HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1980-06-26, Page 1ecrther
1:980.... -1979
HI LO Ht • LQ
June
17 21 0 30.5`. 17
1$, 20 7.5 22- 10 ,.
10 22- 7 •1, f. 25 . 8,8
20. .19 7 22.5 1.3.
21 23 0 27' 14
22 20.5._ 13 20 12
23 29 13.5 11 8
Rain 25.0 m i No Rain
o-,
Young and old alike came out to the Vanastra. Public School on Friday for
Carnival Day. Organized by the Grade 6 students at the school. games, hot dogs
and sweet treats were all part of the fun from students and people from the
community. But it was a chocolate cupcakes that made the day for this
youngster. (News -Record photo)
Clinton
By Shelley McPhee
Clinton $1,5 million budget, up
nearly 20 per cent from last year, was •
defeated by Clinton council on
Tuesday night on a matter of prin-
cipal.
-._- However._ count�i -wit ,.rte -_m
again in the next few weeks to pass'
the pass the 1980 budget, which Will
see taxes jump by 19.5 per cent. They
want the budget passed and tax bills
sent before they are faced with the
prospect of having to borrow money
to pay for expenditures.g
Council had few arguments about
the proposed budget itself and felt
that its could not be trimmed.
However, after a two-hour debate,
the majority of council agreed that
committees in town should have a
chance to amend and reassess their
budgets following a submission by the
cemetery board to have their com-
mittee members paid. In the
cemetery board's $15,000 budget, $600
was included under miscellaneous to
pay the seven committee members
during the year.
Councillor Rob Parr objected to the
passing of the budget and noted, "We
have the responsibility to give
committees the right to change their
budgets,"
Councillor Ron McKay, a member
of the recreation board noted, "I'1l.
resign; from the rec committe if you
pass that budget. You can't pay one
committe and not another."
.�tT�...----A4ayer �3a;r-old--Lab,--pointed-ou�he-,
council would not be paying them, but
the committees themselves would be
spending their budget money as they
wished.
The committees are allowed to
spend their budgets are they see fit
under a bylaw which gives them this
authority.
Councillor Chester Archibald
pointed out that if committees could
pay members from the budgets they
had submitted, that wduld be fine.
"But," Councillor Parr asked,
"how can they do that if their budget
has already been submitted.
"You'll be opening up Pandora's
box," Councillor Rosemary Arm-
strong warned. "Everyone will want
to be paid, but there's nothing we can
do about this the committees can set
their own budgets."
Mayor Lobb, who favored the
passing of the budget, said that the
situation could lead to the dis'yolving
of committees and then council would
have to look after their work.
"I; ve been on council for 13 years
and Lhate,to see .the mill rate up this
high," Mayor Lobb told council. "I'm
awfully sorry that it had to happen
during my last year on council."
The proposed budget will see
daces doctor shortage again
By Shelley McPhee
Less than six months since the
problem was solved,, Clinton may be
facing a doctor shortage again.
Last week, patients of Dr. George
Scott learned through a notice posted
on his Townshend Street office that he
was discontinuing his practice, as of
June 11.
L. Doug Coventry, administrator at
the Clinton. Public Hospital, said thrt
Dr. • Scott' had, submitted his
resignation, but Mr. Coventry did not
offer further explanation.
The 56 -year-old Dr. Scott came to
Clinton from Alberta in January to set
up practice. His arrival in Clinton
helped to alleviate a doctor•ishortage
prbblem that the town has been facing
for several years.
However, with his move, some
residents and patients of Dr. Scott's
are afraid that the doctor shortage
problem will rise up again and they
will be without a medical physician.
Mr. Coventry explained that
.already more doctors are being in-
terviewed to fill the vacany in. Clinton
- and in the meantime andyonewithout
a family doctor cau.be treated at the
Clinton hospital emergency ward by
the doctor on call.
According to a notice • left in the
Window at Dr. Scott's office, patients
411
Well, kids; it's all over for
another year. School's out and you
can forget about the books and
teacher's dirty looks fora couple of
months. Summer is here finally
with the return last weekend' of the
"heat", and lazing in the sun en-
joying youth should be the order of
the day.
The Clinton pool isn't quite
ready, but Vanastra is, and there
are lots of backyard pools, so
having'a dip shouldn't be too much
of a -problem.
Enjoy it, 'cause soon you'll be
grown' up and worried about
gasoline prices, high interest rates,
inflation, and parking tickets.
+ + +
And those parking tickets can be
a real drain on the old pocket book.
Take this honorable editor, for
example. So far this spring, not
counting the money fed to the
meters, it has cost me $35 to park
on the street in fines and summon
'thanks to a zealous summ a�
student who tickets twice a day.
I nowark safely -behind the
News -Record and although all
those tickets still won't prevent me
from shopping downtown, I can't
say the same thing about all our
ticketed out-of-town visitors.
` + + +
Do you have one of those new gas
or propane barbecue.? Nice aren't
they. No more messy charcoal to
light or no moreo- tour wait
w
while the coals turn 1hi e. Well, if
it's. one of those portable ones On
wheels, watch out.
