The Goderich Signal-Star, 1980-03-13, Page 1These students are not crowded into the G.D.C.I. gymnasium for another bout of mid-term examinations before the winter break.
sport, but they are after high scores all the same as they wrestle with (Photo by Cath Wooden)
Neighbours
concerned
over hotel plans
BY CATIA: WOODEN
Members of the Goderich Area Planning
Board, last Tuesday evening, warned neigh-
bours of Harbour Park Inn that some of their
concern may be misdirected.
Owner of the inn, Mike Mallough, plans to
build a parking lot to the east of the building on
a recently acquired lot. He also proposes to add
a new kitchen, washrooms, and a patio to the
rear of the inn.
Because the inn operates on a legal non-
conforming use permit, Mallough must seek
permission from the planning board for ex-
,pansion. The business has this special zoning
status because, when the zoning plan was
drawn up and the area named residential, the
establishment had already been in operation on
a commercial basis since 1879.
The planning board met with much objection
----t-o-the-proposal-at-the-public-meeting...Propert_y '''
owners who live nearby the Harbour Park Inn
voiced concern about the increase of noise and
unruly behavior as a result of the parking lot
and patio. - - - -
W. R. Craven, who lives across the street to
the inn, said that he had been forced to call the
. police several times to "remove drunks from
the lawn." He also said that commercial
rezoning would "open the way for in-
discriminate commercial growth."
In a letter to the board, Mr: and Mrs. Neil
Hamilton of Lighthouse Street expressed their
fear that the expansion would increase the
"late night squeal of tires and spray of gravel."
Turn to page 18 •
Seniors won't gel tax
break here until 1981
BY DAVE SYKES
Senior citizens will not be getting any
municipal tax breaks in Goderich this year.
A motion introduced by councillor Elsa
Haydon to allow a property tax credit of $100 to
elderly -. citizens under the Tax Assistance
Program was tabled at the Monday session of
town council. Council will review the motion
later this year with the possibility of im-
plementation for the year 1981.
In the motion presented by councillor Haydon
and Jim Magee residents over the age of 65
would be eligible for a $100 reduction on their
municipal property tax. The conditions of the
motion-stipulate--t-hat-too- be eligible-the--perean
must be 65 years of age; must be a recipient of
a Guaranteed Income Supplement and must
occupy the property and have been continually
assessed as the owner of the property for the
past five years. -- - --
Council chose to table the motion on the basis
that information on the program and number of
eleigible seniors in town was scarce. They
wanted a firm idea of the costs before con-
senting to the program. w.
Haydon said that many municipalities have
already passed bylaws to assist elderly tax-
payers. She claimed the town of Wallaceburg
(population 11,000) has assisted the elderly with
taxes for the past three years. The town's cost
for assisting the 200 applicants was $20,000. -
"The bylaw can be rescinded at any time by
council but it is a bylaw that will be ap-
preciated," Haydon said. "The money gets to
people who really need it and there are some
hardships. Our civilization is based on helping
others." 7
Councillor Jim Searls said it was a good
motion but pointed out the government is the
provess of increasing the supplement. He cited
the case of his. mother-in-law who is living on
the supplement in comfortable fashion.
"We would be descriminating against the
seniors who sold their homes and are living in
apartments. What do we do for them?" he
asked. "Let's table it ayear and find out what it
will cost the taxpayers."
Searls pointed out that a recent survey -in-
dicated there are 1,700 senior citizens in
Goderich.
Magee stressed the need for -council to be
.humanitarian Tri this -regard -adding -that despite' --
the fact the senior supplement has been raised
by $35 many still need assistance with their
property taxes.
' Councillor Profit maintained that any
decision would be unpopular.
"Voting against a motion like this is like
voting against motherhood but we don't know
enough or how many could take advantage," he
said. "We don't know how many are paying
taxes or how many have mortgages paid for.
We should know who will advantage and who
will disadvantage."
