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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1973-04-19, Page 1S1GNAL STAR onight's council meeting, ;.rs of council will hfndle commendation rom hursdaYs committee g to re -advertise for the ,n of assistant arena ger to replace Denis ine who resigned at the 1 March. t recommendation was '8sily reached. inmitThe tee Ad - 'tredve `tredve it met separat lv while ublic Corks (' "ntmittee ,livened in anoffic•r room. this time, the Ad- 'rative Commit',,,, met he Arena Committee of �derich Community Cen- d Recreation Board and to recommend to council that it uphold the Arena Com- mittee's decision to hire Lloyd Moore of Exeter as assistant arena manager. However, upon bringing their report to the full committee meeting later- in the evening, the matter underwent discussion a second time and council split four to four on the hiring of Moore. Mayor Harry, Worsell broke the /tie against Moore. dr Reeve Deb Shewfelt then moved that a recommendation be made to council that the position of assistant arena manager be readvertised and the applications be referred to the Administrative Committee for action. wall around the former County Jail will not be down. At least, not as Goderich Town Council erned, r last Thursday's corn - meeting, Mayor 'Harry 11 called an emergency l meeting to discuss a let - 'm the property commit- • Huron County Council. letter, the result of a g of the property com- and The Save The Jail contained a recommen- that the addition to the -Perth Regional ment Office be built on rth side of the present g and that the Town of ich agree to provide g along the north and sides of Gloucester e. *rc Council has approved recommendation and the now goes to Huron y Council for final n at its regular April Friday, April 27. tv-reeve Stan Profit council on the property ttee's letter -and spoke on of the recomrnendation. ,cumstances prevail now d not prevail then," said "To take the wall down end in the assessment of= ing moved away, not only Goderich but from the "court. action will be taken byThe Save The Jail Society. There will be a lengthy delay and we will lose the assessment office." Profit indicated, however, that even though. Goderich Town Council and the property committee were in :agreement on the jail wall issue, the mat- ter would not be finalized -until it came before County Council. "The Save The Jail Society has been a stout adversary," stated -Profit. "They are a stout hearted group, simply because of their persistence. I think right was done in the end." Reeve Deb Shewfelt said he had been "a little apprehensive at first about providing parking along both sides of Gloucester Terrace, but added that the road allowance was 99 feet irr that area. "We could move the road surface closer to the jail side," said Shewfelt. "I don't see any problem at all." "I'm very much in favor of this, " commented Councillor Leroy Harrison... ..__ Harrison said the proposed parking along Gloucester would have an added benefit since it 'would provide vehicle space for picnickers in that area and create a barricade which would prevent parking on the grass as is presently done. "This makes me very e county proceed on its happy," said Councillor Elsa course," Profit warned, Haydon. 4 Councillor Mrs. Elsa Haydon said she was surprised the reeve had not stipulated that the arena committee be in- cluded in the hiring decision. "I ammend my motion to that effect," answered Reeve Shewfelt. "I thought the Ad- ministrative Committee would have the courtesy to ask the arena committee to sit in on the discussions." At the Administrative Com- mittee meeting earlier, Chair- man Dave Gower and his com- mittee, Mrs. Haydon and Mrs. Eileen Palmer, cross-examined Don Ruetz, Pete McCauley and Doug Cruickshank of the Arena Board along with Recreation' Director Mike Dymond. They reviewek the situation to date, rioting that the arena committee had recommended after the first advertising that Lloyd Moore of Exeter be hired for the position of ,assistant arena manager at Goderich Memorial Arena. "Why was that squashed?" asked Gower. "To make a broad statement," replied Dymond," I could say for political reasons." "Why didn't Moore re -apply the second time the position was advertised?" asked Gower. "Because he had heard via the grapevine that Goderich wanted a local man," replied McCauley. Denis Lassaline was hired this year following the second advertising. He resigned at the end of March leaving the position open again. The arena committee, on the advice of Mike Dymond, agreed that because etwo advertisements had been made in a short space of time, it would be useless to readvertise. They- reviewed all the, applications from the first two callings, and after con- sulting with Moore to discover if he was still interested in the .46b, decided to recommend to council that Moore be hired. • "Why did you go all the way back to the- fjst calling?" asked Gower. "Because there just was not anyone in the second set who was near qualified for the position," said Dymond. „ "It was a back door at- tempt," charged Gower. "The first set of applications should have been destroyed." "There was no discrimination," . retorted Ruetz. "There just was no one in the second set of applications qualified •to do the job" - Gower asked what type of qualifications. the arena mittee required. Among things, the committee cited leadership and managerial qualities as important. They said