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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-04-15, Page 9Council tables decision. from page 1 be needed if every citizen came to council to dispute a decision. &an Profit argued that every citiaenhas the right to appeal to council if they are refused by an organization under the umbrella of the town. "The matter was referred to new businesfand the minutes say in order to discuss a floating scale," Profit said. "It is difficult to overrule the recreation board but Mr. Little has a legitimate argument." Profit added that the recreation board created confusion and suggested, council reach a com- promise. Mr. Little explained that although he was not af- filiated with the Goderich Trotting Association, he does train horses for a living and was attempting to raise money for a tractor for the use at the raceway. "We have one of the worst tracks in the province and the tractor is needed 12 months of the year," he said. - Deputy -reeve Bob Allen lauded. Little's fund- raising efforts but was unwilling to propose a motion, • • reversing the recreation board stand. "Lynn Meyers came to us for support as an in- dividual and now we have a track facility across from the high school," he said. "Here's a man who is not a member of the trotters but he wants to do something. We should have a formula and try to help out if there is a loss." Councillor Glen Carey offered support for Allen's suggestion and said Little should pay a percentage on the hall rental. Little said he would submit a complete financial statement of the event adding he had the, services of volunteers to clean the hall. Haydon introduced a motion that council concur with the recreation board decision not to grant free use of the auditorium but the motion died without a seconder. Everyone at the council table was hesitant to propose a motion in contradiction of the recreation board decision and thereby usurp the board's authority. Profit asked that the matter be tabled until the May 4 meeting of council. Financial picture is good In comparative terms, the town of Goderich is in good financial shape according to Nancy Exel of MacGillivray and Compy. In making a presentation of, an audited financial statement for the year 1980, Exel told council that the town "is in a very good financial position compared to other communities." Many factors contribute to the enviable financial position and Exel said the town's practice of com- mitting funds to reserve accounts has kept the mill rates at acceptable levels. The reserves have now reached $257,284 set aside for pending capital ex- penditures. Exel pointed out .that -most town departments and committees were well within their budgets last year while the Huron County Board of Education and .the County of Huron held spending close to budget - figures. . The good financial picture offers testimony to the work of „the administration and Exec praised their, efforts. 0. "1 wuuld like to commend the tax collectors and administration for keeping the tax arrears down and not letting them get out of hand," she said. "The town also had . interest incepme over $100,000, which is unusual, but the administration is investing money wisely." The administration has been investing tax money until it is needed to cover municipal expenses and also government grants are invested at prime rates until the money can be applied to a specific project. The Huron County Board of Education has alsobeen paying the town prime interest rates for pre -payment of education taxes. Thisyear taxpayers face a three per cent increase in the general municipal mill rates over 1980 figures. The total tax revenue for 1981 is set at $1,421,739 with generalcommercial mill rate set at 134 mills an merea d3 3eShe .96 >t ls and the general residential rate { to 114.32. The County of Huron has already established a 1981 budget and the Huron County Board of Education is ., expected to vote on its 1981 budget later this month. Want7 site _Owl a \gee� n.ent pyliaw BY CATH WOODEN Goderich Planning Board, at its regular April 7 meeting, voted to recommend to council the adoption of a .by-law that will make site plan agreements compulsory for commercial, industrial, and apart- - merit developers before they can acquire Li -budding permit. The by-law, 35(a), will repeal a previous 35(a) whichis less comprehensive than this one. Under the new by-law, the developer must provide' plans of the proposed building or buildings, and their relationship to the surrounding neighborhood. The municipality may require that the developer provide for widening of roads that abut his land, off-street parking, walkways, lighting facilities, landscaping of lands for neighbor. protection, garbage 'storage, easements conveyed to the town for watercourses, and other drainage works. The site plan agreement is registered under title and the town may demand a security from the developer toensure that the agreement is upheld. If the town fails to approve the site plan agreement after it is submitted, the owner of the land may go to, Metz—tit—alio Mi nicipal-Board fora hearing. The by-law, common in most municipalities, assures the town of Goderich of the legal authority to require a . development agreement prior to• issuing a building permit and allows .the registration of the agreement on title so itis binding. • It also ensures that the maintenance of all facilities and works covered under: the agreement are at the sole risk and expense of the owner. This by-law also permits the town to eetrry out any work covered in the agreementwhere tht nwneris in default•and recover the costs. through municipal. taxes or annual in- stallments. Head smut found Head smut of com was found on about 100 farms in 17 counties of Ontario in 1980, according to Professor Lloyd Busch, Department of Environmental Biology, University of Guelph. It has not been reported as yet from Essex, Kent, Lambton, or Wellington Counties. Four of the 1980 cases were on sweet corn. • Head smut is likely spread from field to, field and from farm to farm by wind, machinery, the sale of contaminated corn for feed, or by contaminated