Times-Advocate, 1979-04-04, Page 1Tentative okay for $150,000 core project
Exeter council has ap
proved in principle a plan by
«the Downtown Business Im
provement Area to spend
$150,000 to beautify the core,
area, but stopped short of
making any decision on a
suggestion by the BIA that
the town contribute to the
project.
BIA chairman Bob Swart-
man and several other board
4
THE BARE FACTS — Students at Exeter Public School had a
good look at the art of sheep shearing as performed by
Gerald Dearing of Stephen township on Thursday. This sheep
was only a few cuts away from having a year's growth of
wool removed. " J-A photo
Budget is set with
'just in case' items
The Exeter PUC approved
their 1979 Waterworks
department operating and
capital budgets, Friday.
Chairman Chan
Livingstone said there were
a number of things in the
•budget which he'described
as “just in case” items but
failed in his attempt to have
them considered for
deletion.
While Livingstone
suggested some cuts be
made on the “ify” items,
Mayor Derry Boyle coun
tered by saying they had to
be realistic and foresee some
unexpected expenditures.
“Too much cutback is
said
Older homes
could be hit
Council will meet on Tues
day with Thomas G. Boyd of
the ministry of revenue to
consider a new type of
assessment for the com
munity.
That session will be closed
to the public.
It was indicated that the
new type of assessment is
closer to market value than .
the svstem presently used.
“Older homes will get hit
hard,” Mayor Derry Boyle
predicted.
“It’s going to come
anyway, whether we’re in
favor or not,” Reeve Si Sim
mons opined, noting that
county council had already
approved the new method of
assessing.
false economy,” Boyle
and manager Hugh Davis
said a number of other
commissions were “paying
through the nose” for things
they needed now after sitting
on funds in past years.
The only thing Livingstone
succeeded in having chopped
was the proposed purchase
of a new pickup, but then he
was just more than
successful.
Boyle recommended
$2,000 of the proposed
chase price of $5,700 be left in
the budget.
Davis agreed that the 1974
model being considered for
replacement wasn’t that bad
yet, but added that he always
tried to keep the vehicles in
top shape so they would be
ready for emergency work in
all types of weather.
Livingstone suggested that
va pickup wouldn’t fall into
that category and added that.
the PUC now had four
vehicles for its five men.
Livingstone never did
outline some of the other
items he thought should be
deleted as Boyle and Murray
Greene moved to pass the
budget.
Two capital expenditures
for the waterworks
department were a jack
hammer and gas detection
equipment for manholes.
The PUC agreed to buy the
$2,000 jack hammer and
hope the town will spend the
$750 for the gas detection
equipment. Both would be
used by the PUC and town
Please turn to page 3
half
that
pur-
of management members
were on hand to show coun
cil some of the plans as
prepared by Urban Design
Consultants.
Swartmansaid the group
would like to undertake
three projects which include
a total redevelopment of the
“town square” complex
which includes ttye town hall
and library, a parkette and
widening of the sidewalks in
front of the PUC building
and restoration of the area
in front of the municipal
building.
It was reported that the
estimated cost of these
three projects would be
$124,000 and the group plans
to use the other $26,000 for
the extension of parking
facilities on municipally
owned land.
“You fellows are willing
to spend that kind of money
without any contribution
from council?” Reeve Si
Simmons asked.
Swartman gave a quick
“yes”, but shortly after in
dicated they hoped council
would support the project
from the general tax levy.
The $150,000 would be
borrowed from a $5,000,000
fund established by the
provincial government for
restoration and beautifica
tion in Ontario towns. The
money is loaned at one per
cent interest over a 10-year
period.
Swartman indicated his
group hoped council would
borrow the full allotment of
$150,000 and the BIA would
contribute $10,000 for the
next 10 years, leaving coun
cil to pay the remaining $65,-
000.
“We’d be rerpiss if we
didn’t go for the full
$150,000,” Swartman com
mented. “I don’t know
where you can get money so
cheap.”
He said if council wouldn’t
agree to paying $65,000
towards the projects, the
BIA hoped they would at
least help out the BIA exten
ding the repayment period
to 15 years. '
Police Chief Ted Day
questioned some aspects of
the-projects which call for
the widening of the
sidewalks in certain
locations, thereby cutting
down on the area for
vehicular traffic.
He was advised that the
department of transporta-
tion and communication had 7
reviewed the plans already
and before any work was un
dertaken, sandbags would be
used to imitate the final
placement of sidewalks to
see how they worked out.
Swartman said the only
thing required to get ap
proval for the $150,000 loan
was a property maintenance
and occupancy standards
bylaw.
BIA director Mike
Williamson said there was a
sense of urgency to the
application for funds in that
only $5,000,000 was available
on a first come, first served
basis and once it’s gone
“that’s the end of it”.
The chairman said Exeter
was farther ahead than most
.......... __i agreed
the es-
communities but
that tirpe was of
sence,
Mayor Derry
wondered if the
Boyle
$150,000
Woman bids
for NDP nod
A former Hensail resident,
Moira Couper, has an
nounced her candidacy to
represent the NDP in the
Huron-Bruce riding in the
May 22 election.
