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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1997-01-22, Page 1SEIP'S valu-mart 4 & 83 Exeter 235-0262 Kids Video. '‘!5;c Rentals 494* '6•T ; Evety day r 1( ,r SEIP'S valu-mart 4 & 83.Exeter 235-0262 Now on '*'►� video Alaska $15.99 — — — — — — MI SUBSCRIBE! If you aren't subscribin8 to The Times -Advocate, you're missing out. IUse the coupon below and ' subscribe today.! 1 Name: I Address City 1 Prov. I Postal Code SUBSCRIPTION RATES: ONI BIO ' 1 year $35 + 2.45 GST.2 year S63 + 4.41 GST ORMDESMDSW 1 year $63+ 4.414.41 GS r $119 + 8.33 GST I OUTSIDE CANADA S102.00 1 USE YOUR CREDIT CARD t 1 —1 1 1 00000000 00000000 Card No. I iExpiry Date 0 Visa 0 Master Card 0 Cheque enclosed ' Return to; TIMES ADVOCATE 424 Main St. Exeter, Ont. NOM 1S6 NEN— — — — — — NM Inside Cemetery Board role discussed See page 2 Library named for retiring principal See page 8 Ferguson Apiaries receive trophies See .page 10 Fruit and vegetables . A new art form See Crossroads • Second front Legion Memorial. Park receives funding GRAND BEND - The Horticultu- raf Society will gej moneyto create its Legion Memorial Park. Council passed a motion 10 allot $10,000 of the $18,500 total cost to create a park on municipal land ad- jacent to the village office. provid- ing the Horticultural Society raises the remaining fund • With a solid commitment from . council and.$2.500 in the society's reserves, it should be relatively easy to convince service groups and others to meet council's goal 'of raising all the money required before starting the project. The money from the -village will be transferred from a park dedica- tion fund totalling $50,000. ' This money is set aside for park devel- opment from cash in lieu dedica- • tions as a result of severances." • • You could jet something done of considerable value," said Council- lor Bob Mann. " We would like to see the project. go ahead in its entirety," added Mayor Cam Ivey. ' Wednesday, January 22, 1997 EXETER-SHDHS students who • felt cheated out of a.PA day because of the bad weather last week will. undoubtedly consider this one of their favorite news items in this week's T -A. Originally schedul for Monday, Jan. 27, the PA day was cancelled t� allow for completion of exams.' School secretary Jean Mason told the TA Monday afternoon theEd. Centre has decided Tuesday, Jan 28 will now be a PA day. Classes. will resume .Wednesday as Day . I, Semester II. . Snowmobile ban discussed by council •EXETER Councillors Robert Drummond and Thom Hughes urged council to take action against. snowmobilers who are abusing their rights and violating the law. ' Drummond reported, "I have seen, tracks where- there -shouldn't have been any"; • Hughes: "I have had complaints about _ snowmobilers • . driving across lawns' and on path; ways. picking up a sign and throw- . ing it down on the ground. -They've been driving in the parks at high - rates of.speed. ,What we need:is the political will tb ban them from towel.'! Before' Councillors' Hughes and Wendy Boyle could, get their mo • - +. Continued on page 2' Grade -9 student Krystal Ziler was busy studying for Sough Herron District High School ex- - ams on Thursday while Shawn Talbot,' a grade 8 student, couldn't help but smile when Exet- er Public. School was closed the same day. Municipalities determining impact of provincial reforms Announcements lack detail of how changes. will impact local, ratepayers 'HURON COUNTY Huron tlnnicipalitics are • trying to unravel how recent Harris government re form announcements_ will impact budgets 'and, ser- vice delivery. It has yet to he determined however, if tbcal'property taxes will take a hit to make up shortfalls! . Although' Exeter doesn't operate a public trans- portation system and already pays -for Policing, Mayor Ben Hoogenboom said he's concerned about the administration of social service, including wel- fare and family benefits. "We're probably fortunate we. don't have ad air- ' port (and) we don't have 1ublic transportation. We mayhe looking at a reserve fund in case things get'. ,bad when you're looking at having to take care of welfare," said Hoogenboom, who ,expec,ted to have a report on the reform announcements by Monday's council meeting. ' • `Townships and villages that have not paid for On tario 'provincial policing in the past will face addi- tional costs that are hoped to be offset by 'the pro- - vincial takeover of education funding collection. Those_ involved • in the .operation of rural mu- nicipalities have .expressed • worry. over having a lower tax base than'urban centers. Soon townships will .have to fund'social• services and policing as Well as -roads. The province -.plans to establish -a . $700 million reserve fund to "help cushion the - transfcr of part of the responsibilities" This fund is part of thc plan to -transfer 50 per cent of ex- penditures for social services to the local level as well as the entire costrofpolicing. While some are pleased education 'spending will -be taken out of the. hands of school boards, local control over services such. as policing will come with a cost. For sonic time. its has, been anticipated the, per household cost of policing ,Will he $250 to $350 per year but announcements have not yet established a set figure. ' "They didn't give us a -cost per household which I thought would be in the announcement;" said