Wingham Advance-Times, 1978-11-22, Page 12GORD BAXTER
New councillor suggests
more public involvernnet
People should take a greater interest in how
their 'town is run, Gord Baxter, Wingham's
newest councillor, feels. They should ask
more questions and should be willing to "get
in on the action".
, There's no sense sitting back and saying, 'I
think this should be done' or 'I think that', if
you're not willing to take an active part in
getting things changed, Mr. Baxter declared
during a recent interview.
He suggested perhaps there's a need for
more communication between council and the
people it represents, possibly in the form of an
information night during which council would
meet with citizens.
He also noted he was very surprised that he
obtained the seat on council by acclamation.
"I don't know whether people are not in-
terested in how the town is run?" In any case
he had expected there would be an election for
the position.
Now that he's on council, he said, his major
concern will be to ensure that citizens get the
best value for their tax dollar.
"Naturally with my background I'm in-
terested in finance," he noted. (Mr. Baxter
has been finance director for Wingham and
District Hospital for the past six years.)
However he added that he has also had ex-
perience in many other areas such as
building, roads, transportation and dealing
with people and suppliers so he's quite willing
to take on any work council sees fit to assign
him.
"I won't seek a particular committee," he
said. "I'm willing to work wherever I'm
asked to."
He added that he's "got a lot of learning to
do" before he can put his finger on any
specific problems or improvements needed.
"I think council's done a good job in the
past."
Although this is his first time in public of-
fice, Mr. Baxter noted he's not completely a
novice to politics. He said he helped MP Bob
McKinley in past,elections as well as working
for councillors in previous municipal elec,.
tions.
Hailing from Goderich, Mr. Baxtek has
lived in Wingham for the past 11 years. He
previously spent some time in Toronto. He is
married and has two children.
Board to review practice
of replacing all six buses
By Jeff Seddon
The Huron County Board of
Education may attempt in the
future to squeeze a few more
miles out of board -owned school
buses to alleviate financial pres-
sures that are cramping the
board's capitai expenditures and
equipment replacement pro-
grams.
Board chairman John Elliott
told the board at its final session
Monday night the practice of
automatically renewing six
board -owned buses every year
might be unnecessary, pointing
out that some of the money spent
on new vehicles could be funneled
into other areas.
The suggestion was made when
the board 'was asked by John
Cochrane, director of education,
to approve a five year capital ex-
pense forecast. Mr. Cochrane ex-
plained to the board that the five
year program is required by the
minis-ry of education for Ontario
to permit the province to set
down a provincial spending fore-
cast. The director said the
province has met the require-
ments of the Huron board with
the exception of one major area,
additional home , economics and
industrial arts facilities in ele-
mentary schools. -
He told the board' that con-
sidering the ministry's record of
ignoring Huron County's request
for funds to . establish industrial
arts and home ' ec,. centres at -
Turnberry, Hullett and Exeter
Public Schools the board could
consider not asking any more. He
said the futility of the request
indicated that perhaps the board
should just ask for money for the
continuance of replacing six
board owned buses each year.
The bus replacing practice is
done due to ministry guidelines
that totally depreciate, school
buses over seven years.
Mr. Elliott suggested that the
board's habit of replacing six
buses a year may not be neces-
sary. The chairman said some of
the buses replaced may be
worthy of more mileage and that
the board could attempt to keep
the vehicles on the road using the
money saved to establish the
home economic -industrial arts
classrooms.
Brussels trustee Donald Mc-
Donald noted that it may not be
\possible for the board to transfer
the capital as easily as that. He
said the ministry might simply
keep the money itself and give
the Huron board only enough for
five buses.
Wingham trustee Jack Alex-
ander said it appeared the six
buses due for replacement are
"let go" by the board's transpor-
tation department so that by the
time they are due to be taken off
the road they are "shot": He sug-
gested that by taking 'better care
of the vehicles the board may get
more mileage from them.
Mr. Elliott said some of the
buses may indeed be scrap but
Planning required to meet
the needs of senior citizens
Figures on population trends
point up the urgent need for
priority on planning to meet the
housing, medical, transportation
and other social needs of senior
citizens in small towns and vil-
lages.
The indications are, however,
that the problems now being en-
countered in smaller centres will
be more general within 25 years.
