community Futures Committee, accepts a big cheque . $400,000 from MP Murray Cardiff to establish a Business Development Centre in Seaforth. Lotteries. raffles not allowed for Federal government grants $400, 000 to Huron Community Futures program Continued from front page "We were fortunate to get this money before the government changed," said Rider. Nichol said the Business Centre should be open by October 1, and will be ready to provide informa- tion to possible entrepreneurs, coor- dinate skills training for local in- dustry, provide business management courses, and even help with feasibility studies for new enterprises. The kelt to knowing what busi- nesses need BDC aid, and which do not, is having committee members all over the county, said Nichol. Community Futures has already dealt with three proposals for skills training and was only waiting for funding to help get the ball rolling. As for the loans program, Nichol said Community Futures will only be funding those enterprises that can't get money from other sources. Across Canada, 95 percent of such loans are successful in starting new businesses and creating jobs, he said. "What that tells us is an awful lot of good business ideas don't get fi- nanced by the bank," he said. Gambling kept out of Huron's schools Board vote affects fundraising options for cash-strapped schools By Catherine O'Brien ' - T -A staff CLINTON - Although the prov- ince has sanctioned gambling in Ontario, Huron County Board of Education officials are carefully discussing the issue on a smaller scale - gambling as a form of fund- raising in the schools. "This year we have had inquiries from schools warning to know about using Nevada tickets and oth- er ways to raise funds," said board director Paul Carroll in an inter- view on Friday. "Schools are trying to find addi- tional money for activities," he said. That's why the issue was raised at a board meeting this summer. On July 5, the board narrowly passed a recorded vote to keep gambling, in whatever form, out of the schools. • In a report, Carroll recommended principals wishing to use raffles, games of chance and lotteries be al- lowed to do so if they have the ap- proval of the director before start- ing the event. Ongoing fundraising, he said, would require a trial period that could not last any longer the the 1993-94 school year. A : full report of such activities would also be required, and would be reviewed by the board's execu- tive committee at lthe end of the school year. The vote was 6 to 8 in favor of keeping gambling out of the schools. But the issue isn't settled. The board's executive committee is expected to deal with the issue again in late September. The original ban on such fund- raising was issued in '1983 and in the board's procedure manual under the topic of fundraising projects there is a paragraph that says, "the public shall not be requested to par- ticipate in lotteries, games of chance, or the purchase of lucky draw tickets." But, Carroll said, over the past 10 years many schools have been us - Back to school Tuesday morning was fur° for some, a little scary for others. With the help of crossing guard Jeanne Parent, Kyle Schwartzentruber and Dexter Brand head off to Exeter Pub- lic School, followed by parents Irene Schwartzentruber, and Bob Brand. Strategic plan on way GODERICH - Looking into the future will mean a step-by-step process for Huron County Council as it plans to map up a strategic plan for the county. On July 19, council along with the deparunent heads met at Cen- tralia College to begin what could be a long process, but one in which they hope will be for the better- ment of the county. "The first draft of the strategic plan for the county lays out some suggestions for an integrated plan of action. This begins the process Page 2 Times -Advocate, September 8,1993 1N TH! 1 NF WS !Re` iona.1 wrap up mawt Sign byl a w called Censo p GODERICH Local politi- cians have no business restrict- ing business signage practices, said Goderich councillor Mau- rice Jenkins. "The sign bylaw is restrictive. 1 personally don't think people should expect to see a commer- cial area hygienically prepared for the onlooker. "I see it there for the business people who assist in making this town viable," Jenkins told the Goderich Signal -Star. In August he -asked council to take a second look at the sign bylaw passed in May. The Environment and Works Committee was expected to re- view the bylaw last Tuesday. - Under the bylaw, businesses are no longer allowed unrestrict- ed use of portable signs. A 60 -day permit is available from the town's building depart ment at a cost of $25. Also, the bylaw restricts size, location and number of signs. Jenkins said council should not censor the styles of signage used by businesses because any decision will be based on per- sonal tastes. Teen plans second trip to flooded area IPPERWASH - An Ipperwash Beach teenager has returned from a two-week work project in the devastated Mississippi flood zone. %But Michelle Filion wasn't home for long, she told the For- est Standard. The 19 -year-old set out again this past weekend for another stint in the mud, heat and devas- tation left behind in the wake of the worst flooding ever recorded in the region. Filion was part of the third Hands Across The Border team, which has ventured from Lamb - ton County to Des Moines, Iowa, to help people rebuild their homes and lives. Counterfeit bills hit Mitchell MITCHELL- At least three counterfeit $50 have been passed in Mitchell last week, po- lice chief Chuck Zehr reported Friday. The bills have a washed out appearance, and are different than regular $50 in both colour and overall clarity, he said. The bills have been the old, 197 series, it was reported in thetchell Advocate. C ief Zehr said there's a possi- bility that of these bills are out there, and merchants who has any doubt about the legitimacy should ask for identification of the individual using it. Filming in St. Marys ST. MARYS - Lights, camera, action! For