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Zurich Citizens News, 1969-06-05, Page 2PAGE TWO ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 1969 Huron Member Suggests Regional Government Not Close in County Parliament Buildings, Toronto 182, Ontario. Mr. Ilerbert Turkheim, Editor, The Citizens News, Zurich, Ontario. Dear Herb: I thought your readers might be interested in some comments from me on the topical question of regional government in Ont- ario. From talking, no local constituents, I believe there is considerable neysunderstanding about the government's intent- ions. Over the past decade, the Ont- ario Government has received • a number of recommendations from various commissions and from municipal organizations themselves urging the govern- ment to revise local government structure, established a century ago, in recognition of the rapid changes which have taken place in communications, transport • - ation and technology. In other words, the request for larger units of administration is not new. At the request of municipalities in fast growth areas, the govern- ment established a number of commissioners' studies into local government organization in those regions where munici- pal boundaries were disappear- ing under the asphalt and con- crete of urban development. Where these studies have been completed, the government is proceeding with reeinnal propos- als in full consultation with local officials. As a result of these studies, the government has developed certain guidelines, which have been proposed by the honourable W. Darcy 11cReough, Minister of Municipal Affairs, in his re- cent white paper entitled "De- sign for Development, Phase Two". The Minister emphasized in that statement that regional government organization ill slower growth areas will take place only after more urgent needs have been met and only after intensive consultation with local officials. I believe you will be aware that Huron County Council has begun to study this question and I have kept in close touch with subsequent activities at meet- ings with the minister and officials of the Department of Municipal Affairs. I have advised Huron County Council and other interested citizens who have inquired that it will be some considerable length of time before regional government can or should be contemplated along the same lines as in Ottawa -Carlton, Niagara, or Halton -Peel, for example. In these areas, thc urban influence has developed so quickly that the need for re -organization of local govern- ment is more immediately apparent and more readily ident- ifiable. This need to re -organize in not so urgent in Huron and like areas of the province, which serves to illustrate, emphatically I believe, why regional govern- ment cannot --and should not in my opinion --be imposed all at once on the provinces as a whole. Ontario is a vast area. It is so diverse that what may be manifestly desirable in one section simply would not fit or work in another. Nevertheless, I believe it is wise for county council to con- sider the question now to ensure that it will have a comprehen- tve background nf fact and opinion to contribute toward later discussion. No one knows better than I that Huron County Council is one of the most efficient govern- ment organizations in Ontario. I believe it can provide sound, practical advice to the provinc- ial authorities and I know that the Minister of Municipal Affairs is looking forward to Huron County's submissions. The Honourable Mr. McKeough has stated frankly that he has no fixed policy "concerning regional government functions in rural areas and he not only wants, but needs, advice from people who know local administration and local needs best. There are two principal advan- tages to regional government, as I see it, One is a broaden- ing of the local tax base to provide for more equitable distribution of both local and provincial revenues and the development of a broader community in which services can be shared and which can assemble the adminstrative expertise to enable the province to return more autonomy to local officials. • We are all aware of the grow- ing number of complaints from local municipal officials that their respoilsibilites arc being taken away by the provincial ,government. Thefrank fact is, and 1 think many local officials will agree, that local munici- palities have not been able to afford properly qualified per- sonnel to handle such functions as planning, which would be better Handled at a regional level than at Queen's Park. Our objective is to provide larger units which can assume greater responsilbities and return wore autonomy, to community levels. Why -then,- some people ttre asking, did the province take over assessment? The answer lies in the urgent need for tax reform. Property reassessment was required not o1e1y to correct the many inequalities that now exist but also to ensure. that Many provincial government grant programs, now based on assessment factors, will be fair to each region and municipality. This will become increasingly important as grant levels rise and as the grant program is re- vised according to the coi,u11itt- ncentS in our white paper 011 tax reforms. I 3111 also aware of the wide- spread concern over new county boards of education. I suggest, first, that we should not pre- judge benefits of this program and, second, that we should be realistic about the cost factors. Before this reorganization tool< place, the Ontario govern- ment received considerable criticism about the practice of having appointed secondary school boards demanding tax revenues from elected munici- pal councils. The new program was designed to overcome geese objections by having the trust- ees directly elected by local people and making them respon- sible for all decision on local education matters. Despite the publicity which newspapers in Huron County gave to the re- cent elections, I find that many people still believe that the board decisions are being