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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-12-15, Page 1Range from 7.5 / to 14.4 f .17 \County dept. heads get increases BYSHIRLEY J. KELLER Huron County's department heads have been granted salary increases for 1978 which range anywhere from 7.5 per cent to 14.4 per cent. The increases were approved at the October session of county council without any question, county administrator Bill Hanly said this week. For the first time ever', the department heads negotiated their salary adjustments as other county employees. Negotiators for the depart- ment heads were deputy clerk -treasurer Bill Alcock; planning director Gary Davidson; and social services administrator John McKinnon. They met with a special committee chaired by Warden Doug McNeil and comprising the members : of the executive committee and the chairmen of.all other county committees. According to the printed report of the special (committee, decision was reached to allow each department head an increase in salary of $75 every two weeks or $1,950 per annum. "This increase represents an average increase of 3.8 per cent for this group of employees," the special committee report stated. The following salaries were approved by council: clerk treasurer administrator Bill Hanly, $27,820 representing a 7.5 per cent in- crease; deputy clerk -treasurer Bill Alcock, $24,310 or 8.7 per cent; development officer Spence Cummings, $17,836 or 12.2 per cent; planning director Gary Davidson, $25,012 or 8.4 per cent; social services administrator John McKinnon, $18,434 or 11.8 per cent; museum curator Ray Scotchmer, $15,470 or 14.4 per cent; county librarian Bill Partridge, $]9,006 or 11.4 per cent; and Huronview administrator Chester Archibald, $21,242 or 10.1 per cent. In a telephone interview this week with Hanly, •s •, 0 I' ,. 1 14It Crown Attorney W.G. Cochrane ame new judge am G. Cochrane of Goderich, Crown ey for Huron County since 1962, was ap- provincial court judge in the criminal n effective Monday, December 12. The went was annouriced Friday by Attor- eralRoy McMurtry. ane, a native of Exeter, has been g in the Huron legal system since 1946 he opened a law office in Exeter, He ted from the University 'of Western in 1938 and Osgoode Hall in 1941. He in the army from 1942-46 in England he was an instructor in an officer battle When he returned to Canada he opened a ffice in his hometown and in 1962 was tedcrown attorney. At that time he moved rich where he has lived since then. ane said the appointment takes effect. ately but explained that he' cannot act as until he is sworn in. He said the tentative the ceremony is January 11, 1978. duties of the crown attorney will be aelly -handled by George= , Patterson, rUrownittorney in Walkerton, and others dbylk. regional crown attorney's office ane said he had submitted his name for .atioq for the office when former fi1-court judge H. Glenn Hays passed I'said up until Hays' death he had not dseeking a seat on the bench. Inercrown attorney said he was -looking, the challenge of the new post adding really didn't think it changed his ility that'mueh. He said his duties as °h,attorney required him to view both '$case to decide if there was evidence merit taking it to court. He said he felt slbilities as the crown attorney were in, ling out that as. a judge he will have eies except with more finality. said the duties of the crown in ere not to seek a conviction but merely the evidence before the court in an ensure -that jusilce is done. He said atllans get confused with the crown's Ilse of their television understanding Olean legal system" "in which the they, the American equivalent to the uhey, is more conviction minded. ; the crown attorney never wins or "heexplained. :83d he always enjoyed practicing 1, areas because he felt the legal �OA populated ureas worked more 'an in cities. He said in cities the volume of work and the greater number of lawyers in court didn't allow judges to take the time in a case that it possibly should get. He said in Huron County there are only 24 members of the bar association and the mem- bers know each other better than lawyers in cities. Because of .that, familiarity, they seemed to have more trust for one another. He said that plus the low volume of cases permit judges to Lake more time in court and thoroughly look at a case. Cochrane has been involved in municipal life in the county serving in Exeter as 'town councillor, a reeve of the•town and as its mayor. He also was chairman of the South Huron District Hospital Board and of the Exeter Public Utilities Commission. 1-e is a past president of the Exeter Lions Club and past master of the Masonic Lodge. He is married and has three daughters. The cat is glad A large grey and white cat may have been spared using one of its nine Iiyes recently when an anonymous worker for the Sifto Salt Mine scooped the feline from the ice in the narrows of the Goderich harbor, The mine worker ap- parently heard the cat's "meow" for help when he was leaving work and spotted the animal trying desperately to get off the ice in the harbor, entrance and back onto solid ground. The worker said the cat didn't appear to be in any immediate danger of drowning but added that its manner at the time of 'rescue seemed to indicate that the animal had been trying for some time to getoff the ice. The cat is reported to he in good shape and is obviously someone's pet according to the rescuer who said it was "fat, spunky and ready to go home". - The animal is now in Auburn and the rescuer claims it is not content. It has been whining for several days to get out and obviously wants to go home. The, rescuer