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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1974-04-18, Page 1One Hundred and First Year EXETER, ONTARIO, APRIL 18, 1974 Price Per Copy 25 Cents Riddell indicates opposition to nuclear plant in Huron ALTERNATIVE POWER — During Sunday afternoon's hydro failure in this area, motorists were able to find one gasoline station able to serve their needs. In the above picture, Keith Wannacott of M. K Service Highway 4 south of Exeter, checks the lawn mower he is using to provide the power for his gas pumps. The attendant in the background is Andy Geddes, T-A photo Ask for treatment plant residential purposes. A correlation has been established between the incidents of such diseases as leukemia, cancer, etc. and the level of natural radio- active materials to which people are exposed. "Ionizing radiation has been described as the most serious agent of pollution of the en- vironment and the greatest threat to man's survival on earth." In Mr. Riddell's opinion, "Hydro officials must be aware of these facts and they certainly know that every reactor station must dispose of large quantities of radio-active waste every year, which will remain radio-active for literally hundreds of years. "It's true that the plutonium waste from nuclear reactors in Ontario is contained in facilities designed to protect the en- vironment as much as possible, but the radio-activity of the plutonium debris will outlive these special storage facilities," GB, Stephen, Hay agree Jack Riddell, Liberal Member for Huron, has expressed concern about strong rumours that Ontario Hydro intends to locate a nuclear power plant South of the town of goderich in his Riding. "The proposed nuclear station,. together with the power corridors connecting it to the grid system will utilize good agricultural land, and the waste products from the power plant will ad- versely affect crop production in the area," said Mr. Riddell. "We cannot afford to sacrifice prime agricultural land, which can only lead to more serious food shortages, and we cannot afford to ignore the possible threat to the environment inherent in these nuclear power plants. "Ontario Hydro officials have announced a nuclear expansion programme, but are reluctant to reveal to the public the potential dangers of nuclear energy as a source of power for industrial and Environmental Ministry ap- proved a lagoon sewage system for Grand Cove Estates on the former Hamilton property, just north of Grand Bend. A modular home park is now being constructed on this property. When giving approval for the lagoon, developers were told they must hook on to a Grand Bend sewer system when it becomes a reality, Hay township also is willing to obtain sewers for their lakefront properties located north of Grand Bend, The developers in Stephen were — Please turn to Page 3 Councils of three area municipalities agreed Tuesday afternoon to request the Ontario Ministry of the Environment to consider a treatment plant in conjunction with a proposed sewage system. The townships of Stephen and Hay joined with Grand Bend in asking the provincial department to prepare a survey of the entire area and come up with costs of a sewer system. In two hearings held during the last two years, the Ontario Environment Ministry attempted to persuade Grand Bend to agree to a lagoon system and have it located in Stephen township. Each time, owners of the properties in question in Stephen Views garbage cans, aren't worth the price TWO VISITORS TO SCHOOL — Kindergarten students at Stephen Central school enjoyed two visitors at school this week. They were OPP safety officer Constable E. W. Moulton and a guinea pig brought by Dianne Dearing. Sitting on the floor are Roseanne Gowanlock and Suzanne Finkbeiner while Dianne Dear- ing, Karen Briggs and Tracey Remkes stand. T-A photo Resort council urges support for free phone calls to Exeter REPORT COST $811.21 The engineer's study on the Exeter town hall cost $811.21. The study, conducted by C. C. Parker & Assoc. Ltd., London, found that only the shell of the building is salvageable. Payment of the $811,21 was approved without comment from any member of council. protested vigorously. Councillors of Grand Bend have been holding out for a treatment plant for some time. They now have the support they want. For some time Grand Bend council has been attempting to interest the townships of Stephen, Hay and Bosanquet in a joint project. Bosanquet was not represented at Tuesday's meeting. Stephen township has received requests from several developers in their area to start working towards a sewage system. Harvey Def ore and Philip Waldron of Thedford have pur- chased a portion of the former Gordon Pollock property located on the edge of Grand Bend and are planning a subdivision. The same situation exists at the north-west end of the township, near Highway 83 where Paul Turnbull is developing a sub- division on property owned by Willis Hotson. Late in 1973, the Ontario In last week's issue, the editor was critical of the large ex- penditure for the cans. Hoogenboom and other members of council also in- dicated they had received some questions about the decision last meeting to rent 50 acres of land to Kevin Delbridge for $5 per acre. The land is at the site of the sewage lagoon at the north-west corner of the municipality. The Mayor's son submitted the only tender for the rental of the property, The tender call was published in the T-A. "It ;Was a legitimate thing," oneAneinber noted.. Problem with directions plagues fire department A survey