HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1985-11-13, Page 1INDEX
Births /A13'
Brussels /A11
Classifieds /A14, 15
Dublin /A4
Entertainment IA18
Farm, /A9
Family /Al2, 13
Graduations IA12
Hensall I A5
Legion 1A/18
Obituaries /A13
Sports iA6, 7
Walton /A8
Triple black belt -holders runs karate school. See page A3
Walton has another business. See page AB.
Whitney-Ribey expands premises. See page All
Serving the communities
and areas of Seaforth,
Brussels, Dublin, Hensall
and Walton
alIMOMMINNONIMMII
xpositor
SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1985 — 1B PAGES
Demands met
Following a lengthy negotiation period
Seaforth Town Council was finally able to
pass a by-law last week.authorizing a contract
service with the Seaforth Police Association.
in compliance with the request of the
Seaforth Police Association the normal
retirement age (NRA) was reduced from 65
credited service to 60 credited service
effective January 1, 1985. This follows a trend
being set by other Ontario municipalities.
The cost of converting to NRA 60 is
$28,113 (based on the association salaries),
This cost will be borne by Seaforth.
According to the negotiating committee,
because 117 of 128 Ontario Police forces now
have NRA 60, an arbitrator would have
probably awarded it to Seaforth with the cost
to be paid by the municipality.
The committee also felt an arbitrator would
have also adjusted the 1985 salary request
accordingly, and did that.
The police had requested salary increases
of $1,500. Instead the 1984 annual salary for a
First Class Constable was increased $700.
The 1984 annual salary of the Chief of Police
was increased by $1,231, Both are effective
January 1, 1985.
"By comparison with other municipalities
our salaries are on the lower side of average.
The Chief does a good job too," said Henry
Mem, a councillor and member of the
negotiating committee,
"W e did come out pretty well. The $28,000
is a one-time expenditure and there's an
increase in salary every year. Sure it's not
budgeted for and all that but I figure we came
out relatively unscathed," he said.
Partial demolition okay
for Main Street block
Town council has agreed to authorize the
dcmolnon of part of the Roth block located on
the west side of Main Street South. That block
was destroyed by fire earlier in the year.
tin Thursday council agreed to accept the
recommendation of its Finance and General
Government Committee to allow demolition
of the rear ground floor apartment (known as
u John Street and the single storey kitchen
section of what was previously known as the
Seaforth Restaurant and Steakhouse,
A demolition permit for the remainder of
the pmperty, consisting of the first and
second floors of the restaurant and the first
sad second floors of both the Bulk Food Store
and the Dutch Cheese Shop was denied That
denial was based on input from Seaforth's
Incat .\ rchiti'u't ural Conservation Advisory
Committee. the Chief building official and
Seaforth Council, all who felt the buildings
are an integral part of Seaforth's Heritage
District and should he saved and repaired
because of their architectural and historical
significative
It was also pointed out to council the Roth
black has been sold However no details of
the sale or the name of the new owner is
.1%aitable Teen ('oemeil was informed it was
thought the new owner wished to repair the
buildings
KIU)SION ('ONTROI.
council has adopted a recommendation
from its Transportation and Environment
Committee to apply for erosion control
assistanei, to the Ausable Hayfield Conserva-
tion Authonty'AB('A)
The recommendation came after John
Suit. a representative from ABCA, outlined
the trees to he removed by the Public Works
Department to prevent ice backup in the
spring. When examination of the bank in the
area of the CNR bridge was done serious
eroding was found that allowed slabs of
cement to fall in the creek.
PROH1BIT smut. LNG
Council voted six to one in favor of
endorsing a resolution sent to them by the
Town of Durham.
The resolution requests Ontario declare
teachers to provide essential services,
prohibit teachers from striking or walking
out, and school boards from locking them out,
and to provide for binding arbitration where
contract disputes cannot be resolved.
"This is pretty heavy'stuff," said Council-
lor Henry Mem.
"I thought a person's right to strike was
fundamental. I don't see a school teacher as
an essential service They (Durham) are
asking quite a hit of a person to vote either for
or against this "
"i feel just the opposite," countered
Councillor Wayne Ellis,
"i think teachers are vital and the havoc
their striking wreaks on schoolchildren,
especially those in their later years. can't be
measured They stand a chance of losing their
year "
"i agree with the resolution. Besides
arbitration isn't necessarily bad for the
teachers it could be a good thing Very often
it goes in favor of labor, it could straighten up
some boards." he added.
Those voting in favor of the resolution
were: Reeve Bill Campbell, deputy -reeve Bill
Bennett, and councillors Ellis. Hazel Hilde-
brand, ('arolanne Doig and Bill Martin.
Councillor Metro voted against the resolution.
Paul Ross was absent from the meeting.
