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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-05-05, Page 44 Exeter Times -Advocate Wednesday, May 5, 1999 Publishing financial statements is `frivolous' by Michele Greene SEAFORTH -The cost of publishing school board financial state- ments is a "frivolous" expense according to trustee Bob Allan, Last Tuesday night in Seaforth the Avon Maitland District School Board approved its financial statements for Jan. 1, 1998 to Aug. 31,1998, but not with- out some discussion. Under the Education Act, boards must. pub- lish in a newspaper the financial statements for ratepayers to see. "I .see here an expense of a great amount of money that could be better spent. This is a frivolous expense with little ben- efit to students," said Allan. The financial state- ments usually require a full page to include all of the information. They were published on the board's Web site; Focus, a newspaper for all of Huron County; Inside, which covers the south end of Perth County; and the Listowel Banner and Independent. Plus which reaches the balance of Perth County at a total cost of $2,900. Trustee Donald Brillinger suggested petitioning the Ministry of Education and Training and request- ing the board be allowed to run a small- er ad letting ratepayers know the financial statements are sgvail- able. Anyone who wanted a copy could call and request one. "I feel it's important to show that everything is in order and handled by chartered accountants," said trustee Ray Ford, who reminded trustees that the public often feels the board is trying to hide information. In the News Decision on new. valu mart on liold, merger mecting set By Craig Bradford 'LIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF EXETER — The proposed new huge valu-mart grocery store hasn't gotten town council's green light...yet. Council decided to put off a final decision on approving London's Wonderland Power Centre Inc.'s application for offi- cial plan/zoning bylaw amend- ments for two weeks at a public meeting during Monday's regular council meeting. current valu-mart entrance is now. Town service delivery manager Dave Moyer said Thompson's concerns will be addressed in the site plan process. He said there are a variety of ways to fix the traffic problem including turning lanes and lights. Deputy Reeve Dave Urlin said he'd like to see a right hand turning lane from Pickard St. to Main St. Moyer felt a centre turn lane would be the best route to go. He The delay is a usual practice -- said Huron County would be on an official plan change cannot be'thhook for any road improve- adopted by council on the same ments on Thames Rd. (formally night as a public meeting and a Hwy. 83) and added he would be two-week wait is required. speaking with the county about It is expected council will the issue. approve the official plan/zoning Mayor Ben-Hoogenboom asked changes at the next council about what happened to the traf- meeting on May 17. fic study the town was going to Wonderland Power wants to do this year. Chief administrative build an up to 47,000 sq. ft. new officer Rick Hundey said it was valu-mart on 3.8 acres of proper- still on the staff `to do' list. ty located next to the existing Hoogenboom requested it be put valu-mart mall on the north side on "the front burner." of Thames Rd. E. Other notes from the meeting: The current store has about 20,000 sq. ft. and would proba- bly be leased to new tenants after the new store is built, London lawyer Alan Patton said. Patton represents Wonderland Power. In an interview with the Times- Advooate, Patton said "millions of dollars" would be spent on the new store but couldn't comment on just how much would be spent. "It's a big investment," Patton said. "Many new jobs Will be cre- ated.,. Those new jobs will be in the construction of the store and some added valu-mart staff. He said he didn't have specific details since Loblaws owns the valu-mart chain and will make the final decisions. If all goes as planned, construc- tion on the new valu-mart will begin sometime next year. Council received a letter from Orchard St.'s Mary Thompson on her concerns about traffic on her street because of businesses that exit onto her street and those near the corner of Thames -Rd. and Main St. She said it is often difficult for her to turn onto Thames Rd. from Orchard St. because of all the traffic. Thompson's idea is for the new Canadian Tire coming to the area and the new valu-mart to have one ' entrance from Thames Rd. and that it not be directly opposite from Orchard St. as the Renovation work approved for schools by Michele Greene SI:AFORTII - Elma Public School will see its kinder- garten room modified and ventilation system improved by the fall. Last Tuesday night in Seaforth, the Avon Maitland District School Board approved $286,000 in tenders for work at the school. Superintendent Janet Baird -Jackson said renovations to the kindergarten room in the school's north wing will include alterations to accommodate junior kinder- garten students. Trustees voted to close the annex in Atwood which was school for the area's kindergarten and junior kindergarten students. Now, those students will attend Elma Public School, which required the alterations to accommodate the additional students. The ventilation system in that area of the school will also be upgraded at the same time. Trustees also approved work at Robertson Memorial Public School for a library resource centre and com- puter lab alterations at a cost of $181,600. The boiler at Howick Public School will be replaced for $33,200. Merger public meeting set Exeter will hold a public meet- ing on the Town of South Huron amalgamation proposal on June 8, 7:30 p.m., in the council cham- bers. • Merger partners Usborne and Stephen townships are expected to hold their public meetings near the same date. New church gets nod Council approved the rezoning of 3.85 acres of land at the end of Sanders St. W. for the proposed new Precious Bl000d Mission, Catholic Church paving the way for its construction. A public meeting on the issue was held earlier in the meeting. One concern raised was the future of the many trees on the site. Architect Michael VanRaay said some trees may have to be removed but as many trees as possible would be saved. Sewer project gets OK The Ministry of Environment's Environmental Assessment and Approvals