Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1981-09-30, Page 1116th year—No. 39 Wednesday, September 30, 1981 Wea t he.r 1981 1980 111 10 HI 10 SEPTEMBER 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 14 '4 13 2 16 -2 15 9 21 11 19 11 12 1 Rain 14n:im 23 13 18 9 16.5 0 17 7.5 11 5 13 2 15 0 Rain 3.04 Clinton hasuniirnited possibilities says speaker --'rOne of the largest gatherings of business people ever to assemble in Clinton were told Tuesday that Clinton has "a unique main street with unlimited possibilities," but the "attitude of the business people and the townspeople will determine if the town will move ahead." Those were a few of the words spoken by Jim Mullaly of Chatham, chairman of that city's Business Improvement Area (BIA) and a downtown merchant. Mr. Mullaly told the 70 people. at Clin- ton's Business Improvement Area's an- nual dinner that cleaning -up the town and instilling a sense of pride should be the top priorities in the town. "It may take as little as 15 minutes or a few days work is all that's needed to clean up these sore thumbs," he said as he described his first visit to Clinton earlier that day. "I suspect a large number of tourists pass through this town. Make then feel welcome, give them a reason to "stop. People won't stop when they see uncut lawns, litter blowing in the streets, and unkept buildings," Mr. Mullaly said. He complimented Clinton . on the new look the town was getting with the recently completed BIA projects, "but include the Joanne Sharp brushes away a tear after getting a standing ovation at the Central Huron Secondary School commencement exercises last Friday night where she received her graduation diploma. Despite a tragic car accident last spring, she was determined to finish her year and did so despite overwhelming odds. A special commencement souvenir edition will appear in next week's News -Record. (Steve Oliver photo About this time ever year, like snowflakes in from a Lake Huron squall, predictions start flying about what kind of winter we're going to have here in Ontario, and in particular, here in the snowbelt next to Lake Huron. Everybody and their mother's uncle is giving predictions out, free of charge, and depending on who you listen too, the winter will range from warm and wet to cold and dry. Will we have a winter like 1946, when the grain was in by February? Or will it storm like it did in 1971 when the kids were trapped in the schools for nearly a week? Or will we have 13 feet of snow like we did in 1977 when the highways between Clinton and Hensall, and Clinton and Goderich were reduced to single lane tunnels in spots? Perish the thought, the natives say. The Farmer's Almanac, for instance, predicted a warm winter last' year, followed by a hot summer and a fall drought. Well nobody's perfect, and 100 per cent right all the time so they can be excused, 1 guess, that they were totally wrong and we had a cold winter, a cool summer, and as any bean farmer already knows, a wet fall So much for their credibility 4 But the prognosticators at Farmer's Almanac remain undaunted and associate editor Peter Geiger predicts an average winter across Canada, adding that the Great Lakes region will be dryer than usual. Spring will arrive on time in 1982, and will be followed by a rainy sum- mer. However, the Old Farmer's Almanac says the exact opposite, claiming 80 per cent accuracy. According to them, the East will freeze, the South will shiver, and forecast a major snowstorm over theChristmas holidays. Above average snows will cover New England, the Midwest, and the Ohio Valley, but they don't get specific about Huron County. We haven't heard local clairvoyant Vera McNichol's prediction yet, but the fearless Fitzgerald prediction is now in, based on the activity of the squirrels on our oak tree, and the thickness of the hair on the back of the wdolley cater- pillers six-year-old Andrea has collected in the last couple of days in the garden. The black and brown fellows seems to have a thicker than normal coat of fur, and the black bands are larger than normal, meaning a nasty winter. But based on the law of averages, I refute the busy squirrls as well and predicte a dryer than normal, slightly wangler than normal winter. However, that doesn't rule out a couple of those nasty squalls off Lake Huron that periodically vent their fury on us. + + The Main Street Wit, a veteran of the snowbelt, says that what this country needs is a safety net for people who jump to conclusions. He's also nostalgic now that winter's nearly here and asks: 'Do you remember when the 'E' on your furnace nil tank used to stand for empty and not expensive?" + + + Just a couple of reminders that the Lions Clubs will be nut in Bayfield and Clinton on Saturday for their regular monthly pick-up of newspapers, and the Kiompen Feest meeting will be held next Tuesday, October6, beginning at8 pm at the Town Hall. Feest plans must he firmed up, so they need more volunteers. Also, don't forget the blood donors clinic next Tuesday at CHSS, and the regular hockey season gets started rr week. whole town ink your BIA project, not just the core area." "If everybody has a sense of pride in their community it