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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1995-01-11, Page 2Page 2 Times -Advocate, January 11, 1995 Regional wrap up Farmer killed near St. Marys ST. MARYS - A farmer from just northwest St. Marys was killed on his farm last Thursday. Bart Sterkenburg, 67, was oil- ing the chains of a manure spreader when his clothing be- came entangled in the side of the drive shaft. The Mitchell Advocate said that Sterkenburg was pulled into the mechanism and died at the scene shortly after 5:15 p.m. Fire destroys poultry barn WINGHAM - A fire destroyed a poultry barn in Wingham last Tuesday evening reported the Advance -Times. The fire claimed the lives of 7,600 birds and resulted in ap- proximately $300,000 in dam- age. The barn was owned by Ten- der Flesh, a division of Maple Leaf Foods. Power outage result of vandals SEAFORTH - An explosion and a major power outage were the result of vandalism in Sea - forth last Friday morning. The Huron Expositor reporjed that PUC Manager Tom Phillips says Christmas lights were sto- len from area homes and thrown into a 5,000 volt transformer. The resulting explosion caused the transformer to blow a fuse and short the system. The damage to the transformer is considered extensive and re- pairing or replacing the unit could take several months. Mitchell Co-op signs with Growmark MITCHELL - The Mitchell Co-operative Association signed an agreement to join Growmark Inc., an Illinois -based regional co-operative, reported the Mitchell Advocate. Co-op manager Eric Denotter said that the Mitchell Co-op will benefit from a new partnership with Growmark. Hensall Distict Co-op will not be joining the Growmark Supply Membership Agreement - Canada. The Co-op board of di- rectors voted against joining Growmark last week. Permanent approval of Huron landfill site GODERICH - Prior to an an- nouncement from the Ministry of the Environment, the landfill site board was operating on emergency certificates every six to 12 months. Under the new regulation, the waste from the geographic boun- daries of the landfill site board is allowed to be dumped at the Holmesville site. If the regulation was not changed, the Goderich Signal - Star said that the board faced costly hearing under the Envi- ronmental Protection Act for permanent approval. 1 Can Exeter `insure' itself on small claims? One councillor says the town can save by paying its own small claims, and keep insurance for the big problems EXETER - In an effort to reduce the $10,000 insurance premium increase on the town's policy, one council mem- ber has proposed the town set aside% reserve fund for small claims. Councillor Bob Spears, reviewing the premium break- down on the $45,877 policy, pointed out that some $6,961 could be saved if the town increased its deductibles up to $5,000. Then, he suggested, the town could handle its own "nuisance" claims. "Again we're looking for protection from large problems, not nuisance claims," said Spears. Clerk Liz Bell said she didn't have any statistics on claims against the town for recent years, but said she could only recall one fire damage claim in the past 20 years. She said the town does have the occasional claim over "tripping over a sidewalk". "Mostly if there are claims, they're little," said Bell. The last major claim the town made under its policy was for the robbery at the recreation centre, but she said the loss and damage was proballly under $5,000 "But those things don't happen every year," she said. Councillor Roy Triebner agreed there would be savings if the town increased its deductibles up to $5,000 in the areas of property, boiler and machinery insurance, environmental liability, general liability, errdrs and omissions, and auto- mobile insurance. However, councillor Robert Drummond pointed out the town could just as easily lose its savings on the first claim. • Councillor Wendy Boyle noted it isn't hard to come up with a $5,000 claim for even a small vehicle collision. Councillor Dave Urlin said in his vehicle rental business, he can't afford the low deductible. Paying for all damage under $3,000 makes for a large savings in insurance costs, he said. Spears then suggested the town pay the reduced pre- mium, but set aside the $7,000 savings each year, and may- be in a couple of years would have $14-20,000 in an in- surance reserve. "1 think liability, in this day and age when we sue at the drop of a hat, is not one we should be dropping," com- mented Drummond, adding that under today's circum- stances the town could easily be faced with a few two or three thousand dollar claims, wiping out any savings. Reeve Bill Mickle, however, said he supported Spears' suggestion to set up an insurance reserve, and made a mo- tion