HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1998-01-28, Page 2• Page 2
Times -Advocate, January 28, 1998
IN THF
FWS
Regional
wrap up
Car airborne 37
metres off bridge
and into tree
GODERICi-I - A 24 -year-old
Auburn area man is in fair con
dition after his car flew almost
37 metres in the air, off the
Highway 21 bridge at the North
Harbour Road. stated the Gode-
rich Signal Star.
The vehicle landed near train
tracks and travelled another 31
metres before it struck a tree on
the Maitland Golf Course. The
car virtually fragmented when it
hit the ground. right side up.
The driver was taken to Lon-
don Health Sciences Centre after
being rescued from his vehicle
by members of the Goderich
Fire Department and Goderich
Ambulance Service on Jan. 16.
The accident went undiscov-
ered for about an half-hour and
it took about one hour to remove
him from the vehicle. A few.
hours earlier he - had been
charged with impaired driving.
He was arrested with a drinking
and driving offence and released
to a friend: The friend gave him.
his keys hack and he continued
drinking at a bar before the acci-
dent occurred.
Under release. conditions of
the Criminal Code of Canada.
police had no grounds to hold
the man in custody aftcr he had
been charged.
Investigation into the accident
is ongoing.
Mitchell man
jailed four years
for home invasion
MITCHELL - John Canning
Sneddon. 33. of 173 Ontario
Rd.. Mitchell was sentenced to
four years in federal penitentiary
after pleading guilty at his pre-
liminary hearing in Stratford
provincial division court Jan. 13
to robbery with the use of a fire-
arm. stated the Mitchell Advo-
cate.
Sneddon was -one of three men
from the area involved with a
home invasion at 1.63 Georgina
St. Mitchell Nov. 8. Sneddon
was armed with a 1 2 -gauge shot-
: gun at the time of the invasion.•
and shot a 24 -year-old Mitchell
man, Michael Shean in the right
leg after he attempted to jump
through a -living room window '
to escape. Shean is mobile, hut
still uses crutches.
Sneddon, who has a prior
criminal record was charged
with robbery with the use of a
firearm but the charges of at-
tempted murder, use of a dis-:
guise and break and enterwith
the use of a firearm were
dropped. Sneddon was also
banned from owning firearms.
ammunitions or explosives for
life.
Hanover women,
46, charged with
assaulting
68 -year-old man
HANOVER - A 46 -year-old
Hanover women was charged
with assaulting her 68 -year-old
boyfriend. stated the Saugeen
City News.
The incident, which occurred
at a 10th Street Hanover resi-
dence on Jan. 15, occurred fol-
lowing an argument in which the
man received rib injuries, nu-
merous scratches and a cut ear
which required stitches at the
Hanover and District Hospital.
Fullarton arson
unsolved
FULLARTON - Sometime
during the evening hours of Jan.
5, unknown persons entered a
vacant 3 -bedroom farm house in
Fullarton Township, stated the
St. Marys Journal Argus.
For unknown reasons, a fire
was started in the house result-
ing in the building structure
burning to the ground.
•
Did you call a cab?
Old bylaw says taxi drivers must have a home
base in the village
By Chantal Van Raay
T -A Reporter
GRAND -BEND - Not just any-.
one can operate a taxi service in
Grand Bend.
Because of an old bylaw which
states that a taxi driver must have a
home base in the village in order to
operate. a resident from Shipka
who wishes to operate a cab in
Grand Bend doesn't qualify. But
she's challenging the old bylaw be-
cause she wants to operate' a taxi
business in the village.
Administrator Paul Turnbull
compared the situation to a cellular
phone versus an old FM radio sta-
tion.
"There was a time when you
needed a Kase station to operate a
FM radio station. Now. with cel-
lular phones it doesn't matter
where your base is."
The licensing bylaw only refers
to those cruising Grand Bend look-
ing for fares. Discharging and pick-
ing a passenger up in Grand Bend
is allowed.
But to operate a taxi business, the
driver must have a driver and ve-
hicle licence issued by the village.
Presently. there arc only a couple
of taxi drivers in Grand Bend.
There is no limit to how many taxis
may operate .in the village, said
Mayor Cam Ivey. recommending
council amend the bylaw to allow
outsiders to operate a taxi in Grand
Bend.
Council will come back to the
next regular council meeting with a
draft bylaw stating that taxi oper-
ators .need to get a:license.from the
village hut do not- require a home
Kase.