is hesitant to let the animal out since it may not find its way to Goderich and home. If anyone in Goderich is missing a cart they can ,phone 524-2074 and offer the animal's descrip- tion. The number belongs to a public health nurse who knows where the cat is and if she feels the description fits the animal and it is wor- thwhile phoning the rescuer she will make every effort to reunite cat and master. the administrator said the increases were within the Anti-Irfflation•guidelines "as printed." "This is what the guidelines say," said Hanly. "The overall Increase of the group is 3.8 per cent. No one has received more than $2,400." Hanly admitted the increases were made possible since a new medical officer of health and a new engineer had been hired earlier in 1977 at considerably less money than had been paid to the former employees, Dr. Frank Mills and Jim Britnell. When he left the county's employ, Dr. Mills was being paid $37,024 per annum. Dr. Brian Lynch, the .new MOH was hired at $32,000 and when he has completed his public health course in Toronto later this year, he will be raised to $36,000 per annum. Jim Britnell, the former county engineer, was receiving $32,578 per annum when he resigr.ed. His successor Bob Dempsey, was hired at $25,000 and will receive an increase of $1;500 on January 1,1978. SHARED Hanly agreed that in effect, the money saved on the salaries for the MOH and the county engineer was divided among the department heads, holding the overall increase to the county taxpayers at 3.8 per cent: The increases are, however. subrect to scrutiny by the AIB and it is still not known whether they will be allowed. By way of explanation, Hanly said that in 1975, county council had approved similar increases for the county department heads for 1976, but the increases were rolled back by the AIB because they din't meet with the criteria set down in the Turn to page 24 • Goderich SINAL -STA 130 YEAR 50 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1977 30 CENTS PER COPY Fund raising committee formed To finance grandstand A group of Goderich citizens will proceed with fund raising activities towards the building of a new grandstand in Agriculture Park at an ap- proximate cost of $300,000. The Goderich Community Grr.,idstand Committee was formed selecting interested citizens and major users of the park at a public meeting held at the arena Tuesday, The com- mittee, headed by Larry Jeffrey, will consist of approximately 20 members. The committee will hale representation frgm. the tbderich Trotting 'A ociation, ai'1 levels of- softball, soccer, the recreation board, service clubs, town council, township councils the businessmen's association and a ,host of other interested citizens. The committee had hoped to meet tonight (Thursday) with representatives from all the groups to establish the needs of those using the facility and then to discuss pledges from the users. Jeffrey indicated that the proposed grand- stand could contain locker rooms, shower rooms and recreation and other offices if the interested groups wanted such facilities and were willing to work towards it. Acting association secretary Sam Hassan, estimated that a new grandstand at a cost of $300,000 would mean the public must raise ap- proximately $100,000 following grants. The granting structure was not definite but he hoped the grandstand `vould be eligible for Community Centres grants, Ontario Racing commission grants, Wintario Grants and at the outside a grantfrom the Department of Agriculture, But at this point both the granting structure and the - cost of the grandstand are simply estimates. A Community Centres grant. will hinge on the number of community groups using the grandstand and the recreation hoard has talked of plans to move the recreation directors office into airew grandstad if it was built, Jeffrey said the Trotting' association was willing to pledge $25,000 to the project, but that will be discussed by the association at a later meeting. The trotters have already planned a monster sports celebrity dinner in April 1978 and will hold a draw for a trip. Ken Crawford of the Trotting association, presented some preliminary plans the group had drawn up that call for a grandstand of 125 feet by 150 feet with a seating capacity of 1,200. The paramutuel and concession booth would take up - 16 feet by 75 feet on the ground floor that would also house washrooms, office space and club house rooms. The estimated cost of that project is $300,000. One major contentious issue arose when the Trotting Association received approval for four Stjnday race dates from council. Both the Goderich Industrial Softball League and senior soccer teams use Agriculture Park on Sundays. Doug Fisher said that soccer, fastball and the racing association are the three major users of the park and there'should be a way to work out the problem without dissention. He said there would have to be another facility used by minor girls' and boys' baseball, who normally use agricultural park. Jeffrey agreed adding that all the problems could be worked out. "There is nothinf that can't be worked out betweelillid"glr lips involved'*%e said. "This is community effort and if everyone comes out and Turn to page 24 •.. Index Ben Miller Pg. 1A Sports Pg. 8-13. Council Briefs . . , . , Pg. 15 My Fair Lady . Pg. 20A Paula Butler Pg. 2A Patients Hospital evening at Alexandra Marine and General were given a special treat Monday as members of the Third Goderich :l.t Beavers, Cubs and Scouts visited the hospital and entertained patients with a fine selection of Christmas carols. The troops also visited Maitland Manor Nursing Home and Bluewater Centre. (staff photo)