Clinton News-Record, 1985-12-11, Page 1NO. -50 120TH YEAR WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 119 1985
Leona Arrnstrong is
Huron'sfirst female warden
By Stephanie Levesque
The groundbreaking of the Huron Coun-
ty museum, renovations to Huronview,
hydro lines and open meetings will be dealt
with by the county's first female warden.
Leona Armstrong, 51, the reeve of Grey
Township was named Huron County
Warden at the inaugural meeting of the
1986 council. She sought the same position
last year along with four men, but came in
third -in a race between Bob Bell of
Tuckersmith and the successful warden,
Paul Steckle.
"I must say that the pressures are not so
great today as they were a year ago," said
the new warden.
There were no contenders for the posi-
tion this year when Mrs. Armstrong an-
nounced her intentions to seek the seat that
was once' held by her father,Harvey
Johnston of Morris Township.
"1986 is going to be a challenging and ex-
citing year for all of us. The new Huron
County museum will get underway in 1986.
It is anticipated that an' architect will be
hired early in the year and that we will be
in a position tobreak ground for Phase one
sometime in late summer. When all the
phases of the museum are completed we
will be proud that we had a part in making
it a reality, 'she said.
She also noted the importance of the pro-
posed renovations to the county's home for
the aged, Huronview.
"Our elderly deserve the best and that
means the right to live in the most comfor-
table and enjoyable surroundings possible.
I take a personal interest in Huronview as
I have spent many a night there when dad
was administrator...The province has
recommended for approval $716,000 for
this project. Hopefully we can work
together to come up with the funds to
match this grant without over taxing our
people,"said the first female. warden for
Huron.
She also sees Ontario Hydro's plans for a
transmission corridor through the county
as an imporetant issue that has to be dealt
with in the coming year.
"We must work together to make sure
that the routes taken will have the least.
impact if any, on our county,"said Warden
Armstrong.
On the questrion of agriculture in
general, Warden;Armstrong said the coun-
ty will have to encourage both federal and
provincial governments to assist the
farmers.
The warden's husband, Jim, a high
school teacher at Mitchell District High
school said he would stand in the
background and help his wife as much as
he could.
"It feels great," he said in answer to the
question how it feels to be Huron's first
man.
"It's quite an honor. I'll just go along
and help when I can. So far I've let her do
her job and she has done very well," said
Mr. Armstrong.
Many accolades were brought to the
warden, most recognizing the fact that
with a 140 year history, Huron has just
named its first female warden.
"It's the first time I've kissed a warden
of Huron County," quipped MP Murray
Cardiff who jokingly added,"No offense
Paul."
For her part, the new warden com-
mented that she isn't an eloquent speaker
like past warden Steckle, nor does she
have the smile of former warden Tom Cun-
ningham or the wit of another past warden
Grant Stirling. However, she said she
would do her best to represent the county.
Judge F. G. Carter swore in the new
warden and dispensed some words of ad-
vice.
"Be a woman, not a man, you have your
own qualities," said the judge.
Members of the new warden's family, in-
cluding her mother Lyla and two sisters
who came from Truro,N.S: just for the in-
auguration congratulated their daughter
and sister after the ceremony.Her im-
mediate family was also present. There
was husband Jim and their four children,
Robert, Bruce, Brian and LeeAnn.
Warden Armstrong first started in
munic hal politics in November of 1974.
She was then deputy reeve for three years
before being named reeve in 1981 when
then Reeve Roy Williamson resigned in
mid-terrn. The full-time community
worker in a horticulture group, her church
and women's institute has also served as
chairman of the county's planning and
development department.
The new warden• was presented with a
county warden's pin, a key. to the county,
and a dozen roses. The committees for the
coming year are to be named at a meeting
of county council on Wednesday,. Dec. 11.
Across the board property
assessments in Blyth
BLYTH - In an' attempt to bring more
uniformity to property assessments, council
here passed a study which recommends an
across-the-board , increase in assessments
for next year.
At the council. meeting on December 5,
Regional Assessment Commissioner John
Garrett and Ted Ingram from the Regional
Assessment Office in Goderich were in at-
tendance to explainthe study to the coun-
cillors.
The study was carried out in the village
after council passed a resolution in March of
this year to have a tax impact study for 1986.
Using a formula which uses 1980 property
values as the basis for the assessment, the
study called for an average tax increase on
residential properties of $13 per assessment
unit. Of the 385 residentially zoned proper-
ties in Blyth, 75 per cent of' the properties
will experience an increase in es of less
than 20 per cent over last y s bill; 19 per
cent ofthe properties wi ave an assess-
ment eater than 20 •, r cent and six per
cent of t e pr will experience a
decrease in taxes greater than 20 per cent.
According t19 Mr. Garrett, the land values
in 1975, the last time the villages properties
had been assessed, were extremely low
compared to the property values now.
"It may.seem like a tremendous increase,
but property owners were paying extremely
low assessments before, " said Mr. Garrett.
The properties which will experience the
most increase in assessment is the vacant
�AND IWANT ...
Some thought the bearded fellow was just great when he visited
with children at the Clinton Town Hall on December 7, but others
weren't too thrilled about the idea! Santa Claus took some time out
�f his busy schedule, at the request of local businesses and
organizations, to hear what the area children want him to putunder
their tree this Christmas. Four-year-old Melissa Wright (above)
found the gentleman in red to be a friendly guy, offering her a big
hug after she made her request. Jaymie Campbell (top) didn't feel
the same way. The nine -month-old just wanted her mommy. Jason
Wise, 7, ( middle) had to think about what he wanted and Gray
Snihur, 3, was comfortable on Santa's knee while.he pondered over
his list. ( Anne Narejko photos)
• One central school for technical subjects?
