HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1976-03-25, Page 1If
Yf
a,w. mow:
►espite a red o
proposed hi
n County
rdtep aye
▪ as high as
ods 14$400,900 in
et for 1976 for the
-arid of education,
could f.ace .d tax in-
percent.
special. Meeting,Monday
as 20; cent
r
r precent
B��t► ti,�a tea � u i ,� �
t budget formula items along With
most parts of an 000040 "13 Mint
gram to further lower expenditures
fqt' this year.
In opening the lengthy discussion,
board chairman Herb Turkheim said,
= f f we went without any restraints in
Spending we could end up with a 50
increase ncrease in school levies. , We
have to face reality. A lotof people in the
county just couldn't afford. it,
Superintendent •of business affairs Roy.
Dunlop said the increase in levies could
be 35.8 percent but he added, "the big
noel tion mark is.our operation for 1975.
The audit is now underway and this
couldmake a big difference.'
' In tacking about the proposed cuts,
Goderich trustee Cayley Hill said, '.I
Would like to point out•thet we don't have
really muckte .play with as 75 percent of
our total budget are fixed c sts."
''his was verified later b
said fixed cots in 197$ for th
.panel were 7$.9 percent an
elementary sector at 4,6 per , ftt•
Fised costs, which are n R.. affect
any budget cuts in d, salad
transportation, plant m. = intenance ere...
The provincial grant rates for Huron.
county are also reduced this year.
Dunlop said the secondary grant ceiling
was reduced by 4.5 percent and the
elementary by 1.6 percent.
In supporting the budget cuts. Cayley
Hill commented, "If this county and
province think the economic situation is
now, it's only a rpicnie as to what can
den if this trend .continues. We don't
111 to realize hoW serious it is..I
Trustee Marian Zinn added, f we as,
ap~d, menihers don't matte the cuts.
body will do ittfor us."
Budget chairman John Elliott of Blyth
the cuts of 20 percent in formula
is caused the most discussion with
representatives from the secondary and
elenientary school principles.
Elliott continued, "We originally rnet
with the two principal groups and they
generally accepted the first 10 percent
cut and we asked there to consider a
second reduction, of the same amount.
I'M very dissappointed that no action
was taken to decrease their ex-
perditures by another 10 percent."
Both principal associations were
represented at Monday's meeting and
presented briefs outlining their con-
cerns.
One of the additional . cutbacks in
budgets concerned secretarial
assistance in schools. The number of
hours of secretarial assistance in
elementary schools will be reduced from
757.5 hours per week to 581.,5 hours per
week.
Dunlop said this would work out to an
average of about seven hours per week
reduction in each school in the county.
At the same time the number of
secretaries at the board office in Clinton
was reduced by two. Director of
(continued on page 10)
o word yet on hospital
Officials at the Clinton Public Hospital District Hospital board or ttie Goderich
halve not received any def'inite word yet Alexandra Marine and General Hospital
op the fate of the 62 -bed facility which board in getting them to share the
Was ordered to close as soon after April $800,000 cut that was to be saved by
1st as possible by Ontario . Health closing Clinton Hospital.
Minister Frank Miller, who. visited the The Goderich Hospital board at a
town on -February 19. • press conference last Monday again
The Clinton hospital has since ap- offered to transfer the proposed 20 -bed
pealed the decision in Toronto to Mr. psychiatric unit to Clinton and to
financially help Clinton establish . a
community health centre of four to six
beds with an emergency health centre.
However, the 20 -bed psychiatric unit
belongs to the ministry of health and
they haven't 'made any indication that
they would transfer the unit out of the
Goderich Psychiatric Hospital, which
will be closed April lst and converted
into a mentally retardation centre.
Dr. Barry Deathe, medical chief of
Staff at the Goderich Hospital, said that
looking after the 20 beds would be a nigh-
tmare because it would be difficult for
the Goderich board to operate two
hospitals four miles apart.
Peter MacEwan, financial chairman
Miller and Prearnier William Davis in a
March 11th meeting, but have received
no word yet on their appeal.
Both Clinton, town council and hospital
officials are very optimistic that part of
the hospital will remain -open, but
several complications have set in since
last week.
