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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-03-31, Page 4It PAGE 4--" ODERICH SIGNAL. STAR THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 1977 Tic a furning The trustees and administrative personnel of the Huron County Board of Education will undoubtedly be commended by the people of this county for their decision to declare two administrative positions redundant, and to place the persons presently serving in those two positions back In the classrooms of Huron schools this fall. This kind of action will probably be greeted by the people here with much hearty applause and a collective sigh of relief. Director of Education John Cochrane pointed out this week that the real saving will not be in the salaries of the tEo men, Ralph Smith of Goderich and Gordon Phillips of Clinton. While the salaries of these two employees will be adjusted after one year to the level of staff members in similar positions throughout the county, the true reduction in the total education bill will come because two ad- ministrative positions have been phased out. A smaller enrolment in Huron schools has had the net effect of smaller grants from the provincial government. As school enrolment continues to go down - and indications are that it will drop even lower in years to come - grants will become even Tess. Thus it. is that the board of education has to find ways and means to cut their budgets without jeopardizing the -level of education available to the students of Huron County. It has been pointed out that about 75 'percent of the board's expenses are for salaries. These expenses are, of course, labelled "fixed". But this week there has been a vivid example at the board office of just Flow fixed costs can quickly get unfixed. There is perhaps, a lesson here for '' all municipalities in Hu,on, in the whole of the province. There may also be a lesson for provincial and federal governments to study. Not only can positions be altered, phased out, redefined but staff members can live with pay cuts, especially when salaries are unusually high In relation to the average income of taxpayers. Salaries must no longer be tied to job definitions and classifications. Salaries in the public sector as well as the private sector must now reflect the productivity of the employees nd plump pay packets must no be ac- companied by distinguishable and definite efforts and results.—SJK Budget watch if ever there was a time that the people of Goderich should be interested enough to attend council meetings, it is NOW. The municipal budget is being prepared these days, and a progressive town council has decided once again in 1977 to hold its budget sessions in open council. Monday evening for the first study and slice meeting, only two spectators from the entire town were there to watch and listen. Taxes are high in Goderich. A tax bill of $1,000 per annum on a home in this town is not unusual. People complain bitterly, especially around the time the tax notices are mailed out. Some rant and rave concerning what they would do about taxation if they were on town council, and when their opportunity comes to get some 'inside knowledge about the financial workings of this municipality, those same people are watching television or reading the latest novel. Are the taxpayers of Goderich really so complacent? Are they content to pay the piper without ever hearing the tune? The initial budget draft calls for a mill rate in Goderich of 229.45 - up 50 mills over last year. It could mean a tax bill of $688.35 on a house assessed at $3,000 - or $150 more than last year's tax bill of $538.35. That in itself should catch the interest of Goderich tax- payers. The levy in Goderich alone for the public school system is $904.664 and represents a 24 per cent increase over last year. The levy for separateschools is $38,449, a 17 per cent hike. That should grab most ratepayers in town, especially in view of the fact that council has invited members of the Huron County Board of Education to attend the next meeting, April 6 at 4 p.m. And finally, town council members will spend much of next Wednesday's meeting cutting expenses out of the budget - expenses such as road con- struction perhaps, or maintenance costs or money for Jubilee Three celebrations in this 150th anniversary of founding. Surely citizens of town will want to know where the cuts, are being made - and precisely why. Goderich's , budget involves everyone, not only this year but in the years to come. Why not be a part of things? Why not be informed enough to be able to intelligently .comment and perhaps offer thoughtful suggestions for improvements" - SJK Let's hear from you Huron Historic Gaol is back in the news. Controversy is brewing again - this time over the proposed building up of the premises, not tearing down. Interested gaol board members are giving consideration to the possibility of renovating the large exercise yard at the former Huron"County jail into a year-round theatre complex. Plans are outlined in more detail elsewhere in this issue, but the important aspect would involve the possible construction of a removable roof over the large exercise yard to permit use of the proposed stage and raked seating arrangement in every kind of weather. Before gasping in horror, it should be made clear that Goderich does indeed need a theatre facility. The town requires a place where the London Symphony concerts