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The Huron Expositor, 1980-11-20, Page 1,111.11, 7111 ,11 • SEAFORTO, ONTARIO, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24 PAGES JUNIOR FARMER—, 18 (nonth old Bradley Dillon demonstrates his eagerness to learn about the family business. He proudly displays a piglet built to his small scale. The Dillons farm near Kinburn. (Photo by Larry Dillon) By HERR :SHOVELLER ' • Seaforth needs new industry to stimnlefe , its •growth but there are several maim% obstacles facing the community which make it hard to attract large buisinesses. The difficulties were gEfferallyagreed upon at a' meeting MI:ia-ayi—iightheirveen.tTi towe's planning board and a dozen citizens in attendence. The meeting was the first of fottr public forums to get citizen ideas as part of the review of the town's official plan. Perhaps the largest obstacle facing the town in iits attempt to attract iodnatrY according -to the planning board is that it is a substantial distance from major transporta- tion routes. Industries select building sites dose to markets. Consequently land sucVds-- that enear the 401 is more attractive. A second problem facing the town is that it no longer owns land in its industrial park, although it does own a small six acre block in the north end of the community. Charlie Campbell, chairman of the planning beard and, of Monday night's meeting, noted 'most -industry wants to deal wth municipally - owned land rather than private interests. Both the board and members of the public agreed on the importance of having serviced sites readily available far industry, but there was some dispute over whether this should be accomplished by expanding the existing park or by seeking land elsewhere. Mr. Campbell outlined the general aims of the official plan and the more specific goal of the industrial planning workshop. He stressed the importance of planning to the progress of Seaforth steps though which reach its goals. The first step is .situation; in genera what it needs. Ne must be asieige then described three the town can hope to , examin the current what S forth has and t e existing resources 1.7--WoilTd- include available land, 1 d needed, the size of potential workfo e, as well as transporta- tion requieem ts and other important factors. Based on this information, the final. step wouldb; to act. Mr. Camp ell explained developing an official pia is a group effort in which the town res' ents must get involved. "At this stage r sidents' desires are required," he sa 'We need public input." , Following his opening 'remarks there was a short question period. Mr. Campbell noted the current official plan was established in 1971 and added plans should be reviewed after between five and 10 years. Betty Beutenmiller asked the board to outline the prdcedure taken in setting up the official plan, add the extent to which it is legally binding. • A BLUE PUNT "The official plan is like, a blue print showing how the town will develop over the next few years," explained Roman Dzus, a --Huron County dormer and an advisor to the Seaforth planning board. "The zoning by-law (which comes later) creates more detail. This is an opportunity for residents to say how they would like to see Seaforth develop. It's important to understand what • an official plan is." Gord Pullman, current thaintan of the . Public Utilities Commission, wondered whether an official plan didn't put the "cart . before the horse. Would you turn an industry out of this town because they didn't' like'-the--lots?—Arid--if---yon--- eltange—to--- accomodate them why plan?" he asked the board. Mr. Dzus replied the official plan offers projections, and added the preparation allow the toWn to find sites which are most suitable for industry. "Industry would work with the industrial planning comenittey," he continued. "Plans and by-laws can be changed like in tonight's public meeting so everyone affected by the a changes can have their views felt. "When you have specific questions like that it's hard to give specific answers," he told Mr. Pullman. "The plan is not rigid." Seaforth town clerk Jim Crocker added the official plan can be amended when the need arises, and noted several changes were \m,esi a e in the present plan since it was ablished in 1971. Mr. Dzus noted dealing with what is ' happening in the town is only one facet of the plan, "It can also be used as a means of making things happen, to make sure changes to the community are attractive, and to help make sure land is in a usable state," he said. "It's not just for controlling things, but also for making things happen." ' Following the general discussion, Mr.' Campbell made a few brief comments about • $16 a yea k in adYallce, Single Copy 40 Cents• the importance Of industrial growth, the focus of the'evening workshop. He said for each new industrial job often two or three other employement opportunities open. The chairman also explained a broirder industrial base would improve the town's tax revenue, -and-ease-residential ta.s buidense- The need for new industry is further highlighted by population projections which estimate Seaforth stabilizing at between 2100 and 2200- people by the year 2000, explained the chairman. Additional evidence of the importance of new industry is that the younger residents are leaving the commun- ity to find work. Along with increased mechanization in agriculture, an industry upon which much of the town's economy has been based through its history, these two factors cause population growth to stall. MANY RETIRED PEOPLE Mr. Campbell noted that one quarter of the community's residents are retirement age, which is twice the ptovincial average. Without