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Times-Advocate, 1979-02-21, Page 1A B Authority holds the line The 1979 budget approved Friday by the Ausable- Bayfield Conservation Authority calls for only a slight increase to be paid by member municipalities. The budget presented by secretary-treasurer Marion Lamport set the municipal levy at $119,596. This is an increase of less than one percent. Last year’s levy was $118,085. Ivan Hearn of Lucan was named Authority chairman for the 1979 term replacing Roy Westcott of Usborne township who has completed the maximum term of three years. Robert Austin of the village of Arkona, an Authority representative for 25 years was named vice- chairman. Austin defeated Allan Campbell of McKillop in an election for the vice- chairman’s position. Also nominated but declining WHAT IS A CONSERVATION were John Whitmore and Paul Steckle. Before the election was held the method of electing chairman and vice- chairman of the various ad­ visory board committees was’changed and the number of boards reduced. Newly elected chairman Ivan Hearn said the re­ organization of boards was a good thing. He added, “In the past 60 percent of the business brought to an ex­ ecutive committee meeting should have been dealt with first at the committee level. Now most matters can be discussed and recommen­ dations brought to the ex­ ecutive.” With the reduction of boards, the executive com­ mittee is also reduced, to nine members from twelve. It will now consist of the chairman, vice-chairman, past chairman and chair­ man and vice-chairman of each of the three advisory boards. In the new election procedure, each member in attendance nominated by secret ballot his or her choice for the chairman and vice-chairrpan of each of the three committees. Each nominated person was asked if they were will­ ing to stand for election and in all instances but one, an .election was necessary. Five names were nominated for chairman of the Community Relations board. One, Leone Rowatt of Seaforth declined but added, “I would be interested in the vice-chairman’s position.” When all nominating ballots for the vice- chairman were gathered Mrs. Rowatt’s was the only name received and she was elected by acclamation. Don Lithgow of Bosanquet was named chairman of the Conservation Areas boards while John Whitmore of Ailsa Craig is vice- chairman. Other members are William Dowding, Fred Dobbs Sr., Joseph Gibson, Gordon Mogk, Bill Schlegel, Fred Lewis, Ernest Brown, John Duncan and Douglas Gilpin. Paul Steckle of Stanley and Bill Thirlwall of Lobo township will head the Water Management board. Other members are Charles Corbett, Judy Uniac, Cecil Desjardine, Gordon John­ son, Erwin Sillery, Henry Harburn, Harry Klungel, Fred Dobbs Jr. and Allan Roder. The Community Relations committee will be chaired by Frank McFadden of Bayfield with Leone Rowatt of Seaforth as vice- chairman. Others on the board are Eldrid Simmons, John McKichan, John Tinney, Fred Haberer, George Pedlar, Bill Amos, Jake Rader and Allan Campbell. I The financial report in­ dicated that $271,771.76 was spent on capital projects in 1978 making the grand total to date $4,961,844.86. Resources manager Bill Mungall brought members up to date on development of a number of conservation areas. These included realigning roads to the gate house, landscaping and manage­ ment of several tracts of trees in the Parkhill area: completing a washroom complex at Rock Glenn: new entrance to the Clinton Conservation area; modify­ ing of washrooms at Port Blake, a new entrance to serve the pavilion at Morrison Dam and a picnic pavilion at the Zurich area. Five retiring board members who have served five or more years were presented with plaques by Jim Anderson of the Ontario Ministry. These included Freeman Hodgins of Parkhill who was a charter member when the Authority was organized in 1946: Elgin Thompson of Tuckersmith who served 19 years, Wilson Hodgins, Bid- dulph and Joe Dietrich, Stephen each seven years and Leroy Thiel, Zurich six years. The new representatives replacing the honoured retirees are George Pedlar, Parkhill; Ervin Silley, Tuckersmith; Fred Dobbs Jr., Biddulph: Cecil Disjar- dine. Stephen and Fred Haberer. Zurich. The sixth new member is Judy Uniac, Grand Bend replacing Bob Simpson. Resources manager Mun­ gall said an operational Review Study of the Parkhill Dam will be undertaken this year. He said it is expected to suggest modifications of operation of the dam during flood times to overcome the ongoing flooding problem in the Klondyke area. Continuation of a Canada Works project is expected to on '79 budget