to increase deductibles on property, boiler and machin- ery and environmental liability to $5,000. The savings would be $3,105, to which council agreed. Mickle then said the town needs to do some "serious thinking" about Spears suggestion of setting up an in- surance reserve as way tb decreasing premiums. Board sending ,parents survey A survey on French immersion is to be sent home with students Thursday By Heather Vincent T -A staff CI:INTON - French immersion programs are back on the agenda for the Huron Board of Education. The board is sending a parent sur- vey home with students in the county to evaluate the interest in immersion program by the parents of students in Huron. The survey is an attempt to gauge parental inter- est in French Immersion which has received criticism of late. As well, this action is in response to the Catholic school planning to in- stitute an immersion program. The Huron County Board of Ed- ucation met on Monday for its first general meeting of 1995. The board presented certificated to stu- dents from Huron elementary and high schools who had participated in programs at the Ontario Educa- tional Leadership Centre. These programs provide reward and in- centives for work well done. The programs are completed during time off school such as in the sum- mer and range from a science and technology focus to arts and ath- letics. The director's report outlined the tender for the Goderich District High School squash court construc- tion. Approved in the minutes of a previous meeting, the board agreed that the mechanical and electrical components up to $25,000 would not be included in the tender. Robert Bice Construction of Lon- don was accepted with a low tender of $91,613.17. Bruce Shaw, GDCI principal submitted an account of the funding for the project. The school account will pay for $30,000 of the project, $13,000 will be paid for by the squall\club, the Town of Goderich will Q tribute $15,000, the Lions Club, $5 000, the Legion $2,000, the Rotaly $1,000, the Knights of Columbus $500, the 1994 school rental $3,000 and the GDCI budget, $10, 0. Student council will make up 5,060 of the project and $4,500 is 'sted as oth- er. This leaves a remaining $2,613,17 to be accoun ed for by the board. The board discussed an\ongoing need for teachers to acquit com- puter skills in order to meet the needs of the students. This is a massive project which will 'require long-term in -services. Education director Paul Carroll said it takes a 1 person "100 hours of time on a computer to start making real progress." The employment equity process in underway by the board com- mittee. The local population as de- scribed o-scribed by the legislation includes the rural areas outside of London and Kitchener. This is disturbing to the committee because the com- position of these areas must be re- flected under pay equity. Two sets of goals will need to be met hut they will likely be similar. Director Carroll outlined the means of allocating spending in the upcoming budget process. "We arc hoping to flatline the direction of the graph," said Carroll in respect to a graph depicting the increases in annual expenditures. The intent of cost reducing measures such as the social contract are to achieve re- ductions on a permanent basis, however, there are also some cor- responding increases. Still, there is a net decrease in expenditures. Machan wants zero increase from Huron department heads GODERICH - Bruce Machan opened the 1995 Huron County Council with a warning of caution. Thursday, in Goderich, the new warden indicated there could be a significant amount of belt -tightening as far as this ycar's budget is concerned. Machan, the reeve of Wingham, said he has asked that all de- partment heads come in with a zero increase in their budgets. He noted that could be difficult considering the decrease in transfer pay- ments from the province. "We're going to be forced to see if we can keep up the service lev- els people have come to expect," said Machan. Chairing the first session of the new year, Machan also pointed out some major prcjects which are continuing in the county. "We will be doing some major construction and renovations to the court house." Huron County's court house will begin its $1.7 million renovation project in April. Thursday council approved the plans for the renova- tions. Other major concerns at the county level right now include con- tinuing to work on the strategic plan and work at Huronvicw and Huronlead the county's homes for the aged. Dog stolen from home EXETER - The Exeter OPP are investigating several reports of theft over the past week, including the theft of a dog from a Hay Township home. Police say that a three year old Chow male dog was taken from its Hay Township residence