Loading...
Times-Advocate, 1979-03-14, Page 1up The Huron-Perth County Roman Catholic Separate School board set its 1979 budget at $4,683,415, an in­ crease of $132,000 over last year at a special meeting in Dublin Thursday night. Jack Lane, Superin­ tendent of Business and Finance, said in presenting the budget, “To meet this increase the board will require only 2.9 percent more than last year from municipalities in the two counties." He said salaries and fringe benefits account for 70.6 percent of budget. Provincial grants and Home firm rolls off 3,000th Two noteworthy events took place at Northlander Mobile Housing in Exeter this past week. On Friday, the firm turned out its 3,000th unit since \ opening production at its Highway 83 East location on November 2, 1964. When that unit was moved into the yard, it joined two recently completed units that meet CSA standards which have been accepted by the Central Mortgage & Housing Corporation. President Bill Smith ex­ plained that the move to CSA standards which meet CMHC approval “opens all of the government assistance home ownership programs to mobile home buyers". He said this will help the young family buyer in particular in that financing will now be much easier. Down payments will be lower and the length of mortgages will be extended to permit smaller monthly payments. In the past, new mobile home buyers were generally faced with a 25 percent down payment and a 10-year mortgage term. Smith said he wasn’t certain what the new terms would be for down payments and mortgage terms, but indicated it would be significant, making them more easily financed for young, married couples. While the main thrust of the CSA standards cover improved insulation to make units more energy efficient, there are also new standards pertaining to plumbing, windows and snow loads. The higher grade windows will also produce more energy savings, Smith noted. While the mobile housing industry has been in a slight slump in recent years, Smith expects the new apoproval from CMHC and the move to smaller, more energy ef­ ficient homes to provide many benefits for the in­ dustry. “People are getting more conscious of smaller homes . . . they’re coming our way,” he said. Smith also suggested that an attitude change on the part of governments at all levels will help the industry apd he’s looking forward to even greater changes in those attitudes. More and more com­ munities are “slowly coming" to the realization of the need for designated areas for mobile housing and Smith expects to see more and more mobile home subdivisions as energy, land and regular house con­ struction costs increase. t Another increasing market for firms such as Northlander is retirees. These buyers now constitute aboutsOpercentof the market and continue to increase. The declining value of the Canadian dollar has also helped to some extent, reducing the number of U.S. imports. Birds signal early spring Spring is right around the corner if robins seen in Exeter recently know what they are doing in providing weather forecasters with the proper information. Reg McDonald, Anne street spotted a robin on Saturday, March 3 and Melvin Edwards, 91 Main street reported three robins in his backyard on March 7, Mr. Edwards was the first to report robins a year ago, but his sighting in 1978 was on March 21 which suggests a much earlier spring this year. other revenue will provide 82.6 percent of the 1979 budget, compared with 83.4 percent in 1978. Local tax­ payers will be required to contribute $798,00 which is 17.4 percent of this year’s budget, up from 16.6 percent in 1978. To allow for the collection of the-necessary taxes, the board has set a mill rate of 5 mills or its equivalent for ratepayers in all 51 sup­ porting municipalities over that paid in 1978. This will mean $5 per $1,000 of assessment more than last year As an overage, this will cost the taxpayers $17.50 more in 1979, according to board calculations, Mr. Lane said, “Postive results from board decisions made in 1978 to cope with declining enrolments are reflected in this budget.” The board will send three trustees to Vancouver from June 13 to 16 as delegates at the Canadian Catholic School Trustees’ Association convention. At the meeting, Monday, the names were announced of the three trustees to go: Michael Connolly, Kippen; Gregory Fleming, Crediton and John O’Leary, Staffs. Keith Montgomery of Wingham was named as an alternate delegate. Bob Butler of Stratford, will be presented with an award of Merit for his many years as a separate school board member in Perth County. Nominated by the Huron-Perth County Roman Catholic Separate School Board for the award, it will be presented to him at the convention of Separate Schools Trustees to be held in Toronto April 5. Mr. Butler served