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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1983-02-09, Page 1aP THE BAY FIELD BUGLE incorporating THE BLYTH STANDARD ANIJARD 50 cents -No. 6 Wednesday February 9, 1983 118th year ton m. y se By Shelley McPhee Additional two-hour parking limits may be established in Clinton. When town council meets on February 21, members will be voting on a motion, recommending temporary two-hour parking at the Rat- tenbury Street lot. At the February 7 meeting, council studied the recommendation proposed by the town planning board in conjunction with the Business Improvement Area (BIA). Some councillors were initially opposed to the idea, but Councillor Jim Hunter asked members to consider the proposal and be prepared to vote on it at the next meeting. "Parking in Clinton is a complex issue," he stressed, it needs in-depth study and long range planning. We need planning, not guessing." ('ouncillor Hunter stressed that the proposal was a temporary recom- mendation, suggested as a way of alleviating all -day and overnight parking at the town owned lot. It is presently used by many downtown employees and neighoring apartment building dwellers and ('ouncillor Hunter asked, "Is it an employees' Got or a shoppers' lot?" He noted that employees and apartment residents also need parking facilities. but • new said the Rattenbury Street lot should be available to shoppers. Councillor John I)eeves said he had checked the lot on three separate oc- casions and found at least eight cars had used it fur overnight parking. Nearby apartment buildings, it was noted, don't have enough parking space available to residents. He also said that by 9 am each working day, the lot is usually filled by downtown employees' cars. Deputy Reeve Frank Van Altena is one businessman who uses the lot during working hours and he simply stated, "Do you think I'm going to go out and move my car every two hours' " He further said that in discussions with other business people, he found that some would like to see parking meters removed from the downtown core. He suggested removing them for one year and studying the effects. ('ouncillor Ross Carter supported the removal of parking meters, noting that shoppers don't like using the meters when they can park in other municipalities at no charge. "Business people parking in front of their own stores are cutting their throats," he said noting that the town shouldn't be Raises will be 5% By Stephanie Levesque Department heads of Huron County received a five per cent or $1,5:,1 increase, whichever is less, effective January 1, 1983. uron County Council approved the salary increases at its regular session on February 3. Grey Township eeve Leona Armstrong said most of the increase is being collected by the county for the federal government in the form of income tax and other deduc- tions. As an example, she used clerk - treasurer Bill Hanly's 1983 sallary off $44,044, up from his 1982 salary of $42,536. "After all maximum deductions and ex- emptions, his take home pay with the $1,511 maximum reflects a two per cent raise while the five per cent raise reflects only an ad 'tonal 2.8 per cent raise," noted Mrs. Armstrong. first column "1 can still hear -Mr. MacDonald of CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees representative Gordon Mac- Donald of London) say we don't appreciate our people. We do. But it's not easy to be fair," added the Grey Township reeve. She suggested that "statitk"'aase4:, to the school board as, "40 per c 'rt of NS teachers are over the $35,111' bracket". The 1983 department heads' salaries are as follows with 1982 salaries in brackets: clerk -treasurer $44,i'4 ($42,536); deputy clerk -treasurer $37,154 ($35,646); county engineer $44,1, ($42,536) ; Medical Officer of Health $49. -i t (M7.892) : chief librarian $31,928 ($30,420); planning director $41,392 ($39,; ,t 4) ; social services administrator $29,848 ($28,418); Huronview ad- ministrator $33,150 ($31,642) and museum curator $24,'..6 ($23,296) . In trying to sort out the recent Con- servative fiasco in Winnipeg I only came up with more questions than answers, more confusion than un- derstanding. Before the convention the PC party was riding high, why did they choose to self-destruct? Where they confident that another potential leader would step forward? Will Peter I,ougheed be the man? Can the PC minority convince i,ougheed to leave his Albertan em- pire? Will ('lark loyalists win at a proposed June leadership convention? Does Joe (lark really have guts, or he's banking on a win at the election polls? Nearly every Canadian has been predicting the political future off this country. The opinions and speculations have been varied and understandably so. After all it is difficult to determine the future of a seemingly divided party, with vague plans, few proposals and no candidates for the leadership. Yet ('lark's not one to give in. He's ready to campaign, face the opposition and go to the polls. (lark says he's in it until the end and will stand up to all candidates. Some call this a sign of true leadership, determination and devotion. Others figure than beneath the brave front, ('lark is just a little sharper than he's given credit for. 1,ow at the polls, he had little trouble determining that the liberal