The Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-01-18, Page 4PAGE 4 —THE GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 1979
•
Goderich-»
•CNA • The County Town Newspaper..of Huron
Founded In 1145 and published every Thursday at Goderich. Ontario. Member of the CWNA
and OWNA. Advertising rates on request( Subscriptions payable In advance '14.50 In
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Signal-51er Is not responsible for the loss or dao}iogp of unsolicited manuscripts or photos.
Business and Editorial Office
TELEPHONE 524-8331
area code 519
Published by Signal -Star Publishing Ltd.
ROBERT G. SHRIER — president and publisher
•.SHIRI:EY J.,KELLER— editor
DONALD M. HUBICK - advertising manager
Mailing Address:
P.O. BOX 220, Industrial Park, Goderich
Second class mail registration number — 0716
The matter is urgent
When the town of Goderich's elected represen-
tatives agreed Last Monday --evening- to--r-fifer to-
budget
obudget time a decision on a donation of $11,423 to
Alexandra Marine and General hospital's building
program in 1979, members may not have been
av are of the urgency in the whole matter. In actual
fact, unless the hospital board has a firm com-
mitment by the end of February for the necessary
funds for the addition from the municipalities
whose citizens use the hospital facilities, there will
be no addition.
The hospital must have $10,000 to begin , the
project, and that money cannot come from 'the
hospital's operating budget. Administrator Elmer
Taylor admits the hospital is depending on the
municipalities for this $10,000 along with another
eight or, nine per cent of the total expenditure of
$125,000.
The Ontario Ministry of Health will pay two-
thirds of the total approved cost of the project less
the $1Q,000 paid by the hospital; and the county," if
the other hospitals in Huron agree, will pick up 25
per cent of the approved cost.That will still leave
eight or nine per cent of the total cost unpaid, and
the municipalities using the.hospital will have to
come up with the funds. There is no other way. No
support f-r-'orn--thy m-unicipalit esrno.proj.ect_atthe
hospital.
It is unfortunate the finance chairman for
Goderich got the impression the hospital was being
less courteous about requesting funds than it should
have been. It was certainly not the intention to be
demanding, but rather to advise the area
municipalities exactly what money is needed and
how much each municipality's share is. Because it
would serve no purpose to jeave it to the discretion '
of the municipalities concerning the amount of
money they would supply to the hospital, that option
was just no' given.
There is little doubt that by this time, Goderich
Town Council has been notified concerning the
_shares requested from other municipalities. There
is also little doubt that they will know by this time of
the urgency about the assurance of funding.
All thatremains now is to hope that Goderich
'Town Council recognizes the "importance of this
project at the hospital tote people of this entire
area,and that a positive res onse'will be going out
from the town to the hospital board just as soon as
possible.-SJK
Good decision, council
Maybe it is.justthat town councillors are busy. Or
maybe they really have begun to weed out those
conferences and conventions which are unworthy of
council's attention. Whatever the reason, no town
councillors and only the commissioner of works
Ken„ Hunter from the town of Goderich will be at-
tending_the_annual Good Roads Convention_at the
end ofFebruary in Toronto.
For years now, 'the Good Roads Conyentioh has
been the favorite outing for municipal councillors.
Rumors throughout the years have 'been that the
Good Roads isn't much more than a bighospitality
suite where the wine runs free and the value of the
conversation depends on just how long one has been
at the affair.
Councillors from Goderich in recent years have
not abused theprivilege they enjoy to select the.
Looking back... or ahead
conventions they wish to attend. Taxpayers here
-can be assured'thatfor the most part, Goderich's
municipally elected representatives are selective
and discerning where conferences are concerned.In
fact, their careful attitude in this regard was
evident. last Monday evening when only three
council members voted in_fayor oLallowing_ Ken_
Hunter to attend the Parks Conference in
Hamilton.The'reasoning the.; opposition used was ,
that Hunter ws already scheduled to be at two ,,:
conferences, and the feeling was he would be much -
more valuable to Goderich taxpayers at home
during the time of the parks meeting.
Goderich ratepayers in this respect, then, can be
proud of their elected officials. Obviously they are
well ahead of some other councils in the area and
leading the way to effective municipal government
at a reasonable price. - SJK
A community team
It is only two weeks into the new year and already
the town's decision makers are involved in a good
deal of controversy. Last week's Signal -Star
carried stories, about plans to turn the former
Polley's Livery Stable into a cultural centre; the
rejection by planning board of two new projects in
the municipality, a restaurant at the beach and a
Pentecostal Tabernacle on Highway 21 south;
another wrinkle in the financing of the senior
citizens apartments on West Street; the multitude
of applications for the job of recreation director in
the town; plus many other smaller items spread
throughout the paper. '
It is just further proof that to be a municipal
decision maker these days, one must have a'good
deal of courage, a generous gift of ability and a set
of mighty broad shoulders.