Present efforts to meet those
needs in smaller centres should
help in dealing with problems
that will arise in larger centres
as their percentage of senior
citizens increases.
Towns like Exeter, ,Clinton,
Listowel, Wingham, Mitchell,
Harriston, and Lucknow have be-
tween 15 per cent and 24 per cent
of their population over the age of
65. By comparison, lbcal town-
ships range between seven and 12
per cent senior citizens, and
cities like Mississauga are as low
as four per cent. In Canada as a
whole, just nine per cent of the
population is over the age of 65.
Experts tell us that by the year
2001 the national percentage of
senior citizens will be about 12
per cent, and by 2031 it is ex-
pected to reach 20 per cent.
The Rural Development Out-
reach Project (RDOP) of the
University of Guelph, which is
working in the local area, has
MRS. ALLAN GRIFFITH
Wroxeter
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Govier,
Goderich, visited Sunday with
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Smith.
Bert Watson of Leigh -on -the -
Sea, Sussex, England has re-
turned home following a two
weeks' visit with his parents
here, Mr. and Mrs. Reg Watson.
Mr. and Mrs. Les Douglas
spent a few days with the latter's
sister, Mr. and Mrs. William
Lowe, Gravenhurst.
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Smith, ac-
companied by Mrs. William
Wade visited 'Sunday with Mr.
and Mrs. John Sinnamon and
family, Seaforth, and attended
the 111th anniversary at Seaforth
Presbyterian Church.
Congratulations to John Sinna-
mon, a former Wroxeter resi-
dent, who was elected mayor of
Seaforth last week.
met with local agency personnel
who suggest that a comprehen-
sive study of the needs, concerns,
and expectations of senior
citizens should help provide im-
mediate answers for the local
comrrlunity. At the same time,
they expect such efforts to point
the way for future planning to
meet the needs of Canada's
elderly.
The . Rural Development Out-
reach Project has already begun
to accumulate information on the
elderly in parts of Huron County
and plans to continue in the hope
of providing a clearer under-
standing of the problems of an
aging population in a rural area.'
The facts and opinions already
gathered have confirmed the
view that an emphasis on the
needs and concerns of senior citi-
zens would be an appropriate and
useful way for the University of
Guelph to support rural develop-
ment in Huron County, and in-
deed throughout the province.
The preliminary efforts show
clearly that the problems relat-
ing to quality of life for the elder-
ly in a rural community are
many. Finding solutions will
demand co-ordinated and con-
certed effort.
Here are some of the findings
to date:
Retired citizens attending a
workshop on the elderly, spon-
sored by the RDOP of the Uni-
versity of Guelph, identified the
following difficulties facing
seniors in a rural area:
Changes in the rural pattern of
living were seen as factors which
affected all parts of society but
created special problems for
senior citizens who often found it
difficult to change and adapt to
them.
Lack of communication with
other seniors was observed as an
alienating factor and contributed
to feelings of isolation.
While improved health facili-
ties are available to the com-
munity, seniors felt that in some
areas the lack of a "local doctor"
created an uneasy situation for
them.
Transportation is dependent in
large part on the wishes of others
and at their convenience —
sometimes vehicles, whether
private or public are not suitable
to seniors.
In a survey of the Wingham
and Turnberry Township area, 20
per cent of the seniors said they
were not satisfied with services
available. In the same survey an-
swers indicated a lack of trans-
portation for seniors and a lack of
information about services that
were available in the community.
Local agency personnel within
the community have outlined a
number of areas of concern to
seniors. These include:
Isolation and loneliness were
ohserved as predisposing factors
to many types of chronic ill-
nesses.
No central information service
for seniors exists. Some
assistance to persons with disa-
bilities is available from various
service clubs; however, this
information is not always readily
available to the group in need.
Insufficient financial resources
resulting in unsatisfactory hous-
ing conditions and inadequate
nutritional level were felt to be
problems facing seniors.
Inadequacy of services (gaps)
and inefficiencies due to distance
were evident.
The University of Guelph,
through its RDOP seeks the help
and involvement of the widest
possible cross section of the com-
munity. It will welcome all ideas
and support from interested local
citizens. Anyone who wishes to
assist or make suggestions may
contact the agency by phoning
Wingham 357-9911, or. Guelph 824-
4120, extension 3637.
