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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1975-09-04, Page 1NO 35 - FIRST WITH THE LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1975. 20' Per Copy INSTALL NEW SLATE - The officers of the Hensall Legion Ladies Auxiliary were installed at an impressive ceremony Tuesday night conducted by Zone Commander Margaret Thorn - dyke, of Clinton. Back row left to right, executive members Vera Smale and Jerry Chapple, secretary Donna Allan, executive member Mildred Chambers, Sergeant -at -Arms and Sports Officer Iva Reid, executive member Joan Beierling, and treasurer Mary Bisback. Front row left to right, second vice-president Marg Vanstone, first vice-president Beatrice Uyl, president Mona Campbell, Mrs. Thorndyke, and past president Wanda McClinchey. County relects amalgamation Political amalgamation within a restructured Huron County is a dead issue for now, Warden Anson McKin- ney said Tuesday. The warden said that county councillors, at a special meet- ing Thursday with a six -mem- ber county restructuring committee, gave "a blanket no" to two proposals which would see Huron's 26 munic- ipalities reduced to eight or 12 area municipalities. The meeting - from which the public and press was barred- urged the restruct- uring committee to invest- igate wider amalgamation of services within the county but to leave political bound- aries intact. Warden McKinley said county councillors felt that if the 150 local elected officials across the county were red- uced to the 56 or 70 prop- osed by the committee, "few- er people would be left doing more work and they'd expect more money," so savings from a cost standpoint are unlikely. Representatives of larger municipalities felt that under amalgamation they should retain voting power proport- ionally higher than smaller municipalities while the smaller municipalities were principally concerned about loss of identity and local autonomy in a restructured county, he said. - "On the whole, they didn't see enough benefits to the people to warrant political restructuring," the warden said. + Under both proposals, formulated from population and assessment statistics compiled since the commit- tee undertook the resturctur- ing study earlier this year, Goderich would remain a separae entity. In the eight -unit proposal, the remaining four towns in the county would be lumped with surrounding townships and villages, and some vill- ages would join townships. The 12 -unit proposal differ- ed only in that the four towns would, like Goderich, remain separate from the amalgamation. Under the committee's eight -unit proposal, the foll- owing were suggested amal- gamations, Ashfield, West Wawanosh, East Waw- anosh and Colborne- town- ships; Wingham, with Turn - bury and Howick -townships; Brussels, with Morris and Grey townships; Clinton, Goderich and Hullett town- ships; Seaforth with Tuck- ersmith and McKillop town- ships; Zurich, Hensall with Stanley and Hay townships; Exeter, with Stephen and Usborne• townships; the town of Goderich. There would be 56 members of local councils, of which 16 would sit on county council. under this proposal. The 12 -unit proposal, in which the only difference was that all five towns would remain separate while the remainder of the county was amalgamated into seven municipalities, would have seen 70 Ica] elected officials of which 21 would sit on county council. Warden McKinley said the committee will abandon the amalgamation of local munic- ipalities and concentrate on amalgamation proposals for services. "Huron County already provides many of the services provided by regional govern- ments," he said, "and the significant thing that arose from our discussion was that we, as a county, could be looking at what additional services can operate on an area -wide basis," One such service which will likely be discussed by the committee is the question of roads and whether the county should relieve local governments of some of their responsibilities in maintain- ing road systems, he said. Recreation, fire "possibly police" are among other services to be considered, he said. The Huron warden defend- ed the use of a county council committee rather than hiring an outside consult- ant to study possible restruct- uring. "I think committee memb- ers are capable of looking at the situation objectively and arc not only concerned with preserving their own posit- ions." When county council first appointed the restructuring committee, it rejected the estimated $50,000 to $100,000 cost of hiring an outside consultant. eet the c n idates It has become a tradition with the Huron Federation of Agriculture to organize a "meet the candidates night" at election time. This year two such meetings are to be held, one at Exeter for the riding of Huron -Middlesex and one at Wingham for the Huron -Bruce riding. On the night of September 11, at 8 p.m. the.South Huron District High School will be the place where incumbent Liberal John (Jack) Riddell, Progressive Conserv- ative James (Jim) Hayter and NDP candidate Paul Car- roll will field questions from the audience. This audience is not confined to federat- ion members but is open to any citizen who wants answ- ers to"some questions. On September 9 at 8:30 p.rn. the Wingham High School will be the scene where Liberal incumbent member Murray Gaunt, PC Candidate Mr. Walker with the NDP candidate to be named will respond. If previous years' turnouts are repeated we can look forward to large crowds of interested voters. Enrolment down in Huron County schools (by Ross Haugh) Total enrolment in schools under the jurisdiction of the Huron County Board of Education on the first day of school Tuesday was down 147 students from the corresp- onding day in 1974. At Tuesday's regular meet- ing of the board, director D.J. Cochrane released the figures compiled from infor- mation received from princ- ipals at noon hour. The number of students at the county's five secondary schools is up from a year ago' but elementary students are on the decrease. The high school figure at noon Tues- day was 4,607 up 62 from 1964. Students at the elementary level totalled 7,805. This is a decrease of 209 from last year. The biggest increase at the secondary level appeared at Goderich District Collegiate up to 932 from 890. Attend- ance at South Huron in Ex- eter totalled 1,067. Last year it was 1,040. The only other rise in attendance was at Seaforth where enrolment rose from 401 to 422. Recording decreased in student population were Central Huron in Clinton clown to 974 from 991 and F.E. Madill in Wingham where the decrease was 12 students down to 1,211. In elementary school circles the largest increases were at Robertson Memorial in Goderich with an increase` from 496 to 532 and Colb- orne Central: The attendance rose there from 225 to 275. Other schools showing a rise in enrolment were Brook- side, Grey, Hullett, Turn - berry and Queen Elizabeth in Goderich. Total enrolment in schools for the trainable retarded is 65, one more than last year. On the decrease side of the ledger, Clinton public school was down to 565 from 603 and Victoria in Goderich was dwn 35 to 416. Director of Education Cochrane commented that total enrolment was down 991 from 1969 when the Huron Board was first established. Set date for accident inquest An inquest into the death of a 19 -year-old Bayfield man August 2, has been set for September 19. Douglas Schilbe -vas run over by a car on Highway 84 just east of Hensall about 5 a.m. on that day. The man was already lying on the high- way when he was struck by the car, provincial pol- ice at Exeter said, but they are still unsure how he came t be lying on the road. Huron County coroner Dr. Charles Wallace of Zur- ich will conduct the inquest which begins at 10 a.m. at the Hensall Legion Hall. DRAWS ATTENTION - This young lad on a pair of stilts drew plenty of attention in the large parade Saturday at the Bayfield Fair. As can 1,e seen on the sign he is carrying, the youth was plugging for Pine Lake Camp, just a few miles north-east of the village.