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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1985-01-02, Page 3Three-year council terms taking toll in Middlesex Provincially imposed three- year terms for municipal council members are taking their toll in Middlesex Coun- ty, with some members retir- ing at the two-year Mark. Lobo Township council made an appointment to replace one of its members Monday, Biddulph Township has selected a condidate to succeed a member who is i retiring Dec. 31, and Metcalfe Township is to name a new member Jan. 3. Three years is too long for a council term, Lobo Reeve Earl Doan said Tuesday. Previously, if someone drop- ped out a few months before the end of a two-year term, the remaining council members could carry on without naming a replacement. Lobo appointed former councillor Terry Ferris to complete the final year of councillor Patricia Carroll, who resigned for health reasons. Ferris, runner-up in the November, 1982, election, served as a Lobo councillor for the previous two years and earlier as a London alderman. Parkhill had to make two deputy reeve appointments this year. Gay Stewart resign- ed as deputy reeve in June when he moved to St. Thomas and his replacement, Marsha Allen, resigned in September. The deputy reeve post has been filled by former town mayor William Waters. "I would rather have two years myself," said Biddulph Reeve Wilson Hodgins. The two-year election terms work- ed out better, he said, with members serving two terms in a position and -attempting to move up after gaining ex- perience. "It takes longer to get through the chairs if they want to move up." Former Biddulph coun- cillor Wayne Gibson has ac- cepted a council invitation to succeed Councillor Ken Lyons, who is resigning effec- tive Dec. 31 to move to the Dutton area for employment. Metcalfe clerk Raymond Wilson said council is accep- ting names of individuals in- terested in completing the final 11 months of the term of Councillor Jim Lyons. He said Lyons, not related to Ken Lyons, is retiring at the end of the year because of a conflict in the times of council meetings and his work. The new Metcalfe councillor is to be selected on Jan. 3. Middlesex County Conditional discharges Two Canadian Farmers' Survival Association leaders were given conditional discharges recently after pleading guilty to theft over $200 in a Depression -style "penny auction" nearly two years ago at a Gowanstown farm. The third survivalist - past president Allen Wilford of Allenford - pleaded not guilty to the same charge laid after the auction run by the association at the farm of John Otto on Feb. 9, 1983. Perth County Judge James Mullen told Tom Shoebottom of Denfield and Joe Fischer of Rodney the only condition of their discharge is that they Ring in the New Year with Christmas Savings, Wilton Christmas Cake Pans Christmas Candy Moulds N (Limited Supply) N • • • M • • • M • M • • •• ,+pelta = • • 011 Nalftmm.0.4 • • M • M • Order your Cabbage Patch Cake Today Call Kathy at Mon.- Sat. 9 - 5:30 Closed Sunday orgasms. Apiaries Hwy. 84 between Hensall & Zurich • 236-4979 • • • • • • M "keep the peace" for six months. Mullen proceeded with the trial, without a jury, against Wilford. No more than seven witnesses are to be called because Wilford and pro- secutor Douglas Page agreed to a 10 -page summary of testimony by 43 other witnesses given at a preliminary hearing last year. In granting the conditional discharge to Shoebottom and Fischer, Mullen described the auction as an isolated incident in which they hadn't anything to gain personally but only hoped to help Otto. "But the two did take the law into their own hands," he French immersion at Separate Schools Although the numbers aren't official, it looks like the Huron -Perth Roman Catholic Separate School Board will be going ahead with French Im- mersion programs in both Goderich and Stratford. Kindergarten registration in the two communities was held December 10, earlier than is usual, to prepare for the possibility of kindergaren to grade 2 French immersion classes in the two communities. There were 44 Catholic children registering for the program in Goderich and six non-Catholic children. The French immersion class in Goderich will be held at St. Mary's Separate School. In Stratford, there were 35 Catholic children and 16 non- Catholic children. St. Michael's Separate School is expected, although it's not of- ficially confirmed, to house the French Immersion pro- gram in Stratford. The enrolment of the non- Catholic children in the French immersion program is not definite until approved by the board sometime next year. If non-Catholics wish to at- tend a Catholic school, they pay a fee of $225 a year per family starting September 1, 1985. The rate will increase to $300 a year per family in September of 1986. The rate is currently $150 a year per family. However, education taxes from non-Catholics continue to go to public school boards. For Complete