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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1975-09-18, Page 1• ris a !a1 Board aims to collect (25,000 oberi Huron County Historic Jail Board will be kicking off its preliminary fund-raising 'and membership plan tomorrow, September 19. The . drive will continue until the end of October. The objective is$25,000: The money is,needed to continue restorative work at the jail and to undertake a number of specific projects including reconstruction of the I84.0 Council Chamber and courtroom; stonework repair; dissllay areas for artifacts ; and general refurbishing. - "The fund-raising activities will go hand-in-hand with a membership drive to fulfil „our legal obligations under the Provincial Charter incorporating the Huron Historic Jail," says chairman Paul Carroll. "Although donations in any amount will be accepted, and are tax deductible," Mr. Carroll continued, "the following amounts will entitled the donor to voting participatjonin the annual meeting and, eligibility for election to the Board -- individual $10, a firsyear fee renewable for a nominal amount; family $25„ also a first year fee renewable for a nominal amount; and sustaining, over $100, one payment for continuing rnethbership. Companies, business, community groups, municipalities and rndi_vidual citizens will be approached during the campaign. Attempts will be made, to collect cash but, pledge .cards will be available, Mr. Carroll added. 128 YEAR -38 SEPTEMBER 1.8, 1975 �.W SINGLE COPY 25e Doesn't know where to begin to refute, them • ro spokesman s Heydon balks at request to explain Parks chairman Councillor Elsa Haydon has taken a stand . .against town council's request for her to submit a, m ini-budget to council . justifying her department's expenditures over the 1975 budget allot"rnent, for parks. ; The request , was made by, Councillors Jim Peters and Leroy Harrison at a council ' meeting several weeks ago when 'after the ,"Summer months, the parks 'budget was discovered overspent. • The budget, , struck in March with an estimated $44,160 in ex- penditures, .currently stands at $51,037 in expenses: Councillor Peters asked Councillor Haydon to submit a mini budget • justifying the .$6,877 over expenditure and to estimate how much money she would he spending in the final four months of the year. Mrs. Haydon responded to the request with„a letter to the mayor, finance chairman and town clerk saying she did not. "intend to submit an official explanation. She . said in the letter that she felt that the request""was not made in good faith and,that she had no wish to enter into the "spirit" she recently noted at the council table that she deplored as "unproductive and t nworthy." Councillor • Peters'repeated his request at the last council meeting Monday night pointing out that the parks chairman owed her explanation to council not the mayor, finance chairman and clerk, Mr, Peters said it was council that finally set the budgets•and it was council that deserved an explanation for the; ,over exri penditure, , "How does."lie council feel on this matter?" queried Mr. Peters. "Do they intend .to disregard.' the budget amount set or do they, intend to stick to it. Councillor Peters suggested that with councils obligation to hold the mill rate down and handle tax dollars as efficiently as possible they should in- vestigate the over expense. He added that council may well approve of the over expense but they should know how and •why the budget was overshot. Councillor Haydon said in her letter that even if wanted to submit the explanation ,she coed 1, . + .not produce details Three hurt in accident on bridge relating to parks' expenses. She said that only administration could supply . such detailed information. The parks; chairman added that the rest of 1975 should be free fr. m any large expenses other than labor costs which she has no control over. She pointed out that roads superintendent Stan 1•(/leriam determined where, 'how long and in what capacity .the parks sub crew worked and 'only he Constable Peter Mason began would knowwhat was being "work with the Goderich Police done. Department on September 15, increasing thejorce to 10 mer(. Constable Mason, who is .a replacement for Constable Tom Fortner, worked as a • civilians, radio operator for the Goderich 'detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police :for the past two years. (staff photo) Three Goderich men were sent to hospital when a car went out of control and struck the guard railing on the bridge on Highway 21 just north of the town limits on Friday around 6 p.m. William McCabe, 90 Angelsea St,, Goderich and two passenters, David and Ray Beach, of s173 Elgin Aver: Goderich, were sent to Alexandra Marine and General Hospital after the vehicle went out of control, struck the guard rail on the bridge and flipped over on its roof. McCabe Was later sent to Victoria Hospital in London for treatment of a fractured skull. Both- • David and Ray Beach were treated for cuts and bruises and releas'ezt. An OPP investigating officer estimated the vehicle to be a total wreck and d *nage was estimated at $2500. New constable "1 do not make this statement in any spirit of sulking," said Mrs. Haydon. "It is no secret' that I do not regard our present' set up as suitable or ac- ceptable." She continued that she had tried twice in the past few (continued on page 14) An Ontario Hydro spokesman has severely criticized statements made recently to the pressby a biologist with the CANTDU anti-nuclear group concerning recent disclosure of radioactive leaks, at the Douglas Point nuclear generating station. Don McKee, of Benmiller, near, Goderich, released a statement last week in which he said that Hydro-;•i;s,guilty of "trying to bamboozle the public with figures." 