HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1986-06-18, Page 1NO, 25 121 YEARS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18,1986
50 CENTS
A foursome from Mitchell were among the
many out-of-town visitors on June 14 to
take in the Kinsmen Car Show, barbecue
and dance. Angie and John Rose and Linda
' `and Chuck Bremmer were all decked out
in their '50s gear for the fun. (Shelley
McPhee-Haist photo)
RELIVING
THE
'50s AND '60s
IN CLINTON
113
Chrome gleamed in the sunlight on Saturday as the sun shone down on the Kinsmen Car
Show and Dance. Debbie Eidt•of Walkerton was hard at work giving a shining touch to
her 1955 Chevie. (Shelley McPhee -Hoist photo)
its
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Resignation stirs controversy
By Shelley McPhee-Haist
HAYFIELD - Rick Penhale hopes to see the
end of the controversy that has surrounded
his recent resignation as road superintendent
for the village.
After five years as road superintendent for
Bayfield, Mr. Penhale submitted his resigna-
tion to council earlier this month. Council
agreed to accept it at the June 16 council
meeting.
Despite public support and pleas to recon-
sider, as well as requests from council to stay
on as road superintendent, Mr. Penhale has
refused to re -think his position.
Mr. Penhale submitted his resignation to
council as the result of what has been called
a difference of opinions between council and
0.himself.
Mr. Penhale told the News -Record that the
matter began at the first of the year when he
Urged council to consider tendering for work
• that required a loader and a backhoe for
small jobs.
"Council had been criticized for hiring
without tendering on small jobs," Mr.
Pothole' Mid.
Council subsequently supported Mr.
Pothole's idea and the firm of Ed Heard Con-
struction was hired to complete all backhoe
work for thevillage.
Last Moni the particulars of the problem
rose. Heard's backhoe was being used by
Pothole atthe ball diamond, in the mean -
me ti
Councillor James quick and Reeve ,
o wstdtt ,were working at the south shore
d+vellpg a beach area. They needed a
•
backhoe to dig a half dozen post holes.
Mr. Penhale said he was called to the scene
and the backhoe was requested. Learning
that the Heard backhoe was in use, the coun-
cil representatives chose to hire in Diemert
Custom Backhoe to repair the beach area.
Mr. Penhale said he voiced his opposition
to this, reminding council members of ,the
contract with Heard for such work.
"I told the reeve that the job could have
been done by the weekend, but 1 didn't know
that it was such an urgent matter (the beach
repair). Our priorities' were different," Mr.
Penhale said.
He went on to say that a, "heated debate"
followed between he and the reeve.
"I was told that 1 wasn't doing my job
right."
He further noted, "It's been a pretty smooth
go for me up to this point as road superinten-
dent. I've never been criticized like that
before."
Despite private conversation with Coun-
cillor Cliff Freeman, acting as a mediator,.
and a subsequent apology from Reeve
Johnston, Mr. Penhale submitted his
resignation:
Connell members said that the resignation •
came as a surprise, as they felt the matter
had been resolved. -'
Mr. Penhale noted, "The reeve did
apologize and he offered me a six month leave,
of absence so I could go and work with tray
dad." ,.
As well, many ratepayersintvegiveititti
support to Mr, Pennate and, have enco ag-
ed him to reconsider his resignation.
Minutes.from the June 2 planning meeting
report read, "Peg Willock said that she was
indeed sorry to see this happen as Rick had
done an excellent job of plowing the streets
in the winter and hoped he would reconsider.
Pat Muratori and Arlene Southgate voiced
similar concerns. Terry Fitzsimons asked
Rick as a personal favor to him to give the
Matter a 24 hour cooling off period and then
if he still felt the same, then hand in the
resignation. Rick said he had been giving.the
matter considerable thought for some time."
Rick later told the News -Record that he had
been happy with his work as village road
superintendent up until the last month. He
also noted however, that he has been giving
some consideration to the prospects of work-
ing with his father,.TomPenhale, in the horse
wagon and buggy building business.
"I've always°had.the option of working with
my dad, building carriages and buggies and
this aided my decision," he said.
A full house audience packed into the
Bayfield Connell chambers on June 16 to pro-
test the resignation, and in turn the subse-
quent hiring of a new road superintendent.
John Graham, former arena manager, was
given the job as new road superintendent. He
is the son of Hayfield's clerk -treasurer Pat
Greham.
Public'questioning asked coma, why the
position was not advertised.
