Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1974-03-14, Page 14M11 10Wit v •,4 Local PUC officials want representation The Ontario government will be taken to the courts if it fails to give municipalities sufficient say in runningthe electricity system. • • This was decided in a recent resolution at the annual con- vention of, the Ontario Municipal Eledrie Association. This body represents about 350 municipal electric utilitiesa,who. distribute electric power, Goclerich,among them. 'The assoCiation, which has a 70 percent ownership' - and $800'million stake - in the elec- tricity system, is Objecting to the fact that the government,: has given only two seats on the 12 member 'board of the ,On- tario Hydro Corporation to the Association., "I feel that ,the .-repreSen- tation of the individual utility commissions should be a-, lot• higher," says 'Dave Ralston of ,the goderich P.U.C. "As it stands today. the P.U.C. in Goderich, is(*tied by the people of the town and if it were , sold to a private organization or company then the money from tbe sale would be distributed arnong the people ofhe town" he added. "The 0.M.S.A.Is made up of elected people . froin the province who have _nothing to At)" with politics in Queens Park. If the policy and rates of the hydro commission are tO protected for these people then what better way' then an elec.-4 ted group from Ontario that have nothing to do with politics," he .'vvent on to say. "Goderich alone buys $60,006 to $70,00t/ worth of hydro per month to supply the ratepayers which should give. an *idea of how much all 350 •must purchase in a year," he said. "If the' policy making for the, hydro system remains at suchan off balance represen- , tation then the people who use the service Could find.that there are it lot of Unpleasant changes that they can do nothing about," Mr. Ralston commen- ted. The resolution states that the Ontario Government will be asked to issue,: common voting Stock certificates in Hydro to each, municipal electric ,utility concerned: Alternativety, .the govern- ment will be asked to pay cash in proportion to each municipalities equity in the system. If necessary, the delegates resolved; the matter will be takentlo, the courts. There will be a meeting to all the P.U.C. managers Thursday evening at ' the Bedford Hotel to discuss how these changes affect this area. •c, 127 TEAR 11 THURSDAY MARCH 14, 1974 'SINGLE COPY 213c Town council chambers briefly became a verbal bat- ' tlefield during council's regular • 'meeting March 6. Coundllcits were discussing a request by Warren Robinson , for financial assistance to help defray costs of his student group going, to Britain to present a play during the students' March breaki, Its - ''-'-concluded near the end of the Councillor Leroy Harrison SeaSow Qo • and nothing. 'more than a GOderich has witnessed a dramatic rise in the number and, value of building permits" in February compared to the same month last year. , • While,only six building permits worth $55,00.0 were issued in February 1973, • town Bu'lding. Inspector Roy Breckenridge issued 13 worth ;$244,500 this 'year for the, same month: _ s. That brings the 1974 total to 17 permits worth 0'49,300. Issued permits included five new duplex and semi- detached; four new residential; two minor residential repairs; one industrial; and one demolition. • The figures were part of Mr, ISreckenridge's Felaruar report to, town counctl. •• In a later interview, Mr. Breckenridge said that', the ris n nurnber and value of permits is part of a trend that will probably, continue for the rest of the year. •' "I think the main reason is that develop, and'•,,builders are planning farther ahead,". he explained. -vacation." He • challenge Haydbry'Who argued that coun- - "• cillori:attenking - conventions, sue Ps the recent Good Roads vention, were taking' ations too. -Mr. Harrison, sometPhat" startledsby the argument, retor- • ted that Councillor Haydon •had attended conventions also. The brief battle of words en- ,ded as abruptly as it,.had begun Vvhen order was restoi•ed and • council decided to refer the ' financial assistance request to immediately by Councillor ',Elsa, the adminiseratiVe committee meeting March 14. Earlier, Mr. Robinson, an English teacher at GOderich District Collegiiite Institute, ex- plained that 'cost per stlideof going on the trip had risen from $220 to $280. Since plans were first made lastair-fares had been in, - creased three times because of airline fuel shortages, he said. He tried unsuccessfully to ob- tain grants from ';both the federat and proviriaal goverrr: men ts. The grant requests were rejected because the trip did' not -involve an *haw with other students, he said. ' Fund-raising bsi the students; a dance'and a draw, had been only moderateIrsuccessful, Mr. Ftobirigon ,said. . The students raised $60 from •the 'dance., ' •, • The total $11,000 needed for the trip would pay only for transportation and •accorn- Modation.. Students would have to supply their own eating and pocket money, Mr. Robinson said. ° Councillor Bill Clifford asked what he considered ob7.