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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1998-11-25, Page 6(► Exeter Times -Advocate Editorial&Opinion Wednesday, November 25.119')8 TIMES ADVOCATE PUHIJLVI Io.Ns NUMI3tf 0751 I Jim Beckett - Publisher and Editor Don Srnith General Manager Deb Lord Production Manager Published by J.W. F.edy Publications Limited 424 Main Street South. P.0.Box 850 . Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6 • (519) 235-1331 EDITORIAL Help make Christmas joyous e're appealing to our readers to payspecial attention to an insert in this week's ews- paper. It's a bag which could easily be overlooked by. • many people as just one. more request to._help others •who are less fortunate...but it's also a bag. that could • be used to make a positive difference for many local • residents who, l'or a. variety of reasons, are not shar- ing in the rewards of living is this affluent area. The bag -is part of the annual campaign of the Iltrron County'Christmas-Bureau who have done an - - outstanding job over the years in finding and help- ing hundreds of families. They're asking for goods. - such as cereal, pastas and'canned goods,.everyday- items for most of us.'..but vital necessities for many • others. . The T -A, along with all other newspapers in Iluron County., is confident our subscribers will come through by responding to the. bureau's request. Bags can be dropped off' at- Exeter s three grocery stores and also at the -United Church from Dee. 7-11. Please...fill it up. • Don't sell any more buildings T• here must be a lesson somewhere. to .be learned. by members of the Avon Maitland District • •School Board. The board recently sold one (*fits administrative • buildings in Stratford for $215,000 to a couple of pretty smart investors, Brian Shackleton -and Brad Lutz. Board members were probably feeling pretty good about thei• r actions. as they, are definitely under pressure. to get rid •of surplus properties. - The feeling of Successfully looking after taxpayers' property certainly made an about face as the local investors turned their $215,000 investment into . -$335,000 as the,same investors flipped the property over to the Montessori school whose original offer of . $2`13.000 Was more than. the first offer of,Shackleton and I.oti. . Birard:chair-Abby Armstrong was reluctant to give cion. details on the board's decision because it was, handled in a closed*session which is allowed 'under ..the Education Act. The value of thi± building wits determined based on the opinion'of local real estate . - agents. No appraiser was hired to conduct an official assessment of the building. value. Is there a lesson' -here somewhere? ' This most recent move by the board comes in the middle of some of the most important decisions its members will have to make in years, deciding which t6ee schools could be closed in order to more efficiently ,deliver education to students. • Selling one of their office buildings for $120.000 les'" ag than it was flipped for just days later is a good reason ' is why taxpayers should monitor their every move. ect 4'x• a • Right idea businesspeopiebody , wrong Give full points to those behind the formation of the won't bring a new factory or a big retailer into town. Exeter and District Chamber of Commerce for their ini, What it will do is help its members become more cus- tiativeand drive -to kick-start. economic ,activity in the tumor. friendly, serve as a municipal tax watchdog and area. hatch projects to improve tourism. It wont spur on economic growth in the traditional sense. Those behind the Exeter and Area Chamber of Commerce have a good idea, but perhaps the wrong focus. And be careful what you ask for...there's already 'a slight controversy over hiring more But upon reading between the proverbial lines, what these pro -active businesspeople actu- ally want is an Economic Development Corporation.. A chamber, according to , the new 'Exeter and area group's pamphlet, is defined as "people working together to,make the community a bet- ter place to live and make a living." A noble pur- suit, �•�. civil servants at Exeter town hall... suit,forsure. CRAIG But what chambers across Ontario, Canada BRADFORD -One last, note on the topic...with the cre- and North America•: actually