is being circulated among Grand Bend customers of the Hay Municipal Telephone System asking if free calling service to Exeter and Crediton is desired. The survey was sent out in reply to a request by Grand Bend council sometime ago after Bell Telephone announced a similar questionnaire to its Exeter customers had turned down the proposal. At Monday night's regular meeting, Grand Bend councillors urged all residents to sign the survey in favour of free toll service to the two other com- munities, Councillors Murray Des Jar- dins and Tom Webster led the original Grand Bend protest saying the summer resort area received free calls to the fewest number of neighbouring com- munities of any in the district. The letter to Grand Bend council from Hay secretary Wayne Horner regarding the survey said, "we at Hay Telephone are prepared to negotiate with Bell Canada to establish local calling between Grand Bend and Bell exchanges at Exeter and Crediton." Horner continued, "However, we must be guided by the wishes of the majority of customers as it will mean an , increase in basic service rates." Milk bottle thefts on increase again The Exeter police department has again received complaints from residents that money is being stolen from milk bottles left on verandahs overnight. A number of milk bottles in the Andrew Hill, street areas have 13'e'en 'raided recently. Chief Ted Day suggests residents purchase tickets from the milk man instead of leaving money in the bottles. Due to the increase of com- plaints from merchants and citizens that youths have been loitering on Main street near the John street intersection, officers have been instructed to lay charges if this practice con- tinues. Police say these gatherings occur during the day and at night and charges will be laid for obstruction under the Criminal Code. Autopsy reveals cause of death Exeter council were told this week those garbage cans they ordered recently for Main St. aren't worth the price. Council ordered seven garbage containers at a cost of $154 each for a total of $1,078. Bruce Shaw said he had seen similar containers in Toronto over the weekend. He made his comment after being advised the cans had already been ordered. He also pointed out he had not voted for the purchase of the cans. Later in the meeting, Coun- cillor Ben Hoogenboom wondered if Shaw's remark about opposing the cans was election talk. "I assume you were being„,,. facetious, or I'd be insulted,” Shaw replied. Mayor Jack Delbridge said he didn't go along with the cans either and explained he had phoned T-A editor Bill Batten to so advise him. Webster pointed out the in- crease is very minimal being 25 cents per month for a private residential listing and 20 cents per month for a two to four party line. Surplus, grants to reduce taxes? The audit of the town's 1973 transactions has been completed by A. M. Harper and shows a surplus of $39,000. Clerk Eric Carscadden made mention of this fact when the audit report was circulated to members for their perusal. He noted the surplus was down from the $54,000 in 1972. There was further good news for local ratepayers later in the meeting when Carscadden said the 1974 Property Tax Stabilization Program of the Ontario government would provide $51,000 more this year than in 1973. Last year's total grant for Exeter was $117,000. "It's to keep the mill rate down as much as possible," Car- scadden explained. In response to a question, he said the $51,000 increase was the result of changes made in this year's Ontario budget, an- nounced recently by Treasurer John White. just north of Winchelsea, The fire department headed for the home of Gerald Prance, which is located one mile further east and one mile south of Win- chelsea. Seeing the trucks go past Winchelsea, Wayne Prance jumped in his truck and managed to catch up to two of the vehicles at the next concession. The men in the van returned to the Prance home where an overheated motor had filled the cellar with smoke. No damage was reported. The mixup also created a major traffic jam. Cars stret- ching out for the distance of one mile had to get turned around as well and it created some "in- teresting" situations for some of the fire-chasers. Thursday night, the • fire department were called to a car fire on County Road 21, about a quarter of a mile north of the Crediton Road in the Huron Park area. The fire trucks, however, went south on Highway 4 to the Mt. Carmel Road and had to circle around to the fire scene. The Exeter fire department will be hoping their problems come in 3's. In the past three weeks, they've had their three problems and would be happy to have an end to them. The three problems have arisen when they've headed off in the wrong direction to get to area fires. Tuesday night, a mixiip oc- curred when a fire was reported at the home of Gordon Prance, A post mortem performed on the body of a Lucan man who died in a fire in his home last week has determined the cause of death. Corporal B. F. Crane of the Lucan OPP detachment said Stuart Sceli died of smoke and carbon monoxide poisoning when fire destroyed a bed and bed- clothes in his Albert street home in Lucan on April 6. Asphalt costs boost tender He added, "This is very reasonable. That's only one call a month." In reply to a letter from Lambton County council saying the Grand Bend request for relief from the increase in county levies for 1974 was filed, Webster said "that's a very unsatisfactory answer. I wanted them to take another look at it and be positive." Reeve Bob Sharen explained that the budget had already been