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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1973-11-15, Page 1‘$, , 4 Study finds inefficiency, disinterest, carelessness and conflict within RAP RAP was established and had a me director and arena manager. The committee also recom- mended that RAP adopt a sub- committee organization, with three standing committees in the areas of resources, finances and people and programs, It was further recommended that RAP co-opt additional ad- visory personnel whenever practical to deal with specific problems and that "written guidelines and objectives for RAP should be created im- mediately, The committee suggested such a guide in the report. "Generally speaking, the financial procedure for RAP is, — Please turn to Page 3 change in the present employee facilities, while the "program status whereAlvin Willert acts as director" would be responsible arena manager, recreation for management, direction and director, park supervisor and operation of the department. A swim pool manager. detailed job description was The committee suggest RAP included for both positions and employ a "resources manager" the "program director" would be and a "program director". The primarily concerned With former would maintain and recreation. The idea appears to operate the recreational and park coincide with the setup when eree" some members of council in the affairs which are the respon- sibility of RAP. RAPa I fault forallowing slip- shod management and business organization. The committee made four recommendations to improve the structure and operation of RAP. The major one calls for a parks management is very dif- ficult: RAP decides what to do, the arena manager is asked to perform the tasks, and Council is to pay the bills. —Because there is no organizational structure, there is no line of authority and no clear- cut responsibility, There is, as a result, occasional interference by Usborne to reconstruct 'l s Other conclusions drawn in- cluded: — Guidelines from council are vague and unknown to most of the members. —RAP itself is riot innovative or imaginative to compensate for the lack of direction from above. It seems to lack the foresight for long-range planning. —RAP provides limited direction for its operation and management through its em- ployees. —The management of the arena seems effective, and the parks are generally well main- tained. The major weakness in the entire operation is recreation, No one in management appears to be 'recreation-minded'. —The arena manager is responsible for operations of the programme but is given no authority to hire or fire, no control over finances or planning, His only authority is to recom- mend to the committee. The RAP committee appears in the role of manager and yet, in effect, hires a manager with very limited authority. —Because of the way parks is administered and financed, RAP members are not knowledgable of total costs and are frequently uncertain of where they stand financially. At the same time, council, which must approve all spending, does not understand why certain expenditures have been made. It would appear that About the only commendation handed out was the opening statement of "a great deal of praise is due RAP in taking the initiative and forming a special investigative committee", From then on, the committee found numerous areas for im- provement, They found the structure of RAP a problem in that com- munications, lines of authority, positions of responsibility and job descriptions are all weak or non- existent, In this area, it also noted' the conflict RAP has with council in jurisdiction over parks, in that RAP authorizes expenditures but council must approve the bills, "As far as the structure is concerned, there is at best only a loosely-linked chain of authority. To all intents and purposes, the present RAP committee is 'marking time' and not looking after the full needs of the corn, munity. Operations seem to proceed in spite of the committee and its management," the report suggested. A three-man investigating committee this week told RAP "something is radically wrong" with its operations and went on to say that, in general, they found "inefficiency, carelessness, disinterest, conflict and 'tunnel vision' ". The reaction from members of RAP was a little unusual in view of the verbal chastising which followed on many of the 25 pages of the report compiled by RAP member Bruce Shaw and two local citizens, Charlie Smith and John Stevens, RAP chairman Gord Baynham, who was given a two- hour headstart on reading the report, termed it a "very, very good report", He said the investigating committee would be disappointed if they expected him to get riled up over the comments: Another veteran member of RAP, Reeve Derry Boyle, commended the three men for the complex report and patted himself on the back for having suggested the special study and the men to perform it. He said after long years of service it was possible to become complacent and stale and suggested if members didn't improve after reading the report, they shouldn't be on RAP, Boyle led a moyement