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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-10-14, Page 1r'vthei 139 YEAR — 41 GODERICH ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1987 60 CENTS PER COPY Commercial scenes filmed here BY LOU -ANN DE BRUYN Lights ... camera ... action. Those are the words one expects the director of a commercial,. television show or movie to say prior to filming a scene, but the only words spoken Wednesday were "Camera rolling." Saffer •Advertising and The Partners Film Company Limited, both Toronto- based, as well as a representative of General Motors ( Canada) were in Goderich Wednesday and Thursday to film spots for GM's new commercials. The commercials, which will be seen on televi- sion beginning this November, are design- ed to promote Ontario GM dealerships, their people and spirit. In Goderich, the crews were at McGee Pontiac Buick Cadillac and Jim Hayter Chev-Olds, both GM dealerships, to film spots which may be used in the commercials. Stephen Blake, of GM, Central Regional Marketing, was in Goderich Wednesday with the advertising and production crews to watch the proceedings. He noted two, 30 -second commercials 'would be • made from the footage filmed in Goderich, St. Mary's and Toronto. NEW GM CAMPAIGN He said the new campaign was in response to a study done by for the Ontario Marketing Committee, which is comprised of four areas: Southwestern Ontario, Cen- tral Ontario, Eastern Ontario and the Horseshoe Area. "We're developing ads relative to the areas of Ontario. All of the GM dealers got t-ogethe-to--deeide- what- _to--do-a_nd..how to. spend their money on a campaign," Blake said. He said the new campaign, identified by the slogan "We're right here for you"; will show images of GM, dealerships in various communities. "It's not as much about the product but .. about the people and the towns. The whole process is brand new. The dealers and GM are working co-operatively. National ads don't .address the different regional needs," he said. He explained that often image cam- paigns are made for a product which work to sell the product but that these commer- cials are trying to sell the whole dealership - sales and service. "We're trying to get closer to the needs Saffer Advertising and The Partners Film Company Limited, both of Toronto, were in Goderich Wednesday and Thursday film- ing_scenes for a new GM advertising campaign. Here, at McGee Pontiac Buick Cadillac, wardrobe assistant*lrchelle Lyre adjusts of the Ontario dealer and customer," he said. Blake noted the cost of the new cam- paign was in the $12 to $15 million dollar braeket. AGENCY WORKS WITH GM Saffer Advertising worked with GM in establishing this new campaign, from writing and recording music and lyrics to suggesting scenes and locations. Michael . Gregg, creative director for Saffer Advertising and a former Goderich resident, said the agency was awarded the contract for the new GM campaign about four weeks ago a scarf on Toronto actress Melanie Miller while at far right former Goderich resident Michael Gregg, Saffer's creative direc- tor, looks on. (photo by Lou -Ann DeBruyn) The new campaign, he said, was being established "in the face of very stiff com- petititon form Japanese and European auto making. "The new campaign was designed to br- ing back a sense of involvement in the community. This is what the GM dealers have built for many years." • GM dealers are often among the oldest businesses in town, he said, adding the commercials will recognize the dealers and what they mean to the :tower. "We're trying to paint a warm, endear- ing picture of a very human group of peo- ple instead of the monolithic group which they represent," Gregg said. "We're shooting the relationships the consumer can have with the GM dealer, the automobile, the family and the com- munity. No other car manufacturer or -dealer is doing this right now," he added. He explained the commercials will show real-life episodes. "We're shooting episodes that occur in real life, in sales and service, and not just something that happens in the one or two hours when you buy the car," he said. The new commercials, Gregg said, will sell the entire dealership and not just the product to the audience. Turn to page 3 • County approves authority delegation plan In a recorded vote of 27-4 at its regular October session, Huron County Council decided to go ahead with plans to ask the provincial government to delegate ap- proval authority for certain planning and development functions to the county. The issue was first proposed to council in September, but was deferred until this month to allow member municipalities time to get more information before their representatives were asked to vote on the planning and development committee recommendation to seek delegation of authority. In approving the recommendation, coun- cil also adopted a resolution requesting the Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs to for- mally delegate to Huron County: —approval authority for plans of subdivi- sion and plans of condominium. —approval authority for part lot control bylaws. —approval authority for road closings. —The review of zoning bylaws, including official plan conformity; minister's zoning orders and provincial policy. At the October session, Exeter Reeve Bill Mickle again asked council to consider allowing more time to pass before it made any decision on the recommendation. He referred to a letter which Exeter had sent to all members of council which lists a number of concerns the town has with the proposal. In addition to the question of neutrality, concern was also expressed by Reeve