party and Trudeau would fall behind at election time With a leadership convention in the works and no definite candidates. (lark may win his way back into the PC party if i,ougheed and Ontario's Bill Mavis are unprepared for a proposed .lune convention, the ('lark supporters' plan may succeed ('lark has given other politicans a wide open field and the opportunity to corse forward and show their worth. Now even millionaire Peter Pocklington, who spent thousands of dollars campaigning his way across the country. has suddenly become shy Has ('lark has actually bluffed his co -called 1 ou gh opponents" The Conservative party has certainly taken a giant credibility loss (lark could Iw finished at a leadership con- vention. or come out on top People may sec the man as a determined, leader or 1 decide the P(' party is not ready to rule Canada. if he wins, will people vote for the man or the party? Who will win, who will lose, it's anyone's guess when it comes to Canada's political games. + + + One thing is definite, the Clinton Optimists are ready for a weekend long full schedule of events to their Winter Carnival. It's going to be a real community effort with minor hockey, figure skating, ringette teams and local service clubs taking part. Friday night's line-up looks par- ticularly interesting with the Optimists, firemen, Kinsmen, Fish and Game Club members, ('HSS students, Kinettes, ()ptimisses and the Housewives taking to the ice for hroomball action. Oh and last year's Legion champs will be back to defend their title ) + 4 - We We have a couple of corrections to point out this week. Regarding coun- cil's discussion on spot zoning changes for an Ontario Street residence it should be noted that council did not recom- mend the change to the planning department. They simply pass the information on to that committee for study. We also gave the town a little higher road subsidy last year. 1Jnfortunatety Clinton didn't receive $185,000, but $106,000. i'01 sure they would ap- preciate the higher figure this year with the expensive plans to reconstruct Matilda Street if yeti ifnd mrtsakes in this newspaper, pleas consider that they are their for a purpase we publish sornethng for everyone and sornepeople are always looking for mistakes' Perhaps we'll have to join many other journalists who are making great use of a grimmer. 1 mean grammar hotline at the university of New tlrrrnswick The hotline is designed to help people tell the difference between than arid then, he and lav it offers basic punctuation advice, rules on misplaced modifiers, subordinate clauses and assistance regarding any of the endless "tricks" in the F;nglish langi nee P responsible tor employee parking. ('ouncillor Deeves noted that the public is regularly using privately owned lots in the downtown area, behind Bartliff's Restaurant, beside the Commercial Printers, Mason Bailey Real Estate and The Blue Fountain. He said the town shouldn't be putting limits on one lot and not others, however Councillor Hunter noted that council could not control private property. "Let's find a parking system that will work ('ouncillor Deeves said. At the February 21 meeting council will be voting on a second motion with Coun- cillor I)eeves' thoughts in mind. The 'lotion will propose the establish- ment of a parking advisory committee, made up of planning board represen- tatives, BIA and council members. ('ouncillor Hunter again pointed out parking in Clinton is a complicated subject that will require study with definite plans for the future. Five people needed form _ ; _ eurrc committee By Stephanie Ievesgne Five Huron County residents are being sought for an advisory committee for the Huron County Pioneer Museum. County council approved the formation of the committee at its February 3 session. The committee idea follows a meeting of county officials with representatives of the ministry of citizenship and culture. At that meeting, the ministry indicated it would pay 50 per cent of any feasibility studies done and that it would like to meet with a committee made up of citizena,from the county. The ministry also suggested that the county reduce the number of alter- natives for the museum. In consideration of the last point, council agreed that the former telecomanimica- tions school in Vanastra not be considered as an alternative museum site. The school has been turned down because of an- ticipated renovation costs and because the county has no tenants for the unused space. The alternatives left for the committee to consider include having no museum, building a new museum at its present site in Goderich or elsewhere, or to renovate the present building. Besides the five county residents, the committee will include Warden Grant Stirling, property committee chairman Lionel Wilder, a member of the planning and development committee, a represen- tative of the Huron Board of Education, a representative of the Goderich Tourist Committee and ex -officio members - clerk - treasurer William Hanly and museum Von really have to love peanut butter and crackers to do thus. Winter Carnival Week at CHSS started on Monday with an unusual lunch hour in the cafeteria.::ubble gum blowing, Jello eating and this peanut butter contest attracted a full house audience. Contestants like Len Knott and John McLeod had to gobble