HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1976-04-01, Page 1Wee her
1976 1975
1�
Itt LO' tr I O
MARCH ".
23 50 26 39 29
24 64 37 44 32
25 58 40 39 30
26 65 36 29 12
27 57 29 29 15
28 38 29 34 22
29 49 31 36 29
Rain .55" • Rain .15"
Snow 2" Snow 14"
Thursday, April
1 th Year No. 14
There wasn't Much dispute.. over -tithe
county budget for 1976 when council, -.tom
in:. regular, se ibti l ridaY in Otiderich..at
arch ssion. Although costs. were
,ost -department& causing an
overall increase in expentlitUre of 13.7
ter c�e}yn:tiy.i.hno -than
Asame._l7 , Pe un
Fv ; ill .1 main the , y
►!!! VO.--Oerry. #3iinn said' following
the me rigf '' at: sl id help, Soften
the blow for the taxpayers in 1976.:
-" Reeve Ginn like- iany` atter
i looking forward *tea �.
the cost of education
cotipty this year.
The total county budget is
That's 3~466, more an- 1
paignto fi t the +1+>t _Clinton Public
e Citizens' fiction'--+ otmmkt!en Is."
ndesboro.puts One of°1 ?
Here 1�ev. Siaa �` , +�Po,I '► ,
+�t>f�
� lapel bntEa. Ht'
rSt
okeutthiseeriestweek,[flews-%ecorc phptu]
o remain the same as '75
to i x$7,244,142,
egovernment grants and other
revenue-, the county ratepayers will be
asked to contribute 52,.528,000 a .actly
the sue as last year. However, it has
' len necessary to use the accumulative
's t'pius of 34161383 to -maintain-,the levy
ast year's figure. -
uciuded in the 1976 budget is provision
for intreases to the reserve funds:.. ,.
ounty wants to decide- bed cuts
k • Huron County Council is taking its role
seriously. When Warden Jack McCut-
(*eon asked councillors Friday at the
March session in Goderich if they were
ready to accept the responsibility for the
suction of health care costs in the
county should the government empower
them to do so, few members decline_do.
Warden McCutcheon told council that
Ontario Premier William Davis and
Minister of Health Frank Miller had
been- impressed with a Huron County
Board of Health presentation which
stressed the fact that Huron is a "total
county" that "sticks together".
He said the only argument to which the
premier and the minister of health would
listen was the one which put forth the
claim that Huron County wants to
manage its own affairs even where
health cutbacks are concerned and
should be permitted to co-ordinate
meetings with the five hospitals to work
out an amicable settlement to achieve
The results desired by Toronto.
"Arewe ready to accept the respon-
sibility to allocate bed reduction
proportionately across die county?"
asked Warden McCutcheon.
John Jewitt of Hullett seemed to speak
for all of council when he replied. "If
we've got to be the body that takes the
stand, then we'd better be the body that
takes the stand.' .
Only Reeve John. latmory of Se (forth
.
cancer in .t; tmmng the
voiced his � �
responsibility- He -4uestlonedwhether
council should get `into this kind ot 0d -
ministration, evens If given the power to
do so.
"How many, beds wilt we be expected
to cut back next year'?" asked Flannery.
Will this become an annual event.
While council waits for the govern-
ment's decision on -whether or notcounty
council will be empowered, to allocate
bed reduction apportionments through
Huron, Dr. Frank Milli brought forward
some shocking statistics' for council`s
perusal.
continued on page 15
Board stilt considering Goderich offer
The Clinton Hospital Board are still confidence motion.
,,. iderin an offer from the board of The Clinton Citizens' Action Com -
the
the Goderich Alexandra Marine and mittee• meanwhile, advised the
...tQ..... y Q- 9 :G z.nM Town >ur t'! on Mouflay in a
M - antra from the former letter that they found the AM rO offer
c1Ctderch Psychiatric Hospital to the "lacking in several areas."
Clinton hospital, in order to keep the Action committee chairman Jim
Clinton facility open. Hunter said in the letter that they "thank
In a statement to the press on- -the :Board for contemplating methods of
Tuesday, Joe Murphy of the hospital co-operation."
