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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1983-12-14, Page 1135 enc NAG- STAR GODERICH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14,1983 50 CENTS PER COPY Hullett Township reeve elected warden for 1984 Worsell defeated in bid for warden Hullett Township Reeve Tom Cun- ningham became the 116th warden of Huron County Tuesday, defeating Goderich Reeve Harry Worsell. The 44 year-old Cunningham, an eight year veteran of municipal politics now serving hif second term as reeve, was a decisive winner, defeating Worsell 24-7. The last time Hullett Township produced a warden was in 1959 when Bill Jewitt was elected. The town of Goderich hasn't been quite as productive at the county level though, with the last warden being elected 45 years ago. In accepting the position of warden, Cunningham paid tribute to his opponent and outlined an ambitious county program for the coming year. "Harry is not a loser. He is a capable person and I admire and respect him," Cunningham said. "I hope to fill the shoes of warden and past wardens of this county. I ask for your support so that we can continue to bring good government to the people of Huron County." Good government will require some decision making in the next year and Cunningham suggested in his pre-election speech that he was prepared to tackle the issues. "We have a good system and I will try hard to -preserve it,'e, he said., "In the next year we must make a decision to com- puterize and a recommendation will come from the executive committee. The museum issue will also be dealt with and it could be costly, depending on how we proceed, but we must make a decision." The former chairman of the county's road committee expressed a desire to maintain an aggressive maintenance policy intimating that the citizens of Huron did not want the road system to deteriorate. In closing he remarked that he "would endeavor to bring dignity and honour to the office of warden." Goderich Reeve Worsell is a veteran municipal politician having served eight years as mayor of Goderich and four terms on Huron County Council. He has compiled over 17 years of municipal service and that, he suggested in response to concerns over his relative inexperience, was an adequate apprenticeship program. Worsell said he was seeking the war- den's chair for two main reasons; first because the • town of Goderich has not produced a warden for 45 years and "they deserve that honour" and secondly because he "enjoys county council" and is interested in all facets of government Hullett Township Reeve Tom Cunningham became the 116th warden of Huron County Tuesday at the inaugural session of county council. Cunningham defeated Goderich reeve Harry Worsell and accepted the warden's gavel and key to the county from past warden Grant Stirling of Goderich Township. ( photo by Dave Sykes' relating to Huron County. Past warden Grant Stirling of Goderich Township received plaudits for his year of service and he expressed pleasure at having had the opportunity to serve the county. "I have travelled the province this year and I've met some fine people that I will never forget," he said. "I have always tried to put Huron County in the forefront. It is an agricultural and tourist county and is one of the prettiest areas of the province." Stirling said council will have to deal with the prospect of computerization within the next year and cited the relocation or rebuilding of the museum as another requiring immediate attention. The former warden said 1983 was characterized as a year of restraint and he lauded the efforts of councillors and county staff in that regard. "It was a time of restraint but all departments were within budget or on the line," he said. "That says something about the staff." County Council reconvened Wednesday to accept the report of the striking com- mittee. View obstructed at intersection committee learns Before giving consideration to the in- stallation of traffic signals at the in- tersection of Bayfield Road and Bennett Street, the works committee of council decided to inspect and deal with visual obstructions., At a special meeting Monday to discuss the traffic study commissioned by the town and Ministry of Transportation and Communication, the committee decided to meet at the intersection some time in the New Year to take inventory of the ob- structions. In the meantime, com- missioner of works Ken Hunter was in- structed to produce a detailed diagram of the intersection, noting the visual ob- structions. The most notable offenders were trees and cars parked in the Petro -Canada lot on the corner. The committee noted that two or three trees at the intersection hampered vision and that cars on the service station lot posed a hazard for traffic stopped on Bennett Street by Mac's Milk. The view from the south corner of Bennett Street is obstructed by cars in the adjacent -lot Jim Searls stated. Committee members were informed that the owner of the car dealership was granted a minor variance on the condition that the cars would be parked in a manner that would not interfere with traffic. While verbal assurance wrw offered, Jim Britnell said it was not illegal for the cars to be parked to the very edge of the lot. The committee identified four main obstructions at the intersection; trees, parked cars, a telephone booth at the edge of the paved portion of the Mac's Milk parking lot and a board fence that runs along Bayfield Road. The committee will meet at the site sometime in January and after a visual inspection recommendations will be forwarded to council. The town has previously discussed the possibility of installing traffic signals at the intersection but the MTC said traffic and pedestrian flows did not warrant traffic lights. The traffic study suggested that the proper controls', a crossing guard to assist school children at critical times, were already in place. Chief King noted that there have been 20 accidents at the intersection since 1977; eight at the intersection of Bayfield Road and Blake Street and two at the Suncoast Drive intersection. Since 1977 there have been 19 accidents at the lights at 'Britannia and Huron Road and 22 accidents at the five -points in- tersection. King said most accidents resulted from a failure to yield on the part of a motorist and that traffic signals would not correct that. Contractor wants compensation from The contractor of the new terminal building at the municipal airport is seeking an additional $3,422 from the town for five days down time in June before a building permit was issued for the con- struction. Donald Snider of the architectural firm of Snider, Reichard and March informed the town's works committee in a letter that Wayne Stahle General Contractors of Kitchener was seeking the additional money for five days down time, claiming it was the town's responsibility to obtain a building