., According to the police, gas
barbecues are near the top of items
that are easy to steal and resell
quickly, as they are in heavy
demand and few can identify their
own barbecue. So, chain `them
down or put them away -at night.
+ +11-1-
Isn't
1+Isn't it'the same every year. We
wait 11 months with drooling
mouths for the strawberry season
to come, and then when it does
come, we eat so many at once that
we get sick of them.
That's what ,is happening at the
Fitgerald home, where despite the
blasted, bindweed and twitch grass,
the crop is the biggest ever, thanks
to the cool, wet spring.i.
The berries, although late were
brought on by the heat which
`1,1
inaIIy came this week and has
inspired the corn to get' growing
and the farmers to get haying.
Let's hope it stays for three more
month's; at least.
With municipal taxes in Clinton
jumping 20 per cent this year,
following a eight per cent jump last
year, the Main Street Wit has been,
heard to say. that government's
biggest problem each year is how
to get more money from the tax-
payer without disturbing the voter.
Don't forget, this is election year
in Clinton and except for those
involved in the education sector, I
d't know of anyone who got a 20
percent pay raise to cover those
extra taxes. Maybe' it's time we
had a Propositi 13 'here in town,
and cut the civil 'service spending
by 30 per cent like the voters did in
California! We have been milked
long enough!
Well, enough of paying- money,
how . about making some this
' Thursday night at the Wintario
draw being held here in Clinton.
The special hour long show will be
televised, from 9 to 10 pm ont'Global
if you can't be at theL,arena. .If you
want to see it live, be there before 7
pm, when the warm-up show
starts. Doors open at 6:30 pm, and
there will be a tickets available at
the door, although we advise you to
get them in advance at anyone of
the regular Wintario outlets.
+ + +
Because Canada Day (Dominions
Day to anyone over 30) will be
celebrated on the day it falls, that
is Tuesday, July 1, there seems to
be a great deal of confusion as to
who gets the holiday when.
Generally speaking, ' most
businesses, government offices,
liquor stores, banks and post of-
fices will be closed on thequesday,
and open for regular hours on the
Friday and ,Monday before. A few
lucky people will get either Mon-
day or Friday off, but they will be
few and far between.
We'will be open every day here at
the News -Record with the staff
staggering the holiday. We would
like to, remind our advertisers and
correspondents to have the copy in
before Monday evening.
personal medical records can be
acquired . by writing to B,ox 1233,
Clinton. The notice mentioned that
further information would be .issued.
in the Clinton News -Record, however,
no official 'noticehas been receiyedby
the newspaper.
In the meantime, Dr. Coventry is
confident that Clinton will have little
problem securing the, services of
another doctor. Unlike the 'previous
difficulties; the: community now --a
suitable office for a new doctor tf
locate in. ,
One of the mainproblems in at-
tracting
ttracting a physician to Clinton was
the lack of proper facilities, however,
an office is being renovated in the
former nurses' residence across from
the hospital. The Clinton branch of the
Huron County Health- Unit and Dr.
Frank Harrett's office are already
situated in the building.
"At least we have something to
offer now, with an office and possible
accommodation,- Mr. Coventry
explained.
He went on to say that the hospital
has volunteered a lot of time and
money to create the new doctor's
office.
Mr. Coventry also noted that it was
not the responsiblity of the hospital to
hire doctors but said, "It should be a
community effort not just a hospital
effort.
Clinton and area is presently ser-
viced by five medical practitioners,
Dr. Brian Baker, Dr. Frank Newland,
Dr. William Harrett, Dr. R.W. Street
and Dr. Ray Flowers.
i lirton taxpayers digging deeper into
their pockets this year. For the public
school supporter with a $4;000
assessment their taxes will increase
$146 to $897.56 this year, up from
$751.76 in 1979.
The pr-opesed--budget-of-$1,428,127..is_
up $97,235 over last year. Included in
this year's expenditures is $17,325 for
the George Street sanitary sewer plus
several large increases including the
police budget which has increased by
$17,884 and the new pool expenditures
which is up by $14,085 from last year.
The Priitritini, levies have taken
drastic increase this year and the
public school levy is up by $20,000 and
the secondary school payment has
jumped, by $38,000. Other general
increases are seen across the board in
all expenditures.
Council also noted that their
revenues for the year are down•:•. -In the
1979 budget, taxpayers benefited from
the $47,112 sale of town owned
property to the Royal Bank. No
property was sold this year and as a
result, the revenue side of the budget
has suffered.
Raceway opens Sunday
CLINTON: The Clinton Kinsmen
Raceway will be starting its 11th
season on June 29, and will be racing
every Sunday afternoon until Sep-
tember 28, with post time at 1:30 each
day.
Included in the regular 10 races
each day will be a number of features
at the track, which bills itself as the
Family Track because of the
playground, picnic grounds and brand
new Olympic -sized pool nearby.
Four Ontario Sired Stake Races will
bestaged for purses totalling -nearly
$40,000 including the two-year-old colt
pace on July, 27, and the three-year-
old filly trot on September 7.
