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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1994-03-23, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, March 23, 1994 Publisher: Jim Beckett News Editor: Adrian Harte Business Manager: Don Smith Composition Manager. Deb Lord Publications Mail Registration Number 0388 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: CANADA Within 40 mites (88 km.) addressed to non letter carrier addresses $30.00 plus 52.10 G.S.T. Outside 40 miles (88 km.) or any letter carrier address $30.00 plus $30.00 (total 80.00) t 4.20 0.8.T. Outside Canada $99.00 (Includes $88.40 postage) Opinion The cuts were necessary ongratulations to the Huron County Board of Education trustees who came through with some difficult budget decisions. Rather than hiding behind the skirts of a cruel provincial fiscal policy they did what was necessary. While there was the temptation to say "this tax increase isn't our fault", the board put the county residents first and found ways to cut the final $2.5 million from the education budget. It was a hard step to take, giv- en that we have been led to believe our schools sit somewhere on the right hand of God. Salaries will have to be cut, either through attrition, layoffs, or rollbacks - but many, even teachers, acknowledge the education system has put policy ideals ahead of fiscal reality for far too long. Some people will likely lose their jobs. Others will have to make do with less, and that is bound to result in some bitterness towards the board. But they correctly recognized that taking another three million dollars out of Huron tax- payers' pockets would have hurt the lo- cal economy immeasurably. Higher property taxes would have tak- en their toll on real estate markets, as people looking at trading up homes, or buying a first one would have had to re- vise their budgets. Three million less in disposable in- come would have affected car dealers, retailers, and grocery stores. The spin- offs and multiplying effects of that three million missing from the Huron econo- my could only be charted by an econo- mist, but they would have been quite real. Who can say how many businesses, and jobs, have been saved by the board's restraint? The ball is now in the teacher union's court. How will they adopt the board's proposals in a way that won't hurt the basic goals of education? One thing we don't need is another agreement along the lines of the Social Contract. March break is too long al- ready. A.D.H. Letters to the editor Tenant needed for town hall "...ask council to consider resum- ing responsibility for the manage- ment and maintenance of the building,..." In the mid 1970's thc Town of Exeter found it had no need for the building which today is referred to as the Old Town Hall. Due to the age and state of the building, a decision was made to demolish the structure. Rather than see this become an immediate reality, town council appointed a committee of six individu- als to assess thc situation and to determine whether it would be feasible to try and preserve the building. As a result of this study, the building was deemed worthy of restoration, and the Exeter and District Heritage Foundation was established with a man- date to preserve and restore the Town Hall to its original state. This was accomplished in part due to government grants, but moreover by the many hours of hard work and community fund raising efforts. Upon completion of the renovations, the main floor arca was designated as commercial space, the rents from which were to be used to maintain the building. A number of tenants have occupied the commercial area over the past 14 years, with Ellison Travel the sole occupant for the last seven years. With the impending departure of this business in July, 1994, the Heritage Foundation will no longer have a ready source of income for the continued up- keep of the facility. Recent expenditures for a new roof, repair of the bell tower and exterior wood trim, as well as fire insurance and municipal tax pay- ments, have all but exhausted the organization's re- sources. Because of the aforementioned and uncertainty of securing a new tenant in the immediate future, the Heritage Foundation would ask council to consider resuming responsibility for the management and maintenance of the building, which is still owned by the Town of Exeter. We would also suggest that should the proposal be at all feasible and witing the parameters of council's long-term plan for our community, the municipal of- fices might once again be situated in this stately, old building. The Exeter and District Heritage Foundation. BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1993 " "Mei are never so likely to settle a question lightly as when they discuss it freely." ... Thomas Macauley Published look Wodimmloy Me, ORtarTtii1M Lam' 34s e.i.T.INUASZ>I+OS3$ Your Views Letters to the editor Service groups recognized "I hope that in years to come these groups will continue their support..." Dear Editor: Earlier this month I had an experience that will not be soon forgotten. I attended the Encounters with Canada program in Ottawa where I experi- enced many aspects