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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1997-03-19, Page 1SEIP'S valu-mart 4 & 83 Exeter 235-0262 Agent . for z Sketchley Dry Cleaners SEIP'S valu-mart 4 & 83 Exeter 235-0262 1' Marty's March Movie _ ._Madness Hotline 235.3535 r 11.If you aren't subscribing to The' 1 Times-Advocate, you're missing out. ' Use the coupon below and subscribe today! - Name: ' Address i City ' Prov. 1 Postal Code ' SuesCRIPnON rums: ' 1 year $35 . 2 45 GST2 year S63 • 4 41 GST ' QUTSIDE ONTARIQ - 1'year $63 . 4.41 GST2 year $119.6 33 GST 'OUTSIDE CANADA 5102 00 ' USE YOUR CREDJT CARD ❑000000❑ 0000000❑ Card No. I Expiry Date 0 Visa ❑ Master Card ' 0 Cheque enclosed ' Return to; TIMES ADVOCATE ■ 424 Main St. Exeter, Ont. NOM 1 S6 g r — r. r• r. r. r. Inside New security policy at open receptions See page 2 Farm Safety Week , See page 10 - Youth curling See Crossroads Second front Bingo for fun Calling the numbers. Bingo caller Terry Heywood and the Ladies Legion Auxiliary Branch 167 were on hand to help with the South Huron Recreation Centre's Spring Break Bingo Party. The annual activity, designed to give children something to do during_ their Spring Break, is growing, in popularity with this year's event boasting 240 youngsters in attendance. Local businesses donated toys and game prizes. Cemetery Board members resign Committee will replace Rec Board By Chris Skalkos T -A Reporter EXETER -, Although plans to eventually change the South Huron Recreation and Community Centre Board to an advisory committee will sec the structure of the Board change, some members feel it's role will not hp affected. Rick Hundey, administrator for the town of Exeter, attended a regu- lar hoard: 'meeting on Thursday night to announce changes to it's management structure and. job de- scriptions. Existing' Facilities Man- ager Cam Stewardson will he ap- pointed, Parks, • Recreation and Cemetery (PRC) Manager and will report directly to the chief ad- iMnistrativc officer.. The recreation director and cemetery staff will. also report directly to or through the PRC manager. _ Hundey said this was the first 'stage • of, , a recommendatifin re- garding internal' restructuring by Exeter Council's committee of the whole, which will incorporate ce- rtietery pperatious with the.• Parks and Recreation Department with the intention is that these two hoards will become advisory com- mittees of council.. As an advisory committee, ,the recreation board would not have the power to,make or pass motions; and some members questioned the new role this committee , would serve. "Just because this board is going to be, a recommending body rather than ' a decision-makingbody doesn't mean ,it's less important," said Hundey, adding he's seeking input from members on how thc hoard will change. In the past, thc hoard has been a . major fundraising force and hoard member -councillor Dave Urlin is concerned it won't have control of money raised at fundraisers. "We have always been a fund- raising committee and the funds we raise save taxpayers .money. I. per- sonally don't want to see control of those funds being taken away from this board," said Urlin. "I want to she this hoard direct those funds to where they're supjosed (ago." • Mayor Ben Hoogenhoom assured hoard members the money raised at fundraisers . will he cartnarked for its intended purpose. . The change will reduce the num- her of people sitting on. the hoard from nine to five, with three of those remaining being, council members. Board member Don Richardson expressed concern about the ex- pertise of those •sitting on the new advisdry committee, pointing out : , current members making decisions an people ('ho are dircc,tly in- << \.d With recreation in the com- rlun.itv., Hui. .4 acknowledged the 'hoard's specialty in recreation and said that role whuld not diminish. "There will always he a need for planning recreation services and recommending them to council, but there has to be a balance point," he explained. ' Board member, Kathy Campbell, doesn't feel there will be much of a * Continued on page 2 as town implements restructuring Hensall works By Heather Mir T -A Reporter EXETER - As the town proceeds with internal restructuring efforts to a Committee of the Whole system, council received a let- ter of resignation from three Cemetery Board members. Chair Andy De Boer, Olga Davis and Peter McFalls sub- mitted their resigna- tions effective March 15 due to thc fact the town has made the Cemetery Board an advisory body. "For us to continue as an Ad- visory Board is a waste of our time "F confirm A Bo wast ti e and energy' Any recommenda- tions we submit to council could be over -ruled and in our humble opin- ion would he, considering their lack of cooperation during the past year," states a Ictter from De Boer, Davis and McFalls. Council accepted the resignations at Monday's meeting and directed staff to send a Ictter of thanks to these board mem- bers for their efforts over the years. internal re- structuring Administrator Rick Hundey reported to council on Committee of the Whole rec- ommendations regarding internal or us to e as an dvisory and is a eofour me and nergy." . restructuring. Council passed rec- ommendations including the sched- uling of council • and committee meetings as well as agenda pro- cedures, planning act business and conduct and administrative pro- cedures for Committee of the Whole. Although council proceeded with recommendations in the report, Councillor Wendy Boyle said holding meetings on four Mondays in the month restricts those who are able to be on council. For ex- ample, shift workers' would not he able to attend all meetings. "i think you're eliminating a por- tion of the population," said Boyle. Although council meetings arc expected to, be shortened, com- mittee meetings will be dealing with a large volume of material and for this reason, it was' suggested they start at 7 p.m. The 'Committee of the Whole structure is intended to provide full council involvement as well as fewer, more productive meetings, a stronger sense of council direction, a more. efficient decision-making process, better public involvement and improve press coverage. 