about 20 years on the separate school board in Stratford, 12 of them as board chairman. With the forming of county school boards in 1969 Mr. Butler represented the Huron-Perth board on Perth County Board of Education for eight years. The property committee was directed to get more details on the proposed creative playground at St. Aloysius school, Stratford. The four Trustees who attended the public speaking finals sponsored by the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association in Dublin Tuesday night of last week commended the pupils taking part for their ability and the quality of their speeches. A half hour presentation on the science curriculum, as taught in the 19 separate schools in Huron and Perth Counties, was outlined in detail by three members of the committee the three teachers were Mrs. Frances Craig at St. Columban School; Michael Dewan of Immaculate Conception School, Stratford and Mrs. Joan McIver at St. Patrick’s School, Dublin. They an­ swered numerous questions presented by the trustees. The meeting was over at 10:50 p.m. when the board went into committee-of-the: whole. One Hundred and Fifth Year imes Serving South Huron, North Middlesex Advocate & North Lambton Since 1873 Price Per Copy 25 CentsEXETER, ONTARIO, MARCH 14, 1979 DREA VISITS EXETER — Minister of consumer and commercial relations Frank Drea was the guest speaker at the annual meeting of the Huron-Middlesex Progressive Conservative Association. Discussing items of interest with Drea are former Huron warden Gerry Ginn, Exeter mayor Derry Boyle, Drea, reeve of Hay township and warden of the county Jack Tinney and new president of the association Bruce Shaw of Exeter. T-A photo Prepare agreements for Dashwood water syst&r Construction of a water system for the police village of Dashwood could begin by October 1 of this year if present plans can be com­ pleted without a hitch. As the result of a recent joint meeting between the Dashwood trustees and councillors of the townships of Stephen and Hay the necessary bylaws have been drafted. Stephen Wein said bylaws agreement, frontage rates and water connections are being for­ warded to the Ontario clerk Wilmar this week that covering an water rates, Ministry of the Environ­ ment. The Environment Ministry in turn will prepare the proper papers for sub­ mission to the Ontario Municipal Board. The total estimated cost of the project including the trunk supply line from the Shipka line is $705,604. A grant of $529,2340 is expected from the Province of Ontario which will reduce the cost to Dashwood ratepayers to $176,410. This amount may be debentured over a period of 40 years. Stephen road superin­ tendent Frank Mclsaac has Four people hurt in area collisions Four people sustained injuries in the six accidents investigated by the Exeter OPP this week. Two of the collisions were hit and runs. Three of the injuries oc­ curred on Friday when a vehicle driven by Ivan Gagnon, Goderich, went out of control and rolled over on Highway 4 south of Exeter. The driver and two passengers, Delbert Lecy and Gregory Reynolds,, both of Goderich, were injured in the crash which resulted in damage of $1,200. Constable Don Mason investigated. Last Saturday, a vehicle driven by Carolyn Hodgins, RR 2 Centralia, went out of control on Highway 4 north of County Road 21 and struck a sign post. Damage was set at $635 by Constable Mason. . On Tuesday, vehicles driven by Margaret Visscher, RR 2 Kippen, and Barbara Conlon, RR 2 Zurich, collided on Highway 84just west of Zurich. Ms. Visscher sustained minor inuries and Constable Jim Rogers listed damage at $350. In another Tuesday crash, damage was set at $780 by Constable Rogers when a vehicle driven by Richard Sywyk, Huron Park, went out of control on Highway 4 north of Exeter. The first of the two hit and run collisions was reported on Thursday when an unknown vehicle struck a parked vehicle owned by Larry Mason, Dashwood, The incident occurred on Highway 83 in Dashwood and damage to the Mason vehicle was set at $250 by Constable Bill Osterloo. The other incident oc­ curred on Nova Scotia Ave. in Huron Park on Saturday when an unknown vehicle hit a car owned by Helen Kadey, RR 1 Exeter. Damage was estimated at $350 in that one. been instructed to call tenders for the supply of from 150 to 200 flaked tons of liquid calcium to be applied to township roads this spring. Tenders will be opened at the first council meeting in Paril. Reeve Ken Campbell and clerk Wilmar Wein were given authority to sign a quit claim deed for the east side of Lot 5, Concession 5 to former owner Bob Galloway. The transaction became necessary as the result of straightening out a portion of an adjacent sideroad. Council will co-operate with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources in a tree planting program and pay one-half of the costs. Application is being made to the Ministry of Revenue for study on the realignment of assessment as they affect commercial, industrial and residential properties. An agreement has been signed allowing the Stephen Optimist club to take over operation of the Recreation Centre Annex at Huron Park. Payment of the 1979 levy the Ausable-Bayfield Conservation Authority was authorized in the amount of $10,789. This is a very small increase from the previous year. McKinley goes again Huron-Middlesex MP Robert McKinley told a partisan crowd Friday in Exeter that he would seek re­ election in the new federal riding of Huron-Bruce, McKinley told the annual meeting of the Huron- Middlesex Progressive Conservative Association that the idea of not running had crossed his mind but that he had quickly discounted the notion. The Zurich area resident said he had given himself completely to the people of the riding for the past 13 years and that this total committment would con­ tinue. McKinley lashed out at the present prime minister saying “My total com­ mittment will continue until Please turn to page 3 The country's fate rests with Ontario According to the provin­ cial minister of consumer and commercial relations the fate of Canada in the final analysis rests in On­ tario. The honourable Frank Drea told the 250 party faithfuls at the annual meeting of the Huron- Middlesex riding association held Friday in Exeter that this province is at the centre of confederation. There are several areas on a nation wide basis where Ontario must speak out. He said the government of Premier Davis is committed to the maintenance of the monarchy as the head of state and that this stance is not negotiable. Referring to the possible split between Canada and Quebec, Drea stated Ontario will never negotiate sovereignty association with Premier Levesque. This province will “con­ tinue to lead the way" as On­ tario can not afford to stand still, according to the former Toronto Telegram reporter. There is a sense of bewilderment of what is happening to this country which a decade ago was progressing to the point where the people of the country assumed it to be automatic, Drea stated. This province’s govern­ ment has been among the leaders in the country in terms of fiscal responsibili­ ty with Drea citing the ex­ ample of his own ministry where the budget has remained the same for two years. It’s expected consumer and corporate relations will absorb an eight percent in­ flation rate combined with a six percent growth in work load. The province’s restraints have been a direct result of feedback from the people with Drea stating, “We’re asking you as a government to meet the challenges of trying economic times and that’s the least you can ask from us,” A portion of the Conser­ vative’s provincial restraint is the return of many func­ tions which the government has assumed in previous years to the private sector. Drea said an example of this was the regulation of in- surance agents by themselves. Making reference to current economic conditions Drea stated it was private industry which would have to lead the way in terms of growth for the province with a “majority" of the pro­ jected 130,000 new jobs in the province this year to be created by the private sec­ tor. “As a government we are committed to creating a climate that will attract the investor and the en- trepeneur,” Drea added. In an indirect reference to the area in which he was speaking, Drea said the agricultural community was to play a part in the leadership of the province. Turning to the expected federal election, he said it “will be difficult" and that “the future of the country is at stake." Drea received a standing ovation from the gathering when he told the federal con­ servative candidates in the audience they would receive the full backing of the Davis government and that “the time has come for a change." In thanking the cabinet minister, new riding presi- Please turn to page 3 READY FOR WEATHER — Channel 10 television weather­ man Brad Finch was dressed for any weather conditions when he took to the ice at the Lucan arena Sunday night as a member of Team 10. The television personalities played a 10- 10 tie with the Lucan Lions House League Gang. T-A photo Local firm wins Usborne contract Home manager resigns position John Lyndon, Goderich, manager of the Huron County Housing Authority, resigned from that position last week. Lyndon submitted his resignation to the county housing authority effective immediately. He said Wednesday that he was “fed up” with every- thingin the job and did not want to comment on some of his reasons. He said he had been considering the move for quite a while and just decided after a holiday to make the