Firstly, Mr. Miller suffered a heart
attack last Wednesday March 17 and is
cpnfined to hospital for at least three
weeks, possibly delaying the decision of
the fate of the Clinton hospital another
month.
Secondly, the possibility of a May
election, which seemed a sure thing last
week, has faded as Ontario Liberal
Leader Stuart Smith won't back a New
Democratic Party motion : of non-
confidence in the 'Conservative minority
government.
The Legislature is on a week's March
break holiday. and the Motion won't be
voted on until next week, April 5th.
Meanwhile, no progress has been
made in talks with the W ingham and
fate
of the Goderich hospital, said they can't
cut any beds because the resulting loss
of jobs would hurt Goderich, already
hard hit by the loss of 150 jobs at the
Goderich Psychiatric.
The 16 -bed cut asked for by Clinton
would mean the loss of 35 to 45 jobs, and
because the Goderich Hospital has been
ordered to cut $52,500 from their $2
million budget, Mr. MacEwan said "we
feel Goderich has already suffered
enough."
The Goderich hospital board an-
nouncement came as a result of the
Goderich Town Council, who asked the
board to do everything in their power,
including cutting beds. to prevent the
closing of Clinton.
- Dr. Deathe said the medical
profession in Huron wants to see
emergency health care continued in
Clinton "or it could become a ghost
town, medically speaking," because
doctors wouldn't want to locate in a
community without adequate
emergency facilities.
Constabl: injured
Large arptt.a crowd _
sets all-time record
A new all-time attendance record was
set last Tuesday night at the Clinton
Community Centre when 1,365 persons
paid to see the seventh and deciding
game in the Central Junior "C"
championships.
The crowd at the arena, built in 1967.
eclipsed a previousmark of 1,200 set on
March 1, 1974 in a Junior "D" play-off
game between Clinton and Mitchell.
The fans were literally hanging from
the rafters. and Junior "C" officials had
to put out the "full sign" mid -way
through the first period.
'Large crowds are also expected when
the Clinton Mustangs take on the Essex
'73's this weekend.
Clinton Constable Wayne McFadden
has been released from hospital after he
suffered a broken nose and a mild
concussion during a street brawl in
Clinton last Friday night.
Three persons were charged at the.
time of the fight and three more were
charged last Monday.
Clinton Police Chief Lloyd Westlake
said that Arthur Snell, 24, and John
Snell, 21, both of Vanastra were charged
with assaulting a police officer and John
Moore J r., 17. of Sebringville was
charged with causing a disturbance.
Three other persons will be charged by
summons with causing a disturbance or
wilful damage.
All will appear in court in Goderich on
March 29.
Chief Westlake said the disturbance
priflg fiaa1i Cores
he area last week as temperatures Friday and
SO's, enabling Milton Johnston of James Street in
of winter's accumulation. Winter returned Sunday, but
revelled on Tuesday and Wednesday. [News -Record
Spring finally arrived in
Saturday soared into th
Clinton to chip off som
sunny warm skies
photo]
Opinion sought o
The first draft of Goderich
township's official plan has
been met with mixed emotion
this week after residents
received copies of the plan in
the ma7iti.
k y r R The, draft, the result of
-ar1search by the Hurpn County
%Planning department and
started as 'a two-man scuffle outside -Al's
Pizza on Huron Street. The fighting then
moved into the restaurant and other
persons became involved.
Constable McFadden, a six-year
veteran of the Clinton force, was flat-
tened inside, and the other Clinton of-
ficers called for help..
Eight officers from OPP detachments
in Exeter and Goderich were sent to help
the three Clinton officers at the scene.
In other police business, the Clinton
force investigated one car accident in
the last week when a car driven by
Lynne Burgess of Vanastra was in
collision with a car driven by Leonard
Strickland of Clinton an Huron Street at
Orange Street.
The Friday morning accident caused a
total of $800 damage to the two cars.
input received from a series
of public meetings held in
1974. has been circulated to
every land: owner in the
township to be read and -taken
to a public meeting slated/for
April 1 at the . Holm,esville
Public School.
The purpose of a public
meeting accordi g to county
planner Gary avidson, one
of the author of the plan, is to
gauge pu zc opinion on the
draft pi and to seek public
input to further proposals
for Wbefore any decisions are
nide.