Mickle that county council may, as the town's letter states, not be sufficiently com- petent or interested enough in the planning mechanism to give reasoned and thoughtful consideration to planning matters in any one municipality. Instead, county council Jim Howard, a teacher at Seaforth high school, mixes non-alcoholic drinks for the kick-off of the Alcohol Drug Awareness Program for Today, may decide to further delegate authority in the future to the planning and development department or even to the county planning director. "This is a very dangerous situation which could be developing here," Reeve Mickle said. "It could possibly mean establishing the county planning department as the total authority." Wayne Caldwell, senior planner with the planning and development committee, agreed with Reeve Mickle's suggestion that the Planning Act leaves room for further delegation of authority by county council, but the. "real question" is whether or not the department wants that authority. "Within the department, there has been no discus- sion on further delegation nor, in my opi- nion, is there any desire for it," Mr. Caldwell said. Exeter Deputy Reeve Lossy Fuller again suggested that council defer any action until all municipalities have been briefed on the proposal by planning department representatives. "I guess we could defer it until it goes away, but we are going to have to make a decision on it sooner or later," Warden Brian McBurney said in reply to the suggestion. 4. Hullett Township Reeve Tom Cunn- ingham said to continue deferring the recommendation could be considered as an admission by council to the provincial government that it is not capable of handl-' ing more responsibility. He reminded coun- cil, "We keep asking the province to give us more responsibility. Let's get on with it. I feel we should take that responsibility and do it." In the recorded vote, those in favor of the recommendation were: Grey Township Reeve Leona Armstrong, Tuckersmith Township Reeve Bob Bell, Seaforth Reeve Bill Bennett, Clinton Reeve Bee Cooke, Goderich Township Deputy Reeve Laurie Cox, West Wawanosh Township Reeve Cecil Cranston, Mr. Cunningham, Howick Township Reeve Gerald D'Arcey, Hay Township Deputy Reeve Claire Deichert, Zurich Reeve Bob Fisher, Morris Township Reeve Doug Fraser, Ashfield Township Reeve A. J. Gibson, McKillop Township Reeve Marie Hicknell, Bayfield Reeve Dave Johnston, Colborne Township Reeve Russ' Kernighan, Wingham Reeve Bruce Machan, Turn to page 5 • Committee to investigate deficiencies The town's works committee has been asked to investigate some deficiencies with respect to the quality of hard services offered some residents.,, Subsequent to a delegation before town council's Oct. 5 meeting, council has asked the works committee to investigate the deterioration of the roads, sidewalks and storm sewers along Gloucester Terrace east of Victoria Street. In appearing before council, resident Mike Sully said the roads were coming apart, the sidewalks were among the worst in Goderich and that there were no storm sewers. He told council the road, with only one coat of asphalt, was coming apart in several places and that the hospital had stopped using Gloucester Terrace because of unsafe sidewalks. "If you don't do something we will have a replacement program that's much more expensive," Sully said. Councillor Jim Searls asked that the matter be referred to the works committee for consideration in the 1988 budget and his motion was endorsed by council. The works cornmittee will also be asked to deal with a submission from a Lighthouse Street resident, Byron Jaques, who told council in a letter aobut lack of proper servicing on the street. In the letter, Jaques said he has had to deal with flooding in his home because of backups in the storm sewer during periods of heavy rain. He said there is no storm sewer in the area and the sanitary sewer is inadequate to handle the water problems. The installation of an external check valve has not remedied the situation he said in the letter. He has made three claims to his insurance company as a result of sewage backup and said the in- surance company has seen fit to cancel that portion of his insurance. "I believe that it is time the town took the necessary and appropriate steps to correct the situation," the letter read. "I am not the only resident of the area to have experienced problems of this nature but I believe I am the first to have insurance cancelled as a result of these problems." The matter was referred to. the works committee for consideration. Huron ADAPT program kicked off BY TED SPOONER Bartender, Jim Howard was mixing drinks as fast as he could serve them - non- alcohdlic drinks of course. Howard, who doubles as a teacher in Seaforth, was at the Huron County Educa- tion Centre in Clinton on Friday to help kick- off the Alcohol Drug Awareness Program for Today (ADAPT). ADAPT brings all secondary schools in Huron County together to help promote alcohol dnd drug awareness to both students and the community. "The (ADAPT) Committee has felt all along that the scope of this program far ex- ceeds the physical boundaries of each high school involved. Indeed, it encompasses the entire County and everyone within it," said Terry Johnston, committee chairman of Seaforth District High School. ADAPT will be conducting a number presentations with guest speakers and plays at area high schools Monday through Friday from October 26 until November 6. Presen- tations will be made at every' school each day in the morning, afternoon and evenings. "We want everyone to feel they are a part of this program. All schools are completely open