down the crackers, then attempt to whistle or hum. That was easier said than done. (Shelley McPhee photo) Iusul tion causes problems ell Hlyth man has rebuilt his home By Rod Hilts Urea formaldehyde insulation was approved as suitable insulation by the federal government in 1977. Three years later the government was advised the foam insulation was unsuitable and possibly hazardous. They banned it in December of 1980. Some claim that since its induction into Canada, the insulation has been the ap- parent cause of sickness such as congested sinuses, sore throats and coughs. A couple in Blyth have been adversely affected by the insulation, so much that they are tearing down their house and rebuilding. Alvin Snell of Blyth had urea for- maldehyde insulation put into his house four years ago and since that time he says things haven't been the same. "My wife's been sick for about three years. A lot of people laugh at you when you say it's the insulation that makes you sick, hut you don't really know," said Mr. Snell. According to Bruce M. Small, a professional engineer, formaldehyde gives off a toxic gas that can act as a "trigger agent" for allergic -like reactions in people who were already "chemically suscep- tible" before exposure. Mr. Snell said he noticed the problem long before the government told homeowners with the insulation that there might be potential problems. He said the insulation caused the most problems a year ago last summer. "The weather was very hot and humid and our house was filled with a musty smell. it kind of chokes you right off and it was hard to sleep. i said to my wife i'ii bet it's that insulation that's causing that awful smell," said Mr. Snell. Mr. Snell said he didn't get urea for- maldehyde insulation put into his house because of the grant the government of- fered He said he saw the house next. door being done and thought it was a "a pretty good outfit " There was problems installing the in- sulation into the Snell home because of the brittle slate siding on the house. The in- stallers decided to drill holes into the siding in order to blow the insulation in NOV.. that the insulation is in, the only way to get it out is to tear down the home. Without the slate siding, the house would crumble. When Mr. Snell decided to repair, or in his case tear down his house to get rid off the insulation, he registered with the Urea Formaldehyde Insulation Centre (UFFI) in Hull, Quebec to be eligible for grants under the government program. The next step was to obtain an estimate from qualified formaldehyde contractors to remove the insulation. Wayne Pearce, an inspector from Canada Mortgage in Kitchener, set up tests to check the formaldehyde gas levels in the interior cavity of Mr. Snell's home and estimated the cost. of removing the insulation. According to Mr. Snell he should ibe entitled to the maximum $5,000 grant. "To date Snell hasn't heard anything from Mr. Pearce but the reports have been sent to Ottawa. Mr. Snell estimated the cost of rebuilding at $70,000. If grant applications are approved he will receive $8,500 from the government, which he says is ..peanuts." Along with the $5,000 for taking out the insulation Mr. Snell may be entitled to a $:1,000 nevUorne builder's grant and an additions , 500 under the ('aftada Insulation Program ('HIPi. Another option which is still in the experimental stages is a Canada Home Renovation Program (('ll1Rl'1. CHIRP offers the homeowner a "forgivable loan" which the individual will receive it they meet certain criteria. According Lynn Peck of Lucknow, secretary of the Huron County Homeowners, a group representing people with insulation problems, the government says $8,500 is the limit an individual may receive in grants. However the govern- ment is in the process of exploring other avenues in helping people such as Mr. Snell. "People with urea formaldehyde in- sulation problems started out with nothing. The government wouldn't give grants. But now at least we have something," said Mrs. Peck. Mrs. Peck also noted, "We are trying to negotiate carefully with the government but it's very touchy." in discussing his problem with the in- sulation Mr. Snell is quick not to point any fingers of blame. "it's nobody's fault, everybody that put in the insulation thought it was a good idea. We were just trying to save energy," he expla ined. The problems are obvious but the solutions are complicated when dealing with urea formaldehyde foam insulation. People like Mr. Snell are victims of cir- cumstance and until the government can come up with more equitable grant programs homeowners who are forced to rebuild because of formaldehyde in- sulation problems must. bear the brunt of the cost. Insixlation homeo By Rod Hilts Homeowners and contractors attended a course in Goderich last week designed to educate thein on dealing with urea for- maldehyde insulation. Course rnstrircter Michel Godin said response to the program was "very poor " He said they originally planned to have 30 or more people register for the course but only 17 showed up The course was brought to (;oderirh because many people had shown interest in the problems of urea formaldehyde curator, flay Scotchmer. Further developments in the museum in- clude the go-ahead for an engineering study by B.M. Ross and Associates of Goderich