HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1994-04-13, Page 18l'ayu 18
Times -Advocate, April 13, 1994
Comm
INITY
The Exeter Lions Club's booth at the Home and Garden Show featured a scale model of their
proposal to beautify MacNaugton Park with an entrance garden. The club is seeking sponsors
for the nine individual gardens in the project. From left are Lions John Stephens and Scott
Eveland, and Chrissy Morgan.
Computer technology was in evidence everywhere at the Home Show. The MVR Designs
booth even featured a computerized walk-through of a home that only existed in blueprint
form. Show organizer Peter Hrudka talks with MVR owner Michael VanRaay.
Exhibitors pleased with show
Optimists pack arena
for ninth annual Home
and Garden Show
EXETER - The Exeter Optimist
Club is able to rest again, after
hosting their one and only fundrais-
ing event for the year - the annual
Home and Garden Show.
The show opened Friday evening,
quickly filling the South Huron
Recreation Centre parking lot and
packing the aisles between the dis-
plays with hundreds of visitors.
In all, the show drew a little less
than 4,000 people to it, which orga-
nizers admit wasn't quite as much
as they had hoped.
"It [attendance) was a little lower
than last year," said show coordina-
tor Peter Hrudka.
He estimated there were about
150 fewer paying visitors this year
than in 1993. Hrudka blamed the
weather a bit, which while not
great, perhaps drew a few people
outdoors on Saturday instead of to
the show.
"All the exhibitors were pleased,"
he said. "Everything went smooth-
ly"
The fees paid by the 107 exhibi-
tors make up about two-thirds of
the show's total revenues, and if
they're happy, the Optimists are
happy.
The club now has the task of de-
ciding how to best spend the
$20,000 plus raised by the annual
event - presently the only fundrais-
er on the Optimist's calendar.
"That doesn't take long," said
Hrudka. "Most of it is spent al-
ready."
Hrudka hinted the club may be
considering another fundraising
event to round out its year.
"You might see something else
coming up in the next year or so,"
he said.
Bob Luxton of Exeter visits the Grand Bend Fireplace display
and Larry Whiting shows off the working models the company
installed in the recreation centre for the show.
Director explains budged crunch` ``
Rural sc*h��l fnot fair
provincial government and demand
education funding be changed to
m?ke the system. more fair.
By Catherine O'Brien
T -A staff
EXETER - Understanding the ed-
ucation budget was the focus of a
meeting sponsored by the South
Huron District High School Parents
Association last Tuesday evening at
the high school.
Representatives from the Huron
County Board of Education 'give
the small group at the information
session an overview of board costs
and told them why taxes may in-
crease in the future.
As well, an open forum later in
the evening allowed people to
voice their concerns about the edu-
cation system. Cutbacks and teach-
er salaries were the main focus dur-
ing this part of discussion.
But the first half of the meeting
was dedicated to explaining what
the board has been doing about its
financial crunch so far.
"The popular myth is that educa-
tion spending is out of control,"
said Paul Carroll, director of the ed-
ucation board. "But in Huron
County that's not the case," he said.
"The reality is this board can't af-
ford to spend because the taxpayers
can't afford to pay."
In a nutshell, Carroll said the
problem facing the board has to do
with how the province pays grants
and how it defines the standard mill
rate for the local share of education
taxes.
"The province has shifted the
burden to taxpayers. Every year
we have been getting the province
off the hook," he said.
"It's scary because if the message
doesn't get out that the grant system
doesn't work anymore nothing will
change."
Carroll said the grant system de-
veloped 25 years ago was good at
that time, but today the rules don't
apply.
M well, he said urban boards are
spending double the money be-
cause of the size of their tax base
and this makes the system unfair
for rural students who don't get the
same level of services because the
tax base for rural schools is small-
er.
"We have to demand fairness and
equity," Carroll said. "We're in the
bottom 15 percent in terms of being
able to pay through taxation," he
said.
And while the board was able to
trim $3.5 million from its 1994
budget to bring in a zero percent
mill rate increase, Carroll said that
doesn't mean the province won't in-
crease the burden to the taxpayer.
"The province is responsible for ed-
ucation funding decisions," he said.
"We can expect an increase, not be-
cause of anything the board has
done but how the province has set
the standard mill rate.
Janet Baird -Jackson, superinten-
dent of business, said that after the
provincial government sets its bud-
get in late April, the board will
have less money to work with even
though the province has announced
it will maintain transfer payment
commitments to education boards.
The reason for this is that the
province has cut from grants such
as transportation. As well the
board still has to deal with Social
Contract cuts.
But many attending the meeting
were concerned that the constant
trimming at the budget will eventu-
ally lead to a poor education system.
"As long as you continue to trim,
the province will continue to ask
you to cut more," said one man. "At
some point you will have to say
enough is enough."
Many people voiced this concern.
"Nothing is going to change if you
keep complying," said another com-
munity member.
But trustee Bob Heywood said the
spending has to to be kept under
control. "We have been operating
with an open purse policy and this
has got to stop."
Cuts in spending sparked a bit of a
heated debate regarding teacher's
salaries. One man said a teacher
makes about $10,000 more than the
average employee in Huron County.
"The first thing an industry would
cut is the highest costs not nickel
and dime items - that means cutting
hack on teachers salaries."
Carroll said this issue is being ad-
dressed with union representatives
and cautioned that collective agree-
ments make some cuts impossible.
"The board and union representa-
tives are wonting together, but it's a
slow process," he said.
In defense of teacher salaries one
person commented that the 80 per-
cent of the budget set for salaries is
necessary to keep the quality of
teaching at a high level. "When you
start cutting from here the kids
won't benefit."
Carroll suggested the best ap-
proach for these problems would be
for people to put pressure on the
First '( Grand Bend Kid Check
A Kid Check In Grand Bend Saturday mom ng pro = . suc-
cessful for the sponsoring Child Find 'organization. Here co-
ordinator Pam Bell fingerprints Dean Brown es an Important
part of the identification process.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING
THE CORPORATION OF
THE VILLAGE OF LUCAN
PROPOSED
ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT
TAKE NOTICE THAT the Municipal Council of the Corporation of
the Village of Lucan will hold a public meeting on Monday May
16, 1994, at 7:30 p.m. in the council Chambers, 161 Main
Street to consider a proposed Zoning By-law Amendment under
Section 34 of the Planning Act.
THE proposed Zoning By-law Amendment applies to the lands
described as Part Lot 5 South of Proof Line Road in the Village
of Lucan. These lands are located to the rear of Langford
Lumber and Scott's Elevator and are shown on the map below.
THE purpose of the Zoning By-law Amendment is to rezone the
subject property from an Agriculture Zone (A) to a Residential
Type 1 Zone (R1) to permit the proposed construction of a
residential subdivision.
ANY PERSON may attend the public meeting and/or make
written or oral representation either in support of, or in
opposition to the proposed zoning by-law amendment.
ADDITIONAL information relating to this proposed zoning By-law
Amendment is available for Inspection at my office during regular
business hours.
DATED AT THE VILLAGE OF LUCAN THIS 13TH DAY OF APRIL,
1994.
SCHEDULE "A"
Land Use Plan
R.J. REYMER A.M.C.T.
CLERK,
VILLAGE OF LUCAN
VIUAGE OF LUCAN
161 MAIN STREET,
LUCAN, ONTARIO
NOM 2J0
(519) 227-4253
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