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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-05-04, Page 1a • Ratepayers still want pickup; BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER Some Goderich ratepayers aren't pleased at all about the discontinued refuse pickup in the spring and the fall. And one Goderich ratepayer, Jack Gould, was on hand in the council chambers Monday evening to un..ap his complaint in per- son. The gentleman waited patiently through the entire meeting to have his say during the citizens' question period atthe end. "I object to bagging up this kind of refuse," said Gould who complained he would have 50 bags of garden refuse once he had raked his own property as well as the town's property adja�cent to his. "I don't mind raking it up. But I won'ebag it. That's not my property. It's your property." Gould said in his opinion, there had been no warning that the refuse from the spring and fall cleanup would have to be containerized. What's more, he claimed the garbage men would on! pick .up containers weighing 50 pounds or less. f/t. "You're going to get a sweetheart of a contract' when you go to renew it," Gould said. The angry resident was also complaining about what he called the "two sets o ,.ules" in effect in the town. He asked whether the refuse from the spring cleanup in Court House Park had been containerized and picked up by the garbage trucks, or had it been hauled away on the town vehicles by the town crew. Gould said he had read in the Signal -Star that it would cost $1,500 for a spring pickup in ad- dition to the regular garbage contract,'and that by having householders put their refuse in pails or bags or boxes, this $1,500 would be saved. "Where's the saving?" asked Gould. "You are council remains unmoved not going to lay people off because there is no spring apd fall pickup." Deputy -reeve Eileen Palmer interjected at this point to clear up an error in the Signal -Star reporting. She said the correct figure for the extra pickup was $15,000. "Fifteen hundred or 15,000," said Gould. "Where's the saving?" He said there were at least 70 people who agreed with him that there should be a .spring and fall pickup in Goderich. "How much is it costing us per tulip?" asked Gould. T. M. Melady also sent a letter to council, expressing his regret that the town no longer had a spring and fall pickup for refuse. "The packaging of same in boxes, bags or pails seems quite a hardship, if not an impossible task," said Melady. He went on to suggest that council consider either rescindirfg the bylaw governing open tires or not enforcing the bylaw for published two- week periods both spring and fall. Councillor John Doherty was ready. to agree with this idea, but the concensus of opinion among councillors was that individuals can obtain burning .permits for disposing of garden refuse. Jack Gould wanted to know if homeowners would be required to bag up their leaves in the fall. Mayor Deb Shewfelt assured him the leaf shredder would be on the job again this fall. Once again, council reminded residents the garbage collectors will pick up anything that is containerized except building products. There will be no spring or fall pickup this year. the1 131 YEAR -18 IGNAL—STAR 1 Una Costello was crowned Queen of Goderich District Collegiate Institute at midnight Friday night at the school's annual .spring prom. Costello had the title bestowed on her by last year's queen Judy Cruickshank. The queen was elected by her schoolmates over Tory McDonald, Wendy Botz, Margo Moore and Pauline Hall.' About 300 present and former students of GDCI witnessed the crowning at the annual spring formal. (photo by Jeff Seddon) THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1978 30 CENTS'PER COPY ts brin• ••debate BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER Al Lawson, manager of the Public Utilities Commission in Goderich, really intended to come before town coun.cill Monday evening as a private citizen and taxpayer. But before it was all over, it was abundantly clear Lawson was at the meeting with the blessing of the Commission and at the invitation of Deputy -reeve Eileen Palmer. When he had finished his speech - described by Councillor Elsa Haydon as "one of the most remarkable speeches ever delivered in these chambers" - he had the full support of the Goderich Ratepayers' Association, according to spokesman Jim Searls who was in the audience. Al Lawson came before town council to discuss the proposed new lighting on The Square. The decorative lighting Wtrich was first suggested by the Business Improvennent Area (BIA) executive and which has been recently approved by the'town's grounds committee, was severely panned by Lawson who also criticized town council and the BIA for failing to consult the PUC before asking for tenders on the new lighting. The PUC manager told council the high pressure sodium lights now on The Square are the "best light source known today". He said the lights proposed for The Square to be purchased from Crouse -Hinds *ere "less efficient" and were designed to "meet a variety of small area applications such as pedestrian walkways" and not as adequate lights to illuminate the roadway around The Square. In figures which Lawson admitted could be slightly erroneous when compared to the latest technical data, the PUC manager estimated.that the 80 globes proposed for the inner, and outer perimeter of The Square would give off 780,000 units of light on the roadway. The current lights give off 1,080,000 units of light on the roadway, Lawson estimated, and he suggested the town would need roughly 420 of the proposed new units to get the same amount of light on the roadway. The speaker went on to say that if only part of the lighting job is done on The Square this year - the proposal is for the portion of The Square from West Street to East Street on the outside of The Square as well as all around the inner perimeter of The. Square to be done