Townhouse development
passes another hurdle
EXETER - A proposed freehold
townhouse. development in Exeter
has cleared another hurdle. At last
Monday night's council meeting,
the bylaw to amend the zoning was
passed unanimously. - -
Doug Geoffrey and Joe Durand
are the proponents of the develop=
ment which will see the construc-
tion. of townhouses to he sold as
separate units. • -
The site is.3.88 acres in size and
is located west of Marlborough
Street between John and Sanders
Streets. The plan includes the ex-
tension of Sanders -Street and a.pri-
vately-maintained street between
two rows of townhouses.
Durand said -they are targeting the
single -storey townhouses to the,
senior citizens market who want to
own a home that's larger than an
apartment. -
Each unit will have two bed-
rooms, a full basement and •a gar-
age and will range. from 1,100 to
1.300 square feet in size.
The Sanders Street extension will
be a standard street with the con-
struction paid for by the develop-
ers. .
The next'step is the approval of.
the proposed plan of subdivision,
Coordinated by Huron County. A
public meeting to consider the mat-
ter will be held on Monday night at
7 p.m. in the Exeter Council Cham -
hers. Members of the -public are in-
vited to attend to provide input.
Who's right and who's wrong
. is just a. difference of opinion
Security officer doesn't
think vandals are being
dealt with, but police ser-
geant said investigations
are accurate
Exeter rodeo plans underway
A Bar K- Rodeo -Productions will
manage the event scheduled
for August 8 and 9
By Kate Monk
T Reeporter
- EXETER . With a year of learning and capital ex-
penses under their belts, the Exeter -Rodeo Com-
mittee is optimistic about this year's endeavor.
"-We think it's going to be • another successful
year." said Jo -Anne Fields of the rodeo committee.
The committee held its first meeting of the year
last Wednesday night. Representatives of the town's
recreation department, recreation committee, Lion's
club. saddle club, fire department, agricultural so-
ciety and the Ausahle River Nomads camping club
arc on the committee with Don Richardson as the
chairman. • .
The rodeo .scheduled for August 8 and 9 will be
managed by A Bar K Rodeo Productions. -
- Fields reported more than 2,500 people and con-
petitors from -Canada and the United States attended
the 1997 rodeo. In spite of the one-time capital costs
of purchasing bleachers, the event still finished -in
the black. •
She explained the event brought many tourists -to
Exeter which had a beneficial impact on the busi-
nesses. • - . -.
Following last year's event, rodeo organizers said
the cowboys told them they. -were treated Netter in
Exeter than anywhere else. Fifty-five participants
were in each of.the two shows with more. than 200
in attendance throughout the weekend.
The .1997 rodeo was sanctioned by the Ontario
Rodeo Association -with riders competing for points
for. the- provincial championship. Many of the top
riders were in attendance.. • - -
Al and. Karyn Foster of Corunna, owners of A Bar
K Rodeo Productions said were very pleased with
the weekend. They cited the community in-
volvement and good weather as key elements -of the
weekend's success. They also noted that Exeter had
a rodeo atmosphere with people who already knew
about rodeos.
The two and one-half hour rodeo features a` full
menu of rodeo events: steer wrestling, bareback
bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, barrel. racing, calf
roping. team roping and bull riding. Junior cat-
- egories are included in a number of events: -
Exeter and area. residents waited 20 years for the
return of what was once the known as the Calgary
Stampede of the east: The Midwestern Rodeo put
Exeter on the map with a very successful 11 year
run between 1966 and 1977 when local horsemen
• and service organizations took to -the task. The
event, at its peak; drew 10,000. people to thc com=
munity over the weekend and became one of the
best rodeos this side of Manitoba:
With plans getting underway early and en-
thusiasm building, Fields hopes this year's event
will be even better -than '97. -
Centralia Airpark remains open
o' Continued from front page
. for pilots who rent hanger space.
Pilots will only _have access to their
aircraft Monday to Friday, 7:30_
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If they -take out
-their aircraft and don't return if be-
fore Friday. at 4:30 p.m.. they will
not he able to gain access to return
the plane until Monday afternoon,
according to Stewart. • -
This arrangement may ,not be
convenient for many pilots who do
most of their flying in the evenings
and on weekends.
Pilots and companies have also
had concerns with the maintenance
of the runways and specifically the
removal of snow: Although pilots
have offered to plow the runways,
whep ODC employees are not _
available, this is not allowed under -
the terms of the employees' union
contract. -
• In spite of the problems. Central-
ia. Airpark is. considered to be the
hest airport for recreational flying
in Ontario, primarily because of the
long, paved runways. -
."We've, got. somethingg really
good. here. Let's not screw it up.
Let's work with- it," Lawson told
nearly 20 pilots who met on Friday
to discuss the airpark. .
He • said lease rates for compar-
�able facilities.at-the London Airport
are four times as high. -
Stewart agreed. "We have an ex-
cellent facility here."