decision. The manager said he was tired of the bureaucracy of the job. He conceded that on occasion he got into problems in the job but said that is true of any line of work. Usborne township council has accepted the tender of C. A. McDowell Ltd. of Exeter to-fulfill the municpality’s 1979 gravelling contract. The McDowell bid of $33,700 was the lowest of six received. The highest was 45,200. At the regular March meeting, building inspector Herman Van Wieren reported making six in­ spections during the month of February. The 1979 road budget has been set at $231,500 with a provincial grant allocation of $107,900. Included in the program is rebuilding of sideroads 15-16 on concession 2-3 and 1-A on concession 5-6. Mrs. Judy Finch, RR 1 Lucan, has been named dog catcher for the township of Usborne. Council has authorized the renting of part of Lot 11, Concession 6 from Emerson Penhale for use as a ball diamond. The 1979 rental fee will be $335. A grant of $50 was made to the South Huron Association for the Mentally Retarded. Morgan’s Mobile Homes wer given permission to move wide mobile homes on township roads under OPP supervision. Tile drain loan ap- plications in the amount of $27,000 were approved. Announce two awards The winners this year of the Wm. A. Stewart Scholarship at Centralia College of Agricultural Technology have been an­ nounced. They are Christa Daase of London and Louis Patrick of RR 1 Delaware. The scholarship fund was established in 1976 by the people of Middlesex County in appreciation of the con­ tribution made to Ontario agriculture by Wm. A. Stewart, the former Minister of Agriculture and Food. This fund provides two scholarships which are awarded annually to a male and female student who are residents of Middlesex County and are enrolled at Centralia College. The winners must combine high academic achievement at the College and active par­ ticipation in community ac­ tivities. Miss Daase and Mr. Patrick are active in recrea­ tion and community work. Louis Patrick is also in­ volved in the Boy Scout movement. I DIVERS SEARCH FOR MISSING YOUNGSTER — Divers from three Ontario Provincial Police detachments searched Satur­ day for the body of William Todd Passmore. Divers were hampered by thick ice which covered the stream behirtdthepoul Passmore farm in Usborne township. The body wos recovered the following day, T-A photo "MS*WV Usborne tot drowns in farm drain ditch A two and a half year old Usborne lad who failed to heed the admonition of his parents, drowned Friday morning in a drainage ditch about 100 feet from the barn gate which he had been told not to go beyond. The body of William Todd Passmore, son of Paul and Darlene Passmore, wasn’t recovered until late Sunday afternoon about 1,200 feet from the spot where he had fallen through the ice on the farm half a mile north of the Thames Road church on Highway 83 east of Exeter. The boy was outside play­ ing when he wandered off around 9:30 a.m. and his footprints led to the ditch. While most of the ditch was covered with ice, there were spots where holes had brokeh through from spring runoff and it was in one of those areas where the tot had ventured, Exeter OPP quickly join­ ed in the Search and they were aided by four skin divers who arrived to assist. While police centred their search on the creek, neighbors and volunteers, including some members of the Exeter fire department, conducted a search through the farm buildings and neighboring proper ties. Darkness forced cancella­ tion of the search on Friday, but three of the skin divers were on the scene again ear­ ly Saturday, and aided by a construction shovel operated by Gerald Reid, started to methodically break open the ice in the search through the frigid, murky water. Volunteers continued their search of buildings and nearby bushes and gravel pits throughout Saturday and Sunday and the boy’s body was discovered at*5:35 p.m., just a few feet from the point where police had planned to terminate the search. Exeter OPP Constable Jack Straughan, who was in charge of the investigation, along with Cpl. Bill Freeth and Constable Ed Wilcox, paid tribute to the “fantastic number" of people who aid­ ed in the search and offered assistance. Some of the volunteers, along with the local policemen, waded in the frigid waters in search of the boy before the skin divers arrived on the scene. Sunday afternoon, the skin divers had to adjourn their search after their suits became wet and they were taken to Exeter to be dried out before resumihg their ef­ forts. Involved in diving were OPP Constables Brian Adkin, Mt. Forest; Bruce Burns, Owen Sound; Derek Strath. St. Thomas and St. Thomas PD Constable Robert Dymock. The creek ranged in depths of up to seven feet and in places the ice was still almost two feet thick.