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Clinton News-Record, 1985-3-27, Page 1INCORPORATING -T4 BLY TH STANDARD -1 F: lfA FlF:I,ID .BfL;Q;8.F: 50 CENTS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27,1985 120TH YEAR NO. -13 Farmers rally for Hydro bearing By James Friel EXETER - Landowners from Bruce, Huron and Middlesex counties have taken the first step to organizing a committee to battle the possibility of a hydro tower route through the three counties' class one and two agricultural land. Two meetings were held late last week by the Foodland Hydro Committee to receive input on organizing and financing an at- tempt to influence a provincial hearing which will decide the course of the last hydro route out of the Bruce Nuclear Power Development (BNPD). Over, 500 landowners attended the first meeting, held March 21 at South Huron District High School in Exeter and gave $13,220 to start financing hearing costs. A similar meeting was held March 22 at F.E. Madill Secondary School in Wingham. According to Tony McQuail, temporary ® chairman, the Wingham meeting was not as well attended, but it was no surprise because of the Friday scheduling. "There was similar unanimous support for the two motions" I to change the commit- tee's structure and gather finances for the hearing. Mr. McQuail, a Turnberry Township farmer, began proceedings with an outline of the findings of the Royal Commission on Electric Power Planning, the history of On- tario Hydro's attempts to develop a route from BNPD and information of the Foodland Hydro Committee's work at the original set of hearings in 1982. He ended the history with the result of the hearing's findings, which was a recommen- dation of the route the committee supported from BNPD to Essa. That recommendation was overturned after the Central Ontario Coalition, Southern Specialty Crop Commit- tee, the Cities of Kitchener and Cambridge, the Regional Municipality of Waterloo and the County of Oxford appealed to the Supreme Court of Ontario on the grounds "that they had not been adequately notified of the original hearing." Mr. McQuail, a member of the original Foodland Hydro Committee which faced the hearing board, also suggested Ontario Hydro will have their favored routes iden- Extensive damage irY stubborn fire tified in mid -1985 and that the next hearing will likely be held in late 1985 or early 1986. He added Hydro hopes to have approval by mid -1986 to permit property acquisition and construction to start in 1986 with a projected 1989 completion. Individual membership The Foodland Hydro Committee which represented interests at the 1982 hearing was an umbrella group for 14 farm organizations. According to its members, it was an adequate organization for the work which was done at the time. For this set of hearings, it was noted that a switch from committee membership form- ed of members from the 14 farm organiza- tions to a membership based on individual landowners is more appropriate. "We'll work on the basis of individual membership to take the pressure off the farm and rural organizations," said Mr. Mc - Quail. He also stressed the need for the grassroots connection for communication before the hearing process and the hearing itself. Turn to page 3 II The annual • Huron -Perth Area House League "Tt,urn.anaent featured action at all levels of minor hockey. Rivuls and plenty of stiff competition resulted in many overtime championship games at the 111. th and lainte►n Arenas. For complete de•taiI . ser the sq'e•ond section front page. Jjebenture leels raised CLINTQN - A new bylaw has been approv- ed by Clinton Council to raissthe debenture amounts on the Town Hall -Li rary Complex from $465,000 to a maxifi of $590,000.• Mayor Chester Archibald said that the debenture levels were generously set to cover any extra expenditures. He also noted that there's still hope that the' full deben- tures won't be issued if a Cultural Initiatives Grant from the federal government is ap- proved. The Clinton application is still under con- sideration and may have been bogged down by government changes, but Mayor Ar- chibald noted that if the grant is. approved, "Very little of this (the debentures) will be necessary." The increase in the debenture limits, $125,000, in total is accounted for in the com- pletion of the town hall auditorium. Tuckersmith grant okayed "A token gesture," is how Mayor Ar- chibald described a $500 grant given to the Tuckersmith Township Vanastra Recrea- tion Centre. In truth the township made a $500 grant to the Clinton area. The Vanastra Rec Centre makes a yearly appeal to area municipalities to help 'finance the facility, Huron County's only in- door pool. Correspondence from the Town hall auditorium needs chairs 41.1.410, Clinton Firefighters battled a blaze at the old creamery last week. The morning fire caused extensive damage to the building owned by Roy Vodden. Mr. Vodden was preparing to renovate the building for his new business location. False ceilings made the