"One of the assumptions in
planning is that you can
always make something
better," said Davidson who
added that the meeting is
designed not to "seek an
agreement", but to try to
make this plan better.
By Jim Fitzgerald
As of press time Wednesday .af`
ternoon, no definite time or place has
been set for the start of the all -Ontario
Junior "C" series between the Clinton
Mustangs and the Essex '73's. but at this
time. there is a strong possibility it will
open in Clinton this weekend. either
Friday, Saturday or Sunday night.
Watch; the daily press and the posters
around town for more details.
to case you were in South America on
Tuesday , night and mussed it. Clinton
beat Tillsonburg in the seventh and
deciding game in what has to be the
thriller of the year. In case -you didn't
make it down to the arena. don't despair,
they probably couldn't have shoe -horned
you in anyway.
' We are sorry to relate that one of our
columnists, Jack Scott, will no..longer be
able to write hifeieekly.effort for us. Mr.
Scott,' who- has been a fixture on our
editorial page since 1969, is suffering
frotri ill health and is forced to give up
his column. We hope to have an equally
fine replacement for next week.
Here's a fund raising idea that some
service club in town could make a few
bucks from. Everyone has seen or heard
of those shopping sprees at grocery
*stores where the winner has a certain
time period, usually five minutes. to pick
up all he or she can carry. Well. how
five minute s ree at the self-
wi
bout a fi pere a liquor store in Clinton. now that
les renovated? I'rn sure it wouldn't be
KIM to get into the spirit of the game!
Pleat§ o. cooks
Too many cooksdl'diit oil the broth at the annual pancake supper at the
Clinton Christian Schaal asst: Friday night. In fact, they needed all the cooks
they could get to help turn the i5$ potinnds of mix into pancaai�tes for a$ptrSo
(News -Record pli4 4. 0,
Goderich Twp. plan__
The planner expl . ' ed that
the draft plan s t to lan-
downers was to ow them to
digest the pro ►• sats made by
the plannin;, department and
have any estions they may
have to ' • answered. He said
more ublic input into the
seco dary plan is being
so : ht before any final drafts
e drawn up and the
township council asked to
make a decision.
The steps required to make
the plan law start with
township council and if their
approval is given it will be
' taken to county council.
County council approval will
send the proposal to the
province for final judgement
and the restrictions in the
plan will belay!.
"It's a long drawn out
process but it has to be to
allow everyone a chance to
propose changes or oppose
specifics," said Mr. David-
son. "We even sent a copy,of:
the plan to a -man in Peru but
we have our doubts he will
make the meeting."
Mr. Davidson said the first
draft of the plan was not as
stringent as other plans his
department has done in the
county. ' Citing severance
restrictions. he explained that
the Goderich township plan
alone allows for severance of
surplus residences on farm
property, allows retiring
farmer's to sever off some of
their property and allows
land to be severed for sons or
daughters of farmers. He
added that the plan does not
change any land Lite in the
township now and' will not
mean any drastic land use
changes in the future.
'We gathered all the public
input received at the
meetings along with what we
felt was required in the plan,
weighed the implications of
our suggestions and the
public's and came up with the
' draft," said Mr. Davidson.
The reason for the cir-
culation of the proposal is to
allow for more public input
into the final draft. The
planner explained that it was
very difficult to ask people to
react to a concept that is
explained to them. He said if
a -specific set of policies are
outlined and written -down
people will be more apt to
react and that is what
township council and the
planning department want.
"The format of all the
meetings so far and for this
one on April 1 is to have in-
dividual questions and
problems dealt with before
the final draft is done." said
Mr. Davidson.
He said the township had
enjoyed a good turnout at the
1974 series of meetings
drawing between 80 to 100
people each night. He added
that the planners are hopeful,
that number is increased to
about 150 or 200 people next
week.
"We intend to outline the
meeting. break for thought
and then deal with specifics."
he said.
The meeting format is
designed to allow township
residents to have the draft
explained. break for coffee
and discuss their opinions
with their neighbors and then
pose their questions.
