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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1985-10-16, Page 1NOP 42 - 120TH YEAR WEDNESDAY', OCTOBER 16,1985 50 CENTS ELECTION NEWS Cronin will not run BLYTH - Reeve Tom Cronin will be stepp- ing out of the village's municipal political circle this year. Only one other councillor, Bill Howson has declared his intentions to run in the November 12 election, while two tither coun- cillors, Lloyd Sippel and Bill Manning re- main undecided and Councillor Albert Wasson has announced his retirement, from council. After six years as reeve of the village, Mr. Cronin has decided to retire from council. He noted that while he enjoys village coun- cil, he finds his work on Huron County Coun- cil time consuming. Reeve Cronin believes that younger business people in the village should be working in municipal politics. He noted, "Everyone in the village should serve on council to find out what it's all about. It would cut out a lot of nonsense." Another six year veteran of the council, Albert Wasson has announced his retire- ment. Councillors Lloyd Sippel and Bill Manning have not announced their election inten- tions. Councillor Bill Howson is the only member of council who plans to seek re- election, however, he stressed, "If my name's on the ballot, it won't be for reeve." Anyone who is interested In running for a seat on council may declare their intentions to do so between October 17 and October 21. Nomination forms are available at the village clerk's office. A ratepayers', meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, October 29, at the Blyth Memorial Hall starting at 8 p.m. An advance election poll will be held on Saturday, November 2 and voting day is set for Tuesday, November 12. Steckle to step down STANLEY TWP. - Paul Steckle, township reeve and Huron County warden won't be seeking re-election this year. Reeve Steckle announced that he would be stepping out of municipal politics at the last township council meeting. ' Councillor Clarence Rau will try for the reeve's chair. Deputy Reeve Don McGregor and Councillors Jack Coleman indicated they'll be running again, but -have not yet decided which positions they'll try for. In otherbusiness, the list of members,for the township's 1986 sesquicentennial com- mittee was approved. It will be headed by co-chairman Gordon Hill and Phil Durand. Other members are: secretary, John Camp- bell; treasurer, Lawrence Beane; sports committee, Bill Gibson; food committee, Arnold Taylor; hospitality committee, Joe Durand; public relations, Randy Collins; special events, Debbie Rathwell and Janet Webster; finance chairman, Tim Beard. Charles Kalbfleisch will be the parade marshal, Howard Armstrong will represent council and special advisors are Jean Rathwell, Cliff Henderson, Joyce Dowson and Carol Simons. Council 'agreed to raise their pay by five .per cent. The reeve's 1985 stipend will be $3,265 plus $182 for sighing cheques. The deputy reeve and council tors will receive $2,865 for their year's work. Nuammaargrouwaragrambammer R fiver problems still muddied By Alan Rivett BAYFIELD - With hope of finding govern- ment funding for the proposed Long Hill Road stabilization project, council has writ- ten to government representatives re- questing assistance. A letter from Huron -Middlesex MPP Jack Riddell stated the matter of funding for the project would be referred to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. The ministry has a pro- gram called the Unconditional Grants Act which may tie in with funding for the pro- ject. The matter is currently being assessed by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs London Regional office. Bayfield Clerk Pat Graham said he received a call from the Brussels office of Huron -Bruce- MP Murray Cardiff prior to the council meeting. Mr. Cardiff's spokesman asked if the village had concrete budget plans for the road project. The clerk said the village was not currently in that position. The spokesman said, however, that a make-work project could be funded by federal programs if unemployed workers were used as part of tender agreement. The spokesman also said the matter was a pro- vincial and municipal concernbut they haven't ruled out assistance as yet. Meanwhile council is still embroiled in a, long running stalemate situation with Dr., Walker over the ownership of the strip of the land near the river which the construction will affect. The ownership dispute which has been going on for the past four years is still before the courts. Reeve Dave Johnston says,if Dr. Walker does in fact own the land,. he will be expected to share erosion control costs with the village when the project gets underway. According to Reeve Johnston, he along with the village's solicitor were to have met with Dr. Walker and his legal council in Lon- don on October 4 to discuss what end use Dr. Walker has for the land, whether it, be building on the land or keeping it as a greenbelt area. Reeve Johnston says it's crucial for the village to find out.. what the end use will be before plans can be drawn up for the re -stabilization of the road. However, Dr. Walker failed to appear at the meeting, stating to Reeve Johnston he had thought the meeting was to be held at the Bayfield Municipal Office. Reeve Johnston said he was to have a reply about the end use at 3 p.m on October 7, the day of the council meeting. Dr. Walker and his lawyer failed to reply, he said, adding that • he intends to keep pursuing the matter. In other correspondence to council con- cerning the project, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries sent a letter to council stating they recognize the need for the remedial work. However, they reiterated their posi- tion concerning the channel width. The channel should have a minimum unobstructed