seed, says Prof. Busch. All seed produced in Ontario in 1980 has been given a "clean bill of health" by the Plant Products Division of Agriculture Canada. Data on the relative resistance of 72 corn hybrids between 2600 and 2900 heat units in maturitels available from the Soils and Crops specialists of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Relative resistance of other maturities is not available. The actual amount of head smut found in most infected fields in 1980 was less than one per cent, says Prof. Busch, except on the headlands where there was considerably more. It is not yet understood whether the heavier headland infection W.J. Denomme FLOWER SHOP Phone 524-a132 DAY B9R NIGHT Agent for 24 hr. FILM DEVELOPING,. was due to soil compaction from equipment or to heavier spore concentration. Observation of the pattern of infection showed that spore density was very uneven in most fields. Weather also played a very prominent role in the actual number of infected plants present in a field.,, Hot dry weather at seedling emergence and post emergence increased the amount of head smut found in the field. The average difference in the amount of head smut present in heavily contaminated fields planted on three different dates varied between 33 per cent and 12 per cent. GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, APRUe! 15,1981—PAGE 9 Cardiff calls for prompt aqion on bean research Murray Cardiff, M.P. for Huron -Bruce, has called for prompt action by the federal Department of Agriculture to ensure the continuation of programs in white bean research carried on at the .Department's Harrow Research station. The recent retirement of Dr. John Aylesworth after years of valuakfle research in breeding new varieties of white beans has left the Hai - row station without a qualified 'scientist to con- tinue his research and to complete programs in pro-, gress at the time of his retirement. According to Mr.. Cardiff, the Govern- ment, foreseeing Dr. Aylesworth's retirement, should have proceeded as much as two years 'ago to recruit a qualified replace- ment so that existing pro- grams are not jeopardized and so that white bean research may continue uninterrupted. At a meeting of the House. of Commons' Agriculture Committee on April 2, . Car- diff questioned Agriculture Minister Eugene Whelan about departmental action in seeking a replacement for Dr. Aylesworth. Offici .Is of Agriculture Canada accom- panying the Minister' acknowledged that. no replacement had yet been named and indicated that the process of recruitment would require an additional five months. In response to further questions from Mr. Cardiff. Ministry officials indicated that they expected techni- cians at the Harrow Station would preserve the breeding stock belonging to existing programs and would con- tinue the breeding programs already in progress at Dr. Aylesworth's retirement. - Noting that Harrow has also been without a Director recently, but has been super- vised by an Acting Director, Cardiff asked for confirma- tion that a Director would be named soon. According to Ministry officials, the Direc- tor's position has now been staffed, :;and, .,a public an- nouncement is expected within a very few weeks. Speaking in response to the indications given by Agriculture Canada to the Agriculture Committee, Mr. 1®s Year Guaranteed Investment Certificates VG Annual Interest Rate subject to change Vl CIORIA AND GREY TRUE Since1844 Goderich: 100 Kingston. St. 524-7381 Member. Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Murray Cardiff .Cardiff said: "I am happy to know that the Minister of Agriculture and his Depart- ment have given assurances that Dr. Aylesworth's posi- tion will be filled and his work continued. White bean research is of vital impor- tance to the producers, who are competing for a world- wide market and have up to now made Ontario the world's • leading°exporter -of ' white beans." Commenting on the an- nouncement that the position of Director at. Harrow had now been staffed, he added: "This is encouraging news. Harrow is only ane of Agriculture Canada's many research stations across the country, and it is by no means the biggest. But the research carried on there is crucial to producers who de- pend on the work of that sta- tion, and in these matters, questions of size are not the issue. The quality of our agricultural research deter- mines not only the livelihoods of many pro- ducers across the country, but affects the value and strength of our export trade in agricultural products. I welcome the news that a Director has now been ap- pointed on a permanent basis and look forward to an announcement soon that the vacant position for research in white beans has been fill- ed." From May .1,1981 there will be a new procedure to apply for a CHIP home insulation grant If you are considering insulating your home you should check if you are eligible for a grant. Then send CHIP a request card for your personalized application form which will indicate that grant money has been set aside for you for 90 days. ARE YOU ELIGIBLE? 1. Is it a principal residence or non-profit hostel? 2. Is it a house or apartment of 3 storeys or less? 3_ Was it built before January 1, 1961 in any province' or be- fore September 1, 1977 in the Yukon, Northwest Territories or Newfoundland? YES NO • [1 H ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ If you have answered "YES" to all the ques- tions you can obtain. your personalized ap- plication form for a grant by sending us a completed CHIP request card. This card is available from most insulation material retail outlets, insulation contractors or from your provincial CHIP office. Canadian Home Insulation Program 'P.O. Box 1270, Station "T" Toronto, Ontario M6B 4A4 tel: (416) 789-0581 or toll free 1-800-268-1818 'Nova Scolia and Ponce Edward Island are covered under rhe Homo Insulation Program EET AT THE You • GOLF —TENNIS OPEN APRIL 20, 21, 22 7-0 p.m. FOR MEMBERSHIPS MAITLAND COUNTRY CLUB — GODERICH Dining Room Re -Opens May 1st r1 a14°1439i 0 SHOPPERS SQUARE GOOERIrw Come in and see our complete line of Admiral products, all at tremendous savings A 1