HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1990-01-10, Page 3THE HURON EXPOSITQR, JANVARi' 10, 1990
A'
.FRUITLESS EFFORTS? - Peter Workman of Cranbrook, taking care
.recyclable goods dropped off at the bins outside on Walton, is concerned about
:the feasibility of McKillop and Grey's program in the face of a falling market for
;;the materials. Elliott photo.
Reg lotion has
Residents who use Huron County
Library services will not be affected
- much by a provincial regulation that
came into effect on Jan. 1, 1990.
The new regulation was brought before
. Huron County Council at its meeting on
- Thursday when the Huron County Library
Board's minutes for its Dec. 11 meeting
• were read to council.
Regulation 100/85, which outlines what
. services libraries must charge for, was
:. passed in 1985, said Huron County Chief
Librarian Beth Ross in .pa i tel'view.
Hut. the.'.foumyear gap was to "give
(libraries) that much time to brace
ourselves."
However, Huron County libraries . won't
' be doing much bracing because "we
didn't take full advantage in the past of
charging for everything we could have,"
Ross said. While other libraries charged
patrons for such things as putting books
on reserve and borrowing audio or
videotapes, records and cassettes, Huron
County Library has only charged for the
rental of 16mm films.
"And (16mm) ffhn use is dropping off;
we're going more and more to videos,"
added Ross. In 1988 library patrons paid
between 25 cents and $1.50 to rent 16mm
films.
Ross said the regulation will make a
difference of about $1,000-$1,800 in the
library's annual revenue. It sounds like a
lot, but it's actually a very small percen-
tage of the library's annual income,
which was about $1 million in 1989.
Twenty-five per cent of the library's
revenue comes from the province, with
he rest coming from Huron County tax-
payers. "We get a per -capita operating
grant (from the province), plus we can
apply for special project grants," Ross
said. In 1989 the Huron County Library
used a special project grant to buy such
items as large print books and talking
• books.
Printers added
First it was computers, next it will be
printers.
The Goderich Public Library will be
one of the branches of the Huron County
Library system that plans to supplement
its new computer with a printer.
Huron County Council members were
told about the printers at Thursday's
meeting, when the minutes of the Huron
County Library Board's Dec. 11 meeting
were read to council.
The printers, which cost about $300
each, will allow library patrons to print
lists of books they want, said Huron
County Chief Librarian Beth Ross in an
interview.
"You can get a list (of books) for a
research project," she said, adding with
a laugh, "or if you have a favorite author
you can read all their books."
The printers will be funded by money
that is left over from the fund-raising ef-
forts made by each branch to raise the
money for the computers. The computers
are taking the place of the libraries' card
catalogues.
And some branches — particularly
those, like the Goderich branch, with two
floors — will probably continue to raise
money to add a second computer, she
said. But "we're waiting to see if we can
get (government) grants" before any
branch starts more fund-raising, she said.
In the Goderich branch, the second
computer will be put in the children's
section.
"Even children use computers to do
research," said Ross.
However, the needs of each branch
vary, and some don't plan on adding
either a second computer or a printer,
she added. The Seaforth library is also
planning on adding a printer. The Clinton
branch is "just coasting" for the mo-
ment, she said.
Money for the computers was raised
little effect
through private donations, a group Oen-
ed Friends of the Library and book sales,
Ross said. The money raised in each
community went towards computer equip-
ment for that community branch alone,
and "each piece of equipment was
ordered as, the money was raised," not
before, she said.. . .
Al. S f ding
Additional government funding will help
get information about AIDS to a wider
section of the public, says the Huron
County AIDS Coordinator.
Huron County Council was told of the
additional funding Thursday's meeting,
when the minutes of the Huron County
Board of Health's Dec. 6 meeting were
read to council members.
The $22,620 from the Ministry of Health
was confirmed at the Dec. 6 meeting of
the Huron County Board of Health. The
money will go towards a support staff
member — a part time person — and
another computer terminal. The AIDS
education program operates out of the
Huron County Health Unit.
When Diane Aitken took on the job of
AIDS coordinator for Huron County in
late 1988, "nobody had any idea how
much time (AIDS education) would
take," she said. Her job turned out to be
"80 per cent AIDS-related and the rest
(of the time spent doing) general health
promotion."
