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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1986-12-17, Page 1Christmas schedule changes deadlines at News -Record CLINTON - Christmas falls on a Thursday this year so that means a change in the News -Record deadlines. For our Christmas edition, which will be published on Tuesday, December 23, we need all news copy by noon on Monday, December 22. This deadline is also for classified word ads and coming events. • Display advertisers should have their material in by 4 p.m. on Friday, December 19. Write a letter to Santa Claus and have it published in the paper CLINTON - If children wait too rnuc•h longer, it is doubtful their letters to Santa will reach the North Pole in time to have Santa's elves put together. their special order. 50 CENTS However, Santa receives community newspapers from around the world by special delivery and the post office takes ex- tra steps to ensure the Christmas edition NO. 51 121 YEARS • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1986 Ken Holmes resigns to be deputy clerk -treasurer By Anne Narejko CLINTON - Councillor Ken Holmes resigned his seat during council's December 15 meeting so he could accept the position of Clinton's Deputy Clerk -Treasurer. In his resignation, which was read at the meeting, Mr. Holmes stated that it was with regret that he resigned as he had enjoyed his year on council, finding it interesting and a great learning experience. On behalf of council and the public, Mayor John Balfour and Deputy Reeve Rosemary Armstrong said it was a two way street as they were sorry to see him go. "Thanks for the past year's hard work," commented Mayor Balfour. In a prepared press release from the mayor's office, Mayor Balfour noted Mr. Holmes will take his position on January 1, 1987. "Mr. Holmes was selected from 24 ap- plications of which five applicants were in- terviewed by council. The major factor in the selection of Mr. Holmes was his broad administrative experience with Sunoco Inc. and the Ford Motor Company (22 years)." Mayor Balfour further noted that the vacancy on council will be filled early in the new year. KEN HOLMES PUC rates increase by 6.2 per cent CLINTON - All energy used on and after January 1 will cost Clinton Public Utilities Commission ( PUC) subscribers approx- imately 6.2 per cent more. "After receiving notice that the cost of power from Ontario Hydro will increase 5.4 per cent on January 1, the Clinton PUC feels they must increase the Clinton PUC rates by approximately 6.2 per cent," noted manager Guss Boussey. "The increase will mean that the PUC will continue, as last year, at tighter spending and some cut- backs, such as new construction and rebuilding, and efficient ways to maintain the present equipment but still continue to give good service that people require and to keep everything operating." For residential hydro users who are presently receiving the minimum bill of $4, their rate will be increased to $4.50 per month. The remainder of the residential energy increases range from 6.1 per cent to 6.5 per cent, depending on the amount used. For commercial and industrial use, the in- creases range from 6.1 per cent to 6.3 per cent monthly. Teachers reach agreement The Huron County Board of Education and its 265 Secondary School Teachers represented by District 45 of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation have announced they have reached an agreement for the 1986/87 school year. The Agreement calls for a 3.4 percent in- crease in grid salaries retroactive to Sept. 1, 1986, followed by a 1.1 percent increase effective Feb. 1, 1987. All other salaries and allowances were increased by 4 per- cent. As of Feb. 1, 1987, the minimum and maximum teachers' salaries will be $21,740 and $48,300 respectively. The total cost increase for the 1986/87 school year is approximately 4 percent. The Agreement also calls for a joint in- vestigation into the possibility of establishing an Employee Assistance Plan for all employees of the Huron County Board of Education. There were no changes to the employee benefit package. This is the first time in almost 10 years that the parties have concluded negotia- tions before Christmas in the year in which they started. gets their in time for any last minute orders. Any children out there in the News - Record coverage area who have yet to write a letter to Santa, or perhaps would like to send in a revised list, is invited to drop their letter off at the office by 5 p.m. on December 19. We can't guarantee all the letters will be published, but we'll do our best to get as many as possible in. Clinton could get health club By Anne Narejko CLINTON -'the town's official plan and a zoning bylaw will have to be amended, but it looks as though Ray Garon's proposal for a health club is a definite possibility. At the December 11 Planning and Ad- visory Committee's public meeting, Mr. Garon's application for an admendment to the official plan and a zoning admendment were brought forward. No objections were voiced by the public or the committee and council passed the appropriate bylaws at their December 15 meeting. Facilities Mr. Garon is hoping to build a health club at the back of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MTC) building located on Beech Street. This will require the expansion and alterations to the existing building. The square footage of.the building is 4,000 feet with the MTC using approximately 1,530 square feet and forseeing an expansion of approximately 500 feet. "That leaves about 2,000 square feet that would be left which would mean squaring off or going out back and filling in the `L' shape at the back," said lawyer Elvin Parker who was representing Mr. Garon. Plans for the health club are still in the first stage because, "We're trying to walk before we run," said Mr. Garon. However, he does know that he would like the facility to house a workout room, a sauna, showers, one racquetball court and one squash court. "There's only one good facility in the county, at