Car Care Visit Jim Nixon Motors - Oil change, grease & filter $13.90 (tax included) - Hand wash and interior vacuum $ 18.00 cors S22.00 vans - Complete tuneups for full size gas cars (Ports inc luded)$ 80.00 or Tess - Mechanical work $18.00 per hour - Oil undercoating and inferior panel $30.00 cars, S35.00 trucks and vans - We also do tire changing and balancing At our regular low prices. - There is a 4 wheel drive tow truck of your service from 8 o.m. 8 p.m. For your convenience Bus. 235-2758 Res. 262-6568 Happy New Year "We care about you" Jim Nixon Motors Exeter Main St. South 235-2758 said, by taking over a bank receiver auction of Otto's equipment to settle some of his debts. "A penny auction is no auc- tion at all," he said, pointing out the aim is to save machinery of financially pressed farmers by selling equipment for pennies to sympathetic farmers who then return it to the farmer. "Their motives were altruistic in attempting to help a fellow farmer and as it turned out they did." A few months after the auc- tion the Toronto Dominion Bank negotiated a settlement of $225,000 with Otto on $436,526.55 in outstanding debts. "But the court can't con- done their actions. If this type of conduct were to increase in society, the court would have to take a very serious view," Mullen warned. "But this is an isolated incident ... and I hope other methods are found to carry out the pur- poses of the survival association." London lawyer Joseph Belecky, speaking for Shoebottom and Fischer, and prosecutor Douglas Page recommended conditional discharges. Page said Shoebottom acted as auctioneer after tak- ing over from the bank - appointed auctioneer Murray Gerber and Fischer acted as clerk. On equipment valued at $50,000 by the bank, Fischer collected $19.81 from 19 people who bought trac- tors, wagons and other machinery. Shoebottom, now associa- tion president, said outside the court his guilty' pleas "was a tough decision to take." But, he said, after ex- amining the length and cost of the legal proceedings. he and Fischer, association vice- president, decided they "couldn't afford to go any farther." But Shoebottom added the trial had brought attention to the plight of the Canadian farmer. which was the association's goal. "Technically I'm guilty. Morally, I don't think I am." PUC ponders machine lease Members of the Exeter Public Utilities Commission are still shaking their heads over an unusual situation in- volving their mailing machine. The PMJ(' currently leases a postage meter and mailing machine from Pitney Bowes at the rate of $173.85 annual- ly. The five-year lease term expires on .January 31 When a representative from they firm arrived at the PI!(' recently. he advised that the existing mailing machine could not be continued on a lease basis, nor could it be purchased. The machine had to be destroyed and the firm's representative said he would have tot watch it being demolished with a sledge hammer, despite the fact it was still in excellent operating condition. The replacement machine -- identical to the one being destroyed -- was offered under a new five-year_ lease for an annual charge of $448.20 or a out -right purchase of $1.245 P11(' manager Hugh Davis said he and the staff checked out other firms, but found none offered a machine as good as that from Pitney Rowes, so the purchase was approved after discussion with chairman Murray Greene. "They had us," Davis lamented, indicating his con- cern that a machine in gond operating condition would have to be destroyed and that the new lease arrangement would be so much more cost- ly than the previous one. administrator -clerk Ron Ed- dy, president of the Associa- tion of Municipalities of On- tario, said he is not aware of piny suggestions to return to .two-year terms. He said rural municipalities were not hap- py when the province impos-' ed three-year terms in 1982 and there is not much heard about the length of terms any more. Employment transfers can interrupt shorter terms of council as well as the three- year term, he said. READY FOR THE ICE — Bob Hardy, coach of the Munro, Brad Coughlin and Marty Hodgins during Lucan atoms talks to players Neil Froats, Greg Boshart, Mike a break in the holiday week Exeter atom hockey tournament. Times -Advocate, January 2, 1985 .,I,, 41111101 Page 3 1.1111811111111110511•1111.111011•1111 TastyNu Bread 794 24 oz. Super Specials Butterscotch or Peanut Butter, (limit 3 doz.)1 994 doz. Dutch (Mild or spiced) Gouda $3.19 Ib. Tasty, Crusty Rolls 994 doz. Medium Cheddar $2,999 ib. u Bakery & Cheese House EXETER ZURICH t3649t 2 - -- Thonk you for your patronage in 1984. We look forward to serving you in '85 i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Cookies1 Now in full swingy ALL MERCHAMIISE REDUCED Tables, Lamps, Sofas, Chairs, Bedding, Occasional Chairs, Bedroom Suites, Diningroom Suites, Technics Stereos, Carpets, Sewing Machines, Etc. VISA uu Fine Furniture �J 467 MAIN ST., EXETER SINCE 1887 235-0173 1 t.