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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-01-18, Page 1fibra apt« a 1; • u ` SHE'S A DOLL—During their eight-week course on baby sitting, Howick Township students practiced dressing and holding this baby -sized doll. The doll was on displayduring graduation night. From left are: Diana Van Den Broek of RR 2, Gorrie, Tania Smith of RR • 1, Gorrie, Ronda Bennett of RR 1, Gorrie, Wendy Winkel of RR 2, Gorrie; and Tasha Van Ankum of RR 2, Wrox- eter. The course was sponsored by the Howick Junior Women's Institute. (Staff Photo) Jr. Institute sponsors course'. for • baby,.....s' ilters GORRIE — They were ^as exicted as any group of boys and girls could be at their graduation exercises at Howick Central School on the night of Jan. 11— and rightly so. The baby sitters' training course, sponsored by the Howick Junior Women's Institute, hadn't been any pushover. • .Studert'.s attended a total" of seven `lectures (no' more than two could be missed), dealing with such topics as health, responsibilities, care of physically handicapped children, home safety, un- derstanding and handling children, first aid proced- ures and understanding the importance of play. Lecturers included health educators, teachers, parents, registered nurses,• a fire chief, a representative • from the St: John Ambulance Association and other professionals. Students were required to • take notes and keep a record book and also to perform six hours of supervised practical - work without pay. The work ' was performed • with someone other than the student's own ;mother;. Were then ;-Sent in • 'a deifit ehtial report Qn the work to course leaders. Students were • also required to write a final examination. Total marks for the course were allotted as follows: written exam- ination, 50 marks; six hours' work, 10 marks, record book and attendance, 40 marks. An overall mark of Entries down a In spite of ideal weather conditions, registration was, down at last weekend's snowmobile drag races held, at the Roy Pennington farm west of Wingham on High- ' way 86. Bill Crump of Wingham, .a representative of the Wing - ham Lions Club and the local snowmobile association, said that participation was down this year because snowmo- bile races were held in sev- t drag races of al oilier centres last meek - end as well as Wingham. For example, Peterborough and Owen Sound each held races last Saturday and Sunday. But even with registration down, there still were ap- proximately 100 snowmo- biles registered in the two- day affair. Still on the posi- tive side„ Mr. Crump said one snowmobiler told him the track •was the best he ever had raced upon. li 60 was required to pass the course. Students taking the course were in grades seven and eight in elementary school. A total of 31 successfully completed the baby sitters' training course. Top student was Julie Stewart of Gorrie. Snowarama Jan. N Local snow --mobile en- ' ihusfasts'and-se'rviee :oliibs are gearing up for the biggest and best,Snowarama for Crippled Children ever next Sundy, Jan. 29, if good weather conditions prevail. This year Marks the 10th anniversary of the Snow- arama or Timmy, Run for Easter Seals.. The format has been changed sonnewhat this year in the Bruce Region and five small 30 -mile runs will be held instead of one big one. However, here in Wing - ham, the local snowmobile association is still planning the same 100 -mile run as in other years. 'It is hoped that the 1981 total of $30;000 in: pledges can be topped this year among snowmobilers in the Bruce Region. Locally, pledge sheets are available at B & M Rentals and . Sales, McGee Auto Electric, Lynn Hay Enter- prish and the Turnberry Tavern. At their- graduation exercises, students received a graduation certificate and an identification card. Following the exercises, they and their guests • en- joyed refreshments — in - FIRST SE • • Wingham, Ontario, Wednesday, J,Sp 18, 1984 Single Copy 50c • ;yrs in- toot revenue Ratepayers •munictpalitie their propert3 ing . in futtttie: Ontario:] avern ent deeides to cmplsrnener a 'oposed.. change to its runconditional grant progra i Accorihmg , contained in paper .