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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-11-29, Page 1Goderich SINAL 132 YEAR -48 uy .lp L. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29,1979 STAR 35 CENTS PER COPY Sing along.. free It's the season for parties and family fun. If singing is a favorite pastime with your group, you might enjoy the new song sheets that are available at The Goderich Signal -Star office just for the asking. These song sheets contain the words for some well-known sing -a -long numbers as well as for a collection of the most popular Christmas carols. They are ideal for use at family parties, church socials, club gatherings and any other place where people convene to enjoy .them- selves . There's no limit on the number available absolutely free of charge to your group. The song sheets are provided through the courtesy of the Bluewater Regional Newspaper Network of which Signal -Star is a member. PUC decides parking signs won't be parked on poles BY JEFF SEDDON The town and the Public Utilities Commission are at it again. For some reason, unknown to politicians or employees of either body, there's never been any love lost between the two and last week another incident showing those strained relations cropped up. The PUC sent a letter to the town saying for safety reasons all town signs would be taken off utility hydro poles. That letter arrived at the town hall Friday morning and that afternoon PUC crews started removing signs. The move incensed Jim Searls, chairman of council's traffic committee. Searls, never a big fan of the PUC, called the utility's move "stupidity" In an interview Monday Searls said he's finished fighting with the utility claiming he is now going to concentrate his efforts on a plebescite in 1980. Teamwork gets the job done even if you don't know why that job has to be done. These six students from Victoria School pitched in to carry this branch up Victoria Street Tuesday to deposit the limb on the grounds of their school. Will you BY JEFF SEDDON Goderich town council will be asked at its next meeting to decide once and for all if it is interested in selling services to the township of Goderich. The. question was first put to council three years ago when a housing subdivision was a proposed for a parcel of land in Goderich township. The land borders the town limits and if the subdivision is to go ahead the township must be prepared to service the land with water and sanitary and storm.sewers. Faced with massive costs to install its own services for the subdivision the township took a cheaper, and more practical, route. It came to the town to work out a deal whereby the township would hook into town services. That was three years ago. Since then a sub- committee consisting of representatives of the town and township,has been investigating the proposal. The town wanted to find out what impact the township subdivision would have on town service's and what expansion would be needed to accomodate the township 'proposal along with development in the town. Monday the township and representatives of the Conklin Lumber Company Ltd.; developers of the subdivision, told the town it could no longer wait for a decision. The project is now at the point where the developers have to know if the town is interested in selling services. Gerry Ginn, former reeve of Goderich township and a member of the sub -committee, painted a clear picture -for the town. Ginn said since the project was first put forward the town has attempted to determine the costs to service the housing to come up with a figure the township would have to pay. Ginn said he realized that had to be done but pointed out the town has never said it would evensell services,. no matter what the price. "You (the town) have indicated you may be willing to sell. services -if -the -pr-ice- is right but - what we have to know now is whether or not you're willing to sell services at all," said Ginn. Ile told town representatives he realized much work was needed to determine the costs and impact of the services for the township but said that could be done as it was needed. He pointed out that if die town indicated it was willing th sell services the developers could 1 High winds downed the branch and when the boys found it on a street they figured it would be better if it was on the school yard. As one youngster said it seemed like the righething to do at the time. The work crew members are (front to back) Paul Cook, Todd Clayton, Scott 1VIcCallum, Scott Cook, Darcy Moulton and Michael Huber. (photo by Jeff Seddon) ilor won't you proceed. If it was not alternatives would have to be looked at. He pointed out that an agreement illprinciple from the town -was not an agreement for sale: He said if matters couldn't be worked out later with regard to cost sharing the deal would fall through. He said every time the sub -committee - meets it deals with costs, expansions, payments and other details without knowing if a sale is even.possible. "How 'much information does the town have to have to make a decision?" he asked. Goderich deputy -reeve Bob Allen told the sub -committee the town was on the brink of making "major decisions" and needed all information possible to make them. He said decisions on the sale of services to the township did more than affect expansion of. the town's sewage treatment plant and water filtration plant. He pointed out the town was, in effect, 1 deciding where its future development would" go. Ginn argued that the information Allen was trying to obtain would be used to determine sale prices when the subdivision went in. But he added that there was no point in gathering all