POPPY DROP =?V embers of the Seaforth Branch of the Royal flag in a gesture of commemoration to fallen veterans, Pictured
Canadian Legion Mad by' the'Genotaph,dyring Remembrance Day during the ceremonial Poppy Drop are Legion members, front to
ceremonies Monday, and deposited their poppies on the Canadian back: Don MacLean, Robert McFarlane and Al Hoff. (Raftis photo)
Local man remembers air raids
BY AllAN SOURBUTTS
. EDITOR'S NOTE: Allan Sourbutts, a
retired tool -and -die maker, has been living in
Seaforth for the past five years. During the
Second World War, Mr. Sourbutts worked as
a machinist in Coventry, England and was
there while the Nazis targeted the city for a
sustained bombing blitz. Mr. Sourbutts is
currently writing his memoirs and in this
excerpt from those as yet, unpublished
volumes, he tells the story of the bombing of
Coventry.)
in that early part of the war i was living
comfortably and happily with my married
sister, a room to myself and all of the
privileges thereto. Robert, my brother-in-law
and their only daughter Cynthia, born three
years before the war. My brother-in-law and I
had already done much of the work to install
our 'Anderson' bomb shelter at the far end of
the back lawn, some fifty feet or so from the
house, but much more still needed to be done
to render usable the primitive amenities
within it's very limited space. Four rough
bunkbeds, two on each side, provisions for
emergency lighting and other life support
equipment for hopefully temporary use. The
small entrance which was at ground level was
no larger than about eighteen by thirty inches
covered on the outside by a 'gas curtain', to
guard against the possible use of poison gas.
Everybody had been issued during that
summer a free gas mask, including small
children and mere infants. For the comple-
tion we filled sandbags full of rocks and earth
from the diggings and placed them on top and
around the whole thing. Now it was ready 'for
use' for the want of a better phrase. it was
wishful thinking that we would never have to
make use of it. The following year when the
bombs did start to fall we were more than
thankful for it AiR RAID
Seated comfortably in the newlybuilt
luxury cinema on Corporation Street in
Coventry, we watched the end of the brand
new movie "Gone with the Wind" shortly
before nine o'clock in the evening. The
cinema was full to capacity. All places open to
the public had to close by 9 p.m it was early
in September at the height of enemy action by
air attack. Darkness was fast descending as
we all were leaving the theater, when the
sirens were sounding their alert of approach-
ing enemy aircraft. We made enforced way to
the nearest bomb shelters to take cover and
soon was hearing the unmistakable whine of
falling bombs, screaming louder, and louder
(Continued on page A10
Acclamation to' o easy, councillors
HARRY HAK
HAZEL HILDEBRAND
Unfortunately the days of the "hold the
presses" attitude in newspapers, especially
weekly newspapers, is gone. it is no longer
ecnnomicalh feasible for newspapers to
request their printing schedule be shifted to
accommodate important events that occur
between the time the newspaper is put to
bed and the paper hits the streets. For this'
reason elections and weekly newspapers just
don't get along
As most people in the area know The
Expositor goes to press Tuesday in order to
get the paper on the streets and in the mail
Wednesday morning Because of that The
Expositor won't he able to carry the results of
the election in this week's paper. Instead
subscribers are going to have to wait until
next week to read the full election results
But there are some results we're sure of.
Eight of the nine seats on Seaforth Town
Council were filled by acclamation. and none
of those who made it on council are overly
thrilled with that fact
1 like running an election. i don't like
getting in b} acclamation. You don't know the
people's minds." said Bill Bennett, who
BOB DINSMORE
takes over the reeveship from Bill Campbell.
"i don't know whether people are satisfied
with what's going on or so disgusted they've
thrown up their arms and said, go to it •
although i don't think that's it The last
council has been a good one. The mayor's
good and gives the council the right direction.
He puts a powerful lot of time in it."
"it really disappointed me. When closing
time came i couldn't believe there was not
enough show interest to get an election,"
said Harry Hak, councillor,
"Maybe the fact that council has been
doing a pretty good job, or the three-year
term, scared people, he said.
"i'm supremely ticked off that people
didn't get their names in early enough to
have a real election. I'd rather be voted out
and know people made a decision than get in
because nobody gave a damn." said
Carolanne Doig. the only councillor on the
current council to remain.
"This is a non -election. This is boring "
"i wish there'd been more enthusiasm for
nominations. it would probably be better if
we had an election," said Gary Osborn.
councillor
"i was really disappointed 'and surprised
too." said Peg Campbell about the non -elec-
tion
"When I found out as many councillors
were not running again as there were I
thought there'd be more response i
definitely expected a full election it's too
bad,"
"i figured there'd he a little more interest.
that there'd be an election and we'd be able to
give people a choice." said Bob Dinsmore.
Most of the new council members cite the
fact there are no real issues in Seaforth at the
time. as one of the reasons response to the
election was so poor. What issues there are.
they say, have been ongoing issues.
MIL BENNETT • UTNE
Mr. Bennett has served five years as the
town's deputy reeve and a further seven
years as a councillor Married with three
children, Mr Bennett is self-employed and
raises horses. 'Until April he worked at
Genesco.
Mr. Bennett said he opted to run for reeve
because it was a step up from deputy reeve
and councillor. and because the position
(Continued on page A3,
PEG CAMPBELL
CAROLANNE DOIG
GAF .� " OSBONN •
BILL BENNETT