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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1984-04-04, Page 1•UALIT' FIIRNITYM HY SAY MORE? %b: Wliitings Phone 235-1964 To reduce vehicle use Okay new Exeter council gave final approval to a new system of garbage collection for the town, aimed at reducing vehi- cle use and man hours, that will come into effect on April 30. Under the new bylaw, gar- bage will be pidted up on on- ly one side of the street. Regular garbage pickup will remain on Mondays for the west side of town; on Fridays for the east side of town and on Wednesdays for Main Street and the area north of the river. Garbage must be at the street curb by 8 a.m. to en- sure pickup. Effective this April, extra large garbage pickups, in- cluding lawn and garden clip - SIGN OF SPRING —• The beach at Grand;Bend was a popular spot Sunday afternoon as many area residents welcomed signs of spring. Above, Barb, Amanda and Amos Robinson try out the slide. T -A photo Complaints ,of itinerant sales Officers of the Exeter police department have been investigating recent com- plaints involving itinerant salespersons in town. According to town bylaws, such persons must first register at the rnunicipal of- fice and obtain a licence. The police department would be interested if citizens are approached at home for retail sales .so licencing regulations may be enforced. Investigation continues of theft of an auto stereo from a vehicle parked in front of 460 Main street. late Saturday night. Friday, Exeter officers transported Stephen Fredericks and Timothy Lawrence, both of Exeter to Goderich ,court where they were setftenced "'1$i 45 days plus time in custody for their involvement in the January 2 break and enter at the.Exeter Legion hall March 27, police received reports of two barbecues be- ing stolen from Waterloo street residences. Any citizen seeing any suspicious persons in the area of Waterloo and William streets on the night of March 26 are asked to contact police. The same day, hubcaps valued at $300 were taken from a vehicle parked at 57 Huron street east. Two area persons have been charged with false pretences in cases of mer- chandise being obtained by cheques that were subse- quently returned N.S.F. They are scheduled to appear in Exeter court in the near future. Friday, a vehicle owned by Steve Tyndall, Clinton was struck by an unknown vehicle while parked on Mainstreet. Constable Jim Barnes set damages at $200. Police conducted spot checks for drinking drivers over the weekend making one liquor seizure and arresting one person for impaired driving. pings, will resume and will be carried out every other month - in April, June, August and October. These pickups will be the first Thursday in the month on the west side of town and the second Thursday in the month on the east side of the town: Charges for ratepayers hauling their own garbage to the dump will be $2.50 per truck load; $5 for a half -ton truck; ;10 for a dump truck and $15 for a packer. In addition to an ad outlin- ing the changes in garbage collection in the Exeter Times -Advocate, Katimavik volunteers will deliver copies of the new routes to every household, deputy reeve Lossy Fuller reported. Fuller also told council that the public works committee has approved a revised budget of $869,378 for the year. With the revisions, the Thames Road street lighting project will be deleted, and the only paving this year will be done on Sherwood Cres- cent, with the installation of some sub -drains. Also, two street lights will be added on Sanders Street East at the Helen Jermyn Apartments. Bill Rose, chairman of the police committee, reported that his committee's 1984 budget will be turned in to the town clerk later this week. Council will finalize the 1984 budget at a special genet al government meeting held on Monday, April 9. Council received a letter from Herb Epp, MPP, the Liberal Party's critic on municipal affairs and hous- ing, regarding the recent statement by Transportation Fines levied in local court Judge John Seneshen levied a- number of fines -in -Exeter-- court, Tuesday on a variety of charges. John Mennen of Huron Park was fined $200 for breach of probation and fail- ing to make restitution in an incident at the Club Albatross at Huron Park. Mennen was found guilty earlier of damaging a vehicle and was put on.. prgiialtiN, along with being ordered to make restitution. -Judge Seneshen levied a fine of $100 against Clifford Arthur Jardine of Clinton for an attempted breakin at Kyle's service station in Hen - sail and damaging property to the extent of *22. Jardine told the court he was only trying to get in to get warm and has since made restitution for the damages. Kenneth Smith, Winchelsea was fined $500 for driving a vehicle with an alcohol blood content in excess of 80 mg. A' fine of $100 was levied against Edward Powileit for having open alcohol in his vehicle. James David Lennox was fined $200 on each of two charges of theft of four pigs and feed from Oud-Boyes incorporated. garbag�, system and Communications Minister James Snow that the budget for maintaining and upgrading provincial roads isn't a high priority with the provincial government. Epp sent councillors a let- ter tom Liberal leader David Peterson to delegates at the recent Ontario Good Roads Association convention. Peterson told delegates that the association itself recently reported to the Ontario cabinet that "approximately 28 percent of . all municipal roads and streets (in Ontario) are now inadequate by the standards set by the Ministry of Transportation and Communication. Works superintendent Glen Kells told councillors that one suggestion discussed during the convention was the im- plementation of a special gas tax on roads at) that users would be paying more toward the upkeep of roads and highways. This 'special gas tax is already 'in effect in some U.S. states; Kells noted. Reeve Bill Mickle said he felt if the Ministry of Transportation" and Com- munications are.going to de- mand such a high standards in road construction then „they should pdy a greater share of the costs". He noted Exeter is recently putting about ;175,000 into _road maintenance and conettuc- tion, compared to the pro- vince's Contribution :of ap- proximately $50,000. Councillor Dorothy Chap- man, noting that the agrmd with Mickle, said, "If the government is going to put down stipulations (for con- struction) then they should pay :more of the cost." Council member Bill Rose, referring to Peterson's state- ment that good roads promote land development, industrial expansion, job creation and more tourism, said he feels the government is taking "an ostrich approach" to the situation in not keeping road maintenance as a top priority. Council asked that the public works committee res- pond to MPP Epp's request for information on how the lower priority for road work will affect the town of Exeter. PREPARE FOR GOSPEL SING — A Targe crowd attended Sunday's Gospel song ser- vice at the Exeter United Church featuring the Nations and local talent. Shown check- ing on the program are Peter Snell, Jim Tomen of the Notions and Julie Easter - brook. T -A photo Serving South. Huron, North Middlesex One Hundred and Eleventh Year EXETER. ONTARIO, April 4. 1984 Price Per Copy 50 Cents - Roads, reserves cause cointy tax hike of 13.6 percent Huron County taxpayers face a 13.6 percent tax hike after Huron County Council approved a 816.2 'trillion budget by a 21 to 7 recorded vote at its March 29 special meeting. An additional $300,000 to the county road .department ap- proved at coufircii's March 2 meeting and . an addition to reserves of $190,000 account for the large percentage increase. - No councillor„ suggested eliminating the00,000 from the budget, but Exeter reeve Bill Mickle wanted the $190,000 removed from the 1984 budget. At the end of December, the county had reserves totaling $1.9 million of which $1 million was reserve for work - DAFFODILS FOR CANCER SOCIETY — Exeter and area chairman for the Canadian Cancer Society Bill Mickle talks with four of the Sorority ladies as they start the daffodil sale Friday morning. From the left are Shirley Walkom, Leona Amos, Verla Russell and June Essery. T -A photo Council to meet rec board about township grants Usborne Township council notified Exeter town council that it will contribute the sum of 810,000 towards the opera- tion of the South Huron Recreation Centre in the fiscal year 1989. The motion from Usborne HONOUR RETIRING BIDDULPH CLERK = A•stin Hodgins was honoured Saturday night by residents of. Bid: dulph township for his 35 years of service as councillor, reeve and clerk. Hodgins and his wife Dolly are shown in the centre of the above picture..Others from the left are councillor Ken Lyons, clerk Ray Hands, deputy -reeve Jim Shipley, councillor Jim Barker, reeve Wilson Hodgins and councillor Earl French. T -A photo To retiring clerk • Biddulph township says thanks The auditorium of the Lucan Conununity centre was filled to capacity Satur day night as residents of Rid- dulph township said thanks to Austin Hodgins for 35 years of dedicated service to the municipality. A host of rnunicipal officials. and politicians attgnded to add their congratulations and corn mendaIions to a very suc- cessful career. Biddulph's current reeve Wilson Hodgins was chair- man and deputy -reeve Jim Shipley represented present day council as the lead-off speaker. Shipley said, "Austin gave' the same devotion as clerk as he