that information if Goderich was not interested in selling services. Goderich town clerk Larry McCabe said an agreement. in principle from the town would not force council into anything. He said if the town decided it would sell services and then worked out a price the township was not willing to pay the deal would fold. If an amicable price could be worked out the sale would go through. The subdivision planned by Conklin -is south of the VLA subdivision in the township and consists of 96 lots which will house single family units. Doub Lynds, controller' for Conklin, said Turn to page 18 Surgeons upset by story Dr. Ken Lambert and Dr. Michael Watts, both surgeons at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital, have taken exception to a story on the front page of last week's Goderich Signal -Star regarding in-hospital television. In a telephone call to the editor this week, Dr. Watts said .he regarded the 'story as defamatory. He asked for a retraction of the statement that with an in-hospital television, "it would be possible for a surgeon at University Hospital to direct a surgeon working in the operating room at AM&G". Dr. Watts says this defames the surgeons at AM&G because it implies that they need direction while at work in the operating room from surgeons at Univerity Hospital. He says the story implies that surgeons in the city are superior- to -s-urgeons - in Goderich, which, of course, is not the truth at all. Dr. Watts further stated the editor of the Signal -Star is in no position to comment on whether or .not surgeons or other medical staff at AM&G could benefit from consultatiOn with medical and prdfessional staff frdm other locations via direct audio-visual contact such as would be possible with in-hospital television. Dr. Lambert commented on the matter at Monday evening's meeting of the hospital board. He said that between him and Dr. Watts, they have a total of 45 years of experience in the operating room. "We wouldn't ,be there if we thought we needed direction," said Dr. Lambert. Dr. Lambert, however, did say the article entitled "Hospital 'television system definitely the way to go" was well reported despite the fact it left some impressions with readers that could be construed in a very erroneous way. The Signal -Star wishes to apologize for any misconceptions that may have resulted from publication of the article. No malice Was in- tended. There was no effort to defame local surgeons and physicians qr any members of the medical staff, and this newspaper regrets any embarrassment or hardships because of the story. 'This newspaper agrees wholeheartedly with Dr. Lambert who, upon his retiremerit as Chief of Staff at AM&G told the board,"Vbu have a first class facility and a' most competent • medical staff." He said the plebescite will be to disband the elected commission that operates the utility and have it taken over by town council. The issue came as a surprise to town clerk Larry McCabe. McCabe said he learned of the PUC's request Friday morning when a letter arrived from utility manager Al Lawson. He said Friday afternoon utility crews were taking down signs. Lawson said in a letter to council the signs were dangerous to the safety of crews working on the hydro poles. Citing sections of the Public Utilities Act and the Power Commission Act the manager said the signs could be dangerous for linemen climbing the poles. McCabe said he had no intention of challenging Lawson's interpretation of the Acts. He said he sent the letter and the dociiements to the town solicitor for a judgement. Headded that it will be council's decision as to whether the town challenges the PUC. Searls made his opinion known before the matter was sent for a legal opinion. He called Lawson's reasoning "malarkey". The coun- cillor said he investigated the matterand found PUC employees rarely, if ever, climb the hydro poles. He said he talked to several PUC,employees who all said any work done on the poles is usually done from the utility's bucket truck. He said the linemen all said they haven't climbed hydro poles in the past eight years. He added that the employees all said that if for arty reason the men have to climb a pole it takes a matter of minutes to remove the signs before climbing. Lawson said the town knew the utility wanted the signs taken off the wooden hydro poles claiming town employees and council members were asked weeks ago to take the signs down. He said the request was verbal and was ignored. He added that when the town did not acknowledge the utility's request the com- mission decided to send the letter requesting the signs come down. He said that was when the PUC made its last move Friday, taking the signs down them- selves. Lawson is adamant about the signs claiming he is prepared to fight the matter to the end. He Turn to page 18 • Psychiatric wing may put third floor on hospital BY SHIRLEY J.KELLER Ontario Ministry of Health -officials -were in Goderich on Tuesday as a first step toward determining the extent of financial assistance there would be available through the Ministry for a new psychiatric floor at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital. Board members at AM&G learned Monday evening that their building committee has proposed .a $996,000 third floor on the present hospital to house a 20 -bed psychiatric unit. This follows a recorrrnendation by hospital consultants from Woods, Gordon that moving the psychiatric unit from its present location at the Bluewater.Centre for the.Developmentally,_ Handicapped to AM&G would save $115,000 per annum. Hospital administration has identified another $25,000 to $35,000 in savings annually by moving the psychiatric unit to'within the, confines of AM&G for a total of up to $150,000 in savings each year. However, at the present rate of borrowing money, the cost of amortizing $996,000 over eight years (the maximum period allowed by the Ministry for ,amortizing debt) would be $08,000 annually. 