1 -Ie rejected claims, by,Hydro that radiation levels at Dpuglas Point are at an level, The Hydro spokesman, Bob' Wilson, manager of the Health Physics department, said that' Mr. McKee -. -,tatement "has so man;, inaccuracies. 'I don't know where td begin to refute then, Ina printed.statetnent Mr. Wi•lsori• said that Hydro's supposed bid to '`bamboozle the public", is incorrect as Hydro has made\, lvailahle to' any member of • the public annual . summai j,es of the release of all • radioactive material from its nuclear stations." 'acceptable CANTDU spo"kesmari replies Sans Hydro The following is a statement by CANTDU ' spokesman Don McKee of B.enm•iller in reaction to the viewpoint given by Hydro's Robert- Wilson and reported in an accompanying story ' in this week's Signal - Star: "Readers of the Signal -Star. arents take initiative until guard can be hire Concerned parents, 'of small school children attending Victoria School intend to volunteer their services daily to serve as crossing guards at bdsy. intersections near the school until, an adult crossing guard can be found and hired to do the job on a full time basis. The decision was reached as about the only viable alter- native the parents had to replace,crossing guards for the children ,after . the Huron County School Board an- nounced, recently they—would not be maintaining the guards after January 1, 1976., ,The Board's decision affected only one guard in Goderich, Gord Jamieson, who works ' the corner, of Victoria Street and Britannia Road helping Vic- toria School children across the street. The parents decided to sponsor', the guards at a special meeting called „.Tuesday night at Victoria School. ,Only 10 people showed up for the meeting but they proved to be concerned, enough to prompt the hiring of a second guard to work Bayfield Road near Victoria School and to retain the services df Mr. Jamieson.' Chief King in attendance at ' the meeting ,to field questions from parents wanting to know how to solye the problem of guards told the small gathering that the parents have the prime responsibility for the children's safety. He said that every street and intersection in Goderich could be a potential hazard for the children and that parents were very concerned when the children were going to. and 'from -school but on weekends and holidays the kids were all over and the parents appeared unconcerned about them. The chief suggested that the parents worried about" their children should go out with them regularly at the beginning • of the school year and walk the• child's route to school ex- , plaini.ng safety procedure along the way, He said that if the parents took the initiative to show their own children the safest way to cross streets and intersections, it would solve ;,most of the problems the parents feel they face.. The chief explained' to the parents that a crossing guard has no jurisdiction under the 4 ' Highway Traffic Act to actually stop traffic hut pointed out that motorists ,are accustomed to 9the guards and usually abide by his signals. He said the guard ' should signal Traffic to stop and when it does then instruct the children to cross. . Some of the parents' said they along with their 'children were baffled by the stop lights at the five points intersection. They complained that when the light showed walk for pedestrians crossing Kingston Street it also gave traffic travelling west on Elgin Avenue,a green light and that provided a hazardous situation. They requested the matter he checked by the police. One of the areas the.pti'o'nts felt a crossi1ng .guard was needed was gt Bayfield Road near thea pillars that ,.funnel children out onto the highway about 50 yards south of the intersection at Britannia Road. They, said that there is no -traffic sign at the • painted crosswalk to stop traffic and the children were pretty much (continued on page 5)" ork resumes at GoderichElev�ior ..Work .resumed "at the, Goderich Elevator and Transit Company Monday after workers there ratified a new contract agreement ending nearly nine weeks df strike action against the company. The 2(i•full-linin employees of the company voted 17-11 to accept 0, new two year agreement that calls for q $1 an hour increase over • the first year retroactive to April 1, 1975, plus a bonu, s cash settlement of 15 cents anhour based on last years hours up to $300 and an additional 85 cent, per hour increase effective April 1, 1976. The' new tWo-year agreement will raise the average hourly wage to $ti, 2 an hour. Under the previous contract which expired on March 31; • the welt -kers 't•ere earning an average hourly wage of $4.42 1)er.h ur, The woe"keys' went on strike July Ili after 'failure in negotiations. •'hhe employees had made an originar demand Of ' 1 . , 5 over 0 one—year' c(511 - tract and then revised their demands to a x1.50 increase each year in 0 two year con- tract, The old contract expired March 31 and the, workers began strike action against the cF h1pany an July 16, The strike by members of , Local .1,36 of the Canadian Labor Congress marked the first labor interruption •the • • company experienced in its i'i. year history and Since signing a contract with the prv'ent union in the early IS)•IU's. "If you don't believe me enquire of energy probe who have asked for and been given this information in tliat period as well as any member of the. public who so requested," Mr. Wilson's statement said. Mr. McKee • said that Canadian workers can legally be exposed to 100 times the radiation from reactors that is permitted for workers in the United States. Mr. Wilson said that legally allowed doses in the .U.S, are two and one, half times greater :than those allowed in Canada. "on an annual basis.'` ti Mr. McKee also crit"icized-a suilernen.t made .by Elgin Hortdn, manager of Bruce operations because of his statement . about allowing higher dose levels for workers. "We employ selectedrhealthy people whereas members of the public rriight be more radiosensitive," Mr. Horton was quoted as saying. 