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Zurich Citizens News, 1975-03-06, Page 1NO 9 - FIRST WITH THE LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 1975 20¢ PER COPY INITIATE NEW MEMBER - The Zurich Lions welcomed a new member into their organization on Monday night, when Jim Lehman, second from right, was initiated by zone chairman Jack Graham, of Atwood, left. Next to the zone chairman is president of the local organization, Dr. Douglas Thiel, while on the extreme right is Don Oesch, who sponsored the new member. Huron library budget increased (by Shirley J. Keller) The February session of.Hur- on County Council held in the court house in Goderich last Friday saw the presentation of many budgets, all of which wen approved. The County Public Library Board brought in a budget totall- ing $261, 800 of which the county share is $162, 800. According to Chairman Norman Durst, that budget is "up cons- iderably, " mostly due to inc- reased wages and books. County Librarian William Partridge explained to council that books and processing this year will cost the county an estimated $63, 000. The same item last year was budgeted at $61, 000. Salaries for the county head- quarters building as well as all the branches total $129, 500. Committee pay for board memb• ers will cost another $3500. while rent for the library facilit- ies throughout the county amounts to $35, 000. • The budget for operating expenses for 1975 for the Court House totals $75, 700, Of this amount, the county receives 50.87 percent from the Prov- ince of Ontario or approxim- ately $38, 508 plus $13, 000 for rent for offices and facilities utilized by theprovince. A total of about $51, 508 is recov- ered said Chairman Stan Profit. The Registry Office budge represents maintenance of the building. The entire amount, $8, 050 is recovered from the province plus a rental fee of $3, 000. The budget for maintenance Hensall council moves hea with planning (by Rena Caldwell) The Hensall Council met on March 5, with Gary Davidson, Huron County Planning direct- or, to discuss the overall plan for Hensall. The plan will be similar to Zurich only that Hen- sall has more industry. The final approval will come from Toronto. The expenses were $6, 435. This included a $25 grant to the Huron Plowmen's Associat- ion; $50 grant to the Huron County Playhouse. Council raised salaries; of the fire chief $30 monthly with $20 expenses; deputy fire chief, $15 monthly, and no expenses; captain $12.50 monthly; fire- men, $10, and $6 to each fire- man for attending the Mutual Aid meetings; $3.00 for each responding to the fire alarm; $30.00 a day for attending fire service meetings. They are insured by the Workmen's Com- pensation. for $12, 000. The clerk's office will be closed March'15 to 24 for holi- days. Subsidy for maintaining the streets was set at $5900. Ren- ovations to the library was set at approximately $6, 000. Tender for the renovations for the Town Hall was awarded to Smith Construction of Seaforth for $14, 889. The village sewer project has now been approved and endors- ed by the Ontario Municipal Board. Expected completion date is June 1, 1977. Council approved first read- ing of 13111 97 regarding closing hours and shopping centres. Building permits were granted to William Scotchmer for a riew house; Gary Maxwell for siding; Keith Volland, for the addition of one room and car port; William G. Petty for sid- ing on the gable ends and Eric Mansfield to renovate the attic. • purposes at the county's assess- ment building in Goderich is $26,500. Annual rents at the building total $53, 000. The jail, nowopen to the public and operated under the Huron Historical Jail Board, will cost the county $175 for insurance coverage this year. The budget for Huron County Pioneer Museum is $62, 350 of which the county will cont- ribute $41, 350. Receipts at the museum as well as a $6, 000 provincial grant will furnish the balance of the money needed. The budget for Dunlop's Tomb is $500. The board of health budget is "up slightly" to $505, 350. The county share is expected to be $237, 275 unless further assistance comes from the Ministry of Health. Dr. Frank Mills, MOH for Huron, told council that the, provincial health minister is sympathetic to Huron's request for subsidy of 75 percent, but it is still not determined wheth- er or not funds will be avail- able in the provincial budget to provide the additional money. 