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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1982-05-05, Page 1eric NAL_ 134 YEAR -18 GODERICH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, MAY 5,1982 50 CENTS Ph COPY axpayers face 7 percent increase Goderich taxpayers will face a 7.2 per cent increase in the 1982 edition of municipal taxes. Town council finalized its 1982 consolidated mill rate Monday and it holds both good and bad news for taxpayers. The good news is that increase in the 1982, taxes at 7.2 per cent is less than last year. The bad news is that the average taxpayer, With a house assessed at $3,500, will pay an additional $65 on the 1982 tax bill. Last year the average tax bill increased by $71.33 to $904.19 based on an assessment of $3,500. In 1982, the. sarne-taxpaye:will4aee-a-hill-of$359:19. The major portion of that increase for public school supporters will go for increases in education costs. Education costs account for $37.94 of the $65 increase while $20.55 goes for town purposes and $6.51 to the County of Huron. Separate school supporters didn't get off quite as lightly and will pay $77.91 more in 1982 for an average tax bill of $982.10. Last year, for the first time, the greatest per- centage of the tax bill went for education costs and this year that percentage increased again. Education costs take up $449.35 pf the $969.19 tax bill while $421.11 goes for town purposes and $98.73 for the county. In 1981, 45.5 per cent of the tax bill went for The Reverend J. Ure Stewart, who recently marked 75 years in the ministry, holds photographs taken of him as a"young man. At left is the photo taken of him 'Upon his graduation from McCormick Theological Seminary in 1907 and at right is an earlier picture taken upon his graduation from McGill University in 1905. Mr. Stewart will be 100 years old in June. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan ) education costs while '*i.4 per cent weal, tor general municpal purposes. This year the percentage off the tax -bill used for education increased to 46.4 per cent compared to 43.4 per, cent for town of Goderich purposes. As reflected in the consolidated mill rate, the municipality held its increase to 5.1 per cent com- pared to 7 per cent for the County of Huron and 9.2 per cent for the board of education which computes into the overall 7.2 per cent tax increase for 1982. Over the past five years the town has held its mill rate increase_at pectableieVe1s_atid_t „a_year's mill rate increase of 5.2 per cent is the highest in the , five-year period: In speaking to council about the 1982 tax levy, finance chairman Don Wheeler said councillors could be proud of the job they did in holding the increase to acceptable levels. "This council can be proud of the way it has managed the town and increases over the years for municipal spending have been five per cent or less," he said. "Council and all the committees can pat themselves on the back. They've done a terrific job." Taxpayers have already been issued an interim tax bill based on 90 mills and while only one more bill will be issued, it is payable in two installments. The first installment Ls due June 11 and final installment is due October 22. oms are special eople kids say • Everyone has theircia•1, warm memories of r owns 'e P. • mother and the dailytasks she performs for the Itevererd --re ec -is---o n _ -family members. This Sunday is Mother's Day, a day set aside in recognition of mothers, a day to offer special thanks • • • for the personal touch she brings to your life. Those. labors of love don't go unnoticed and several • youngsters told the Signal -Star why their mom is so special. - _ , • • Jason Hayter was quite aware that Sunday was Mother's' Day and said he would make a suitable card for his mom because she does all the laundry and dishes, at home. Jason Dempsey, 8, says his mom is special because she takes him to Sky Ranch for ice creamcones and buys him comic books. .Mrs. Dempsey also makes • sandwiches for Jason and while he concedes they are small,, he likes them just the same.. Seven year-old Becky Harrison simply doesn't like going to bed early and her mom is special cause she gets to stay up late. Becky's mom also takes her to the movies and Becky plans to make her a card and a book for Sunday. • . • ' Kari Davidson, 6, thinks her mom is the best in the world because "she buys me stuff like gym shoes and panty hose." But that wasn't the main reason and Kari added that "my mom is special because I love her." - Eight ;year-old Rhonda Castle's mons does everything and is better than all the moms. "She helps me all the time and -does all the dishes," Rhonda added. Gary Brown says he's a "pretty messy" guy and thinks his mother is special because she cleans up his bedroom. In recognition of that