permit from Colborne Township. Commissioner of Works Ken Hunter explained the situation to the committee, a scenario that included two tenders and problems with the township's official plan and zoning bylaw. The original tender for the terminal was rejected because tender prices were considered too high. "The plain fact is we didn't have the money, the project was rebudgeted and then retendered," Hunter said. "Colborne was also doing their zoning bylaw and we came up short on the sideyard allowance. Nobody got a building permit but we didn't Ho hum, another Christmas concert. These three kindergarten pupils of Robertson Memorial Public School look a trifle bored while watching the dress rehearsal Monday of the school's annual Christmas concert. While it may have been the first such concert for the kindergarten kids, they treated ft like It was old hat. The students of Robertson School presented the final version of the concert for parents Tuesday evening. (photo by Dave Sykes) realize that. When the contractor went to get one, they wouldn't issue it because we were too close to the line." The town finally solved its problems with the township and the permit was issued and while there was five days delay Hunter said "the extra cost was caused by the contractor not getting the permit." Committee chairman Jim Britnell said that if the architect called the tenders on the project, then it didn't conform to the township's zoning bylaw at that time. Matt Palm, superintendent for Stahle Contractors, said in a letter to Snider that he learned a building permit had not been issued after a site inspection by the township's building inspector. But the permit was upheld because the required 10 metre side yard allowance on the east side could not be met. "The township took the position that the new draft was law by its introduction and passing by the township council on June 1982. The town and township locked hor- ns -who is right and who is wrong?," the letter asked. "In the meantime the building was idle until such time that the town and township could agree and come to terms." The letter suggests that the problem was a political one between the town and township and that the town should be responsible for the costs of the delay. The works committee will recommend to council that no action be taken on the request for additional funds and that the town seek legal advice when necessary. Traffic lights will flash after 11 p.m. Traffic lights in Goderich may go to bed with local residents if council accepts a recommendation from its works com- mittee. In dealing with the recommendations of the traffic study at its regular monthly meeting Monday, the works committee recommended that two sets of traffic lights in town revert to flashing signals from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily. The matter was raised by Harry Worsell who suggested it was ludicrous to have the traffic lights operative all night when there was little, if any, traffic. The com- mittee agreed to have amber and red flashing lights after 11 p.m. at the Victoria and Nelson Street intersection and at the lights on Britannia and Huron Road. Traffic north and south on Victoria Street would then face a flashing amber signal while traffic on sidestreets would face a flashing red signal. At the other intersection, traffic travelling east and west on Highway 8 would face a flashing amber signal. It was noted that a flashing red signal was the equivalent of a stop sign. The signals at the five -points in- tersection would remain operative 24 - hours a day. The recommendation requires the approval of the Ministry of Turn to page 5 . will stay here It appears that the four-way stop in- tersection will be an integral part of the traffic scene in the townGoderich.. There are currently eight four way stop intersections in town and one three-way stop and while a traffic study com- missioned by the town and Ministry of Transportation and 'Communication suggested they all be evade into two-way stop intersections, the works committee disagreed. At a special meeting to deal with the traffic study Monday, the committee recommended that all nine intersections remain intact. While there was con- siderable discussion on the merits of four- way stop intersections, the committee decided to leave them alone for various reasons. Some changes will be recommended, however, with two changes on Warren Street. Stop signs will be removed for traffic on Warren Street and placed on Bennett and Blake Streets making Warren a through street. Stop signs will also be placed at the intersection of Waterloo and Lighthouse Streets and all yield signs on Cayley Street will become stop signs if council concurs with the committee's recommendations. The committee will forward the recommendations to council in January. Be prepared to pay stiffer fines Inflation seems to be lingering all around us with its latest target being fines that are given by police departments. According to Goderich Police Chief Pat King, a variety of fines have been raised from $28 to $53, and a few have jumped from $28 to $128. These changes came into effect on December 9. A few of the fines that have been raised to $53 are: failure to surrender a permit for a motor vehicle, failure to notify the change of address of the owner or lessee of a vehicle, failure to remove plates on ceasing to be the owner or lessee of a vehicle, defacing of a plate or altering of a plate, and failure to wear a seatbelt. Driving a vehicle with an improper licence or no licence at all will now cost the driver $128 compared to the old fine of $28. For bicycle riders, motor assisted or not, an improper lighting fine has increased from $5 to $13. INSIDE THE SIGNAL STAR T'is the season The annual Christmas school concerts are now under way with each school giving the festive season their own special touch. To see what the different area schools are doing this Christmas, look for pictures throughout this paper. Bowling open The 1983-84 qualifying rounds of the Carling Old Vienna Bowling Open have been completed. Those doing well throughout the 20 qualifying games will be competing in April at the Ontario Finals. Many area bowlers did well and will be playing singles and as a team. For the complete story, take a look in the Recreation section. L'il Abner GDCI performed L'il Abner last week with Jim Keller as Abner and Nisa Howe as Daisy Mae. The play had many good actors and actresses, with a cast of over 50 students. For more details on who played who, take o look at Joanne Buchanan's review in this section of the paper. Juvenile action The Goderich Juvenile Signal -Stars are undefeated so far this season, with their nearest lora being a tie with St. Marys. This past weekend the local team defeated Parkhill 8-0 at the Goderich Arena and dumped their host team Thamesford, 104 For the entire story, and pictures, have a look at the Recreation section. 0