0 Huronboard appeals decision The Huron County Board of Education voted unanimously to make an appeal to the Ont- ario Ministry of Education who refused any capital allocation for building projects for schools under the board's jurisdiction for the 1975 fiscal year. The Board had budgeted for $900, 000 in its five-year forecast which was to include $210, 000 for renovations to Exeter Public School, the cons- truction of an industrial arts and home economics complex in Exeter, Turnberry and Brus- sels each to cost approximately $200, 000 and also $40, 000 for a mini computer for South Huron Secondary School. (continued on page 12) County council sets fee for inspection Persons building homes. in Huron County will soon by pay- ing a $15. application fee for plumbing inspection. County council approved the recom- mendation by the board of Health at last Friday's session and hope to increase the reven- ue in the plumbing inspection department so that it is not so heavily subsidized by county funds. According to the report made by Ed Oddleifson, chairman of the board of health, the present plumbing inspection bylaw provides for a fee of one dollar per fixture. As a result many permit fees are for two or three dollars which does not begin to cover the cost of snaking the necessary inspections. In the first six months of operation, costs were about $18, 000 while revenue was about $5, 000. The chairman of the board of health commented that in the board's opinion, the county municipalities should not be expected to subsidize home builders. The Ministry of the Environment insists on inspect- ions and the costs should be 'added to the mortgage which is spread over a considerable per- iod of time and is not great added burden to the owner. Plumbing inspections are not required for farm buildings 'like barns and stables, nor for repair or replacement of plumb- ing in homes anywhere in the county. The total budget for the Plumbing and Environment Division of council is estimated at $44,500 with the county's share being $29, 500. The board is presently negot- iating a new agreement with the Ministry in connection with septic tank, subdivision and land severance approvals. It may be that additional funds will be forthcoming which will reduce the county's share of the budget. The Property Committee has brought to the attention of the provincial authorities insurance claims totalling about $3, 500 in connection with vandalism to county buildings and property since October 1973. Adequate policing during court sessions have been requested by the property committee. Chair- man Stan Profit described the behaviour of some persons waiting to be heard in court as "absolutely awful." New county representatives to the five hospitals were appoint- ed for a maximum period of five years. They are John V. Fischer to Wingham Hospital; Eldrid Simmons to Exeter; E. Beecher Menzies QC to Clinton; Gordon Rimmer to Seaforth; and Mrs. John Berry to Goderich. Board agrees to loo at school boundaries The Huron County -Board of Education at it's meeting on Monday afternoon, agreed to launch a study of school boundaries to reflect changing pupil enrolments. A proposal by board vice-chairman Herb Turkheim for a complete re- alignment within Huron County came during a discussion on the fate of North Ashfield Public School, where the enrolment has dwindled to under 40. Mr. Turkheim told themeet- ing that it seemed ridiculous to have a portable classroom sitting at the Clinton Public School and an empty classroom at the Hensall Public School. He suggested that some of the pupils attending Clinton P.S., especially those from Vanastra, could be just as easily transport- ed to Huron Centennial School at Brucefield. To alleviate an over -crowded situation which might then arise at Brucefield he suggested that some of the students in the south parts of Stanley Township and Tucker- smith Townships could attend the Hensall school, thereby making use of the°empty class- room. "This same situation probably exists in many areas of Huron County, " Mx. Turkheim went on to say, "and it is high time a careful studyof the situation is carried out. " It seems fool- ish to send children who live within a stone's throw of one school many miles to another, because they are living in a different municipality." The trustee for Hensall-Hay Township- Zurich warned the members of board that changing school boundaries could be a real political football, and urged that trustees should be invblved in any discussions with parents of children who might be transferred from one school to another. Members of both the educat- ion committee and management committee were instructed to study the proposal at their meetings later this month, and bring in a report to the next meeting in April. At the same time the decis- ion of whether or not to phase out the school at North Ashfield will be studied by the same two committees. OUR APOLOGIES A serious typographical error appeared in last week's edition of this newspaper, under a photc concerning a motor vehicle accident in the area. We sinc- erely apologize to the person involved and hope there was no undue embarrassment caused through the error. We assure both our readers and the person involved that the mistake was not intentional, C) CAN fry aNti;co ire -� 0 VI 0 r,' -- c-'. -:43) O