the Grade 1 student plans ' to take mother shopping in London this weekend with dad. Denise Johnston helps her mother all the time and gets a dollar in return but she also thinks her mom. is great for the new clothes she bought at Easter. The eight year-old Grade 3 student is planning a surprise gift for -her mom Sunday. While Brian Lane said he helps with work around the house, -he conceded that his mother did a lot of work as well, like preparing meals and helping with his homework. Brian said dad was looking after the gift but he thought he could spare some money to chip in. o Eeht year-old Chuck McLennan had to think pretty hard but said his mom is special because she makes supper and takes him places around town. Chuck 75 years in ministry BY JOANNE BUCHANAN. When the Reverend James Ure Stewart was a young man studying at McGill University in Montreal during the early 1900s, he contracted hemorrhagic scarlet fever, a disease that was usually fatal in four days. He was sent to an isolation hospital and the doctors gave him up as dead. "They prayed forme and mother came and packed my trunk," he recalls now. "But' I was ready for a fight. I pulled through in three weeks. I guess it must have been spared for something."' And spared he was. On June 18,'Mr. Stewart will celebrate his 100th birthday and on April 30 he marked 75 years of service as an ordained minister. Now living in Seaforth, Mr. Stewart was born in Saltford to James and Anna (Matheson) Stewart in 1882. When he was 14 years old, his family moved to Goderich and he still fondly regards this as `the old hometown'. "I still get the Signal -Star and read every page. I have relatives in Goderich and visit often. You couldn't get a prettier location for a town. And that view over the lake...it's just beautiful!" Mr. Stewart's `roots' are literally here in Goderich. He and his father planted a tree on the corner of Elgin Avenue and South Street m 1896 in front of their house. Both the tree and the white brick house 'are still standing and he marvels at the sturdiness of them. He recalls that his father had the house built for $1800. The foundation is made of stone which was brought up by stone boat from the Maitland River bed. Mr. Stewart's parents and boyhood home had a strong influence on his life. His father came to this area from Scotland at the age of 16. He worked as a `nursery agent' selling such things as, trees and shrubs. Later he became an insurance salesman. Mr. Stewart's mother, Anna Matheson, was perhaps the strongest influence in his career decision. She was a charter member of .Knox Presbyterian Church in Goderich and also a member of the missionary' society. She named her son after the Reverend Robert Ure, the mVijster at Knox Church at the time of his birth. "Apparently mother dedicated me to the church at birth. My parents told me I preached my first sermon standing on my mother's sewing•machine and I don't think I ever seriously considered any other profession other than a minister when I was growing up although I did study music as well," he says. Another influence on his career choice was the many student ministers from 'Knox College who., boardedat his parents home on weekends. From there, they would take horses and buggies to supply at Leeburn Church. After his education at Saltford Public School, Goderich Central School and Goderich High School, Mr. Stewart, under the guidance of Reverend Anderson from Knox Church, attended McGill University. He earned his way through university by hitching his way across the Atlantic on a cattle boat each summer and selling a photographic novelty, &iihWf'§ "a"st?e'daetlpit"`o'i'ewer thror=ttpdooir in. the British Isles. This was in 1902 and 1903 and he remembers that King Edward was crowned around this time. "I 'was not a very good agent (salesman)," he recalls. Upon graduation from McGill in 1904, he entered McCormick Theological Seminary, graduating . in 1907. His first mission field was in the summer, of 1905 at a lumber camp in western Montana when the west' was still wild. He lived m a shack in a farmers' field, used a half -broken bronco for transportation and preached in a log school house which served as the, church. • In 1906 hewent back for his second year" at McCormick. That, same year, a delegation from the Presbytery of Detroit visited McCormick looking for a minister to serve at Fort Wayne near Detroit. All that was there at the time was a little chapel and a Sunday school of a few hundred children ruts by two local women. "Nobody -wanted to go but I figured I would because Detroit was so close to Goderich and the Grey Hound (boat) vias runningbetween the two places so I could visit back and forth." he explains. - He organized the Fort Wayne Presbyterian Church that year andgot 66 members. In 1907 he became the first