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Times-Advocate, 1978-01-12, Page 1One Hundred and Fifth Year Residents won't budge imes - Serving South Huron, North Middlesex PLOW COMES THROUGH — Snowplowers were welcome sights throughout the area Tues day evening when the storm cleared. The plow shown above is heading north of Crediton on Stephen Concession road 6-7. T-A photo Building fee to increase for Hay construction At the first meeting of the year, Hay township council decided to increase the fee charged for building per Couple hurt in blaze at resort A Grand Cove Estates couple are recovering in hPspital in Exeter from burns received from a fire in . their mobile home early Tuesday morning. A spokesperson at South Huron District Hospital described the condition of Wm. Chambers, 64, and his wife Clodagh, 50, as being stable. Grand Bend fire chief Harry Hamilton told the T-A his department received the ‘■**cairat3.2o a.m7Tuesday arid despite severe weather conditions were on the scene shortly afterwards. He said the cause of the fire has not been determined yet but that it started in the kitchen. Volunteer firefighters managed to get the blaze under control but the Chambers’ home was severely damaged. Freezing hose lines made the job of the firefighters difficult although they were able to contain the flames to the inside of the building. The couple were rushed to hospital in Exeter by Hoff man’s Ambulance. STREETS PILED UP — Youngsters heading for Exeter Public School Wednesday morning found climbing on the banks of snow piled along Main street very appealing. From the left are Donnie Broom, Jim Perry, Dennis Meikle, Sandra Broom, Don Perry and Terry Meikle. T-A photo i mits. On the first $1,000 spent, the fee was increased from $10 to $20, while $1 will be charged for each ad ditional $1000. Council authorized the road superintendent to advertise tenders for supply ing, loading and spreading of approximately 22,000 cubic yards of crushed gravel on township roads. Tenders are to close on June 9. In other council news: Claire Deichert was ap pointed as Hay’s represen tative on the Dashwood Community Centre Board and the Dashwood Recrea tion Board for the year 1978. Several appointments to area fire boards were made; Exeter - Jack Tinney, Hen- Shows improvement after heart attack The condition of Glenn Fisher of Exeter who suf fered a heart attack at the Boston airport Sunday afternoon is improving. He was being moved from the intensive care unit of Massachusetts General Hospital to a regular room Wednesday afternoon. Fisher and his wife Mary along with the Exeter atom hockey team and a number of other parents were preparing to leave Boston at about, 2 p.m. when he suf -k. ,1,: • ; * ... O’-■■ ■£? to of Mail slowed by storm sail - Lloyd Mousseau, Zurich - Lionel Wilder, Donald Geiger. The fence viewer for 1978 will be Lloyd Campbell. Clerk-treasurer Joan Ducharme was authorized to make application to the ministry of transportation and communications for the final payment of the subsidy on 1977 road expenditures. The authorization' of a bylaw that allowed the borrowing up to $175,000 from the Zurich branch of the Bank of Montreal for emergency expenditures, was passed, The next meeting of Hay council will be held February 1. scene fered chest pains. A doctor was on the in minutes and he was rushed to the Boston hospital where doctors defined the attack as‘‘medium’. Atom coach Bill Batten who remained in Boston with Mrs. Fisher said by phone Tuesday night that doctors were pleased with Fisher’s recovery. The Exeter atom team had spent the weekend par ticipating in a tournament at Exeter, New Hampshire, about 45 miles from Boston. EXETER, ONTARIO, JANUARY 12, 1978 Price Per Copy 25 Cents Council 100 percent behind reeve Oakwood doesn't want Grand Bend “I have no intention of becoming involved with the village of Grand Bend any further than I am now, I just refuse.” stated long-time resident of Oakwood, David Jacksori at a public meeting sponsored by the village of Grand Bend. The meeting held Friday evening in the village town hall, was attended by about 35 people from Oakwood, Grand Bend and the surrounding townships and was billed as low key affair designed to gauge the residents of Oakwood opinion about the boundary realignments which the village has proposed. In his opening remarks to the audience, Councillor Harold Green stated that “council is 100 percent in favor of annexation and that it just isn’t Bob Sharen who wants the changes.” Green turned the meeting over to the chairman for the evening Tom Crossman, head of Crossman and Associates, a management consultation firm.. Several letters voicing opposition to Grand Bend’s proposal were read by Sharen with one letter stating that “the benefits of joining Grand Bend are illusory.” John Cram representing the Oakwood Owner’s Association stated that the members of the association were firmly opposed to the annexation of their area and . presented a brief to that effect. The Oakwood presentation which took up most of the evening, was based on a letter which the village had sent to the residents of Oak wood and residences on Highway 21 north, about three weeks ago outlining the benefits of a larger Grand Bend. Cram stated that Oakwood Park has been well kept anti that “We have not been unduly demanding of ser vices (from Stephen)... We strongly oppose any efforts by the village of Grand Bend to annex.” The council letter said that taxes paid locally would be used to increase the value of taxpayer’s property rather than being