Agripress in Hensall. They have a racquetball and squash court and showers. People come from all over the county to play...Agripress has moved and that court will be closed down. "The only other one is portable in the Goderich Day Care Centre," explained Mr. Garon and Mr. Parker on the need for such a club. Committee member Terry Salsbury was concerned about the addition of the building fitting in with the existing surrounding buildings, but Mary Garon assured her the work would be done in a suitable manner. "The outside of the building is in a poor state now. If we make the roof higher, we will put aluminum siding on. • "We have no definite plans, but it would be a plus," said Mrs. Garon. The question of enough parking was ask- ed, and Mr. Garon replied by saying, "There is an exisitng paved parking lot for 24 cars and an empty lot (40 by 120 square feet) beside it." Amendments Clinton's Official Plan does not have a sec- tion for Recreational Commercial (RC1) zoning, therefore it was necessary to make an amendment,. explained Scott Tousaw of the Huron County Planning Department. During the public meeting, draft policies were brought forward for discussion. Under the RC1 definition, the draft policy, which was later adopted, read, "The recrea- tional commercial designation involves privately owned commercial facilities which provide for indoor recreational activi- ty to serve the recreational needs of the general public. Such facilities may include squash, racquetball and tennis courts, calisthenics and fitness rooms, dance studios and associated facilities. The recreational commercial designation does not encompass entertainment facilites such as movie theatres, video outlets, arcades, taverns or similar establishments." In explaining why the amendment allow- ed ,only indoor activities, Mr. Tousaw said, "At the planning meeting there was con- siderable discussion on the policy which has been designed to keep recreational uses in- doors so as not to bother the adjacent residents. This might happen with tennis courts." Mr. Garon felt comfortable with this stipulation, saying, "I don't feel there is enough room to expand to outdoor courts anyhow." The proposed health club fits into the policy which states receational commercial uses shall be confined to designated loca- tions and will be permitted only in areas of existing recreational development, mixed use areas with substantial non-residential components, or on an arterial road subject to land use compatibility. By locating on Beech Street, the club will be surrounded by the arena, horse racing track and drive-in. With the rezoning of the MTC building, it was necessary for a provision tote included to allow for a business office to operate on the premises. This provision was made with the zoning classified as RC1 -1. Board Of Education Property A second application was also dealt with at the public meeting and concerned the severance of land at the north end of Raglan Street by the Central Huron Secondary School track. "This land was never developed. The Committee of Adjustment have given their okay to changeit from a Community Facili- ty zone and have it redesignated as Residen- tial Low Density," said Mr. Tousaw. There were no objections to the redesigna- tion of the property. Sherlock -Manning petitions Tariff Boaia�f Canada to disallow GPT Canadian piano manufacturers are fin- ding it difficult to stay competitive because of what they feel are unfair tariffs. The manufacturers of Sherlock -Manning, made by Draper Brothers and Reid of Clin- ton, and Lesage Pianos, produced by Inter - piano Ltee in Ste. Therese, Quebec, petition- ed the Tariff Board of Canada to disallow South Korea's General Perferential Tariff (GPT) status on imported pianos, saying it gives the South Korean product an unfair advantage in the marketplace. "When it comes to piano manufacturing, Canada is the developing nation, not South Korea," said Mike Lonerg n, Manager of Business Development will Piano Sales Corporation (PSC) . ., South Korea's GPT status means pianos are assessed at 8.5 per cent, 4.5 per cent less than pianos coming from either Japan or the United States which receive Most Favored Nation status and a rate of 13 per cent of wholesale value. That differential extended through to the retail level translates into about a $200 price break on pianos valued at $1,500 wholesale. "This price difference, coupled with state- of-the-art mass production facilities, low labor costs, extensive South Korean govern- ment subsidies and the support of trading houses such as Hyundai, resulted in a 73 per cent Korean import increase in 1985 alone," noted a press release from PSC. "We know we've got some catching up to do," Mr. Lonergan said, "Piano manufac- turing in Canada, for over 100 years, has been a traditional, often family run business, that has not kept up to date in marketing and business management. Our management group, which bought Draper Brothers and Reid at the end of 1984 and restarted the Lesage production. line after the bank had taken over earlier this year, is developing and innovating to adapt a time- honored craft to meet the needs of modern customers with modern budgets. "We can be competitive on quality and price with the Americans and the Japanese, but not with the South Koreans," said Mr. Lonergan. Sherlock Manning pianos have just received an Ontario Development Corpora- tion grant for purchase of modern equip- ment for the Clinton plant. This money will go towards making production more time and cost efficient and to increase employment. The company also has a test production run in progress for the production of pianos for the Japanese piano company, Tadashi, for export to the US market. The parent company for both Sherlock - Manning and Lesage lines is also in the final stages of negotiation for the installation of a $10 -million piano components manufactur- ing facility which would supply both the Canadian and US markets. Canadian sales statistics for upright Turn to page 2 It's cert time s. Playing' outfit. ' 4