The Lucknow Sentinel, 1981-02-04, Page 2Murray Gaunt, Liberal MPP for Huron--
Bruce,
uron ;Bruce, has. announced he will not ``seek
re-election in the provincial election announ-
ced Monday. Gaunt made his announcement
Tuesday morning.
After..18',/z years ag the provincial member
tat' the riding, "Gain has decided that the
time has -come when he wants to spend more
finite with his family:,
"This has been the mosttdifficu It decision,
I have ever made," said Gaunt,' "and < nne
^chat I ". have made with some regret."
Gaunt said _ the decision, was made for
personal reasons rather than .political'. He
stated that his family has accepted . addi-
tional
ddi•tional responsibility over the years while he
was away and. busy meeting constituents,
dealing with their problems:
Gaunt;, said he is deeply indebted to his
family for their support and help overthe
years. It permitted` him to pursue his
political career.
Gaunt added that he has .enjoyed political
life and is grateful to the electors of
ae
u�: e
l : : ation
West `'Wawanosh farmer, Tony McQuail
has . announced he ' will "seek ' the New
Democrat nomination in. the March election.
McQuail ran Sas the NDP candidate for the
Huron -Bruce riding in the last federal
election.'He •has-been the delegate from this
tiding to the NDP,provincial council forthe
past year.
McQuail is also second vice-president of
the Huron Federation of Agriculture.
Huron -Bruce : for the opportunity to Serve
them and for, their confidence and trust.
He concluded by saying that he is
confident a new •government under the
leadership . of Stuart Smith ' would : serve..
Ontario' "with,., vision and dedication". He
wished .: Mr, Smith •; and ,the. Liberal party
every 'success in this election.
Michael Snobelen, former reeve of Huron
Township, has announced his 'intentionto
seek the nomination for the Ontario.Progres-;
sive Party in the riding of Huron -Bruce for
the upcoming election.
Snobelen who is the owner ' of Anderson
Flax Products, Lucknow, and Snobelen
Farms Ltd., recently retired from municipal
politics. He is a former chairman of the,
Bruce County Road- Committee. -
r
Awa
•
P2
040.
•
r.
Toni Webster of Dungannon, left,.received an Agricultural Service Diploma for his
contribution to the Dungannon Agricultural Society at the Soclety's,annual meeting, January
27. The;:presentation was made by the Society's president, ,Bob Wright. [Sentinel Staff Photo]
Statile CAMPY 35c
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1951
20 PAGES
Huron County Council learned at . their
January .29 meeting that, for the year .1980,
the .Huron County Highways. Department
accumulated a*deficit..`on . a cash .basis of
$201,068; ''According to County Engineer
Bob Dempsey, the deficit. occurred. when two
projects during the year resulted in substan-
tiat overruns.
The road construction of County Road; 11,
from the. Perth Boundary to Highway 23, was
originally. budgeted 'for $281,000 and yet,
$584,000. Was spent on the project., , The
engineer and the road committee decided to
continue with the construction of County
Road 11 beyond that originally anticipated in
1989 since weather conditions, manpower,
equipment and time were available to
continue 4 with the work in August and
September:
It was understood, said Dempsey in 'his
report,thattthis would result in some over-
run:but
it ould alsopermit the possibilityof
� s •
paving the road in 1981 rather than in 1982.
Inlight of the rapid increase in petroleum
prices, this wouldresult in a substantial
saving to the county by being able to pave
the road one year earlier.
"Unfortunately, due to unforeseen prob-
lems," commented Dempsey+, "we came in
with a greater deficit. than anticipated." •
All underdrains were replaced along the
road lastyear because the road department
prefers to see them in for one winter; if they
bubble, they can be replaced before the road
is paved ,
Despite' the department's efforts to. "learn .
the number of drains to be replacedalong
the road before they proceeded, there were
more drains along the road than anticipated.
'Bad weather also slowed d n the road
crews especially during the rains in -Sept-
ember: :.
The second projectWhich saw a suitStan-
tial overrun during the year ., was the
construction of the Auburn Garage. The
original estimate for the garage of $400,000
didnot include the cost of buyingithe land or
relocation of the radiotower and additional
costs. The original estimate was the" dost of
x}. l of re
building alone and the final costplacing
the garage is close to $700,000.