growth in industry, he explained, Seaforth could become a retirement .centre. "Is this what we want?" he asked the gathering. "This is what we have to find out." Other questions he suggested the audi- ence consider were whether the town should be selective about the industries it wants, whether, in fact, Seaforth wants more industry and also to what extent potential pollution and traffic problems should be taken into account. Please turn to page 3 PUC rates may go up 5-6% .BY ALICE GIBB Seaforth residents can expect an estimat- ed five to six per cent increase in their PUC rates in the coming year. Manager Tom Phillips told commissioner Thursday night Ontario. Hydro will be charging the local utility 9.3 per cent more for hydro in 1981. He said, We (Seaforth PUC) anticipate a lower rate of increase to consumers." The commission approved the 1981 bud- get in principle at Thursday's meeting. The budget now must go to Ontario Hydro for approval and then comes back to the local commission for final approval. Some low interest in sale of farm block BY HERB SHOVELLER A local real estate company offered to show McKillop farmland to local buyers on Monday but a lact,pf interest may mean the land will be sod'i4 &Aside investors. Steve Murray, an agent of the Don Hamilton Real Estate company. Seaforth. said the property totals about 1.000 acres from four farms within a two mile radius in -McKillop. The land, he said, is close to being in a block. Nurgery school may move to SPS Although it is not de finite, the in- dications are that the new home of the Seaforth Co-operative Nursery School will be in a portable classroom at the town's public school. The pre-school teaming centre, whose home is currently in • the Seaforth library basement. has been asked by the Huron County Litkary board to move by next June. The possibl e move to the public school was announced to council last Tuesday night by Pat Rodney, a representative of the nursery. She had approached council two, months ago seeking assistance in finding a new site. After assuring her the town would hot see the school out in the cold (pressure was being applied by the library board for an earlier move). council requested the school search for alternative sites and report its progress to the town. Mrs. Rodney told council that the por- table • would cost about $6.030 before washroom facilities were added. In her cost analysis she included moving prices. water. hydres and sewer hookups, and a variety of other expenses. "Right now the school has about S1300." said Mrs. Rodney," and we hope by the end of the year to have another 51000. We are trying to look for other, cheaper portables." The nursery is leaning towards a portable classroom because indoor and outdoor space regulations imposed by the provincial government mean other facilities in Seaforth (such as club halls) are insufficient. "We have been given permission by the Huron County board .of education. and Mr. Carroll is quite entusiestic." adaed Mrs. Rodney. describing support of the public school principal. She told council that 64 children now attend the school and noted there's also a waiting list. When she explained not all the students were from Seforth, council suggested the nursery approach bordering municipalities for further aid. r—Inside this week Reaping their rewards 4-H members from around (the county received a variety of awards recognizing' their achieve- . ments at the 33rd. Annual Achievement Night held in Clinton on Friday. Most of the awards went to the Seaforth area. See story and photos P. 5 Curlers "Cash in" •at Spiel A Cash Spiel, which at- tracted curlers from around southwestern Ontario, was held at the Seaforth Curling Club on the weekend - and a Seaforth rink. was twitting the winners. See Story and photos. .. P. 11 "You can assure -the township -s that as far as the town is concerned. that we will support it." Mayor John Sinnamon told her, "Then get back to us as soon as the new council is in effect. Keep working on it and we won't see you stuck" Ms. Rodney explained the school board had given permission to use a corner of their property for five years, "and if we are good tenants, then for another five." The public school site is favored by the nursery school because it is less expensiv e than other alternatives, and there is little traffic on the west end of Market St. Where the school is situated. We were also told you were going to dig up Market. St. anyway," Mrs. Rodney added, "so we could have the sewers put in while it was dug up." Mayor Sinnamon suggested the matter be turned over to the finance and general gov-ernme nt committee. adding council would get back to the nursery Centenaires lost, one of season's best Gary Gray says while the Centenaires lost to Belmont by a 10-5 score, the game was one of the best of the season. with good checking and skating by the. local . players. Doug Anstett scored three goals against the Belmont boys. See story and photo P 10 Wanted: Pharmacist for Hensall Harry Klungel, Hensell councillor, said in the re- cent campaign, one issue raised was the need for a pharmacist in the village, since elderly residents find it difficult to find transpor- tation to Exeter to have prescriptions filled. Anyone interested? See story. P. 19 "The two outside people who are in- terested in it are European but they have Canadian citizenship." explained Bill Henderson. another Hamilton agent. "We're getting fairly dose to selling to Europeans,- added Mr. Murray. but later described the sale to outside interests as only a "fair possibility", ":We have had some local people in- terested," said Mr. Murray. "What we tried to do Monday was to show 11 10 local