Branch has finally given the go ahead for Exeter and Stephen Township to make improvements or expansions to the town sewage treatment facili- ty and the William St. sewage pumping station. Council has already approved the $4,015,971.62 tender from St. Marys contractor Stone Town Construction for the sewage sys- tem upgradeJexpansion. The MOI: is granting the pro- ject a $1,801,161 grant of the total $4,755,691 project with the town picking up $1,636,766 (including several hundred thou- sand in engineering fees already spent) and Stephen paying $934,614. Nabisco will also pick up some yet to be negotiated costs... Work on the project has already begun and is expected to be completed in September 2000. Fireworks all year long? V&S (Stedman's) Dept. Store owner Bob Gehan attended the meeting to request the town open up fireworks sales all year long. Exeter's current bylaw restricts fireworks sales to three days before Victoria Day and Canada Day. Gehan argued he is turning away customers throughout the year and sending them to busi- nesses in Hensall, Seaforth or St. Joseph's to buy fireworks. He said rural families often want to light fireworks to celebrate birth- days, anniversaries, family reunions and other events .throughout the year. "There4s-a demand there and it is growing every year and I haven't been able to fill it,-" Gehan said. "I haven't been able to fill thatvoid even though I have the product in my stock room." He added that with the turn of the millennium around the cor- ner, this could be the biggest. year ever for fireworks sales. Reeve Roy Triebner said it is "ludicrous" for Exeter residents to simply buy otherwise banned fireworks from areas surround- ing the town and bring them back into Exeter. "I think it is prohibitive on retailers," he said. Hoogenboom agreed but added he wants to avoid roadside fire- works vendors. "At the same time, we don't want Exeter to . become aft-- American irTAmerican town," he said. Council decided to review the current bylaw and discuss it at next week's committee of the whole meeting. In a letter to council, Exeter. and Area Fire Chief John Morgan recommended Exeter stick with its current bylaw because it will be difficult to enforce a more wide open bylaw. Restructuring report card Town staff are .gett4ng high marks for the ongoing internal,_. restructuring it started in '97. Aylmer consultants Anne Hubbell and Associates submitted a progress report on the ongoing restructuring which aims to streamline operations and make best use of staff. Since the restructuring began, full-time staff have dropped from 22 to 16.8 and the town now saves $191,311.50 a year from, 1995 levels. While it was noted. salaries on the pay grid rose $7,583 from '98 to '99, Hubbell noted the total annual salary costs for '99 actu- ally dropped $36,537 with the elimination of the public works superintendent position and the development of the new service delivery manager position that combines the public works post and chief building official job. IPM gets support Council decided to delay donat- ing the use of South Huron Rec Centre's arena hall, kitchen and bar to a total of $1,152 so the '99 International Plowing Match can host its awards banquet on Sept. 24. The issue will be back in front of council at next week's committee of the whole meeting. IPM corporate fund-raising chairperson Murray Cardiff wrote council a letter requesting some financial assistance saying the awards banquet will cost $25,000-$27,000 and outlined other expenses. Coun. Peter Armstrong said he would contact the Exeter Business Improvement Association and the Chamber of Commerce to see what they could do for the IPM. Playhouse gets $250 Council decided to give "the Huron Country Playhouse a $250 grant. Playhouse treasurer Brian Beattie wrote the town request- ing a financial contribution. Exeter didn't give the Playhouse any cash last year but gave $500 in each of the two prior years. Coun. Robert Drummond was the only member voting nay on the motion. Annoying signs Drummond said the many small summer painters signs on Exeter lawns that have popped up recently are annoying eye- sores and something should be done about them. Moyer said those posting the signs don't pay the usual $5 post- ing fee and signs on public prop- erty can be taken down. He added signs on private lawns where landowners have given permission to post them cannot be removed by the town. Public meeting on new lib EXETER -- Exeterites can have their say on what they want in a new library at a public meeting next Wednesday (May 12) at the town council chambers .starting at 7:30 p.m. Council discussed a progress report Monday on the Library Re - Development Committee's efforts since the coniiiriittee was formed in April '98. The committee decided the best option for a new library is to demolish the current facility and build a new one from its ashes. Rebuilding the library at the northeast corner of Main St. and Sanders St. was deemed the best solu- tion because: it would pro- vide the most exposure to Main St.; would retain all the current parking spaces, the cenotaph and the Main St. planting area; it is con- sidered the least costly of the other options; it pro- vides opportunity for future development or expansion. The other options includ- ed renovating/ expanding the current library and renovating/ expanding the former Exeter police sta- tion. While both proposals are with merit, the police sta- scheduled tion idea was shot down due to: the cost of losing the police station for other uses and the cost of mak- ing the library viable for a new use; not having Main St. exposure; and parking lot space loss. The existing library reno- vations/expansion was nixed because: the building requires major and costly renovations; there is no ground level which creates design and functional problems; it Is the most expensive option. The committee would like to see a minimum 4,200 sq. ft. new library be built for an estimated $ 500,000-$600,000. Councillor George Robertson, a new library committee member, said the committee would like to see a 5,000 sq. ft. build- ing to accommodate the space needed for computer stations. They would also like the final design to be compati- ble with the historical and visual appeal of Olde Town Hall and be reminiscent of a Carnagie Library. The current library, built in 1912, has outgrown its 2,400 sq. ft. of usable space. 1