did when he was reeve and that was on a day and night basis. He handled everybody and everything in a frank and firm manner. He only missed two meetings in 35 years. That was to have surgery and get married." The speakers included former Ontario Agriculture minister Bill Stewart, l,ondun-Middlesex warden Doug Reycraft, Albert Ban- nister of the Middlesex clerk - treasurer's association, Strathroy mayor Tom Weller, Robert Beattie of Adelaide township and Lucan reeve Norm Steeper. Steeper and deputy -reeve Harry Wraith presented a pic- ture of a scene of the 1982 in- ternational Plowing match. Warden Reycraft said Austin Hodgins was in- strumental in the original organizing of the Association of Counties of Ontario which has now become the Associa- tion of Counties and Reeves. Making presentations on behalf of the township to Hodgins and his wife Dolly were councillors Ken Lyons, Earl French and Jim Barker. Austin Hodgins started his municipal career as a coun- cillor in Biddulph in 1949. He continued in that position for six years and then moved up to the reeve's chair which he filled for another six years. Hodgins was named clerk to start the 1961 term follow- ing the death of Frank Hud- son who had held the position for 30 years. He took over the job of treasurer from John Bryan three years ago. The new Biddulph clerk is Ray Hands. went on to state "that the township of Usborne does not support user fees being im- plemented. And further that if such fees are implemented, the South Huron Recreation Centre Board grant will be reduced by the amount of user fees collected." - Exeter council also receiv- ed a similar motion from Stephen township who agreed that the amount of 81,200 would be given to the South Huron Recreation Centre. The motion noted that most of the same facilities available at the Exeter centre are available in Stephen township. PUC to be part of new Atlas PUC commissioner Harry DeVries submitted a com- prehensive write-up contain- ing a brief history and other pertinent facts about the Ex- eter PUC to the regular March meeting of the Com- mission. The article is to be a one-third page entry in the Huron Historical Atlas for 1984. Three of the Commission's short-term investments due in April were combined, and $100 added to make up a total sum of $20,000 to be reinvested at the best interest rate available for one year. PtJC manager Hugh Davis reported tree -trimming around hydro lines in now completed, as is insulation of the warehouse. Mercury vapour units in street lights are being con- verted to high pressure sodium by the replacement of the ballasts (essential inner mechanisms). The mercury vapour ballasts are being stored in case they are need- ed as replacements on lights not yet converted. ' • The short meeting adjourn- ed an hour after it bad been convened. The next regular meeting will be on April 26. The letter also noted that members of the Stephen Township R'ecreation's Com- mittee "were definitely against a user fee. Mayor Bruce Shaw noted that while Usborne township has increased their sbare of the recreation centre costs, Stephen Township has not. He noted that Stephen township is still paying the same grant that it paid in 1976 and added, "Their people are using our facility and we have all the data to support that." Reeve Bill Mickle told coun- cil that the entire funding scheme of the South Huron Recreation Centre needed a serious look so that costs are shared fairly between the centre's users. Council voted to request a special meeting with the recreation centre board on Wednesday, April 9 at 7:30 p.m. In other business, council decided it wasn't interested in participating in a study on a possible joint landfill site. The site would be shared with Hay, Usborne and Stephen Townships, and the village of Zurich in Huron County; Bosanquet Township in Lambton County and the townships of McGillivray, Biddulph and Blanshard. Mayor Shaw said the town of Exeter commissioned its own study on the Exeter land- fill site in 1981. Councillor Dorothy Chap- man noted that the town's landfill site should be ade- quate for the next 20 years and that she didn't think Ex- eter should get involved with the study on the proposed joint landfill site. The study for the joint land- fill site is expected to cost from $80,000 to 8120,000, bas- ed on the costs of other similar studies. Council approved the hiring of Suzanne Mathers for 18 weeks this summer under the province's municipal ad- ministration program. The provincial government will Please turn to page 3 ing capital and $221,000 was for capital works building reserve fund. The 1984 budget will add $50,000 to the working capital reserve and $140,000 to the capital works building reserve fund. Reeve Mickle said taking the $190,000 out of the budget would bring the increase down to 8.71 percent. "If there is no further cut- ting, at least we got the ma- jor portion out. I hope council gives serious consideration to ants Exeter reeve. However, county clerk - treasurer Bill Hanly explain- ed the $1 million working capital reserve as necessary because at any time of the year the county can find itself owing $1 million while provin- cial grant money has not yet arrived. i Ttte. reserve only covers .what we have in receipts," said Hanly. Mickle questioned the use of a capital works building reserve fund. The clerk - treasurer said this money is put aside for any capital works and one consideration for Huron County is a new museum. "If council passes a 13.6 percent increase and we don't get a big howl from the coun- ty - if ratepayers accept this, then we may have tough times dealing with people," said Mickle suggesting employees may request large salary increases next year. Several reeves said their municipal councils supported a letter circulated by the Town of Goderich requesting the county to reduce its 1984 budget. The letter was receiv- ed and filed by the county. Warden Tom Cunningham, Hullet Township noted his council didn't agree with the Goderich letter despite the fact- that Hullet faces the largest percentage increase in its share of the county levy. Several reeves defended the additional $300,00 put in- tothe road budget of $5.5 million, however Reeve Micklesai die didn want that removed from the budget. 'I never said cutting out of the road or any other commit- tee budget wsa the answer...I'm talking about 'the money allocated to work- ing capital. That can stay at 41 million," said Reeve fickle. An amendment to the 1984 budget by the Exeter reeve would have reduced the budget by $190,000'was turn- ed down by a 20 to 8 recorded vote. "I presonally feel that the reserves are in the budget to partially protect the $300,000 surplus we had last year," said Turnberry Township Reeve Briand McBurney. • Goderich Deputy Reeve Jim Brittnell, despite voting in favor of reducing reserves and voting against the budget, commented that the county portion of his personal proper- ty tax levy has come down from 17 percent in 1975 to nine percent in 1983. More than $3.9 million will Hoping for more tennis club :interest A meeting has been called for 7:30 p.m. on. Tuesday, April 10 at the South Huron Rec Centre in an attempt to get enough interest to form a tennis club in Exeter. While Tuesday's meeting is not designed to organize a. club that night, Damien Solomon and Ron Cottrell say they want to find out how much interest there is in get- ting a club together to operate the tennis courts and an ex- ecutive could be set up at a later date. The recent announcement by the Exeter Lions and Lioness clubs that they plan to install lights at the courts ad- jacent to Exeter Public School should create more in- terest for the sport of tennis. Rec director Lynne Far- quhar says the Rec Centre board is willing to have the courts operated by a club. Persons of all ages in- terested in participating in tennis this summer are urged to attend Tuesday's meeting. be raised this year from local taxation with $9.1 million in provincial grants expected. Another large area of revenue for the county are fees and service charges of $2.4 million. The largest in- come in this area are fees from Huronview residents of $2.3 million. This will offset the Huronview budget of almost $5 million. The 1983 surplus of $314,000 Please turn to page 3 R.E.' Pooley was Mr. Legion One of Exeter's best known citizens passed away Monday afternoon. R. E. Pooley was known as Mr. Legion throughout the area and # few years ago the Exeter 'branch 167 of the Royal Capadian Legion was renamed the R.E. Pooley Ex- eter Branch. He was one of the organizers and charter members of the Exeter branch. At the 1982 Remem- brance Day banquet he received the gold palm leaf, the highest Royal Canadian Legion award possible for his continued $service to the Legion and his community. At that same dinner, Pooley said "Our first Remem- brance Day celebration was in Exeter 64 years ago and I celebrated with Norm Norry, Ralph Batten and Elmore Harness." Pooley served the town of Exeter as councillor for two years, mayor from 1955 to 1961 and on the Public Utilities Commission for 22 yeas. TO REVIVE TENNIS — Efforts are being made to reorganize a tennis club in the town of Exeter. A meeting of interested persons will be held Tuesday, April 10 at the South Huron Rec Centre at 7:30 p.m. Shown above discussing the tennissitua- tion are Damien Solomon, Lynne Farquhar and Ron Cottrell. The Apr$l 10 mriting is not to organize a club, but to determine how much interest can be created. 1