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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1986-03-12, Page 11THE HURON EXPOSITOR, MARCH 12, 1988 — All Hibbert Township clerk retires after 14 years on job BY ROD HILTS Hibbert Township will be losing a valuable, respected employee at the end of April as Clerk Charles Fiend will be retiring. The good-natured clerk has held the position for 14 years. Over the past month, Mr. Friend has been training Patricia Taylor of RR2, Staffa to take over his job on May 1. Mr. Friend, 68, was born in Hove, England. At the age of 22, he enlisted in the Royal Air Force. He was involved in an air crash in England that elalmed the life of three of his fellow crew members. After he recovered in hospital, Mr. Friend was transferred to Canada to serve as a navigation instructor. While in Canada, Mr. Friend met his wife Emma. She was working at the time as a Canadian Nursing Sister. He was stationed in a number of different locations across Canada including Mount Hope, Port Albert, Moose Jaw and Nova Scotia. On December 1, 1946, Mr. Friend and his wife moved to Dublin and opened an abattoir which they operated for 28 years. "We used to have a store in the abattoir but I was getting older and the work was getting heavier. I had experience in administrative work. The job came up, I applied and I was lucky,'." Mr. Friend said. Mr. Friend replaced Anne Burchill, who had taken over the job after her husband died. He estimated that the clerk's job had been in the Burchill family "for at least 25 years." Over the last 14 years, he has found the job both challenging and fulfilling. When asked about any changes in the job over the years, he said. "It's the same story I guess everywhere - there's more paperwork." "There's more and more detailed work. The Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs need more and more returns. Financial statements are broken down much more completely and budgets are more complex. "In the old days it used to be, well, how much do we want to spend on roads and how much do we want to spend on the general running of the township. It was that simple. Now it isn't. We've got planning, we've got fire services and we've got arena services, both in Seaforth and in Mitchell. Everything seems to have escalated," Mr. Friend said. WON'T MISS One aspect of the administrative duties that Mr. Friend doesn't miss is the calculation of welfare payments. Under the old system, the clerk from each municipality had to go out and visit each family in need. He nsed to calculate the welfare payments and look after all the paperwork. Now the social services for the townships are handled at the ccunty level. "I think the job should be handled and treated at arm's length. There's a hesitancy in people who live in the village coming to see the clerk who they live with and know and say 'hey I need money'. Whereas they don't like going to Stratford but they're dealing with somebody who is a total stranger they're not embarrassed," he said. One change in the township council system that Mr. Friend favors is the establishment of committees. He said one such committee, the Protective Inspection Committee PIC), al- lows the four heads of council from Flrllarton, Logan, Hibbert Townships and the town of Mitchep to meet on a regular basis and administer the building program: He said the development of a PIC "is definitely a big plus." "I know what's going on in the planning in the three townships. If the township has a particular problem, which they know other townships will have (Hibbert, Logan and Fullerton) then the heads of council will discuss these things and then you get a universal idea across the municipality of how they're treating it and what's going on," he said. When asked if the increase In committees and paperwork made his job more difficult, Charles said, "not difficult, more enjoyable. You participate more." SEEN MANY CHANGES Over the past 14 years, Mr. Friend has seen many changes in the township. He explained that the change in the public school system has helped make some of the children in the community more diversified. "When I first started., schools were at a township level. Then we went to Upper Thames Public (Mitdiell). The kids got to know other kids and became more diversi- fied. I think that has enhanced the arena and recreational facilities. For example, the Midget hockey team of Mitchell probably has Hibbert kids on the team," he said. Mr. Friend said that because Hibbert Township contributes to the funding of the Mtilitc hell and Seaforth arenas, area residents can become more involved in sports. The establishment of a township office in Dublin rates as one of the most significant advances in the township during Mr. Friend's time as clerk. In 1973, one year after he took over as clerk, the township office was established in the former Hibbert -McKillop telephone building. "The fust year i operated out of Anne Burchill's house. She had an office set up there, It was contemplated that we'd buy this place (present location of office, main street, Dublin). "We were one of the first townships that had an office. Logan operates out of their house. 