The extra staff and computer equip-
ment will enable her to draw up more
brochures and newsletters, said Aitken.
Her first information newsletter, which
she started last fall, was a quarterly
newsletter aimed at schoolteachers. She
recently wrote up the first "AIDS in the
Workplace" fact sheet, and said she is
currently producing an information kit
for use by police officers. She also hopes
to develop information kits for special in-
terest groups, such as the mentally
handicapped.
Prior to the extra funding, Aitken said
she was using the services of existing
support staff at the HCHU. The AIDS
education program is completely funded
by the Ministry of Health.
Maintenance costs
I 1.
Maintenance for fire extinguishers at
Huronview Home for the Aged will be
done in 1990 by Georgian Bay Fire and
Safety Supplies Ltd.
At its Jan. 4 meeting, Huron County
Council was told that of the two proposals
made, Georgian Bay's proposal of $508
was the lowest. The Stratford firm had
the contract last year, said Thomas
Tomes, chairman of the Huronview Com-
mittee. Maintenance of the extinguishers
means "making sure they're up to the
proper pressure and checking them
regularly," Tomes explained. The cost is
included in Huronview's budget.
Council was also told that the fee for
maintaining the pneumatic controls —
part of the institute's sprinkler system —
at Huronview will rise by five per cent in
1990. The total coat will be $1,785; the
Huron County Health Unit is responsible
for about $450 of this amount and Huron -
view budgets for the rest.
"We felt this was a justifiable in-
crease," Tomes said. The maintenance
will be done by Energy Controls and
Mechanical Services.
No smoking
Staff at Huronview Home for the Aged
have no objection to the smoking controls
Turn to page 11A .
a
ALL FILLED UP AND NOWHERE TO GO - The recycling bins
at the McKillop -Grey Landfill Site, just outside of Walton, are
filled to capacity with tin and paper. Now, Leyser Industries in
Stratford has informed the municipality that paper may no
longer be paid for, Elliott photo.
Recycling woes build, future uncertain
Lately, the London and Stratford
newspapers have been chronicling the woes
of the newly instituted recycling programs
in the city of London and Perth County.
Something has gone seriously wrong
somewhere down the line, it appears, and
the miracle of recycling and conservation
has turned into a misery of misinformation
and overloaded systems. What went
wrong? And, even more important, how
can other municipalities prevent the same
problems from cropping up in their own
recycling programs?
"You have to change your way of think-
ing," says Gerry Nobel, owner and
operator of Nobel Sanitation here in
Seaforth. Although the town itself does not
run a recycling program, Mr. Nobel has
been running his own recycling business on
a small scale for about a year now. He
points out that misinformation on the part
of the public plays a big role in the snags
that occur in a recycling programs.
"The biggest part is educating people",
he remarks. "There's a longer list of what
you can't recycle than what you can't."
At present, this seems to be the biggest
hurdle that the City of London has to over-
come. Suddenly blitzed with Blue Boxes,
Londoners gleefully began stuffing them
with all of the tin, glass and paper they
could get their hands on.. Unfortunately,
the same boxes were left -Sitting on the
curb on pick-up day,' mainly because they
were full of essentially un-recycleable
goods.
One such item is plastic bottles. Although
these are often listed as a recycleable
item, many people are unaware that the
only plastic bottles that are acceptable are
the two -litre cola containers. Javex bottles,
juice containers and the like are useless.
"Some communities are recycling them,
but it all depends," Mr. Nobel adds.
He hopes that Seaforth will eventually in-
itiate a more town -run recycling program.
Of the approximate 500 households in town,
he estimates that only 100 to 150 are cur-
rently recycling. He is concentrating main-
ly on picking up glass and newsprint, but
adds that even that gets confusing for peo-
ple at times. Glass must be colour
separated, and .only newsprint - no shiny
inserts or other papers - can be accepted.