'Chairman of the building committee, Bruce ..Potter, told the board that even with savings of about $150,000 annually by moving the psychiatric unit, there would be a shortfall of about $58,000 per annum if this project was undertaken by the board alone. Hospital administrator Eimer Taylor, said he'd been in contact with Ministry officials on the matter. The administrator said there is no doubt the . Ministry is interested in moving the psychiatric unit. He said it is his understanding that in any event, the unit will have to be moved from its present location within three or four years because of some "alternate use" planned for the facility -now -occupied -by the unit. He told the board Ministry representatives would be in Goderich the day after the board meeting (Tuesday) to take a look at the feasibility of the whole proposal. Former chairman of the board, Jo Berry said it was the Ministry's idea to have consultants look into the hospital's situation and to have AM&G board and staff carry out the money- saving recommendations of the consultants. She said that since the mave..for the. -psychiatric unit was a recommendation by the consultants, it should not be unreasonable to expect that financirrg for-- the'project over --and above identified .savings; should come through the Ministry. Dr. Michael Conlon who is head of the psychiatric unit and also newly appointed Chief of Staff -at 'AM&G, said moving the psychiatric unit from the Bluewater Centre to AM&G was a project "near and dear" to his heart. But he cautioned the board of the inad- visability of over -extending itself financially for such a project since it would be like "tieing a noose around our neck for the next 10 years". Dronlon said he feared that by taking on such a project at this time, knowing of a shortfall of as much as $58,000 per annum, the board could threaten the proper and necessary finances for running the remainder of the hospital during the next decade. He advocated making strong representation to the Ontario Ministry of Health for financial assistance in this project. Without Ministry participation, .or funding from some other source, the hospital just cannot 'afford to save, $150,000 ., a year by Turn to page 18 • Christmas in next century theme of Santa Claus parade This years rendition of the Santa Claus Parade promises to be an exciting one with floats exploring the thenie of Christmas in the year 2000 and highlighted,of course, by a visit from Santa. The parade will be staged Satur- day,December 8 at 1 p.m. and will follow the usual route up South Street to the Square, around the Square to West Street, 'then to Waterloo Street and down to Elgin Avenue. Following the parade Santa will hold his popular court in the Park Theatre. There, youngsters will be able to sit on the jolly man's lap and tell him what it is exactly they'll be looking for under the tree Christmas morning. At Santa's Court every child will be presented with a gift,package of treats. Recreation program co-ordinator, Jane Netzke, announced that this year trophies will be awarded as prizes in five float categories. The categories include non-commercial, commercial, youth,' school and individual. The floats will be judged on detail of theme representation, design, construction and aestheticr<•gaulity with three trophies for each d ivis ion. Miss Netzke said there are 18 entries in the parade now and organizers are looking for a larger turnout. If you are interested in a parade entry contact the recreation office at 524-2125. Parade participants are asked to be at the South Street and Elgin Avenue starting point at 12.30 p.m. Again this year the Santa Claus Parade will be marshalled by the Circle City CB Club. Donnelly ends era in recreation Mary Donnelly, a driving force behind the growth of the Goderich Recreation Board, ended her affiliation with board at their last meeting Thul'Sday. Mrs. Donnelly, an active member of the board for seven years and chairman for the -past three years, said she would not seek to reapply fora position with the board. The terms of board members are staggered to retain continuity and last year she agreed to an ad- ditional one-year term. Mrs. Donnelly was first appointed to the recreation in 1972 the same year the town hired a full-time director. She succeeded Peter McCauley as chairman three years ago and has worked on fund raising committees for the arena reconstruction and the construction of the Ron )~ ea an Memorial Grandstand. Along with Donnelly, board member Randy Smith will also be leaving following the completion of his term at the end of the year. Councillor Elsa Haydon and a council representative on the board said she hoped that both Donnelly and Smith would reapply to serve on the board. "I will just say whatseveral people have said and that is that under Mrs. Donnelly the recreation board has become businesslike and been run very well," she said. "I would also like to make it clear that I feel the same way." Councillor John Doherty said he reflected Mrs. Haydon's views and had no qualms about M rs. Donnelly reapplying for the position. Mrs. Donnelly simply stated that she had served for seven years and would not reapply. The town has adve ised the two vacancies on recreation board and ' invited citizens to apply. The and is served y the mayor two coun- cillorsi and six memo 1, s of_;the conic► unity, _ olit) 1ti.. Jt .... .. ...