`prepa Ministry Affairs'the changes bei' considered would end up;costing tawns and townships u'Huron and Bruce counties;;a total `of some $2 million a year in lost provincial grants. ;. The impact oft •:e changes would he to` , increase property takes in,'Wingham by .between $30 and $35 per household, white. i,'•ome of the townships would pet hit even harder. fn 1983,'for:example, the year usedthe ministry study, V)iitig� would have lost one-quarter of the $268;333 it obtained in un- conditional'' grants, while Turnberry ane -Morris town ships each • would; have lost more than half* he $97;000 eluding an impressively and $91,000 respectively they decorated graduation cake. received Other local town - Those completingthe ships wouldhavefaredlittle tit local ol4ld see a elimb- ars' the figures omission by, .the. fan eipal course. included: Kim better. Alexander, Randy. Alex- • The lo§s:of ander,,, Rhonda • Bennett;. revenues.,, Sanely Bennett, Franeine m1112: i Bolding, Paul ' Bosetti, Oho" Marlene Coulter; -Marion Coulter, Debbie Edgar, taxes; or'4eiitt L G dcke Terry services. provincial t .itufaee;.thee, a,. yup• local ::back - on aura e , Henhoeffer, Tracy Johnson, Stephanie Kaster, Vanessa Kavelman, Margaret Lockie, Tracey Mino, Sandra • McClement, Jennifer Pyke, Sharon Rowley, Dee Aline Sitler, Kendra Statia, Kevin Statia, Julie Stewart, Amy Stone, Kathy Taggart, Tasha Van Ankum, Rita Van •Donkersgoed, •Wendy Winkel, Sara Woodley, Tania Smith, and Diana Van Den Brock. Our mistake A report last week on a lost child was incorrect in suggesting that her parents were frantic. In fact the child had been found and returned home before her parents arrived, and they were not aware she had disappeared.. We apologize for this error. The changes being con- templated are contained in a discussion paper prepared by the Municipal Affnirs Ministry early last year. T1 paper proposes sweeping changes in the way un- conditional grants, which are given to help municipal- ities provide necessary serv- ices such as pllicing, fire protection and sanitation, are calculated. It also would eliminate the matehing aspect of the present grant system, by which the ministry guar- antees future grants' will not fall below historic levels. It would base the grant calculation on the number of households in a municip- ality, in place of the cur - /rent system which uses complicated formulas based roposed in grant program i to burden of local ratepayers on population ' and .assess- ment, One result would be that municipalities with a low ratio o,f persons per household would benefit, while those. with a higher ratio would suffer. The paper claimsthe new approach ``wq 1 I meet- the tests of st%p pity, certainty, , fa'irne$s, .,. efficiency and accountatp tty," noting that the number of ,households is less wairaabbe from yea7r to year than is•population. :- It also says it would promote efficiefl y,• by •requiring municipalities which are being•cut back to re-examine . the ways they provide services and. identify MARRIED 65 YEARS—Mr. and Mrs. James Vittie. of Fordwich marked their 65th wending anniversary on Sunday, Jan. 15. They were married in England in 1919. Moving to Canada they farmed for many years in the Gorrie area, spent a few years in Welland then moved back to Howick Township to farin near Fordwich. They retired to the village about 15 years ago. (Staff Photo) r., Mrs. James Vittie mark 65th anniversary FORDWICH — A telegram from Queen Elizabeth II, certificates from Governor General Edward Schreyer of Canada and from Prime Minister Trudeau, a plaque from Ontario. Premier William Davis, a message of congratulations from WINGHAM OPTIMIST ATOMS -,—These boys have good reason to smile. The Wingham Optimist Atoms have been chalking up a pretty good record so far this season with consolation champiorrships at tournaments in Wingham, Ayr and Paisley. Team members and coaches are: back, Tom Deyell, Greg Deyeli Peter Poulin, Jason Bloemberg, Al Harrison, Rob McKay, Anesh Bodasing, Jason Balzer, David McKee, Doug Neil; front, Scott Neil, Rob Harrison, Dean Tolton, Andrew Gibson, Ryan Dey,eil, Chris Helbein and Tiro Currie. Ontario Lieut. -Gov: John B. Aird, and letters from Ontario Opposition leader David Peterson, MPP for London Centre, and from Murray Elston, MPP for Huron -Bruce, were among the many messages • of congratulations received by Mr. and Mrs. James Vittie of Fordwich on the occasion of thd"ir 65th wedding- an- niversary. The plaque from Mr. Davis was presented to Mr. and Mrs. Vittie by Huron -Bruce MPP lklurrfi ' Elston. Mr. and Mrs. Vittie celebrated their anniversary, at their home on Sunday, Jan. 15, with" a family gathering and dinner. During the weekend friends and neighbors called to extend best wishes. Mr. and Mrs. Vittie were married in`England on Jan. 15, 1919, and then moved to Canada, settling down as farmers in the •Gorrie area for many years. They then spent . a few years in Welland before moving back to the