can be performed in acoustically satisfactory conditions with comfortable seating that would allow everyone a • view of the or- chestra; it needs improved facilities for Goderich Little Theatre produc- tions as well as GDCI drama club presentations; it needs adequate quarters for lectures and concerts and rallies and ballets and conventions and conferences of all types. Not only does Goderich need this sort of cultural meeting place, the entire County of Huron as well as parts of the surrounding counties could benefit from a properly appointed centre for the performing arts. Admittedly, the protect is ambitious but according to the men and women who have been investigating the whole idea, it is not impossible. Nor is it out of reach for Huron County. It is definitely not "pie in the sky" as Hullett Reeve John Jewitt would have people believe. Supporters of the project ask only that citizens study the proposal In honesty, with minds wide-open to the needs of future generations. They want your opinions, your suggestions. If you will, put your thoughts down on paper and send them to this newspaper. The letters to the editor column will accommodate this open Citizens' forum which can be just as interesting and as _visionary as you care to make it. SJK „GA Ohl eoberitb - SiGNAL--STAR —a — The Courtly Town Ntewsoap*? of Huron Kneaded la Ilse *.d published every Thursday M aaderld, Decals. Member of Ike CW1VA amid OWNA. Adairtkleg rates w request. aubserlplk.s payable la dvsece 112,N Is Caseda, $16A1 to 0.8.A., *71.M b ell Mbar es ries, stagle,eeptes M emits. D1.pIay eiverdelug rates ev.Ys1e es rept. Meese ass it Rat! Card NM/ efeethe Oet. t, HOS. Semis cta meg Repstretbe Number 1714. Advertiskg IS incepted se the ew- dltlwe Wet, tit the ,vest .t tlrpsirepldnl erns, t1u .d.s4ltlsg g.c. remitted by Ike err/sews New, topes" with reaesubk adews.so ter slant ire; w!r mit be darted lar hat the bh e.ee etthe ndvertls ,.( will he paid kr atthe irrMesWs a%, la Use meet.r • ty►egrNiNeal *Mir adverdeleg t1Wea er wireless at s wrest pine.. psis .r weekit way set bink. Advartkbef le mar41y as otter WIWI, sad xray be wNitrews at say thee, The $leealetar k sat retwmelble ler We lues M homage el sarNleksd *,.seriph sr ►letter• Pubiished by SigneI3tar Publishing ltd. MIS ERYE Witte*Y--,prosidevit and publisher SHilltif-ir-KELLER "n' editor EDWARD J. ilYR31t12.- advertising manager. . Msilpl, Address; P.O. SOX 228, Oedericit trial eNwil. lilrli tt1r1+8 , Eilliblees and Editorial &ice t LEPHONE524-331 area code tit Open water again BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER -.Personally, I'm glad that Young Canada PeeWee Hockey Tournament Week comes only once a year in Goderich. True, it is a great time for hockey enthusiasts and a tremendous op- portunity for budding hockey players to; show their. stuff. But it is a gruelling week for some folks, including those dedicated Lions and other devoted helpers who put the tourney together and keep it running smoothly for about nine days. I'm not a hockey fan, but if I was I would -fro it 'difficult to get down to the arena to watch the games. For during YCW, the Signal -Star editorial staff goes into double -shifts ... believe it or not. Those who go to the ,arena on a regular basis during YCW, know all about the Daily News, a tabloid newspaper which is published every day by the Signal Star during the tournament. The little newspaper contains advertising from merchants around the community who want to support the Lions tourney and By Dave Sy DEAR READERS give the kids who play there a boost. But the paper doesn't come easily...nor is it soon forgotten in this department of the Signal - Star. ••• Early in the year, arrangements are made with Bob Trotter of the Journalism Department at Conestoga College for willing young journalism students who think they'd like a crack at writing for the YCW Daily News. The Signal, -Star doesn't offerl)mtiCh'eicept a whale of "a good" "experience plus lots of hard work and long hours. A. couple of times, students have come back by choice, for a second year at the YCW news desk. This year Howard Elliott returned for his second bash at YCW and proved again that experience is certainly the best teacher. Another beteran is Rob Shrier, son of publisher R.G. Shrier, who was working on the daily for his third year. That's some sore of a record in itself .... and would be even more impressive if one added up the year or so previous to that when Rob handled sales of the Daily News at the arena during the tourney. The two other staffers from Conestoga were Randy Hardisty who claims, he "really learned a lot" while working on the paper, and Liz Turcotte, the first fulltime gal reporter in YCW history. Overseeing the whole operation this year at the arena was Jeff Seddon. Why Jeff? Well, it is simply that it was Jeff's turn. Last year, the chore was handled by Dave Sykes .... and after one year at the_ job like that, a fellow tie serves & year ••• The YCW staff swings into action daily when the games begin .... usually shortly after 8 am. They work` all day covering the games which run back to back until about 10 or 10:30 daily. In their "spare time", they do special features about the tourney ..., stories about the fans and the referees and the tourney staff and of course, the stars of YCW, the young Pee Wee hockey players. All that takes time .... and an abundance of bright-eyed energy. But the day doesn't end