on the first work segment - nothing but "spill light" would reach the doorways of downtown businesses on the. south half of The Square. He predicted that crime would be on the rise. "Check with your chief of police," urged, Lawson. He also noted that tendering for the supply and installation..of the proposed new lighting would "increase costs". He said the PUG in Goderich could do the job more economically. Besides this, the proposed'•irght4n°g-Wchrld be 'costlier for' the PUC to maintain and service after in- stallation, than the present lights. Lawson also complained that to move the existing lights from The Square to Highway 21 south would cause some new problems because `the lights are not a suitable height for the job. The existing lights are on 40 -foot mountings while the PUC had hoped to install lights on 35 - foot mountings for the most effective lighting. THE BOTTOM LINE In his presentation, the PUC manager said he .was not opposed to the town's choice of suppliers - Crouse -Hinds. Lawson said that during his career in PUC, he had used hundreds of thousands of. dollars worth of Crouse -Hinds materials and found them excellent. Lawson Lawson said it was -the type of decorative lighting that caused him concern ,when it comes to illuminating a well -travelled roadway like The Square. The lights proposed for use on The Square "tend to throw the light upwards" the PUC manager pointed out, and would be Ideal for creating a "fairyland" in the park, but not for road. He proposed that the PUC could present an alternative plan per PUC standards using the existing lights and some decorative lights as well. A motion presented later in the meeting by Deputy -Reeve Eileen Palmer and Councillor Stan Profit gained the approval for that kind of a presentation by the PUC at no charge to the town. "Can you guarantee there would be no cost?" asked Mayor Deb Shewfelt of Palmer. "I' think the Jubilee Three Committee thought there would be no charge too." Deputy -reeve Palmer assured the mayor there would be no charge to the town for the PUC to provide` such an alternative scheme. PUC rrianager ",Ai' 'Lawson substantiated that on Tuesday in a telephone interview with The Signal -Star. Lawson told council Monday evening: "The PUC has the expertise to accomplish a common goal, efficiency at a reasonable cost." A representative from the firm of Crouse - Hinds told council a quote had been requested on decorative lighting and that was the quote that was provided. He said while it is true that high pressure sodium lights are efficient, it is also true that fluorescent and mercury vapor light's can be just as efficient. "I think asthetics are important," the Crouse - Hinds spokesman told council, adding that he had toured Goderich during the day and found it to be a pretty town.' "High pressure sodium lighting is not used in shopping centres. Peachey-orange doesn't attract people". He said if the town is interested mainly in lighting efficiency, perhaps it should be con- sidering low pressure sodium lighting. "But do you want everyone walking around Turn to page 24 • No decision on dispatch centre location BY JOANNE WALTERS Despite warnings from Ontario Police Com- mission (OPC) officials that "time is of the essence", representatives of five Huron County towns were unable to reach a decision about where a proposed common police com- munications centre should be located at a meeting on the subject held at Clinton town hall last Wednesday. The main area of contention lies between Goderich and Clinton. The meeting ended abruptly without a decision when Clinton Police Chief Lloyd Westlake stood up, pointed his finger at the Goderich delegation and began arguing about the efficiency level of his police department as compared to the Goderich department. He then stalked from the room as chairman of the session W.S. Shimmin, OPC representative, adjourned the meeting. The towns of Goderich, Seaforth, Clinton, Exeter and Wingham have agreed to link their police forces with a radio system that can be used as an integrated communications system. The primary purpose of this system is two fold says M.J. McInerney, communications advisor of the technical services branch of the OPC. It is to provide safety measures for police and to give Othl them access to the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) terminals, the- closest one being at the O.P.P. station of the Goderich detach- ment. The present system is inadequate because, after office hours, the police must rely on answering services or a radio -telephone system to receive calls. The need for the system has been established and McInerney was present at last Wednesday's meeting simply to outline the best system for the area based on his meetings with the various chiefs and on the results of technical surveys. "As far as our department is concerned now, we're at a standstill," McInerney informed those present. "We have to know where the dispatch centre is going to be located and what it's going to look like before we can go ahead." McInerney said there would have to be phone lines (emergency numbers) from all the municipalities to the dispatch centre but where the main phone would be answered, is "relatively immaterial." He also said that if anything happened to these phone lines, the system could operate independently. The next step, said McInerney, is to put a specification on the design and decide where the dispatch centre will be located. After these steps, he said, tenders would be called and evaluated by the OPC and a system purchased. It could take as many as six 'to 10 months before this system is even delivered and then it would have to be installed so "there is no time for dilly dallying around" he advised. "We would like to go ahead quickly," said McInerney. "The (provincial) money that is available for the system this year must be spent in this fiscal year." He warned those at the meeting that if they didn't act quickly, the system could be lost to