Rural Development Outreach Project
UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH
Percentage of population over 65 years of age in
Ontario, Canada, and selected rural communities in
Huron, Perth, Wellington, and Bruce Counties as com-
piled by the Rural Development Outreach Project,
University of Guelph.
ONTARIO
CANADA
PERTH COUNTY
Listowel
St, Mary's
Mitchell
HURON COUNTY
Goderich
Clinton
E xeter
Wingham
S,,, forth
WELLINGTON COUN f 1'
1111111111111111111111111
Clifford
Mt. Forest
Palmerston
Harriston
BRUCE COUNTY
Kincardine
Walkerton
Teeswater
Lucknow
11111111111111111111111111
amommumm
posimommo
isommommimmonia
111111.111111111.1111111.10111111111111
8.6%
8%
16%
16%
22%
10%
20%
21%
23%
14%
15%
20%
24%
�w'lrM-'�j:Myll'uGiluLLl�t4iP::17•� `���-r`W4�uVY:mY
felt sure some should not be re-
placed. He said there might be
four buses due for replacement
and two that could be kept on the
job, saving the board the cost of
two new vehicles. He said in the
past two years three of the buses
the board has replaced have been
put back into service by bus con-
tractors. The board tenders for
the sale of the vehicles, a con-
tractor buys them and keeps
them on the road to transport stu-
dents under a contract with the
board.
' The chairman said two years
ago two of the six buses the board
sold were put back on the road by
contractors and this 'year one of
the buses was put back in ser-
vice. He suggested that the board
.Fonsider the policy before it auto-
matically agrees ,to it.
Seaforth trustee John Hender-
son felt a delay could put the
board in the financial dilemma it
faces in other areas. He said if
the board "lays off a year or two"
it may be facing, the same prob-
lem it. is in replacing equipment
in technical classrooms in the
rMRS. VICTOR EMERSON
Whitechurch Personals
Mr. and Mrs. Hector Ptud4n
and her mother, Mrs. House of
Strathror;° spent the weekend
with his sister, Mrs. Robert Mow-
bray, and Mr, Mowbray.
1
Mr. and Mrs. George Tiffin of
Lucknow visited Sjnday with Mr.
and Mrs. Angus Mowbray.
Mr. and Mrs. John Gibb and
Ryan of Kitchener were weekend
visitors with his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Dave Gibb, and Murray.
Mrs. Eileen Parker of Exeter
was a Sunday visitor with her
brother, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Mc-
Clenaghan.
Mr. and Mrs. Eric Evans of
Hyde Park were Sunday visitors
with his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Bill Evans.
Mrs. Ted Evans of Ballinafad
visited Monday with Mr. and
Mrs. Bill Evans and with her
father, Bert Nicholson, at Wing -
ham hospital.
Visitors on ' Sunday with Mr.
and Mrs. Gary Rintoul and Kevin,
were Mr. and Mrs. Joe Corey,
Clinton, and John Haskett of
Ilderton.
Mrs. Paul Laidlaw and Mich-
elle of Windsor visited last week
with her parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Walter Elliott, while her husband
Paul was up north on a hunting
expedition.
Mr. and Mrs. Norman Stewart,
Mark, Susan and Heather of
Lambeth' were Sunday visitors
with Mr. and Mrs. Walter Elliott.
Whitechurch 4-H club attended
Achievement Day on Saturday
afternoon at Lucknow where all
got their books signed and re-
ceived their spoons.
Miss Jane Laidlaw, Reg. N.,
began work at Victoria Hospital,
London, on Monday morning.
Mr. and Mrs. John Koobs and
Christine of Gowanstowne
Sunday visitors with herrn' ther,
Mrs. Peter deBoer `and family.
county high schools.
Windham district trustee
Murray Mulvey suggested un-
dercoating the new buses to get
more mileage out of them. He
said rust seems to be a problem
for the buses, pointing out that in
many cases the vehicles "rust
out before they wear out". He
said the board could consider
getting the buses rust proofed
when they are new.
The board decided to drop the
provision of industrial arts -home
economics classrooms from its
five year capital expense fore-
cast but to make provision for the
replacement of the six buses. The
budget committee hopes to sit
down with transportation
manager to review the practice
of automatically replacing six
buses a year.