Mrs. Couper now resides in
Bayfield and is a freelance
community education
worker and weaver.
The nomination meeting to
elect a NDP candidate will
be held in the Clinton town
hall on April 17.
would go against the town’s
borrowing limits, saying
that if this was the case,
“then we’d have to take a
close look at it”.
He said if it pushed the
borrowing limit near the
ceiling, it could jeopardize
council’s ability to borrow
funds for the storm sewer
project in the west-central
area of the community.
Swartman asked the
Mayor if he didn’t think the
downtown project was im
portant.
“Not as important as the
sewer work,” Boyle quickly
replied. .
“We’ve spent $14,000 to
get to this point and we don’t
want to see it delayed and go
down the drain,” Swartman
told council ipembers.
Simmons said council still
had to get the answers to
several questions before giv
ing any approvals and BIA
director Mel Gaiser
suggested that approval
could still be given subject
to thos clarifications.
Williamson added that the
BIA would like to have some
sense of direction from
council.
At that point, Councillor
Jay Campbell, a former BIA
director, moved that council
support the plan in principle .
and name a committee to
get the answers to some of
the questions which were
left unanswered.
That motion was un
animously approved by
council, although they did
not move to name the com
mittee as suggested by the
motion.
“Are you ready to make a
snap decision?” Boyle asked
before calling the vote.
“It doesn’t tie us down,”
Councillor Harold Patterson
commented.
Council also passed a mo
tion approving the 1979
budget of $13,800 for the
BIA.
“Do you think that will be
enough,” Campbell asked
the BIA members, noting
they may need more funds
to repay the loan for the
beautification projects.
Swartman replied that the
BIA didn’t anticipate any
need for a large increase in
their budget over the next 10
years to finance the $10,000
annual repayment.
He said they were looking
at an increase of only 10 to
15 percent next year.
SHEEP SHEARING AT SCHOOL - Student at Exeter Public School had a good look at sheep shearing Thutsday thanks to Ex
eter area farmer Gerald Dearing. Examining some of the wool are.Dwayne Coolman and Karen Wells. T A photo
TO CALL BIDS
All approvals have been
received for the construe-receive
tion of the west-central
storm sewer in Exeter and
tenders for that project are
to be called shortly.
Council agreed this week
to terms of an agreement
with Canadian Canners to
allow an easement across
their property. Cost of that
easement is $4,100.
Councillor Ted Wright
said any alternative routes
would be “very difficult and
very costly” and said coun
cil were fortunate to secure
the agreement with the local
firm for the easement.
-
One Hundred and Fifth Year
imes - Advocate
Serving South Huron, North Middlesex
g|
& North Lambton Since 1873
EXETER, ONTARIO, APRIL 4, 1979
_j____________________________________________ __
Only Exeter, Stephen, Goderich get two reps
Price Per Copy 25 Cents
County council approve reduction
r —
Huron county council $end two representatives to
when it changed
requirements for
municipalities to send
deputy-reeves to the county
council chambers.
By a 36 to 16 vote council
reduced its size from 45
members to 29 beginning
with the 1981 term.
The restructuring means
that only municipalities with
2,500 or more voters will
send both a reeve and
deputy-reeve to county
council. At present
municipalities with 1,000 or
more voters send two
representatives to the county
level.
Under the new system only
Exeter and the
of Stephen will
The restructuring was
done to attempt to
streamline council. Under
the old system the 45
member council, considered
by some, to already be too
large to be practical, was
about to become larger.
West Wawanosh township
is eligible for a deputy-reeve
in the 1981 election under the
old system and Bayfield is
Goderich,
township
STUDENTS GET JOB TIPS — Susan Freeman of the Canada Employment Centre at Goderich was at South Huron District
High School Thursday giving tips on how to secure a summer job. Going over Some information pamphlets are Ken lawton,
head of the school's guidance department, students Marian Martens and Pam O'Brien and Ms. Freeman. T-A photo
Minus $15
but plus $30
There are times when it
pays to keep quiet as village
property owner Herbert Van
Waterschoot found out at
Monday’s meeting of Grand
Bend council.
In a letter to council, Van
Waterschoot had requested
that the garbage service
charge of $15 for a vacant lot
on Hill street be discontinued.
While council agreed to
this request, it was learned
Van Waterschoot was paying
another $15 charge for
garbage pickup on three
cottages on an adjacent
piece of land.
Each cottage is charged
the $15 fee so council
requested Louise Clipperton
to ask Van Waterschoot for
an additional $30.
Thumbed the wrong guy
Gets 21 months on local thefts
A 19-year-old Blenheim
man was sentenced to a total
of 21 months in jail when he
appeared before Judge W.G.
Cochrane in Goderich,
Monday, on three charges
laid as a result of thefts in
Exeter this week.
O£P Constable Jack
Straughan initiated the in
vestigation when he was on
patrol around 3:45 a.m.,
Saturday, and while
proceeding through Exeter
observed the Dinney Fur-
niture truck being driven
around town.
He became suspicious due
to the time and the fact he
did not recognize the driver
as being associated with the
firm and attempted1 to stop
the vehicle. However, it
proceeded south on Highway
4 at a high rate of speed with
Straughan in pursuit in his
cruiser.
