HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1983-04-13, Page 1incorporating
Wednesday, Aprii1 13, 1983
No more dust, no.more complaints
y Shelley McPhee
Matilda Street residents rejoice, your
street will be paved this year.
After many years of complaints and
requests, Matilda Street residents in
Clinton will finally be giving up their dirt
trail for a newly constructed street.
Clinton council has accepted a tender
from Lavis Construction to rebuild and
pave Matilda from Bond Street to the CNR
tracks.
As well this year's street work will see
the final coat of asphalt on North Street
from Huron to John Streets.
It will cost Clinton $99,138.75 to complete
the work. The project will be partially
financed through the Ministry of Tran-
sportation and Communications (MTC)
annual construction subsidy which this
year amounts to $50,500. There is a good
possibility that the total price will increase
with extra costs for sewer work, hydrant
relocations and street lighting.
in approving this year's street program
council trimmed off several other works
projects to keep in line with the maximum
MTC subsidy. Omitted from the 1983
proposal was further work on Matilda
from Walker to Bond Streets; on Rat-
tenbury from Shipley to North Streets and
on Princess Street.
Council studied four bids before ex-
cepting the low Lavis tender. Other bids
came from C.A. Mcllowell, Seal -on Paving
Ltd. from Chatham and TCG Construction
in London.
French Fries for sale
Council has given approval to Wayne
Layton to operate a french fry truck in
downtown Clinton.
The truck will be set-up on Albert Street
in a section of the empty lot beside the
Commercial Printers. It is scheduled to
operate from 11:30 a.m. ' 4 p.m. on week-
days and weekends.
Saabdivison p1 s,ns
Clinton developer 1 on deMers was
scheduled to meet with council members
last week, regarding a proposed housing
development on Smith Street, south of
High Street.
Mr. deMers owns four lots on the east
side of the street and he plans to build
homes there. He and council were meeting
to establish an agreement to determine
who will put in the roads, sewers and street
lighting.
New business still under study
Clinton's ".town solicitor, Beecher
I�
a treet
Menzies, has now been asked to look into
the legalities of allowing an antique
business, Branson Place, to establish in a
residentially zoned area on Ontario Street.
The new business proposal has been
under question by Clinton council, the town
and county planning boards for two
months. It would contravene the existing
residential zoning bylaw, but because of
the nature of the business the planning
board has recommended its approval.
Emmanuel Nickolaou has proposed
Branson Place as a home occupation.
Restored and refinished antiques and fine
art would make up the furniture in the
Nikolaou home and would be sold to a
select clientele.
The planning board recommended
approval, providing that Branson Place
follow the town's official plan guidelines.
These state that the retail outlet roust be
compatible with the residential area and
the commercial use must be secondary to
the residential use, meaning that the retail
display must be low key.
Clerk Cam Proctor explained, "It can be
permitted if we pass the proper bylaw and
neighboring property owners have no
complaint."
Councillor Ross Carter asked, "Aren't
we going to get ourselves in quite a mess if
others want to do the same thing?"
"It will have a residential character,"
Councillor Jim Hunter explained. He noted
that there are nine other shops of this type
in Clinton and noted, "If we want to shut
down one, why not shut down them all. We
shouldn't and we don't want to do that."
He also reminded Councillor Carter of
the bookkeeping business he runs out of his
own home. "Would you like to move up-
town to a shop?" Councillor Hunter asked.
Mr. Menzies will be ask ,1 to study the
problems that might arise if ranson
Place was sold. Would the zoning for an
antique business or home 'ob'eutrattlian
continue, or would it cease?
Historic i)1 tours
LACAC is looking for help this summer
to help organize a historical tour brochure
of Clinton.
A summer student hired by the town to
work in the municipal offices may be
available to do this work and to research
further properties for heritage
designation.