11 was also noted Committee of the Whole is sometimes used to meet in -camera. "This is not the meaning Exeter Council attaches to Committee of the Whole," states a committee re- port. "Council business, whether at Council or at Committee of the Whole, will be open to thc public sr Continued on page 2 Co-op housing offers unique experience By Heather Mir T -A Reporter EXETER - As housing co-ops face an un- certain future due to a proposed shift' of re- sponsibilities. from thc province to municipal- ities, a local cooperative attempts to debunk some of the myths surrounding such housing. According to Exandarea Meadows Housing Cooperative board of directors president Ka- thy Sangster, many people believe co-ops are "RGi (rent geared to income) ghettos" and all the residents arc subsidized. in fact, just the opposite is true. Peo- ple become co-op members for many reasons including a sense of security, community and belonging. Among the mix at Exandrea are elderly residents who can remain in their own homes longer within the co-op community as well as single -parent families and al- most any other configuration you can imagine. "It's like a big family," explains Sangster. "i feel safe having people around who look out for you and your property." For children, the co-op is a safe place where you can get to know your neighbors. Exandarea Meadows opened at the corner of Church and Williams Streets in October of 1991 and was built on town -owned property. The co-op idea was brought to reality by sev- en dedicated town citizens who formally in- corporatcd Exandarea Meadows in June, 1988, explains a co-op brochure. The co-op re- ceives federal and provincial funding to bridge the gap between actual housing costs and the mouthy charges paid by members. There are 35 units in total including onc bedroom apart- ments and two and three bedroom town- houses. There are also two wheelchair acess- ible units and a common room that is used by all co-op members without charge. The grounds are quite large and includes two play- Exandarea Meadows grounds. All residents have access to a pri- vate patio through their unit. One third of the units must be rented at mar- ket value, according to government regu- lations. This presents a problem because of low interest rates and a competitive rental market. For example, the housing charge es- tablished for a one bedroom at Exandarea is $498, however, the average rent in Exeter for a one bedroom is $370. The co-op has applied to have the rent reduced in order to become more competitive. The remainder of the units arc divided ac- cording to a target plan. The plan -calls for nine deep core, nine shallow core and three non-core units. The categories arc based on 30 per cent of gross income. Residents also pay utilities, although some may qualify for a utility reduction. A common misconception about cooperative housing is that it's the cheapest rent in town. Co-op housing does have a mandate to pro- vide affordable housing but charges arc based on income and vary depending on each res- ident's circumstances. Housing charge in- formation is kept confidential and each mem- ber is considered an equal. Part of cooperative living is sharing re- sponsibility for the operation of the housing complex. A board of directors is elected and new members are asked which committee they are interested in joining. These include finance, tales, maintenance, social, member- ship, newsletter and housing charge as- sistance. Because housing charge and income information is • confidential, a part-time co- ordinator, Wayne Tingle, is hired by the co- op. "Most of the people in the co-op do par- ticipate," says Sangster, adding, "Some more than others." Membership in a co-op is open to anyone, provided they are willing to meet their obliga- tions. toward solving fume problem By Brenda Burke T -A Reporter HENSALL - "We have an emer- gency plan that maybe needs up- dating," said Hensall Reeve Cecil Pepper following a council meeting attended by King Street residents who are angry the rest of the vil- lage wasn't . notified immediately about the possible hazard of gas fumes entering their homes from storm sewers. Council plans to amend a Health Unit notice that may be intended for all Hensall residents in an effort to notify them of the potential proh- Iem. The village office received a let- ter from Huron County Public Health Inspector Don Hullah on Feb. 7 that recommended village residents be warned. This Ictter was not made public, nor brought to the immediate attention of Hensall councillors. "The timing was not good on that particular day," Pepper explained. "it isn't that we're not doing any- thing, but nobody was giving us any answers." Council is investigating the source of fumes that entered homes in December and again in February. Was it due to a gas station spill dur- ing a fill -up, old gas tanks stored underground, or fumes from heavy winter traffic settling into catch ba- sins? According to Pepper, the•under- ground gas tanks were taken out in the late 1960's when a gas station was removed and Highway #4 was widened. Council will now work with en- gineers who will advise how to fix a catch basin at Erb's Garage, the site of the December gas spill. "The village cannot be re- sponsible for what goes down that drain," Pepper said, adding he's had other complaints of gas fumes entering homes during thc past few years. ' "Nobody has told me whether it was a dangerous situation," he rea- soned, noting the Ministry of the Environment is satisfied the recent incident was handled in the proper manner. and considers the case file closed. Young offenders charged in connection with break and enter LUCAN - A total of 14 charges have been laid by London and Lu - can OPP following a series of three break and enters that occurred on Main Street early Monday morning. Procut Hair Salon, Ross' Barber Shop and Creative Affairs Gift Shop were entered just after mid- night. A resident of onc of the buildings confronted the three males and was struck several times with a pry bar. Police report minor injuries were sustained. A short time later, 5h3 17 -year- old male suspects, were arrested in Hensall by Exeter police. The young offenders were scheduled to appear in London Court Monday. Lucan OPP also report two garag- es on William Street were entered and tools were taken in a separate incident on March 15.