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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1998-10-07, Page 2Regional wrap up Group to improve Clinton CLINTON — The town is full. of great ideas on how Clinton can prosper and a 'lo- cal lo -cal committee is striv- ing; to put these ideas to work. according to the, Clinton . News- Reord. . The second • meeting of .the group which is informally known as the "prosperity com- mittee" drew 30 • peo- ple. . Meeting chair. Dred Lobb.. said that since the first meeting, , he has been approached by people willing to share their suggestions on how the town can get ahead. . Jake Defuyter sug- gested that one ,ueth- od of hell) at 110 (0St •would be to -help with research • to. get pro- jects off the ground. Lobb added that • busi- ness people could sit .and talk with those in- terested in • starting 'a business in town. • - • - lour committees will be formed: industry, - small business, promo- tion and tourism. • Harbour land swap in the • works GODERICII = 'The town ' has agreed Co- sign a. letter of intent for the exchangeof lands at' the Goderich ,harbour; according to the Goderich Signal- Star. After several meet- ings between town offi- cials, the Goderich Ele- vators . and • a representative of a group of citizens who want to build a hotel complex on the water- front. fhe letter of in= tent for 'an agreement to swap the harbour (rent lands was Pre- sented to town council. The exchange. Would give the town- a consol- idated waterfront property• suitable for development. Goderich Elevators would re- ceive lands owned by Goderich which in- clude the CPR station. As a • condition, the building will •be pre- served and remain .opon to the public. The letter of intent is not a binding agrec- meht but it does show .promise for a future agreement between the ' two sides. it also allows the hotel group to proceed with a fea- sibility study for the harbour area. Exeter Times -Advocate Wednesday, October 7, 1998 In the News Old Pryde Street sewer gets the blame By Kate Monk TikeiS AI)VOCATIi STAFF • EXETER — 1 feel the biggest problem we have during periods of high flow is •the old Pryde sewer," B. M. Ross ongineer Bruce Potter told Exeter council 'and members .of the public on Monday night. • Potter gave a status report on -.the ••in • - vestigation of basenunt needing in te Uow subdivision. - Alttwugh the investigation is not yet coin-. Otte. Potter was willing to divulge anticipat- ed recommendations. The first set of recommendations will be• aimed at.dec:reasing inflow and infiltration • and (nay include -the following. - • Force homeowners to disconnect._eaves troughs, roof drains and other direct connec- t tions. • .• Consider the possible disconnection of window wells, stair wells and footing drains. • Encourage homeowners to- direct storm water away from buildings and to, improve. lot grading. The second set ofsrtrconunendatious will be aimed at improving the 'sewer - system with the- snipe of, the various pipes determining the extent of the work and • ntay include the following. • Repair partially blocked services. • Repair/replace portions of sewer On Kingseourt. Churchill :end Sherwood. • Repair some of the cracked -pipes. • Replace or abandon the old Pryde sewer. with' services being connected to the new sewer. • • Additional connections between any old - • Pryde sewer remaining and the new trunk sewer. - • Potter reported the sewers are generally in good condition in that the pipes are good and there are . few cracked pipes. I lowever; ' some stretches of sewers have relatively large dips and small grades. - Much 'of this .problem dates back "to the technology available at the time the- sewers were built. it was difficult to ensure a straight sewer with -a consistent grade in the 1960s when.the sewers were constructed, • - The quality of construction improved when laser technology was introduced in the '70s, according to Potter. . Als) in the '60s.• companies were pro-... nesting pipes that were so smooth the con- tents could flow with 'a 0.3 percent slope.• Unfortunately, the pipes could -not live up- to the promise. Now, a minimum of 0.4 percent. • . slope. is acceptable. . The new Pryde?' sewer is -in "excellent 'con- dition" and ..can handle the flows from the old sewer. Some members of the gallery sug- gested crossing connections hetween the old and new Pryde sewers 'to allow for extra flow but ('otter wanted to study that optign further before committing to it. Using the new Pryde sewer will allow the '.grades of connections from houses on the side streets to' be improved which should also reduce flooding. Potter doubted repairing the sewers would -completely sglve the flooding problems.. "We still have to address inflow." Potter said, adding all the measures • he identified will reduce flooding. • Potter is also concerned about lot grading - in the subdivision. "'!'here are areas where lot grading is ex- ceptionally poor," he explained, adding in one. instance, yards fr, ; . fight other lots drain into one yard. . •• . As for a timetable, Potter encouraged the • town to . get started witli the inflow rec- otnii 'ndations immediately and to complete dye testing on cave trough down