which saw RAP approve a $50 honorarium to each of the three men for their efforts. A member of the investigating committee, John Stevens, ad- vised that the report did not zero in on everything and everybody and added there were .many strengths obvious in RAP's operations and these should be built upon. Copies of the report will be given to all members of council — a group charged with coming in conflict with RAP on occasions — and a public meeting will be held to discuss the entire report on November 26. Some discussion was held on providing local groups with copies of the report so they would be prepared to discuss the con- tent, but no decision was made in this regard. The investigating committee had few words of praise for RAP. Finnen of Exeter public school and Exeter Legion poppy chairman Pat Skinner. T-A photo BRAVE THE SNOW TO REMEMBER - As the above picture shows win- try weather prevailed during Sunday's Remembrance Day Services at the Exeter cenotaph. Placing wreaths are Randy Parsons and Jodi One Hundred and First Year EXETER, ONTARIO, NOVEMBER 15, 1973 Price Per Copy 25 Cents Anticipate rate increase for area hydro consumers Stephen is advised park sewer okay Steal $2,000 from cottages A rash of cottage break-ins at Lake Huron subdivisions has netted thieves over $2,000 worth of property. The cottages, located in Oak- wood Park and Maple. Grove, north of Grand Bend, were for- cibly entered and ransacked. items stolen include movie cameras, food, liquor, utensils, tools, small appliances, etc, The investigations are being conducted by OPP Constables Ed Wilcox, Frank Giffin and Al Quinn of the Exeter detachment. Owners of the cottages are: Dr. John Kennedy, London; Kay Sutherland, London; Dr. Elsie McDermott, London; Mollie Russell, Toronto; Dr. John Balfour, Connecticut; Mary Fraser, Burlington; Lorne Forstner, Michigan; Alex For- dyce, Ottawa. Police believe all the breakins are connected. • Although no area Public Utility Commissions have received final word as yet, all will be affected by rate increases announced- recently by Ontario Hydro. .• Of the four PUCs contacted in Lucan, Exeter, Hensall and Grand Bend, only one does not expect to pass the increase on to consumers. The exception is in Hensall, where hydro rates were raised effective September 1 of this year. Hensall PUC Chairman ► Usborne council has received approval from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Communication district engineer to reconstruct the township's portion of Huron street, east of Exeter, • The Goderich engineering firm of B.M. Ross will be engaged to design the work of reconstructing the road known as Usborne sideroad 15-16 from the Exeter limits to Concession Road 2-3. Road superintendent John Batten reported to council that the 1973 road gravelling program contracted by Jack Tanner Construction was completed along with delivery of substantial amounts to ratepayers for lanes and yards. The rate charged to individual ratepayers for gravel purchased will be $1.50 per cubic yard. Keith Strang has been named the township representative on the Huron County Farm Safety Council. Council was advised that the Kirkton-Woodham Community Centre, is now fully completed at a cost of $112,314.32 for grant purposes and applications have been forwarded to the Ontario Community Centres Branch for the three municipalities involved. A petition presented by Bev Parsons and others asking for extension of the Taylor municipal drain was 'accepted and will be referred to A.M. Spreit Associates for a survey, plan and report. Four tile drain loan debentures totalling $19,800 were passed and will be forwarded to the province for-sale. Levies two $250 fines The Ontario Environmental Board has given approval to a request from Holiday Holdings to construct a lagoon and sewer system for a proposed modular home park at Grand Bend. A Board hearing was held in Crediton about a month ago to hear the application from Holiday Holdings and David Jackson, owner of the property at part of Lot 2, 1,11,E. Concession in Stephen township. In giving approval to the project, provincial officials added, "the lagoon system should be abandoned and connections made when feasible to the proposed sewage system to serve the village of Grand Bend." The property is located just north of the Grand Bend village limits on Highway 21. Two hearings to locate a sewage lagoon pond in Stephen township to serve Grand Bend have failed to gain approval. Grand Bend authorities have been pressing for a treatment plant to over- come sewage problems. As the ,result of complaints from a delegation, Stephen council will be asking the drainage engineering firm of Gamsby and Mannerow of Guelph to check recently com- pleted improvements to the Martin municipal drain in the easterly end of the municipality. Gerbro plan Kirkton plant Harry Adamson, vice- president and general manager of Cook's Division of Gerbro Corp., announced today, the company is building a new elevator in the Kirkton area. The elevator will be fully operational in time to receive the 1974 bean and corn harvest. It will be located a quarter