do, on top of All the MISSILES AND MUSINGS ofion omf ene e Exeter is District Chamber the services they provide to members, is -strive to � Commerce, what is to become. of the provide an ,environment'for their members to make good work they do each year? Exeter s Association and. all the. more money. Chambers, in chis journalist's experience, , Stay tuned... are. highly political bodies that not only continually ask, their municipalities to spend more on the doyvntown or 'Net happy other business areas and. hold 'the line on taxes;bu't last week each reporter and some other _staff at the openly lobby higher tier governments to -pass legislation . T -A received their very own a -mail• address and access ' for them to do busineess, i.e., make more to the Internet on their computers. Money.making it easier .The T-A'sports department (me) received an extra Let me -be clear on this:, there is nothing wrong with bonus...an extra working e-rnail'addre;ss solely fiir'sports wanting 'to make more money: Our business people in tit-sports@southhuron.com. My personal .0 -mail address. the area work themselves .o the bone providingif you prefer. is cbradford@ta.eedy.com. News tips or quality " 'ether tidbits can be shared at either address or at our goods and brvices -with ;t .Smile and that -small town spirit. general addreess, ta0.eedy.c•onr. , But -the focus ,of those behind the Exeter and AreaThe first address has been featured at the top of ilio Chamber of Commerce seems to be on prodding the rco- first sports page. since the T-4 went tabloid' in last , �iomic base, something That Ibr the most part has been month, but there have been some bugs- that have finally in the'town's hands. ;Some businesspeople are tired of been sgtSashed. e town's apparent lethargy when it comes Kudos to David Janzi.n, the T -A's and Eedy• e economic Publications' o , cum ute,r_ vizar4,--fer.se'ttin upt welopment and want to do the job themsejlves. -- --_—�_ p g the e - Again. there's nothing wrong with that. mail addresses and hooking us --all up to the Internet in But an eccmomie. development corp, with a paid man- record time. , . et -schooled and experienced, id making the big deals(lest assured many of us -technological dunces will try what the doctor ordered if the diagnosis is Exeter's to expand our horizons by learning to surf the 'Net FOIL inumic' puh a is Weakening. A. chamber of commerce WORK PURPOSES ONLY (wink, wink) over the next few - - weeks About theTimes-Advocate Address & Office Hours Times -Advocate, 424 Main Street South . P.0 ox 84). B Exeter. Ontario NOM 1$6. Our office is open Monday ti, ) Friday, 8:30 an to 5:00 pin. „' Contact Us By Phone or Fax Classified ad & subscription sales ' 24. -hour automated attendant Fax number for all departments Subscription .Rates One.year rate for addresses in,Canada: Two year rate for addresses in Canada - (519) 235-1331 (519) 235-1336 (519) 235-07(, X354 -GST One year rate for addresses outside Canada: $6;3+GSI' Call (519).235-1331 to order a subscription. $ iOl Classified Rates Word itds: $9:00 for 20 words, 1 Se for each additional word+ GST. Notit•es (births, deaths, announcer cuts, coming events, nrernoriams, cards of thanks): $11.00 + GST7 for up to' 30.words, 15(t for each additional word. Ali ads Must be pre -paid 'The c•l•issifte , •tda de•dl' The Times -Advocate Team Publisher & Editor Jilt) Beckett General Manager • Don Smith ..... ' ' rxt. 112 Production Manager Deb Lord ...... . ext. 114 Barb (:onsitt e. • ext. 109 Monday at 1O�a.tir. Ince Is Advertising Display Advertising To place tudisplay ad. (519) 235'-1331 weekdays 8:30 to 5 ►.iri. or evenings (519) 235-1336 (leave message) or toll-free at 1-888-270-1602. Deadline: Friday 4 p.ni. ' E-mail Us-, I'A e-mail addresses consist of the person's first -initial and last name followed by @ta.eedy'.come For. example, slim I3eckett's e-mail address is, <jbeckett@'ta.eedy:coni> Our general, e-mail address is editor@'Suuthiluron.com. Reporters Customer Service Production Staff Accounting Staff xt. 110 Craig Bradford ext. 113 Kate Monk . ext..107 Scott Nixon . . . ext. 105 Sue Hollings ... .. rxt. 101 Carol Windsor ext. 102 - • Alma Ballantyne. Brenda.'tern. Laurel Miner. Mary McMrray, Barb I3obertson. 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