- vious questions. "How much do you want and - how soon do you need it?" be asked. MRobinson sairi-.he was -in no position to barga'Im but ex- Olained that the group now, had enough ° to defray the cost $32 per student. ' The target figure is $100 per student. The Goaerich Lions Club is consideribg. lending Support' and a local industry has gran- ted $10 per student, Mr. Robin- , son said, His group would be willing to tak as much as • council _dec„icleszl to o'ffer: • Councillor Clifford said the matter should be discussed by • the adininistrative committee next week. • Councillor Haydon •main- tained that council should discuss the matter now. The grant, comes under coun- cil jurisdiction. It should • • receive coii,ncil support. The recreation commission looks• • (continued-on-page,12) During the town council meeting held March 6, a letter was received complaining about parking by the Godlerich Credit Union. In essence theletter said cars were parking toe close to the sidewalk and the town should take steps to rectify the problem. Mayor Harry Worsell remarked that he had been to the scene recently and "it looked so bad, I thought they were trying to park right in the credit union". Council decided to have Police Chief Pat King repdrt on the matter. (staff photo) It is no holiday say Robinson G CI rarna g oup Britain Bound despite .t 41. To help make_ Young Canada Week a big success thiS year, ;during' its •25tty AnniversaTy Celebratidn, merchants, • businessmen. and bankers are decorating their windows in• • a the spirit of thii event. Hod,* ,stidka, pucks, sweaters a& trophies adorn the Square Welcoming everyone to the tour- nament. (staff photos)• Paper Leafs pledged to bring coveted trophy home The hockey match of the ceit-4, tury is retiirni-ng .a. the Signal - Star Paper Paper Leafs - meet ' the CKNX Try-Hards again on April° 7 at the Wingham Arena. "We have every intention.of bringing our trophy,, the Siler TisAue ° Award, back to Goderich," says Leaf big gun, or big mouth, John BuchanaR. . The Paper, Leafs are realy shaping' tip, he' maintains: • Readers may remember that the"Leafs.went down to defeat 111r,F.4.04. 7-6 at the hands ofthe, Try- HardS February' 24. The . big winner . was the Goderich. and • District Association for the Mentally Retarded. It received a cheque for $800, the -proceeds of the game.' • •• The rematch will benefit. the Wingham and. District Association for the Mentally Retarded. Tickets are $1, available,from any, member of • . the raper Leaf teariv One luckyticket holder.will - 'Win a half.'beef. Ron Shaw is a doubtful star- ter for the Leafs this game aa he may be enrOute to Africa by 'theii. Publisher Bob Shrier suf- fered injuries from bodily cohl - tact during the last game'with 8 -year -old -Robbie Strong, of the. Try -Herds, and he may be sideriliarfrom active ,duty. "This time .the 'Strong line won't be .so .strong," boasts Buchanan. • With 'departure only a few days away, the student drama. gyoup; ''headed. by W"arren Robinson, a teacher at Goderich District Collegiate In- stitute, still needs financial support. The group has been ,invited to perform in Britain - Canadian' first. „ • During a- recent inte'rview with Warren Robinson, the Signat-Star asked him if the trip was still ori despite the fact that" fund raising has fallen short •tif the group's goal. It is. Originally, the group hoped to defray the cost of the trigrbY .