mile west of Kirkton on Huron County Road No. 6 and will include a large high speed receiving unit, a large dryer, storage facilities, warehouse and office. The warehouse and office will be open in time to supply the spring seeding needs of the area's farmers. Harry Adamson stated, "we at Cook's look forward to serving the area and becoming good neighbours in Kirkton." The property for the Gerbro expansion was purchased from Norm Amos of Kirkton through W,H, Hodgson Ltd. of Exeter. quite likely be passed on to the consumer because the com- mission absorbed the last in- crease, He saidehowever, that people should make a concentrated effort to be more conscious of use of all their utilities. "There is only one way to conserve and that is to cut back," he said. "We have never advocated wasted electricity," said Mr. Davis of the Exeter PUC. "We always try to emphasize where customers can economize". One aspect he specifically stressed was the long range benefits of proper installation. He explained that it is not man- datory to follow Ontario Electric Association standards in in- stallation but that it is advised, The Exeter PUC also provides free installation inspection and distributes small booklets free of charge promoting this and general conservation of energy. Mr. Archer in Hensall said he really doesn't think people in Hensall are "extravagant" with electricity. Lorne Archer said because of this, the PUC will try to absorb this latest rate increase. The last previous increase to liensalleonSumets took place in 1970. Between then and Sep- tember '73, the Hensall PUC absorbed three rate increases from Ontario Hydro. Chairman of the Exeter PUC, Hugh Davissaid he doesn't know the exact amount of the revision yet, but hopes it won't be as much as the seven and one-half percent average quoted by Ontario Hydro. Nevertheless, he said that they are "probably going to haVe to consider rate revision in the very near future". The PUC in Exeter was able to absorb the last in- crease and it has been'about two years since rates were revised for the consumer in town. In Grand Bend, Mrs. John Manore, secretary-treasurer of the PUC said that until more and complete information comes in, the commission won't be able to say whether there is a possibility of absorbing part of the increase. The last increase to the con- sumers in the resort village was in December, 1971. She said they are not expecting the full seven and one-half per- cent increase either. "But I don't think there's any PUC which can go for too, long without a rate change," said Mrs. Manore, "But we're keeping our fingers crossed. Cecil Lewis, chairman of the Lucan Hydro Commission said the rate increases in Lucan will GETS MERITORIOUS AWARD — A special presentation was made at Saturday's Remembrance Day banquet of the R.E. Pooley Exeter branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. At the left of the above picture, banquet master of ceremonies Harvey Pfaff presents Reg McDonald with a Legion Meritorious Service medal for 27 years of outstanding service to the local branch. T-A photo Property owners Bruce Shapton, Joe Ondrejicka and Lewis and Don Davey feel the proposed improvements were not satisfactory. An existing eight inch drain was replaced by another tile of the same size. Council is asking the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Communications for additional subsidies to replace a bridge which collapsed this summer on the road between Concessions 5 and 6 between lots 15 and 16. A supplementary expenditure bylaw was refused and the township has spent some monies in tearing out the old bridge and in soil testing for a new structure which is expected to be built in 1974. A land severance application from Mrs. Ardella Desjardine at part of Lot 6, L.R,E, Concession was given approval. In a review of the township's insurance policies several changes and increases in coverage were made, Coverage on the municipal office was increased to $35,000. This policy is held by Hay Far- mers Mutual. The municipal liability policy issued by Frank Cowan Insurance of Princeton through local agent 'W,H. Hodgson Limited was increased to a million dollars and the spray policy was doubled to $100,000. Lambton gives okay to restructure plans Lambton County council has approved in principle a plan by four municipalities to restructure within county boundaries. The town of Forest, villages of Grand Bend and Thedford and the township of Bosanquet have held several meetings in an at- tempt to co-ordinate municipal services. LACKS ENERGY A theft under investigation by Exeter OPP may indicate an energy crisis — in more ways than one. About $25 worth of wood was stolen from Clarence Stone, Stephen Township, It's believed the "energy crisis" indicated is one of not wanting to chop wood as opposed to shortages of fuel. Lambton has named a com- mittee to do a feasibility study on amalgamation of other areas. The committee chairman is Russ Sutherland of Forest. Grand Bend reeve Bob Sharen said this week the county would probably be looking at nine areas as compared to the 21 individual municipalities now in existence. Four badly injured, damage high Several snow storm smashes THE CHEERLEADINO CHAMPS The cheerleading competition at Saturday's Huron-Perth Conference foot- boll Championships was won by South Huron. The victorious girls are shown above in a happy pose. Back, left, Linda Ritchie, captain leiso Ritchie, Connie Miners and Jan Von Reestel. 