Complex approval
In what Clerk Cam Proctor called record
time, the Clinton town hall -library con-
struction bylaw has received approval
ital meetin
11 be hsi
On April 25 the Clinton Hospital
Auxiliary will be hosting 225 delegates to
the Spring Conference of the Hospital
Auxiliaries of Ontario. Delegates at-
tending will be coming from the Region 2
district, an area covered from Wingham to
St. Marys, east to Guelph.
The day long event will be held at the
Ontario Street United Church in Clinton.
The day will begin with registration from
9:30 to 10 a.m. After the official opening,
delegates will take part in five various
workshops.
Following lunch the annual meeting and
installation of officers take place. The
second half of the program will also
feature a guest speaker and the afternoon
will conclude between 2:30 and 3 p.m. An
Study will decide
111. Cl° t n
invitation has also been extended to take a
tour of the Clinton hospital's new addition.
Lunch catering has been arranged and
the committee is counting on Clinton
Auxiliary members to arrange for their
lunchoen ticket before April 18.
For more information call conference
committee members: Esther Wright,
president; Ruth Bond, past president;
Margaret Caldwell, convenor and Mrs.
Kathleen Siertsema.
This is not the first time the Clinton
Auxiliary has taken an active role in the
Ontario Association. The Clinton group is
honored to have Peggy Menzies as the
provincial president and Donna Wood as
secretary.
omputers for Duron?
BY STEPHANIE LEVESQUE
In a 16 to 14 recorded vote Huron County
council has approved using the firm of
Woods Gordon of London to conduct a com-
puter feasibility study for the county.
Council, at its March 31 meeting, heard
repeated arguments opposing the study
led by Zurich Reeve Don Van Patter. The
Zurich reeve has opposed the idea of the
feasibility study from the beginning
stating the county could invite computer
firms in to suggest the type of computer
which would be best for the county.
The study has been budgeted at $25,000,
although Morris Township Reeve William
Elston said the cost of the study has been
estimated at about $17,000 plus travel and
mileage. He noted the study would deter-
mine if the county needs a computer and if
it does. what kind it needs.
East Wawanosh Township Reeve Neil
Vincent moved that the whole idea of a
computer study be sent back to the ex-
ecutive committee This motion was
defeated by council
Executive committee member Brussels
Reeve Calvin Krauter said that corrunittee
has studied the question. He added the
county could ask several companies to
recommend computers to the county, but
stated, "how much smarter would we be,
not one iota."
"I do have experience in computers, per-
sonal experience," said Reeve Van Patter
adding if county council couldn't make a
decision on what type of computer to buy
"there is something wrong with the
system."
"The question is whether we even need
one (computer). Woods Gordon is in the
business of doing this and will tell us if we
need a computer and if so, what kind we
need," said Hullett Reeve Tom Cunn-
ingham.
Exeter Deputy Reeve Lossy Fuller
disagreed. "1 don't think it's a question of
need or not, but keeping up with the
times." She agrees with the idea of the
county being on a computer system, but
118th year
11
from the Ontario Municipal Board. The
approval came two weeks after the bylaw
was sent to Toronto.
Council now has the authority to pass the
bylaw, allowing the town to call tenders for
the project and finance it, a necessary,
through debentures.
Souvenir pins
The new town hall will be proudly
displayed on lapel pins.
Council will buy 2,500 plastic coated pins
ave
from Bill Kiehl Advertising for 92 cents
each.
The shield shaped pins will depict the
town hall and will be sold for ap-
proximately $1.50 each.
In accepting the Riehl package, council
turned down a price from Mike Russo,
1,000 pins at $1.48 apiece.
Council hopes that some of the pins will
arrive in time to sell at Klompen Feest and
the Spring Fair.
e
b!essing or
y Rod Hilts
Now that spring is officially here we can
forget about the threat of the winter that
never happened. This past winter we were
essed with the mildest seasonal weather
on record. Although many people didn't
miss the high winds, drifting snow and sub-
zero temperatures, a lot of local
businesses did. After all a lot of businesses
thrive on snow and ice.
Murray Taylor, the owner of Sterling
Fuels in Clinton says the mild winter has
put a 20 per cent decrease on home fuel
consumption this year.
