HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1980-10-23, Page 1121.st Year'
Virhole No. 5876
• BY HERB SHOVELLER
The quiet interne I struggle which has'
been brewing hetvveen the town's police:
aunt** and the Seaforth police force was
•
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111, 777 -
SEAPORTH, ONTARIO, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1980 2.4 PAGES
z:
put on the bad .burner 'last Wednesday
when councti after an hour in private session
supported a resolution to have the Ontario
Police Commission (OPC) investigate the
$14 a year in adYftileh
Single Copy 35 Cetthi, ;;"
olice.and committee
local force.
•Council is asking the OPC to "conduct an
informal inyestigation of the Seaforth Police
Department' concerning morale, discipline
and administration of the department as
well as the relationship between the police
committee and the police departinint."
Councillor Gerald Groothuis, a member of
HOSPITAL VOLUNTEERS—Frances Teatero, Junior volunteer co-
ordinator, and Yvonne Kitchen who trains the young assistants at
Seaforth Community Hospital helped honour some of the young workers
last week. From left are volunteers Pam Bell, R.R. 2, Kippen; Julie
Blake, R.R.2, Brussels; Paul Stewart, Sandra Lee and Debbie Dinsmore,
all of Seaforth; Laura Chesney, R.R. 5, Seaforth; Bobbi Dale, Seaforth
and Sandra Dorssers, R.R. 4, Seaforth. More photos and a story on the
family pages. (Photo by Oke)
Nine' vie for six council seats
There wilt be a race for mayor. the six
seats on council and for the Public Ulitities
Commission (PI,IC) in Seaford) while the
reeve and deputy reeve posts have been
filled by acclamation.
Seaforth's new reeve win be William Date.
currently serving as deputy reeve. Taking
his • place as deputy reeve will be Bill
Bennett. a councillor on the present council.
Incumbent mayor John Sim:non will seek
his second term as head of the town's
government. 1 -lis challenger for the top seat
Is councillor Henry Mero.
The most interesting „ race in Seaforth
could be for council where nine norninees are
trying for six seats. Incumbents Irwin
Johnston, Robert Dinsmore and Gerald
Groothuis are all .seeking re-election. The
surprise of the three is Mr. Groothuis. who
as late as late Wednesday's council meeting
was unsure of his intentions.
The six challengers for the next council
are Bill Martin, Victoria St., David Devries,
Gotrinfock St,, Hazel Hildebrand. -High St..
Paul Ross IGiederich St. W., Alfred Ross.
Silvercreek Cres. and Gary E. Boyle, Centre
St.
There is a four man race for the two seats
open on PUC. Incumbents Gordon Pullman
and Doug Fryett are running again but they
face competition for their posts from former
councillor James Sills and retired
MC employee Charles Reeves.
Roy Swart. a farmer who resides at R.R.
4, Seaforth. has been acclaimed as reeve of
Hibbert Township. Mr. Swart has served on
the township council for the past six years.
Don Johns of Con. 12. Hibbert Tow s ip.
has been acclaimed as the to ship's
deputy -reeve. Mr. Johns has been a Member
of council for the past four years.
While the reeve and deputy -reeve were
,—Inside
New report cards
At their last meeting the
Huron -Perth Roman
Catholic Separate School
board discussed new report
cards which are being intro-
duced into their schools.
AT the meeting, as well,
Trustee John O'Leary ex-
pressed concern about con-
fusing press releases
following the settlement
between the board and its
teachers. See page . . . .4
In Search of a home
tia' The Perth Historical Board,
in desperate need of space
to house cotinfy archives.
acclaimed in the township . there is a race
for council. Three councillors will be elected
In the Nov. 10 municipal election.
Candiates are John Kinsman of R.R. 2,
Staffa; Herb Brown of Dublin; Leo Kroonen
of Dublin. all former members of council and •
new candidates Ronald Christie of R.R. 2,
Staffa; Walter McKenzie of R.R. 2, Dublin;
Robert R. Norris of R.R. 2, Staffa and
Cornelius Van Der Pryt of R.R 2. Dulbin. .
There's also a race in Dublin for village
trustees. The four men seeking three
posit tons are Matt McCreight. Jerry
Murray. Louis Maloney and Don MacRae.
McKillop Township council has been
acclaimed to office. The new reeve of the
township is Harvey Craig of Walton, and the
deputy -reeve is Marie Hicknell . of R.R. 5,
Seaforth.