Fordwich area where -....they farmed until retiring to the 'village about 15 years ago. Both Mr, and Mrs. Vittie are infairly good health and are able to care for their home. potential savings. The proposal has received a mixed reaction from -municipalities, many . of which have only recently •become aware of it. The Association of Municipalities of Ontario, in aresponse last spring, Lound fault with the • wholesale nature bf the changes proposed and of- fered, an alternative which tended to soften the-lpact. The Ontario government itself has not made it clear just how soon or how farit intends to push the proposed changes. " In a "Dear Joe" letter to I Mayor. Joe Mavrinac of Kirkland Lake last August, Municipal Affairs, Minister, Claude Bennett spoke of "mf ministry's role in the reform of the unconditional grants system" and commented on "the difficulty of im- plementing any changes without having some win ners and losers in the process." He promised there would be no changes without,a "thorough evaluation" of the eonc`l nnpactudoning ail municipalities, it was "still pre mature to state the possibility or extent of change for 1984: Later • in the .-year, OitRT., . 0,4910he 'il t j iliti:lal Nims tased 'lreltrudi in a electioi id: eastern Qntario, Mr. Bennett`ap peered to retreat, claiming: - there was no government policy to change the grant structure and promising that if it were changed no, municipality would "suffer hardship". In a letter to the mayor of Alexandria, . Ontario, early last month, the minister stated the purpose of the discussion paper had been strictly to gather ;input_ Ori ways to simplify and update the unconditional grant system and said he now has "a better understanding of the,, level of change that would be acceptable." He also pledged not to introduce any changes "until I am convinced those changes provide us with a clearly fairer and more understandable system."• Murray Elston, Liberal MPP for Huron -Bruce, •said last week that his party is still concerned about the minister's intentions and would like `' stronger assurances that the changes contained in the discussion paper will not happen. Although it is true that some municipalities would gain from thechanges, it would basically be those experiencing rapid growth, he said, while others with a static or declining population would lose. Anytime a source of funding is removed, he added, there is increased - pressure on municipalities to cut services rather than face a large increase in property taxes.. In Huron County, for example, more than $1 million would have tie) be raised through additional •taxes just to keep services at their present level. "All the way along, the burden of providing services isincreasingly being shifted onto the individual. I don't know how the smaller municipalities are going to be able to afford it." Forcing small municipal- ities to raise taxes sub- stantially would remove whatever • small advantage they now have in attracting industry, he said, and would also increase pressures to amalgamate into larger, regioned mun1palities.havis. "'once foaling e that if they take away enough sources of money, there will Please turn to,Page 5 yhe couple have two daughters, Mrs. Bill (Jean) Sothern, and Mrs. Carl (Joan) Stewart, both of Fordwich; four grand- children and four great- grandchildren. Those attending th'an- niversary dinner were . ill and Jean Sothern, Carl and Joan Stewart, Greg Stewart, Bill and Nancy Mulvey and Andy of Belmore, and Paul Devries of Listowel. Group to fight.. day care cuts Between 30 and 40 day care representatives from across Ontario gathered m Toronto last week to form a coalition to fight for more vernment support for day ; e. Deputy Reeve 'Patricia Bailey, who attended from Wingham, said the group met with MPP Richard Johnston of the NDP and plans to meet again in early May to lobiiy the provincial government. It hopes to have between -200 -and. -30Q con- cerned women and men at that meeting, she said. - • A further meeting is being planned with provincial and federal cabinet members at Niagara -on -the -Lake in latter May. In the new coalition, cities and rural areas will join forces to fight against cuts in day care funding, Mrs. Bailey said. One major item of concern to rural areas is the loss of the day care subsidy for children whose parents do not meet provincial guidelines for social assistance. Mrs: Bailey said that by presenting a united front she is optimistic the government will listen to the group's concerns. "I feel .ve can go to the government now and they will listen to US."