This newspaper and its editors have been
reminded time and time again that -when
municipally elected and appointed representatives
are chastised in the newspaper for things they
haven't done .... or maybe even things they have
done that aren't considered the best actions in the
world .... it Is making a difficult job all the more
difficult for elected people..
And frankly there are times when in retrospect,
the editors and reporters at any paper feel they
lommesommer
could have • been more gentle and accomplished
more good. But for the most part, it is the duty of
the community newspapers of this country to keep
the public informed about what's going on in the
home town and to comment when necessary to
assist the municipalities they serve to become all.
the most efficient and progressive.
*It is likely that 1979 will be a year of decision
making judging from the matters already before
the municipality's elected officials. And it is likely
there will be some popular decisions and some
unpopular ones.
Itis to be hoped that if and when this newspaper
steps forward to make -a statement about -the
matters which concern taxpayers here abouts,
there will be a general understanding among all
who read the editorials that the good of the 'com-
munity is the main. objective, just as this
newspaper understands ... and it is hoped that
readers understand as well ... that thi
munity's decision makers also are doing w"1
believe is best for everyone.
Together, the press and the people make a
terrific team in a municipality such as this where a
community weekly newspaper is at work to mirror
the townspeople and promote the community:May
this co-operation go on for many years to come, too.
-SJK
"-corn-
at they
Thanks
Dear Editor,
On behalf of Ahmeek
Chapter, I.O.D.E.
Goderich, I wish -to thank
you for 'the excellent
coverage -of 'events
relating to our chapter
over this past year.
We sincerely ap-
preciate this service and
extend our grateful
thanks.
Yours truly,
Maude Auld,
Corresponding
Secretary,
Ahmeek Chapter.
Wrong words?
)ear Editor:
Please give my regards,
to Jeff Seddon and tell
DEAR EDITOR
him it was naughty to say
that Tom Jasper and. I
had a "shouting match"
(Jeff's factually sound
article "Closed planning
session upsets Haydon"),
It would have sounded so
much nicer to say that we
had "strong words
In reality Jasper and
Haydon are minor
players in a basic drama
(this includes tragedy as
well as farce) in which
two drastically different.
philosophies collide-. Such
a performance has been
and is repeated daily in
many, places, indifferent _
phases of ,municipalV
government - selective
backroom tactics versus
open ' and responsive
dealings in public mat-
ters.
My commitment to
openness is well known
and of long standing; it is
in fact one of the main
reasons for my being on
the Council. And ob-
viously it has never
bothered me that in some
quarters this is met with
ridicule and annoyance;
It is my firm belief that
people should run for
public office, elected or
appointed, only if they
are able and willing to
cope with the stress of
public scrutiny in official
and public matters. -It is
not a question of legality,
it is very much also -a
question of 'ethics and
'jitiigfiY 'fft... ... _•
In order to be as well
informed as possible, I
have attended, over the
years, the meetings of
many appointed boards
and cor'rlmittees, par-
ticularly when major and
potentially controversial
elements, ultimately
arrive at the Council
table and need con-.
siderable knowledge.
before one• can vote in a
reasonable and fair
manner.
My intention to attend
the, special___ Planning
Board meeting (held at a
Goderich hotel) was in
that spirit, in order to
learn .from the Board
members' and planners'
reasoning before the
Board's decision . will
arrive as a recom-
mencfation at the Council
table where Y tiave been
elected to vote. I have
attended many Planning
Board meetings before.
To ,my knowledge, no
Council member has been
turned away before from
an open or closed meeting
of a council -appointed
board 'or committee on,.
-which- the Council is
directly represented by
some members.
On this occasion the
Boardcreated a most
remarkable situation in
which three Council
members,._ a Town em-
ployee and a Huron
County employee were
given access to in-
formation and knowledge
'which had . to be kept
secret from the rest of the
Council, as what applies
to Haydon applies to all
other councillors,' and
vice versa. This was done
in matters on the way to
Council.
I continue to be aware,
appreciative and sup-
portive of the efforts of
the persons who come
Turn to page 5
7ARS AGO
Ed Swartz who recently
sold the Huron House to
Ellis Brothers, has
purchased the British
Exchange Hotel from its
proprietor, Thomas Tilt.
Robert Clark has
commenced cutting ice
and having bought out
J.W. Craigie, is the only
man in the ice business
and will be some time
gathering in the crop that
will last through the
summer. The ice is being
cut between ,the piers and
though a little snow on
top, is of excellent quality
and exceedingly thick.
The Lake .Huron and
Manitoba Milling
Company is still crying
for cars as the mill is so
crowded 'with - flour- for
shipment that a close
LDCUNJGBACK
down must come unless
cars arrive.
The rebuilding of the
south pier goes on, on fine
days, but it will be early
spring before the job will
be finished.
There was a good at-
tendance • at 'the gospel
temperance meeting Last
Sunday afternoon, a fair
proportion being young
men.
The Kensington Fur-
niture Company reports
1903 as being a
prosperous year.
25 YEARS AGO
William J. Dale, Reeve
of Hullet Township,
became warden of Hugon
County when he was
elected to the post at the
inaugural session -of
County Council in the
Court House here
Tuesday afternoon.