He presently has a bin behind the business
at 83 Jarvis St., and another one is
situated behind the EMA on Main St. He
empties these at the Mid -Huron Landfill
Site in Holmesville, where larger bins are
located. Expansion of the program in town
would be a good idea, Mr. Nobel remarks,
MADONNA MCQUAID
Music protege wins
county bursary
Madonna McQuaid, a graduate of the
Seaforth District High School, and now a
second year student at Wilfrid Laurier
University in Waterloo, received a bursary
of $400 for 1989-1990 from Huron County
Council, for having a high percentage of 86
per cent.
"I was thrilled," said Madonna, adding
that only two students were selected for
the bursary. "I didn't think my average
was high enough to qualify, and besides, I
hate books. But I love the orchestra and
performing."
Madonna is taking a double major in
"Performance and Teacher's"
"I just can't make up my mind, I
guess," she said.
"The way we're going about it, the town
has. °t really been i, volved."
but he's sitting tight until Council makes
some sort of move towards recycling on a
town -wide basis.
"It's on hold...we're going to see what
the town's going to do," he explains. "The
way we're going about it, the town hasn't
really been that involved."
"Hopefully by this summer or fall,
something will get going."
Perhaps by the summer or fall, but don't
hold your breath. William Teall, the
Seaforth representative for the Mid -Huron
Landfill Site board, reported to Council on
Tuesday night on a feasibility study con-
ducted at the site by Conestoga Rovers of
Kitchener. The study, apparently, is as yet
incomplete. However, one of the options
presented to the Board was the possibility
of hooking up with Bluewater Recycling in
Grand Bend, Bluewater is a co-operative
company, and the town's fees would cover
capital costs and operating costs. It's an
option, but things are looking vague at the
moment. :. `
""I'ni not 'sure that we're going to come
up with any decisions," Mr. Teall reports.
A recycling program, he notes, is not
necessarily at the top of their list of
priorities. Right now, the board's big con-
cern is the closing of the old Site and the
opening of the new one.
"A lot of our attention and monies are
going towards working on that aspect of
things."
The town of Clinton has agreed to go
with Bluewater Recycling, and will get on
stream in March. Currently, Hibbert
Township is working with a Blue Bag
system, while McKillop and Grey
Townships have collaborated on a
municipal recycling program. Brad Knight,
the clerk of Grey Township and Secretary
of the recycling program, is happy with
the townships' system but is keeping a
wary eye on developments in London and
Perth.
"1 think the program's going really
well," remarks Mr. Knight, who saw the
McKillop -Grey program get off the ground
in October of 1988. "We have Blue Boxes
out in the municipality, and we have a
75% participation rate, which is excellent
for a depot."
The Townships have three bins standing
on site at the landfill site just east of
Walton on County Road 25. The three -
compartment bin was originally set up for
glass, paper and tin but Leyser Enter-
prises in Stratford, who was buying the
municipalities' recycled goods, has stopped
paying for glass outside of Stratford. Now,
two bins are set aside for tin and one for
paper, and they're filling to capacity with
frightening speed.
"Once I get that bin dumped, I'm going
to have two months worth of storage," Mr.
Knight explains. Before that time, a land-
fill site meeting will have to be called, in
light on Leyser informing the municipali-
ty that they will stop paying for paper in
the. near future. The problem? An
overabundance and plummeting prices.
The solution? Brad Knight wishes he knew.
"We're still trying to be positive," he
stresses, "but it's kind of discouraging
when you're paying to keep the program
running ($7,000 - $8, i i i a year) and you're
giving the stuff away."
Peter Workman, overseeing the bins at
the landfill site, echoes the sentiment.
"I don't know why they're telling people
to continue doing this (recycling) when he
have such an oversupply," he says, poin-
ting out the full bins. The future of the
program remains to be seen but, just like
the garbage, the problems are slowly but
surely beginning to pile up.
"It's been building up, but I'm not sure
what Council's going to do," Mr. Knight
muses.
"I don't know what's going to happen if
the situation remains the same, but I think
that there's going to be a glut for a long
time...we were told that there was no way
that we could supply enough newsprint.
And that was just two years ago."
Glancing at the full bins at the Walton
site, and aware of the overabundance of
recycleable goods and the lack of viable
markets for them at present, Peter
Workman puts the situation in black and
white.
"I'm afraid that I'm going to be out of
a job soon."
