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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.