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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1975-05-01, Page 1,N0 17 - FIRST WITH THE LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY, MAY 1,. 1975 TIME FOR SEEDING - The fine weather during the past few days has brought area farmers hustling out on their land, preparing for the planting season. While some fields still remained a bit on the wet side, many others were ready for cultivating and harrowing. Gerald Thiel, R,R.2, Zurich, is shown here as he works up a field which was ready for the spring program. separate School board sets tax rate; budget up over 18 percent There was one unexpected change in the mill rates pres- ented to the Huron Perth Rom- an Catholic Separate School Board for approval Thursday night at a special meeting in Seaforth. Trustees were all set to pass the 1975 rates that levy an aver- age increase of 3.41 mills on the various municipalities, when trustee Michael Connolly of Kippen told them he had already received his tax notice from Tuckersmith Township. "And they are billing at about 1.5 mills over what we had req- uired." Mr. Connolly's tax notice from Tuckersmith set the mill rate for separate school purp- oses at 29 mills. The board's finance committee had planned to set the rate at 27.46 mills. HPRCSS board chairman Dav- id Teahen, of Stratford said the township had in effect billed for the board. Business administ- rator Jack Lane said the town- ship had every right to do that. He said he had had discus ions with the Tuckersmith clerk last week and had told him the board expected to set mill rates at Thursday night's meeting. Mr. Lane said he had been under the impression then that the Tuckersmith township would wait to send the notices until the separate board had set its rates. He said the township was ahead of the deadline set by the province for tax notices to go out by about a week. "I don't want to aggravate anything, Mr. Connolly said. "The clerk is just trying to do his job." He said he was just concerned to make sure that the taxpayers of Tuckersmith are Will review courses A proposal to review subjects taught at Huron -Perth Roman Catholic schools came under fire at a board meeting Monday night. Trustee Joe Looby of Dublin objected to a suggestion from trustee John O'Drowsky of St. Marys that an ad hoc commit- tee be formed "to report on the curriculum in our schools." " Mr. Looby said he felt any report on school curriculum should come from the board's administrative staff and not from trustees. "We should get that kind of information from our administ- ration --the men we hire, " Mr, Looby said. "Does the administration run our schools or are we planning to go into the schools ourselves and tell them what to teach?" he asked. "It appears to me you have nc confidence in (director of educ- ation) John Vintar and (assist- arxt superintendent) Joe Tokar, " he told Mr. O'Drowsky. "This is not a witch hunt, " Mr. O'Drowsky replied. "We have great confidence in Mr. Vintar." The ad hbc committee, Mr. O°Drowsky noted, might simply find the administration is best qualified to conduct the study. One possible recommendation, for instance, might be to ext- end French language instruct- ion, he said. Mr. O'Drowsky said the Hur- on -Perth board has traditionally dealt with "transportation, - buildings, policies and finance" and that trustees should learn more about what is being taught fin board schools. In a 0-t vote trustees approv- ed the committee and appoint- ed to it Mr. O'Drowsky, trustees Ron Marcy of Stratford and Don Crowley of Kiukora. In other business, the board accepted an administration recommendation that 10 prof- essional development days be held in the 1975-76 school year. Tentative dates are: Septemb- er 8; Septernber 19; October 20; November 28; February 2; April 30; May 31; June 28, 29, 30. credited with the money (the difference between the 29 mills and the board's planned levy of 27.46 mills) for next year. "How can he set this mill rate. Why are we meeting here tonight?" Dublin trustee Joe Looby wanted to know. "So the rest can't do the same thing, " board finance com mittee chairman Ron Marcy, of Stratford suggested. If the board set the Tucker - smith levy at the estimated 27.46 mills, the township could hold the almost 1.5 mills for this year, Mr. Lane explained. The township will only give the board what it asks for, he said. Mr. Connolly and Mr. Lane attempted to phone the Tucker - smith clerk to make sure they understood the situation correct- ly, but reported to the meeting that there was no answer at his house, Trustees decided to accept the mill rate of 29 as set by Tuckersmith instead of the 27.46 set by the board and to apply the over levy as a reduct- ion on the 1976 mill rate for Tuckersmith separate supporters. The board approved a budget of $ 3, 432,25 8, up 18.410 from 1974. Of this amount, less than 1$o or $451, 753 has to be raised locally. $2, 236.40 comes from provincial grants, while reven- ue from other sources and from other boards will contribute $94, 000. The average mill rate coll- ected last year from supporters in the two counties was 24.05. This year the