minister there and he' will always remember Fort Wayne fondly as his 'first charge'. "Detroit was quite Canadian in those days," he explains. He married his first wife in Detroit and two of his three children were born there. He came back to Canada in 1910. His first charge in this country was at Napier, ' about 12 miles from Strathroy. Then he , served Whitechurch and Langside. Next he traded in his horse, cow and chickens for a Model T Ford and became the first settled minister at Dunn Memorial (now St. James) Presbyterian Church at Longbranch and Dixie in Toronto in 1916. The church had been organized in 1914 and Mr. Stewart recalls there was no sewage or water system and just two stores in the area. He smiles when he remembers his driving lessons on the Model' T. Up until 1917 in Longbrflch, he used a bicycle for transportation in summer\ and a streetcar or walking in winter. When he purchased his 1913 Model T, his only driving instruction was three or four times around the block with the car salesman ( "you didn't need a licence in those days") and then seven miles on his own through the city of Toronto to get back out to Longbranch. ".I don't even think I knew how to back it up," he laughs. His next charge. was Belmont Church and there he recalls building a crystal radio set in 1921 from a diagram he saw in the London Free Press. He could hear music and voices on his set from as far as 600 miles away and this to him was 'a miracle°. He still has the set in his possession but a typewriter made in 1896 which he used to type his sermons on at McCormick has been given to the Huron County Pioneer Museum in Goderich ('a most wonderful museum'). . He was the minister at Rockwood charge when most Presbyterian congregations, the Methodists and the Congregationalists joined in 1925 to become the United Church of Canada. He has been with the United Church ever since. Next he served at Aberfoyle near Guelph, at two small churches up north and then -at Paisley Memorial, United .Church in. Guelph.. hi 1927. From. there he went to Elmira, Moorefield and Bright, near Woodstock (he jokes that at least he had one 'Bright' congregati ). He retired,at Oxford Centre in 1951 -and moved to oorefield. From there he continued to Turn to page 2 Jason Dempsey Kari Davidson Buys ice cream... 1 love her... plans to make a Mother's Day card and thinks he'll make a. gift Saturday as well. Jordan McCallum said his mom keeps him busy working around the house but his mother is special because she "buys me things." The nineyear-old is making a card for his mother. Beth MacDonald's mom is a problem solver who "doesn't make me work hard at home, , helps me with my homework and doesn't nag about chores." The Grade 5 student is going to make breakfast for her mom. Nine year-old Abby Smallwood is going to surprise her mother with a gift, a card and Sunday lunch. Mrs. Smallwood helps with homework, remembers everything and generally "does a lot of work" ac- cording to Abby. Stephen Sturdy has a special gift in mind for his mother because she does the laundry, helps with homework and does all the cooking which he says is "good, sometimes." Mrs. Sturdy can also look' for= " ward to breakfast in bed because Stephen says his cooking is good. Petra Schulz plans to make breakfast for mom' with her brothers and sisters and claimed "she might buy something." Petra's mom "helps with homework , solves problems and that's all I think." It's obvious there are some special mothers around whose efforts are recognized and appreciated. Planners handle development BY STEPHANIE LEVESQUE • GODERICH - Huron County's planning department is now also in charge of economic development. At its meeting April 29, Huron County council ap- proved the integration recommendation from its development committee. ,The county has been without a development officer since last fall. Since then all enquiries to that department have been answered by the planning department. One of the first tasks undertaken by the planning department earlier this year was to send question- naires to each municipality asking for opinions on the future role of the county's development program. Municipalities answering the questionnaire (about 80 per cent) said economic development is important but its emphasis should be at the local level. The municipalities said the county's role should be one of liai:lon,., 0o-ordination...._pr,Qpiditig ..information,. especially on • grant programs, and assistance with special local projects. Three alternatives for the county's development role were suggested: to re -organize a development department - one that could go out in the world pro- moting Huron County t� industries looking to locate in the area, integrate the development department with an existing county department, or to abandon it completely. No