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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-05-21, Page 1t_ o'" ' ric' tIAi 138 YEAR - 21 GODERICH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, MAY 219 1986 60 CENTS PER COPY It was just one of those days Town is in good financial shape. g -Ever thin is well under control -Everything The town of Goderich is in an "enviable" reserves has helped the town's cash flow financial position, Ron Kaufman, the ac- and put the town.in the position of not hav- e o u h t a n t representing Spicer ing borrowed money since 1976. MacGillivray tolGoderich's dministra- "A lot of municipalities are not in this tion and personnel committee last week. position. They definitely have to borrow "Everything is well under control. money and they have interest debts. You You're setting up reserves and using them are actually in a position where you're ear - well and that makes a big difference. And, Hing interest," he told the committee. you have an excellent administration,". he The use of reserves by the town has said after reviewing the 1985 financial helped to level out the mill rate over the' statement for the town. years and prevented great increases in the Pointing to a tax arrears percentage of mill rate for major expenditures, he said. 4.4 per cent, Kaufman said such a low Out of the town's 11 reserves, the major number is a tribute to the administration's ones include $450,000 for working capital, tax -collecting abilities. $169,317 for pension contingency and "A lot of municipalities are having a $256,055 for contigencies such as legal fees tough time with so many farmers going during litigation or anything else bankrupt. Many are sitting at 20 and 21 per unforseen. .cent," he said. In 1985, the town committed $748,442 in The town ended 1985wit s `a surplus o vaun $383,324 for sphcifiollpurpoution ses in- $44,026, n- s4 surplus .quite a bit lower ' than 198requisre- Plant, eluding29,59 for sick leae ve and $43,780 for surplus of $214,869. Since it's a require- P $, the business improvement area. Kaufman said a potential trouble spot could be the town's contribution of $90,657 for the landfill site which could increase considerably in the future. "As landfill sites fill up, many municipalities are facing problems finding alternative sites and funding the costly procedures involved," said Mayor Eileen Palmer. ' "We're going to have to lobby the county to make landfill sites their concern," she , said. ment of the Municipal Act that municipalities have a balanced budget, Kaufman said it was nice to see the surplus closer to zero. "Of course, that doesn't give you the lux- ury of a large surplus to offset the mill rate," he said. Kaufman pointed to a low debt load of $264,341 carried by the town. At two per cent of the taxable assessment, the debt load could be as high as nine per cent or $1 million in some municipalities. The $1,023,223 set aside by the town in Madness strikes The Square this weekend Town will allow two ball di.arnonds. in.industrial park Two softball diamonds will be located in Goderich's industrial park for the men's slowpitch league. Goderich cquncil agreed to a request by the league foo:sufficient industrial land for the two diamonds with the agreement that the league leave the land if it's needed by council. The league agreed to take responsibility for the costs involved in the development and maintenance of the diamonds and to remove all equipment it installs with 60 days notice if the land be required for in- dustrial development. "Available, diamond space, within the town of Goderich has been a concern to the league for a number of years. We view the proposals as a solution to, what for us, has become an increasingly problematic situ - tion," says a letter to council from the league's president, T.D. Frawley. "I think this council has to give them the land. They're going' to do all the work," said Deputy -Reeve John'Doherty. Reeve Harry Worsell agreed saying that the 400 to 500 people playing slowpitch in Goderich have had to go to Benmiller to find a softball diamond. "We have land at the industrial park. The Signal -Star diamond (in the industrial park) is one of the best in Goderichr he said. Chief supports changes to Young Offenders Act Madness will prevail on The Square this Weekend as the Shoppers' Square Associa- tion off Goderich presents its Ninth Annual Midnight Madness promotion. Midnight Madness, an annual three-day event begins Thursday, May 22 at 9 a.m. and runs through to 6 p.m. Saturda at participating stores. Many stores in the core area will be open until midnight both Thursday and Friday evenings. Details of the event are contained in a special 28 page tabloid supplement , prepared by the advertising department, that appears in this week's edition of the Signal -Star. H olid ay weekend was quiet here The Victoria Day Weekend was relatively quiet in Goderich, says Police Chief Pat King, with two bike thefts and a couple cases of wilful damage, but in "minimal amounts." In addition, there were six complaints regarding firecrackers and Chief King points out Goderich's by-law which stipulates they can only be used on a per- son's prolierty, not on the street or other public area. Weary became first county emale principa A story in last week's edition of the Signal -Star featured the efforts of several area students, teachers and community - minded citizens-who-have-contributed--to- the county's education system. These peo- ple were the recipients of Excellence .in Education Awards. While all the local recipients were pic- tured, the story failed to outline the con- tributions of former teacher and now prin- cipal, Shirley Weary. The following text was read prior to the presentation of the award to Weary. "Shirley Weary has been relentless in her attempts to improve educational con- ditions in Huron County. Her role' in On- tario Secondary School Teachers Federa- tion (OSSTF) District 45 demanded countless hours of