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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1980-09-18, Page 4Page 4 Citizens News September 18, 1980 Take time out Cheaper by comparison No one likes paying $1.20 to $1.25 a gallon for gasoline and before long it will cost even more. Then, too, there's no doubt the multi -national oil companies are realizing tremendous profits. But despite this, a comparison will show other com- modities have increased much more in price than has gasoline. We'll have to admit that the following figures were worked out by son1eone else and we can't vouch for their veracity, but they no doubt give a pretty good idea of the cost of other liquids we buy today. Soft drinks, for instance, consist mainly of water, sugar and flavouring, yet a gallon of pop would cost a consumer about $3.45 - more than twice the cost of a gallon of gas. Few who buy a case of beer or a bottle of liquor Questionable regularly have stopped to figure what they would cost per gallon. However, a gallon of beer would be $4.79, -while a gallon of liquor would cost $50.00. A gollon of oil can be purchased on sale for around the $2.80 mark; a gallon of vegetable oil would cost a shopper approximately $5.25. Similarly, a gallon of vinegar would cost about $2.00 while a gallon of canned pineapples would be $5.60. Dish soap would run an estimated $8.32 a gallon while a gallon of milk would average better than $2.65 a gallon. A gallon of frozenorange juice concentrate would be near the $10 mark. Perhaps this comparison will put you in a better mood when you pull up to a gas station next time and say "fill 'er up." The Huron Expositor hiring procedure It is time that municipalities realize that a different set of standards from the private sector should apply in the hiring of municipal personnel. Simply stated, all positions available at either the county. municipal or school board level should be advertised. In a fine example of how not to operate, Exeter town council approved the hiring of their deputy clerk -treasurer without any formal hiring procedure employed aside from the fact that news of the position's availability was made known a few weeks ago in the local newspaper. Lead by Mayor Derry Boyle and despite objec- tions from two councillors, council took the unusual and expedient step. of bumping up the secretary - receptionist to the deputy -clerk's treasurer's job. When it comes to filling such a position a municipal employee should not be arbitarily moved to another position unless it is within the sphere of their present employment. An employee of a municipality or any other secondary level of government should be considered on the same basis as any other applicant. Mayor Derry Boyle's statement that adver- tising for the clerk -treasurer's job would be a slight to the former secretary -receptionist is rubbish. The ad pertains to the filling of a new position, not the performance of the new clerk -treasurer in his or her former job. What council is saying is that there is no per- sons outside of the present municipal administra- tion who .are capable of adequately performing the duties of a deputy clerk -treasurer; some underpaid village or township clerk could argue with that. One of the reasons why council may have gone this route was a case of "cold feet" picked up when the last deputy- clerk -treasurer was engaged. The gentleman hired in January of 1978 quit earlier this year with no reasons given for his departure. While in no way questioning the abilities of the council appointee, they might have missed the op- portunity of gaining a person who while not familiar with the present local system could have provided expertise in another field or municipality which chould be applicable to the local situation. Published Each Wednesday By J.W. Eedy Publications Ltd. Member: _- Ontario Weekly Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association Newspapers Association News Editor,- Tom Creech Second Class Mail Registration Number 1385 Subscription Rates: $8.50 per year in advance in Canada S19.50 per year outside Canada Single copies 254 /1/11N11N1/N11N 1111W1N unn1u1uniuunulrlOHIO Omuu1n1n1111 )Buis uuutltUsisom NSU SU NNNl Miscellaneous Rumblings No Fire Hydrants ... Pity You have to hand it to Zurich's clerk -treasurer Sharon Baker; in addition to performing her normal duties at Thursday's council meeting, Mrs.. Baker came up with the most memorable one-liner of any council meeting held this year. The discourse was part of a conversation between Baker and councillor Leroy Thiel over who's respon- sibility it was for the enforcement of certain municipal bylaws. Baker said she believed that the OPP could ticket cars for parking in front of a fire hydrant since such parking was universally prohibited across the province and was not a bylaw specific to Zurich. When Thiel asked Baker what townships do about the enforcing of bylaws, Baker who still had fire hydrants on her mind replied with straight face "They don't have fire hydrants in the township." Soon afterwards, a crescendo of laughter emerged from the council chambers with the exception of Thiel and Baker who remained engrossed in their discus- sion. kte After Thursday's council meeting it appears that the Zurich and district Chamber of Commerce might just have the last word about the visibility problem at ,the Goshen and Highway 84 corner. While council didn't take any action as a result of Chamber president Jack Eckel's comments, they did establish that the present parking bylaw did require a second. Chairman of the streets and sidewalks committee Isidore Laporte hinted that some changes in the no parking zones could be made with Laporte saying that by spring the painting on the present zones will be worn off. By now. the Chamber realizes that the wheels of government turn slowly for it was exactly one year ago last week that the Chamber parking committee made their initial proposal. It would be fair to say that the wait has been worth it for it has allowed both the Chamber and council to consider their actions in the light of comments made by another group. * * * It's that time of year when those poeple with political aspirations or political non -aspirations begin to declare their respective positions with regards to the municipal elections which take place two months from now. In Zurich. only Reeve Fred Haberer and Laporte have declared their intentions with the reeve now in- volved in two elections. For the last couple of months Haberer has been making the rounds of the county seeking support for his candidacy as warden -of this county. It's a position where Haberer could give a very good account of himself and it would be an excellent birthday present for the village next year. Laporte's announcement that he would in all likelihood seek re-election comes as no real surprise for if nothing else, the meat store owner would like to see the completion of Mill and Victoria Streets while he is in office. The positions of the other three council members is a little more difficult to assess at this time but we wouldn't be too surprised if Leroy Thiel let his name sta nd. Thiel who has been involved in municipal politics for over 20 years serves as the council watchdog and provides expertise on Issues which keep recurring year after year. Both Jim Bedard and Bob Fisher have been ex- cellent additions to council with both men contributing much to the recreation, parks and community board. Talking about the rec board the proposal for its complete revamping is an excellent idea. In a very few short years the effects of the com- paratively "free" Wintario money which was dispens- ed not so many years ago for capital works projects will begin to take its toll on facilities which small communities can not affort on a long-term basis. The time is now for a reorganization of the recreational framework in the Zurich area to meet the l t»; • ,. Please turn t o page ,5