1
Thin solaiimtinity extends sin-
cere sympathy to Mrs. Wallace
Milligan on the passing of her sis-
ter, Mrs. Orrin Enman, on
November 5 at Prince Edward
Island.
Mrs. Hugh Simpson, while in-
stalling a venetian blind° last
week, had the misfortune to cut
her right arm. The injury re-,
quired stitches.
Tom Inglis underwent surgery
last week at University Hospital,
London. The community wishes'
him a speedy recovery.
Bob Ross, who has secured em-
ployment at Waterloo NCR
Manufacturing, spent Sunday
with his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Don Ross.
Cameron Simmons of London
spent a few days last week re-
pairing his home in the village.
Harvey Osborne returned to
Knox College this week after
spending last week studying at
the 1caal e.
The Huron %Qwlt an
•Romelnalkere. held :g very . uc- .
cessful rummage anWht'Clinton
to and express - ,
thanks to all for their agS
THAN
YOU
I wish to than l -,
the voters of
Morris Town-
ship for their
support at the
polls last Mon-
day.
SAM PLETCH
1
My Sincere Thanks
To all those who supported me in the
November 13th election in Turnberry Town-
ship.
Thank You.
John V. Fischer
Business
and
Professional
Directory
O mo ®1
KARL C. LENTL
Chartered
Accountant
Wingham, Ontario
Telephone
(519)357.1087
WINGHAM
MEMORIALS
GUARANTEED GRANITES
CEMETERY LETTERING
REASONABLE PRICES
Buy Direct and Save
Bus Ph. 357-1910
Res. Ph. 357-1015
Frederick F. Homuth
Phm.B., R.O.
Carol E. Homuth, O.D.
Mrs. H. Viola Homuth, O.D.
Optometrists
HARRISTON Ontario
338-2712
1
REID AND PETERSON
Chartered Accountants
218 Josephine St., Wingham
Ph: 357-1522
J.A. Peterson, C.A. LW, Reid, C.A.
ervice Direc
ELECTRICAL
diurke-McLeod
Electrical
Contractors Ltd
Electrical Contracting
Motor Sales, Repairs
and Rewind
Wingham 519-357-2450
PLETCH
ELECTRIC
Wingham
Industrial, Commercial,
Farming, Domestic
PHONE
357-1583
SIGNS
SIGNWRITING
"Dunn By Tom"
Thomas E. Dunn
RR 1 Bluevale
335-6395
CONSTRUCTION
T. M. & T.
CONSTRUCTION
General Contractors
All types of concrete work
Pit Silos
Home and farm building
(' %1,1. BOB THQIIPSON
131.1 F:\ .%I.E. (ONTARIO
:157-319:i
SALES AND SERVICE
Lynn Hoy
Enterprises
Honda and Skidoo
Sales & Service
Hwy. 86 east of Wingham
Phone 519-357-3435
INSURANCE
iffeqhf
INSURANCE
All Types of
Insurance
335-3525 357-2636
GORRIE WINGHAM
PLUMBING HEATING
Ler y Jackson
lumbi ng
—Heating
---Tinsmithing
191 Josephine St.
Wingharn 357-2904
PLUMBING
RENOVATIONS
New Installations, coil
Terry Doyell at
357-2808 or 357-1229
FUELS
BILI TIFFIN
Imperial Esso Agent
For all your Home and
Farm Fuel and
Lubricating 'Needs
357-1032
PRINTING
WINGHAM
PRINTING
SERVICE
• PRINTING
• PHOTO COPIES
• REGISTER FORMS
• RUBBER STAMPS
• WEDDING
STATIONERY
314 JOSEPHINE STREET
WINGHAM
3573800
ANTENNAS AND
SMOKE DETECTORS
MC AND MACS
TOWERS
Antennas and
Smoke Detectors
For Home or Business Coil:
335-6321
or
357-2644
ory
FLOWERS
• Wedding
Arrangements
• Cut flowers
• Plants
• Flowers by
Wire Service
LEWIS
FLOWERS
135 Frances
Phone
357-3880
TOP SOIL & pRAVEL
TOP SOIL AND
GRAVEL
Crushed Grovel
Cement Grovel
Fill Grovel
Top Soil
Sand
John Cox
• 3/4 Stone
357-1297
WINGHAM
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