Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1983-02-09, Page 1ti MYTH 1� barn �ye JS� FIRST SECTION Wingham, Ontario, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 19$3 Single Copy 50e Blyth Branch Library '3Q X 2U2 Blyth, Ott. NOM 1141 Jan. 4 $ DRESS -UP DAY—Mae West, Dolly Parton and Zoro showed up last Friday at the Wingham Public School. Well, not really, the students in ' Mr. Lisle's class held a dress -up day and came as their favorite per- sonalities.. They are in back, Lisa Koyle,. Mary Beth O'Hagan, Jennifer Seepage problem persists Hunter, Heidi Robertson, Allen Bailie, Monica Jenk , Michael Cullen, Rosemarie Good; front, Francine Dimelo w, Car 9 ; • ne Netter - field, Shawn Thompson, Bill Grant and Daryl Daw. PUC is looking at mg tc Disappointed with the limited success of a com- plicated and' costly repair program in • 1981, the Wingham Public Utilities Commission is starting to look at the possibility of having to replace its nine- year-old standpipe. Commissioners have been assured the standpipe, which provides the town's water pressure and a reservoir for firefighting, is still" struc- turally sound, but they are concerned about recurring problems of seepage through the concrete, which the repairs have failed to correct completely. As a consequence, the PUC plans to meet this spring. with the engineer who looked after the repairs and a provincial inspector, who has• been checking all the standpipes in Ontario, to determine its next step. Replacing the tower, which cost about $100,000 to build back in 1974, could cost about $300,000, PUC Manager Ken Saxton reported, but if this one cannot be properly sealed there is "no use throwing good money after bad". The commission spent more than $40,000 in 1981 on what was supposed to be a sure-fire cure, involving coating the inside of the standpipe with an epoxy sealant, but the seepage has since reappeared. At a regular commission meeting last Thursday, Mr. Saxton reported he has arranged for Bill Slater, an inspector who is checking standpipes all across Ontario, to come to Wingham in May to meet with the commission and Murray Schmitt, the Waterloo engineer who handled the repair program. The standpipe will be drained at that time to permit a complete in- spection, inside and out. "I talked to (Mr. Slater) and he's aware of our problem because he has seen it before," Mr. Saxton said. "He said he wouldn't rush right up here, because he knows (the standpipe) is structurally sound." He said he wants to get Mr. Slater's advice, because if the spalling of concrete from the inside walls of the tank and the consequent seepage is going to be a/continuing problem, "we 'might as well tear it down and build one that won't require so much maintenance." There are some 90 stand- pipes in Ontario built like this one and all suffer from the problem to some extent, he reported. He added that any new standpipe probably would have to be built of steel, since he doubts whether the province would approve any more concrete ones, given the problems which have occurred. A new tower probably would have to goon the same site, he said, and the engineer estimated it would take about 20 weeks to tear • down the old one and put up a new one. It is 'a problem, since a new one probably could not be erected until after this one is down, he noted, but even so there would be no problem with fire protection since the town's three wells give tre- mendous pumping capacity - of about 2,200 gallons per minute. It's too bad there isn't some way of sealing the existing tank, PUC Chair- man Roy Bennett com- mented. It appears about the only possibility would be to build another tank . inside, with "a bunch of galvanized steel and a soldering iron". The current standpipe was built of prestressed concrete, a technique which permits a thinner wall while retaining the necessary strength. However a galvanic reaction at the joints of metal jacking rods (used to raise the forms during construction) left inside the concrete, has caused chunks to break away inside the tank. After an exhaustive in- spection of the standpipe two years ago, Mr. Schmitt said it still is structurally sound, but over time the seepage, if not corrected, could weaken it.. Following the completion of repairs to the tank, in- volving patching and coating the inner surface, he ex- pressed guarded optimism. "I think we're satisfied it's going to last a number of years, but I wouldn't want to go any further than that," he told the PUC in December, 1981. In other business at the meeting, the PUC reviewed its insurance coverage and discussed how the charge to the town for fire protection is calculated. The town currently pays the commission about $17,000 a year for providing and maintaining the fire hy- drants, and Mayor William Harris asked for an explan- ation how this charge is figured. He noted that ac- cording to a survey, other towns in the area pay any- where from about $6,000 to $27,000 for this service. Mr. Saxton promised to produce an explanation for the charge, though he noted that is much easier said than done. It is very hard to draw a line between what is water service and what is fire `Excessive drunkenness' Council calls for investigation of hotel Disturbed by complaints it has been receiving about drunkenness, abusive language and vandalism in the area of the Manor Hotel, the Wingham Town Council is calling on the Liquor Control Board of Ontario to investigate for possible violations of the Liquor Licence