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Clinton News Record, 1981-03-12, Page 11 l6th year —No. 10 Thursday, March 12. 1981 40 Wecither 1981 HI LO MARCH 3 _4.5 — &5 4 1 —12 5 1 —3 6 —1 —10 • 7 Al — 6 8 2 —2 9 4 —2 Snow 7 cm CAGE will open education do By Shelley McPhee In an attempt to improved the quality of education, to reinstate the recently dropped courses in the local high schools and to have more • voice in the, ad- .11411iatrati9pe fivecieivoActton ro for Education (CAGE) wasformedin ton on March 9. Over 70 people attending the open meeting at the Clinton Public School unanimously agreed to form CAGE as the public's voice for education in Huron County. Headed by Moira Couper of Bayfield, CAGE aims to study educatiori in the county and monitor action which is taken to reduce the standards of education. As was most people's concern, CAGE plans to research and obtain information in an attempt to re -open the machine shop at Central Huron Secondary School (CHSS) and 20 other courses that were recently dropped in Huron's high schools. CAGE will also encourage co-operation between elected officials of the board of education, teachers, students and parents. There was no opposition to the formation of TCi4GE' addrnei�`Nai-lanito "Clinfion commented, "This group' has a real fun- ction to perform. We need a well rounded education in Huron and I support CAGE." Many of the 70 in attendance agreed that the taxpayers and the parents had been silent for too long and they supported Mike Falconer of Clinton when he stated, "Stand up and fight for your rights and your children's." "You're part of the problem," .a he,added. tekt tune there is a teadieis' strike you'll have to get behind the board of education, even if your children's education has to suffer for four or five months." Water costs balloon By Herb Shoveller Yearly and substantial budget increases and cost overruns in the ministry of the environment's operation of the water and Premier Bill Davis' appearance at a rally and dinner held in the Exeter Legion Hall Wednesday night was a sellout. Here Huron -Middlesex PC candidate Jim Britnell of Goderich, master of ceremonies Fred Darling of Exeter and Premier Bill Davis chat while waiting for the rally to get underway. (photo by Gibb) "Come on people, help keep the promise, Davis can do it. Come on people, you can do it," goes the new jingle blasting us every few minutes from the radio and TV. Sounds like a new commercial for soap or a perhaps a colored, scented toilet tissue, doesn't it? But it isn't. It's all part of the Progressive Conservatives election strategy to package Premier Bill like a shiny new car, and market him like the breweries would do with a new beer. And the trouble is, because most people are a sucker for a catchy ad campaign, as the Davis high -paid market researchers have found, the electors will likely put the Davis Tories back in with a majority government. Forget about the issues, forget that all those million dollar promises will end up being -paid "fromthe taxpayer's pocket; just give the people the fluff, the smiling Davisface. Never say anything bad, just smile, smile, smile, and Ci 11 the other leaders Mr. Negatives. Never mind the farm bankruptcies, the soaring interest rates, the lack of an agricultural policy, and education system that gives us less for more or the young people leaving the provinces in hordes for greener fields, just smile, while he sticks it to you. That's why he called a winter elec- tion, so he could fight the whole thing behind a masquerade of misleading radio and TV images. And with an advertising budget five times the size of the other two parties put together, Davis' exposure is completely over- whelming any opposition there might have been. At least in the old days when the politicians bought you with your own money, you at least got a free drink or two out of it. Now we won't even have a hang over to show for"it. It's time that the whole set-up was changed to not only give us more fairer representation, but there should be definite limits to the amount of money spend on an election campaign. Davis is trying to make leadership an issue, and after 38 years of leading us down the garden path, it sure is. + + + Well, after that little spouting,.I guess you know who I'm not voting for, but by, jim Fitzgerald don't let that spoil your record. If you are one of those Conservatives who have are carrying on a family tradition dating back five or six generations of always supporting the same party, then that won't bother you one bit. But just remember, Frank Miller's still in the cabinet. + ++ The Main Street Wit, adding his two cents worth of sagacity, says that editors are like people who are usually willing to meet each other halfway. Trouble is, most of us are poor judges of distances. + + + The election around here sure isn't stirring up much interest. With only a week to go until polling day, the talk around the coffee tables and beer tables just hasn't got around to the. plus and minuses of the three parties._ ...... .. ........ . And just in case you won't be able to get out next Thursday, you can vote at one of the advance polls being held this Thursday, March 12, Saturday, March 14, or next Monday, March 16. Polls are open from 11 am until 8 pm each day. + + + It's really touching that the first piano off the line at the revived Sherlock -Manning piano factory will be staying in the area. The instrument was purchased by the Goderich TowA''hs ip Senior Citizens Club, using part of their New Horizon's grant, and will grace the new hall at Holmesville. + + + Firemen were called out last Saturday night to chimney fire at the Wayne r Lester residence on Townsend Street, about 7:30, but thankfully there wasn't any damage. It's a good thing it wasn't a serious fire, as the main in- tersection was plugged with fire - engine -chasers, slowing the firemen down, and nearly causing some serious accidents. + 4 - Oh, Oh, no, just when we thought we'd gotten over the worst, along comes another Friday the 13th and all that bad luck, for the second month in a row. That must be some kind of rarity, isn't it? Anyway, we'll wish the Christian School kids the best of luck this Thursday and Friday as they put on their musical extravaganza, The Jungle Book. • sewer systems in Vanastra has left Tuckersmith council considering whether to take over the works themselves. For more than two hours last Tuesday night, council grilled Mark Bell, budget planner with the ministry, on his 1981 financial plan for the utilities, and on his budget underestimates in previous years. Mr. Bell's new 1981-82 budget for the work is $99,400, but when last year's works deficit is added, the township will have to pay the ministry $113,000. The 1980-81 budget was estimated at $82,000, but the final expenditure is ex- pected to be more than $92,000. It was the third year in a row the Ministry has overrun the budget. Council expressed concern so much was being spent to keep the systems func- tioning without upgrading the facilities. "I think it's time we took a look at taking the thing over," said deputy -reeve Bill Brown. The township is entitled to take over the system, after giving the ministry 12 month's notice, with the only stipulation being it can't reduce:the salaries of the current employees. Of the annual budget,, $46,000, is spent on salaries. "Their biggest cost is the salaries, and there is nothing we can do about that;" said councillor Bob Broadfoot. The township's only alternative, - should 'It' decide to take over the system, would be to "redline" - fix salary at one rate = an employee's wage for ten years, Mr. Bell told council. Councillor Broadfoot said he thought current salaries were quite high. The system's superintendent, after projected increases for the current year, will earn an estimated $23,500. "We are bound by the contracts negotiated by our personnel people and the union," explained Mark Bell. In the proposed 1981-82 budget, only about $2500 has been designated for upgrading the system while the balance goes to steep maintenance costs for a Turn to page 3 • 1980 HI LO —2 —19 3 8 2 —7 —3 —13 —1 —12 — 2 —16 —1.5 —18 Snow 8cm rs Tony McQuail, NDP candidate for Huron -Bruce suggested that CAGE work with the teachers rather than see them as adversaries.. "Parents for far too long have allowed thesnsel. .to-helis. ped oat education_., and the administration has opted out of administration," henoted. Mr. McQuail suggested that many of the problems in the education system are at the administration level and he said that CAGE should not "conduct a witch hunt" on the educators, but try to make the system work. It was suggested that CAGE take a close look at the high schools' curriculum in an attempt to trim off the excess fat and Don Welsh of R.R. 5 Clinton questioned the board's priorities. He noted that while the machine shop at CHSS has been dosed, the school still has a large football field and good physical education facilities. He Turn to page 3 • -:; a • Although many people have expressed their concern over the dropping of courses at high schools in Huron County, only about 70 turned out to a meeting last Monday night. One of the organizers, Bill Hearn is pictured with part of the audience. (James Fitzgerald photo) Town hall may get financial aid By Shelley McPhee A grant through the Heritage Canada Foundation may ease the financial burden of the Clinton town hall repairs. Clinton council learned at their March 2 meeting that Heritage Canada has ap- proved inprinciple a grant of up to $15,000 for the exterior renovation work already done on the 100 -year-old town hall. When, and . if definite approval is given, the money will help to pay for the costs of the underground structural repairs to the old muncipal office. The contract price on the repairs was set at $46,000, but the final figures will be much higher with the in - more funds. Clerk Cam Proctor noted that Heritage Canada said that normally Clinton wouldn't get any money since they didn't apply in advance. Mr. Hill suggested that if the council decided to continue renovating the town hall that they should apply for further grants immediately. "We should apply," he stressed, "just to know that there is money available if you decide to do further work." Mr. Hill noted that he was anxious to complete the painting and exterior work and suggested that once this was com- pleted, the general public could see the value in the town hall, and the extensive repairs w would be appreciated. Councillor ` Rosemary Armstrong commented, "We were led to believe that there were no grants available so further plans went under the table. We should Turn to page 3 • Clinton Hotel is sold elusion of—another- $21,000 . • will be redeveloped edevelo ed Presently, the town solicitor, Beecher Menzies and the ardiitect Chris Borgal of Hill and 8orgal of Goderich and at- tempting ' to reach an agreement ' on whether the unexpected costs should be pay by the town. • Nicholas Hill, of Hill and Borgal was present at 'council's recent meeting , and stated, "I want to be sure that Clinton is receiveing their fair