Chcryi. Toml1110on asked, "If theob wasn't
vacantuntil today 'tow Corrie the rib was fill»
Urn to page 2
cowicii remains silent
BLYTII'- Council here still remain dos-
ed mouthed about the recent resignation of
municipal clerk -treasurer Larry Walsh;
Reeve Albert Wasson said on June 12
that no now information was available
regarding the clerk's resignation or an in-
vestigation being carried out by the
Wingbam OPP.
In the interm, Anne Nesbitt has been
hired as acting clerk -treasurer for the
village. She previously worked as a part
time secretary at the municipal offices.
Council has also sought the help of the
village auditor Bill Vodden who is helping
prepare the 1986 budget for Blyth.
As well, the auditors are re -assessing the
village's 1985 financial statements. The
statements were recently completed, then
recalled for further examination.
Reeve Wasson said that a special council
meeting will be held to settle the budget
and banking matters.
He said that a "noble attempt" had been
made to have the budget completed for
council's June 12 meeting.
."It's critical at this point that we get this
budget in place," Reeve Wasson said,
noting that grants and outstanding ac-
counts depend on the setting of the budget
as soon as possible.
It was further reported at council that an
emergency meeting of the Fire Area
Board was held on June 10. John
Hesselwood, former secretary -treasurer,
was asked to take over the books for the
time being.
Joint charges are laid
CLINTON - The Ontario Ministry of the
Environment charged the municipality and
local company in connection with a deposit
of sewage sludge on farm land.
The Public Utilities Commission of the
Town of Clinton and Merner Contracting
Ltd. were jointly charged with one count
under section 39 off the environmental pro-
tection act which relates to depositing waste
on a site that does not have a certificate of
approval. The maximum fine upon convic-
tion is $2,000.
The charges follow a ministry investiga-
tion of sewage sludge being deposited on
farm land on May 15, 16, 17 of 1985.
The site did not have a certificate of ap-
proval allowing depositing of the material.
First court appearance has been schedul-
ed for 10 a.m. on June 23 in Provincial Court
in Goderich.
Chester Archibald, who was the mayor
during the May 15-17 period last year, said
he was, "floored to hear this."
Although he did not know all the details,
he did say there had been an excess amount
of sewage sludge in the usual dumping loca-
tion and arrangements had been made with
a farmer to dump the sludge on his proper-
ty. He did not know the location of the pro-
perty.
ro-
ert
p Garry Merner, of Merner Contracting
Ltd., would not comment on the charges and
PUC manager Gus Boussey is away.
Bylaw passed to allow home
By Anne Narejko
CLINTON - Council here passed two
bylaws concerning the Christian Reformed
Retirement Home which will allow the land
to be rezoned and allow council to have con-
trol over what is erected.,
The proposed home will be situated off
Charles Street at the north end of town. In
order for the retirement home committee to
build on this property, council had to pass an
amending bylaw to change the zoning
classification from future development to
residential high density.
With this amendment, a senior citizens'
apartment building, a nursing home and a
home for the aged or rest home could be
built. The bylaw also requests that the
retirement home committee provide a
minimum of eight parking spaces for
visitors in the side yard as well as the re-
quired parking for residents in the rear
yard.
Residents whose homes are situated near
the proposed site have expressed concern
over the appearance of the building. They
feel a large building, could devalue their
property.
Taking these residents into consideration,
council has said the maximmni height of the.
building cannot be more than 11 metres and
can only contain two .storeys. Mayor John
Balfour also said the committee is looking at
two vtions— one is,an L-shaped two storey
building and the other is a horseshoe shaped
one storey building.
"Community Within Community"
Appearance andparking are two of the
major concerns for residents in the area,
but when Mac MacLean, a property owner
near the proposed site, said he "had heard it
would be a community within a communi-
ty," and Clayton Groves said people were
concerned about the home being open to on-
ly the •Canadians of Dutch; descent, coun-
cillor Case Buffinga took exception.
Councillor Buffinga answered by saying,
"Just because I'm Dutch, am I any less
Canadian?"
Mayor Balfour told council he had been
assured that the home would be open to all.
The idea for a retirement home was
originally brought forward by the Christian
Reformed Church a few years ago, said
councillor Gordon Geirits, when five
families moved to Brantford because there •
was no room in Clinton. "And it is happening
again," he said.
Mr. Groves said it was not the retirement
home itself that was causing concern, but
the fact that a chapel and nursing home
were included at one time. Mr. Groves also'
said the proposed chapel has since been ex-
cluded but 6.5 acres "is an awful lot of land
for a senior citizens' building."