fire difficult to contain. This week, firefighters were called to the home of Neil Josling, 137 Townsend St., Clinton when a 2 a.m. blaze on March 2, filed the house with smoke and forced the Joslings out of thei beds. A furnace malfunction caused the fire, and smoke alarms sounded the warning. Fire Chief Fred Lobb said that smoke alarms helped save the home from serious damage and the Joslings from serious injury. (James Friel photo) Niceplace, but where do we sit? By Shelley McPhee CLINTON - What good is a theatre without chairs, a display centre without tables? It's no good at all, and that's the position that the Clinton Town Hall is sitting in. Recreation committee and town council are facing an unanticipated problem - lack of adequate furnishings. The problem came to the attention of Recreation Director Kevin Duguay recently when he became aware of the fact that the town hall auditorium and arena auditorium,are book- ed at future dates at the same time. The 500 chairs and several tables that the two facilities have been sharing won't go around. The Clinton Klompen Feest, for instance, is one function that has booked the arena auditorium for a May 18 -dance and the town hall auditorium for a theatre production that same night. "We'll have to scrounge up every chair in Clinton" Councillor Gord Gerrits told recreation committee members. Recreation committee recommended to council the purchase of 300 chairs and 30 tables - costing in the neighborhood of $11,000. Mr. Duguay noted that the high cost could be substantially offset by a Wintario grant. Wintario may come up with half the cost of the furnishings ($6.000) if the municipality kicks in the other $6,000. Recreation committee initially looked at the problem, and the $6,000 expenditure, with dismay and deep concern. Members noted that their budget could not accom- modate another major expenditure. However without the chairs, the recrea- tion committee felt that the town hall auditorium could be rendered useless. The auditorium couldn't be booked without chairs. The town hall reserve fund couldn't be increased without revenue from bookings and money wouldn't be available to buy equipment without the reserve fund. Councillor Burgess told recreation com- mittee, "After the money we've spent now, we can't have an empty room. We need tables and chairs. I realize that finances are tight, but the town can't afford not to have the programs halted." Recreation committee recommended that the town share a portion of the expense and suggested that $2,000 be budgeted from recreation, $2,000 from municipal expenses and the $1,700 reserve from the town hall funding towards the municipal share of the costs. Councillors Burgess, Jim Hunter and Gord Gerrits, council's recreation replsen- tatives, took this motion to council on March 18. Despite some concerns from the recrea- tion conunitke that council would reject the proposal, the majority of council was in full agreement that the chairs and tables pur- chase was essential. Councillor Burgess noted to council, "It boils down to this, the job wasn't finished. It the town hall auditorium) should have come with tables and chairs. It's like han- ding the clerk his office without furniture and telling him to sit on the floor." Clerk Cam Proctor also noted, "If the upstairs ( auditorium) is to be viable. it has to be furnished." Councillor Ross Carter voiced some op- position to the town's share of proposed ex- pense.. "Recreation is in a funny position. They want their owh show, their own budget, but they come back to us for money." He said that recreation should have its own budget and the recreation committee should "look after themselves." Councillor Gerrits replied, "Recreation is doing this. We said we can afford a $2,000 ex- penditure and asked if the town will kick in $2,000." Councillor Hunter also said that recrea- tion is trying to set a budget. The commit- tee, he noted, was asking for town support for the chair costs, because town hall book- ing revenues are split between the town and recreation, He further noted, "The auditorium should have been furnished with tables and chairs." Atter further discussion, council agreed that at least $2,000 of town funding would be made available for the purchase. Council will still discuss how the money will be budgeted. §ome consideration will be given to omitting the town hall reserve funding, or the recreation portion - with council kicking inthe biggest portion from general funds. Councillor Burgess favored the option of leaving the town hall reserve fund untouch- ed. This fund was established to purchase special equipment for the auditorium and Councillor Burgess said that by using the $1,700 savings in the reserve fund, "the town hall cultural program would be left without funis." Mayor Chester Archibald noted, "I feel we have to use the reserve fund. It was set up for this purpose," Councillor Gerrits also noted that the chair costs could be offset by a fund raising project. The recreation committee