helps everybody," he said. "You have many beautiful historic buildings here, your main street is not a strip, take advantage of that." "People remember a friendly word and good service too," he said. Merchants should stick together and do promotions and sales on a united basis, not each one haphazardly. In Goderich Twp. Fire • stolen car Carolyn Greidanus, 17, of Londesboro escaped injuries and the car she was driving only resceived $800 in damages following a • September 23rd single car crash. The car was travelling down Sideroad 30-31 in Hullett Township when the driver Turn to page 3 • Mr. Mullaly described the history and growth of Chatham's BIA project from the dark days a few years ago when Chatham's main street was full of empty stores, run down buildings, and suffering from competition from outlying malls. He told how they finally formed a BIA committee and decided to give the downtown a new image to attract shoppers by cleaning up, adding plants and at- tracting new business. They are now I urn to page 3 • Clinton firemen answered a call in Goderich Township on September 24th when an abandoned van was discoveredin a mass of flames on Concession 13 and 14. The Goderich OPP reported that the van was stolen from London but no one was present when the gutted vehicle was discovered. Clinton's oldest resident, Norman Ball celebrated his 97th birthday on Sunday, when his family held an open house for him at the Summerhill Hall. Born on September 25, 1884 near Summerhill, he has been living at Huronview for the past two months, but was able to put in a garden this spring at his Rattenbury Street home. (James Fitzgerald photo) Public school teachers contract ratified BY STEPHANIE LEVESQUE The average salary for an elementary school teacher in Huron County is $27,690 following ratification of the 1981-1982 contract. The Huron County Board of Education ratified the contract at its Sept. 10 meeting, while the members of the Ontario Public School Men's Teacher Federation and the Federation of Women Teachers of Ontario ratified on Monday, Sept. 21. Neil Straw, incoming 1981-82 pre§ident of the OPSMTF said the ratification meeting was well attended . and the contract was ratified by a 90 per cent vote. Mr. Straw.; a teacher at • Huron Centennial Pubs School, Clinton said the teachers were pleased=withthecontract. ' 'In the contract, the average principal's salary is $42,670. In Huron County, there are 340.3 elementary school teachers and 23 principals. The contract represents a 12 per cent increase, including principals and• teachers salaries. Teachers' salaries represent 66.5 per cent of the elementary budget. The total cost of the elementary teachers' salaries is $9,422,994, up from $8,354,684. The total cost of the principals' salary is $981,401, up from $913,401. The teacher grid, which lists teachers' salaries in seven categories, ranging from the starting year to 10 years with the board, starts at $13,900 and ends at$36,000. The categories are according to the teachers' qualifications. For the principals, the calculation of their salary changed this year. Previously they had their own grid 'which for 1980-81 ,ranged fro>Eri $33,357 to $39,457. This year, 1981-82 a principal's salary is calculated by the teachers' grid plus $8,000. The vice -principals' salaries, of which there are 10 in the county, are calculated by the teachers' grid plus their own grid. The vice -principals' grid is as follows, with 1980-81 figures in brackets; starting $3,200 ($3,024 ), first year $3,400 ($3,240), second year $3,700 ($3,456 ), third year $3,900 ($3,672). Other changes in the Huron elementary school contras include life insurance under fringe benefits. In the previous Tractor pull coming The tires will be churning, the engines will be smoking and the dust will be flying when the big, powerful tractors and trucks come to Clinton on Saturday night. The thrill and the challenge of tractor pulling will be featured at .the Clinton grandstand.starting at 6:30 pm in a special end -of -season pull. Sponsored by the Clinton Kinsmen Club, the big meet will be put on by the Western Ontario Tractor .Pullers Association WOTPA) and will feature nine classes of competition. Rolls Royce motors, modified engines, four-wheel drive trucks, out -of- f ield machines and even an antique tractor class will be included in the evening event. WOTPA vice-president Jim Middleton of Negotiations off fact finder appointed Negotiations between the secondary school teachers and the Huron County Board of Education have broken off. Mediator Professor Jeffrey Gandz of the University of Western Ontario said "the two parties are far apart", when asked why negotiations had broken off. The professor said the next step is for the Education Relations Commission to ap- point a fact -finder by early October. Prof. Gandz said he will remain as mediator. Ann Barrett, of Toronto, has been ap- pointed as a fact finder by the Education Relations Commission in the negotiations between the trustees and secondary school teachers of the Huron County Board of Education. As a fact finder, Ms. Barrett will meet with the parties and make a report stating which matters have been agreed to and which