people. Because there is a possibility of selling to European people, we thought we would give them (local people) a chance. We think that's fair. Everybody knows that the property is for sale." Mr. Henderson explained that if the land is sold to outside buyers the short term goal will be to rent it back to local farmers. He added the buyers would want the vendor to remain in the buildings for the present. "It's quite likely the land will be rented out," said Mr. Henderson and we have a lot of local people interested- in renting if they (Europeans) buy it." He added the buyers have mentioned long term plans but these could not be disclosed. Please turn to page 3 Town honours retiring reeve Last Tuesday night was not only the last full gathering of the current Seaforth town council, it was afsd the last for reeve John Flannery. who is stepping down after 20 years in municipal government here. Council established a precedent by 4 giving Mr. Flannery a gift, a gold wrist -watch, honoring his yearsof service. Similar gifts will be given councillors who serve five or more consecutive terms. "On behalf of the people of Seaforth", Mayor John Sinnamon told the retiring reeve, "it is an honor to present you with a small token of appreciattion for your 20 years' service. The town has benefitted from your work. You'll be missed." Mr. Flannery addressed council briefly. and noted in his 20 years he had missed only one council meeting: "1 was very fortunate to have evenings off to make all the meetings," he said, "1 will miss the socializing And the comradeship." Mr. -Flannery, who was born in Seaforth, said he remembered delivering groceries when he was younger When there were seveh grocery stores in town. He added the experience left him familiar with the town. An inscriptionon the Watch read: "John Flannery, Seaforth Council, 1960- 1980". The reeve's seat on the new council will be filled by William Dale. L The estimeted capital expenses budget in 1981 will be 541.500 compared to 573.500 in 1980 and 539,100 in 1979. The budget was higher in 1980 due to the purchase of a new truck by the department. The budget for controllable expenses in 1981 is 5101,644, compared to 596.989 in 1980 and 595,595 in 1979. In other business. Mr. Philips outlined the meter calibration program. This year. 200 meters will be sent to Consurrier and Corporate .affairs in London for calibration, to ensure their readings are accurate. Mr. Phillips said there are approximately 1,000 meters in Seaforth households. and 200 per year are sent away for calibration. Commissioners approved the hiring of Dan Nash of Seaforth as a fulltime. PUC employee. bringing the PUC crew up to four men . Mr. Nash started with the PUC last May and had been employed on a student basis since. In correspondence from the Ontario Municipal Electric Association. a utility like Seaforth's with 5600-S700.000 in revenues was shown as having an average of seven employees, so the commissioners felt they. should hire Mr. Nash on a fullti'me basis. Employees of the Seaforth PUC will be taking the CPR course in heart massage early in 1981 as an additional safety precaution. Tom Phillips also read correspondence on the federal golirnment's proposed off -oil program grants. The grants have been proposed' to help homeowners replace oil -fired heating systems with other energy forms from natural gas to wood and coal. The government would offer furnace conver- sion grants of up to S800 to homeowners who wished to convert their furnaces. Origianlly federal funds were only to apply to those conversions begun on or after Oct. 28, but now Ottawa has agreed to subsidize homeowners whose system have largely been converted if the final inspection took place on or after Oct. 28. When the program is finally implemented. it's expected it will 'be administered by the provinces. Richard Fleming. of the provinc- ial ministry of energy, said recently no date has been set to officially introduce the conversion program, but he hopes it will be in the first half of 1981. At the end of the meeting. PUC chairman Gordon Pullman Rid tribute to the work of commissioner Doug Fryett. who was defeat- ed when he ran for re-election in the Nov.. 10 municipal election. Mr. Pullman said. "Doug, we're certainly going to miss you." adding his loss would leave a gap in the commission. Mr. Pullman added. "I think our local paper took a couple of cheap shots at you." Mr. fryett, who owns a home is Seaforth, is now living and working in Toronto. He said after the meeting, he plans to kccp his Seaforth home, and while he might not run again for political office in Seaforth. he will try politics again. Starting in December, Jim Sills of Seaforth will be the new PUC cOmmissioner. Population down,or is it? Depending on whether you're an enumerator or member of council Hensall's population has either increased or declined. A census report for the village indicates the latter with a total of 965 residents in the community compared to 980 a year ago. Clerk -treasurer Betty Oke told council Wednesday that according to the census report. Hensell has been experiencing a population decline since 19'8 when 1.005 residents were recorded. Oke expressed doubt about the 1980 figures, saying several names were missed from the voter's list. Data from the census report and voters' list was collected in September. Councillor Harry Klungel had doubts about the accuracy of the report.sseying that several young families had moved into the village recently. IN APPRECIATION—Mayor John Sinnemon presents Reeve John Flannery who is retiring from municipal politics after 20 years, with a gift on behalf of the poople of Seaforth. (Photo by Shoveller) 1 '