share from Heritage Canada" While it had been earlier thought that no grant money would be available, Mr. Hill noted that Heritage Canada granted Goderich $40,000 to help pay for exterior repair work to their town hall and he noted, "The work's far less in scope than was done here." "I want to be sure we're pushing hard enough to get a fair share," .he em- phasized. Mr. Hill said that $15,000 was rather a modest grant and he said he would speak to Heritage Canada in an attempt to get No raises for Tuckersmith Tuckersmith council passed a by-law last week to maintain the same salary structure for councillors as in 1980. Reeve Bob Bell will continue to receive a yearly $500 honorarium and $55 per meeting. Deputy reeve Bill Brown receives a $300 total yearly along with $45 per n eeting. Councillors John Brownridge, Jim Pap- ple and Bob Broadfoot each get $300 yearly and $40 per meeting. Council. roust _meet for -amore_ than. two hours to collectthe regular rate. If the meeting lasts less than two hours, the fee is cut in half. Tuckersmith council intends to meet with representatives of Clinton PUC before it agrees to pay an additional 10 cents per 1,000 gauu115 to water supplied to Vanastra by the utility. Council agreed deputy reeve Bill Brown and councillor John Brownridge meet with the PUC to discover the reason, for the se- cond consecutive year, a 10 cent increase has been levied on the township. The latest raise will bring the water cost to 70 cents per 1,000 gallons, and hikes the township's monthly payment to the Clinton utility from $1200 to $1400. The Clinton request was described as ".more.._ __bad-_ _news." .:_by clerk_ eJack ,McLachlan before he read the PUC letter to council. Earlier in the meeting, council discussed with Ministry of the Environ- ment officials steep budget increases for the operation of the water and sewage system for Vanastra. Merchants back BIA plans By Jim Fitzgerald A crowd of 36 Clinton business people last Wednesday endorsed a $67,000 plan by the Business Improvement Association ( BIA) to spruce up the town core area, but the association decided to keep their own organization. The business people decided to back the scheme after seeing a presentation by architects Hill and Borgal at a packed dinner meeting at B artl iff's. The plan will see the cenotaph area, the fire hall, a section of Ontario Street at the Main corner, and part of Isaac Street at the Triangle Discount. landscaped. The plan would be funded by the province with a 10 year loan at one per cent interest, with half the loan being paid back by the town, and half by the business people in the core area through an extra assessment on their taxes. Payments would amount to $7,100 a year, said Mayor Chester Archibald, who was also present at the meeting. "There seems to be a concensus here," said Business Association president John Balfour. "It's time we put up or shut up. We should speak with one mind and body on this matter-" After the downtown renovation scheme is completed, then the BIA would become a promotional body for the town, doing what the business association once did. But the businessmen voted to keep their association and rename it the Clinton Business and Professional and lower fees to a straight $20 per year. The members also heard for about the progress of the Klompen Feest to be held in late May, from Bob Campbell, who said it would be the biggest thing since Cen- tennial. He gave an outline of the events, and urged the business people to participate by entering floats in the parade, and decorating their stores. They also heard a report from industrial committee chairman Mike Falconer, who outlined a proposal to set up and industrial park in Clinton. Town council has already put in an offer to purchase on some land and will then service it, and sell lots. By Jim Fitzgerald:..: The site of the burned down Clinton Hotel has been sold to a London development company, and it appears that' some sort of building will be erected on the site in within a year. A spokesman for the commercial division of Canada Trust, the ` London - based realtor who handled the deal, said, Tuesday he couldn't reveal who the new owners were as they were in the middle of negotiations with "several prospective tenants." Des Cassidy, owner of the hotel, which was destroyed in a $500,000, intentionally set fire last October 16, said the high in- terest rates on borrowed money ofered little incentive for his family to rebuild the structure. He also said town taxes of more than $6,000 a year on the building were cripp- pling the business. "I'rn paying more tax on the building than all the rest of the block put together (from Gerrard's to the Bank of Montreal corner.) You just can't do that much business to pay those kind of taxes.". Mr. Cassidy said the town should revoke Section 83 of the Assessment Act in the town which is especially hard on hotels: "It (the tax) will. kif the Elm Haven too," Mr. Cassidy said. • Mr. Cassidy said he still hasn't seen any insurance money from the fire because of the arson investigation; but he is going ahead with demolition of the burned out three-storey brick hotel, and Merner Contracting began taking the remains of the building away on Tuesday. The site is to be cleared by April 30, the closing date of the sale. in a few weeks, the historic Clinton to el w only ;e a memory as 'ernes s Con- struction moved in this week to level the building, burned in a fire last fall. The property has been sold to a London development firm who haven't revealled their plans yet. (James Fitzgerald photo)