About two miles south, the
truck turned into a laneway
and got stuck in the mud and
the suspect fled on foot.
Straughan returned to
Exeter and picked up his
own car at the OPP office
and drove back to the area
where the truck had been
abandoned and arrested
Francis Selwin Dutcher, 105
George Street, Blenheim,
who was > then .hitch-hiking.
The accused was turned
over to Exeter Constable
George Robertson and
charged with the theft of the
vehicle and was sub-
sequently charged with
break, enter and theft at two
local service stations, Sav-U
Gas Bar and Sun Service.
Dutcher pleaded guilty to
the three charges and was
given three months for the
Sun Service breakin, one
year for the Sav-U Gas Bar
breakin and six months for
the theft of the Dinney truck.
The court learned that he
had previous convictions oh
similar charges.
Duo to face
theft count
Two men face charges
arising from the break, enter
and theft at a Hensail
residence on March 19 and a
warrant has been issued for
a third man sought by police
over the same incident.
The breakin occurred at
the home of Gerald Sleaford
around 7:45 a.m., shortly
after he and his wife had left
for work. Six guns, a
telephone, two rugs, some
jewellery and other
household items were taken.
Scheduled to appear in
Exeter court on April 10 to
face charges are Lome
Angus Albert, 36 of 296 Grey
Street, London, and Robert
Clayton Turcotte, 26 of 241
Algonquin Drive Huron
Park.
,The Charges were laid by
Exeter OPP Constable Bill
McIntyre, who headed the
investigation.
A search warrent executed
at a London address enabled
police to recover about $1,500
of the $2,000 worth of items
taken in the theft.
also very close to deputy
reeve status.
Under the new system
several townships and two
towns are very close to the
2,500 electors needed for a
deputy-reeve. The townships
of Tuckersmith, Goderich,
Howick and Hay will
probably be electing deputy
reeves in 1981 as well as the
town of Clinton.
1 Some members of council
balked at the idea of trim
ming deputy-reeves.
Wingham deputy-reeve
Harold Wild felt that the
councillors should take the
matter back to their
respective councils for
discussion and direction.
Wild said he felt he
couldn’t make a decision
adding that he would like to
“talk about it at home”.
Turnberry deputy-reeve
Harold Elliott said he felt the
position of deputy-reeve was
“a good opportunity for
younger people to get into
this (county council
business) for the time they
step up to reeve”.
Elliott also felt reeves left
at the council table would be
unable to handle all the
county business and com
mittee work.
County clerk Bill Hanly
said about the only thing that
would be altered by the
reduced size is the number of
councillors sitting on
council. He said the voting
powers of the individual
municipalities would change
very little.
Hanly said he didn’t like to
talk about rural versus
urban situations but pointed
out that every once in a while
it “rears its ugly head”.
The clerk pointed out that
where a rural municipality
has three votes of a total of 57
it will now have one vote of a
total of 30. He pointed out
that rural votes still out
number urban under the new
system.
Voting power for in
dividual municipalities is
established by population. A
municipality is given one
vote per 1,000 population to a
maximum of four votes.
Hanly told councillors the
rural vote was still stronger
under the new system. He
said rural votes are now 65
DELAY SESSION
The second April session
of Exeter council will be
delayed one week.
The normal date for that
session is April 16, but that
being Easter Monday and
the town staff having a holi
day, the session will be held
on April 23.
57 percent of the total and turing is not doing away with
urban 43 percent.
The clerk .said
percent of the total and
urban 35. After restructuring
rural votes would amount to
deputy-reeves just reducing
Please turn to page 2restruc-
A REAL YOUNGSTER WITH SOME YOUNGSTERS — Area
performed some on the spot shearing Thursday at Exeter Public
sheep raiser Gerald Dearing
School and brought along an
added bonus. Taking good care of the four day old lamb are Mary-Ann Dekoker and Sherri
Varley. . T-A photo
Stall attempt is defeated,
town staff get increases
Wage negotiations have
been completed by Exeter
council and the town staff,
and a move to delay the in
creases which range around
10 percent, was turned down
by council, Monday.
A bylaw setting forth the
remuneration for staff
members was on this week’s
agenda, but Councillors Jay
Campbell and Marilyn
Williamson moved to have it
tabled.
“Why?” Reeve Si Sim
mons quickly asked.
Campbell said he didn’t
object to the content of the
bylaw, but would like to see
what impact the wage in
creases would have on the
1979 budget.
Councilor Ted Wright said
he was opposed to any delay.
“These are the wages of
people working for us,” he
said, and he met with a br'ef
round of applause from
works superintendent Glenn
Kells when he suggested
that council would have to
consider paying interest on
the wages if the increases
were delayed any farther.
However, Campbell said
he could cite many ex
amples where wage in
creases weije placing people
in the position of not having
any funds to provide work
for staff members.
He said some government
agencies were in this posi
tion and “people are sitting
around doing nothing”
because their budgets have
been eaten up by wage
payments.
“I can’t see where a cou
ple of weeks is any burden,”
Please turn to page 3