on Thurs- day. The dog, in a cage at the time, has identifying tattoos in its right car and inside its right rear leg. Last Wednesday, another Hay Township residence was broken into. Police say the thieves entered by forcing a front door and stole a stereo, VCR, compact disks, jewel- lery, and a leather coat. Also Wednesday, a Panasonic stereo and a Quasar VCR were sto- len from South Huron District High School. Police say the theft took place during the day. 4 High school students who can't park in the school's parking lot are using a few spaces at the South Huron Recreation Centre in Exeter. Town council members and recreation centre staff are concerned about the traffic's effect on the nearby public school. High school parking at rec centre troubles council Is having overflow parking at the recreation centre a hazard for the public school students? EXETER - The South Huron Recreation Centre parking lot is becoming an overflow lot for high school students, and town council is concerned about the traffic problems that creates around the elementary school. Councillor Robert Drummond made a suggestion last Tuesday that the recreation centre board look into the use of its parking lot by school students. "I wonder if at the next rec board meeting they in- vestigate this non -user parking," suggested Drum- mond. Councillor Roy Triebner asked town staff if they had received any response from the school board about its parking policies, to which administrator Rick Hundey said the high school principal told him a nominal $2 per year is being charged to students to park in the school's own lot. Those permits go first to students whose timetables don't matt the schedules of school buses. However, Hundey said the school board has not looked into the effect of its high school parking pol- icies on the nearby recreation centre, and on the public school which sits between the two. Recreation director Lynne Farquhar said that no more than a dozen or so cars of high s:.hool students are parked at the south end of the centre's lot during the day. Since the demand for parking during those hours isn't great, it usually isn't a problem. Some Exeter Public School teachers also park across the road at the Recreation Centre. However, she said concerns about traffic safety aren't unfounded. She said she has seen high school students driving recklessly from the lot on occasion. Last week's return to school and the arrival of snow brought out the desire to turn "donuts" in the rec- reation centre parking lot, which is often crossed by public school students. Farquhar said she wished the OPP would patrol the area when school lets out, but agreed any vi- olators are likely to be on their best behaviour in the presence of a cruiser. Grand Bend to join Chamber GRAND BEND - The vil- lage of Grand Bend is now a member of the local Chamber of Commerce. Monday night during its council meeting, it was de- cided that the village would pay the membership fee and become a member which will give them full voting priv- ileges. In the past, the village had always had the opportunity to attend the chamber's meetings hut that was through a liaison method and not as a full mem- ber. . "Wc are a nig supporter of the Chamber of Commerce but we have traditionally not done it and I don't sec why we should change that," said mayor Cam Ivey. He was met with a great deal of opposition from the rest of council as they voted in favor of joining. "I know they are in nig financial trouble, I suggest we join," said councillor Barbara Wheeldon. She also said it may give others the in- centive to join. "Thr Chamber of Commerce is for businesses and thc village is be- ing run as a business," said coun- cillor Shirley Andraza. Your Views Letters to the editor A question of priorities .. Of the 24 respondents record- ed at that time, traffic safety was listed as the main priority,... Dear Editor: In response to Bob Mosurinjohn's letter printed in the TA on December 28th, I feel compelled to cor- rect his misleading piece of correspondence. During the all candidates meeting held in October, I pre- sented the findings of a mail survey. Of the 24 re- spondents recorded at that time, traffic safety was listed as the main priority, followed by the need for a new library. The library had emerged as the num- ber one priority followed by downtown revitaliza- tion which highlights traffic safety. Prior to, and since my election, I have reported thc findings of the survey to Council. Mr. Mosurinjohn would be well advised to get all — his facts straight before writing such a misinformed letter. It must be noted that the survey which was conducted was unauthorized by the Village of can and unsolicited by the Council at the time. Rosemary Gahlinger-Bra nc Lucan, Ontario