_
Two of the preious councillortrried
to office are Art Anderson of R.R..I.
Seaforth and Bill Leeming of R.R. 1,
Seaforth. The new face on council is Bill
Siemon of R.R. 4. Walton.
White Laverne Gordner has been ac-
claimed deputy reeve of Logan township.
there will be a race for the post of reeve as
well as for the three seats on council,
Challenging incumbent reeve Carl Vock
will be Edwin (Ted) Inman of R.R. 2.
Monkton.
There is a four person race for three
council seats. Incum ents Joe Waite. R.R. 5.
Mitchell and Joe Vn4emtk. R.R. 2.
Pefonkton are seeking re-electi n. In the race
also are Marie Eickrneier of R.R. 5. Mitchell
and Gordon Young of Monkton.
Grey Township • acquired new councillor
Ben Terpstra after councillor Edwin Kreuter
decided not to run for re-election. The Grey
ceencil allacclaimed now consists of Reeve
Roy Williamson. Deputy -reeve Leona Arm -
this week
had its request to move in
to the old Stratford registry
office turned down by the
Perth County council. See
story on Page . 9
Guarding the goal
The Seaforth Centenaires
started their season on a
losing note Friday nigheby
dropping a 12-2 decision to
Mitchell. Seaforth lost to
the same club Tuesday by a
5-2 count. See the sports
section for ,photo and story
and see also the letter from
Vincent Lane remembering
hockey as it used to be in
Seaforth. Letter on Page .2
strong. councillors ,Charlic Thomas. Lyle
Pettapiece and Mr. Terpstra. After nomina-
tions closed on Monday. however. the
township was still short two trustees for the
police village of Ethel. Bill Dobson remained
as a trustee and Ronald Cardiff and Phyllis
Pfeifer have dropped out.
The Expositor has forwarded a
questionnaire to challengers for council
scats in Seaforth and arca. A short profile of
each contestant. along with their answers,
will be published in the Nov. 6 edition of the
Expositor just before the Nov. 10 election.
Any nominee who has not received these
forms by Friday. Oct. 24 is asked to contact
the Expositor at 527.0240.
the police committee, noted at the council •
meeting that the investigation could take u6...
to a yi eat before the result's are known. The
commission is currently conducting several
similar studies throughourthe province.
Shaun MacGrath, chairman of the
commission, and Stanley Raike, an advisor
to the OPC, were scheduled to visit Sei-orrnili
to meet with the police committee last night:
Town clerk, Jim Crocker, said, however, the
meeting concerns another matter - the
operation of the local communications
network which it based in Gotrich.
Seafotth police chief John Cairns said he
was both surprised and pleased by the
decision to have the investigation. " I third;
it's going to be good for the next council
coming in," he said. "I felt they (the
commission) should have come in before
now. but I couldn't call them. It's not my
place.
"After the last committee meeting, we
had a special meeting, the cards were on the
table and everything was on the up and up,"
explained Chief Cairns.
CLEARED AIR
"'We cleared a lot of air, and aftheend of
the meeting. I thought we'd accomplished
something. After, I got a report in writing
that said the department showed improve-
ment. Then right out ,of the blue. the next
-week, this -is -what they ccime tip with. So
what do we do?"
Mayor John Sinnamon played down the
importance of the commission investigation.
"It's just to clear the air," he said, adding
the local police committee is not after
anybody's job. "If we wanted to do that. we
could have done it last year."
Mayor Sinnamon disagrees with the chief.
"John was aware a couple of meetings ago
that this could happen. It was made plear to
him that this was a possibility."
•
Henry Mero, a councillor who does not sit
on thealentllitlhe, thinks the decision.to call
in the OPC is a good One. "It's probably a
good move at this point," he said. "But
things 'should have been chute internally
before it got toll* stage. I'm of the opinion
that nobody knows whaLtheepeeteleni,js.
—ars the reason Wile fih see a neutral
body come in,"
Chief Cairns is concerned at the inclusion
of the trms "morale" and -discipline' in
the resolution. "We're a very small depart-
ment," he explained, "and we've got to
work together, which is very difficult en the
discipline side. I've had no discipline
problems. Just petty stuff, which the guys
were told about.