width of 110 feet which would, allow for a 40 feet area for the berthing of vessels, leaving 70 feet of navigable waters. The depth of the water should remain at six feet below charted datum. Councillor Jim Quick explained the term charted datum means the average depth of the water after it was charted in 1975. However, he feels, both recommended methods of repair ( rip -rap and sheet piling ) will not be able to adhere to Ocean and Fisheries position. "It will; be impassible to remain at• chart datum because rip -rap will take two or three feet off the water depth," he said. The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA), in a letter to council, pointed out again that it has $135,000 ear- marked in it's 1986 budget for the project which is subject to approval in February or March of next year. ABCA also voiced their concern that the most cost effective solution to the problem .should be considered (rip rap $200,000 vs. sheet piling $530,000 - all are estimated costs). If council chooses the lat- ter it will have to be paid 100 per cent by the village. Terrence Bullen, an interested party at the meeting, provided council with some pictures and descriptions in offering an ex- planation to the river road problem. The retired engineer says since he moved to the village in 1973, a number of large trees have been cut down by the river, which has allowed the erosion to grow worse every year. He suggested to council the best way to deal with the erosion problem is by "restoring equilibrium" tothe area. This can be accomplished.by planting a number of fast growing saplings such as poplars. Reeve Johnston said council's position on the matter is to continue to seek funding for the project so it can go ahead by the spring of 1986. - "We want to resolve the issue and keep it as simple as possible. We want to negotiate as settlement that will resolve the problem and save the taxpayers as much money as possible," he said. Riddell won't "let Wise off the hook" By Stephanie Levesque Jack Riddell Was ready in August for a stabilization program but the Ontario Cat- otlemen's Association and the Canadian Cat- tlemen's Association asked him to hold off. Riddell, the Ontario agriculture minister, got annoyed when he was criticized for the delay of stabilization. He was the guest speaker in his home riding at the Huron County federation of agriculture. "I want you to know, that as of the end of August, I was ready for stabilization," said the agriculture minister. However, he said he was asked to hold off so, federal agriculture minister .John Wise could make a national stabilization pro- gram. - Riddells' words heated up and he asked his audience several times if they wanted to know who had asked him to hold off. He said it was the Ontario Cattleman's Association, the Canadian Cattlemen's Association and verbal conversations with the pork producers. "It's not fair to be critical of the minister of agriculture, at least not this minister," said Riddell. He later apologized for getting annoyed. "I'm sorry I got annoyed. But olpstacles are put in my way for no reason," he said. Riddell also commented that he wished other members of parliament were present so they could go back to Ottawa and tell Wise that farmers have "played around long enough". The comment was in reference to Huron -Bruce MP Murray Car- diff who was absent from the meeting. Riddell did say that earlier conversations with his federal counterpart indicated there could be some program by the end of Oc- tober. "I'm not about to let Wise off the hook," he said. The agriculture minister has been making the rounds of federation meetings and fairs, including an incident last Tuesday when some tobacco farmers had to be taken away by police at the Norfolk County Fair. Blyth's population is dropping The entrance sign to the Village of Blyth puts the population at 1,000, but contrary to that statistic, the 1985 census report puts the village head count at 890. Blyth's population has been dropping for the Last number of years. In the past three years the count has decreased by 44. For the first time in several years the head count is below 900. An examination of the census report shows that the majority of the 1985 popula- tion, 460 people, are between the ages of 20 and 65. Two -hundred -and -ten people . fall between the ages of five and 19, another 164 are 66 years and older and 56 are up to four years old. Of the totals, 454 are, female and 436 are male: Further breakdown of those figures show: 0-4 years, 37 are male, 19 are female; 5-19 years, 98'male, 112 female; 20-65 years, 229 male, 231 female; 66 anfl up, 72 males, 92 females. The majority of the population in Blyth are public school supporters, 871 in number., Another 19 residents are separate school supporters. Canada's top financial consultant Brian Costello was in Clinton on Friday night. A crowd of more than 700 was on' hand to learn how to make money work harder and last longer. Costello visit's was part of a nationwide tour being held to promote his new book, Your Money and How to Keep It. His tax savi'hg, money making advice will be featured in next week's edition of the News -Record. (Shelley McPhee photo) Farmgate defence plan? By Steirihanie Levesque Farm gate defence could become fact in Huron County if federation of agriculture members indicate this is what they want. The Huron County federation of agriculture went on record at its annual meeting on Oct. 10 in Hensall as being in favor of enforcing a moratorium, or delay- ing payment of money due by farmers to lending institutions. The delay is caused by farmers placing themselves at the farmer's gate when banks threaten to foreclose - farm gate defence. "It's not the solution," admitted federa- tion president Doug Garniss of RR 4, Wingham. "I guess what we're looking for