when the games are over. Not at all. Then it is back to the Signal -Star office to set the copy, make the pictures, lay out the pages and paste them up, and make the page nags for the press crew that comes in early every day during the tourney to print the papers and have them at the arena early for tourney goers. Usually, after a long day at the arena ... when staff has been standing around in the coldness and the dampness all ,day with' nothing more nourishing to eat than a • couple" `-of'' hot dogs ; nd'ra -tootsie roll".,.. they get * dory : So that's why regular Signal - Star editorial staff helps out .. also after a long day which incidentally has been made busier because it has been necessary to cover for the missing regular who is tied up with YCW. As, a result, YCW requires about nine editorial people working 16 to 18 hours a day each for a whole week .... and getting more tired, more irritable and less efficient as the week wears on. It takes ab8ut all the stamina and perserverence ohe can muster. ••• Being a work boot, • YCW also extra something Keliers always players during y done so for four now and find it experience on casions. Thus it is that and in addition to editorial duties until midnight or Daily News, I mu time to feed an several . PeeW players. This ye sleepy heads wee three nights in home. Did I say sl Correction. They well after midnight 2 am or later. Su these kids have.' excitement about and about being home with their Whatever the PeeWees at household this y down late and rose One night when home from the midnight or after, and wanting only I was confront (continu Band forgotten Dear Editor: I was very disappointed in the coverage the Goderich Laketown Band received from the Signal -Star, regarding the Bay City Parade. The band made an extra effort to give a showing for Goderich. With - only two weeks notice and the March break many of our members had .other commitments. We recruited members who were off to University and `one DEAR member of the Lucknow Band. Although we were small in comparison to the U.S. bands. we gave our best. All the comments I heard indicated we did a good job. I would like to thank all the members who turned out, Thank you for letting me use your -column to express my disappointment. Yours truly, Dwayne Linner, President Laketown Band. Editor's Note: We goofed, without a doubt. After checking with Ron Shaw, it EDITOR was acknowledged that, the Goderich Laketown Band was indeed at the Bay City celebrations and the Signal - Star was remiss in this part of its coverage of the event. Please accept the apologies of this newspaper for our slip- up. Know too, that the Town of Goderich appreciates the efforts of the Laketown Band whenever and wherever the members appear. — SJK Sour note Dear Editor, As a citizen of Goderich, Mayor Wigle was pleased to =, receive a fine bouquet cif roses this week sent by wire from Ma4or Shank of Indianapolis, where the Fifth Annual Flower Show is being . , cw held. This was through the A fie' connection oat George Stuart' ,` ,resented,' of town who is a member o!, 'audience .the Florist's Telegraph .,`pada f)elivtry Association.' ~ The last report on the town - water. received from London. . est week,, '"shows water of !le the main estimates' of ,:':' town expenditures, "ed` last we k b !` council l>t' dock cantata was �i 8 large. eek . ars mated t5 s attended 1 and a supporter of all our Jubilee 3 activities, I congratulate the hard- working and imaginative organizers who have planned what appears to be a great summer full of activities, events and attractions. It should be a great year for our town if we all pitch in to promote the obvious at- tractions that our community has to offer. There is one sour note, however: Could someone tell us who is responsible for the terribly innacurate and very misleading map which is in this year's edition of the pamphlet produ Jubilee 3 corn which is being 11 unsuspecting to this part of Ontario The map sta drawn to scale';' also say: "Not to. try and find your Goderich". It puts one project, submi poor student of that was returned failed!! I welcome your pick out the errorl at least f of them) (contin ri m< mr Go( c. al E ter 5pl 21i hyc pro. tilll tioi he en: pros racti e wa e0 Par sit epor const y ex ernil epor to F fo it. 1 mg to tl n exp ancer e beer up tilt tratior tates, especi iabet ancer if di, rtifici the 4 pos. 30 YEARS A(;O The Point Clark lighthouse will' have a new keeper at the opening of navigation, but a keeper of the . same name. Jack Campbell of Lucknow has been appointed to replace Jack Campbell of Arnberley, who has been keeper for eight years • but, has reached retiring age. ,The Huron County"Police! •C Mehlnee • at;, a meeting On 'odflesday : authorized �t recommendation to the Police Commissioner of Ontario that the county be policed by the provincial force. and also recommended that the commission be requested to absorb the county constables ,,.in the provincial force. The Provincial; PoliceAct has been changed and` ` the. province . will "assttrne the policing of the counties, at ro Cost to theft Spring has brought inquiries to, the ; Goderich `!a Board of Trader. and businessmen' locate in Goderi dozen letters fro Canada and the have already by SecretaryN seeking infornl accommodation Oneman 8t : anotr f rem :Information r settingheup tkrei; of busing 11 year Congr, n6 def Ven Mr intent °Man entYr ds of ltion most reou of h, :re!pect