"If we can get •Hanger 2 settled
down, that'll be a big break. ODC's
a good landlord."- Lawson claimed..
ODC has also offered to lease
land for pilots to construct hangers
at ,their own expense. Further de-
tails on the hangers are expected in
early February.
Simmington emphasized ODC is
looking at all its properties across -
the province. • -
"We are reviewing our plans for
all the properties and whether it's
best in the long run for the province
to he the owner and operator of that -
particular facility. But certainly. we
have no immediate plans to close
down the airpark. We won't do
anything regarding the park's long-
term future until we sit down with
all the interested parties." he con-
firmed.
• Ontario Development Corpora-
tion is a crown corporation which
reports to the Minister, of Economic
Development and Trade. •
go because alcohol- was. involved •
and because "kids will he kids. - - - ' Lucan
. "But they're not kids," said Bar-
= rete. "The one identified was in his
20s.
"They weren't even charged with
EXETER - Are vandals in Exeter • 'mischief. If I didn't catch them, a
being dealt with appropriately'? . • planter would have probably had to
-Huron Security. Officer.John Bar- he replaced." he said.
rett doesn_'t think so. Police Sergeant ..Brad Sadler
"You have people running spoke on behalf of investigating of- -
around at • night and wrecking ftccr Bob Gilmar and said he be -
things .and nothing's being , done lieves Barrett just had • a difference
about it," said .Barrett. - of opinion. • .
He was referring to an incident "Two different names were given.
which occurred on Sunday: Jan. I 1 - . •so he (Gilmarl wasn't -able to -prove
at 3 a.m. He was patrolling down- that •the name given was the one
town Exeter when he noticed three who was moving the planter.
people running down the main "It wasn't that nothing was
street with a planter. Barrett caught done." he continued. "It's just that.
them and told them to bring the there wasn't enough evidence - to -
planter back to where they found, it. lay any charges." Sadler said. add-•
He then called the-OPP: ing he believes it is just -a differ -
"1 notified the OPP but they're ence of opinion between Barrett
not doing anything about it." he and Gilmar..
said, adding the OPP has identified ."i think Gilmar did the proper in -
at least one of thc men hut let them vestigation." Sadler said.. . •
New farm tax is 25%
of residential rate
By Craig Bradford
T -A Reporter
BIDDULPH TWP. - A simple misunderstanding could mean a big
surprise for area farmers when they get their tax bills this year.
Biddulph Township administrator Larry Hotson briefly outlined
this at last week's council meeting during his report on thc recent
Fair Tax Seminar he attended in Cambridge. Many. farmers think
that under thc new tax system the farm tax will be 25 per cent of last
year's tax bill. Hotson said that is incorrect — the farm tax will be
25 per cent of the residential rate.
Just how much that will be is still up in the air pending more in-
formation from the province. Hoison said.
"The numbers they are giving us arc a moving target," he said.
Other notes from the meeting:
You spill, you charged '
Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority's Tom' Prout filled
council in on the proposed municipal planning service- fees as well
as charges under the Environmental Planning Act•covering manure
spills. - •
While any charges for a zoning changes initiated. by a municipality
are covered under the municipal levy. taxpayers must pay the
• ABCA's fee for zoning bylaw changes they apply for.
And farmers beware: Prout urged council to enforce the Drainage
Act and fine farmers who cause manure spills. Hotson said dis=
cretion will be used since most spills are accidental but repeat of-•
fenders will be fined up to the $1,000 maximum.
New copier
Council okayed the purchase of a $7.995 new Canon photocopier.
Hotson said the Canon bid was the lowest received. And the ma-
chine is needed: Hotson was forced to make his copies at the Lucan
village office on Friday when the old copier at his office broke
down. -
council split on merger direction
By Craig Bradford
T -A Reporter
LUCAN - Agreement on how
amalgamation -will go in Lucan
breaks down after the- first partner
is pencilled on the dance card.. -
Councillors discussed their views
. on possible municipal amalgama-
tion at' last week -'s meeting to try to
come to a consensus - before to-
morrow's joint meeting between
the village and Biddulph Township
council
:The two councils will discuss a
number of issues both are` -con-.
cerned about including amalgama-
tion•and anagreement on Biddulph
residents hooking up to •Lucan's
sewer system. - -
Village councillors all agree that if
Lucan is to amalgamate with any
neighboring municipality, it must
be Biddulph since the township sur-
rounds them. In . fact, Lucan and
Biddulph nearly signed a merger•
agreement last year but Lucan
pulled out when it was found its
taxpayers • may have • to 'suffer
through an "astronomical" tax in-
crease due to the province pulling
its Farm Tax Rebate, administrator
Ron Reymer said., The program
benefitted Biddulph farmers and
the understanding was Lucan- rat-
epayers might have had to make up
the difference in lost revenues in
the merged municipality.