niacle by the Department of Education. In regard to costs, many people seem to forget that ed- ucation expenditures were rising each year before thc boards were established and it would be NEWS OF DASHWOOD DISTRICT (MRS. E. H. RADER, Correspondent) Mrs. Albert Rader has returned home after two weeks vacation spent with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Cudrnore of Willow- date, on a trip to Florida and touring other states. On May 28 they visited Washington, Arling- ton Cemetery where the Kenn- edys arc buried and sat in a session of the house at the state capitol. • Mrs. 11ilda Ilau h spent 0 few days last week with Mr. and Mrs, Elnccr Rader and family of Stratford. Sunday visitors with I4r. and Mrs. Garnet Willett were Mrs. Hilda Haugh, Mr, and Mrs. Ray V anDorsselaer and Robert, and Mr. and 1'4rs. Ebner Rader and fancily of Stratford. Mr. and Mrs. Percy Willem of Zurich were Sunday visitors with Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Rader. Mrs. Milton Webb has returned home after spending several weeks at London with her daugh- ter and fancily, • Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Nuims. leir. and Mrs. Clayton Lofton of Plattsvillc spent Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. Louis Restencayer. unfair to expect then, to bring these increases to an immediate halt. My Budget for 1969 pro- vided for increased grants to local boards but this has not been enough to offset the cost growth. The recent financial adjustment proerain announced li tI . \':1 ;_;,r 01 Education Inas helped to ensure that there is a limit to tax increases in local 11 tunicipalitieS. Starting next year, the provin- cial government will increase the general .level of its average financial support to school boards from the present 4%, to 64, in three years. Tice prov- ince intends to co-operate with school boards to ensure that this increased assistance is passed along to local ratepayers. I suggest that citizens can expect educational officials to provide as many benefits as possible to the children under their guidance. That is their responsibility. By the sante token, 1 think it is the right of the local taxpayers to indicate to the educators, through their elected representatives, the extent to which they will prov- ide finances for these services. No hoard should be a rubber stamp for its employed officials and T am confident that the Iluron Board will not be. Paradoxical as it may sound, one thing that is constant to change, particularly in a pro- gressive society and in a develop mg jurisdiction such as Ontario. The desirable approach, then, I believe, is not to resist change, but to make change work for us. I regret these comments are so lengthy, bur I believe they are pertinent. If you can pre- sent them to your readers, I - would be most grateful. Yours sincerly Yours sincerely, Charles McNaughton, Minister. DIAMONDS CLEANED AND CHECKED NO CHARGE ANSTETT JEWELLERS LTD. (`lintoti Walkerton , Seaforth 11�u Mr. and Mrs. Elgin Rader and Brian attended the 130 graduat- ion ceremonies at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri last Friday when their son Arthur was one of the graduates. Foll- owing graduation Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Rader returned home with his parents for a brief visit, Mary Ann, daughter of Warden and Mrs. James Hayter received her Bachelor of Arts degree at the Convocation of the Univer- sity of Western Ontario, Thurs- day, May 29. Attending besides her parents were her brother, Jim, her grandparents , Mr. and Mrs. Fred Fritzley of Goderich and Bud Desjardine of Grand Bend. )ler parents held a surprise dinner in her honor at the Dash- wood hotel with the following guests present: Mrs. Bertha Ilayter, her grandmother of the Blue Water Rest Home, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Fritzley, Mr. and Mrs. Don Fritzley and Mrs. Betty Reed all of Goderich; Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hayter, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hayter, Mr. and Mrs. Robert I ioffm an and Jim llayter; Mr. Bud Desjardine of Grand Bend; and Miss Sherry Ford of Exeter. BRIDAL SHOWER Mrs. Michael Denomme and Mrs. Lorne Ziler were hostesses for a bridal shower for Miss Sharon Morcnz, bride -elect of this Friday, at the home of Mrs. Ziler, Friday, May 30.. Some thirty relatives and friends attended. The evening was spent playing contests. Sharon was the recipient of many lovely gifts for which she thanked all. The Hostesses served lunch; 0 This is Red Cross Water Safety Week. Enroll now in the Red Cross Survival Swimming course. It's a lifesaver! Enrol Brownies in Hensall Group In a recent entrolment ceremony, the first Hensall Brownie Pack received the following Brownies: Lori Lovell, Lori Mousseau, Marilyn Pepper, Deanie McClinchey, Dorna Williams, Karen Volland and Donna Jean Allan, This brings the total Brownie membership to forty-one, led by Brown Owl, Mrs. Robert Cook, Tawny Owl, Mrs. Roger Venner, Mrs. Eric Luther and Kathy Cool< as Packie. On Saturday, May 31 the Hen- sall Brownies and Guides with their leaders enjoyed a picnic at Fanshawe Park, London, and an interesting tour of the Pioneer Village located there. This marks the official end of the Brownie year until September 1969. 0 This is Red Cross Water Safety Week. Observe the rules of the road when operating a power boat. Don't be a " water hog", EXPERT REPAIRS AT A PR/CE FA/R AND JUST, WITH 115 DEAR FRIEND THIS IS ,r,; A MUST McADAM'S TV 11111111111111M111•11111MMIN 1•111 ZURICH _ _ Your Bean Planting Headquarters We have a complete selection of all grades of SEED BEANS. on hand in both Sanilac and Seaway Variety plus a limited supply of Michigan Seed Come in and order your seed Today BEAN CONTRACTS AVAILABLE Custom Treating Service Patoran and Eptam Herbicides The best Fertilizer Value in town We carry a complete line of NIAGARA CHEMICALS 1 for farm use COOK BROS. MILLING CO. LTD. PHONE 262.2605 -- HENSALL Est. 1880