Haydon claimed they wouldn't know until
they set up the program and reveiwed the
application. She estimated that 120 to 150 would
be eligible which would mean 12,000 to 15,000
dollars in refunds.
"But it will be money well spent," she added.
Reeve Eileen Palmer claimed council would
Turn to page 18 •
132 YEAR -11
Champion part.
of industrial
mission to China
Champion Road Machinery Company Ltd.
will be part of a nine member delegation
participating in an _industrial trade mission to
China.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Tourism,
--Mr. R. Wilson announced that nine industires ---
would be involved in the trade mission which
. ---leaves-for China-Friday—
Mark
hina b'r-idayMark Sully, President of Marketing, will be
the sole Champion delegate on the trade
mission that will tour four Chinese cities during
the two week mission. Sullyexplained that
plans are now somewhat vague and itinerary
has been establsihed by the Ontario govern-
ment.
Although the Chinese government is reticent
to articulate about their plans and needs Sully
explained the mission accomodate a chance to
investigate the market potential.
"We have an advantage in that we can be.
flexible and since we concentrate on graders
they can be custom built and tailored to suit a
customers needs," he said. "The company can
build appropriate graders for them: If they tell
us what they need we can design it."
The Chinese are working on a ten year plan
that will prilortize the development of
agriculture and the transportation system.
"Our product is a basic requirement for the
Turn to page 18 •
8
Three more
arrests made
Three more arrests have been made in
connection with a four-month undercover drug
investigation by members of the Goderich
Police Force and the Ontario Provincial Police,
number six district, came squad. -
A Goderich youth and a Stratford man and
woman were arrested last Friday by members
of both police forces. They have all been
chargedfor trafficking in a narcotic and will
appear in provincial court in Goderich on
-March 14.
In total, 16 persons have now been arrested as,
a result of the undercover investigation.
THURSDAY, MARCH 13,1980.
35 CENTS PER COPY
it slashes $244,485 from budget
BY DAVE SYKES
The average Goderich homeowner wilrface a
$20 hike in municipal taxes this year if council
accepts the latest" trimming efforts of its
- committees. —
Council took a first look at committee budget
submissions last week and Reeve Eileen
. Palmer asked that $330,000 be trimmed from
the proposals. If left untouched the original
requests would have meant a 24'7 per cent
increase in residential and commercial mill
rates.
Several committees of council reworked their
.,budgets that resultediin a $244,485 deletion from
the original figures.
That left the town to raise $1,435,048 by
municipal taxes and set the commercial mill
rate at 136.2.1 -and the residential rate at 115.78.
The 1979 figures were 127.98 mills for com-
mercial while the residential mill rate was
108.78.
The new budget calls for a 6.5 per cent in-
crease in the general municipal mill rate or 7.109
mills.
Clerk Larry McCabe said the increase would
If this puppy doesn't have a home by Friday, it,
will be destroyed. Dick, Eisler, animal control
officer, says the puppy will be given away free
to the first person who contacts him or the
police department. She is between eight and ten
weeks old and part German Shepherd. She was
abandoned earlier this week and Mr. Eisler
would be interested in hearing from anyone
who 'eon identify her. (Photo by Joanne
Buchanan)
mean an additional $21.20 in taxes on an $108,000. They were; Trafalgar Road between
assessment Of $3,000, Cambria and Elgin and St. David Street from
cEabe was also confidentthatmore-money----eambriad----to 1bert-•--Street—They----veil-1-.--------.
could be trimmed from the budget further
reducing the increase. ,But the town will also
have to wait for the Copnt-yaof Huron and Board
of Education requisition before the budget is
finalized. And that $21.20 figure could easily
double if the Board of Education requisition
increases by a substantial rate.
While, Palmer' asked for a $330,000 reduction -
she was quite pleased with the work of the,
committees and said they should be com-
mended for their efforts.
The budgets will nowgo the finance .com-
mittee and chairman. Palmer said that a
compromise will be reached. If the committees
had trimmed the $336,000 there would have
been no increase in the mill rate.
