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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1995-01-18, Page 2Page 2 Times -Advocate, January 18, 1995 Regional crap up Salt mine shipping through ice GODERICH - The Sifto Salt Mine is shipping through the icy Goderich harbour over the next three weeks to replenish the in- ventory levels at depots. This late season shipping is very unu- sual but is a result of the harsh winter and a flood at the Retsof Mine in New York last year. The Goderich Signal Star re— ported that spectators lined both sides of the harbour last Sunday afternoon to watch as a salt boat made its way through the icy water assisted by three tug boats. There has been less ice on the water this year because of the mild weather. The Star said Mine Manager Al Hamilton thinks "it'S probably a good time to be trying this." Youth centre proposed SEAFORTH - A Youth Drop - In Centre is proposed for Sea- forth's young people. The Women's Resource Centre is hosting a meeting on January 16 at 7:30p.m. as an opportunity for ideas to be exchanged between planners and young people and concerned adults. Where the centre might be located will be on the discussion agenda. The Huron Expositor said that the Resource Centre and the Seaforth Co-operative Children's Centre and are both involved with the youth issue. They say that the community perceives a lack of programs for area youth. Residents work to save Morris Tract CLINTON - The Clinton News -Record reported that a group of Huron County resi- dents are working to save an area forest from potential log- ging. The Moms Tract is approxi- mately 140 acres of land west of the Falls Reserve Conservation Area near Benmiller. The tract is a valued place to enjoy an im- pressive mix of mature hard- woods including red oak, a pre- mium wood for logging. The Record quotes a letter Goderich resident John Graham prepared for the Huron County Planning Department. "We feel that any intrusion on this small pocket of Huron County unique- ness could never be restored," said Graham. Roaming dogs kill calves MITCHELL - Roaming dogs are blamed for the deaths and mauling of several calves in Lo- gan and Ellice townships. The Mitchell Advocate reported that Leon Baes of RR 5 Mitchell have lost calves during the night to roaming dogs including a Si- berian huskey spotted by Baes. Ray White of RR 2 Gadhill have also lost four calves at a neighbouring farm. The dogs are not likely rabid because the problem has oc- cured over the past two months. A rabid animal would not sur- vive that long. The dogs are also probably not stray, hungry dogs because they do not eat the calves and are used to people. The Advocate said that the townships will compensate fanners who lose livestock as a result of roaming dogs . Com- pensation is provided up to a maximum value of $1,000. IN THE_NF.YV.S Hay office issue heads to OMB Glenn Hat'ter's latest appeal should be heard in February ZURICH - Hay Township council is hoping to settle once and for all the controversy over its plans for a new mu- nicipal office in the next few weeks. A hearing in October over an appeal to a minor variance application led nowhere except to a more serious cast) be- fore the Ontario Municipal Board. Hay • had filed the variance with Zurich to allow, its planned municipal office to sit as close to the road as sur- rounding commercial buildings, despite its CF -1 zoning (Community Facility.). Glenn Hayter, representing a "Residents of Hay Associa- tion" filed the appeal on the grounds the variance and plans did not allow sufficient parking on the site, adequate traffic visibility at the corner (daylight sight triangle), or sufficient grounds for landscaping. Hayter said at the meeting his arguments were based on the concern that the township was not building an im- pressive enough structure to serve as a focal point for the municipality - and that it ought to be built outside the vil- lage in the township. Then reeve Lionel Wilder countered with the argument that council was building as large and ef- ficient a structure within its budget. Hayter did admit his appeal arguments would not apply if the property were commercially zoned. Hay was granted a zoning amendment bylaw by Zurich council on December 14. Hayter filed an appeal on Jan- uary 5, the last day of the 20 -day appeal period after the by- law notices were distributed. Hayter claims four objections to the zoning amendment: that it is not in the public's interest, that it violates Zurich's Secondary Plan, that it compromises good planning prin- ciples, and it was processed without input from concerned township citizens. A date in February previously scheduled to hear the ap- peal on the minor variance is hoped to be kept to hear the zoning appeal, according to Hay clerk treasurer Janisse Zimmerman. "We're going to try to do that," said Zimmerman, adding that the OMB seems to be in agreement. "If you lose your place in the queue, you go back to the beginning," she said. Both Zurich and Hay councils have questioned Hayter's claims of support for his position over the township office. While Hayter says he represents a Residents of Hay As- sociation, he has not disclosed how many people that com- prises. Zurich's acting -clerk Sharon Baker said she has not seen any evidence of widespread opposition to Hay's