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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1977-03-03, Page 1'1. i• 0 The heavy snow this winter was just too much for the roof on the former Gliddon Dry Cleaning Store on King Street, and with an added inch of rain, the structure collapsed last week. TIT building, owned by the town, was to be demolished anyway, but it contained some decorations from Centennial. Although no damage estimate was available, several'barns and garages in Whiteout causes 11 crashes A seven -car pile-up a half mile north of Vanastra on Highway 4 last Sunday topped the Goderich OPP report this week. A total of $5,000 damage resulted in the accident that involved five area residents. The chain accident began with a whiteout which stopped a car driven by Donna Stirling of Brucefield, causing the other six cars following along behind to run into each other. Damage to the Stirling car was $1,500; *11,000 to the car driven by Kenneth MacKenzie of Goderich; $800 to a cab driven by Harvey Ashton of Clinton; $600 to a vehicle driven by Margaret Rutledge of Goderich ; and $500 to a car driven by her husband Martin'Rutledge of the same address. Il• Two other cars driven by residents of xeter and London sustained a total of 600. There were no serious injuries. A four -car accident that occurred later that same afternoon caused $3,150 the Clinton area have also collapsed,; kj11,1pg several cows on the Tony Van I)ongen 'farm, and damaging two ce s'„ An the Holthauzen residence in Goderich Township. Many cottage roofs,1f not cleaned, could also fall in. (News -Record photo) r Advancepoil vote heavy The turnout at the advance pool held Saturday for the upcoming municipal election in Clinton to pick anew mayor - was heavier than usual. There were 38 ,voters at the advance poll compared to 3 who voted at the last advance poll late in November. According to returning officer clerk treasurer Cam Proctor the turnout was the heaviest in some years and could either indicate a heavy turnout at next Monday,s election or it would be that just a lot of people are going away on winter vacations and wanted to make sure they voted. Mr. Proctor said that the polls will be, open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. next Monday and all polls will be held at the same • places as the last December 6 election. Because- there is only one ballot Mr. Proctor said results should be all tabulated by 9:30 p.m'. at thelatest. Five men Bill Crawford, Jim Hunter Harold Lobb, Terry Maguire and George Vance are seeking .the seat left vacant when mayor -elect -Don Kay, died sud- denl) last December .before taking of- • fine. Hotel robbed of $2,000 The Clinton Hotel was rob1<ied early Wednesday morning of about $2,000 which included bar receipts for Monday and Tuesday night. Chief Lloyd Westlake told the. News - Record Wednesday that the money was removed from the safe in the hotel, but there were no signs of break and enter. The money was discovered missing Wednesday morning by Hotel employees when they reported at 8 a.m. and the case is still under investigation, Clinton, Ontario Weather 1977' 1976 damage. All cars were travelling south on Highway 4 when an accident occurred a half mile south of Brucefield. No in- juries resulted,' but damage to the vehicles was: $1,800 to a car owned by Thomas Workman, RR 3,..Kippen; $100 to a vehicle owned by Lillian Beer of Hensall and a total of $1,260 to two vehicles driven by residents of St. Marys and London. In other accidents reported, Joseph Roach of London collided with a snowplow driven by Graydon Neal of Clinton last Friday on Huron County Road 8. The road grader sustained $200 damage and the Roach car, $850. Another two -car crash occurred last Friday on Concession 6-7 of Hullett Township. A car driven by James Snell of RR 1, Clinton, sustained $350 after it collided with a vehicle driven by Harvey Stewart, also of RR 1, Clinton. Damage to the Stewart car was set at $1,500. Thursday, March 3, 1 HI 10 HI 10 FEBRUARY _ 22 38 12 23 • 30 16., 24 42 27 25 36 29 26 31 23 27 35 32 28 28 19 Snow 41/2" R Rain .52 34 13 25 1 41 24 49 33 46 34 38 30 *46 26 Snow 3" County holds tax rate, despite costs Despite an increase of 7.5 percent in Huron County Budget for 1977 taxes will not be raised"due to a•surplus of almost 5a Clinton seniors get $6,487 grant A Dutch Club of senior - citizens "reached out" to the Federal Ministry of Wealth and welfare and received a grant for $6,487 to furnish an activity centre Sand organize recreation. -The "Jeugd Van Vroeger" or "Youth of Yesterday Activity Centre" will be .located -in the home of Mrs. M. Kolkman, u..,,..