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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-11-09, Page 28wheeler... • from page 6A promoters off the project wer ,„_to pretty up -The Sgrtare.and give it a park- like setting, then I look upon itas a hill. Mr. Shewfelt at budget tithe said, quote, "This is a meat and potatoes budget" unquote. To me this means we take care of the esentials but no frills. In this context the scheme is unjustified. The most common motive given for the project is that it is an attempt to revitalize the core area. But does this scheme benefit them in this way. My opinion is no it does not, they have selected the wrong ap- proach. Before proceeding I would like to make one point very clear. The businessmen. - on The Square aresome of our most heavily taxed citizens and they have the right to expect a portion of the municipal tax dollar to be spent in this area. I agree that the sidewalks in The Square area needed repair and are a municipal responsibility and the whole Square could have been done for what it is costing us to do half. If the businessmen want to revitalize the area and attract shop- pers, a park attracts strollers, two things go towards ensuring a vital retail community. Good and competitive marketing and shopping convenience, i.e. close and adequate parking. Many businessmen feel that BIA funds would be better spent if they were directed to solving this problem. I could also suggest another use of BIA funds, that would be to provide Square merchants with low cost or no interest loans . to improve the interior and exterior of their establishments. I don't think council abandoned the interests of residential taxpayers to serve the interests of business, just that most of . them made their decision on the aesthetic value of the scheme rather than on its practical value. My approach was practical and therefore I voted against it. 7. Can recent council projects like The Square and Hwy. No. 21 widening, be justified to insure a strong future for the town as a place to live, grow and work for present taxpayers and their children? Not The Square again. See what I mean by FOR MAYOR Worsen.. • from page 6A the purchase price of the land. Developers and sub- • dividers in the residential section are required to pay for new services: • 5. What can you, ' as mayor, offer residents of Goderich? I offer 30 years ex- perience as a business man in Goderich. I bring 13 years experience in municipal politics, four of - those years as Mayor of Goderich. During those four years, the town grew in all areas, both residentially and in- dustrially. I offer a sane and sensible approach to money management, and I believe this is what any municipal council needs to -day. I have a genuine in- terest in the people of Goderich, no matter what their status. Their needs, welfare, and future are important to me."Tliiat is why ' I am running for Mayor. 6. Do you feel the town's involvement in The Square beautification was justified or did council abandon • residential taxpayers to serve business ax - payers? The town must . e in- volved in any . rogram pertaining t. town property, inc ing the Square pr. gram. I believe the •usinessmen felt this rogram was essential to. keep them compet' ive with the shoppi g plazas and other shopping areas. Hower, I -think many othe areas of the town co d have had their si • ewalks upgraded too, i some financial estraint had been demonstrated in this • program. The lighting on the Square is just six yearsold, and it is dif- ficult to justify the ex- pense'of replacing it, just for beautification. I wonder about the cost for upkeep of the sidewalk over the next 20 years. The same opinion applies to Highway 21 - snow removal alone will be costly - it will have to be trucked away, since there 'will be rid boulevards to pile it. 7. Can recent . council projects like The Square and Hwy. No. 21 widening, be justified to insure a strong future for the town as a place to live, grow and work for present • taxpayers and their children? It hasn't been demonstrated to me that these projects insure a "strong future". 