'board said the Clinton hospital would Mr. Hunter said that even though the
gladly take the 20 -bed psychiatric unit if transfer of the.20=bed psychiatric unit to
• the Clinton Hospital could still have an Clinton would keep the hospital open. ''it
active hospital. would not meet the needs of Clinton for
"But I don't think at this point that an active community hospital."
those 20 beds are Goderich's to give "The economic situation of the town
away," Mr. Murphy said. • would not be improved by this move as
Ontario Health Minister Frank Miller the present staff are not qualified for
has ordered that the Clinton Hospital be, • work within a psychiatric unit." Mr.
closed as soon as possible after April 1, Hunter wrote.
but in a meeting on March 11 said he ''We freely admit that_due to the
would reconsider his order. "'Psychiatric sychiatric closing 33 ,jobs have .been
oar . . direct Goderich area.
So far. the Clinton board has heard lost in the d>Ire�oHt,
•
nothing from Toronto. and no word is
however, many of these 'may be picked
up by the 20 -bed psychiatric unit that you
seem so willing to give away again.
"As well we find it difficult to un-
derstand what enormous problem you
have encountered that would mewl the
loss of 35 to 45 jobs by closing 16 beds.
Have you been grossly over -staffed or
are you going to become grossly un-
derstaffed? We here in Clinton do not
need you to give up the mare than
$300.000 that this number of jobs would
realize.
"A mere five percent of your budget
would save Clinton, and since you are
receiving an eight percent increase, you
will actually have more dollars id your
budget than last year and not be flooded
with at least 20 new patients who are
presently handled by �'Clrirtton, Mr.
Hunter said.
w seniors
-1 Feder(' ti ant
New Horizons cominittee, under
the leadership of Mrs: Betty Scratch at
u onview, have received 83,715 from
the Federal Government's New
Horizons program.
New Horizons enables retired people
to create projects of their own choosing.
It offers grants to groups of retired
people who will undertake activities for
the benefit of themselves and others in
their community.
The New Horizons committee of
Humnview, will use the grant to make
videotapes of- activities in the Home,
These tapes ,will be exchanged with
Homes for the Aged in other areas in
Ontario.
working capital, 8150.000; hospital
reserve. $200,000; employee benefits.
8150.000; and capital works building.
$20.000.
Looking at the individual budgets_._.
within the total budget.., general
government is up ffom 878.800 in 1975 to
894,850 this year. County council sessions
won't cost any more - $32,000 again this
year - but the warden's salary and his
pay f+ar,other meetings is up from 85.000
to $6,200 and the county committees will
cost $4.000 more this year - 816,000 in-
stead..n€ tl<ie_5-i.2J100-budgeted last year.
Convention and other committee costs
have increased from $5,000 to $9,500and
there's $21,000 included in this year's
budget for- travel and convention ex-
penses, tfaraw asn't there last year.
The history project last year cost
$10,000. This year: only $1,000 has been
set aside.
Turning to the general administration
budget, salaries account for a large part
of the increase from 5150,700 last year to
8178.500 this year. Salaries have gone up
18 per cent from. 5100.000 to 5118,000.
Likewise, employee benefits and work-
men's compensation have increased
no'rninally.
Thins like office supplies, equipment,
postage-, telephone, travel expenses and
legal fees are all up:
The general maintenance budget is up
from $110.425 to $114.152. Again. salaries
and expenses like fuel, utilities and
telephone have all increased.
The county- road budget is actually
down from 52,561,000 in 1975 to $24493,601)
in 1976. Road maintenance is up'from
The News -Record is pleased to announce
ac
Council okays
$665,000 to $771,000 as is overhead and
machinery from 5403,000 in 1975 to
5473,000 this year. But total road con-
struction is down from 5900.000 to
;$813,600 and boundary bridges this year
will cost only 597,000 as opposed to
V325,0001 . t year.
The he Ith budget is up 526,120 - from
$.46e,700- n 1975 to 5492.820 in 1976.
Salaries are all up, of course. including
fees to board members. Equipment and
materials are down slightly. but rent and
utilities are up,
Added this year - at the government's
Dram
order - is a family planning program
which will cost $57,9.00.. This particular
item was questioned during the session
by Morris Reeve Bill Elston who com-
mented. "We're getting some things we
don't need while some things we need
we're not getting."