Deputy -reeve Rosemary Armstrong ask-
ed the two resident representatives if they
had. done any research concerning the
devaluation of land and Mr. Groves said he
visited an area in Owen Sound which was
located near a retirement home where "peo-
ple would give the land away."
Councillor John Cochrane said he recently
heard of a study done in Kitchener which
proved the value of surrounding property
had increased.
"The land is well kept (at the retirement
homes) and the people (at the home) are
quiet. It's better than a lot of noisy kids," he
said.
It was then suggested the home be built at
the north end of town by the low rental
homes and apartment buildings as the land
is serviced.
Councillor Cochrane took exception to this
suggestion as he felt it implied seniors
should be treated as second rate citizens.
"As one of the closest people to (age) 65
here, I feel that what I'm hearing is you feel
anything is good enough for seniors," he
said.
The response to this was the residents in
the surrounding homes were not opposing
the seniors, but they were opposing the nurs-
ing home. It was also added that there are a
lot of .kids in the.. area and the.,: noise my
disturb those in the retirement home.
To this, deputy -reeve Armstrong said, "I
have dealt extensively with seniors and they
love to hear the noise of every day life
because they are not able to be apart of it."
Site Control
Before the discussion was cut-off, and the
decision of whether to pass the bylaws was
made, mayor Balfour said the major thing
is the site control.
"With the site control, council will have
control over where the building is situated -to
its appearance...Council will have tight con-
trol," he said.
Councillor Gerrits suggested a liaison
committee, consisting of two council
members, two representatives from the
planning board and two immediate
neighbors, should be set up.
Mayor Balfour reminded everyone pre-
sent that despite this committee, council
will have final say.
Before leaving the council chambers, Mr.
Groves, on . behalf of the concerned
residents, told council he was not opposing
the Dutch, but the idea of having a retire-
ment home built in that particular location.
Anyone wishing to object to the rezoning
has until. July 15 to hand in a written objec-
tion to acting ' clerk -treasurer, Marie
Jefferson.
Doctors still at work
CLINTON - The hospital here will not be.
effected by recent actions to close emergen-
cy departments as part of the Ontario doc-
tors protest against the government.
The emergency ward at Clinton Public
Hospital cannot be closed, reported Dr. Art
Steed, as no alternative medical facilityis
available here.
Doctors here have continued to work as
usual and have not closed offices in response
to the Ontario Medical Asssociation (OMA)
call for further withdrawal of services.
"We'll lose public support by closing," Dr.
Steed said. "It would harm the people who
we're seeking support from!"
Doctors here have resigned from volun-
tary boards and hospital committees. While
they are reluctant to support further work -
to -rule requests by the OMA, Dr. Steed
noted that among the 17,000 member
association there's a "growing swell who
are asking for more drastic measures."
He said that the complete withdrawal of
services by medical doctors would be
unethical.
Doctors in Clinton and area continue to
monitor the situation.
"Things are happening so quickly, we
(doctors) can't organize at a county level
for meetings."
Negative attitude in schools?
By Shelley McPhee-Haist
CLINTON - Janis Soots wants to do
something about the negative attitude
associated with education and schooling in
Huron County.
The Goderich mother originally took her
concerns to Robertson Memorial School in
Goderich and has now presented her ques-
tions and comments to the Huron County
Board of Education,.
"The points I raise are not isolated to one
school, but it affects all schools in Huron
County," she told board members.
Mrs. Soots presented an in-depth letter of
explanation questions and suggestions to
board mothers attheir June meeting.
She voiced her opposition to the bad coin -
malty image of the Goderich public school,
but emphasized the positive work that is be-
ing done at the scho&
"I applaud the efforts of Mr. Angus
Maclennan (school principal) to establish a
nod school environment between. student-
"):..
w . , her letter
tree ..14lra�ots�wt,`ctc in Yte
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to the board..
The need for good communications was a
major concern that she raisd to the board.
She suggested that more enllphasis in com-
munications
ommunications could help alleviate the
negative attitudes towards school in Huron
County, and involving the community could
help achieve this goal.
. Mrs. Soots also addressed the issue of stu-
dent behavioral problems and appropriate
disciplinary measures.
She wrote, "1 question the situation of
allowing a classroom or individual(s)
behavioral problems go unchecked or to be
dealt with spasmodically or inconsi'sten'tly, i,
question the practice of allowing repeated
temper tantrums, outrageous bursts of foul
language and abusive behavior. directed at
fellow students, teachers and the principal
to continue when present methodsof deali'n'g
with such situations do not always bring
desired results."
Mrs. Soots noted that some behavioral
problems, are dealt with by short term
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