Hen- sall Clerk- Luanne Phair. "I think it will. be even more interesting as they address amalgarpation:" • • Library management is another area -the province intends to turn over to municipalities. An amend7. meni to the Public Libraries Act will give local governments the:- legislated authority and re - i Continued -On page 2 Grand Bend votes against Lambton restructuring plan By Heather Mir T A Reporter , GRAND BEND - Council for- mally passed a motion rejecting the Lambton County Restructuring Proposal that would amalgamate Bosanquet, 'Med- form, Arkona, Grand ,Bend and Forest. • "They, want to know why we don't like 'it," explained Mayor Cam Ivey.. "If we don't sup- port this. it's not go- ing to come as any big surprise - in Lambton." According to the Richard Cowen report, Grand Bend ratepayers would bear a higher level of mu- nicipal taxation under the proposed amalgamation. "This is self-defeating in the pur- pose of restructuring." said Coun- Minielly was discussed at a meet- cillor Bob Mann. "To proceed. on ing held Tuesday night.- Grand' that basis is rather ridiculous.' Bend Council agreed to .attend this Mann added an election at -large Meeting. Minielly was the Lamh- proposd in the report would not ton Wardcn when 'hc developed a represent the constituents. restructpring proposal.,• The recorded vote called for by "1 think we have tbe there." Councillor Shirley' said Ivey. Andraza resulted in a According to Ivey, the "mod - unanimous decision ifted" plan includes Grand Bend, a to reject the Lambton portion of Stephen Township as County proposal. well as Plympton and Warwick _ "We don't have the ' townships. . community of inter- Grand' Bend is still pursuing est to make a: good- amalgamation discussions with Ex - restructuring take ,eter, North Bosangoet, Stephen Mace," said Ivey. Township and. Osborne Township Council , also re- although Exeter and Bosanquet solved to send an ' have stated they will not support amended letter, to the county Out- _ the proposal. .Council has asked lining the village's reasons for not the, Ministry of Municipal Affairs supporting the proposed re- - for mediation.. A letter of response structuring. • indicated a representative will con- A "modified" North Lambton . tact the _village to assist in the .mat - proposal by Forest• Mayor Gordon , ter: "We don't have the community of interest to make a good restructuring take place."' Churchnoise raises concern from residents. GRAND- BEND - A concerned group of -United Church"area res- idents attended Monday night's ' council meeting to; -ensure • the church's rezoning application will not allow an ongoing noise prob- lem as was created last summer ky an 'outdoor music concert. - , "One wonders What kind' of fu- ture plaps might he undertaken," said a resident in thc gallery: "I frankly don't. Want to hear it. not on Sunday. morning." ' - The application: asks for a' re- zoning of three k ts,. currently .deemed residential, to be zoned in- stitutional. . For many years. the congregation has held outdoor church services during the summer months and last' summer a deck was constructed for this purpose:— According to a report' from Lamb- , ton County Planner Dave Posliff,' this is a legal non -conforming ex- panded use but is not in violation of the Official Plan. ,Posliff also suggested the ,three 'Tots in question. 72, 73 and 74 be deemed' as one. Church representatives claim the use of pie deck will, he for Sunday Church s ervi'ces an members have nointention to Use it for other activities. In -response to a question if the youth group responsible for tha noisy concert had communicated it intention t9 church elders, • thr representative replied, "The youth group presentation did take the eld- ers by surpisc." • After a lively discussion between council and members of the gallery . councillors agreed to prepare a re= zoning bylaw based on reaching a satisfactory agreement with all par- ties involved. "It's a two-way start here. Keep that in perspective,; said Coun- cillor Bob Mann. ' Council did pass a motion deem- ing the three church lots in question as one for the sake of simplicity. Council angered by board. gratuity EXETER - Councillor Robert. Drummond brought the issue of the Huron County Board of Educations recent actions to council at Mon- day night's meeting. He quoted from a reply Administrator Rick Hun= dey received froln the board. The justification for the "gratuity" paid ex -superintendent Gino Giannandrca was to induce employees to leave the board, thereby saving money by not replacing them. "If anyone believes that someone will not take advantage of a major promotion if he wouldn't get Jhe gratuity, I have some land in Florida for sale," he said. Councillor Thom Hughes joined Drummond, "This is nonsense! Es- pecially when I hear this same individual blocked the same allowance being given other employees who Icft the board. 1 move we write the board and the ministry opposing these actions." Reeve Bill Mickle added, "I've heard the same thing from others in the county. We should draft a letter in the strongest language possible •protesting this action." • - + Continued on page 2 403 MAIN ST. EXETER 235-4494 A EUROPEAN ADDITION aueOPPINw l" `IAN . 5 10 a.m.-12 p.m. 12-2 pm. Z-5 p.m. '4403 MAIN ST. EXETER 235-1795 MIL iAkf.ALA A AL iti.i,.iAkALiliALlii.iiiiiiiiA As, & AkALAR. iAI. AL. AL AlkiAL ALjii.tiA Ab 4