to the public anytime during the two weeks," said Johnston. The presentations include : Christine Nash, whose son died while drunk in a car accident, speaks about the effect of drinking and driving on the survivors; Trinity Theatre is a three part play about substance abuse with a group discussion; BACCHUS gives an alternative lifestyle (alcohol free) for students going on to post secondary education; John Townsend, a retired RCMP drug officer, discusses substance abuse and identification; Survival Guide Project is a musical presentation on substance abuse with a question and answer session; Pat Franks also speaks about drinking and driv- ing survivors; Dr. Peter Knight, Professor of Surgery at McMaster University in Hamilton, speaks about road trauma and in- juries; and Maeve Connell conducts an evening program for parents. Barb Ottewell and Phil McMillan are the ADAPT Committee members at Goderich District Collegiate Institute. All programs will be held at each school and the following is a list of times, and dates for each presentation at GDCI. - Christine Nash Mon. Oct., 26 at 9:00 a.m. -Bacchus, Thurs. Ott., 29 at 9:00 a.m. -Survival Guide, Fri. Oct., 30 at 2:15 p.m. -Trinity Theatre, Mon. Nov., 2 at 9:00a.m. -Maeve Connell, Mon. Nov., 2 at 7:00 p.m. - John Townsend, Wed. Nov., 4 at 1:00 p.m. -Pat Franks, Thurs. Nov., 5 at 1:00 p.m. -Dr. Knight, Fri. Nov., 6 at 1:00 p.ln. As a wrap-up to the program the commit- tee will hold a dance at Central Huron Secondary School on Friday November, 6 frorn 8:00 to 11:30 p.m. "Much Music" from Toronto will present two live bands -"Basic English" and "New Tall Buildings." Inside postal workers strike Inside workers at the Goderich Canada Post Office have joined a nation-wide strike by members of the the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) which began Friday, Oct. 9. Goderich CUPW members walked off the job Tuesday morning in support of the union's position against the Canada Post plan to allow franchising of postal services to the private sector. Local Postmaster Ken Dobney, declined to comment on the strike, but did confirm that the Goderich office has remained open with the use of replacement workers. It was business as usual at the East Street office Tuesday morning, with no CUPW picketers in sight. "I can't tell you anything other than our CUPW workers are on strike, but our car- riers are delivering the mail and we are open," said Dobney. Tuesday's walkout marks the first direct local effect of the strike which began Oct. 1 as a series of rotating strikes and became a national walk -out Friday, in protest of tough back -to -work legislation currently before parliament. CUPW is opposed to Canada Post's fran- chise plan, part of a program to make the corporation more cost-efficient, because it could eliminate nearly 5,000 wicket jobs across the country over the next five years. Canada Post has said it would guarantee jobs for the displaced workers, as wicket positions are phased out, but in many cases this would mean a switch from straight days to shift work. Ban on strap still in place The Huron County Board of Education has reconfirmed that corporal punishment is an inappropriate disciplinary measure in the classroom here. At the pctober meeting of the board, the ed"ucation committee report zeroed in on the understanding that corporal punishment is not currently practised in any Huron County Board of Education school. Still, the boardrecognizes the fact there may be times when physical intervention may be necessary as a form of discipline. The most common example, said Director of Education Bob Allan, is when the teacher steps in to break up a fight between two students. In such cases, teachers are assured theyi-vill have the support of senior administrators, staff and principals to get involved through physical contact with the persons involved in the altercation. The board does not intend to write a policy involving what constitutes acceptable and non -acceptable physical contact with students in the schools. It much prefers that such matters be decided , within the in- dividual schools through discussions organized by the principals, to suit the in- dividual situations. "We trust the staffs will deal with this with a whole, lot of common sense,"said Joan VandenBroeck, chairman of the education committee which dealt with the matter. The education committee has recom- mended, however, that the personnel com- mittee develop a procedure to be followed in a case of alleged physical mistreatment of students by board employees. New librarian is appointed Huron County Council has given its ap- proval to the appointment of Beth Ross as the new chief librarian for the Huron County Library System. At its regular October session, county. council approved a library board recom- mendation that the former' Oxford County assistant librarian be appointed to the top position in the Huron County system. The county's new chief librarian will enter the position's salary schedule at Level 2, $34,996. Ms. Ross was chosen over five other ap- plicants interviewed by the board. INSIDE THE SIGNAL_ STAR Sailors defeated The Goderich Junior C Sailors lost their opening season game Friday even- ing in Goderich to the Mount Forest Patriots. Although the Sailors outplayed their opponents, they were defeated by a score of 4-3. For pictures and story, see the Sports section. Band members The Goderich Laketown Band has sent out an appeal for members since its numbers have dwindled. Persons in- terested in joining the band are en- couraged to attend the band's upcoming practice at GDCI. See the relevant letter to the editor on page 5 in this section.