that in Bill Lumby's ab- sence, the assistant arena manager has to be a manager. Mfrs. Haydon felt the assistant arena manager must also possess the ability to "com- mand " respect and have authority over the young people". The area committee concurred. "There was disregard of who they were or where they came from," continued Ruetz. "We were looking for the best man for the job." • It was pointed out that Moore would have taken a "decrease in salary to come to Goderich and was prepared to pay for his own move. The tperator of a potato chip fran- chise, Moore has had plenty of "experience around the Exeter area since his Minor Hockey days and was prepared to ".rjualify himself a a licensed arena manager. The name of Russell Pruder once more came to the fore. "Why do you keep coming hack to Pruder?" McCauley asked Gower. "He wasn't the only other applicant. There were rIthers.'' Com Cruickshank added that the other aren ► committee recognized Pruder as a hard worker around the arena who was capable of many aspects of arena operation. However, Cruickshank continued, in the committee's opinion Pruder was not the best man for the job of assistant arena manager. Dymond reported that about $25,000 in salaries will, likely be paid out this year at the arena. "An arena that size should have " at least two fulltime people," stated Dymond. "Bill Lumby should not have to work. 60 to 70 hours a week. No em- ployee should." . McCauley reported the arena has been in operation seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 11 or 12 p.m. e' After hearing the dtkcussion, the Administrative Committee voted unanimously to recom- mend that council support the Rec Board',s recommendation. to hire Moore. However, when the matter hit the full committee meeting, the complexion changed. • "It looks like they're going out and saying we want you," complained Harrison: "Moore doesn't have any qualifications as far as refrigeration goes. If w.e have to train someone, why .not train one of the local people who want the job?" Reeve Shewfelt said he 'felt council would wind up once more "with egg on your face". "I understand Moore wouldn't come to Goderir1- at double the amount," said Shewfelt. "We're asking a man to come here' and work for us who - hasn't indicated he wants to," said Profit. Councillor Palmer told the committee of council it was -her understanding that Moore had recently indicated he was still willing to come to Goderich. She said the 'arena committee was looking for "Managerial qualities" and had been "con- sidering all factors" in making the recommendation to council. - Councillor Bill Clifford, council's .representative to the Rec. loard; - s'aid .that if the' recommendation to hire Moore was not accepted,. the whole matter should be reopened and readvertised. Councillor Frank Walkom said that if he was Moore, he wouldn't come to Goderich to work. Walkom said that after this situation, it is evident that Moore is not 'wanted as the assistant -arena manager by the majority on council. Mrs. Haydon told Walkom that in her opinion, it was not so much a case of Moore not being wanted, as it was some people wanting Russell Pruder - no matter what happens. "It looks to me as though the position will he advertised and readvertised until Russell Pruder gets the job," said Mrs. Haydon. Reeve Shewfelt said there had been considerable mention of the fact that because the arena was a $70,000 per annum business, the administrative personnel should he- well qualified. "Seventy thousand dollars isn't that terribly large," said Shewfelt. "The assistant arena manager is only a title." • Shewfelt added he was con- cerned that Arena Manager Bill Lumby had not been asked to sit iiS on the arena commit- tee's discussions concerning hiring an assistant for him. "The man who spends 60 to 70 hours a week at the arena was not invited," stated Shewfelt. He suggested the decision was made by people, some of whom are -rarely inside the arena: Councillor Clifford disagreed. He said it was after discussion with Lumby that the committee's recommendation to hire Moore was made.' Th is week, The Goderich Signal -Star in- vited Hon Lane, history and Economics teacher at Goderich District Collegiate Institute, to write a hrief•review of the new provincial budget in- troduced last week by Provincial Treasurer John White. We thank Mr. • Lane for' his interest and his 'well -plc ed. interest, men ts. Last week Ontario Treasurer John White made public the' province's budget. He called it a "good news budget and a bad news budget." The government introduced a plan to reduce property taxes and still "meet demands for basic services. The main feature of the plan is a new.Resource Equalization Grant to be paid to till municipalities with a per capita equalized assessment below . $10,000. The maximum equalization ,grant is equa-1 tri 20of the' municipality's 197.2 net general levy. -Incorporated into the Property Tax Stabilizatiori Plan is an incentive to hold t he spending line. Any municipality which keeps 1973 expenditure growth rate to 8% or lower will receive a grant of 67r of its municipal levies in the next year. This rate will drop to 2'; for municipalities which in - Godsrich Little Theatre is heading Into the hone stretch rMNttrsttil for their May 3, 4 and 5 opening of "Spring "whichis described as a "grab bag of musical seiec- hem many Plays." This group of actors from a scene from "Butch Cassidy and the Sundanci Kid" will perform "Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head". Tickets are available through the Coach House Travel Service In Goderich. (staff photo) crease their spending in 1973 by 1.2% or more. Increased grants for policing costs are also an integral part of the governments plan. An unconditional grant toward municipal policing costs will he increased by $1.25 to $3.00 per capita. Additional support to local governments are included increase the average support to school hoards from 58q to .. 