new build- ing plans. The clock is ticking on Hay's plans for a new office. The terms of the Canada/Ontario Infrastructure Grant program require a certain amount of work be done by spring 1995. Council members have expressed concern that further de- lays could jeopardize that funding. New image sought for `Bend's Main Street Council wants to see Main Street take on new, less of a ghost town look By Fred Groves T -A staff GRAND BEND - Councillor Bob Mann is living up to one of his campaign promises - enhance the image of Grand Bend's Main Street. He has recently took on the pro- ject of giving the Main Street a shot in the arm and wants to see it be- come more of a 12 -month business area rather than just a four -months long tourist season. At a recent council meeting, he announced to the rest of council that plans are on-going for what he has dubbed the Grand Bend Main Street Task Force. "We have assembled a list of some 22 people who might be able to represent the constituency of the residents, business people and the Chamber of Commerce," said Mann. What this task force will do is not yet determined. Mann does want to see life breathed back into a busi- ness area that, although attempts to stay open all year, have difficulty drawing customers in the winter. "We have a very generalized statement of what the Task Force is about to do," he said. During his campaign for the re- cent municipal election, Mann stat- ed that the village needs the crea- tive concept of a first class tourist attraction. He said it has been done at Niagara -on -the -Lake, in Old Town Philadelphia, in Yorkville and Frankenmouth, Michigan. All those places have a theme whether it be the crisp white build- ings of Niagara -on -the -Lake or the German flavour of Frankenmouth. Grand Bend's theme, as depicted on a sign when you come up Main Street, is sun, fun and sandy beach- es. On the Main Street are more than a dozen bars and restaurants, arcades, a waterslide, french fry stands and T-shirt shops. Susan Roche, is the owner of Finnegan's, one of the few Main Street businesses that stay open all - year long. While the restaurant -pub did shut dawn for a few weeks ear- lier this winter, they are now open and like the other 12 -month busi- nesses are looking for the up- coming Winter Carnival to bring in customers. "If he (Mann) has a lot of power and control over it, it will be a pos- itive force for Grand Bend," said Roche. Mann feels the merchants and council should enter into a co- operative enterprise to enhance Main Street and adopt a re- development scheme to remake its image. Grand Bend's image seems to be fun in the sun during the day and enjoying the night life of the bars after the sun goes down. Roche feels that in order to change the image, the type of busi- nesses which are on the Main Street may have to change. "The Chamber's hands are tied. We have so many transients, it leaves an open area. You can come in and be a carpet bagger," she said. While transient businesses do pay a business fee, the image which they present doesn't seem to fit in with the image Mann and council want to see continue. In the winter, most of the busi- nesses are boarded up and Main With boarded -up store fronts, and few businesses open the off season, Grand Bend's Main Street winter slumber something council aims to spice up with a better look. in is Street almost takes on a ghost town appearance. The plywood which covers the buildings, to many seems un attractive. "The town has to increase its standards for facades," said Roche. "Obviously there is no legislature that controls that." And as far as the Task Force is concerned, Mann hopes to have things going by the end of the month. "We mope to be able to have a committee that could be appointed by the council and meet for the first time by January 31. We are very much in the organizational stages." Zurich questions labour policies A bill for $7,000 in arena overtime has them concerned ZURICH - A $7,000 bill for overtime has led Zurich council to question its labour policies at the village community centre and are- na. Arena manager Jim Ramer presented his claim to the recreation board for over $7,000 owed to him for some 430 hours of overtime he said he put in ar the arena in the past year. Council discussed the request at length Thursday evening, calling into question how such a large amount of overtime could be ac- cumulated, particularly when the assistant was not working a full 44 hour week. Councillor Brad Clausius, a former manager of the arena himself, said that the winter season often requires extra working hours, hut they can be compensated for in the quieter summer months. "Every town in the province does it this way," said Clausiu .. "Everybody's massed out in the winter, at any arena." However, Clausius suggested that working hours be deliberately scheduled to avoid overtime. Councillor Nick Littlechild said he believed much of the extra work was in the upkeep of the larger community centre hall. Clau- sius did agree cleaning up after a larger function, • such as a re- ception, can take two people five hours. Council considered some options on how to deal with Ramer's overtime claim, and agreed to address it with him at a later meeting. One suggestion was to offer him some $1,700 and an additional two weeks vacation. Councillor Barb