It. was pointed out to Reeve 11ston by
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Frank
Mills that the provincial costs are
soaring for medical care of young
pregnant women.. lie said family
planning services are designed to
prevent ever-increasing costly in-
cidences across Ontario.
. Plumbing ...and Environment has in-
creased in cost from 544.500 in 1975 to
$75,500. This department is subsidized by
the government to the tune orf. 521.750.
Inspection fees will bring in another
estimated- 533.750. Direct cost to the
Huron County ratepayers will be 820.000.
The Children's Aid Society budget
shows the results of severe government
i continued on page :'
•
��g prograrn
yA' r
Clinton Town Council decided last ,finigt coat of paving on the parts of
Thursday night to go ahead with the"` Isaac, High and Townsend Streets that
Streets reconstruction program again were r nslucted list year.
this year, after they i rned,that tendo* :. Titey'.:vvnill a•lso reconstruct t eotrist.ruct Itat!e ratiiary
from Shipley. to Orange Street. Joseph.
from North to Orange Street and
Wellington from Orange to Isaac Street.
John Street from North to Shipley is also
scheduled to be paved.
Final approval must be given from the
ministry of transportation and com-
munication and Council will also apply
for an additional subsidy from the Lame
ministry.
submitted on the::program were much
lower than the engineer's estimate.
Council accepted the tender of Lavis
Contracting Company of Clinton for
573,986.05. which is about 536.000 lower
than the engineer's estimate of 5109.000.
The Lavis tender was the lowest of two
submitted. the other being given by
Wayne Lowry of Kincardine for'
596.409.54.
The contract includes putting the
A ,
that their new columnist, to replace J k
Scott, is E1 i ie Townshend. Elaine, who
is 25; ,is a local person, living close .to..�
Bayfield. She Is well known in Huron
County`ll*o'r •e - eatures. Which she writes
for local papers and her column which
can also be read in the Seaforth and
Exeter papers. [ News -Record photo]
expected until Mr. h'Itl1+�� . is released • addition tQ arena
•
from a heart where h surecovering
fer ede two Ree. committee proposes a
from a hes
weeks ago.
Meanwhile, the possibility of a'spring
provincial election over the hospital
issue disappeared on Tuesday when
Liberal leader Stuart Smith said he
'would back the Conservative govern-
ment in defeating an NDP non -
By Jird Fitzgerald
-ft may seem like a coincidence. but
believe me, it was all perfectly legal.
Ena Cook won the share -the -wealth
draw last Sunday night at the hockey
game,, a draw set up by her g.00d
tus''band Frank. Mrs. Cook give 550 of
"'ler windfall back to the hockey club in a
generous gesture. There'll be another
frac tonight at. the third game of the
semi-final series.
c er r
Premier Bill Davis announced this
Morning that he will be closing the town
of Clinton and moving all the residents to
Kirkland Lake in an effort, to cut
government spending. Premier Davis
;aid that everyone had to be out of town
ny June the first, and the government
Moped to save $300.000 annually by
;.losing the town. Mr. Davis .... ha ha.
-%pril fool! ! ! ! -
'rr C
Back to hockey, the Kinsmenwill be
rattling the girls' hockey teats this
:riday night at the arena in an effort to
wise money for Cystic Fibrosis. Billed
s "Super Serious '76," the game should
e a real fun match, so try and get out
the support this worthy effort.
IF er f
Judging by the amount of sand and
febris deposited on the sidewalks and
awns in town this winter has to have
Teen the toughest winter in many years.
t looks like the contents of several
travel pits have been spread all over
1wn. YOu could help the public 1wor
ks
cparttnent clean-up though by
ping your sidewalks into the road
aey c�tn get at it.
-The Clinton Recreation Committee before a new floor was put down, to
last week agreed to seiid'To town council ensure that no cracking occurs to new
a proposed $216,833 renovation plan for floor and that the ice would be kept in
the Clinton arena. eight months of the year.