is a farm debt review agency." he said. While the moratorium support resolution passed with a comfortable majority at the annual meeting, Garniss worried there wasn't enough discussion or debate on the issue. "We may have to call a special meeting if there . isn't board support," he told the gathering. Garniss said federal Agriculture Minister John Wise has promised a debt review agen- cy. Bruce County federation of agriculture representative Ken Kelly said the moratorium is a "bridge" until the agency is set up. . Garniss said Ontario could set up such an agency despite what provincial Agriculture Minister Jack Riddeltr said earlier in the evening. Riddell was the guest speaker at the annual meeting. The provincial agriculture minister said a debt review agency couldn',t be formed in Ontario because the province has no contip1 over lending institutions. In Saskatchewan, where there is such an agency, Riddell says the lending institutions are credit unions, which the province does have control over. "If it works in Saskatchewan it will work in Ontario, too," said Garniss. The federation president is looking for his membership to come forward and say they will help with farm gate defence. Lists pass- ed around the hall filled with almost 400 peo- ple garnered only about 50 names. The small response prompted words from Kelly. "The motto of the federation is farmers working to help farmers. But when I see the number of names on the list, your motto should be farmers surviving in spite of farmers," he said. Garniss encouraged federation members to phone him, write or let him know "anyway they can" their thoughts on the moratorium. Unveillitig date set First proposed in 1984, the Huron County Historical Atlas has now been published and- ' will be' released on Wednesday, October 23 Reeve Grant Stirling of Goderich Township, who heads the Atlas committee, announced . this week. A copy of the Atlas will be presented for- mally tothe County in a short ceremony on Wednesday, October 23 which will take place at the Court House, Goderich at 4 p.m. and to which the public is invited to attend. When undertaken by Huron County Coun- cil, the atlas contemplated was similar in size and style to the original Belden Atlas of 1879 and a subsequent Perth atlas published in 1982. However, Reeve Stirling said, in- creasing public interest and participation had resulted in a much larger book, The Atlas contains 350 pages 13 by 18 inches and weights 7' 2 pounds. Special. arrangements have been com- pleted to assist patrons andhose who have purchased prepublication copies of the Atlas to. pick up their copies on presentation of their certificate or receipt. A temporary of- fice in a transport van which has been con- tributed by Laidlaw Transport will be located adjacent to the north entrance to the Court House in Goderich. Copies of the Atlas will be available for distribution from this location commencing at 9 a.m. Wednesday, October 23 continuing daily Monday to Fri- day from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Satur- day mornings from 9 a.m. to 1 p.rn. for two weeks until November 5. After November 6 prepaid copies of the Atlas niay be obtained at the clerk's office in the Court House or by delivery on remittance of $6 per copy to cover shipping and handling. Pictures which have been loaned for us in the Atlas also may be picked up at the t mporary of- fice. Reeve Stirling pointed out that` the present prepublication price of $45 for prepublica- tion certificates would continue to be in ef- fect until October 22 and applications with remittance should be forwarded to the Atlas office at the Court House, Goderich. The postpublication price of $59.50 will become effective with the publication and release of the Atlas on October 23. Following publication, copies of the Atlas will be available at the van and after November 6 from the clerk's office as well as at a number of retail outlets in the county that have completed arrangements, Reeve Stirling said. Containing nearly one million words and 1,000 pictures, the Atlas includes 16 township maps showing property owners, nearly 50 maps of towns, villages and hamlets, lists of small lot owners (under 40 acres ). In addition the stories of some 600 families, organizations, churches and , businesses as well as of 26 Huron municipalities are featured in the Atlas. Roofs, boilers, elevators needed Almost a quarter of a million square feet of rodf is up for replacement at Huron County schools. The roofs, along with a couple of boilers and an elevator, are on the Huron County board of education's annual list of items that need replacing. The list gets sent to the ministry of education for approval and funding. The 1986 list includes the replacement of 248,991 square feet of roof at seven elementary schools and four high schools. Director of Education Robert Allan said the London office of the education ministry has informed him that Huron has been allotted $200,000 for roof replacements. Not only will that not cover the costs for all the roofs, but the local school board doesn't get the chance to choose which roof jobs need to be done first, says Allan. The London office does that. For next year, the school board would like to see a new boiler in Seaforth Public School and Vanastra Public School. Aldan said over the past 10 years, the ministry has approved about four or five new boilers for Huron schools. Something new for the school board is to be applying for an elevator for Victoria Public School in Goderich. Thedirector said the elevator will be beneficial in this two-storey school so that children in wheelchairs or others can, get to the'second floor. This is a particular need at this school with the library on the second floor. It will be some time 'before the board learns if the items have been approved.