at an approximate cost of $500 to determine the extent of repairs needed to open the museum's first floor. It is ex- pected the necessary repairs can be done by the museum staff. The county will also consider entering into a joint Ontario Neighborhood Im- provement Program (ONIP) with the Town of Goderich. The gown is applying for two such programs, but the $600,000 pro- posal for North Street (on which the museum is located) includes $480,000 fur the museum project of which the county pays half - Exeter Reeve Bill Mickle questioned committing county council to such a pro- ject when no decision has been made regarding the museum. We're not committing the county to anything," said property committee chair- man Hay Township Reeve Lionel Wilder. It was explained that Goderich will be applying to the ministry of municipal af- fairs and housing for the ONIP grant, but as the county is awaiting a feasibility study on the museum, no commitment can be made to the actual rebuilding of the museum. The 1983 budget for the museum reflects the changes occurring there as it is down over ;15,000 from the 1982 budget. The 1museum's 1983 budget is $110,400 com- pared to the 1982 budget of $125,650. The county's share is down from $76,550 in 1982 to $70,160 in 1983. Salaries, although reduced from the 1982 budget figure of $84,500 (representing a cut in part time staff ), take the largest portion of the budget at $75,000. On the revenue side, the budgeted ad- missions figure of $12,000 is down from the 1982 budget admissions figure of $18,000. Not as many visitors are expected to visit the museum this year. Not included in the 1983 budget are funds for the planning studies as plans have been made to take those costs from the capital works building reserve fund. Council wants heating fixed By Rod Hilts A group of concerned citizens voiced their position on the .Myth Memorial Hall repair project at Monday night's village council meeting. The group made up of the Blyth Recreation Committee and the Blyth Centre of the Arts were angered over problems with the hall's heating system. The heating pump in the hall hasn't functioned properly since it's installation two years ago. It has had a num i. r of mechanical defaults which has lead to a major heating problem in the lower an.l tori um. Because of problems with the previous contractor's inability to rectify the situation, Canadian General Electic, the manufacturer of the heating system recommended a new contractor to take over the project. Fenton Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Wiring Ltd. of Stratford has made a number of repairs on the heat pump itself for a cost of $1,511. The firm is now proposing a list off changes that will allow the heat pump to adequately heat the lower auditorium. The main change that is being proposed is a duct change that would make the operation more efficient. The change is estimated to cost $3,5i 1. The citizen's complaint suggested that the work being done now should be paid by Weisher Plumbing and Heating of Listowel because it was felt the system had been improperly installed from the beginning. Council has paid Weisher $1,050 to date and is with holding $1,500 because the project was not completed to their satisfaction. Representatives from the Blyth Centre of the Arts and the recreation committee voiced their concerns over what was going to be done regarding the payments for the project. A special meeting will be held this week involving council, the recreation corn- mittee, Blyth Centre for the Arts and Chris Borgal, the past engineer of the project. In the meeting legal implications and courses of action will be explored. Council also discussed repairing the hall ceiling and with the support of the Blyth Centre off the Arts and the recreation committee, derided that repairs should wait until the village knows were it stands with the heating system problem. The costs for repairing the heating system will render their decision on how to repair the ceiling. Downtown plan In other business council heard a presentation from Nick Hill from Borgal and Hill Architecture of Goderich proposing that the village consider a downtown beautification plan. Mr. Hill's plan included a proposed study of Blyth that would include ar- chitectural drawings of the improvement areas and interviews with local merchants to get their ideas on downtown 1urn topage :1 ers get help insulation and inquired to the Huron County Homeowners group about ob- taining more information. The course was held four hours each day commencing on January 31 and ending on F'ebuary 3 when final examinations were written Mr Godin said the course was designed by the federal government to inform contractors and homeowners about for- maldehyde insulation and how to safely remove it from homes. Other options in- cluded sealing formaldehyde gas leaks and installing proper ventilation partial pressurization). Registration for the course we -e, $25 for homeowners and $145 for contractors Thr fees included extensive reading material as well as an in-depth explanation con rerning air and moisture dynamo asci house construction Mr Godin rrnphasnecl the fact that those two points are nomt important when learning about the dangers of firmaldehyde insulation "When the insulation was first put inti, Turn to nage, 1