Other highlig'hts of the meet include
a driver's competition on July 13, a
leg of the Ontario Harness Hor-
seman's Association Stake on August
3, the Medie Elliott Memorial Trot on
August 31, and the final leg of the
Clinton-Goderich pacing series on
September 14.
Also new this year at Clinton is
racing secretary Dan Donnelly, a 19 -
year -old. Goderich native who has' had
a life-longlove affair with harness
horses.
Dan, who_ was granted his licence
last year, will also handle the reins of
the secretary's job for the Goderich
Raceway, which races every Thur-
sday night during July and August,
"What's red and black and flies?" Shawn Carter was
probably asking. Shawn, a kindergarten. pupil at Clinton
Public School, took part in Senior Citizens week in his
own special way. The youngsters visited the geriatric
ward at the Clinton hospital last week and Shawn en-
tertained Mrs. Verna Somers from Brussels with his
jokes and riddles. (News -Record photo)
Bayfield man jailed after citizen's stake out
By Shelley McPhee
Frank Deelstra) a young Bayfield
man, was sentenced to two -and -a -half
years in jail on June 15 in Provincial
Court in Goderich.
Mr. Deelstra's conviction followed
his arrest in Bayfield by Goderich
OPP on June 10. The OPP were called
in by three Bayfield men after the
men had confronted Mr. Deelstra
during a break-in attempt at the
'Bayfield Arena.
Arena manarger Harry MacDonald
and two area men took it upon
themselves to keep a surveillance at
the arena for five nights in an attempt
to put a stop to thieves and vandals
Who had broken into the arena three
times in the past month.
The citizens, concerned over the
amount of vandalism in the summer
resort village, had originally asked
the OPP for a stake -out at the arena,
on June I3: ;However, the polite said
that there wasn't enough available
manpower to do this. They advised
Bayfield residents not to take the
matter into their own hands.
However, the Bayfield men in-
volved in the citizen stake -out went
ahead with th'eir plans and after five
nights of waiting, faced Mr. Deelstra
and a juvenile.
Mr. MacDonald and two other men
arrived at the arena at 11:30 pm on
June 10 and minutes later the back
door in the cotnmunity centre was
broken. Shortly .afterwards 'Mr.
Deelstra and the juvenile entered the
building, armed with a I crowbar,
hammer and flashlight.
The two males proceeded to turn
lights on in the roller skating room
and continued to the office were they
pried the door open. At this point the
stake -out team entered the office and
ordered the two out. The OPP were
then.called in and arrests were made.
As ' well; a petition bearing the
names of 100 Bayfield—and area
residents has been sent to Queen's
Park in Toronto. The petition, started
py, David Johnston or the Pizza Palace
in Bayfield, is asking the government
for more police protection and help,_to
control the vandalism and break-ins
in Bayfield.
In the past eight months, 28 in-
didents of break and' entries have •
been reported. They have occurred in
private homes and businesses. Public
property and buildings have been
damaged . and money and goods have
•
been stolen.
The village is presently serviced by
the Goderich detachment of the OPP,
whose offices are situated 12 miles
away.
According to the OPP, they are
policing the village as best as they
can, but are having to deal with an
increased workload, even though the
number of personnel has remained
the same since 1974.
Police warn
Watch out for phony ad billings
Tie Goderich detachment of the
Ontario- Provincial Police reports that `"
several companies in Clinton area
have received an advertisement in
the mail that looks like an invoice or
eligible to make the purchase.
The emeralds are offered for $7
each. The buyer is easily led to
believe that he is being given the
hurt,
opportunity to buy a very valuable ?
stone at a bargain price. In fact, the
stones are low grade and worth about
wording g
the price the customer is paying.
bill. The ad asks .for money -anywhere
Clinton
man badly
'This is not anbill" ;printed in small
letters at the bottom.
The ad is worded in such a way thath�re destroyed in mishap
it does not constitute an offence but it '
can dupe people into sending money
for something they do, not want. The
anti -rackets branch of the O.P.P. has
.1 been notified and is keeping a close
watch over this advertising gimmick.
The anti •rackets branch has also
been watching a group selling
emeralds by mail order. Prospective
customers 'receive al letter telling
them they have been selected by
computer to receive the offer to buy
the gems ,and only the Addressee is
A Clinton man received serious
injuries, and his valuable horse had to
be destroyed after a tragic accident at
thequalifying races at the Clinton
Kinsmen Raceway on Sunday af-
ternoon.
Bill Caldwell, 72, of Clinton is in
satisfactory condition in Clinton
Public Hospital with two fractured
ankles, and his prized two-year-old
trotter, Goias Lad had to be
humanely destroyed following the
mishap.
Bill was' going his last warm-up
mile with the colt when it shied at the
approaching water truck and jumped
the rail into the infield, dumping Bill
off the bike. The colt fell while tryilng
to come back out over the hub rail and
was severely injured.
Recently, is wasrported that Mr.
Caldwell had turned down a $30,000
offer for the promising volt.
-yli4.s`ri►.� IY.I.Uu.