approved by bylaw before the Grand Bend protest was made. Spring cleanup Council announced dates for the annual spring cleanup when items not normally picked up by the garbage truck will be collected. Included in the pickup will be brush, old furniture and any items too large for normal collection. Leaves will not be accepted. The dates of the pickup will be May 21, 22, 23, 27, 28 and 29 to accommodate both Canadian and American owners on their respective holidays, Four building permits were accepted. They were to Harold Chamberlain, vestibule entrance. Dan Waldron, a two car garage; Clayton Mathers, house siding and William Putherbough, front porch on cottage. — Please turn to Page 3 Inflation is evident in every aspect of life these days, and nowhere is it more evident than in the construction business. Exeter council opened tenders this week for the paving of Andrew St. and found the lowest of the bids $10,000 over the estimated cost. A large portion of that is at- tributable to the rapid increase in asphalt. Lavis Contracting, Clinton, submitted the low bid of $39,997.00. The highest was $48,471.25. Works superintendent Glen Kells said the cost of asphalt had been set at $13.00 per ton when the estimate was made. The Lavis price was $15.95 per ton and the highest of the bids was for $19.19 a ton. Kells said the most the town ever paid before was $10, He also told council the price of manhole covers is rising rapidly. The present price is $110 while lastyear it was $47. Pray before . . . or after? CONGRATULATING $500 WINNER — The winner of $500 in the final draw of the Exeter Kinsmen club which has been held during the last several months was won by local merchant Ray Jory, He is shown in the centre of the above picture accepting the cheque from Kin President Brian Sanders and draw chairman gob Reynolds. • T-A photo Benefactors may pay New drain policy is an engineer's report had been concluded and would be discussed by the ratepayers involved this Monday at Blim- vile. The portion assessed to Exeter Was $979, that being for Rosemount St. and the proposed extension of Alexander St. to the south of the industries located on Highway 83 East. AS yet, the town does net own the property required for the extension of Alexander St., but members appeared prepared to pay the drainage costs against this property. However, at the same time they were advised that at least Material shortage delays subdivision The proposed mobile home park of Len Veri's had another obStacle thrown in its path this week. Exeter PUC manager Hugh Davis advised that it would be impossible to acquire the materials needed to provide hydro service to the subdivision this year. He also Said in the letter to council if plans were not ap- proved in the immediate future, the materials may not even be available for installation in 1975. His letter advised of serious delays in receiving transformers and poles, indicating up to 0 weeks for the former, Davis reported most of the poles come from B.C. or the U.S.A. and termed this a "sorry situation for a province of so many trees." Members of council noted the Shortages could create delays in opening the Darling subdivision as well. A discussion also ensued as to the reasons for the shortages. "It's the greed of the population," opined Reeve Boyle. Deputy-Reeve Helen Jermyn said it was because the country had such a high standard of living, while Mayor Delbridge put it down to "toe much waste," coming? two of the industrial ratepayers owning portions of the property which would make up the road allowance do not want a road there, They argue they would lose 66 feet of storage space, and that the road would make it easier for thefts to occur with the rear access to their properties. Council Members appeared adamant that a road was required, "We have to have a street there and there's no ether way," commented Mayor Jack Delbridge, Ti was finally agreed to have Please turn to Page 3 Exeter council members ap- peared prepared Monday night to pay $979 to drain a proposed read allowance which the town doesn't own and whieh at least two of its owners don't want opened up into a road. The debate on the subject also prompted a lengthy discussion on the town's overall policy regarding payment for drains and indicated some favor for having ratepayers pay their own share if in fact they are receiving benefit from the drain,. The initial topic concerned the Keller drain at the north east corner of the town. Usborne Township advised that YOUNGSTERS ENJOY PUPPET SHOW—Kindergarten students at Exeter public school d nd pre-schoolers enjoyed a puppet show at the Exeter library Prickly. morning, Shown at the left of the above picture with feather Mrs, Janet Desjardine ore Dianne Warwick, bonny Hennessey and Tina Jensen, T-A photo Mayor Jack Delbridge, who recently attended the National Prayer Breakfast in Ottawa as a guest of Huron MP Bob McKinley, said this week council could decide whether they Wanted to open their meetings with' prayer. He said this was one of the suggestions made at the event, which he explained was "sort of a religious thing", "We should have it when we're through (with the meeting)," commented Deputy-Reeve Helen Jermyn, "so we could ask forgiveness", Mayor Delbridge said he eri- joyed the event at which former NIIL star Jean Beliveau was guest speaker. The Mayor WAS seated at a table with a female Senator from Montreal, the ambassadors from Japan and P'rance and a cabinet minister whose name he could hot recall. Many of the visitors attended Sessions -of Parliament during their Stay in Ottawa,