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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1985-12-04, Page 1@NiC,01$ NM ATINC—TII BL' i'F S ll'e L ' DARL➢-'i'HE • NO. —49 120TH YEAR WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1985 50 CENTS Council takes job to heart By Anne Narejko CLINTON - Although it was only the in- augural meeting, council here showed its in- tent to provide the town with a hard work- ing, concerned council by calling for an in - camera session to discuss the placement of sub -committees. Inaugural Ceremonies During his inaugural address which followed the installation of Public Utilities Commission members and council members, Mayor John Balfour made one promise. "We were elected by the municipality to bring new ideas, new thoughts and hopefully guidance...The one thing that I promise is a lot of hard work towards the betterment of the community." ' Mayor Balfour went on to explain that during his term, he would like to see four areas of development - commercial, in- dustrial, housing and apartments. He also commented on the role which seniors and youth should play in the com- munity. "The time has come to adopt a new outlook. I'd like to see the youth and seniors become more involved," he said, noting that seniors have a wealth of knowledge and the youth can help the town grow. Mayor Balfour would also like to form a better liaison with local groups and in- stitutions. 0,"We should go out and ask what we can do with them, not wait for them to come to us with complaints," he said. Before concluding, he thanked former mayor Chester Archibald for time and effort spent on the town hall restoration as well as all he has done for the town over the past three years. Also speaking on the $1.5 -million town hall restoration was Councillor John Cochrane. He' told council he was initially against the project, but has since changed his mind, of- fering congratulations to the the former mayor. • Reeve Bee Cooke directed her comments to the. present council, saying, "I hope we can all work together, and by joining together for the betterment of the communi- ty, it will give us a good feeling." Committees named Included in the regular meeting on December 2 was the appointment of council representatives to various boards and com- mittees. It was during the appointing of members to council committees that an in -'camera session was called to discuss the placement' of the protection to persons and property sub -committee. , In previous years, the'sub-committee has fallen under committee in charge of police, bylaws, and finance, . This term it was initially replaced by the in- dustrial sub -committee and placed under the second general council committee which studies public works, general government and sanitation and waste. After the closed session of council, it was decided to place the protection to persons and property sub -committee back in its original committee and the industrial com- mittee in the second group. Committee One is comprised of : Chairman - Mayor Balfour Police - Mayor Balfour Bylaws - Councillor Ken Holmes Finance - CouncillorRoss Carter Protection to Persons and Property Deputy -Reeve Rosemary Armstrong ' Committee Two is comprised of: Chairperson - Reeve Bee Cooke Public Works - Reeve Cooke • General Government - Councillor .John Cochrane Industrial - Councillor Gord Gerrits Sanitation and Waste - Councillor Ronnie Jewitt Representatives on outside boards and committees are: - Turn to page 5 • I Clinton's new mayor, John Balfour, took control of the first meeting of the new council on December 2. During the inaugural meeting, PUC members and council members were installed, beginning their three year term. (Anne Narejko photo) ..,, ,,a, t ,,. t.:, :►laugui Ai '<<'t eu,uu►rs, cotuu•illur, anti t'i.i� members signed the ap- . propriate papers after pledging their. allegiance. Signing their papers were: i left to right), councillor .John Cochrane, PUC member Don Symons and deputy -reeve ' Rosemary Armstrong. ( Anne Narejko photo► 00. Councillors otncrany took tnerr seats auring the veeemner ,luno ArAnerul, A•urfl c.am rrot•tor, aeputy-reeve Rosemary Ann - meeting. The new council consists of (left to right) councillors ('ase• strong, councillors John Cochrane, Ken Holmes and Gord (;emits. Buffinga, Ross Carter, Bonnie Jewitt, reeve Ree Cooke, mayor ( Anne Narejko photo) alconer blasts the News -Record By Stephanie Levesque CLINTON - Farewells, bitter and sweet, were given by trustees of the Huron Board of Education at the last meeting of the 1983-'85 school board. The most bitter comments came : from Frank Falconer of RR5 Clinton, the trustee who represented the Town of Clinton and Tuckersmith Township. He blamed the Clinton News -Record for his •loss in the municipal election. Mr. Falconer was challenged at the polls by Sally Rathwell of Vanastra and Nico Peters of RR4 Seaforth. Rathwell won the election with 1,017 votes. Falconer had 588 and Peters finished with 530. "The News -Record did everything in the last week against me," said Falconer, a five-year veteran trustee. He was referring to a letter written by a local citizen to the newspaper about the conduct of an unidentified teacher. The letter writer has since written a letter of apology to the school board administration and teachers, through the newspaper. The Clinton area trustee is seeking an apology from the newspaper. "I'm still dealing with the News -Record,°' said the trustee. He expressed his disappointment that people have linked his duties as trustee with the original letter which was published the week before the municipal election. Other farewells were given by Dorothy Wallace of Goderich and BoiPeck of Bayfield. They thanked their colleagues and the administrative stair for their help over the years. Outgoing chairman Euguene Frayne of RR3 Goderich, had some words of advice for some of the incoming trustees who where present at the special meeting. "Be cautious. You'll learn that your power is as a board and not as an individual," said Frayne. "It takes a little getting used to, but it works successfully." Another retiring trustee, Murray Mulvey of RR1 Clinton, said he has pleasant memories of his years on the school board. The only other retiring trustee, Clarence MacDonald of Exeter, was absent from the meeting. Pay up or go to court CLINTON - The police force here is trying a new system for handling parking ticket which will hopefully have an affect on tardy fine -payers, according to Police Chief Lloyd Westlake. Under the new system, there will be no more issuing of a letter to remind the in- dividual of the parking offence. Instead, after one week, a summons will be sent out to the violator. Once the fine goes through the courts, the $2 and $4 parking fines will automatically increase to $23, he said. "It's an incentive for getting the fines paid on time," said Chief Westlake. Pigs and barn lost in fire MCKILLOP TOWNSHIP - Sixty sows and four boars were killed in a barn fire on the farm of Jan Van Vliet, Lot 13, Concession 14 on November 26. The Blyth Fire Department answered the evening alarm shortly after 10:30 p.m. Fire fighters battled the stubborn blaze for more than four hours. While a large section of the barn was destroyed and livestock killed, fire fighters managed to save the farrowing unit of the barn and salvaged some 10,000 bushels of grain. Forty sows and their litters were rescued from the farrowing unit and transferred to a neighboring barn. The Blyth firemen were called back to the scene the next day to douse the smouldering remains of some burning corn which had re- ignited during the night. 'Blyth Fire Chief Irwin Bowes said that the cause of the barn fire remains unknown and the estimates of damage have not been established. Shortly after 10:30 p.m. on December 1, the Blyth fire fighting brigade was called out to the Walton Welding Shop to a truck fire. Damage in the small baize was confin- ed to the dash and steering wheel area of a half -ton truck. Council breaks tradition With little comment, Huron County Coun- cil will break a long-time tradition and throws open its committee 'and board meetings to the public. This decision was one of the last made by the retiring 1983-1985 'council at a special meeting on Nov. 28. "I think it's a good recommendation and a long-time coming," said Exeter Deputy Reeve Lossy Fuller. Elsa Haydon of Goderich, a private citizen who regularly attends county council sessions and its open board meetings - library and health - was thrilled with the decision. An advocate of open meetings, Mrs. Haydon said she felt like celebrating after the decision was made. Hay Reeve Lionel Wilder questioned whether the new policy would include plann- ing and development committee meetings. He was told it would. "Committee and board meetings shall be open and no person shall be excluded except for improper conduct," states county coun- cil's new policy. There are nine exceptions to this policy which involve the three subjects, personnel, litigation and property, the Municipal Act allows to be discussed in -camera or behind closed doors. With this new policy, a closed session will be made available at the end of each