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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1986-04-09, Page 1NO. 14 121 YEARS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9,1986 50 CENTS Klompen Feest Queen Rosie VanDyk, right, of RR4 Seaforth, was crowned the 1986 queen at a special event on April 5 at the S`eaforth and District Community Centres. The 20 -year-old is a student at Western University. Cheryl Flynn will be the lady in waiting. Miss Flynn lives at RR1 Clinton and is a Class A mechanic at Seaforth Gulf. Klompen Feest celebrations will be held from May 16-18,in Clinton. Life expectancy of land- ill site isshort By Anne Narejko GODERICI-1 TWP. - The life expectancy of the Holmesville Landfill Site will not be 20 years as was previously anticipated. Unacceptable soil has eliminated one pro- posed site but tests are now being taken on another area of the site located off Highway 8 near Holmesville. Approximately eight years ago, the Ministry of the Environment started look- ing at a number of sites which had been approved for landfill but had no detailed investigations conducted on them. During the early 1980s, a $9,000 study was carried out but was not extensive enough to pro- vide the required information needed to- day. obtain the necessary information, a $35,000 investigation is currently being conducted. • The Ministry will assist in paying for the tests, picking up the full $9,000 on the first study and $20,000 on the second. The entire Holmesville Landfill Site, which is used by the Towns of Goderich and Clinton, and the. Townships of Goderich, Colborne 'and part of Tuckersmith as well as the Villages of Bayfield and Lucknow, covers 55 acres with 10 to 15 acres presently in use. This Aik present area no longer meets Ministry Imp regulations because runoff is filtering through the ground. This is occurring because the base (bedrock) is not ade- quate. Unsuitable Site Consulting engineers Conestoga -Rovers and Associates Limited were called in to do tests on an area to the southwest of the was foundto be unsuitable. "The inyestigation was focussed in the southwest' corner of the site which was the area lacking any available data and had. the greatest potential for landfilling. The results from the drilling in the southwest corner were discouraging. The holes and test pits showed till overlain by generally saturated sands and gravels," noted engineer Anthony Crutcher in his report to the landfill committee. During his presentation to the commit- tee on April 2, Mr. Crutcher explained that too much sand and -gravel makes a poor site. "Bedrock is critical. to the site, he said. With the findings of the southwest corner labelled as unsuitable, Mr. Crutcher look- ed at the tests which had been conducted on the northwest corner in the early 1980s and made a proposal to the committee. "There's not much data available but what we've seen is good. What we would like to propose is, that for the balance of the funds, we readjust it to do work in the northwest area," said Mr. Crutcher. He continued to say that the initial tests look promising but more indepth testing will determine the bedrock flow direction and how deep the till area is. Mr. Crutcher .also said there are suffi- cient funds remaining from the $35,000 to obtain the required information. "We're not asking for more money, only redistribution," he said. The landfill committee agreed to redistribute the funds and Mr. Crutcher is planning to 'have all the testing done in present site. After several tests, the soil ti., three months. uca By AlaO Rivett • CLINTON - Although it was April Fools Day, it was all business for the Huron Coun- ty Board of Education -as the 1086 education budget was announced'on April 1. The board of education approved the 1986 budget of $40.8 million, a 3.7 per cent in- crease from the 1985,'budget of $38.5 million at the special meeting of the board. To the taxpayer with an average assess- ment of $3,110, the budget will add ari extra $10 to the tax bill ffr this year. This translates into the aveeage taxpayer paying $197.33, up froin$196,17'in1985 for secondary education and $259.75 lip from $241.21 for elementary edueation. CPR setsup rn. Doke obstetric Fr • CLINTON- The fund raising campaign for the new obstetrics wing at the Clinton Public Hos ital� (CPR) is kicking into gear with an. office to open at 69 Victoria Street next week. According to fund raising chairmanrpoug; Coventry, the office which was formerly copied : by Dr. Brian Baker, will be a location where -people can stop by and ask questions, 1 at the plans for the new wing or make a d ation. "We will have a secretary working there during the day but we are going to ask for volunteers to staff the office," explained Mr f'.nventrv. In setting the budget, Director of Educa- tion Robert Allan said; the budget was the cuhnination of a.months work by the board and staff. He said by setting budgetary limits the board is eliminating the possibili- ty of having to cut:expenditures later. The board, however, passed two special projects to be included in this Year's budget. "It is my view that placing large amounts of additional costs into: estimates and then cutting them out publicly is little more than window dressing and has a very negative ef- fect on the organization. Reality is much easier to live with than having hopes and ex- pectations dashed," said Mr. Allan in a speech to the board.membersi The elementary budget for this year is $21.9 million which is an increase of 4.1 per cent from last year's estimate of $21 million. The elementary budget also takes into ac= count the costs for the trainable mentally retarded and developmentally handicapped students. Mr. Allan said the board was responsible for the developmentally handicapped students from Septei> ,her to December in 1985. This year, the,) and his financially responsible to these students on a full-time basis. The secondary sch%ol portion of the budget amounts to$18:•.8 million, a 6.1 per cent increase over the 1985 estimate of $17.8 million. Mr. ,Alien explained the ;Bluewater Secondary School is a:: mewl expenditure for the board. However; th 483,520 slated in the budget for the se .on ry se,ttool Willa bey :;eompletelyareeovere t`ne board -.through' the province. Withodt allowing for the Council feels enough time. has been wasted on parkin. By Anne Narejko CLINTON - The controversy over park- ing behind the town hall isfinally over, council hopes. "We've been discussing it for a year now. _People had the opportefiity to .com- plain to council and no one-showed;.up at the meeting. Let's just turn it into two hour parking," said Councillor Gord Gerrits at council's April 7 meeting. During their March 3 meeting, the Clin- ton -Business Improvement. Area (BIA) at- tended the council meeting. at which time parking behind the town hall and library was once again discussed. The concern about the parking lot was the fact that local employees were parking their cars in the lot for the entire day. By doing this, parking spots for shoppers were eliminated. . When the BIA met with council it was decided to enforce the two hour parking rule, ,however the public was invited to voice any concerns to council before a bylaw was passed and no one came .for- ward, '' M council's April 7 meeting, the BIA put nrth another proposal white council did awt adept, Council also decided to do ay with,the two hour limit and provide open parking during the day but no Over- night parking. "They're (the B1A) looking at a com- promise. The east side would remain as is and it would be a first come; first sersed basis. But on the west side, the one's (parking' places) not used by the- town, would be designated as two'' hour parking only," suggested Councillor John Cochrane. "I was talking. to Murray ' (Taylor, the bylaw officer) and he felt itv would be a nightmare to try and enforce Councillor Bonnie Jewitt agreed , with Mr. Taylor, saying, "I think it would be very confusing." Frustrated with the situation, Mayor John Balfour said, "I think the only way to :.; resolve it is to have a public meeting." Mayor Balfour also added that there are over 120 parking, spots in town and he couldn't understand why five"(taken by employees) were so important. , The parking lot off Princess Street was also discussed again and council members once again said many people were not aware that it existed. Many of the :coin cillors admitted they did not'know it was' there until recently;' "Has the BIA circulated information ret- ting the people know of the second toarking. lotbehind l heti Mitch?" ,askely`+ • bud Biuewater Secondary School, the increase is 3.3 per cent. The board voted to extend funding to two special projects including family studies and industrial arts funding for elementary schools in the county. Currently, only Vic- toria Public School in Goderich and Seaforth Public School offer these programs with out- side students bused to these schools. The board also agreed to allocate funds for addi- tional secretary support to the smaller elementary school. The family studies and industrial arts pro- grams will be implemented in the northern county elementary schools in 186 and the southern county schools in 1987 at an addi- tional estimated cost of $50,000 in the 1986 budget. The additional secretarial hours would cost an additional $10,000. However, the extending of the two pro- grams throughout the elementary school system was not without its opponents. John Elliott, the trustee for Blyth, Morris and East Wawanosh Township, originally mo- tioned the board not proceed with funding and recommended the board study the feasibility of continuing industrial arts and family studies in the elementary system. ° Mr. Elliott's main argument for halting the services was the travel time outside of the school when students are moving from one school to another for these classes: "There's too much time spent outside of the school. Couldn't we design a program (within the home school) that would be as beneficial to them without wasting time on the bus? Has anybody looked at this?" said Mr. ,Elliott. In response, education director Robert Allan said the students are bused at times which would not conflict with their regular classes such as before the start of school or during the noon hour. Tony. McQuail, trustee for West Wawanosh and Ashfield Townships, in an amendment to the original motion stated if the board is not prepared to extend the pro- grams thro -bout the county, the industrial arts and fa " studies programs should be abolished. "I'rn not sure I'm in total sympathy with the origipa otipn,, but if.wtie're.not goingto exteill?txidustrial arts and• •family stbdie than we should make a decision. If we're not -xaet .hours have not been set'yet, but Mr. Coventry feels the office will be open from 10 a.m, to 5 pm and may open on Saturdays during the summer months. 'o make the fund raising campaign a suc- cess, ;5,000 must be raised. The entire project has an estimated cost of $800,000 of wht h the Ministry ,of Health has granted CPH up to $400,000. Before Mr. Coventry wasnappointed, $65,000 had been raised. Anyone wishing to volunteer their time to staff' the office could phone Mr. Coventry or contact the secretary at the office any time after April 14. The office number is 482-5528. 3.7% going to extend it, then we should phase it out." said Mr. McQuail. Both motions, however, were overturned by a large majority in a recorded vote of the board. In speaking to the value of the two pro- grams, Colborne and Goderich Township Trustee Joan Van den Broeck said the in- struction is something the youngsters might not ordinarily receive without the help of the schools. "The programs create new areas of in- terest they wouldn't discover on their own or with their parents. My feeling is that they are very worthwhile," said Mrs. Van den Broeck. "Kids who have a bit of experience in in- dustrial arts or family studies continue to take these subjects (in high school) because they have that type of background," added Goderich Trustee Mary Ann Dempsey. Education Director Bob Allan said the ex- tra secretarial hours were necessary in the smaller elementary schools as a number of principals have said there was not always someone in the officeto answer phones and greet visitors. The board agreed to grant an addition 10.5 secretarial hours per week to 10 of the county's smaller elementary schools. However, an •amendment was passed to have the 10.5 hours phased in over a two year period. The single most costly item in this year's budget is teachers' salaries and benefits. At the elementary level, it is expected' to cost $13.1 million while at the secondary level the estimated cost is $11.9 million. Transportation is the second biggest budgetitem with an estimated cost of $2.1 million for elementary schools and $1.7 million for secondary schools this year. • The province, of Optario will pay the largest share of the budget with $25.1 million while the board, revenues amount to $1.5 million. The county municipalities share in the budget is $14.2 million. Mr. -Allan said:the board was encouraged .by the estimated slight decline in enrolment in the county schoo system thisyear of only ...- 42S ilde'h'ts,'It► I985„,;'t1Yd"01-ffiN ent de hied". ° in the county by 136 students. ,TEA. 'let :Held'' Of dd *note (seated) d etre of tea IS volunteer Helen Dykstra while Clinton outing, , e:, .. . y .r �nch 11reskdent1 red-Srdedet� looks ena (tnieNare Narejko photo) ettrtng',tret'►elt l�rair a .(� � p )