Jeffrey said perhaps one solution is to have time sheets prepared by the arena staff, as in other village departments. "Jim's doing a good job," acknowledged Clausius. "The arena's clean, it's busy...the hall's in good shape." Council asking for budget insights But is anyone really interested in helping with Exeter's annual budget? EXETER - Several of the town's newest councillors are eager to cut their teeth on the mysterious budgeting pro- cess, and a couple are even prepared to seek public opinion on how and where the town should be spending its money. "This is not a new idea," said councillor Tom Hughes, who suggested notifying the public as to when the bud- geting sessions would be taking place. "It is being used in certain locations, particularly London." Hughes said the budget process should welcome input, especially from town employees who "may provide al- ternatives for economic and efficient operation." But Hughes said "we have to decide what's necessary and what's nice" he said, asking for a balance of essential ser- vices versus other projects and services. He did point out he is not advocating "a slash and burn, but a streamlining of operations." Councillor Roy Triebner said he agreed entirely, but he noted London is listening to the public mostly after the budget has been outlined. When Triebner asked how long before a rough budget is available, clerk Liz Bell said only two department's preliminary reports are in so far. "If we don't have something available, we could use last year's budget as a guideline (for a public meeting]," said Triebner. Deputy -reeve Dave Urlin said he "kind of disagreed with what councillor Hughes is saying". He said the present "open door" policy allows anyone to know how the town spends its money at any time. Adding scrutiny to the bud- get process might only slow it down more, he said. "1 don't know if we have to advertise to bring more prob- lems in," said Urlin. "It would just bog it right awn, in my mind." Later in Monday's council meeting, the issue came for- ward again, at which time Bell said planning a special pub- lic meeting over the budget might be too late. "It's maybe too late for the public to come in after the de- partments have their budgets," said Bell, suggesting the public might want to attend the individual committee meet- ings. The recreation board will be meeting this Thursday, for instance, and the budget will be the main item on the agen- da. Triebner said he firmly believed in council setting guide- lines first, for the departments to follow, rather than asking for rough budgets to be trimmed later. "If you believe in holding the line, you don't want some- one putting together a budget with an increase," said Tri- ebner. Councillor Bob Spears said when a com- pany sets out a budget, it first sets out the goal - how many units it will produce, for instance, so that costs can be compared to output. "I'm not sure how this relates to mu- nicipal budgets," said Spears, but added break -downs of specific items, like the number of man- hours put into certain duties, like snow removal, or the op- eration of arena, would be useful. "Glen doesn't know how much snow is going to fall," pointed out Urlin, and added arena use varies greatly. But Spears said if the hudget calls for 500 hours of equip- ment maintenance, for instance, and only 400 hours is needed, then that gives council an idea of how and where the money is being spent. "The trouble is our computer system doesn't keep track of that," said Bell. "I suggest this is where we start," said Spears, saying it doesn't have to be unnecessarily complicated. "We're going to drown in a sea of information and end up knowing nothing at all," Councillor Robert Drummond, however, disagreed. "We're going to drown in a sea of information and end up knowing nothing at all," complained Drummond. "I think these ideas are just going to end up in more and more work." Drummond said his main complaint with budgets is that they are set late. 1994's wasn't set until June. And even though council asked for 1995 department budgets in De- cember, only two are available a month and a half later. "We can't keep going half a year without a budget," said Drummond. Triebner replied that "things don't necessarily have to he complicated to make a change", and asked how much over- time is being spent in town departments, for example? "I don't think you can get it from the budget. 1 think those are important things, in my mind," said Triebner. "I think its important to allow the public to have some in- put, I don't know what were afraid of," said Hughes, noting that even written submissions to the committees could be encouraged. The one issue council didn't address was whether or not the general puhlic has ever shown any interest in the lengthy, and complicated municipal hudget process. One common complaint from council over the years is how del- egations often request special projects or services after the budget has been approved, making it impossible to add them for at least a year. Triebner said he hoped that those who attend a public hudget session would be ahlc to offer wide-ranging ideas on town spending. "I would hope people won't just talk ahout.the pothole on their mad," said Triebner. "If you open it to the puhlic, that's exactly what they'll talk about," replied Bell.