meeting. County administrator Bill Hanly expects, from past experience, that the clos- ed session will be little used. Salary increases delayed By Stephanie Levesque Yearly salary increases rangiJg from four to nine per cent for Huron County's nine, department heads has been deferred to the new 1986 county council. The county's executive • committee brought in a recommendation at council's Nov. 28 meeting to set the department heads' salaries for the next three years. County councillors argued against both the high percentage increases and the fact they would be imposing these salary in- creases on the incoming council. There was some question whether the.council could ap- prove these salaries because it involves money to be paid by another council. Usual- ly these require Ontario Municipal Board approval: However, Warden Paul Steckle, after stepping down from the warden's chair to enable him to participate in debate, said a legal opinion had been sought. He said the legal opinion stated it is okay for county council to provide these salary increases. "We don't have that lame duck period as do local councils," said county ad- ministrator Bill Hanly. • The warden said the salary figures reach- , ed will cover the next three years. In. negotiations, the executive conunittce tried to adjust salaries to the average salaries of the department heads' peers in surrounding counties. The warden added that the depart- ment heads' salaries have fallen in com- parison over the years. Past warden Tom Cunningham said he recognized the problem, having been on the negotiating committee last year. These committees are made up by the .warden, county administrator and the various com- mittee chairmen. tousled - should .However,' he doesn't 'think this be imposing increases on the new council. "I don't want incoming reeves, to say we made a stupid mistake," said Hullett Reeve Cunningham who will be returning to coun- cil. He did say, however, that some of the in- creases are merited. Not everyone agreed. "This is not fair to ratepayers - farmers," said Hay Deputy Reeve Tony Bedard asking from where the money for the increases would come. Turnberry Reeve Brian McBurney said he has nothing against noting they are "good people". "I don't think the time is right for these in- creases... people in the county can't afford it," said Reeve McBurney. Hay Reeves Lionel Wilder took a different tact. He said he isn't opposed to the salary increases but the idea needs more discus- sion. It will probably be January before the salaries are considered again as the December meeting is used for the naming of the warden and forming committees. The present salaries of the department heads are listed below followed by what the proposal would bring their salaries to in •three years: medical officer of health, $57,512 to $70,694; Huronview administrator, $37,544 to $47,892; social serviees ad- ministrator, $32,334 to $40,820; clerk - treasurer administrator, $51,974 to $61,542; county engineer, $48,074 to $57,642; deputy clerk -treasurer, $44,460 to $53,430; planning director, $45,188 to $55,224; county librarian, $34,866 to $40,950; and museum director, $34,060 to $38,298. 98 per cent increase for board rn bl pr sc ti t rt . ec r Facing; a 98 per cent insurance preiniwn crease, the Huron -Perth Boman ("atholic Separate School Board. is taking the pro- em of increased liability' insurance rmiums to the provincial government. At its November 18 meeting, the Catholic hoof board unanimously passed a resolu- on which will be forwarded to pr•nvincra1 A 11 nrney-(�cncral Ian Scott.o The main thrust of the reslute in calls for he provincial government to take act100 In mance ''(:xceSS1V&' lowsnifs and court;r ward'.". The school board's superintendent if business and finan(•V. Jack Lane, said the awards arc ."scary", because of their high do value. 1ie blames the ri •eptly chang- I Family Law Reform Act. Since 11101 enactment, tamely members such as aunts, uncles and cousins have been named as beneficiaries. The school board paid $8,768 for its annual insurance premium. That coverage ended October 31 and the renewal premium is $17.322. • School bus operators are also facing in- suranre premium increases of 100 per rens incl more. 'This, said the superintendent, results in costly contracts with school bus nperatnrs. 1,ane said clown (he road; if courts con - 111 10 award high costs, liability insurance carrier's will cancel policies. That, he said, could result in school boards and munic ipalit.ies becoming their own insurers. One astronomical claim could pug a public institution into bankruptcy.