<- posite.'Huronview onHighway 4.souLh.. Tragedy strikes again as Kippen house burns By Rena Caldwell Misfortunes never come singly as Mr. and Mrs. Ken McKay discovered when their house was destroyed by fire on Friday afternoon of last week. A few years ago a tornado levelled their barn and took the kitchen. from the main house. Last summer, their son Jeffrey was involved in an accident on Highway 4 and is still under the Doctor's care with'a 11Crious leg injury. Mr. McK-ay was taken to Exeter Hospital suffering from burns from the fire. By Jim Fitzgerald » We at the News -Record are hoping that there will. be a good turnout at the `.`meet the candidates" night tonight, Thursday at the Town Hall starting at 7:30 p.m. As well as a chance to meet the aspiring candidates, you can have a coffee and cookies on us. —�— + -1- We're also hoping that the voters in town will continue to show what appears to be a good deal of interest, by turning out at the polls on Monday, between 11 a.m. and 8 p.rn. There are no excuses, as most of the candidates have arranged transportation, and even baby sitting services. - +++ Although the records aren't complete yet, we have learned that February didn't break with the tradition of the previous four months. In other words, ft was cold, in fact too cold, although precipitation was near normal. Those two ice storms last week served to remind us all that the worst weather can *sometimes come in March. In fact, it was a year ago this morning (March 3) that we awoke to the worst freezing rain • storm in 50 years that crippled .many areas to the south of us. Trouble is, as this is being written (Wednesday af- ternoon)' the weatherman is predicting '4 otherice storm. Oh well, only two ks until spring, ++1- Dut to brighten up an otherwise dull *winter, the News -Record is starting this week, under the guidance of Peggy Gibb, a children's corner that will feature a birthday club, and several puzzles, So you feel bad about not, getting your license renewal on time? Don't fret, we hard on the,,grape vine that one police department in O'ntarib (we won't say Where) was so bus they he y forgot to renew ifeitSticker 'before the Mondaymid fieii ght deadline. Christian Reformed Pastor Arie Van Den Berg, and the club's spiritual ad- visor, said the Club will equip the basement of the home to include programs in music, arts and rafts, pool, and shuffleboard, as well as other indoor games. - The room is large 'enough to ac- .4oramadate.,,a1L6.0.1uemkter.s of the Club and a few more. • "All the club members are very ex- cited about the grant," Mr. Van Den Berg said, adding that the entire amount of the grant would fund the project known as "Reach Out." "The purpose of the project is to reach out to senior citizens and retired in- dividuals, especially those of Dutch extraction, and allow them to socialilze in a meaningful way," Mr. Van Den Berg said. The Club hopes to maintain a Christian For Tuckersmith sphere at the Centre, and in making people feel more at home, most of the meetings and social evenings will be carried out in the Members' native tongue. The club meets bi-weekly and has been in existence for about the last three years when it was formed under the Ref ortn ed...—Church ' s former Pastor, Alyin Beukema. An organ and, a song book filled with native spiritual and folk songs top the list of things to be purchased with the grant, he said. The Youth of Yesterday financial grant, is one of 189 New Horizons grants given to groups of retired people throughout the country. Since the Ministry of Health and Welfare in- troduced the New Horizons grant in 1972, 6,983 projects have been funded totalling $41,042,752. Snow rernoval costs soar By Chris Zdeb Snow removal costs for the months of January. and February cost Tucker - smith Township $54,766. Road superintendent Allan Nicholson told Tuesday's meeting of council that the cost equals the total amount spent on five months of snow removal last winter. Hoping to alleviate the financial burden of the ,snow removal costs this winter, council will write a letter to John McBeath, Minister of Transportation and Communications, asking for a subsidy. Meanwhile, road superintendent Nicholson heads south for a holiday, hoping the area has seen its last snow storm and leaving the roads "with everything taken care of," he said. While attempting to cope with this winter's snow removal costs, Tuesday night, Council has planned to take on further expense next winter with the repeal of an earlier decision not to plow county sideroad 35-36. Paul Livingston, the only property owner on the road, approached council to