spouts'con- nected to the ground especially where no smoke appeared from the plumbing stacks. Potter believes the sewer work will require a Certificate of Approval from the Ministry of the Environment but wanted a legal opinion first. It may take the MOE four to six weeks to approve the request. He suggested the pa- perwork get started immediately. The town- can complete the tendering pro - Teachers and board ratify two-year deal Continued from front page because she said they are an important part of edu- cation. She added that while students were aflccted by negotiations, the affect was minimal because the beard and the union were able to reach a deal early in the school year. Judy Cairncross, presi dent of ,OSSTF District 8, said she is pleased about the contractbut expressed worries about the province getting involved in education. She said the union's. fight was never with Avon Maitland but with the gov- ernment. - However, as talks dragged on. Cairncross said a teachers' strike was a possibility because the union had an 8.8 per cent strike mandate from its teachers. Cairncross said the unity shown by the teachers in not volunteering for extra-. curricular activities was effective and added that people are finally starting to realize teachers do a lot of extra work. 'Cairncross. admitted, though, that the refusal to volunteer. for extra-curric- ulars did have adverse effects. "1 unfortunately think it was hurting the kids," she said, adding she -has a daughter in high school and knows'a lot of stu- dents need outlets such as .sports and other activities. Realizing this,; she said OSSTF wanted to get the contract settled as soon as possible. Avon Maitland teachers have made some conces= sions,• Cairncross said, such as giving up .close to half of their prep time per week. • In 'exchange, the board has.promised the union it will begin implementing changes as quickly- as pos- sible to ensureteachers aren't teaching four class- es a day. Despite the settlement, Cairncross said the union • will continue to remain active in education, say- ing, "We don't want to see the public school system destroyed," and said the union wants to ensure teaching remains a profes- sion young people still want to enter. coss for the contracts and stipulate the wort can start once MOE'approval is. received. ' This leaves a short window of opportunih for construction • this autumn. While con struction can be completed during' De • cembor, 'Potter said, that would• mean (hi street and lawns would be disrupted for the rost.for the winter. Council encouraged staf • and Potter. to communicate to the MOE the importance of completing the project w . spun as possible: - Counci) directed Potter to proceed with the - remainder. of the investigation and to pre- pare' the necessary documentation to get the. MOE's approval for -'the sewer work. Pryde Street residents . prossed,. council for a decision on compensation for • the sum- mer's 'flood damages. ' Acc:ending to . Dave Partridge, the Co- operators is spearheading• a movement by insurance companies to noionger insure Ex- eter residents for sewer back-up damages. Mayor Ben • Iloogenboont said council hasn't had time to address the claims for - compensation •by •residents but promised to -consider the issue. • Partridge requested the town' "send a. letter - to insurance companies indicating plans are underway to address the flooding problem. - . 'Administrator Rick tlundey agreed to send a letter to specific insurance companies as requested by the: property owners. Gail Little expressed her concern that sev- eral.residents in the area are senior citizens on fixed incomes who may not be to afford repairs. ' 41 don't think these insurance companies have much of a commitment to the con- munity, she said and encouraged council to get involved.. Partridge said- the Citizens Against - Re- current Flooding may have a meeting to .de- cide how to proceed. - "People are looking for answers, he con- cluded. Biddulph fish kill Pollution in the Little Ausable River (Elimville Drain) in Biddulph Twp. is un- der investigation by the Ministry of the Environment. Dead carp were present on Monday morning at the intersection of Adare Drive and Saintsbury Line. The MOE had been called out to a'farm on Saintsbury Line on Sept. 25 fol- lowing a complaint. Wateramples are being analyzed in Toronto and the re- sults were not available at press time. A source has not been determined but the investigation will continue. Pearen found guilty in Grand .Bend United theft SARNIA — Cheryl Sue Pearen, 53, was found guilty of stealing more than $1,000 from Grand Bend United Church between '87-92 in Sarnia court on Monday. The Crown alleged Pearen stole more than $150,000 in cheques made pay- able to cash on the church's accounts and deposited into her own account. Tho trial spanned nearly a .year after lengthy adjournments. - Pearen defended herself during the last stages of the -trial after firing her laytryer at the end of the Crown's case. The judge presiding at the trial said Pearen's case "melted" when she was confronted with 17 invoices she held out were items paid in cash. Pearen will be sentenced on Dec. 3 in. Sarnia court. - with files from the Sarnia Observer.