Times Advocate, 1994-10-26, Page 3IN THF NEWS
Times -Advocate, October 26, 1994
Page 3
MTO steps up hours of drivers
license centre in Exeter
Complaints mean the MTO examination
centre will open every Monday
By Fred Groves
T -A staff
EXETER - Sometimes complaining does help.
Last Monday, there were over 30 people lined up to either write their
dri' er's license exam or go out for their road test. Hver, a week later the line was a lot shorter and there was more
staffnu the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario there to make sure
eve ng ran smoothly.
The reason for the turnaround in service, according to one MTO rep-
resentative, is the numerous complaints from those who live in the Ex-
eter and surrounding area.
Prior to this Monday. peop e wanting the MTO services sometimes
had to wait as long as a month when the MTO would make a visit to
the Royal Canadian Legion. .
"I think it was inquires from the public to justify it more than once a
month," said MTO administrative officer Brian Hyatt.
On Monday, October 17 the Times -Advocate received a call saying
the hallway at the Legion was full with several frustrated elderly in-
dividuals who were awaiting services for quite a while.
Some of them, 80 years -old or more had to sit on a chair in the line-
up. which at times was not moving that quickly due to lack of MTO
staff.
One of those waiting in line was 82 year-old Elma Gardiner who,
when interviewed, had been in the line for half -an -hour and said, "I'd
like to get it over with."
Once a person turns 80, they have to take a written test and a driving
test every year to which Gardiner replied, "I wish it wasn't so often."
Gardiner was patient while waiting to take her tests and she should be
used to waiting. This past year several months have elapsed between
the written test and actually going out on the road with an examiner.
Last Monday while waiting she said. "I don't suppose I'll go for my
driving test. Last year I had to wait from June to November for the driv-
ing."
Jack Wilson of Dorchester brought his 81 year-old mother Francis
from Thedford to Exeter on October 17 and they waited in line for half -
an -hour.
Long wait: Back in July when they came to Exeter, Francis could
only do the written part of the test simply because there was not enough
MTO staff to handle the volume of people.
"We were a little put out in July. There was a lot of people here and
they didn't have time to do it," said Wilson.
So Francis Wilson who did her written test in July, came back in Oc-
tober to take the driving portion of the re-examination.
"It is due to the fact they've cut back on employees or whatever. 1 go
to Ingersoll and there are only about half -a -dozen people," said Wilson.
Monday, Hyatt sent a press release to the Times -Advocate, stating
that Huron MPP Paul Klopp was announcing that the MTO examina-
tion centre in Exeter would have increased hours.
"The decision shows that the government is aware of our com-
munity's needs for this important service," said Klopp in the release.
The new hours of operation will be every Monday from 9 a.m. - 4
p.m. There will be two in -car examiners and two clerks to administer
written tests. When the centre at the Legion was open on Monday, the
Times -Advocate was there about half -an -hour before the 4 p.m. closing
time and there was no one waiting for examinations.
"I don't expect it to drop off," said Hyatt of the number of people who
will come to the centre.
One person who will no doubt be pleased with the new hours at the
Exeter centre is Deborah Thompson -Hall. She was told back in early
October by those who staff the MTO office on Main Street in Exeter
that she had to go to the examination centre just to have her name
changed on her driver's license.
Back on October 17 when she came into the Legion and was told that
she had a 40 -minute wait just to change her name she went back to the
Main Street where again she was told at the office they couldn't do a
name change.
She was irate and said, "I guess I can't get it, I'm working," said
Thompson -Hall who thought it was unnecessary to take 40 -minutes or
more off just to wait in line to change her name on a license.
In Klopp's words, "this is more than just a convenience, for many
people, the ability to drive is a basic need in life."
Decison promised over
Hay office appeal
Stay away from an OMB
hearing, warns mediator
ZURICH - Hay Township hopes to hear this week
if opponents to the new S240,000 municipal office
project will withdraw their appeal to a minor var-
iance allowing the building as close to the street as
surrounding buildings.
A special hearing.was held last Wedncsday eve-
ningSit the Ztiritl .Community Centre. to hear the
objections of a group of. township residents, led by
Glen Hayter, to the new office's location in the vil-
lage of Zurich.
Hayter, in his presentation, indicated he had three
specific concerns about the new building slated for
construction next to thc present township office. He
said he was concerned about a possible lack of park-
ing, to which both township reeve Lionel Wilder
and Huron County planner Wayne Caldwell replied
there was adegate parking possible on thc building
site, as well as on -street parking.
Haytcr also suggested the "daylight sight Triangle"
for traffic visibility might be compromised with the
building so close to thc corner. however, Caldwell
notcd other buildings in Zurich's downtown core arc
exempted from daylight triangle regulations.
The third objection was that with the building's
48'x72' size and parking requirements, not enough
land would be left for landscaping. Caldwell said
his calculations allowed at least 36 percent of the lot
for grccnspace.
Hayter told the panel, consisting of Hay reeve Li-
onel Wilder, Zurich reeve Bob Fisher, and moder-
ator Jack Riddell, that all three objections were
based on the concern that the township office would
be cramped on its lot and lack a distinctive appear-
ance as a focal point for the municipality.