The rec. committee members sent the The present floor in the arena, built in
report on to council with the recom- 1967. has a number of large cracks in it,
mendation that the town proceed with and last summer, one of • the cracks
the renovations. when they leaf ned it settled, snapping several cooling pipes.
would cost the taxpayers only 554,000 Temporary repairs were made. but
spread out over ten.years. engineers say the floor must be
The remainder of the funds would replaced
epta a soon at an estimated cost of
come in the form of two grants, each
worth 554,000 from the ministry of In other business. the rec committee
culture and recreation and the Wintario decided to go ahead and buy a new lawn
Lottery Fund. The other $54,000 would mower for the tractor for $1,03$ after
have to be raised by public donations. they learned it would cost $728 to repair
Basically. the renovations call for the the old one.
addition of four new dressing rooms to
the arena, a new tractor room, an ex-
tension of -the auditorium to seat 100
more persons. a first aid room, and a
new floor for the arena. including new
cooling, pipes.
The contractor, Whitney Construction,
Ltd , would also do extensive soil testing
The committee also decided to ad-
vertise for new members for the board to
fill two vacancies; and sent to the
Centennial committee a bill for $280 for a
temporary hydra service installed for
the arena floor last summer.
A permanent 100 amp service for the
cook mad at County Council
Clinton Deputy Reeve Frank Cook Ars
upset that Chinon taxpayers are par-
tially paying for a $j million extension to
the Alexandra Marine and General
Hospital in Godetich.
"Clinton may be losing `thefr own
hospital. yet they're paying for an ex-
tertsion to Goderich's hospital", Mr.
Cook told the Clinton Town Council at
their last regular meeting.
Mr. Cook told Council that the Huron
County Council has a hospital building
fund. which pays 25 percent of approved
costs to hospital additions.
This year, which is the first year the 25
percent figure has been implemented.
AM and G will be receirting nearly
$300.000 from County Council.
The hospital is building an addition
costing over 51 million. The addition
includes expansion of the eunergency
wing cases and it will also house Korey.
Ontario Health Minister, Prank Miller
cut back the Goderich hospital's budget
$58: 000 in February.
Clinton residents. as well as all other
Huron County residents , are paying for
this expansion through their taxes to the
county.
.'What makes. • me mad,' Mr. Cook
said. "is that we're paying for that
million dollar expansion when our
hospital might be closing, I think the
County Council should look into other
whys of allocating these funds."
Mr. Cook brought up the question of
the building fund at County Council, held
last Friday. but no immediate action
was taken.
County Council did however decide to
ask the provincial government if they
could have the authority to decide which
hospitals beds should be cut in the county.
in order to save the Clinton 'ttbtic
Hospital.
ice surface would cost 5725. with the Fair
board agreeing to split the cost.
The rec. committee instructed arena
manager Clarence Neilans to look into
the possibility of leasing electric hand
dryers after they learned it would cost
52,626 to install the machines • in the
arena's four washrooms.
The -rec committee also decided to
advertise for summer help fer the
playground and the•swimming pool.
-u-r().Vi'e'3'
When it became evident that
l-i-uronview's budget would have to be
tightened to accommodate the gover-
nment's announcement that only a 51'2
per cent hike would be approved in 1976,
Administrator Chester Archibald was
pleasantly surprised when some
members of his staff came to him with
the suggestion that the cost of meals for
workers at the home be doubled.
Mr- Archibald told council at its
March session that at 50 cents each. the
meals were bringing in 510,000 per an-
num. Huronview staff reasoned that an
additional 510.000 could be added to the
budget if the cost of meals to staff went
to SI
The Board of Management at
Huronv rev had been considering the
increase. hut when the staff volunteered
sets example
for the raised price. board members felt
compelled to follow their -example They
decided that on meeting days. each
board member would forfeit S1 for the
meal that until this time had been free
- "You mean the county will pay for rt."
said Elgin Thompson. re•e % e• ++f
Tuckersmith. hardly believintz ht' + .ars
"No, my understanding was that the
committee members would pay for the
meals out of their own pockets said
Mr. Archibald. Several heads nodded in
agreement.
"And it is high time we pard for our
own meals. too.' stated Reeve Thom
pson, obviously getting into the '.pint of
the thing.
Warden Jack • McCutcheon promptly
brought the discussion to a close.
Far the first. tine, the Cetrtr'al Junior
to Clinton. The Mustangs won the troph
presented with It last Saturday night
Hamburg. Holding the silverware
"C" trophy has come
y last week and were
at a banquet in New
•are, Left to right,
manager Larry Dew, assistant captain Dan Colquhoun,
equipMeft manager Doug Kennedy, captain Mike Anstett,
end president Clarence Ne11ans. [ News4tecord photo]