1Fullerton operates out of their house. Ellice has a very nice office but that was built under a bicentennial grant," Mr. Friend said. Mr. Friend explained the idea of the township having its own office received support because, "you can come into this office, you (township residents) own part of the office. If you come in to see me, you don't feel that you're encroaching on my house or my home." Mr. Friend said the successful relationship between the township and the police village of Dublin can be attributed to the smooth running of the clerk's office. "'think the -most satisfying part of my job is the successful running of the township, which bas to happen. The township of Hibbert is rather unique in that it has the police village of Dublin within its boundaries. The pollee village of Dublin elects and administers its own business. The relation- ship between that municipality and my council is excellent. l do attribute it to the smooth running of the office. UNIQUESITUATION "It is a unique situation (police village of Dublin). They're not creatable now. They're an obsolescent type of government. But when you get 8eto 90 per cent of the people turning out to vot+ n an election, you just let it alone. You just 1( .hue it to be," he said. Mr. Fria, id explanted that the three elected trustees fnnit Dublin will request Hibbert Township >ouncil to pass b. yla'ws on their behalf. 13 said that Dublin is the only municipality in Perth County that has this type df set up. Another facet of business that pleases Mr. Friend is the fact that every hamlet in the township is equipped with street lights. He said that last month St. Columban was the last hamlet to get lights in the township. Also, the township is in the process of purchasing a new snowplow. Mr. Friend said that the township is purchasing a Ford Tandem Diesel from Harvey Krotz Ford in Listowel. The truck will cost $63,563 and when it is fully equipped with snow plowing equipment, the total cost will be somewhere around $93,000. also have a complete reserve for sick leave benefits somewhere in the range of $19,500 to $20,000," Mr. Friend said. During the interview, Mr. Friend echoed his feeling of respect toward the council members he has dealt with over the years. BEEN SPOILED "I've been spoiled with reeves. I started with Ross McPhail, he taught me. Roy Swart continued my education as did Ivan Norris. All of them are super people, In their actions as politicians, none of them would leave the office out on a limb. They protect you as does ggl think the most satisfying part of my job is the successful running of the township, which has to happen. Hibbert is rather unique in that it has the police village." Mr. Friend said the township has always used three graders to remove snow from the township roads. But with the addition of the new truck, which is expected to arrive sometime in August, the township will be able to get rid of one of the graders. "We figure that we'll be able to get the mads open one hour sooner. That is just an estimate, it will have to be tested out. The truck will travel a lot faster than the graders. The top speed of a grader is about 18 mph and the truck will buzz along, if it's not too bad, at 45 mph," Mr. Friend explained. One of Mr. Friend's biggest accomplish- ments in his years as clerk was the ability to help build up the township's reserve fund and keep the township in a healthy financial pgsition. "W e have $100,000 in working capital. We have approximately $40,000 for fire equip- ment for Seaforth and Mitchell. We have $40,000 in reserve toward this new truck. We the council," he said. Mr, Friend sees the relationship between the council and township ratepayers as good. As he puts it, "this office is responsible to see that this carries on." "if the ratepayer comes in and is not satisfied with my explanation, !always finish up by saying you can come and discuss it with council," he said. When asked if he had any advice for new clerk Pat Taylor, Mr. Friend said, "listen and if you promise to do something do it." Mr. Friend's retirement plans include a trip to England in May to visit his brother. He and his wife then plan to fly to Australia to spend Christmas with their daughter. He said they also plan to spend a lot of time at their cottage in lion's Head on the Bruce Peninsula. He said he has to put a new roof on the cottage. "That's our present plans and that's about as far ahead as I would want to go," he said. CLERK SET TO RETIRE — Charles Friend, longtime clerk of Hibbert Township Is planning to retire at the end of April. Mr. Friend and his wife Emma plan to enjoy his retirement by flying to England to visit his brother and to Australia to spend Christmas with their daughter. Rod Hilts Photo r. Farmer • • This spring let Thompson's supply your 1986 Crop Inputs Expert advice by a qualified staff to assist you in your planning. 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