is con- sidering a buy -a -chair campaign. Chair pur- chasers would be recognized with a personal plaque on the back of the chair. This pro- posal will be investigated further. The first step, however, is to get chair and table prices in order to submit a Wintario application by the April 1 deadline. These grants are only awarded every two years and meeting the deadline is essential, Mr. Duguay has stressed. township noted that the $51:000 deficit was paid by the taxpayers of Tuckersmith, however people from throughout the county use the facility. Clintonians make most use of the pool, and based on Rec Centre calculations, $6,600 would represent Clin- ton's contribution to the facility. Clinton Council agreed to give the centre the "token grant," but rejected the request for additional funding. "The user should pay if they want these facilities," Councillor Charlie Burgess noted. "I would expect to pay what it's worth," Mayor Archibald added. Councillor Ross Carter pointed out that the Rec Centre operates as a community service, not a profit making venture. He noted that school children from throughout the area take part in regular swimming pro- grams at the centre for a small fee. He noted however, "Maybe they'll have to look at a break even operation." Councillor Gord Gerrits reminded council that the Clinton Arena financial situation isn't much different. It too operates as a ser- vice, sometimes at a loss and many people who use the arena aren't town residents. Mayor Archibald recalled that attempts were made to implement a higher user fee at the arena for out-of-town residents, and the project failed. Parking discussion The BIA Board of Management has recommended to council that public parking lots behind Ball and Mutch Furniture and behind the Clinton Library, be free parking zones with no time.limitations. Council debate surrounding the question of limiting parking in the areas to two hour maximums was forwarded to the BIA for their response. Free parking and location signs were their recommendation, However, one businessman opposes this suggestion. Councillor Charlie Burgess ask- ed council to table the recommendation. He suggested that a letter be written to the BIA Board of Management, suggesting a general meeting to give all BIA members a choice in. the question. Councillor Burgess told council, "It's been two years since there's been a general meeting. A group of three or four are mak- - ing the decisions. "We're paying the taxes, we have a right to say, what we want done with it (the park- ing lots):" Councillor Burgess is opposed to free parking. He noted, "If you can show me a motion where we (council) have free park- ing I'll back off. "If the BIA members want free parking, that's fine, but they have that right (to choose)." Councillor Jim Hunter reminded Coun- cillor Burgess that the BIA elected the board of management to represent the ma- jority of members. Councillor Burgess said he agreed, but stressed that a BIA general meeting of all members should be held. "That's a BIA concern," Mayor Archibald pointed out. "Council can't authorize the BIA to hold the meeting," Bus safety for kids Children who will be attending kindergarten in Huron County schools this fall will have the chance to find out about busing during the month of May. The Huron County board of education will start a program where children are taught , the rules of riding a school bus before they actually start school. OPP Const. John Marshall, community services officer, and the board's transportation manager Bob Cunningham will be visiting the 24 schools in Huron from May 14 to 31 to teach the children. Library budget under fire An attempt to reduce the Huron library budget failed but not before chief librarian William Partridge came under heavy fire in the form of criticism. County council approved a library budget of $796,519, a 7.9 per cent increase over the previous year's budget of $727,536. However, last year's budget was overspent and expenses came in at $750,203. Past warden Tom Cunningham said the library should not be rewarded with a budget increase after overspending. Over $23,000 was overspent on book pur- chases, yet some of that was counterbalanc- ed by underspending on processing and magazines. In November of last year, book orders were cancelled. Reeve Cunningham said the library budget should be cut to a four per cent in- crease. Hensall Reeve Harry Klungel said the overexpenditure of the library for the se- cond year in a row is "unforgiveable". "He should resign," said Reeve Klungel of the chief librarian. Bayfield Reeve Dave Johnston defended the county's department heads in general. He pointed the finger of blame to the library board. A However, last year's library board chair- man, John Austin, said the board can't be blamed. _It is his contention that while Mr. Partridge is "a good librarian", he doesn't know how to prepare a budget. No changes were made to the 1985 library budget. Over $174,000 will be spent on books this year.