average will be 27.46. Some municipalities will be higher than this and some lower but none will pay more than 3,5 mills that they did in 1974. Ron Marcy of Strat- ford, the board's finance comm- ittee chairman said. Senior management and teach er salaries and instructional supplies are budgeted at $2, 053, 000, up $355, 752 from last year Plant operation expenses -- chiefly salaries for custodians- - (continued on page 2) 20¢ ICER COPY ii t11 rt ate, F1.ta 0 F^' County council appoint HanlycIerk-treas'ur-er B.G. Hanly has been appoint- ed Huron County Clerk -Treasur- er and Administrator, effective immediately. He succeeds John G. Berry who passed away recently following a lengthy illness. Acting Deputy Clerk is Mrs, Mildred Simpson and Acting Deputy Treasurer is Mrs. Mart- ina Schneiker. Mr. Hanly told members of Huron County Council last Thursday in Goderich that the temporary appointments of Mrs. Simpson and Mrs. Schneik- er to chief county posts will allow time to "take a look at the overall operation." The Administrator said that before his death, Mr. Berry had made some recommendat- ions for possible changes in the county administrative staff. Mr. Hanly felt now is the best time to consider these recommend- ations. Mr. Hanly's salary will be $22, 000 per annum and Mrs. 'Simpson and Mrs. Schneiker will each receive $25 per week in addition to their regular sal- ,aries for their added responsib- ilities. Council authorized, the purch- ' ase of a memorial plaque in recognition of the 26 years of "faithful and dedicated service to the County of Huron of the late John G. Berry." Miss Cathy McKinley, daught• er of Warden and Mrs. Anson McKinley, has been hired as Program co-ordinator and super- visor for the History Project in Huron, providing the project is approved by the Ministry of Education. Miss McKinley worked on the,.•Y project in 1973 with Professor James Scott who had been eng- aged to supervise the project at that time. Professor Scott is unavailable this year. "The committee is confident that Miss McKinley, with her educational qualifications and former experience on the proj- ect, can capably finalize this undertaking, " said Robin J. Lawrie, Reeve of Blyth and Chairman of the Executive Com. mittee. Miss McKinley recently grad- uated in journalism from Ryer- son Polytechnical Institute in Toronto, Bruce Tyndall has been ret- ained by the county as a care- taker. He replaces Len West- brook who retires in May. Reeve Stan Profit, Chairman of the county property committee, said that 22 applications were received for the position. An offset duplicator and bind- ing equipment has been author- ized for the county building at a cost of $11,794.02. It is bel- ieved that considerable money should be saved in printing costs with this installation. County Librarian Bill Part- ridge has made application for two studess under the Exper- ience '75 program sponsored by the Ontario government. These two students would be engaged in providing paperback books at certain summer facil- ities in Huron County, such as Point Farms Provincial Park. Mrs. Margot Loucks has been appointed supervisor of the Wingham Branch Library, rep- orted Library Board Chairman, ,Norman Durst. Huron County agrees to health council The Huron County Board of Health received permission at last Thursday's general meeting of county council to make appointments to a Huron Perth Steering Committee, the first step toward a Huron -Perth District Health Council. The possibility of a joint health council has been under discussion for sometime bet- ween Huron and Pertl#. On the steering committee from Huron County will be the chairman of the Health Unit Board, one .representative of the medical society, one representative of the Hospital Planning Council, one representative of a consum- er or voluntary organization and one other representative. Perth County will have the same number of representatives, The Warden and the Medical Officer of Health from both counties will be ex officio members of the steering com- mittee. "This is an important aspect Df promotion of health in Huron" said Reeve E. W. Oddleifson, chairman of the Huron County Board of Health. Reeve Oddleifson said Huron 'has met twice with Perth County to discuss the possibility of a Health Council. He said that while the appointment of a steering committee doesn't "commit this county to anything' the Minister of Health for Ont- ario is "very favorably inclined" toward some agreement between Huron and Perth where health ,matters are concerned. MOH Dr. Frank Mills said that after the steering commit- tee has met with both Huron and Perth. Health Units, names would .be submitted to the Minister of Health for membership on a joint District Health Council. The Minister of Health reserves the right to either accept or reject the recommendation of the steering committee as to the composftion of the Health Council. "It is an important step to get people to sit down and talk about health care services, " said Dr. Mills. He mentioned it would be the committee's duty to make recommendations or proposals for improving health services in Huron and Perth, ardd about such things (continued on page 14)