60"k and to +hroaden the.. local property taxbase to include hospitals and correctional in- stitutions. Based on a 4`7 General Sup- port Grant the above Property Tax Stabilization Plan will mean the town of Goderich will receive $106,000 in tax credits for 1973 representing about 12 or 13 mills. Colborne Township will • receive $ 14,00() and Goderich- Township $34;000. ' • The retail sales tax will he increased from 5% to 7% effec- tive May 1, 1973. This "increase will hit the low income families immediately since they spend a greater Proportion of their in- come on basic living needs yet the proposed sales tax credits will not be recouped until in- come tax filing time in April i974. It is noteworthy that the ad- ditional tax on energy of 7 ef- fective July 1, 1973 will apply to heating and lighting used but will not apply to • Basic production process and manufacturing uses. The farmer in the area will want to know if this energy tax applies to his heating and elec- trical costs in the production portion of his hill. However there is good news in the Budget for area farmers. Succession duties on a family farm will be eliminated so long as the farm remains in the family. Each year for 25 years duties on farm assets will he forgiven. Also provision is made for a gift by a farmer to his children of up to $50,000 tax free, provided the gift is an interest in the farm. The burden of property tax on the farmer is reduced. "The tax relief grant is increased from 25% to 50% of the total property tax burden" which is "equivalent to complete exemp- tion from property taxation for all farmland." Senior citizens in the Goderich area will be hard hit (continued on page 12) Whenthe female staff members of the Goderich and District Collegiate took on the senior girls class for a beret t '+cilt tyhall game one Tuesday afternoon the staff team was accused of using an import that somehow fell short of passing as female. Although the disguise was well enough constructed it just didn't pass the test. Ed Redmond was found out. (staff photo) Building Inspector Roy 'the planning board as an agent. Breckenridge has presented a on the part of a developer' •. salary request for the coming Mrs. Haydon said that as a year and the Administrative town official, the building in - Committee has agreed to Spector• was required to have recommend to council at the town's interests at heart. tonight's meeting that it draw She said that Breckeriridge's up,.an agreement to that effect recent submission to the plan - and outlining a list of duties ning board and to council with and specific requirements for regard to a project planned by the • -job. - - . - developer Eric KrohmPr was Breckenridge's request - ter- surprising to her and to some med "not out of line" by Town others. Administrator Harold Walls - Mrs, Haydon claimed it was calls for a weekly wage of $100 certainly -within the developer's plus monthly car .Allowance of right to push ..for his own '$50; the Corporation to pay the project through whatever employer's share of the means he would select. ,She did Canada Pension Plan and the not feel. however, that the Ontario Health Insurance; and building inspector should. aid two weeks holidays with pay the developer's cause, par - (no car allowance) plus four ticularly when it was believed weeks without pay or car to he in -contravention of the allowance in the slow season of existing zoning bylaws and t c January or February. Official Plan. The building inspector feels that a work week of 30 to 35 M or Wor s ell hours is required to handle the job adequately. i A i i ..� ■.� .. Walls said that from about March 1 to the end of October, the position ;would be almost full time. He said Breckenridge was taking time to talk with the people and look over their plans carefully before issuing a building per- mit. Walls also reported that many people are now con- sulting with Breckenridge even before they are ready to build to get his opinion on certain regulations to he followed. Mayor Harry Worsell Said the .building inspector's work was complicated by zoning regulations and added that more and more ° work is necessary in this area all the time.. "He's doing a fine job," said Walls. Councillor Elsa Haydon said that in her opinion, the building inspector should "not appear before town council or Goderich Mayor Harry Wor- sell joined other Huron County mayors Don Symons of Clinton and Frank Sills of Seaforth as guests at the ninth annual National Prayer Breakfast on Parliament Hill in Ottawa last Wednesday. The municipal heads were in- vited by Robert McKinley, a member of the parliamentary prayer breakfast group. Speaker of the house Lucien Lamoureux was official host of the meeting sharing the' position with Governor General Roland Michener. Guest speaker was Grant MacEwan, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. Walter Dintedale (PC member for Brandon Souris) and a Salvation Arany officer, wrf's chairman.