three days in late Septem- ber or early October, St. Marys will be the site of used to shoot Canadian film called Sacred Trust. A karate fight in the falls and a car crashing into the river will be shot in Si Marys and area for the martial arcs film. Producer/director Allen Kool said the decision to use St. Mar- ys was relatively easy since he knows the Stonetown well 'Keel is a resident of Prospect Hill. The logistics of filming the the area have yet to be worked out, but Kool told the Journal Argus he has been in touch with town hall officials who have given himyermission to film in town. 0 anti ice next step now is to take these ideas generated from 1h¢ ses- sion and develotc`and implement strategy which will focus on a nwnber of key points identified," said Warden Tom Tomes. Although he did not clarify any of the topics brought up at the first session, the next strategic planning meeting will include discussion on county council's voting structure. With the next municipal election just a year away, council still has not decided if it will change its vot- ing structure. The next meeting for the strate- gic plan is September 30 when Tomes said the group will have a definite focus. "We will have four focus groups but instead of brainstorming for ideas, the groups will be working on the development of an imple- ment strategy. We're not just going to rehash everything," said Tomes. He added that the strategic plan should be ready for presentation by the November county council meeting. 1 ing raffles and bingo as part of their fundraising activities even though they are technically against regula- tions. Schools need better clarification of what they can do by way of rais- ing funds, he said. South Huron District High School has been using a discount card to raise funds for student activ- ities for the past few years. These cards are endorsed by businesses and purchased for $10. Card hold- ers get a percentage off merchan- dise bought at participating stores. "I haven't heard anything official about the practice," said Joe Wood- en, principal of SHDHS. "I hope we can keep with that as a fundrais- er." At least half the money needed for student sports comes from the school's fundraising efforts. Board trustees who voted in favor of loosening gambling regulations during the July motion were: Rox- anne Brown, Bob Burton, Jim Chapman, Don McDonald, Joan Van Den Broeck and Graeme Craig. Voting against the July motion were: Vicki Culbert, Doug Garniss, Bob Heywood, John Jewitt, Liliane Nolan, Norm Pickell, Rick Rompf and Bea Dawson. Trustees Della Baumgarten and Allan Carter were absent. Towii library . % - have a new home EXETER - The Town of Exeter, the Huron County Bdard of Educa- tion and the Huron County Library Board are investigating the possi- bility of moving the Exeter Library into the South Huron District High School. In a move initiated by the town, the three groups have sat down and discussed the pros and cons of the transfer. "The Town of Exeter has asked the Library Board and the School Board to talk about library service to all the communities in Exeter. I think !heir intention is to see whether there is duplication in ser- vices to the children.," said County Librarian Beth Ross. Although she said the three groups have yet to meet, Ross indi- cated there does not seem to be enough room in the school to ac- commodate all the material current- ly in the Exeter Library. "I've spoken with the high school librarian about that and he says 'no'," said Ross. She suspects the reason the Town of Exeter is pushing for the move is that the Exeter Library does re - Missing python found. in Exeter back yard EXETER - A Burmese Python was found sunning itself in an Exet- er back yard Saturday afternoon. George Prau spotted the five-foot long snake while gardening in his Gidley St. West yard just after noon Saturday. Constable Liam Brennan of the Exeter Police contacted a snake ex- pert on advice on how to handle the python, and trapped it by covering its head with a towel before putting it in a cage. It turned out the snake had been reported missing on August 31 by its owner, Kevin Wallace, who lives next door. "I've never had a call like this," said Constable Brennan, who com- mented that he was surprised the snake survived the several nights of cool weather outdoors. A quire numerous repairs. Ross said that although in the past there have been sharing of ser- vices between a community and the Board of Education, there is not now. "We have had schools house pub- lic libraries, but there isn't now." Graduate: Thursday in Goderich at the Huron County Council meet- ing, Warden Tom Tomes and Ross were pleased to present Zurich li- brarian Helene Ducharme with a certificate for completing the EX- CEL program. The four-year correspondnce course is taken by many county li- brarians and Ross said it teaches the librarians skills on how to man- age small libraries. Correction: Chief not suspended Lawyers representing town police chief Jack Harkness have notified the Times Advocate that terminolo- gy used to describe the working status of the chief has been incor- rect. An agreement was struck after the June 30 hearing of the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Ser- vices, that Harkness would not be returning to active duty while the hearing was adjourned. At a town council meeting, Hark- ness was described as being "under suspension", and a later article in the Times Advocate stated Hark- ness was "suspended from duty". A letter from Harkness' lawyer James Caskey says the chief has been libeled by the use of that ter- minology. "At no time did the Ontario Civil- ian Commission on Police Services suspend Chief Harkness. Under an agreement with the Board, he was on a paid leave of absence. Chief Harkness remains the Chief of Po- lice of the Town of Exeter, in good standing, and entitled to all the ben- efits of that Office and of his con- tract of employment with the Board," reads Caskey's letter. The Times Advocate regrets the error.