municipality is in favor of the last op- tion. "The county needs to remain active some way," said Goderich Reeve Dori Wheeler speaking in favor of integration. He added continuing the development role could bring more jobs to Huron County. Morris Township Reeve Bill Elsto'n told county council he and Warden Harold Robinson recently at- tended a development conference in Hamilton. They met development officers there from other municipalities with operating budgets ranging from $150,000 to $200,000. (Huron County has budgeted $77,000 for 1982). Reeve Elston said it is hard for the county to compete for industry with other municipalities spending that kind of money. "County council.., should really, decide Iwhat it wants," said Reeve Elston. .„ The county's development committee, chaired by Seaforth Reeve William Dale, will continue to operate. Principal feted by association Queen Elizabeth School principal, Bonnie Graham, was honored with a life membership by the Ontario Association of Teachers of the Mentally Retarded at a recent convention in Toronto. Mrs. Graham, who has been involved with the school for 21 years, was presented with the coveted life membership award at the group's annual con- vention in Toronto April 29 to May 1, a convention that also marked the 25th anniversary of the Association. Graham, who will be retiring, was awarded the life membership for service at Queen Elizabeth School as well as work in the community. She actively pursued the establishment of the Kinsmen Workshop and the group home on Keays Street. Council supports Mayor Worsen Members of town council were effusive in their support of Mayor Harry Worsen after he was challenged by councillor Jim Searls for spending $186 in entertainment costs on a.recent visit to Ottawa. When told that the money was spent on dinner for MP Murray Cardiff, his secretary and their spouses while the mayor and his wife were attending a PUC conference in Ottawa, Seas challenged the town's obligation to pay. - "To my way of thinking, when these people are in town we entertain them but when we go out of town they should do the entertaining," he said. Administrator • Larry McCabe explained that although the mayor attended a conference on behalf of the PUC he talked with Cardiff about a number of issues affecting the town of Goderich at the same time. Mayor ;Worsell told Searls that his meeting with Cardiff was i .e i iaLto-the-towrabut-he-was-wriling -- to pay for the dinner himself if council so wished. His offer immediately drew comments. from the' council table Deputy -reeve Bob Allen .said he Wanted to com- pliment the mayor for working on behalf of the town while in Ottawa adding that he could have used the time in Goderich "for his own personal benefit and gain." All councillors reiterated their support and Glen Carey said "the town owes you applause rather than criticism." "The mayor deserves credit," councillor John Doherty said. "But some people would jump over a $10 -bill for a nickel." Block Parent program revived The Block Parent program may be resurrected in. Goderich. Subsequent to a request ,from Lori Biggin of Cameron Streot> ..foericll,y epncil has „offered support -for-thepritgiatri'and will canm sideraa onetary- donation to assist with the cost of signs and promotionalmaterial. , In a letter to council, Biggin indicated that a small group -of -people -is -willing to -set -up -the -Block Parent ---- program ID Goderich to promote community spirit and deter neighbourhood problems. "A Block Parent is any reasonable adult who is willing to offer his or her home as a safe refuge to any child, or other person, who is lost, ill, being bullied, in an accident, alarmed by a stranger or animal or any other hazardous situation," the letter said. " We are sure there are many such people in Goderich willing to make the effort to make our town a safer place to , live and visit." Initially, organizers of the program will have to purchase window signs, stationery and signs for the town entrances. Councillor John Doherty initiated a motion offering support to the group and asked that the finance committee of council consider a donation of up to $50. . INSIDE THE SIF NAL- STAR Up the river While the spawning season has been delayed somewhat this year the fish ladder in Port Albert is an active spot these days and many trout have been tagged by.ministry officials. The story and pictures appear on the Recreation page. Play review Goderich Little Theatre presented The Solid Gold Cadillac as its first show of the season and Joanne Buchanan reviewed the two -act comedy. The review appears inside. Education week The Bluewater Centre held its fourth annual education week last week and a number of top professionals addressed a variety of subjects during the week-long session. The story appears inside.