Mr. Davidson pointed out
(continued on page 10)
Mustangs on way to Ontario finals
By Jim Fitzgerald
In one of the most thrilling hockey
games in years played before a jam-
packed sell-out crowd of 1.365 in the
Clinton arena last Tuesday night, March
23. Mike Anstett. captain of the Clinton
Mustangs, flipped the puck into the net
at 11:21 of the second sudden -death
overtime period to vault Clinton into the
all -Ontario play-offs.
The 7-6 win by Clinton gave them the
best of seven series against the
Tillsonburg Mavericks four games to
three. , The Mustangs now meet the
Essex '73's, who defeated- the Dresden
Kings 7-2 last Tuesday night to win the
Great Lakes Junior "C" Championship.
Essex took the best of seven series 4-3 in
games.
Clinton will open its series with Essex
this weekend, but no times or places are
known.
Late in the third period last Tuesday
night, 'it looked like the Mustangs would
be hanging up their skates for the year
as they were behind 6-5 with less than a
minute to go, but Brian "Victor" Ken-
nedy., with just 25 seconds left on the
Clock, tied the game up and forced it into
oVertime.
Clinton at one time in the series bad a
-0 lead in games, but the Tillsonburg
avericks fought back and won three
games in a row. forcing the show -down
in c lintonlast Tuesday night.
• The Mustangs lost 5-3 last Thursday
night in Clinton in an uninspired game,
nd then dropped an 8-7 heartbreaker in
Tillsonburg last, Saturday night.
That set the Stage for the seventh and
deciding game last Tuesday night.
It was ies see -saw battle all night. with
Clinton holding a 24 lead at the end of
the fiat period on goals by Mike AnStett
and Barry Lane.
The Mustro• •-I ahead 34 early in,
the second frame, on Victor Kennedy's
first of three goals, but the Mavericks
came back a minute later to close the
gap to 3-2.
The Mustangs seemed to have the
game sewed up early in the third period
when they went ahead 4-2 on Victor's
second goal of the night. but Tillsonburg
tied it up at 4-4 with two unanswered
goals _
Clinton went ahead again at the 11:27
mark of the third frame on a goal by
Steve Cook. but then Tillsonburg scored
twvo more unanswered goals to lead 6-5
and appeared as if the season was over
,Jr the 'Stangs, until Victor popped his
third into the net with only 25 seconds
left in the game.
The first ten-minute overtime period
was scoreless, and ortly outstanding
goaltending by Maverick's netminder
Colin Ryan kept the Mustangs off the
scoresheet.
The marathon game took its toll on the
Mavericks as the Mustangs superb
conditioning showed itself in the second
sudden -death overtime period. With the
Mustangs constantly pressing all the
time, Anstett was able to pop the winner
in at 11 :21 to win the game.
Merchants want more parking
By Bev Clark
The Clinton Retail Merchants are
concerned ever the lack of parking space
in the main business core of the town.
Clinton Town Council was informed of
this concern last Monday at a regular
council meeting, by way of a letter from
the merchants.
They (the merchants) suggest a more
regular check of overtime parking
meters which means a more liberal
,distribution. (*parking tickets.
The merchants would also like to see
more discriminatory use of parking
permits which council issues when they
feel the applicant has a good enough
reason to buy the $7.50 yearly permit
which eliminates the need to feed the
parking meters.
In other business, council has given
permission to Del Bar Investments to
use the name "Clinton Centennial Park
Developments Incorporated" for their
Mroramified subdivision in the west end of
inon.
'tile wilier Citizens have suggested to
council that 'they build a small kit-
chenette in the old police office so that
they (the senior citizens) or anyone else
wanting a meeting area, could use the
old office for card' parties or crokinole
parties. The Senior Citizens feel that a
sink and a hot plate would be good
enough to serve their needs.
Ken Strong of 345 Matilda Street,
!Clinton has been issued a taxi license
from Council. As of April 1, Mr. Strong
will be operating his one car taut servi+ee--
from his residence.
Clinton Town Council, supports, She
Association. of Municipaiiti its tat Ontario
in opposing Ontario Hydro being granted
a 27 percent iperease. Council has
donated $31.75 to help defray, the costa o
fighting the proposed grant. The amount
donated by Council was a figure arising
from the one cent per capita donatidrl
asked for by the AMO.
Council has also agreed to hir n a
summer student from a course in (tinier
planning oto administration, to help in 0,4
clerk's office.