Act. Council agreed Monday night to send a letter to the LCBO outlining its complaints and asking for an investigation of the hotel's management practices. Reporting for the police committee, Councillor James A. Currie told council there appears to be an ongoing problem associated with excessive drinking at the Manor. There have been several instances of vandalism recently, with the front doors of stores kicked in, as well as profane and abusive language on the sidewalk, and other occurences, he said. "People don't just come out and'vomit on the street for no reason." He said the committee feels it owes it to the police to give them as much support as possible in dealing with the problem. Contacted later, Police Chief Robert Wittig confirmed there is a problem and it has been getting worse. ne said things have been going downhill since the change in management last year, adding that is not unusual since perhaps people who created problems before and were banned by former owners are being allowed back in. Also, there have been some radical changes introduced by ,the new management, such as the strip -tease dancers, which possibly contribute to the probl ms. Cottrol of liquor -related problems is a joint responsibility of management_and the police, he said, and he assumes that by contacting the LCBO council is just trying to make sure management holds up its end of things. "We have a responsibility and manage- ment also carries a considerable respon- sibility under the Liquor Licence Act. "Permitting drunkenness in the esr:..blish- ment is more under the management end of ces on the street are more to control things. Disturba our problem and we'll have to try that." He said the hotel owners have not been directly approached about the concerns, but noted that, through the occurrences, police have had a continuing contact with management. 4 protection, tie, pointed out, since this takesir't` not just the hydrants but the larger water mains, standpipe and additional pumping capacity required by fire regulations. The smallest of the PUC's three wells could provide all the water needed for normal residential, commercial and industrial use, Com- missioner Rod Wraith pointed out, so it could be argued that everything else is there for fire protection. "If all the cost of fire protection could be justified, it would be a heck of a lot more than (the town) is being charged now." Town's interim mill rate up by 8 per cent for 1983 Property taxes are going up again for Wingham ratepayers, though — at least so far —dot by as much as in the past few years. At its meeting Monday night, town council approved an eight per cent increase in the interim mill rate, which will be reflected in the tax bills ratepayers receive later this month. Councillor Jack Kopas, finance chairman, said the figure simply represents the committee's "best guess" at the level of taxes which will be required this year, and council accepted it without discussion. The interim mill rate is arrived at by taking one- third of the previous year's mill rate and inflating it by a figure agreed upon by council. Any necessary adjustments up or down are made in the two tax billings which come later in the year, after council has set its budget. Last year the interim rate was raised by 14.3 per cent, while the total tax increase for the year was held to 10.5 per cent. However Clerk - Treasurer Byron Adams said later he doubts whether the same thing will happen this year, since the interim increase is quite con- servative: Although councillors passed th u tight per. cent stay problctits; earlier now meeting they had refused to approve a seven per cent increase in water rates for the Wingham Public Utilities Commission because it went over ,the five per cent guidelines. "Why a seven per cent increase?" Councillor James A. Currie asked. "Could they not be more specific? "Five per cent wouldTbe within our guidelines, and if they need more they should explain why." He also inquired why the proposed increases in rates were not across-the-board, noting that while the residential and commercial flat rates were going up by about seven per cent, metered rates were rising by an average of only about four per cent. "If they're going to have seven per cent for some, it should run through all," he said. "But I want to know why they need that extra two per cent." Deputy Reeve Patricia Bailey also raised a question about the increase, asking if the filling fee for swimming pools would be going up too. If someone can afford a pool, he can afford to pay more for the water, she declared. "We're on a meter and every time we take a drink of water we pay through the meter and every time we take a bath we pay through the meter." Several others asked how much the increase would raise for the PUC, and whether it would be enough to meet projected expenses. Mayor William Harris, who also sits on the commission, reported it will raise an estimated $5,000 a year and the PUC hopes that this, together with a drop in its debt load, will get it through the year. He agreed to take council's questions back to the commission and said he would try to have an ex- planation for council at a special meeting scheduled for next Friday. Under the proposed rate schedule, the residential monthly rate would rise to $6.00 from $5.60, and the commercial rate would go to $9.40 from $8.80. Metered rates would rise to $65 from $62.50 for the first 225 cubic metres; $105 from $100 for Please turn to Page 3 Parking