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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1986-03-26, Page 1• INDEX Births IA10 Brussels /A17 Classified iA14, 15, 16 Dublin /A4 Entertainment IA17, 18 Family /A10 Farm /Al2 Hensall 1 A6, 11 Legion /A18 Obituaries I A10 Sports /A8, 9, 13 Walton /A5 Centenaires trailing in best -of -seven series. See page A9. Serving the communities and areas of Seatorth, Brussels, Dublin, Hensall and Walton l Hur n xpositor SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 1986 — 18 PAGES 50 cents a copy Perth budget sticks at 6.9 per cent Despite last ditch efforts by some county councillors to get more grants for their cause, Perth County council stuck to its $5 million budget for 1986. This means the 14 municipalities that are part of the county system will share in the $1.6 million to be raised locally. The rest of the money for 1986 expenditures comes from the province in the form of transfer payments, rentals and various fees. North Easthope Township Reeve John Lindner tried to get a $1,000 grant for the Perth pheasant program after it had been • turned down by council the previous week. He had no luck as the proposal was narrowly defeated, Milverton Reeve Len McDonnell was less lucky. His amendment to the 1986 budget, to give the Stratford and area Visitors and Convention Bureau the $5,000 they asked for instead of only $2,500, didn't even make it to the floor. He couldn't get a seconder for the motion. There was one reeve who didn't want any increases and acting upon the direction of his local council voted against the budget motion and bylaw. Mitchell Reeve Jim Spence said his council was not pleased with the county budget. Mitchell has the largest levy increase this year at 14.7 per cent. The town paid $98,507 to the county coffers last year and are expected to pay $113,042 this year. "Their biggest concern is that with inflation up four per cent, how can we justify a 6.9 per cent budget," said Reeve Spence. He did concede that thinking about the matter following the town council, he had forgotten to mention the grants the county is giving to Spruce Lodge and the Stratford General Hospital building fund. The reeve noted to get the budget down to a four per cent increase, the budget would have to be cut by $61,000 and the two health care grants add up to over $106,000 for one year. Reeve Spence did say next year the county will have to look at what he called "sacred cows" in the budget and make some cuts. Clerk -treasurer Jim Bell presented some figures which show over the past five years, the county levy has increased by an average of 8.8 per cent. He did note Mitchell, while nct having the highest average, at 11.1 per cent was above average. Warden Ron Denham said while he sympathized with the Mitchell situation, he didn't hear the town complaining in 1982 when it only had a 4.2 per cent increase (the second lowest). His township, Blanshard, had a 10.5 per cent increase that year and did complain, said the warden. Mr. Bell also pointed out another reason for Mitchell's increase is because that town's equalized assessment is up 52.5 million. "If you don't want to pay more, become a depressed area and see how quickly your levy goes down," the Berk -treasurer told county council. Downie Township Reeve Calvin Innes said even though his township had a decrease in equalized assessment, the figure the levy is based on. it will still pay more than Mitchell. Continued on page A16 Musical attraction COUNTRY JAMBOREE — The Van Egmond Foundation hostdd ertother successful Fiddler's Jamboree on Sunday, with participants and spectators arriving In from around the country. Music for the day was of a country flavor and was provided by musicians of all ages. Although the event features a lot of banjo picking, guitar strumming, keyboard thumping and harmonica playing as well. Dave McKee, of London, above, blew out a tune or two on his harmonica, while 15 -year-old Blaine Marks of Walton, entertained on the fiddle. Mcllwrailh photo Huron county approves budget, Huronview In an 18 to 12 recorded vote, Huron County council gave approval to its $18.7 million budget which includes putting aside money for Huronview and the museum project. Councillors gave the green light to both projects at a special meeting on March 21. County council met to have clerk -treasurer Bill Hanly present the 1986 estimates. Huron County will be spending 9.4 er cent more this year. The 26 mun dp ties in Huron will share in the $4.5 mill on tti: be raised locally. That amount was $4,1 million last year. The 1986 budget allows for $3006000 to be Placed in the Pioneer Museum building reserve fund and $240,000 for the Huronview capital reserve fund. The museum reserve fund now increases to $538,865 and the county has said it will commit 51.5 million to the museum project. As for Huronview, the county has decided to put a ceiling of 5720,000 on its share of the cost of SI.15 million renovations to the home for the aged located south of Clinton. With the go-ahead for this project, the county dollars will be matched one to one by the province. The 5240,000 in this year's budget is the first of three years. Exeter Reeve Bill Mickle, who voted against the budget, suggested an alternative method of financing the Huronview project, but he I.ad little support from his fellow co dllors. His proposal called for putting $1000 aside for Huronview