"Because it's a community facility..." said Hayter,
referring to the property's CF -1 zoning. "...It's sup-
posed to look different than the arca that surrounds
it."
"We're not building a Taj Mahal," replied Wilder.
"We're spending the taxpayer's money wisely."
"It doesn't bother you that it's going to look like a
commercial office block?" asked Hayter.
"It doesn't bother me at all," said Wilder, prom-
ising the office would attractive, but functional.
After the lengthy, and occaisionally heated meet-
ing, Haytcr agreed to review the answers he re-
ceived to his questions with the other ratepayers he
said he was representing. He said a decision on
whether or not to withdraw the appeal to the minor
variance on the property would be forthcoming
within a week to 10 days.
"Certainly it's in everyone's interest to resolve it
quickly," said Hayter.
Jack Riddell, chairing the meeting, cautioned both
parties to resolve their differences over the project
before resorting to an Ontario Municipal Board
hearing, which he warned would be lengthy and ex-
pensive.
"1 know a little about the OMB, and the futher
one can stay away from it, thc better," said Riddell.
Police seek leads in local thefts
EXETER - Police were investigat-
ing several thefts in the arca this
past week.
On Thursday, a red Supercycle bi-
cycle was stolen from Exeter Public
School. A small amount of cash
and a gold wrist watch were also
taken. Police arc asking neighbours
near the school to :epeort all suspi-
cious vehicles in the arca.
Overnight last Monday thieves
broke into a van parked at W.G.
Thompson and Son Ltd. in Hensall
and stole a large red tool box con-
taining approximately 5700 in vari-
ous tools.
Police have received complaints
of several gasoline thefts in the Cen-
tralia arca, and arc l(i)king for leads
from the public.
Some time between October 14
and 21, an 18 -speed CCM bicycle
was taken from thc Glen Haven
apartment buildings in Exeter. Thc
bike was blue and green with black
grips and scat.
Police have also found a firc ex-
tinguisher on John Street in Exeter...
It can be claimed by its owner at the
OPP.
-- ELECT --
BEV SKINNER
for PUC
Commissioner
Your Support would be appreciated
Call 235-1553
Authortzel'rj►CFO for the Bev Skinner campaign
1
Huron County sighting possible
U.F. Orzwcl
Who would have thought a Super Nova in a distant solar system could have created such a Decadent
spectacle on our humble planet. The unidentified object hurtling towards Earth at supersonic speed, has been
confirmed to he some form of capsule, and not a fragment from the exploding planets. The observatory in
(1.R.E.E.N.-land has made some startling statements about this tiny object closing in on our sphere.
At the present speed, the capsule, should reach our atmosphere sometime around the first of November. Thc
hest guess leaves two possibilities at this point. It will bounce off the atmosphere like a had cheque, or it will
burn up on entry like a giant comet in the evening sky. Radio telescopes have predicted the hest viewing
window to he in Huron County in S.W. Ontario. The large radar 'Golf Ball' just outside the town of Exeter
will surely have a chance -of -a -lifetime look at this event.
The president of the I.P.C.F. hopes to learn more of thc Valuto Martarium solar system, as he gathers
information from Insiders Reports as well as the famed astronomer D. Nickel. Having some of the answers 10
this upcoming event, would be the -President's Choice. •
All eyes in this tiny community will be searching the skies in the wee hours of November 1, in hopes of
catching a glimpse at things to conic. Will we ever know what really happened? Will we be affected in any
way? These, and many more questions will be answered in just six days
The saga continucs....U.F.O.
ADVERTISEMENT
Got a news tip? Call the
Times -Advocate at 235-1331
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TOWNSHIP OF HAY
MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS
1994
A nturrlrlpai elreII'n will Iw held In rhe Tnwnshlp fill !Inv Int Iht' office of
REEVE - one (1) to be elected.
ADVANCE POLLS will be held on:
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5th. 1994
and
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9th. 1994
betwern the hours of 10 (1O a rn and R'(►n p rip at lite following locations-
ST. JOSEPH COUNTRY STORE: (firmer of Iltghways 421 and 84.
HAY TOWNSHIP: 14 Mill Street. Zurich
ARC INDUSTRIES: 146 Main Street. Dashwood
ELDER ENTERPRISES: Concession 2 -3 . 1 mile south of Ihghw•ay 484.
NOTE: For the advance Polls. you may vole at any of the above {ovations
regardless of the polling suixlh•hion in which your name 1s located
REGULAR POLLING DAY Is MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH.
1994 between Ihr hours of 10 00 a m and S.00 p m at the following Inca
tions
POLLING
SUBDIVISION
1 to 6
7
8and 9
POLLING
PLACE
J.00ATION
Zurich Community Main St.
('entre Zurich
Blue Water
Rest Home Iiighway #84
Zurich Main Street
Community Centre Zurich
TAKE NOTICE that the deadline for making application to the Clerk for a
certificate lo vole by proxy Is 4:30 p.m. on Monday, November 14th, 1994.
You may make application for a certificate to vote by proxy at the Municipal
Office during normal working hours of the municipal office as well as from
noon until 4i (x/ p.m nn Saturday. November 5th
.fanlssc Zimmerman
Clerk /Returning Officer
Township of !lay
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