meters to return to Wingham's main street After more than an eight-month absenee, the parking meters will reappear along Wingham's main street later this spring. Town council voted Monday night to return to metered parking on Josephine Street as a control measure, citing a survey of downtown businesses as evidence that a majority favor the meters. It yvill retain the old rates of 12 minutes for a penny, an hour for a nickel and two hours for a dime and, prior to reinstalling them, wili;.send the meter heads away for main- tenance. Although the Wingham Business Association last month voted to recommend eters stay-eff.te9uncillork taw mare Weave carEontrud-Poiio Robert Wittig which Came 'up with a con- tradictory result. They also agreed with the argument that the meters make it much easier to enforce parking bylaws than to have to resort to chalking tires. Reporting for the police committee, Councillor James A. Currie told council that , although the business association had voted against the meters, the margin was only one vote, 9-8, which was hardly overwhelming support for the decision. By contrast, a survey of 73 businesses by the police chief in January indicated that 43 favored a return of the meters, with only 21 opposed and nine stating no preference. The chief also reported that a general consensus of all the businesses was that there has been little or no improvement in business as a result of removing the meters, and there has been an increase in parking abuses, either by exceeding the two-hour limit or failing to park properly in the marked spaces. The most efficient method of parking control is still the meters, he said, and he suggested council might keep the revenue from the meters in a special fund for development of off-street parking. Mr. Currie reported his committee had met with representatives of the business association subsequent to their vote, and he thinks they understand the problems. He recommended council should cooperate with the. association on a public relations 1 Ohre -- gax`aaf°out-the':lzlttof ":` . vA and should try to reestablish the parking SNOW KING AND QUEEN—The winter carnival at the F. E. Madill Secondary School started Monday with a giant kick-off assembly and the selection of the Snow King and Queen. Al Kieffer was chosen king and Karen McMichael is this year's snow queen and they will rein for this week's activities of snow sculpturing, a penny carnival and the annual student -teacher broomball game. It authority as a joint enterprise. Councillor William Crump also suggested the town should investigate the possibility of moving the meters back to the storefronts when they are reinstalled, to make snow removal easier. However Councillor Bruce Machan pointed out that while it would be easy enough to remove the posts from their present positions, it would be difficult to reinstall them through the concrete side- walk. He also suggested that "some people are confused enough already about which meter they are at." If the meters were moved back, it would just make the problem worse. Council approved spending about $2,200 to overhaul the 110 meter heads before they are placed back onto the posts. Department heads receive increase Department heads of Huron County received a five per cent or $1,500 increase, whichever is less, effective Jan. 1, 1983. Huron County Council approved the salary in- creases at its February ses- sion. Grey Township Reeve r Leona Armstrong said most of the increase is being col- lected by the county for the federal government in the form of income tax and other deductions. As an example, she cited Clerk -treasurer Bill Hanley's 1983 salary of $44,044, up from his 1982 salary of $42,536. "After all maximum deductions and exemptions, his take-home pay with the $1,500 maximum reflects a two per cent raise while the five per cent raise reflects only an additional 2.8 per cent (take-home) raise," said Reeve Armstrong. "I can still hear Mr. Mac- Donald of CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees representative Gordon Mac- Donald of London) say we don't appreciate our people. We do. But it's not easy, to be fair," she added. She suggested that "sta- tic" be raised over education salaries as "40 per cent of 245 teachers are over the $35,000 bracket". The 1983 department heads' salaries are as fol- lows with 1982 salaries in brackets: Clerk -treasurer $44,044 1,1 ($42,536), deputy clerk -trea- surer $37,154 ($35,646), county engineer $44,044 ($42,536), Medical Officer of Health $49,400 ($47,892), chief librarian $31,928 ($30,420), planning director $41,392 ($39,884), social ser- vices administrator $29,848 ($28,418), Huronview ad- ministrator $33,150 ($31,642) and museum curator $24,466 ($23,296). Little damage in ,two chimney fires The Wingham Fire Department was called to put out two minor chimney fires last week, but that was the extent of its activity, according to Fire Chief Dave Crothers. The department responded to a call from Maria Pasztor, Con. A, Lot 17 and a half and 18 and a half of Howick Township last Saturday evening at 9:40. A wood stove chimney fire was ex- tinguished by fire fighters and Mr. Crothers reported no damage. A second chimney fire early Monday morning resulted in $50 damage to a Wingham home. Firefight- ers responded to the call at 12: 04 Monday morning at the Ray Robinson residence at 145 Park Drive in Wingham. The fire was caused by a wood stove which ignited the chimney and some smoke damage was reported by the chief.