"Business has been down about one
dump per house this year," said Mr.
Taylor.
Another business affected by the lack of
snow this winter was H..ly Gully, who
report a 25 per cent decrease in
snowmobile sales compared to last year.
According to owner Randy Collins, the
early spring weather we've experienc-..
this year has caused his sales to soar in
other areas.
"The weather was adverse for
snowmobile sales but good for bike sales.
Overall they've balanced each other out,"
said Mr. Collins.
With little snow on the ground the
wearing of winter boots hasn't been
neccessary this past winter. Despite the
balmy weather boot sales were "good"
according to Willa Wuerth, of Wuerth
Shoes in Clinton.
"Both our stores had a good boot selling
winter. The city stores had more problems
On April 10 a Country and Western Jamboree was held at
Vanastra. On stage the Country Companions were a piekin' an' a
grinnin' to a jam-packed Vanastra Community (entre. (Rod
Hilts photo)
Tuekersmith okays ar
By Wilma Oke
it's unanimous. The five municipalities
which own and operate the Seaforth and
District Community ('entre have now all
given approval to the 1983 budget for the
centre.
In a vote of three to one Tuckersmith
Township Council approved the revised
budget of $165,255 for the centre. The
revision includes a reduction of $1,900 in
capital expenses from the previous
proposal and the resulting deficit proposed
now is$34,405.
Councillor ,John Brownridge was not
satisfied the budget had changed and
declared he could not approve it. Reeve
Robert Bell ( who does not vote on motions
unless to cut a tie vote) said he was willing
to give the management committee of the
centre the benefit of the assurance by Ken
Campbell, chairman of the management
committee for the centre, that many of the
expenses in this first year of operating will
not he incurred in future years.
Tuckersmith and Hullett Townships both
refused to approve the first proposed
budget hut now both townships have ap-
proved the revised edition, following the
lead of the other three municipalities who
approved the first proposal. The Town of
Seaforth, which pays the largest share, the
Township of McKillop the second largest
share and Hibbert Township the second
smallest share used their combined vote of
over 80 per cent to carry the budget
through for approval.
Richard Koostra of R.K. 5, Clinton, a
resident of Stanley Township, who plans to
build a feed mill on Highway 4, attended
the council session to answer questions on
I he site plan for his business. He stated he
was anxious to be neighborly and not rause
Aust problems for a nearby restaurant and
lxiat works in Tuckersmith Township.
Councillor Robert Broadfoot and Deputy
I(eeve William Brown said they were
nncerned about the business firms in
their township and asked for written
,r.ssurances from Mr. Koostra that the
prevailing westerly winds would not cause
dust problems. Mr. Koostra promised to
rive a site plan giving exact footage back
n his property the silos would be located
10 Tuckersmith's building inspector,
ilerman VanWieren
Passed were applications for four tile
drainage loans for $15,000, $18,662, 815,000
and $18,000 for a total of $66,662.
Two drains were discussed at length -
'idams and Archibald
:ry bud et
Councillor Broadfoot asked council to
consider starting naming committees to
mark the celebration in ,January, 1985 of
the 150th anniversary of the township.
('Ierk ,lack McLachlan was authorized to
attend the Association of Municipal Clerks
and Treasurers of Ontario in Goderich on
April 21.
T
Weather
1983 1982
APR11, HI tO HI 1.0
5 5 2 4 9
6 o 0 5 11
7 12 4 , 4 13
8 7 2 0 10
9 7 i 4 5
10 11 2 2 3
11 8 0 3 1
Ram 17 mm Snow 4 crn
,e.rvsem....,eaanaamrom.e.el
curse?
with sales. They had to put away about 60
per cent of their boots for next fall," she
said.
Mrs. Wuerth added that because of the
mild winter, the selling season for runnuig
shoes and other spring footwear has
moved up a month. She said that stock for
some lines of spring footwear is back-
ordered already.