"You don't just go and ball a guy out. This
job is hard enough. If I were the chief in
London or Stratford or Kitchener -Waterloo, I
wouldn't see the guys. That's differeht. I
don't have time to inspect the guys' boots
and clothes. That's what they're
complaining about, as well as about being on
time for work.
"I've never had this problem with any
other committee in seven years, This gets
the guys down. We're working under a
'what's going to happen next' style.
MORALE IS HURT
"If I'm wrong, I'll be the first to admit it,"
added elle-Maims. "But investigations hurt
morale more than anything."
Because the, terms appear in the
reSolution, however, doesn't mean there is a
morale or discipline problem on the force,
the mayor added. "That's what we want to
find out," he explained.
Mayor Sinnamon also noted that the
investigation could show that any problems
which exist could be the fault of the town's
police comittee. "If we're in the wrong. we
want to know about it," he said.
Yawn ! !
School board reps all acclaimed
There will be no race in the Seaforth area
for seats on the Huron County board of
educe iton or the Huron -Perth Roman
Catholic sephrate school board. All local
posts have been filled byeacclamation.
Acclaimed for the Huron public school
board are: former Tuckersmith councillor
Frank Falconer, representing Tuckersmith
and Clinton areas; John Jewitt. in McKillop'
and Seafortle. incumbent, -Robert Peck
returns in Stanley township and Bay -field
and John Goddard will replace Herb
Turkheim as the Thirch Hay and Hensall
representative Dennis Rau has
been acclatmea as tne separate school
representative on the public board. He
stands for the arca south of Highway 8.
Area trustees next term on the Huron -
Perth separate board are: John O'Leary.
representing ribbert townshipo; Keith
Montgomery from Hulled; Lorraine
Devereaux in Seaforth. Ttickersmith: Ron
Murray will represent McKillop and Tech
Geoffrey has been acclaimed as the Hay
township and area representative.
4111M1111/11011.0
Bury the hatchet, Tuckersmith
About 85 voters attended The Tucker -
smith Township ratepayers' meeting Mon-
day night at Huron Centennial School.
Brucefield with Michael Connolly acting as
chairman.
Reeve Ervin Sillery. RR1. Brucefield.
announced he was stepping down as reeve
and would not be seeking re-election Reeve
Sillerw a 58 -year-old farmer. has been on
council for 19 years. four as reeve He
congratulated his successor. Deputy -reeve,
Robert Bell. who was acclaimed reeve
following nominations Monday aftentoon.
'Mr. Bell. RIO. Kippen, a 46 year old
farmer, is 'completing six years on council.
the last two as deputy reeve.
Two candidates are, seeking the deputy -
reeve's chair --councillors William Breen.
50. of Egmondville and Robert Fotheeng-
ham.,39. RR4, Seaforth.
Three new councillors will be elected from
the, six newcomers nominated for teese
positions. They are Robert Broadfoot. RR, .
Brucefield. John Brow nridge. Van a era ;
Ltoyd Eister S. Egmonclyille. Jan Fereeson
and Betty McLean both of Vanastra and lim
Papple. RR4. Seaforth.
Councillor William Brev,n gave a -cport
Lots of questions
Foreign ownerThip of farm
land, township owned
gravel pits and the removal
of deputy reeves from
county council were some
of the questions candidates
for office in Stanley
Township fielded Monday
night Stanley's- haying an
election for the first time in
10 years. See Page . . .17
Opening the well
Seaforth PUC officialis
opened the town's new
well and maintena e
building Oil Welsh St on
Friday. For story and
photos, See Page 23
of his ten years and said he had been
appninted to one hoard • the Vanastra da'.
. care board. but v. as removed from nhy
muncil folksy. mg his rejection hy the dav
care board members.
A LAUGH
Mr. Brown drew a laugh from the
audience '.'.hen he said. "Falcone/ gave a list
of his troubles on council and I guess I was
most of them " •
Mr. Brown promised that if elected he
would continue to bring before the tate
payers "things that need to he brought
out
In his report Reeve Sillery spoke d te
%jerk done at County council level but
warned the audience that he would not be
able to ens% a questions about the up-
coming Ontario Municipal Board hearing
Thursday at Vanastra
Counctllor Robert Fotheringham said he
was chairman of the Vanastra day care
centre board for the last two years He said
the centre was averaging 24 members. shon
10 members from capacity . He spoke of the
program being set up to handle the
handicapped at the day. care centre. all
financed bs gos ernment.