'Mr: McKee said that. "healthy people . are no less •susceptible• to radiation than unhealthy people, They might even '.•be • more susceptible because they have ot dealing in issues metabolisms which • operate faster." To this Mr. Wilson said there isconsiderable evidence to show that unhealthy populations of animals cannot ) tolerate exposure to radiation as well as healthy animals. In • addition, there are groups in the • population who may . be more radiosensitive than healthy adults." He backed up Mr. Horton's statement saying that the lower allowable dose for the general population is set because of the. genetic risk. "Occupational workers make up only a small fracti'gn of the population," Mr. Wilson said. Mr: McKee was also critical of the public relations 'Hydra has done tb tell the- public that nuclear power `generation is safe. ``Probably' what is most distressing is 'the continuous efforts backed by Hydro's mammoth ,public relations budget to deceive the public in the belief that the CANDU system is 100 percent safe and foolproof,while---mishaps and defects are-btirig covered up at Pickering and Bruce." Mr. W ilpon said that Hydro makes "no .deliberate effort to deceive the public" about the' safety of CANDU reactors. He points 'out that there have• been no fatal accidents within Hydro related to radiation: "The only accidental deaths we have had- in our nuclear station work; force have been outside• the plant, drfvirl or swimming." Mr. Wilson also compared the risk of being exposed to radiation to driving a car in Canada. ,He said that the risk to the work group which receives that highest dose is "only about ,40 percent of the limit which is equivalent in risk to driving 4,000 miles annually on Canadian highways.'' will he- aware that Mr. Wilson's reactors than 'citizens in the • case with uranium. miners, are • reply tothe CANTDU-United , States', this ••results being subjected to unac- 'statement is based on what from the U.S., under' pressure ceptable radiation exposures, appeared in the London Free froxrn various scientific guar- the unfortunate. part is- that Press on 'the 4.1 th September., tors; reducing their permissible these ,people, are not,in a UnfOrturiately this was an dose by a factor of one hundred. position to complain, ad ',the `edited'• version of the CANTDU "Permissible levels of effects ' lancer, leukemia, statement, and Contained -radi ition exposure have been genetic effects etc„ will not be certain mis-quotations and repeatedly reduced in Canada . apparent, -for many years, omissions. -Mr.., Wilson states that all Hydro's radiation emissions are made available, to .the public, it is somewhat sur= prising then •that provincial newspapers and other news media : saw fit to. make Kirk McNaughton, president 6f the union, said the vote in- dicated the workers , were satisfied with ,the contract despite earlier demat uk and they, reported fol• work ;\lr 'nday morning. George Parsons, prck,ident of , Goderich Elevator' and '1•ransit. Co., said that company missed 3,1/2 million bushels:of husiness from Ontario wheat and grain producers which represents 20 percent of the year handling.. • He said that if the strike had not terminated the company would. have-'e,en 'forced to close its operation on October rand not , reopen until spring. 16. termed the contract ,,'tt!enient "alarmingly inflationary''' Police chief needs •m#ormation f rom� •citizens Police Chief Pat King has asked The (;oderich �•i t;na i -S to 1') to help 114 11 with a matter which may or may not b•c a prhhlem. ('hiet king cants to hear from any businessmen or other (.0i/ens in Goderich tvho 1t,rt c° made am donations to►w'ard the ( alil'or+nia utit.s titrfthrrlhl (Md. ' I't°rs011S %%110 ha \-0 paid money tOwo rds this fund M,imtild contact Chief King 'ltnm liatcly over the past decade,, and the possibly generations. Canadian Nuclear Association "In conclusion, •Mr.'Wilson's has publicalty admitted that ,.acomparison of radiation risks this trend will continue. How with driving hazards could well then can Mr. Wilson treat•these be described as `bamboozling levels with such confidence and the 'public with figures'. faith: •CANTDU, in common becairs4. with a large body of world wide "1. ;Our knowledge 'of what headlines in September 19 ,5 of,. scientific opinion, considers radiation can do to.us is still•in the 19,0 leaks, not to mention any exposure to radiation to be ' its infancy, what we do know the recent Pickering: cooling a•serious hazard; and that there can only. be described as tube defects which., made the is already more than enough in terrifying. . netfvs weeks after their oc•- our environment. _. We know, 'and willingly g y currence. It is, one thing to "While it is true that certain' accept the hazards of driving 'make available' and another to ,, segments of the public . are our cars, but no member of the inform the public . a ' especially susceptible to ''Canadian public has been "The statement j4 the radiation injury, e.g. unborn asked if he, or she, accepts the CANTDU release whrh. ap' and rapidly growing children, so called permissible levels of geared correctly in the Signal this has nothing to do with exposure to man made radio Star Was 'Canadians can, be health, There can•be no doubt activity." exposed legally to one hundred that. some workers in our As a footnote, Mr. McKee times more radiation from nuclei►' `power plants, as is the . (continued on page 14) • y 4 Maor Shefelt' dro ed in , pp ' Mayor Deb Shewfelt gets assistance from many little friends at.Carole Eg ser,"rear, is one of three school employees who will y • the opening pf the Municipal Day Nursery on Monday ai the•have their hands full with the 58 children who are register ed former Queen l :lizabeth School on Caledonia Terrace. Mrs. with the nursery. (staff photo) 4M. ,u ,:'A,,. •raw .....uY.W.