-Normally in March we have bad
weather and people are still buying boots
This year they started buying running
shoes early," said Mrs. Wuerth.
While the winter has sent a chill through
some area businesses, it has been a
blessing to the municipalities.
According to Clinton Clerk Cam Proctor
this year's mild winter has saved the town
"a nice little chunk."
Mr. Proctor had no immediate figures
on how much money was actually saved
but gave a brief comparsion of the months
of January, February and March of 1982
and 1983.
In 1982 during the span of the above
months one snowplow operator in the town
accumulated 257 hours of street plowing.
During the same period in 1983, the
operator was out for only 25 or 30 hours.
This represents a signifacant savings for
the town.
In the village of Blyth, Clerk Larry
Walsh estimates that the village saved
"between 4 or $5,000" on snow removal
this past winter.
in Bayfield, the village was able to limp
by with a broken down grader. This year
the council will look at replacing the
equipment, but in 1983 snow removal and
equipment costs saved the taxpayers'
more than $4,000.
On a larger scale the Ministry of
Transportation and Communications
( MTC), in the Stratford district, which
includes the plowing of highways in the
counties of Huron, Perth, Dufferin,
Wellington and the Regional Municipality
of Waterloo, saved a substantial amount of
money.
According to District Engineer Ed
Zavitski, the MTC saved about $500,000 by
virtue of a winter with very little snowfall.
One industry that benefited from the
mild weather is the Lake Huron fishing
businesses.
McLeod Fisheries in Bayfield is
operating about a month early this year
than they did last season. An early start
should mean more profit to fisherman.
All in all, depending on how it's looked
at, the mild winter of '83 was either a
blessing or a curse to the people in the
Clinton area. Where money was lost in
some businesses, the majority of us gained
by saving in other important areas.
Sc ool year
c
iTdar set
The Huron County Board of Education
approved the 1983-84 school year calendar
at its April meeting incorporating the two
week Christmas holiday and week earlier
March break approved previously.
The usual school holidays include
Thanksgiving Day on Oct. 10, Christmas
holidays from Dec. 19 to Jan. 1, winter
break from March• 12 to 16, Good Friday on
April 20, Easter Monday on April 23 and
Victoria Day on May 21.
The professional activity days for
elementary and trainable mentally retard-
ed schools are on Friday, Sept. 23; Friday,
Oct. 28; Wednesday, Nov. 23; Friday, Feb.
24; Friday, May 4; Monday, June 4 and
Wednesday, June 27 to Friday, June 29. _
County -wide PA days for the secondary
schools will be held on Friday, Oct. 28;
Monday, April 2 and from Monday, June 2.5
to Friday, June 29. Seaforth District High
School will be holding its own PA days on
Thursday, Jan. 26 and Friday. Jan. 27.
South Huron District High School will be
holding additional PA days on Friday,
Feb. 3 and Friday, June 22. Central Huron
Secondary School, Clinton; F. E. Madill
Secondary School, Wingham: and
Goderich District Collegiate Institute will
be holding their additional days on
Thursday, June 21 and Friday, June 22.
Separate teachers
e co ura _ ed to
evaluate marks
Huron -Perth Separate School teachers
will be encouraged to use the Ontario
Assessment instrument Pool OA f P i as a
method of evaluating students' work
Using the OAiP is one of the recom-
mendations suggested in a review of grade
seven and eight history taught in the
board's schools.
Superintendent of education .John
McCauley explained to trustees at their
March 28 meeting that OA IP is a province -
wide list of test questions in various
subjects.
All schools have the Ontario Assessment
Instrument Pool in print and the teachers
are using it to produce better testss." said
Mr McCauley
The review of the hoard's history
curriculum was recently conducted by a
representative of the Ministry of
Education and a consultant from the
Windsor Separate School Board The
review concludes that history is tieing well
delivered in the separate schools and
makes several recommendations on
various aspects of the history curriculum
Director of education William Eckert
noted that OAiP and other methods of
delivering topics and testing of students'
knowledge will he part of a professional
development day program in the roming
year