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Home My WebLink AboutZurich Citizens News, 1980-12-18, Page 10Citizens News December 18, 1980 By JACK RIDDELL The Legislature's public accounts committee has recommended that the Ontario Government con- sider selling three huge landbanks acquired in the early 1970's "with little care for the costs involved". In its annual report, the committee stated that the landbank purchases of South Cayuga Townsend and Edwardsburgh were made without adequate planning and were improperly con- ducted. Hearings into the purchases by the all party committee began last year. These were part of a continuing probe into the more than $622 million the province has banked for townsites, industrial. development and parks Poinsettias $425 This week -end only Thurs„ Fri. & Sat. Village Floral & Gift Shop 236-7779 16 Victoria St. Zurich Public accounts committee larger than 300 acres. Public interest in the hearings in- creased when the former Treasurer John White testified that he decided once night while driving in the area to purchase iboth the Townsend and South Cayuga sites on Lake Erie because he dreamed of two cities there in the future. Also recommended by the committee: that any data collected by the Government through the use of public opinion polls be made public; that the government refuse to renegotiate con- tracts with consultants fnr prices above those quoted, during tendering; that merit increases for civil servants be tied to exceptional per- formance, not merely adequate performance. South Cayuga Almost a thousand angry citizens held a meeting in Dunnville to protest the government's selection of South Cayuga as a site for the disposal of liquid in- dustrial waste. They told Donald Chant, Chairman of the Crown waste agency which is soon to be incorporated that they won't accept anything short of a full environmental hearing on the construction of the hazardous waste site. Dr. Chant promised to pass their message along to the Minister of the Environ- ment. While environmental assessment has been ruled out by the government, he vowed to resign his new post if,the Environment Minister • pies & tarts • shortbread cookies • oven fresh dinner rolls backed down on a public hearing into the technology and geology of the site, or went ahead with the site against the recom- mendations of the hearings of which he, Dr. Chant, will be chairman. Meanwhile, at Queen's Park the Minister of the Environment has stated that he may hold off ex- propriating' land for the proposed liquid industrial waste site until it is deter- mined. that the site is safe. But landowners will have to allow access to their properties for testing. According to ministry officials, ten or eleven properties will have to be expropriated within the 640 - acre buffer zone surrounding landfill operations and a plant for treating or solidifying wastes. In the one mile control area en- compassing that are about 40 properties, which include about 25 homes, where some 70 people live. Those living within the control zone but outside the buffer -area will have the option of living there or selling to the government. Re -mor The Legislature's justice committee has been - considering events surrounding the collapse of firms controlled by Niagara Falls businessman Carlo Montemurro, who - with some of his associates - is on trial for fraud and theft. Hundreds of people lost their savings in the collapse , of the firms, and the com- mittee is trying to determine whether bungling or political influence played a part in the decision of the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations to licence Re -Mor Investment Management Corp. only 13 days after another of Mr. Mon- temurro's firms was placed in receivership. - In the face of Government reluctance to release the relevant documents, a Speaker's Warrant was issued on November 24 or- dering that all docwnents on the three firms be delivered ,to the committee. After heated debate, it was decided that a special six - member sub -committee should have access to the documents. Each party will have one vote to determine how the documents should be handled. Buy Canadian! Canadian jobs could be saved if the Ontario Government changed its rules on giving preference to buying Canadian -made goods, according to a report being considered by a Queen's Park committee. The government can now spend up to 10 per cent more buying Canadian -made goods rather than imports. The report suggests that Jack's Jottings figure could be raised to 15 or 20 per cent. Among other recom- mendations are: companies closing plants should be compelled to justify their actions, and if the operation is considered viable the Ontario rDevelopment Corporation should have the power to take it over; laid off workers should get a week's pay for every year they have been employed by the firm; mandatory lay off notices in plants employing more than 500 should be increased from 16 weeks to six months; the definition of a temporary lay off should be cut from 13 weeks to one month; the age and length - of -service qualification for a guaranteed pension should be reduced from 45 years old and ten years employment. Rec hockey Dec, 11/80 Scores - Blues 13 - Sabres 4 Flyers 6 - Panthers 3 Team Standings Team W L Blues 6 0 Flyers 3 2 Sabres 1 4 panthers 1 5 Name Rick Schilbe Rpn Desjardine Ken Clarke John Becker Jamie McClinchey Glen Overholt Ivan Bedard Bill Hoffman Larry Merrier Cliff Gingerich Wayne Thiel Tim Bedour Ray Wiedo Steve Haberer Jim Consitt Brad Clausius Mike Haggitt T GF 0 59 1 29 1 34 0 24 Lead Scorers GA TPS 31 12 31 7 45 3 39 2 Team G Blues 18 Blues 14 Blues 8 Flyers 8 7 Sabres 5 glues 7 Sabres 8 Sabres 4 Panthers 5 Flyers 5 Blues 2 Sabres 4 Sabres - 2 Flyers 2 Panthers 4 Flyers 1 A 15 12 10 6 847 2 53 36 35 5 3 6 TPS 33 26 18 14 15 12 11 109 8 88 7 7 7 7 7 • light or dark fruitcake • cherry jumbles VA011441$44011404Vist14411Z40;40091iisMeliNta Good selection of the highest quality CANADIAN and IMPORTED CHEESES Try a new kind of cheese this Christmas from our selection of over 60 varieties Our cheese Baskets make very nice gifts Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and Cheese House • Zurich 236=4912 BUCKEYE OF THE MONTH — Mike Clarke, injured defenceman for the Zurich Buckeyes was named this month's recipient of the Buckeye player of the month award. Clarke (left) received his cheque from Isidore Laporte of Laportes Meat Market. Staff photo r.;itt;..♦ vet. ; 46411 4 t