"i just can't see it not being a ma-
jor problem," Reymer said of the
Farm Tax Rebate, addingthe prov-
ince must address the problem
though it hasn't to date.
Deputy Reeve Harry Wraith said
he favors a one tier, single mu-
nicipality of Middlesex County,
and if that doesn't fly, Lucan and
Biddulph should look south to Mid-
dlesex Centre and other municipal-
ities near London.
Reeve Robert Benner disagreed.
He feels Lucan and Biddulph
should look to the north and east to
Exeter, Usborne Township, Blan-
shard Township and St. Marys be-
cause they arc more rural and share
More common interests. He said the
real seat of power would go with
municipalities close to London and
hurt rural Lucan/Biddulph. He add-
ed London's recent amalgamation
has left little suitable merger part-
ners in Middlesex and he wished
the province would stop its in-
siste...:e municipalities stay within
their county's borders for merger
talks., •
Wraith' countered . all the mu-
nicipalities
unicipalities from Exeter down to
Middlesex Centre have common in-
terests. - -
• Councillor Reg Crawford favors a
'Lucan and Biddulph merger if the
.Farm Tax- Rebate -problem is
solved. If the two have to seek oth-
er partners. Crawford agreed . with
Wraith to look to -the south:
Councillor Glenn Silver asked
about the merits of inviting McGil-
livray and East and West Williams
townships to the negotiating table.
.hut other councillors pointed out
the entirely- rural municipality
would worsen the ' -
Farm Tax Rebate sit-
uation. .
Councillor Perry Cas=
kanette said they
should first look at
sharing more resources
and staff with Bid-
dulph and take things
slowly.
"I don't think we
Should even talk about
amalgamation this
year till after budget,"
he said. "1 just don't'
see. it being in favor for me and my
neighbors right now."
Benner said he originally ques-
tioned whether a merger is really
needed since he secs no tax savings
and less per capita representation
with a bigger municipality. But a
bigger entity with a larger popula•
-
tion makes more noise on both the
county and provincial level. he ad-
mitted.
The fact the province says it .will
appoint commissioners to force
counties to cut down thc number of
municipalities and representation
behooves many municipalities to
come up with their own solutions
so at least they make a decision
they are comfortable with. Elgin -
County has already undergone the
process with its own formula; Kent
County municipalities couldn't
agree on a merger model and .a
commissioner enforced their own
recommendations.
"The act of not doing anything be-
cause of inertia may not necessarily
be correct," Benner said. -
He added Biddulph and Lucan al-
ready share such things as fire pro-
tection service, a building inspector
and some of the sewer system.
Amalgamation often involves lay -
don 't
ay-
don't
be
fav
mea
neig
ing off staff 'and job changes for
other employees, Benner said, -the
_fallout of which won't be known
till the process gets started.
"You don't know till you get
there," he said.
Wraith read the advantages and
disadvantages of amalgamation
outlined in consultant Richard
Chowen's-$5,000 'Report on Pro-
posed Amalgamation .of the Vil-
lage of Lucan and Township of
_Biddulph' submitted to the .village
on Oct. 24. 1994. .
,Advantages- reduction on number
of councillors: reduction of num-
ber. of" committees and members,
staff reductions; elimination of -one
municipal building
and council chambers;
stoppage of equipment
duplication between
the two municipalities;
elimination of one
works yard: end of du-
plication of special-
ized staff and equip-
ment; easier expansion
of the 'sewer system;
opportunity to work
together on economic
growth and tourism;
greater leadership and
voice -when answering 'to the
county and the province. •
Disadvantages: possible loss of
historical significance; perceived
loss of representation; some staff
workloads increase: one-time costs
of renovations/expansibns of mu-
nicipal office; possible eligibility
loss to some grant programs.
Middlesex County is attempting
to spur amalgamation talks along
for a third time.
Its appointed facilitator. Kitchen-
er's Bill Thomson,'will meet with
council on Jan. 27 for their input
on possible mergers. Thomson has
already met with senior administra-
tion staff at all Middlesex mu-
nicipalities and is now meeting
with all the councils.
`I just
see it
ing in
or for
at my
hbors
right
now."
Correction
The date for a public meeting for
a seasonal gaming club in Grand
Bend was incorrect in last week's
paper.
The correct date is Feb. 9 at 8
p.m. at Grand Bend Public School.
The regular council meeting has
been moved to F. 'r. 10 at 7:30 p.m.
The T -A regrets the error.