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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1984-12-12, Page 1f9' u The Huron County Pioneer Museum is now closed to the public and the fate of the county structure will be passed .on to a musuem committee. Subsequent to the receipt of the final copy. of the feasibility study and structural reports from B.M. Ross and Associates of Goderich, which suggested there are defi- ciencies in the building with respect to both the building and fire code, council ac- cepted a recommendation to declare the museum closed immediately. The workshop, marine museum and log cabin can remain open. Goi SIG closed b In view of the deficiencies, the county's property committee recommended the lm - Mediate closing of ,the facility while authorizing the building -and fire inspector for the town of Goderich to inspect the building and dtermine what measures the county must undertake ''tn reopen the public facility. At the same time, council referred a re- quest from the Township of Usborne ask- ing the county to investigate the option of ' locating the museum at a different site rather than repairing the existing facility. The township suggested that locating the Huron council musuem on a main highwa5i in the caauty would give it optimum, a cposure to ;tran- sients and residents. The resolution further suggested that the cost be spread over a period of tile„ ex- ceeding five years. T$le committee has already solicited the opinions of all county municipalities and written ,submissionsare to be entertained by a museum committee, In response to a question from Goderich reeve Harry Worsell on whether or not the musuem would open again, David Johnston answered that "it will be closed until the county makes the t enoyrations to. bring it up to the standards of the building and fire code." When asked by Worsell if the town or county would make those repairs, Johnston only said his committee "would ask for an evaluation" and that the museum "could open again." The committee has also instructed curator Ray Scotchmer to review the dollar value of the artifacts with a view to increasing the insurance coverage presently in place. The total insured value of the artifacts stands at $130,000. Oxfam danatiton reaches $3,000 ®EST ALL ROUND COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER IN CANADA [Circulation Class 3500- 4500) C.C.N.A. Better Newspaper Competition 1994 GODERICH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBEHt12,1984 Tom Cunningham hands the gavel to Warden Steckle Paul Steckle elected warden of County After a tense four ballots, Paul Steckle, Reeve of Stanley Township, was elected Huron County Warden for 1985. The 42 -year-old hog farmer and farm im- plement salesman defeated three other candidates in the election: Grey Township Reeve Leona Armstrong, Turnberry Township Reeve Brian McBurney and Tuckersrnith Township Reeve Robert Bell. The audience watching the proceedings overflowed out of the council chambers, in- to the hall and down the stairs of the Coun- ty Court House. They listened and watched as one contender at a time was dropped from successive ballots, ension mounted, when after three ba110 a Steckle and Bell had their ,riles remaining on the ballot. The fourth Ballot ended in a 15-15 tie. At that point, county policy calls for the head of the largest municipality in the county to in- dicate his vote. Reeve Harry Worsell of Goderich, a former candidate himself before withdrawing earlier this fall, voted for Steckle. If Goderich Deputy -Reeve Jim Britnell had been present, there would have been no tie. Reeve McBurney was eliminated from the running after a tie -breaking vote ended with Bell in the lead. The tie -breaking vote was in fact the second ballot. Reeve Arm- strong was ousted from the race after the third ballot. t2 Nominated by Exeter Deputy ve Lossy Fuller, , Reeve Steckle said, "dialogue, not confrontation" would be his method of governing the county. Restraint is important said the new warden, but he told his fellow county councillors that ,.hey have to be "good managers". He singled out the road department, the Huron County Atlas, additions to Huron; view, the museum question and hydro transmission lines as issues to be faced in 1985. The new warden said the museum will be the "single most difficult decision we face in 1985". He said there is no argument at there is a need to preserve the eritage of the county. Warden Steckle said postponing the upgrading of the county roads becuase it is ft too expensive would give the county a "false economy" because it will be more exp nsive down the road. "We can't allow our roads to deteriorate," he said. In his nomination speech, the new warden said if care of the elderly in the county is to continue, changes will have to he made at Huronview, the home for the aged in Clinton. The new warden said he hopes he is able to see projects through to their completion. Previous wardens Tom Cunningham and Grant Stirling mace similar comments about the Huron, County Pioneer Museum when they were elected. Judge F. G. Carter of Goderich presided