In the budget cuts the Airport Committee
deleted $4,300 from their original proposal and
much of the amount was taking from equip-
ment and ground maintenance.
The major cuts came from the town's works
and engineering budget where the net effect
was a reduction of $180,000. The major deletion
was the work on two town streets at a cost of
become a priority in 1981.
The committee also deleted $126,000 that was
to be used to enclose the flume at the pollution
control plant.
Reeve Eileen Palmer said that a reserve fund
was set up for the flume as well the expansion
of the pollution control plant. So that amount
will be given consideration under the reserve
funds account.
While works and engineering took out
$234,000 from the budget they lost $54,000 in
revenue from. NIP so the net effect is a $180,000
deletion from the budget.
The recreation board trimmed $13,000 from
the arena budget., $5,500 of which was taken
from the cost of repainting the rusting beams.
A $4,000 floor scrubber was also scrapped.
There were no other great deletions from
other committee budgets but small amounts
were taken out of operating expenses.
The Huron County Board of Education has
until mid-April before their final budget is due
and the town's final budget depends largely on
that.
Optimist club gets approval
for outdoor festival in June
The Goderich Optimist Club will proceed with
plans for an outdo -O festiv 1WTune following
tentaive approval at the council level Monday.
The Club submitted a proposal for the out-
door festival for council's consideration
Monday evening. The tentative plans call for
the festival to be held in Harbor Park Jtine 27,28
and 29.
Bill Wedlock of the Optimist Club a}iproachedd
councirlclaiming the club first need the backing
of the town before it would proceed with firm
plans.
Tentative plans call for the festival.to feature
a host of local performers and their crafts in a
relaxed setting. It would provide three days of
activity for all ages with the proceeds going to
charity.
The club is committed to financing en-
tertainment and equipment, policing the area
under the supervision of .the goderich Police
Department, provide ° labour for set up and
clean up and report to all 'concerned com-
mittees of council.
Councillor Iso Haddon-asked-that-Wedloc-k,
co-ordinate the activity with the recreation
board to avoid conflicts with other programs
but a motion to that effect died on the floor.
Councillor Stan Profit said the club should
seek co-ordination to some degree and simply
not proceed on their own.
"We can't just say, okay guys go ahead," he
said. "We need some co-ordination."
John Doherty pointed out that the Lions and
Kinsmen clubs have always proceeded on their
own with their porjects. and needed no super-
vision. Haydon claimed there were points that
needed to be discussed and that many were just
too vague to be given approval.
The club was given approval for the project
provided it consults several town committees of
its plans.
Wedlock told council the club has 60 members
and all are involved in sub committees that will
work with council committees on the project.
YCW starts Friday
The March school break and peewee hockey
have long been a tradition in Goderich.
And this Friday the Goderich Lions Club will
offer the 31st rendition of the club's annual
Young Canada Week Peewee Hockey Tour-
nament,
The tournament features 62 teams playing 84
games in five divisions. It is a double knockout
form -at so each team will play at least two
games.
Play begins this Friday at 5.30 p.m. with
Listowel battling St. Marys and Kincardine and
Hanover will follow at 6.40 p.m. The tour-
nament official openin-g r ceremonies will
preceed the Goderich-Elmira game at7.50 p.m.
Friday.
The tournament will feature 12 games per
day through to Saturday, March '22 when the
tournament wraps up with the B and C Division
finals.
The A finals will go on Wednesday and AA
and D consolation and championship platy will
be held Friday evening.
boogie Parsons is again returning with his St.
Lambert team and they will play Goderich in
the annual East-West game on Monday, March
17at9p.m. '
Many of the players involved in the tour-
nament are billeted at the homes of Goderich
families and the Goderich Lions club could use
your assistance. If you are, able to assist with
billeting in any way contact Bob Keown or Bill
Chisholm of the Lions club.
a