Wed,, Jan. 10
1:00-3:00 p.m. — Moms and Tots at Arena
1:30-4:00 p.m. — Senior Shuffleboard at
Arena
4:30-5:30 p.m. — Ringette - Junior & Belles
5:30-6:30 p.m. — Pee Wee "CC" Practise
6:30-8:00 p.m. — Minor Broomball
8:00-10:30 p.m. — Ladies' Broomball
8:00-10:00 p.m. — Recreational Volleyball at
SDHS
8:00-11:00 p.m. — Men's Competitive Curling
Thurs., Jan, 11
4:30-5:30 p.m. — Figure Skating at SDCC
5:30.6:30 p.m. — Atom Hockey Practise
6:30-8:00 p.m. — Minor Broomball
7:30-9:30 p.m. — Mixed Basketball at SDHS
7:30-9:30 p.m. — Wood Carving at SDHS
7:30-9:00 p.m. — Ballroom Dancing at SDCC
8:00-11:30 p.m. — Men's Broomball
7:00-11:00 p.m. — Mixed Curling et Curling
Club
Fri., Jan. 12
1:00-3:00 p.m. — Open Curling - Everybody
Welcome
4:15-5:15 p.m. — Petite & Tween Ringette
5:15-6:15 p.m. — Junior Houseleague Hockey
Practise
6:15-7:15 Wm. — Senior Houseleague Hockey
Practise
6:00-8:00 p.m. — Junior Curling
7:15-8:15 p.m. — Junior Ringette vs. Forest
8:00-10:00 p.m. — Mixed Curling
8:15 p.m. — Tavistock ve Seahawks
Sat., Jan. 13
8:30-9:30 a.m. — Kings vs. Canadians
9:30-10:30 a.m. — Oilers vs. North Stare
10:30-11:30 a.m. — Flames vs. Leafs
11:30-12:30 p.m. — Whalers vs. Penguins
12:3011:30 p.m. — Mites
1:30.2:30 p.m. — Novice & Bunnies Ringette
1:304:30 p.m. — Story Hour at Library
2:30.4:00 p.m. — Seaforth Preschool Skating
Party
4:00-5:00 p.m. — Milverton vs. Novice
5:00-6:15 p.m. — Milverton ve. Atom
6:15-7:00 p.m. — Brussels ve. Pee Wee "DD"
Sun., Jan. 14
1:30-4:00 p.m. — St. James Parish Church
Skating Party
4:00-5:00 p.m. — Novice Practise
5:00-6:00 p.m. — Forest vs. Petite Ringette
6:00-7:00 p.m. — Clinton vs. Tween Ringette
7:00-8:00 p.m. — London vs. Belles Ringette
9:00-11:00 p.m. — I.H.C.
Mon., Jan. 15
4:30-8:30 p.m. — Figure Skating
7:30-9:30 p.m. — Wood Refinishing at SDHS
7:00-11:00 p.m. — Men's Curling
8:00-10:00 p.m. — Competitive Volleyball at
SDHS
8:30-10:00 p.m. — Stratford vs. Beavers
Oldtimere
10:00-11:00 p.m. — Midget Practise
Tues,, Jan. 16
9:00-10:00 a.m. — Fitness Is Fun at SDCC
10:00-12:00 p.m. — Moms and Tote
2:00-3:30 p.m. F.E. Madill vs. S.D.HS.
Highschool Hockey
5:30-8:30 p.m. — Minor Hockey
6:30-8:00 p.m. — Blyth vs. Pee Wee
7:30 p.m. — Ringette Meeting at SDCC. All
Parents Welcome
8:00-9:30 p.m. — Goderich vs. Atom
Wed., Jan. 17
1:00-3:00 p.m. — Parents & Tote Skating
1:30-4:00 p.m. — Senior Shuffleboard
4:30-5:30 p.m. — Junior & Belles Ringette
5:30-6:30 p.m. — Pee Wee "CC" Practise
6:30-8:00 p.m. — Minor Broomball
8:00-10:30 p.m. — Ladles Broomball
8:00-10:00 p.m. — Recreational Volleyball
8:00-11:00 p.m. — Men's Competitive Curling