$100 per student. Now they can defray only 132: .Due .to i0eased • air fares, costoper student has risen $50 since the trirrwas first planned, Mr. Robinson said. "Many ritudents will come ,back from the' trip and .have to work to pay back debts 'ac- cumulated to go," he 'ex- plained. "1 wotild like to thank the Coadh House for trying to keep the costs from rising even more;" • he said. • Mr. Robinson made four ap- plications to government agen- • cies for, grants to help cover :‘•costs - two federal ,and two, provincial. Of the four, three replied ' 'asking for more information. Of the three, only o,tie, the Secretary of State, replied 'saying that the application was rejected because it did not in- volve an exchange. "We'just assumed the others Life negative because we ,didrt:t hear from them and • it's because the trip does not in- volve an exchang'Mr. Robinson reasoned. • He do• es thank the two area government representatives, Jack 'Riddell—Wad Robert 4 McKinley for their efforts on the group t behalf in trying to procure grants. . The group was approached by a few individuals who• suggested applying to private ° groups and industries Goderich for grants. There hasn't been definite word fromthem •Yet, Mr; Robinson said. • The group ,has applie'd to town Council for a grant, but it will not •know of council's decision until March 14. •"We have been criticized for lateness in applying,"„ Mr. Robinson said. There are reasons though. "We didn't apply until we learned of the lack of success of the government grants and our own fund raising. We hoped to. make it on our Myr," Mr. Robinson said. "We didn't,want to be greedy and etab money from every" source," be explained. ,•,,, He did want to Oplain why the trip was not a vacation As town tot -0164W Leroy garrison had said at lasCweek's council nieeting. • , "My wife and I just returned • from one•and a half years in England; we needthe trip ex- pensealike a holejn the head." he said. ' "We deliberately chose to do something so, it .wouldn't be a Warren Robinson 4 vacation,. for example a show , tour 'would cost- less, much le•ss' he. maintained. •Exclusive of fund raising, the ° group has spent abotit 5,000 man hours preparing for the trip, The shows and music had to be written. There Were rehearsals, costumes, and much „more, Mr. Robinson said. "One girl alone has spent up- wards of 80 hours working on °*e the project,", he said. Fund raising itstlf has been difficult because of a lack of public understandingof what is :nvolved, he "A lot of groups need money at the same time," he added pointing to the number of raf- fles and dances held late4). Moreover, °the° Project ,jtiat didn't „get ,enough publicity, he said. .' 'Good publicity helps to get donations, Mr. Robinson con -,'- chided. ° Those were not the only problems. It's' a private trip, so one, 4.,eaf coach, -Ed Byrski, is con- . • fident but he realizes the Strong scoring threat the Strong line, , especially Robbie, poses. ' Once again .the match promises to be an entertaining game of hockey' with both ' teams practising overtime to <, get in, shape. • ° ..----Game organizers will provide a bus to and from the Wingliam' Arena if enough persons are in- • terested. Game time is 2:00 p.m, Sunday; 'April 7. - • robiem upderstandab,ly, cotildn't make use of the Vast number ' of students in school -as other ven- tures could." he Aid. When asked the date it would'be too late for people to , • help the students pay for the trip, Mr. Robinson "Never." ft;f "Ideally up unt,i1 Saturday motzning, but even after we're r" gone people can leave donations at the Corlett -How," he explained• . Has the inability to raise funds dampened the students'. Spirits? ' "Their spirits have' been buoyed up becaufie this trip is a Canadian 'first. We've •broken new ground," • he. answered. • "Also, we have received two - donations .from Stratford and Kitchener. People • that far away 'care enough and feel it's worth while enotigh," Mr. Robinson said. The drarna group has been fintIncially- committed to the trip,for six weeks. They will go but' if Mr. Robint had to chi it over again --he would make soine organizational changes.. "I would have an adult with good business sensejesponsible for fund raising," he explained. "My stress had to, be, the ar- tistic quality of our 1roductions and the students simply lacked the'experience.and authoritS, an, adult would have had," he ad- ded, • At the time of writing this in- terview, the Signal-S.tar • 'received a letter from a Goderich resident who.is POW • in Florida. ,The letter was written by 'a person who prefers to remain anonymous and donated money to help the ,st,udents witIrtheir elpenaes. The writer received a copy Of the • Signal -Star last week and read the editorial, about the plight of the dramatic group, The person writes, "L should like to assist the young people with file exiienses of their dramatic experiences in, England."