over the declaration of office made by the new warden. Devotional exercises were given by the Reverend Robert Crocker of Goderich. Councillor Clarence Rau of Stanley 'township, the warden's township, brought greetings and congratulated the new warden and county council for electing him. Similar greetings were also brought by Goderich Mayor Eileen Palmer and Hur&i County Board of Education Chair- man Eugene Frayne. "If you don't have contests, you have problems," the school board chairman said of the election for warden. MP Murray Cardiff was unable to attend as he was fog bound at the Ottawa Airport. The new warden's immediate reaction after his election was one of satisfaction. "Someone once said that there is no point in reaching a peak unless you en- joyed the climb. I enjoyed the climb," he said. The last warden from Stanley Township was Anson McKinley. Warden Steckle and his wife Kathy have two sons, Cameron and Bruce who both live at the R.R. 2 Zurich farm. The Steckles are members of the Zurich Men- nonite Church. A past chairman of both the health and Huronview committees of county council, Warden Steckle has served on county council for eight years, four years as depu- ty reeve and four years as reeve. 50 CENTS PER COPY Applroximately $3,000 will be,forwar°ded to Qxfam Canada in Ottawa on behalf of the citizens of Goderich. Peter Sheppard, manager of : the Standard Trust Company, said that donations for the Ethiopian Relief Fund reached the $3,000 mark this week. The money will now be sent to Oxfam Canada. All banks and trust companies have accepted donations over the past three weeks but individual donations have been .light. "Individual donations have been light but then many people donated through church organizations or the Red Cross, " Sheppard said. "The majority of the donations came from the Lions ($1,000), the town of Goderich ($300✓) and some corporate donations." While the money will, be sent immediately it will not reach the people of the,,northern provinces of Ethiopia in the form of supplies and grain until February. Considering .the needs of the people will be an ongoing one, Sheppard said the trust company' wiil continue to accept and pass on•monetarydonations. Town supporis plan for renovation work The council of the town of Godecich unanimously supports the bid of the county's agriculture and propOrty committee to have the existing museum rebuilt and the old schoolhouse restored at. a cost of over $2 million over the next five years. Dave Johnston, chairman of the county committee looking into the museum problem, told council Monday that his committee felt the restoration of the existing schoolhouse and the rebuilding of the remainder of the museum was the most attractive alternative. The county suggested it would contribute $300,000 per year towards the project and the town motion asked • that county council try and 'maintain a reasonable mill, ratoi,eqFaaneserin the tart fiscal year. . The other alternatives facing county council with respect to the museum is to rebuild elsewhere or rebuild an entirely new structure on the same site. Both are costly ventures and Johnston told council he "hopes it remianshere." Council will form a separate museum committee in 1985 to deal with the issue on an ongoing basis. In the meantime, all municipalities have been asked for submissions on the proposals: due December 15. "Some felt the cost was too high but we want you to tell us what the problem is and not just say no," Johnston explained. "Attendance has been decreasing over the past 10 years but we believe that a new 'building and a better display will draw people." Two public meetings on the issue drew a total of 150 interested citizens and the county committee has received 14 responses to newspaper advertising, 16 ' submissions from reeves and approximately eight responses from municipal councils. "I believe the public wants a musuem," Johnston said. "We're receptive to your ideas and response." n addition to the motion supporting the; redevelopment -on the North Street site, council will forward two letters of support it received to have the museum stay in Goderich from the Architectural Conservancy Advisory Council and the Museum Volunteers. The county estimates that up to half the cost of the project will be subject to government funding but .heritage grants would be lost if the county built a hew structure either on a new site or at the existing location. Motion on $50 donation ruled a personalatter A motion suggesting councillors should show leadership by donating $50 of their pay to the Ethiopian Relief Fund sparked spirited discussion at the council table Monday and led to accusations of ' grandstanding. Councillor Jim Searls introduced a motion calling for each council member to donate $50 from their January pay to the Ethiopian Relief Fund. In speaking to the motion, Searls said "council should set an example." Mayor Eileen Palmer took exception to the motion saying "personal donations cannot be legislated" and adding that the motion was "an insult to my intelligence." Councillor Don Wheeler accused Searls of "grandstanding" and challenged him to produce a personal cheque which he would match. "I challenge the legality of the motion because it deals with an individual coun'dllior's , salary," Wheeler - argued. "It's just grandstanding and if you want to— get out, cheque right now I'll match it if you're 1usi,'trying to embarass council." May� almer ruled the motion out of order but Searls protested that it was in order and would show leadership on council's part. The mayor suggested donations to such charities were of a personal nature. "This is something we can all do in a discreet manner," she said. "The motion is ruled out of order." Council, at its ., last regular meeting, endorsed a motion authorizing the donation of $300 to the Ethiopian Relief Fund. Co ncil refuses to pay exp: � _ • s for applicants The organizational review committee of council has pared down the list of applicants for the job of tourism -industrial promotions co-ordinator to two individuals and one marketing -advertising agency. But getting them to appear before council for a second interview may, be another matter. While the committee had over 100 applications for the promotion job, they_ narrowed the list down subsequent t series of interviews. Three marketing agencies made a pitch for the joblb 6ofe the committee Monday and commitfe members"- interviewed individuals Saturday. Subsequent to the interview process chairman Glen Carey suggested that two individuals and one firm appear before the whole of council for a second interview, -He further suggested that the expenses of the two individuals be paid' for by, the town. There was no quarrel with the first motion to have the -individuals and the firm ,pear before council at one of the first meetings in January, but council turned aside the request to pay the expenses of the two applicants, "Certain individuals are worthy of a second interview and i would like them on a the agenda to make a presentation to the full body of council," Carey explained. "I think in view of the fact we are, asking them to come back we can pick up the expenses for the second interview." Both Carey and administrator Larry McCabe indicated the policy of paying expenses for a second interview has been in place and effected in the past. However, councillor Bill Clifford said he could not ag ere with the principle of paying someone to come for a job interview. Other councillors agreed with that viewpoint and a motion calling for expenses to be paid by the town was defeated with reeve Harry Worsell, and councillors Searls, Doherty, Clifford and Bob Cornish voting against. Mayor Eileen Palmer and acouncillors Don Wheeler and Glen Carey voted in favor. Carey subsequently introduced a second motion calling for o ei-to contribute to the expenses to e same extent as if the applicants we, -travelling as m tubers of council from heir"homes. The mo `on was also defeate Administ tor McCabe said he would contact the wo individuals and ask them -T to appear before council at a meeting in ` January 1985. Judge returns from duty Judge Frank Carter has returned from Ottawa to resume his judicial duties in Goderich. - He was appointed on May 31, 1984 to. head a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Marketing Practices for the Potato In- dustry in Eastern Canada, with a budge of $2 million and a mandate expected to last two years. Judge Carter spent the last six months in Ottawa touring Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario, speaking to government agriculture officials, potato farmers, pro- cessors, packers, dealers, exporters, brokers, scientists and foreign am- bassadors with 'reference to the matters set out in his commission. Public hearings were to commence on November 22, 1984, but the inquiry was unexpectedly terminated on November 15, 1984, as part of the economic retrenchment policy of the Mulroney government. Before leaving Ottawa, Judge Carter gave a confidential report. on his activities to Prime Minister Mulroney. Mr. Dan Mur- phy, Q.C. of Goderich had been appointed counsel to the Royal Commissioner. During his absence, judges from Wind- sor, Chatham, Sarnia, Woodstock, Strat- ford, Walkerton and London covered Judge Carter's normal court duties. INSIDE THE 04, A11 -Ontario win Goderich Vikings Senior girls basketball team capped off an incredible season this wee, winning the OFSAA all -Ontario tour- nament for their category in St. Catherines this weekend. Meanwhile, the Viking boys teams have finished their exhibition games and started their schedule this w,ek. Details and photos in Recreation. Bowling competition Several Goderi h Bowlers were among the top perform s in the recent zone com- petitions and have earned themselves a place on the team that will represent this zone in the upcoming provincial champion- ships. Story and photo on page A3. Bicentennial awards Nine Goderich area residents were awarded Province of Ontario Bicentennial Medals, -at a ceremony held in Seaforth on Sunday. The winners are pictured inside this section. CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN Onlyll Shopping Days Left till Christmas •