of our capital region. I would like to express my gratitude to the service groups in Hensall and Exeter who made my attendance possi- ble. I hope that in years to come these groups will continue their support so that other Exeter and area people can avail themselves of this great opportuni- ty. Thanks again. I had a great time. Sincerely, Brad Hartman Hensall ,44 1 Your Views Letters to the editor Skating club's 50th anniversary "To celebrate the club is re- creating some of its skating num- bers of the past half century" Dear Editor: The Stratford Skating Club is proud to announce it's 50th Anniversary this year and to celebrate the club is devoting its annual Skating Carnival to re- creating some of the skating numbers presented dur- ing the past half century on Sunday, March 28, 1994 from 2 - 4 p.m. We are also inviting all former skaters and club professionals to join us for this special event and also attend a reception afterward in the Upper Lob- by of the Stratford Arena. We have assembled quite a collection of memorabilia and photographs gra- ciously donated for the day by some former skaters and patrons of skating. One of our former skaters, Stewart Robertson, is also choreographing a special number featuring some past skaters and if there are any skaters out there interested in skating in this number, could you please let us know either by calling 271-1331 or writing to Gail or Stewart Robertson, 222 Redford Crescent, Stratford, Ontario N5A 1P2, 271-1961. We look forward to seeing all our skating friends at this special event. Yours truly Cathy Hishon 175 Strachan St., Stratford, Ontario N5A 2B4 (519)271-5089 3 Peter's Poin iless¢ I'm old enough to remember mailing letters on a Friday afternoon that would be delivered at their destination on the following Saturday morning. Without fail. Of course, we haven't seen Saturday mail de- livery in a donkey's age. Killing it was one of the measures the Post Office Department took long before it turned itself into a pumpkin called Canada Post. As everything else the Ca- nadian postal service has ever done for us, I mean to us, it was done "to serve us better, for our convenience". I'm glad to read that the remaining rural and small town post offices - the ones lucky enough to have escaped the previous government's blunt axe - have been given an indefinite re- prieve. Long live the moratorium But by and large, the rtilstem - once a main life line holding this rickety country of ours together - has become a gloomy shadow of its former self. I don't know about you, but I use regular mail only to pay bills apd to send Christmas cards. That's about it. For the rest of my communications with the outside world I rely on the telephone, the fax machine, the modem and courier services. Until recently I often used Purolator ("Canada's largest courier service") to send and receive stuff too bulky for the fax or modem, and too urgent for the likes of Canada Post. It worked quite well. Purolator had a local branch staffed by a friendly dispatcher and a couple of efficient drivers who knew their area well. I'd call in the morning and have a pickup in the afternoon. Delivery at the destination was on the next day. Too smooth. Too easy. Too much competi- tion for Canada Post. So what happened? Cana- da Post took over Purolator, melted it down and changed it into Poor&Later. The "Poor" stands for service, the "later" for To serve us better pickup and delivery. The local office has been closed (you guessed it: for my convenience). Gone unemployed) are its friendly and efficient people. Now when I call the Poor&Later num- ber, I'm connected with an office 100 km to the west, but the driver comes from a point 100 km to the east. Confusion reigns. Poor&Later changes drivers frequently, so that none gets to know the area. They get lost. they get behind. They don't call me for instruc- tions. They don't have radio. They return to their depot in tears. They don't call back after 1 call their nervous tracing department. One package that was picked up on Monday morning finally arrived on Thursday afternoon. I didn't find it till Friday morning, because the driver had simply dumped it in the mailbox. I lose time. I lose money. Why did Canada Post decide to acquire Pu- rolator? Was it too competitive? No, no, they tell me, they did it for me. To serve me better. For my convenience. I guess I had it all wrong. It isn't the govern- ment's job to run an efficient postal service. The goal is to produce revenue to help reduce the federal deficit. Do you agree with that? I think it should be the prime responsibility of our postal system to provide all Canadians with reliable postal service, whether we happen to live in a metropolitan area or in the country, on the main street of a town or in a settlement in the far north. Why have courier services become such bug business in recent years? Because Canada Post has cut service in order to turn a bigger profit. Taking over an efficient private company that has benefitted its customers, and then reducing it to a second-rate appendix of its own sluggish juggernaut is not an honest way to serve the Caanadiin public. Once again, you and 1 aro being had.