Mr. Fotheringhem spoke of the problems
with the Seaforth Fire Area Board v. hich
have been resolt ed eith "the board still
together " He said a ne'.s fireproof vault had
been bought for the toe nship office
folloeing the fee at the.McKillop Township
Office.
Deputy.- Reeve Robert Bell said he
sought the reeve's seat because he enjoyed
wdrking on county council and the deputy
reeves were no longer included. He said he
had been elected to the property committee
on countv council and wanted to serve out
his term.
He ihid the work for the Doig subdivision
had, been completed: a new bridge had
been constructed in the township and
another repaired and the township had
bought a farm for a grevel pit.
COUNCIL, CANDMATES
The six nomittees for the three council
seats were invited to 'peak. Jim Brownridge
of Vanastra. an .English teacher at Central
Huton Secondary School at Clinton for the
past 12 years. moved to Vanastra four years
ago. He said for the past two years he has
watched e lib 'dismay' the turmoil within the
Tuckersmith council. the community of
Vanastra and throughout the, township.
He said. "I have witnessed an often bitter
struggle between many Vanastra residents
and a council which has attempted to weigh
the desires of one segment of the toenehip
against the will of the entire community it
has served. There are fee easy answers to
these problems. However. one can easily
draw some rather sad conclusions about the
efect of this turmoil on the toenship as a
efrole."
e ORRESPONDENT RUNS
Candidate Jan Ferguson. 20. has lived
Vanastra for the past teo-and•a•half
veare. where she and het husband Wayne
manage the Vanastra Factory outlet The
couple has two children attending Vanastra
Public %Amyl. She added she is the news
correspondent for the Clinton News Record
and the Seaforth Huron Expositor. as well as
a Sunday School teacher and superinten-
dent.
She said one reason for seeking a seat on
council could he ' 'group therape''. the
overwhelming plroductivIty and results ore
gets then even -one works together The
toe nship needs • 'group t h er apy • • . people
who can work va oh peopielisten to people
and . act with people to make a strong
backbone for the toe nship The ;oh of
Suncillor involves a lot of research and
communication skills-sshich she feels she
has.
Lloyd Eisler,who has lived in the tov.nship
since he was nine sears old. e ae in the navy
during the war and served three years on the
'Seaforth police force.
Mr. Eisler called Tuckersmith unique with
hs urban and agricultural 'areas each
needing the other. He said wardship woutd
says
break the township's backbone (some
residente of Vanastra have petitioned for
Vanastra to be made a separate ward in the
township.)
Mr. Eisler spoke of the upcoming battle on
Thursday at the OMB court. He said if .the
battle is lost. it should be forgotten. He
pleaded for the ratepayers in the township to
get togethet with Vanastra ratepayers and
make Tuckersmith one.
Betty McLean of Vanastra said Tucker -
smith is unique in that it has three or four
built-up urban communiftes, plus a major
rural area %Inch can cause different types of
problems, not normally presented to a
township council. She said she was not
making any promises to solve the township's
penblems. but if elected. promised to keep
an open mind and do the best she could. She
urged everyone in the township to vote.
Robert Broadfoot. RR I. Brucefield said he
appreciated the opportunity to stand foe
council He spoke of his agriculteral
barkground and experience egaitedeltrough
serving on the Egg Marketing Board, Soil
and Crop Improvement Association and the
Seaforth Agricultural Society.
Jim Pap*, RR4. Seaforth, said he farms
300 acres on the Kippen mad and that "we
enjoy a fantastic township". He wild the
township has a good facilityeat Vanastra.
Mr. Papple thought there was a lack of
information from council: He said he had
questioned certain decisions. but when you
tali to former members of council they will
tell you why the decision was made. He
concluded his remarks "I can sit down and
iisten to reason."
•
Another week to name
Citizen of the year
The deadline for caodidates for Seafordee
Citizen of the Year Award has been
extended, so that more nominations can be
looked at for the town's new award.
Councillor Henry Mero. a member of the
rec committee, said there'd been a
disappointing response to the call for
names and moved the deadline ahead to
Friday. October 31.
Nominations of Seaforth residents
who've been involved in some worthwhile
community projects here can be sent to the
Recreation Committee. at Box 885,
Seafotth, or dropped off at the town clerk's
office. by that date.
The award will be presented at the new
counciT's inaugural meeting,after the Nov.
to election.
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