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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1980-10-30, Page 1• r. � ! 1 - No. 44 Price per Copy 25 Cents It j L J. FIRST WITH LOCAL NEWS • OCTOBER 30, 980 Hay council candidates concerned about rec costs Recreation and the condi- tion of the township's roads were the main topics of con- versation at the Hay Township ratepayers meeting held Monday in Zurich. Murray Baker, a member of the township's recreation committee told current reeve Jack Tinney, reeve - elect Lloyd Mousseau, deputy -reeve elect Lionel Wilder, and council can- didates Tony Bedard, Dick Rau, Don Geiger, Claire Deichert and Gerald Shantz that the township should be spending more. money on recreation. Baker said the township's current allotment of two and a half mills or around $9,000 is inadequate considering the number of Hay residents who use the recreation facilities in Hensall and Zurich and to a lesser degree, Exeter. Incumbent Bedard told the 20 people who attended the meeting that he agreed with Baker that the township was not spending enough on recreation, saying he had pushed for three mills for recreation this year. Bedard emphasized that before the township significantly increased their recreation levy that they should have representation on the recreation boards in Hensall and Zurich. "We want to have a say where the money goes," Bedard said. Geiger concurred with Bedard and said that when he sewed on council four years ago that he had fought for township representation on the area rec boards, es- pecially in Zurich. Baker agreed with the two council candidates but noted that the township rec com- mittee had received full reports on where Hay's money was being spent from Zurich, Hensall and Dashwood. Under questioning, Baker said a good portion of the funds which the . township grants would go towards the operation of area arenas. Wilder said the South Huron area has enough pop- ulation base for only one arena and that it would have made economic sense to have located the South Huron Rec Centre, in- the middle of Hay. Referring to the arena deficits Wilder stated "We have to be prepared -to lock the doors or pay for them." Matthew Denomme of R.R. 2, Zurich expressed concern about the condition of township roads, especially in his area. "These roads are just aw- ful," Denomme said, a farmer and school- bus driver who travels over 12,000 miles on township roads as a bus driver. Tinney said the township WINTER BALI — While most teams who like to play some form of baseball go to warmer climates for winter baseball, members' of the Zurich mens' rec fostball leaguelust keep on playing , irregardless of the weather. Coming fully equipped for o Monday et/ening contest between the Pontiacs and the Pat: Boys was Jock Stephan. Staff photo roads have deteriorated due to the application of calcium chloride to control dust in combination with the heavy clay soil. The quality of gravel which Hay receives has been decreasing is another factor in the large number of pot holes. The township had a problem with the application of gravel this spring when a contractor failed to apply the gravel when the road bed was comparatively soft. The company in question applied gravel in another township which had a penal- ty clause if the work was not completed on time. The new council should seriously con- sider some type of penalty clause, Tinney stated. One member of the audience received some satisfaction with the an- • nouncement that the township will request _the owners of the Hay dump to install a new gate. - Wilfred Mousseau said a cable which acts as the gate to the dump could be dangerous. In the summer Mousseau had his vehicle slightly damaged when he •attempted to ,enter the dump. Each candidate addressed the audience on. .• -th r_ wished to sit on council.- Incumbent ouncil:Incumbent Rau who was first elected in 1978 said he wanted to see the comple- tion of a water pipeline from the Lake Huron pumping station at Port Blake to Drysdale. He said the pipeline was needed if the area was to grow. Bedard said he was very proud to be a candidate in the township and *said the township should look into the paving of the sideroads as an alternative to graveling. He called for public meetings before certain- township bylaws are implemented. Shantz who was a can- didate in 1976 said he was running for council because he was interested in serving the people and that he has the time to do the job properly. He said he would like to see more press coverage of -the township and that the people of the township do not know what really takes place at the council level, Geiger noted he had serv- ed on council for two years and said he would like to see improved communications between council and the ratepayers. Deichert stated he had served two years on council and didn't know whether this Please turn to page 12 AU. THAT'S LEFT -- The Boyfield Cubs and Scouts hod a very successful apple day, Satur- day in the resort. Displaying the proceeds and the apples which they had left over ore lan Siertsema and Jim Sauve. Staff photo Ag minister tells Huron F of A Need ownership control Foreign ownership of farm land is becoming a big concern for Huron county farmers and that was the topic at Thursday's annual banquet of the Huron Federation of Agriculture. Saskatchewan's Minister of Agriculture Gordon MacMurchy outlined the legislation put into practice in his province. It has taken Saskatchewan 10 years and a number of amendments to get where MacMurchy feels the foreign ownership problem is under control. About the same problem in Ontario, MacMurchy said, "You've got to tackle it now and tackle it by law." He continued,"People living on our land have made it successful and the land has been good to us. We feel the residence issue is im- portant." Mac•Murchy said Saskatchewan politicians. have been working for 10 years on restricting ownership of farm land to those actually living on the farm. Saskatchewan farm lands now total 65 million acres. The foreign ownership in Saskatchewan started in 1972 with a legislative committee. Canvass for blind should best '79 This year's canvass for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind should surpass last year's total according to campaign chairwoman Mary Laporte. A total of $975 has been collected to date with two canvassers not turning in their collections as of Tues- day. Last year ;1,065 was raised in the area for the blind. Conducting the door to door canvass and the mail -in campaign have been 14 wives of members of the Zurich Lions Club. If you have been missed, donations can be dropped off at the residence of Isidore Laporte. The first law passed was in 1974 restricting non-resident farmland ownership to $15,000 in assessment. Non agricultural cor- porations were limited to 160 acres. An exemption was made for the children of retiring farmers and potential residents were given three years to move onto their farms. Also, farmers living within a 20 mile limit south of the border in the United States were allowed to carry on farm operations on both sides. MacMurchy continued, "In the next two years disturbing things began to happen. More than 30 quarter sections of the richest farmland was bought by German interests." "Land selling at $150 an acre was going for $400 an acre on a lease back provision. No young farmer could afford prices like that," said MacMurchy. During 1978 and 1979 sales to non-residents still reached 120,000 acres in Lots of a quarter section or 160 acres to stay within the law. The last amendment passed May 6 of this year restricts non-resident ownership to 10 acres. MacMurchy added, "This move has certainly restricted sales. If you want to come to Saskatchewan to live you are welcome to buy our land." During the meeting held in Brussels, the annual Federation of Agriculture Huron award for great accomplishments in agriculture went to Norman Alexander who has been a long time advocate of con- servation. During the election of officers, Gerry Fortune was named president of the Huron Federation of Agriculture replacing Merle GunY• Mrs. Fortune is the first woman to hold the top Federation of Agriculture post in Huron. Vice presidents are John Van Beers and Tony McQuail and directors are Bev Brown, Walter Elliott and Jim Hunter. Set court date for resort man Former Bayfield coun- cillor Milton Van Patter appeared in provincial court in Goderich Monday and was remanded to November 3 for formal reading of 10 charges of fraud involving about $70,000. The 52 -year-old real estate agent was arrested August 11 on three charges alleging frauds totalling $30,000 following three weeks of investigations by Det. Sgt. D.A. Ormsby of the OPP anti -rackets squad in Toronto. Seven charges were added by the time he ap- peared in court August 25. The allegations involve claims of unpaid loans from local persons. The accused is free on a $25,000 surety on condition he stay within the court's jurisdiction and report weekly to provincial police at Goderich. He is expected to indicate in court next week whether he wishes a jury trial. Van Patter resigned from council after three years' service about a week before he was charged. Ormsby said earlier many of Van Patter's possessions, including two homes and antiques, have been seized by the county sheriff's office.