vat ion area and Barb Borrowman who will be preparing outdoor education kits for area elementary schools upgrade trail conditions in the Hay Swamp. Morrison Dam - Exeter and Parkhill areas. Two new staff members have been added under Canada Works programs They are John Small who will be preparing a master plan for the Parkhill Censer- « AUTHORITY EXECUTIVE tion Authority, Ivan Hearn presentation are retiring chairman Ivan Hearn* vice-chairman Bob Austin and chairman Roy Westcott. T-A photo — At Friday s annual meeting of the Ausable-Bayfield Conserva- of Lucan was named chairman for 1979. Shown above during a K-W centre has good year, but inflation eats at profits According to all reports, ditures which took place in Among the operating ex- HP PJ RSHI Ip j-e-. < ■ •; / . * rf3" GUEST SKATERS — The feature performers at Saturday's Exeter figure skating carnival at the South Huron Rec Centre will be Canadian junior pairs champions Lorri Baier and Lloyd Eisler. The two Saturday shows begin at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. T-A photo imes - Advocate Serving South Huron, North Middlesex & North Lambton Since 1873 One Hundred and Fifth Year EXETER, ONTARIO, FEBRUARY 21, 1979 Price Per Copy 25 Cents Special pickups continue Dump pass, fees okayed After further study on their proposal to issue passes for local residents wishing to use the town dump, the sanitation com­ mittee succeeded in getting their recommendations ap­ proved by council this week. That information will be slightly “after the fact” for most residents who were ad- the Kirkton-Woodham Com­ munity Centre and swim­ ming pool had a successful year in 1978. - Secretary of the K-W Community Centre Board Bill Schaefer told the annual meeting held Thursday “It probably wasn’t too bad a year but it wasn’t as big as the year before.”, According to the financial report presented, the board had $11,858.19 in assets at the end of the year com­ pared to $26,544.34 in 1977. Schaefer said the decrease in assets was in large part due to the capital expen- ditures which took place in 1978. A new air conditioning system valued at over $17,- 000, the installation of a ceil­ ing and extra insulation cost $2,500 while the construction of a concession booth costing $6,500 helped to decrease the assets. In 1977 capital expenses amounted to only $98. Reviewing the budget Schaefer said the board was pleased with little increase in either the fuel oil or hydro rates with the increased in- sulation and a mild December‘helping to keep heating costs down. * / WHIZZING BY — Raymond Hamilton and Eddie Coleman whizz down a Pinery Provincial Park hill during a recent visit by grade five students of Exeter Public School. T-A photo Two are injured in area collisions Two people sustained minor injuries in the five accidents investigated by the Exeter OPP this week. The first of the crashes was reported on Tuesday when vehicles driven by Steven Hillier, Thamesford, and William Gibson, RR 5 Clinton, collided on the Stanley-Hay line at the CNR tracks. Damage was listed at $800 by Constable Don Mason. There were three. ac­ cidents on Wednesday, the first involving vehicles driven by Bradley Oke, RR 2 Dashwood, and Don Cowan, Exeter. They collided on the Crediton Road near Stephen concession 4-5 and damage was set at $550 by Constable Al Quinn. The second crash occurred on Goshen St. in Zurich, involving vehicles operated by Audrey Dale, Seaforth, and Berne McKinley, RR 1 Zurich. Ms. Dale sustained minor injuries and damage was listed at $1,700 by Constable Bob Whiteford. The final crash on Wed­ nesday occurred on County Road 21 at the junction of the Huron Park service road. Drivers involved were William Insley and Garry Koyle, both of Huron Park. Constable Whiteford in­ vestigated and set damage at $600. The final crash of the week was reported on Saturday when a vehicle driven by Ralph Wasson, Huron Park, went out of control on High­ way 4 south of the Crediton Road. Damage was estimated at $1,500 by Constable Jim Rogers and Wasson sustained minor injuries. Among the operating ex­ penses. the biggest item was the Liquor Control Board of Ontario with the centre purchasing $17,705.30 worth of refreshments last year. This was $19 less than the 1977 figure. Schaefer said in 1977 there ■ was almost $16,000 of “so- called profit” compared to $7,000 last year. He said one reason why the profits may have decreased is that while the hallrental rate has remained the same for the past few years, expenses have gone up. The hall was used quite heavily last year with the facility booked 49 Saturdays, 33 Fridays, 22 Sundays plus