unpaid, dedicated work often given freely without recognition. Presently, Mrs. Weary is principal of the newly -created Bluewater Secondary School where she hasdeveloped its pro- gram offerings and its staffing. All this has yielded' new 'employment opportvnit caor the teachers of Huron County. Weary, the first female principal in the county taught secretarial skills programs in Goderich, Seaforth and Clinton. She is a past president of the district federation. BY SHARON DIETZ tively and quickly wih young offenders who Goderich Police Chief Pat King supports have violated probation or other conditions the recommended changes to the controver- of their sentences. sial Young Offenders Act announced recent- Chief King said he hopes the province will ly by Solicitor General Perrin Beatty. act to implement the alternative measures Under the proposed changes police for the program which provides an intermediary first time would be able to publicize the step when dealing with young offenders. A names df dangerous youths who have committee is established to decide what escaped custody or are suspects in violent course of action will best meet the needs of crimes. the offender whether it be court, instructing "It's very vital this should happen," said the offender to do community work or a Chief King in an interview with the Signal- psychiatric assessment. In some cases Star, Friday. He explained he is not par- police make these decisions now in a case titularly interested in giving out the name Of where an offender is given a warning if he is the young offender, but believes it is impor co-operative, the parents are involved and tant for police to be allowed to give a the victim of the offense decides not to press description, not only for the protection of the charges. public but for the protection of the offender While Beatty's reforms are intended to . as well. The longer the young offender is on rid the legislation of many of its the loose, the more of a chance there is that sess, ignore one of the greatest he may become involved in a more serious weaknesses,public sestheys - the sentencing provisions crime before he is apprehended, said Chief for one-time young offenders. King.The maximum penalty - even if they com- "They've been convicted. They are break- mit murder remains a three-year jail ing out, so therefore the public has the right term. Beatty said he decided against a to know what they look like," said Chief change because the act already allows for King. more serious young offender cases to be The inability to identify young offenders transferred to adult court where full caused dismay and concern in Goderich Criminal Code penalties can be imposed. when three young offenders escaped from The act requires that all young in September last year. the Bluewater Centre for Young Offenders lawbreakers under age 18 the cutoff used to be 16 - be treated as juveniles in the courts. Chief King is also pleased improved It also raised from seven to 12 the age at The competition Was very hot at the Huron -Perth Track and Field meet at GDCI last week, but Jonathan Yang of the Listowel Lords found his own way to keep cb01 in the steeplechase event. Clearing the hurdle with ease in the top photo, he then got into some trouble and slipped in photo 2, becoming almost totally submerged in the water in the third picture, but comes up laughing, a good sport through the whole ordeal.(Photos by Mike Ferguson) record-keeping provisions, which have caused a wide range of technical and ad- ministration problems, have been address- ed in the amendments. Police no longer must destroy the records of young offenders who have been charged but not convicted. Chief King said It was discriminatory since offender over the age of 18 who are not con - which youngsters can be charged with an held responsible for criminal actions. Since the law was prdclaimed April 1, 1984, it has been criticized by police, the pro- vinces, politicians and judges for un- necessarily endangering society, working against the best interests of young offenders and causing excessive administrative and victed, d'so not have their records destroyed. cost headaches. Another amendment permits police to de- Chief King said he still hopes there will be tain a young offender in the Goderich some amendment to permit the local holding cell if weather makes escorting him municipality to collect a grant to cover the to the Loudon detention centre hazardous. cost of escorting young offenderk to the . The changes address a number of other detention centre in London. Since the incep- concerns including allowing judges to im- tion of the new act young offenders must be pose sentences totalling more than three dealt with through the same procedure as an years when separate crimes are committed, adult, making ft necessary to bring the of- amending.the Criminal Code to ensure that fender before a judge while in Custody under adults who counsel children under the age of the Bali Reform Act. The offender is. 12 to comtnit.Critues ate tlletinsel�ies liable remanded back and forth And must appear to a criminal prosecutldn and giving T'urrni to page 2 authorities more provisions to deal effee- 6 JaaiE THE SIGNAL -STAR Vikings win The GDCI Vikings won their third straight Huron -Perth Track and Field Championship in dramatic style last week, with 527 team points to Madill's 508. Goderich trailed for both days of the meet until the final few events. See today's Sports section beginning on Page 6A for the complete run-down with pictures. Trip to India Read all about Lenore Bradley and Isobel MacDonald's November trip to India in to- day's Community section. Mrs. Bradley's account of her e'xcursion is an interesting and fascinating one. Video stars Thanks to a donation from the Goderich Legion, the age of video has taken the local police force by storm, and Signal -Star Reporter Mike Ferguson was sent to -in- vestigate. His story outlines the versatility of the force's new video camera system on Page 8.