them altogether as there are "23 other stations lined up behind you" also wanting the system. The province will pay 75 per cent of the $70,000 startup cost for the system, with the five municipalities paying the remaining 25 per cent and operating costs. McInerney said the OPC's concern is with the capital costs and they are objective about where the centre is located as long as it meets conditions for the provincial grant. One of these conditions is that the province will not give the 75 per cent grant unless the town where the dispatch centre is to be located, has continuous 24-hour coverage under police con- trol. Up until now, it appeared that Goderich would get the dispatch centre because it is the only town of the five with this continuous 24-hour coverage. Exeter mayor Bruce Shaw said, "With the manpower Goderich has and their facilities, I'm of the opinion that the dispatch centre should be in Goderich." He added that he was authorized by his council to give his approval Of the Goderich location and said, "let's get it done". However, Clinton mayor Harold Lobb and Chief Westlake, said Clinton, as the centre of the county, was a logical location. After the meeting Lobb said, "It seems to me that everything has to be in Goderich and I think it's time to split things up." Lobb said the town of Clinton would be willing to add at least one poljcernan to their force and expand its headquarters to qualify for the dispatch centre and that these changes would be made at no cost to the other municipalities. "Why would you even want to spend the extra money to have the dispatch centre? Exeter wouldn't want to," said Mayor Shaw,. Goderich mayor Deb Shewfelt said, "I'd want assurance that Clinton would be willing to beef up its manpower (if the centre is to be located in Clinton)." Afterwards, Mayor Shewfelt commented, "If the shoe were on the other foot and they (Clinton) had the proper manpower, I wouldn't even bid for Goderich." Goderich Police Chief Pat King told McInerney at the meeting that he had heard it said that there would be a 40 per cent higher cost than anticipated for the system if the centre was located in Goderich. McInerney said the costs would be the same nomatter where the system w,as based, not including the monthly telephone costs. He said the installation of these telephone lines wasn't that costly. He also said the system would be equally effective if the centre was located in either place. "I suggest that you would be looking at a very similar cost," he concluded. Seaforth mayor Betty Cardno said she has an obligation to the ratepayers to make an economical decision. She said Clinton seemed Turn to page 24 • randstand construction start by May 15 BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER If everything goes according to schedule, construction on the grandstand should begin about May 15. Bob Gibbons of the grandstand committee, told council Monday evening that Hill and Borgal expect to have the architectural and structural drawings completed by the end of this week and ready for presentation to the Ontario Racing Commission at the beginning of next week. Councillor John Doherty wanted to know if the grandstand committee was planning to "go the whole route" despite the fact that some tickets are left unsold with the first draw coming up Monday. "Or will you just build what is absolutely necessary?" asked Doherty. Gibbons said it was his private and personal opinion to "build what we can pay cash for" but added he could not speak for the entire grand- stand committee. Councillor Elsa Haydon said the changes to the existing lighting in the ball, diamond at Agricultural Park as well as the new lights for the soccer field and the second baseball diamond would cost about $40,000. Mike Dymond recreation director, is investigating the availability of grants for the project. Councillor Don Wheeler wondered whether the committee had done a '"cost benefit study" regarding the lights for the athletic field in the Last big chance The Goderich Sports Committee have almost completed their lottery ticket sales but will be offering a limited number of tickets for sale before the first draw on Monday, May 8. Following a blitz last week, the committee has less than 200 tickets remaining on the draw for $1,000 per week for 52 weeks. The tickets are $100 each and can be paid for with one cheque for the full amount or two cheques for $52, four cheques for $26 or 10 cheques of $10.40. Tickets can be purchased by calling Bill Kirkey, Larry l'effrey, the Recreation office or town hall. The mayor's office at town hall will remain open until 12 midnight tonight and anyone wishing to purchase a ticket may call 524- 8344 or drop into the town hall. All tickets purchased will be delivered. The first draw will be held Monday on Channel 12 at 7 p.m. by Warden Gerry Ginn. centre of the race track. "The demand can be proven," said Mayor Deb Shewfelt who went on to say he fears a "fight for facilities" this summer unless new lighting is installed at Agriculture Park. "The pressures are just starting to mount for another ball dia mond," the mayor warned. Councillor Stan Profit said , he thought Wheeler's suggestion for a cost benefit study was "unfair". He said when one considers that the grandstand will be Used, this year for only nine nights of racing, the relation of cost to benefit might be unrealistic too. Mayor Deb Shewfelt cautioned everyone to remember that no tax dollars are involved in the project at Agricultural Park. He said the money is being raised through the sale of lottery tickets and other donations, and that many groups in addition to the horsemen will benefit from the proposed plans. "The Ontario Racing Association has responded quite well," said Mayor Shewfelt who urged Goderich citizens to make every effort to sell the retraining tickets before Monday. He said the committee has met expeh,ses to date, and that an extra push would ensure the com- pletion of the entire project.