eight other events held mid­ week. The small meeting room was used 60 times Schaefer stated. Had it not been for the many fund raising events which the board sponsored, there would have been a $5,- 600 loss, the Kirkton veterinarian said. This proves the hall rates are not too high, he added. Larry McIntosh of the swimming pool manage­ ment committee said the pool should make between $200-$400 in the 1978 by the time all the bills are in. This compares to deficit of $480 which the pool in­ curred in 1977,its first year of operation. The past year saw a few problems arise with McIn­ tosh citing the throwing of garbage into the pool during the fall and winter which necessitated the repainting of the facility. He said all the pool staff with the exception of one in­ structor are expected to return this year including supervisor Tony Kyle. McIntosh said the success of the pool was due in large part to the support which it had received from the com-, munity. ATTACK POLICE OFFICE The Exeter OPP didn’t have to go far to discover an act of vandalism this weekend. Early Saturday morning, someone smashed the front window at the OPP office, causing damage of $500. The Exeter police department is investigating. It was the second time the window has been smashed in the hew offices. CLEAR THE TRACK — One of the visitors at the Lucan Legion Saturday to assist in the snowmobile rides for area youngsters was former NHL performer Eddie Shack. Shown ready for a ride with Shack are Noelle Degraw and Kathy Huys. T-A photo Exeter businessmen could get $150,000 While most interest rates are reaching an all-time high, the board of management of the Exeter Business Improvement Area learned Monday that the provincial government will loan them funds for their beautification program at a rate that works out to about one percent per year. Sally Hannon, an official from the ministry of housing, met with the businessmen Monday afternoon to explain the government’s Mainstreet Revitalization Program and then provided council with the same information at their meeting in the evening. She indicated that com­ munities with populations of less than 30,000 could qualify for loans of up to $150,000 for downtown restoration and beautification projects that would result in “physical improvements to municipally owned land”. The money is available for such projects as pedestrian- oriented street lighting, planters, benches, parkettes and for the purchase or lease of lands for parking pur­ poses. While she indicated that the ideas for the projects should come from the BIA, Ms. Hannon indicated council could also initiate ideas, such as the in­ stallation of washrooms for public use in any of the public buildings located in the business improvement area. BIA chairman Bob Swartman, who attended council's session, spoke enthusiastically of the program, noting that Exeter was “a long way ahead of im- many” other communities in seeking a portion of the $5 million the government has allotted for the program across the province. He noted they had already undertaken most of the planning for) an provement project and showed council drawings that have been prepared by a firm of con­ sultants who undertook studies of the Main St. area last fall. It was indicated the final report from the firm was expected within two weeks. “The only thing we have to get is the costing and what we can afford,” Swartman told council. Ms. Hannon suggested that the only thing lacking in Exeter for making ap­ plication under the program was a maintenance and occupancy standard bylaw. She said this bylaw, which would be administered by the town, was required to meet certain health and safety criteria the govern­ ment wanted to see before approving loans for any redevelopment. The ministry official advised Mayor Derry Boyle that the maintenance and occupancy bylaw was not designed to force merchants into any interior or exterior remodelling or maintenance projects, except those dealing with health or safety criteria. Boyle said he hoped members of council would study the government program “and consider cooperating with the BIA”. Councillor Jay Campbell commented that he was some “very excited” about some of the things that were happening in relation to the core area and to find out that low-cost loans were available to the community. “I certainly share some of the enthusiasm evident in the business community,” he added. Campbell told his fellow council members that the planning board, of which he is a member, have already started to investigate the possibility of creating a maintenance and occupancy standard bylaw. Family get polio tests A young Huron County family is being tested for polio after it came in con­ tact with the discease while attending ,a wedding in Pennsylvania. Two or three persons are being tested, said Huron County medical officer of health Dr. Brian Lynch. He did not release their names or say what part of the coun­ ty they are from. Lynch said he hasn’t quarantined the family because “the risk is very minimal." He said the family came into contact with the polio about four weeks ago, “which is well outside the incubation period.’’ None of the family has shown any symptoms. It was believed seven Ox­ ford County residents also were inrcontact with the dis­ ease as a result of the same Pennsylvania trip but all tested negative. Oxford County's medical officer of health could not be reached f h comment Sunday. La. i summer a polio out­ break in the Norwich area of Oxford County resulted in about nine persons being quarantined Six confirmed cases of the disease were found, ma inly members of an Dutch Reformed vised through a notice con­ tained in their interim tax bills last week that the passes would be required and that fees would be es­ tablished for the dumping of refuse. The new program comes into effect on April 1 and the passes will be available at the clerk’s office. The fee schedule runs from a high of $15 for packer trucks to a low of $2.50 for those using vehicles smaller than a pickup truck to take their refuse to the dump in Hay Township. Councillor Don Cameron continued to express his con­ cerns over the program this week, indicating he was not in favor of charging people for taking small loads of ' refuse to the dump. “It all ends up in the dump anyway, it’s just a matter of who’s going to take it.” he suggested. Committee chairman Si Simmons said that if it is left for the special monthly garbage pickups which will be continued by the town, the refuse would be dumped in an orderly fashion at the landfill site and this was one of the main aims of the program. “The fewer people in the dump, the more orderly it will be." Simmons suggested. Works superintendent Glenn Kells agreed that the new fees would act as a deterrent, adding that if there was no fee, the site would stilt be used by non­ residents. two charged Two London men have been charged with the break, enter and theft on February 13 at the Ice Box in Hensall. About $800 worth of goods was stolen, including all the meat in the freezer and some gasoline. Most of the stolen items , have been recovered. Exeter OPP Constable Bob Whiteford is in charge of the investigation. Stephen road grant up over $25,000 Stephen township has received an increase in provincial subsidies on road expenditures for 1979 and road superintendent Frank Mclsaac is currently preparing a budget. . Clerk Wilmar Wein said the provincial subsidy been raised to $155,500 year. In 1978 the figure $128,000. Wein said some of increase would be used for new bridge construction at Lot 22 on Concession 4-5. During the latest meeting council renewed the bylaw setting out the load limits for the various has this was the a m o n g orthodox congrega- township. Ken Pickering was named drainage inspector for the municipality and will be attending a one week drain commissioner’s course in Guelph in April. Huron development officer Spence Cummings will be attending the March 6 meeting of council. A resolution asking for the banning of topless waitresses was endorsed. bridges in the SCREENS SLASHED — Exeter Public School principal Jim Chapman surveys damage to a few of the window screens slashed in a wilful damage attack on the school over the weekend. Over 100 screens were slashed and a couple of windows broken. Damage has been estimated at close to $500. Police have been questioning a suspect, but no charges have been laid as yet. Staff photo Move ahead of chamsaw Exeter council learned this week they're starting to make noticeable gains in their tree planting program. They approved, on the recommendation of the property and parks com­ mittee.'the purchase of 55 trees to be planted in the community this year. The trees will be planted on private property and residents wishing to make application for one of the trees, mav do so through the PU(’ In reply to a question from Reeve Si Simmons, works superintendent Glenn Kells reported that some trees had been cut down in the past year, but he indicated the number was “no where close” to the 55 replacement trees. He suggested it was probably closer to a dozen. “We’re gaining on them,” Simmons replied after receiving that information. The trees are Norways and Crimson Kings and are worth between $25 and $30 each