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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-02-12, Page 1138 YEAR -07 GODERICH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12,1986 Public meeting Annexation proceeds but no industry named Although more than 10 people attended a public meeting Wednesday night at Goderich town hall concerning the annexa- tion of 45 acres of Goderich. Township land, few questions or concerns were expressed. "I had my ddubts we'd have a great number but I appreciate the people who are here," said Mayor Eileen Palmer. The annexation process, which began last May, has been uncontested by Goderich Township from the first. The 45 acre parcel of land adjoining the east side of Goderich's industrial park, is owned by Lawrence and Donald Crich. The annexation agreement, drawn up by both municipalities with the help of a Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing factfinder, gives Goderich Township $2000 ' in compensation for loss of assessment. Because the land has access to Highway 8 and railroad frontage, .it's a valuable . parcel to attract industry to town, said Bob Cornish, economic development commit- tee chairman. Cornish added that more industrial land is needed because the 200 acre industrial park the town bought in the 1970s has been slowly bought up until only 49.2 acres re- main. "There's no doubt about the need for land; we're desperately running out. With people enquiring, it's hard to give them a set piece of land," he said. When Coun. Jim Searls asked why the town would not apnex land joining the in- dustrial park along Highway 21, Works Commissioner Ken Hunter said the pro- posed parcel was the only land in the township zoned as industrial land. Hunter also said the parcel would be "peanuts" to service compared to land along Highway 21 since it could be serviced with -gravity flow instead of a pumping station. Hydro, water and sewer connections are also readily 'available to the parcel, said Bob Chapman, a member of the economic development committee. Mayor Palmer added that the parcel is attractive since it's not grade A. agricultural land. "If it's not Al agricultural land, why are we willing to pay $150,000 for it, twice .the value farm land is selling for?" asked Searls who was told the meeting was held to discuss annexation, not the sale of the land. Deputy -Reeve John Doherty said annex- ing the land does not conrunit the town to buying the land. "'We can recoup our money by the taxes paid by the owner. We don't have to purchase it," he said. Coun. John Stringer said he agreed with the annexation because it would prepare Goderich for the economic growth predicted by the provincial government in the 1990s. "We should remember the wisdoth of the council in the 1970s who annexed the 200 acres. We need steady industrial growth and our present system of schools and roads can handle that growth," he said. "We're not in the best location for in- dustry in Ontario so we have to work hard at it. We have to show potential clients we're progressive and planning for the future," he added. Goderich Township Reeve Grant Stirling said a good industry would benelfit the whole area. Though the town is in a better position to service the land, he said he'd like to see the bush remain on the parcel. "I. want the land developed m a better way. than the other land (the industrial park) , was developed. That land was wasted in my opinion," he said. t .When asked if the town had had any en- quiries from industry about the parcel, Mayor Palmer had no comment. "You don't expect me to answer that, do you?" she'said. The town of Goderich has been rife with rumors about an industry in- terested in locating on the parcel but the rumors could not be substantiated. The arrhexation agreement received a third reading at Goderich council's Feb. 10 meeting and . was sent to Goderich Township council to be ratified: When both municipalities formally ac- cept the agreement, it is sent to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing . where it will likely be approved since it's uncontested, factfinder Don Taylor said at the meeting. Following that, the agreement would go to Cabinet which would ask for more public input. If there are no objections at that stage, the annexation would be ap- proved. Homemaking program will go longway in Huron ment started to talk about announcing a similar program. We've written dozens of letters in that time to show the need in Huron," says Young. Of the 250 seniors with an average age of 85 who receive homemaking services from TCH, 66 per cent are private citizens who pay out of their own pockets. "I really feel there is a need here. A study done by the Unicuersity of Guelph shows that Huron has the highest popula- tion of elderly in Ontario and it's hard for some to pay privately when they're living on a pension," she says. Donations to TCH from county and municipal governments in Huron have helped to fulfill the need in the county before funding was approved by the, pro- vincial government for homemaking for seniors who did not need professional medical care. "This program should take some of the • Turn topage2• BY SUSAN HUNDERTMARK A recently announced provincial pro- gram to help elderly and disabled adults stay at home instead of being in- stitutionalized will go a long way to help the 165 private clients of the Town and Country Homemakers (TCH) agency, says Executive Director Jean Young. A $3 million Integrated Homemaker ' Program for frail seniors and physically disabled adults, which will begin this year in six areas across Ontario including Huron County, is part of a two-pronged $71 million plan to improve community sup- port services for the group. It will eliminate the means or medical tests bas- ed on income and illness that now deter- mine who qualifies for homecare services. It's a step that groups like the TCH in Huron County have been advocating for the past five years. 1980, we were asked down to the pro- vincial legislature in Toronto to look at the situation and three years ago, the govern - 60 CENTS PER COPY Hospital gets accreditation Damage costs are high A report prepared by the Huron County board of education shows damage at the two elementary public schools in Goderich last year was the highest in the county. Damage at Robertson Memorial and Victoria Public Schools in Goderich totall- ed $5,882,78 said director of education Robert Allan, who presented the damage report at the February 3 board meeting. Victoria had 21 incidents which cost $3,819._. and Robertson had 15 incidents which cost $2,063. The total cost of damage at all the coun- ty schools Last year was $12,856 and since the board has a $10,000 deductible limit per incident, the cost is borne by the tax- payers. The Goderich schools have a particular problem with vandalism in the communi- ty, said Allan in an interview following the meeting. The damage at the Goderich schools is caused by vandals after school hours. While the damage report includes incidents of vandalism and in school ac- cidents, the two Goderich schools had no more