'front Laura Johns, Judy Par- sorts, Allyson Robichord and Shirley be Vries, 1-A photo Two men were each fined $250 or 25 days in jail on separate charges heard before Judge Glenn Hays in Exeter court, Tuesday. E. Randall Campbell, RR 1, Exeter, was given that penalty along with a licence suspension of eight months after pleading guilty to impaired driving. He was given 15 days in which to pay the fine, Clayton Stirling, Bayfield, was given a licence suspension of one year in addition to the $250 fine on a charge of dangerous driving, The charge was laid by police following an incident at Turn- bull's Grove Trailer Park on Lake Huron. Another Bayfield man, Gary Brandon, was fined $150 or 15 days in jail on a charge of creating a disturbance in a public place by using obscene language. Brandon was given 15 days in Which to pay his fine, while Stirling received one month. A Hensall driver, Larry Con- sift, was fined $78 for creating unnecessary noise with his vehicle in Hay Township. . Two drivers were fined $33 each for following other vehicles too closely. They were Marion Morgan, Kitchener, and Gerald J. Waller, Huron Park, Both charges were laid by Exeter police. Three men paid fines for having liquor in a place other than their residence. Paying $28 each were Douglas R. Ferguson, Exeter, and Dennis J, Centralia, A fine of $30 was levied against John McEwen, London, for the same offence. FIRST COMPLAINT The first snow storm of the season occurred this weekend, The first snowmobiles were out on, the weekend. The first corn- plaints of snowmobiles was received by police on the weekend. That rather "`normal" course of events was reported in Huron Park where residents com- plained of snowmobilers cutting up lawns with their machines and also creating noise in the early morning hours. Wayne King RR 1, Exeter on the Crediton Road. Damage was listed at $800 by Constable Lamont, Damage of $2,000 was listed by Constable Frank Giffin when a car driven by Charles Browning, Sr., Crediton skidded out of control on the Crediton Road at 10:00 pen. Thursday. The vehicle rolled into the ditch, During the past week, the local detachment officers charged 12 people under the Highway Traffic Act and issued warnings to another 17. There were three charges under the Criminal Code and one under the Liquor Control Act, The police again remind motorists to adjust their driving habits to the winter road con- ditions, The rash of accidents during the snow storms is usually blamed on ' bad driving con- ditions. The cause of all collisions is bad driving habits. l4ensall, was in collision with a car driven by Douglas Eller, London. Eller and his passenger received minor injuries and Constable Quinn set damage at $1,300, A hit and 'run was reported Sunday afternoon in Hensel] when a parked car owned by Orville Jantzi, Hensall was struck by an unknown vehicle. Damage was listed at $150 by Constable Lemont. At 8:10 a en, Monday a truck driven by Angus McGuire, RR 1, Woodstock, and a car operated by Barbara Soldan, Exeter collided on Highway 4 just north of the main intersection in Hensall. Damage was $125. Constable Bill Lewis investigated. Two other accidents were in- vestigated late last Week. At 7:40 p,m, Wednesday a car driven by William Pfaff, Crediton, collded with a farm vehicle driven by The first of Friday's crashes occurred at 1:00 a.m, when a car driven by James Morrissey, Crediton, skidded out of control on the Crediton Road and collided with a tree, The driver sustained minor injuries and damage was listed at $1,000 by Constable Dale Lamont, At 12:30 p.m., a car driven by Frederick Campbell, Exeter, skidded off Highway 4 north of Exeter and hit a tree, causing damage listed at $400 by Con- stable Quinn, The final crash on Friday was investigated at 11:15 p.m. by Constable Lamont, A car driven by Randall Dayman, Kippen, collided with a parked car owned by Joan Laframboise, London, on Highway 4 north of Exeter, Damage was $1,400, There was One trash, Saturday it Occurring at 5:00 p.m, when a truck driven by Clarence Knight, Area motorists encountered their first snow storm of the season Friday, and accident statistics from the Exeter OPP detachment indicate some ex- perienced major difficulties, There were four collisions during the storm, The most serious occurred at 5:15 p.m. when cars driven by Paul Warwick, Belmont, and Mary Core, Kincardine, collided head-on on Highway 4 Mali of Exeter. l3oth drivers were seriously injured as were two passengers in the Core vehicle. Beverly Clarke and Heather Bell, both of Kincardine, All four were treated at South Huron Hospital, Constable Al Quinn estimated damage in the crash at $2,200. Traffic on Highway 4 was blocked for a considerable distanee until the wrechage was cleared,