Judge T.M. Costello
told County Council at its
inaugural session on
Tuesday afternoon he
would like to see a new
Court House built and
hoped, "we will have it in
the next four or five
years."
Goderich Public School
Board will send a com-
mittee to interview Town
Council, probably at
council's next meeting, to
see if accomodation can
be obtained for public
school pupils in the old
collegiate building next
September.
Judging by the number
of . TV aerials around
town, the number of TV
sets must number close to
the 150 mark by now.
5 YEARS AGO
Discussion of a possible
Huron County central fire
brigade dispatching
office dominated the
county meeting last
Wednesday.
Joni . Thompson, 13, a
Grade e 8 student at
Robertson Memorial
Public School in
Goderich, was the winner
of a trip for two to the
Barbados in a Sunflight
Contest in which 37 local
merchants participated.
Despite the layoff of six
workmen last week,
Dearborn Steel Tubing
General Manager Gus
Chisholm told the Signal
Star on Monday that he
was optimistic about the
future of Dearborn and
estimated that within the
next month the men will
be recalled to their jobs.
Work is well underway
on construction of a new
303 foot wall along the
northeast shore of
Goderich Harbour.
A grant of $2,294 has
been awarded St. Mary's
School in Goderich under
the travel and exchange
program of the Federal
Government to help
finance a proposed ex-
cursion to B.C.
Town foreman Stan
Merian'1 told Goderich
Town Council during a
council ' meeting last
Thursday that the council
should begin looking at
the possibility of pur-
chasing an additional
snow plowing unit.
DEAR
READE
BY SHIRLEY J.KELLER
You won't even notice the difference.
But for the very first time this week I
am typing my column on a computer...
and I can" tell you I notice the dif-
ference.When I left my comfortable
kitchen nearly 20 years ago to become
a journalist, I certainly didn't think
that I would learn to operate a mini-
computer in one easy lesson or so.
13ut alas, it is true. You can teach old
dogs new tricks. I'm living proof of
that. Just ask anyone around the
Signal -Star.
When the word came down from on
high that Signal -Star would be in-
vesting in something called Mini Disc
Computers for editorial staff, I felt a"
little panic. After all, what did I know
about such new fangled machinery.
Why, I've driven a car for more than 25
years and I still can't figure out how to
load the windshield washer pump.
But with responsibilities of a
financial nature at home, one cannot
just quit one's job. So one decides to
cope.That's what I did.
With this handy dandy gadget, I
actually prepare the copy for the paste-
up operation. If I'am good at it, I can
actually bypass 'the typists and the
proof readers.But this feeling of power
is shortlived when one realizes that all
the mistakes that appear in the copy
are mine. No longer do I have the
luxury of shifting a portion of the blame
to the shoulders of others.
The machine has all sorts of groovy
buttons. Mark file. Delete file. Replace
file. Enter file.Call file. Call index.
Search. Record. Delete character.
Scroll up. Scroll down. And all across
the top is a row of "blank ominous
looking buttons that according to Jeff
Seddon can program anything frtsm
information about the town council to
the date of his wife's birthday.
The machine, is of course, reported
to be a time saver.And I supposeit will
be in a while when I've mastered its
capabilities.' But this morning for in-
stance, it took me close to three hours
to 'prepare one editorial for the paper.
One hour to write it and two hours to
get it out of the computer.
And another interesting feature of this
machine is the little memory recorder
that appears at the top 'of the screen.
Like right now, it says that I have 379
characters left on this record. And if I
can't finish this column in that amount
of" space (whoops! I just heard the
warning buzzer), I'd better stop and get
onto another record.
The only trouble is, I'm not certain
how to switch over. Oh well. Here goes.
See you in a while, I hope.
r Well, here I am back again and for
the life of me I'm not sure I'm doing the
right thing. It is now lunch time and I
am all alone with no one to ask. Who
knows what I have done? But ac-
cording to the reader above, I now have
2332 characters, left,so that's
something.
There are to be three of these
machines installed today in the
editorial office at Goderich. Jeff
Seddon, Dave I Sykes and Joanne
Buchanan are each to have one. As. for
me, I get to borrow one on Thursdays
and Fridays, or wheneVer the others
aren't in use.
Last night, all three were given books
to take home to study.This morning,
Jeff came back just completely gungho
for the new equipment. Dave, the quiet
one hasn't said much, just displaying a
kind of passive interest. As for Joanne,
she's typing madly on her typewriter,
hoping to get as much of her work done
as possible by the old method before
she has to switch over to the new.
"Don't let them take away my
typewriter while I'm gone to lunch,"
Joanne wails. "My story is just about
finished."
But frankly, I think these machines
are going to be a whale of a lot of
fun.And remember, when you read this
column this week, please ',remember
that I typed it just as you see it. Aren't
you proud of me? Aren't you just proud
of us all at the Signal -Star?
Now to get this confounded story out
of the computer.
T