in school hour incidents than any other school in the county, said Allan. The director of education speculated that a group of youngsters are involved repeatedly and the board will be in- vestigating further, ways . to rectify the problem at the Goderich schools. He sug- gested an alarm system or security at the The Canadian Council on Hospital Ac- creditation has awarded accreditation status to the Alexandra Marine and General Hospital for the next three years. A voluntary process by an independent body, the three year accreditation is the highest award given by the council. In submitting their report the council made the following summary comment: "The activities of the accreditation com- mittee of the board and all of the staff of the hospital in reacting to the re- quirements of the accreditation progarn are noted and highly commended. Ac- tivities have resulted in a very good com- pliance with standards in all departments ,,of the hospital. The above recommenda- tions are made with the hope that further improvements can be made to continue the momentum developed at the time of the last survey. Attention to these recommen- dations and further changes in standards will result in a maintenance of the present high level of compliance." "The three year accreditation is a result of the excellent work of the hospital staff and the immediate past chairmen of the board, Bruce Potter and Bob Dempsey who provided strong leadership," said hospital board chairman Richard Ottewell at the January 22 meeting of the hospital board of governors. Dempsey observed that "It's easy to drive'a car that is running smoothly". He said all the staff and especially the medical staff deserve compliment. He said the board should let the community know through the press just what a three year' accreditation means. Dr. Charlton Chan said the chairman of the accreditation committee at the hospital, director of nursing Joyce Shack, deserved credit as did former chairman Bob Dempsey, who wrote a rebuttal to the council, when the hospital only received a two year accreditation the last time the Ishospital was surveyed. Champion gets 4 million order schools during the night were two possibilities. Allan said it is not unusual to see a rash of incidents of vandalism at urban schools from time to time. He said there is a good awareness on the part of the police in Goderich who are watching the schools for vandals. Allan said he did not know who , was responsible for the vandalism but if he did, he might be able to speculate if the people involved are expressing anger against the system by vandalizing school properly. There were a total of 70 incidents in elementary schools in the county with only the Blyth Public School and East Wawawnosh Central School reporting no damage. The school with the next highest number of incidents compared to the two Goderich elementary schools were Exeter Public School ..w'ith four incidents., Col- borne Central School and J.A.D. McCurdy Public School with three each. The highest number of incidents at coun- ty secondary schools occurred at Central Huron Secondary School in Clinton which had 11 incidents costing $1,415.69 and South Huron District High School in Eireter with 10 incidents costing $202.38. Seaford} High School had seven in- cidents. Goderich District Collegiate In- stitute had six incidents costing $891.0.0 and r, E. Madill Secondary School in Winlgham had two incidents last year. Vi and Vern Englandle London, who spend, weekends at'.their sunumer home in:Port Albert, were out on'the)§ki trail Saturday morning taking part in the Port Albert Skidad- dle, an event in..preparatitgn for the Port Albert 150th birthday this year. Event organizers were thrilled with`the excellent weather for the skidaddle and are confident the weather will co-operate this August, when Port Albert marks its sesquicentennial with a big weekend celebration. (photo by Sharon Dietz) A $4.2'million contract has been awarded to Champion Road Machinery Ltd. to supp- ly 96 road graders to the U.S. Air Force in Columbus, Ohio. . The three-year contract, valued in American dollars, was approved during Christmas holidays in 1985 and announced Thursday in Ottawa by International Trade Minister James Kelleher. This year 42 graders will be produced at a. price of $1.8 .million; •39 graders will be supplied in 1987 and 15 more will be made in 1988 under the terms of the contract. ' The contract was awarded by Canadian Commercial Corp. and arranged under the defence production sharing program, part of a long-standing U.S.-Canada agreement onnrmamedtproductioriand.sales: •-.- Recently, Champion was awarded a $1.7 million federal government contract to supply 10 motorized air -transportable graders to national defence locations across Canada to be used for snow removal and road maintenance. The company also received a grant for $1.5 million from Employment Canada to create 118 new jobs at the Goderich plant which already employs 650 workers. The hiring follows a company decision to restructure its U.S. plant operations and consolidate the manufacture of heavy road graders in Goderich. Mine employees strike 24 hours Vanessa Yeats, 4, won first prize for the most comical costume in the'under five category at the ,Snow Blitz fancy dress skating carnvial held at the Goderich Arena on Saturday afternoon. Abort 35 children participated in the carnival for preschool and elementary school age children. Prizes were awarded for most comical and most original costumes in three categories and Dana Lumby won for best overall costume. (photo by Sharon Dietzl A 24 hour wildcat strike starting last Tuesday evening at 4 p.m. at Domtar Sifto Salt Mine in Goderich ended once a misunderstanding about union seniority policy hadbeen cleared up, says Guy Robinson, spokesman of the Local 16 of the Energy and Chemical Workers Union. The problems started when 47 employees were laid off in a regular seasonal lay-offand management Misinterpreted senior employees' 'right to "bump junior employees. "The company thought they couldn't do it but we got it all settled and now we're back to work. By the first of April, we should be. back to full production," says Robinson. Management of the mine, when con- tacted on Feb. 11, was unavailable for comment. INSIDE TH SIGNAL--; Bowl for Millions Mayor Eileen Palmer was "celebrity for the day" at the Big Brothers Bowl for Millions on, Saturday when bowlers raised pledges for the North Huron Big Brothers Association. Pictures of tlae event appear on the front of today's sports section. Winter blitz The Port Albert Skidaddle and the Snow Blitz Winter Weekend in Goderich provid- ed a varietyof events for people to get out and enjoy he season. See today's picture spread on the front page of our community section. Hobos win The Hockey Hobos defeated the CKNX Tryhards in an exhibition hockey game Saturday. Proceeds go towards the Goderich Minor Hockey Association. While the scoreboard indicated the Hobos won the game 7 "-1, the Tryhards scored a touchdown to rally and tie the game. See details in today's sports section on page 3B.