matters remain in dispute. The report may also contain recommendations for settlement.. Ms. Barrett, a graduate of Osgoode Hall I,aw School, has had previous fact finding appointments in: Timmins (secondary), Kirkland Lake (secondary) and Niagara South (secondary). Ms. Barrett will be assisted by Mr. Robert Ratcliffe, of Toronto. This appointment is made under section 14 of the School Boards and Teachers Collective Negotiations Act, Revised Statutes of Ontario, 1980. RR 3, Clinton noted thatantique tractor pulling is the newest addition to the popular competition, beginning just over a year ago. It's expected that drivers from throughout Ontario and the United States will take part in the pull and Mr. Middleton explained that as one of the last pulls of the season, many competitors will be anxious to take home one more win. The WOTPA only featured five sanctioned pulls this season, which is fewer than in past years, and Mr. Middleton said that the Clinton competition should be well attended. Starting at6:30 pm on Saturday, October 3rd, proceeds from the pull will be donated to the Clinton Hospital Building Fund and the Clinton Kinsmen hope to raise several thousand dollars. All classes in the pull are open. Com- petitors are welcome, and weighing -in time will begin by 4 pm with registration to follow at 5 pm. contract, the board paid 75 per cent of the premium for $30,000 coverage. That has been changed to the board paying 100 per cent of the first $25,000 life insurance coverage. P.A. • Gryseels, personnel relations administrator for the Huron County Board of Education, said the change represents no o increased cost to the board. Something new, in the agreement ,bet- ween the elementary school teachers and the board is a teacher funded leave plan. This plan allows a teacher to take a year's leave of absence if they wish, receiving 80 per cent of the salary over five years. Mr. Gyseels said previouslyif a teacher took a year's leave of absence, they did .so only Lambton and Wellington surpass without pay. He. sald originally designed to help alleviate declining enrolment at the secondary school level. Other changes in the elementary school contract werewording clarification in appointment to principal's position, grievance of accumulated sick `leave, transfer, mileage, teacher evaluation; and grievance procedure. In comparison to surrounding, boards, including Bruce, Grey, Lambton, Mid- dlesex (excluding London), Perth, Wellington and the Huron -Perth Separate School Board, Huron County elementary school teachers are the third highest. Comparing the A4 category 'maximum, Fund reaches $S0, 010 mark Donations are still coming in steadily in the Clinton Hospital's fund raising draw, but the project can't get started until there is $170,000 in funds and pledges, one of the fund raising committee members said this week. George Lavis of -the fund raising com- mittee, said Tuesday that the hospital board is under orders not to proceed with construction of the $866,000 addition until they have at least $170,000. "We Can't stress enough that we are under orders from the ministry of health to stall the start of construction until we can prove we have enough cash flow, " Mr. Lavis said. • "We're very pleased with the amount and size of the donations so far, ranging from $100 to $1,000, but we're asking people to make a commitment now, so we can get the project started," he said. "There's no question that the project will go ahead, for the sake of Clinton's future medical health. If we hope to attract and keep good medical help, we must have modern facilities for them to work in," Mr. l,avis said. A total of $353,000 will have to be raised by public fund raising, with the remainder being financed by a $303,000 grant from the ministry of health. a $110,000 grant from county council, and a $100,000 from the hospital's capital building fund. Donations can be either mailed to the Clinton Hosptial Building Fund, c -o the Clinton Public Hospital, or phone Carolyn Pfaff at the hospital at 482-3447 or Steve Cooke at 482-7012 for pick-up. All donations are eligible as income tax deductions. Penny sale nets most $$$ ever The most successful annual penny sale since its beginning 27 years ago was held Saturday in the Clinton Town Hall. Approximately $3,500 was realized due to the excellent co-operation of local and area merchants and private cash donors producing beautiful useful and necessary articles for prizes totalling over 200. The assistance by Hospital Auxiliary members and their friends attending the sale of tickets as well as organizing the display and the draw was most ap- p eciated. The enthusiasm and generosity orthe ticket buyers is noted and a special thank you is elsewhere in this edition. The Clinton Area Fire Board took delivery of their new fire pumper on Tuesday, and within a few days she will be outfitted and ready to replace the old 1949 model, which will he retired. Looking at the new $50,000 unit are, left to right. engineer Doug Cartwright, depute chief Fred Lobb. • hicf Clarence Ne'lan, Chester Archibald. Tuckergmith c•ouncillnr Biot, Broadfont, and salesman Howard MacKay of ling Seagra'r of Woodstock. James Fitzgerald photo