this year ,increasing the aunty Levy by6.52 percent. in 'f6ur years, his suggestion would see the county with 5660.000, 560,000 short of the 5720,000 needed. "He's not saying don't go ahead with the Huronview project. He's just suggesting another way to do it," said Exeter Deputy Reeve Lossy Fuller who supported Reeve Mickle's idea. DEFENDED BUDGET Hullett Township Reeve Tom Cunningham defended the budget. Using figures from Goderich, Blyth and his own township, he showed these municipalities are paying almost the same share of the county budget as they were in 1973. Other figures he presented indicated between the county, township and school board levies, the county rate increase has been the lowest in these three communities. In Goderich, as an example, the aunty rate has gone up 58 per cent from 1973 to 1985 while the town rate is up 81.34 per cent and the school board is up 232 per cent. The Hullett reeve also stressed if the budget is accepted, each reeve had to accept their municipalities share of the budget. Reeve Mickle said he only agreed to go ahead with the museum project last year bemuse he understood Huronview would be done five years down the road. if he had known last year at budget time, he said, that Huronview would be coming up this soon he would have gone against the museum project. "fll take people over artifacts any day," he said. The largest category in the budget is social services at S7.1 million. This includes $5.5 million for operations at Huronview and 51 million for general welfare. The 5240,000 to beset aside in reserves for Huronview is part of this budget as is the aunty's share, 5225,000 to Family and Children's Services. IARGE S11ARE The highway department budget at 58.1 million has a large share of the 1986 budget, Details of this budget and others has been reported earlier Continued on page A16 Students get more than expected at religious retreat EDUCATIONAL FUN =- Paul Ryan, Lori Lynn Stapleton, Carolyn Cook and Mary Jo. Evans were intrigued by a Retreat Day they attended Saturday as part of their reit roue education titudies. The day was sponsored by the Heron -Perth Roman Catholl'c Separate School Board and was more fen than those who attended had aritielPated. MCIIwraltti photo Students who attended a Retreat Day Saturday at St. Coluntban Parish Hall, were surprised by what awaited them. The day was sponsored by the Huron -Perth Roman Catholic Separate School Board, and was an extension of the religious studies courses offered throughout the aunties of Huron and Perth. "It was a lot more fun than i expected," commented Lori Lynn Stapleton of Dublin. "'thought it was going to be a lot of boring talks and a lot of prayers, but it wasn't. I hate writing notes half (he time you don't understand what you're writing. But there was a lot of humor today and the speakers put things in modem language we could understand." i found it more involved," added Paul Ry'-, eisso of Dub1'rr1. "Everybody gets into it. The speakers talk for awhile then they get up and play guitars etc.. ..ft gets you more into the spirit," he said. "They (the speakers) did things we could associate with, through their music etc..Plus they were very honest with us, told us about their wild past," added Carolyn Cook. The purpose of the Retreat was to focus the students' awareness on their growing arm- mitment as Christians, so as to enable them to serveothers in the Christian community. It was felt bythe board and by the teachers that a day like Saturday was absolutely necessary 'to highlight the continued faith development of the students taking the religious studies aurae. The daywas annnated by Timothy Crowley and Paul Coates• liturgical musicians from Toronto. They are talented laymen -who involve students in song, prayerand religious workshops throughout the day. Some df the concerns they addressed were sexuality and satanisrftp� today's Music.__ .. A "i didn't fall asleep," said Mr. Ryan, summing up the way the students responded to their speakers. "It was not anything tike 0 expelled," added Mary Jo Evans, of Goderich. "rn the Basses there is a lot of book work and this hardly had any book work at all. It all related to us and the music and everything was good." "There was a lot of music and singing and a lot of kidding around." What the students admitted�thheyik ed the best about the speaksopen and honest approach. "They told us the truth about their lives. They were really onto drugs and booze, and really changed their lives around," corn, mented inn Lynn. thought they'd be Iike prophets or something." "Yeah. they were realp y hounds. 'They weren't what we expected. We thought we'd be listening to these little, religious people that pray all the time," added Paul Ryan. "Yeah, they were just normal guys, not goody, goodies." said Mary Jo. Although Saturday's retreat was manda- tory, since it was part of their course, the students said they'd come on a volunteer basis to another retreat if one were arranged. "It was good. They picked good topics to talk about, said Carolyn. "And they showed that people can be converted, that people can change. You'd never think they'd be like they were, and it could happen to us," said lam Lynn:. "I took this course for another credit and because I'm interested m learning mere about my religion, This day has really made a difference." "Byres interesting and funny. rd like to do it again," said Carolyn.