appeal its earlier decision in view of the fact that it was presently plowing sideroads with no residents. Road superintendent Allan Nicholson explained that roads with no homes were generally plowed because they were school bus routes or main arteries. - In signing a contract to take ownership of his property, Mr. Livingston had. agreed with council's decision not to plow the road, Deputy Reeve Bob Bell pointed out, and favoured the ruling not be changed until another house or two had been built on the road. On the other hand, councillor Frank Falconer . saw Livingston as the un- derdog in the situation. "I think you took advantage of a stranger," he said. The decision not to plow the sideroad was made by the former council that Falconer did not serve ono. Respecting the old council's decision, it was decided to have Livingston pay for snow removal costs on the sideroad for the rest of the winter, with council taking over the costs in the winter of 1977-78. The motion was passed' with Deputy Reeve Bob Bell vcting against the decision. In other business, a letter from B. M. Ross and Associates requested an ex- tension in the date of completion for • work being done on the bridge located at Sideroad 15-16, Concession 3. The date has been pushed back to May 15, to allow for the interference of the water levels in the river during the spring thaw which could interfere with the completion of construction, half a million dollars, a 15 percent in- crease in provincial subsidies and a four percent rise in municipal payment to the county. Huron County council approved the $8,321,207 budget for 1977' when it met at Goderich last Thursday afternoon. The new budget, Clerk Treasurer Bill Hanly explains, is 7.5 percent above the budget struck in 1976 but it is actually 14 percent higher than expenditures last year. County officials also explained that higher assessment in Huron, due to a rise in both population and property values, will also help to pay the bill without tax. increases. Assessment value in the c'ounty has increased nearly four percent inlhe past 12 months. elle new budget shows an increase in spending by all county departments with no one division contributing to the in- creases more than another. Increasesin fuel and material costs had as much to do with the rise as -anything and, for the first time in a number of years, em- ployee wage and salary increases, held to about six percent because of anti- inflation regulations, are not being seen as a major contributor to the increase. The County Roads Department have increased their budget from $2,381,022•in expenditures last year to a projected $2,908,000 in 1977. An increase of 22 percent. An opportionment by-law, to raise the sum of $1,507,000 for general purposes, will be presented at Council's March session. The sum represents Huron's share of the, road budget. Of the total sum the Ministry of Transportation,and Communication will contribute $1,570,000 and the Road Department has carried a surplus, of $134,000 forward .A penny for your thoughts? The first Vanastra Brownie pack had 10,000 when they formed a picture for Thinking Day, last Thursday. The money collected is sent to the World Friendship Fund which helps Brownies of other lands. Put- ting on the finishing pennies to the picture'are left to right: Christine Einbaten, Lynne McFadden, Darlene Smith, Tammy Gibson, Suzanne Mclsaac, Christine Davis, Penny King, Michelle Hewer, Terry McKellar, Christa I.ehnen, Michelle Govier, and Christina Jeffery. (News -Record photo] Huronview b udget 2 millionStanley workshops set At its February meeting held last Thursday, Huron County Council struck a budget totalling $2,420,000 for the operation of Huronview during 1977. Of that total figure the Province of Ontario, through the Ministry of Com- munity and Social Services, pays $1,159,762 leaving the county's share at $200,438. Before .making final approval the Huronview Committee of Management brought in a number of revisions to th it original estimate budget. An increase f $0,451 was made to t e area of Medic 1 a d Nursing Servic s bringing that ecti n u to a total f id Pr ..r - S1,098,655. �u l hg+s��d, ., e1�� .,ty' budget 27 s i.cl~e�►s�ed by $424000 � .