spent on areas fifteen miles away. The owner’s association refuted this, saying that the cost of servicing would be more than the revenues and that the long term benefit to the residents of Grand Bend had not been established. On the question of in creased ease of com munication with the municipal office, Cram said that he doubted if more than 10 percent of the residents • would have any dealings with the muncipal office and that when problems have arisen “Stephen has been just great.” A prolonged discussion on the validity of using the mill rate as a means for com parison of taxes took place between -Cram and Reeve Sharen. A chart provided by the village showed that the mill rate in Grand Bend, over a seven year period, has in creased 36 percent while for the same period in Bosanquet and Stephen townships, the increases have been 86 percent and 54 percent. Based on an assessment of $2500, taxes in Bosanquet would be $372.50, Grand Bend residents would pay $367.50 and Stephen taxpayers would hand over $300 with mill rates of 149, 147 and 120 respectively. Sharon stated that a comparison of mill rates for tax purposes is valid providing that the assessment is the same. Spokesman Cram disagreed, stating that equal assessment for all areas does not occur. While agreeing with this, Sharen said that the’moves by the provincial govern ment towards market value assessment should help to alleviate the inequities which presently exist. Disputing the point that “Services would be better utilized and more equitably .paid for by the users,” as stated in the letter, the Oak wood resident said that his group is satisfied with the level of services which it has. In answer to another question, the London lawyer made it clear that Oakwood considers itself to be an urban community only in the summer months and that its problems would not necessarily be dealt with best by an urban com munity. The Grand Bend letter claimed that a larger municipality would have more “clout at the senior levels.” “We have no complaints about clout with the senior levels of government,” Cram stated and added “There is no reason for having power for power’s sake.” Sharen said that an over riding theme that the Oak wood residents have ex-, pressed is the maintenance of their privacy. As stated in the letter, Sharen went on, formal agreements between Oak wood Park, Southcott Pines and Beach O’Pines and the, village should be made ensure the recognition positions. Once again Cram was in disagreement saying that if a council changes, it may " Postal service to residents in Exeter and district was curtailed because of the extreme winter storm which hit Sunday night. The regular mail dispatch from London to the Exeter post office was completed at about 6 a.m. Monday, but that was the last delivery until Wed nesday morning. Rural deliveries were cancelled both Monday and Tuesday morning. The area mail run operated by E. R. Guenther of Dashwood was only partly completed Monday morning and then disbanded for the rest of the day and Tuesday. Wicket service at the Exeter post office closed at 5.30 p.m. Monday and at 1 p.m., Tuesday, decide to invalidate the agreement that was made by the previous council. A member of village council countered this by asking if the owner’s association changes it’s executive on a consistent basis which would mean that both parties would be on the same level. Cram answered in the affirmative to the question. The Oakwood residents expressed concern that if they did join Grand Bend, they would be forced to hook up to the sewer system with pressure eminating from government sources outside of Grand Bend such as the ministry of health or ministry of the environment. Cram questioned the need for sewers in Oakwood. Following Mr. Cram’s presentation, two residents of Oakwood made comments pertaining to the proposed annexation. A CUSTOM SEARCHER — Members of the Exeter atom hockey team are searched by a customs official at Toronto Inter national airport as they prepared to fly to a tournament at Exeter, New Hampshire. The boys are Jim Lewis, Jeff Pfaff and Rick Gilfillan. T-A photo Storm held responsible for most area accidents Eight of the nine accidents investigated this week by officers of the Exeter detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police occurred Monday and Tuesday and were caused by the stormy Weather and icy and snow filled road conditions. Constable Wally Tomasik listed damages at $3,000 when a vehicle driven by Dwight Sheppard, Grand Bend struck a snowdrift on Huron road 5 in Stephen township, Tuesday. Saturday a vehicle driven by Mildred Weymouth London, rolled over in a ditch on Highway 4, .9 km north of Middlesex Road 5, in Stephen Township. Damages were estimated at $1,000 by Constable Larry Christiaen. Monday vehicles driven by Joseph Kolkman, RR 2, Monkton, and Robert Kelly Huron Park were involved in an accident on Highway 4 just north of the Kirkton Road. Damage was estimated at $900 by Con stable Larry Christiaen. Vehicles driven by John Jamieson, Exeter and Glen Weitzel, Stratford were in collision on County Road 21, south of County Road 4, in Stephen Township. Damage was estimated at $900. by Constable Larry Christiaen. The same day a vehicle driven by Douglas Herter, Waterloo, struck a tanker truck owned by CFMG Inc. London, on County Road 6, east of Highway 4 in Usborne Township. The tanker was stuck in a snow drift, Damage was listed at $900. by Constable Larry Christiaen, Monday vehicles driven by & North Lambton Since 1873 Philip Walker, son of the original developer