1 can't justify the money that is involved. overemphasis. Hopefully I've dealt with The Square sufficiently. As far as justifying the highway 21 project I don't think there was any doubt that something had to be done to eliminate the bottle neck at Britannia Road. The question was how best to do it at the least cost to the Goderich taxpayer. In making up my own mind about this project I asked two questions of the town engineer and works and engineering. The first was whether, regardless of other considerations, was the town absolutely going to have to spend money in the next couple of years to provide, replace and upgrade services on the Bayfield Road. When the answer to this question was yes, my next question was to ask how much this would cost the • municipality.. When the estimated cost was given to be about twice as much local dollars spent as would be under the Hwy. 21 con- necting link plan, there seemed to me to be no choice. Under the link plan, we would get all we needed done and more, for less of our Goderich tax dollars and to me that is the name of the game_ In addition to the above there are many other important concerns the new council will have to face. We must endeavor to at the very least hold the line on taxes for our pregenroitizeng and'those`-: attempting to locate here. It is an established fact that skilled people are refusing to come to Goderich because of the high cost of housing and taxes. If people will not locate here, then we will not be able to attract industry either. We will have to come to grips with the problem of the actual physical growth of the town, because we are fast running out of land:..,on which to build. The town must plan and make decisions now, not after we reach the end of the line. We must give strong support to our institutions of law and order to ensure control of crime, in- cluding vandalism and hooliganism. We have to endeavor to see that reasonable housing is provided for all segments of our society, especially for senior citizens. We should take a good look at school taxes, how and from whom they are collected and how they are assessed. We must present a stronger municipal voice to hopefully influence higher;,, level government decisions. In closing, I wish to say that if elected mayor, I will endeavor to use all of my time and talents to work with -the other elected representatives to solve• these and other problems the municipality will face. V G. FOR BIJIST /i ACTION 1 \ /"✓ ELECT ROY' BRECKENRIDGE FOR COUNCIL J.J. (Jim) MULHERN GENERAL INSURANCE PROTECTION FOR CAR, BUSINESS, HOME & FARM 46 WEST ST. GODERICH ...524-7878 RE-ELECT X BILL CLIFFORD FOR REEVE "KEEP EXPERIENCE WORKING FOR YOU" 2 Yrs. Councillor • 2 Yrs. Deputy -Reeve • 2 Yrs. Reeve • Chairman of Finance Committe, Town of Goderich. • Member of Goderich Planning Board. • Member of Executive Committee, Huron County Council. • Member of R.D.O.P. Advisory Board, Guelph University. • Member of Housing Committee, Assoc. Counties & Regions of Ont. • Vice -President of Goderich Industrial Development Corp. • Member of Board of. Governors, Conestoga College. FOR A RIDE TO THE POLLS PHONE 524-7443 or 524-6710 v VOTE For Positive Action ELECT DAVE GOWER BOARD OF EDUCATION h -10 years municipal experience -Has child in educational system -Responsible and energetic Someone who cares about your children • -cA GODERIcH Sl1GN.4t.,.mST A9,t TOUBSIMY, NOVEMBER 9..1911' 1!lr4RAGE7:ll; 1 Notice is hereby given to the rnuniclpal electors of the TOWN • F GODERICH that whereas 'more candidates have been nominated to each .of the following offices than the number required to fill such offices, therefore polls will be held upon the dates and at the times and places stated hi this notice for the purpose of electing the holders of such offices OFFICES FOR WHICH POLL TO BE HELD: -Mayor -Reeve =Councillors ADVANCE POLLS: ®Public School Trustees for the County of Huron -Board of Education Date: NOVEMBER 4, 1978 Location: Municipal Office, 57 West Street, Goderidl, Ont. Time: Advance polls will be open from 9 o'clock a.m. until 8 o'clock p.m. REGULAR POLLS: Date: NOVEMBER 13, 1978 Location: SUBDIVISIONS NO. 1 - 58 ELGIN AVE. E. NO. 2 - 148 BRITANNIA RD. E. NO. 3 - 92 ST. DAVID STREET NO. 4 - 174.REGENT STREET NO. 5-.10 NELSON ST. E. NO. 7 -115 VICTORIA ST. N - NO. 8 - 153 CAMBRIA RD. N - NO. 9 - 97 ST. PATRICK STREET NO. 18 - 57 WEST STREET NO. 11- 56 WELLESLEY STREET N0.12 -187 BRITANNIA RD. W. NO. 13 -187 BRITANNIA RD. W. tact 14. 40.BENN.ETT:Slf E. NO.15 -1117 BLAKE ST: W - Time: Regular polls will be open from 11 o'clock a.m. until 8 o'clock p. PROXY APPLICATIONS: A person who has been appointed a voting proxy may apply to the clerk not later than 5 o'clock in the afternoon of Polling Day to receive a cer- tificate to vote by proxy for the polling subdivision in which the person appointing the voting proxy is entitled to vote. Given under my hand this 25TH day of OCTOBER 1978. LARRY J. McCABE Returning Officer Coes.. 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