��.,, n+�, w� n�. �� w �► General and Administration .was brought up to 4,140,587 with an increase of $8,347. The budget item covering capital expenses was, decreased by $19,000, however, to $20,000., In other business Huronview ad- ministrator C.A. Archibald told council that snow removal costs at Huronyiew are the highest experienced inmany years and activities involving outside alent- and volunteers have been con- iderably curtailed due to the inclement Bather. - Mr. Archibald also noted that several ases of influenza during the early part f this year required a ban on residents visiting other areas. as g "Tie outbreak has now subsided," he noted, "and residents have the freedom of the whole building again." • • Starting next Tuesday March 15, residents of Stanley Township will get a chance to give their views on the secondary. plan for the township, ina series of workshops sponsored by the council and the Huron County Planning department. According to Reeve Tom Consitt, the workshops are—designed for Stanley people to let their thoughts be known on the future direction of the township. "This plan will .have far-reaching implicationsfor all residents and lan- downers of the township . . . and residents should have the opportunity to participate. in its planning," Reeve Con�sitt said in a letter m Ailed to all a township residents. The introductory workshop next Tuesday at 8 p.m. in the•'Community centre in Varna, will be the first of six workshops held in the next five weeks. The second workshop on agriculture ,on March 22 will be 'chaired by deputy, reeve Paul Steckle, while the'third one on recreation on March 29 will Have Don Brodie in the chair. . The fourth workshop on Urban Development will be hosted by coun- cillor Clarence Rau, while the fifth program on April 12 on natural en- vironment and extractive resources will be headed by councillor Don McGregor. *-The final wrap-up meeting, under the guidance an Consitt g c o sett will be held on April19. ...,ti... All workshops will be started at 8 p.m, at the Varna Township Hall. from its 1976 budget. Although .traditionally a big spender, the Road Department budget is not the largest. The social services budget holds that honor. Operations of Huronview will take most of that budget though, with estimated expenditures over the next year of $2,420,398. An increase of .about 10 percent. Of that sum the Department of Community and Social Services of Ontario will provide $1,159,762 however, leaving the county share at $200,438. The 1977 budget will also provide an 18 percent increase in Council members' honoraria over last year's actual spending, although the new figure of $84,800 is nearly $10,000 less than the total. -allotted last year. . County inspections and environment have been given $144,350 this year as compared to $94,000 in 1976. ' The County Health Department budget has been increased from $920,720 last year to $984,212 this year. The Recreation and Culture budget, which includes operation of the Huron County Library system andthe Museum at Goderich, has been increased to $449,550 from $429,177 in 1976. The Planning and Development budget has been struck at $236,900 for 1977 as -compared to $229,800 last year. . County officials say income during 1977 should include $2,666,000 from the municipalities, $3,893,165 from the province and a Local Initiatives Program grant of $15,300 from the, Federal Government. Another $1,258,378 should be raised during 1977 through investments, .fees and licences. Clerk Treasurer Hanly noted that almost all county agencies and depar- tments came. in under budget in 1976 and,, that Huron's revenue, especially in the area of investments, brought in more (continued on page 3) County considers psychiatric hostel Huron County Council was told last Thursday that its Social Services Committee was presently considering entering into an. agreement with Pinecrest Manor Limited at Lucknow to establish a domicilliary hostel which would provide accommodation to psychiatric patients _requiring Services over and above ordinary room and board. It was explained that 'as patients are. released from the Psychiatric Unit of the Alexandra Marine and General Hospital at Goderich, they were often in need of such accommodation. Goderich Township Reeve Gerry Ginn asked if this meant that because the Goderich Psychiatric Hospital had been closed that costs were now beginning to fall back on the County. John McKinnon, of the county Social Services Department, explained that such was not really the case tis even when GPH was in operation, such ac- -comitrodation was still called for in some cases. He also informed council that no decision •has been made at this time but that a recommendation in this con- nection would likely -be made to council at a later date. The Social Services Committee recommendation that the 1977 rate of $12.00 per visit as requested by the Victorian Order of purses, be accepted was given ven council approval. That<t!ate inereaseis still subject to the approvd of the Ministry of. Community and Social Services however,