By Stephanie Levesque
The author of a report on technical
studies in Huron County would like one
central school to provide all technical
studies, but suggests that each high school
offer a variety of subjects in this area.
Joe Wooden, principal of Central Huron
Secondary School in Clinton authored a
report on the state of technical studies in
Huron County. He presented the report for
information only to the retiring board of
education trustees.
Ile makes severalrecommendations in
the report which will be dealt with by the
new school board.
"They're not radical," Wooden says of
the recommendations.
His recommendations include. offering a
"package" of subjects and providing in-
dustrial arts and family studies at all
elementary schools in Huron County.
The package could be worked out with
guidance teachers, technical teachers and
the students. The idea, says Wooden, is to
ensure that students take subjects that
relate to one another. An example could be
math, science and drafting.
The high school principal admits that his
suggestion to put'industrial arts and fami-
ly studies in all county schools would be
costly.
' His recommendations will be looked at
in detail by the school board.
However, there are a.lot of problems fac-
ing technical studies offered in high
schools today, says Wooden.
The major problem is the recent
changes to requirements for credits to
earn a diploma. High school students have
to have 34 credits, 16 of which are com-
pulsory. Of the compulsory subjects, only
one has to be a business or technical sub-
ject. Equipment needs, which are expen-
sive, also effect technical studies.
Wooden said that current staff members
shouldn't have to worry about losing their
jobs. He said while that is a problem in
some parts of the province it isn't in
Huron. In general, he said the technical
studies staff is aging and near retirement
age.
The principal did say that all technical
studies equipment in the schools should be
review and no major pruchases made until
the quantity and quality of these is deter-
mined,
Director of education Robert Allan said
work in the technical studies has just
begun.
Board will address funding in 1986
Technical and special education as well as
funding to separate schools will be
addressed next year by the Huron County
hoard of education, according to the board's
new chairman Art Clark of Wingham, who
was acclaimed at the Dec. 5 inaugural
meeting. Originally scheduled fort Monday,
Dec. 2, that meeting was cart'celled because
of a snow storm.
Clark, 41, said one of the first things the
new school board will have to address is the
report orf technical education presented by
Joe Wooden. Clinton's Central Huron
secondary school principal presented a
report with a list of recommendations at a
special board meeting on Nov. 25.
'It needs a great deal of discussion," said
('lark of the report.
The new chairman, taking over from
�ugene Frayne of RR 3, Goderich, said
special education at the secondary school
level has to be expanded.
The third main subject that will have to be
dealt with in the upcoming year is the
results of the Shapiro commission. This pro-
vincial body made recommendations 00 the
funding of private schools.
"We have a lot of private schools in this
area. Christian, Mennonite and Baptist. We
can't look at just Catholic schools," said
Clark.
The new chairman is an engineer for
Maitland Engineering Services of
Wingham.
He will be assisted by John ,Jewitt, 46, of
RR 1, 1,ondesboro who was acclaimed as
vice-chairman.
Jewitt said his role will he to assist the
chairman and help his fellow trustees make
good decisions. The Hullet Township
resident is in mixed farming.
•1'he board s three standing committee and
their chairmen were named at the inaugural
meeting.
,Joan Vanden Broeck of •Stratford was
named education committee chairinan. The
members are I)r• ,John Goddard of Hensall,
Harry Hayter of RR 2, Dashwood, Sally
Rathwell of RR 5, Clinton and Jewitt.
Tony McQuail of RR 1, Lucknow was
named chairman of the management
committee. Its members are Mary Ann
Dempsey of Goderich, Frayne, Brian
Jeffray of RR 2, Wingham, and Audrey
Triebner of RR 3, Kippen.
Graeme Craig of RR 4, Walton was
renamed as chairman., of the personnel
committee. The members are Donald
McDonald of RR 2, Brussels, John Elliott of
Blyth, Dennis Rau of RR 2, Zurich and
Beatrice Dawson of RR 1, Her salt.
land in Blyth!. He says these properties have
climbed significantly in Value since the last
re -assessment.
Commercial assessments will also in-
crease an average of $17 for next year, while
farm assessments will increase an average
Of $10. In order to establish an accurate tax
base ,for farm . zoned properties in Blyth,
assessments were done in other townships
surrounding the village, said Mr. Garrett.
The assessments on farm land which will
significantly increase are those properties
without • a house or .out -buildings, said Mr.
Garrett. Farm properties with a house and
out -buildings will be assessed much the
same as in 1975.
Council expressed their concern over
some of the huge disparities in. some
residential assessments, with some proper-
ties taking a huge jump in their assessment.
"When you have a residential property go-
ing up by $1,200, that's not going to make
them very happy," said Councillor Tom
Cronin.
Mr. Garrett warned council that if the re-
assessment wasn't accepted, the taxation
. system in the village would continue to get
further out of line.
"If you do not go with it, you'll make the
inequality you see tonight further out of
balance," he said. "Properties which are
going up in assessment will continue to go
Turn to page 5
A recent report on the state of technical studies in Huron County, authored by Central
Huron Secondary School .(CHSS) Principal Joe Wooden, . recommended one central
school to providd all technical studies with each secondary school still providing a varie-
ty of technical subjects. The study was released to the retiring hoard of education. Here,
David Cronin, a Grade 9 student at CHSS works on a lathe in the woodworking class.
( Alan Rivett photo)