of Oak wood, said that the move of Oakwood into Grand Bend would mean that county jurisdiction over the area would switch from Lambton to Huron, Walker said that “Huron may be a preferable place to live in.” been theft from and Two charged in theft of tools Two persons have arrested following the of a number of tools Slaght Plumbing Heating in Crediton. The theft occurred sometime Saturday night. The tools were valued at $750. Some have been recovered. A Mitchell resident is in custody in Provincial Jail in Stratford and an RR 4, Seaforth man has also been arrested. Korleen Schmidt, Hanover, and Rober French, RR 2, Mitchell were involved in an accident on Highway 23, south of the Blanshard Township Road. Damage was set at $800. by Constable Ed Wilcox. Vehicles driven by Basil Glavin RR 1, Crediton and Walter Hanninen, RR 2, Everything stops for storm 9 I The intense winter storm which started late Sunday afternoon brought most ac tivities in the area to a com plete standstill by Monday afternoon. Heavy snow accompanied by strong winds continued until well into Tuesday and most snow plow crews didn’t go to work until late Tues day afternoon. Area OPP officers mann ed road blocks in several locations to keep motorists off the highways. Exeter detachment of ficers stopped traffic from leaving the north end of Ex eter on Highway 4 from 4 p.m. Monday until early Tuesday when the roads became blocked. Exeter town police stopped southbound traffic at the samfe time. The same situation ex isted on Highway 4 in the Lucan area where travelling was virtually impossible from 5 p.m. Monday until near 6 p.m. Tuesday when the road crews returned. A snow plow was called out at about 4 a.m. Tuesday to allow Hoffman’s Am bulance of Dashwood to Transport a Grand Bend He expressed concern that the hydro rates for Oakwood would go up since they would be serviced from Sarnia rather than from Clinton. Reeve Sharen said that the rate differential would be “negligible.” Stirling Kenny a resident of Oakwood for one year, questioned the statement by the village that the in stallation of sewers would improve property values in the development. Sewers would increase the assessment rate since new development would take place, said Sharen. Kenny agreed, but still questioned how this would increase the property values in Oakwood. Sharen said that the property value would in crease as a result of the moving out of less desirable entities with the new con struction taking place. The ownership of the roads Grand Bend collided on County Road 5 west of High way 4 in Stephen Township. Damage was listed at $1,400 by Constable Al Quinn. Monday vehicles driven by David Stark, Zurich, Timothy Neeb RR 1, Kirk ton and Louis Van Boxmeer, RR * 2, London were involved in a collision on Highway 41.6 km Lucan OPP, Gord Barker couple to South Huron hospital. They were injured in an early morning fire at Grand Coves Estate. While a number of ac cidents were related to the storm Monday and Tuesday in the Exeter OPP district, no serious injuries were reported. At the Constable reports 19 accidents being investigated the first two days this week. Two persons were taken to hospital by Haskett’s Ambulance of Lucan. Wayne Reddick of Lucan suffered a dislocated arm when he fell off a snow mobile near his home, Mon day. He was released from hospital after treatment. At 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Albert Schill, RR 1, Ailsa Craig was injured while walking along Highway 7, west of Elginfield. He was struck by a vehicle driven by Paul Scotl, RR I, Williamsford and stayed at the home of Jim Rydall for about four hours until snowplows cleared the highway. Lucan officers also mann ed roadblocks from 11 a.m. in Oakwood was of concern to Kenny as he wondered if the village could assume ownership. Stephen township has not assumed the roads but could if they wanted to according to Sharen. An agreement between Oakwood and the village could be made to clarify the status of the roads, said Sharen, Kenny stated that “I would not have bought property if Oakwood Park had been a part of Grand Bend.” When Chairman Crossman asked if there were any further comments, Jackson said “We don’t need them. (Grand Bend).” At the conclusion of the meeting, Sharen said that council was “strongly in favour” of boundary realignment and at that “the community of interest should be the community of fact.” north of Huron Road 21. Damage estimated at $400 by Constable Al Quinn. Also on Monday a vehicle driven by Alan Bell, RR 2, Kippen struck a vehicle owned by McKinley Farms Hatchery, RR1, Zurich which was stuck in a snow drift. Damage was set at $1,900 by Constable Quinn. to 5 p.m. Friday on Highway 23. Constable Barker said 15 abandoned cars were towed from the shoulders of Highways 4 and 7. In the Exeter area, OPP Constable Jack Straughan and four snowmobile enthusiasts brought an ex pectant mother to South Huron Hospital from Huron Park Tuesday afternoon. The stork had not arrived by press time, Wednesday. Operating the snow mobiles were Jack Straw, Ed Preszcator, Dale Passmore and Gary Cottle. The storm caused . cancellation of classes at South Huron District High School and all elementary schools in the area both Monday and Tuesday. The only exception was Exeter Public School. Students there were sent hottie at noon, Monday. All School buses were operating again Wednesday morning with the exception of routes in Usbofne township. Usborne Central School remained closed for the third consecutive day. Most Exeter businesses were closed Tuesday,