Dempsey told council there are anticip-
ated revenues which will reduce this' over-
run, Such, as the,sak ,of the old property and
the sale:,of the well on that property. but,
these cannot be budgeted' because they,
could be misleading::
.Dempsey reminded council thct it was
decided to build a more . expensive building
because ,the overhead and maintenance
would " below.
In presenting the 1981 County Highways
Budget to council, Dempsey noted that anl
attempt had been made to reduce the county
I :rate to a recommended level by reducing and
eliminating proposed expenditures in 1981.
The county rate in. the 1981 budget rose 27
s .
per cent from S1,281,000 to 1 � ,629 ,500.
Under construction andavin , the engin-
eer
n
�<g 8u'
eer 'decided to .eliminate the: resurfacing of
County . Road 20 from Huron County Road 1,
west into Ashfield Township, a total of four
kilometres;at a laving , of $157,000; A
revised estimate on the completion of Road
11 from' Whalen's Corner, north four kilo-
metres, has been reduced from' $145,000
down to 3130;000. -A: revi6w4of equipment
replacement found that the replacement of
one truck could be•held over one year
realizing a saving of $25,000.
The county's engineer pointed out that he
Huron; County . Council wrestled with
budgets presented by the'county's various
committees at its January 29 meeting, in an
attempt to hold the overall county budget to
an increase .of between 15 and 17 per cent.
increases in the department budgets ranged
horn 15 to- 27 'per, cent.
Warden Fred Haberer told council the
county was able to slip through last year but
in 1981, the council would be faced . with
some tough decisions regarding . budget
increases. `•
•
ys..
l souse
Erre destroyed the home of Paul Gore',
concession 1`, • Ashfield Township, Sunday
morning: No one was home at the tittle of the
'fire which broke out shortly before noon. -
GodMich firemen were the first on the.
od
scene but 'the .house was completely engulf-
ed
when• they arrived. TheYwatched nearby
buildingsuntil hucknow firemen •arrived
about 10 minutes ' later.
Lucknow fire Chief George Whitby 'said.
... .
the cause of , 'the fire has not . been
determined. An estimate of the damage is.
g
not available.
is reluctant to cut resurfacing projects from
the budget et because "th ' is falling
g e county .. >y g
behind:. in ,.its resurfacing.If the • county
tY
resurfaces 10 miles a year, it would take 24
years to resurface all existing paved roads in
the county. The anticipated life of a paved
road is o•`fily, 15 years, said Dempsey,
"I 'ani concerned that :if . we maintain the
present resurfacing' ' policy, we will .work
ourselves into -a box in The. future where .we.
will not be able to maintainservice unless we
do more than 10 miles a year," observed •
Dempsey:
Turn to page 2•
20%
The county's highways department sub-
mitted the budget with the largest county
rate increase: 27 per cent in 'a budget of
$3,927,500. .
The:increase in the, road budget this year
was relatedto significant overruns on two
projects in 1980 leaving the department with
a deficit for the year of $201,068 on a cash
basis.
Reeve George Fellows of Bayfield ques-
tioned the right of the road cominittee to
permit significant • overruns which " would
result in a 'deficit. County' engineer Bob
Dempsey answered that unforeseen difficul-
ties had resulted in a larger overrun than
anticipated on the construction of Road 11.
Road committee chairman Lloyd Mousseau
told council the second overrun was the
Aubuitn Garage replacement and pointed out
that it was a one time project. Once the
garage was paid for, said Mousseau, the
road budget could be brought in line
next
year.
The land division committee ' brought 'in
one of the lower budget increases at 15.1 per
cent The committee recommended the fee
for all approved severances be raised from
$75 to $100, resulting in increased revenues
of approximately $3,000. - -
Reeve Bill Elston, Morris Township, told
council that land severances were a "bona
fide part of county planning". He objected to
the person wanting the severance being
asked to bear the burden. County clerk -
treasurer, Bill Hardy, pointed out that the
-county is subsidizing each fee more than 50
per cent. •
Reeve Paul Steckle of Stanley Township
said ` he is opposed to severances and
remarked that the county cannot continue to
severances, eth He who are benefiting .from the
would • not be
• .. said he � _ .
opposed to having those wanting severances
pay half of the administration fee:
Council referred the matter to executive
Torn to pogo 29'
icie
damag
car wash
II
Vandals pried open the cash box at
Fairview Car. Wash stealing$50 and causing
considerable damageg ' to the mech . _. isni
operating the car wash on the . . weekend.
Goderch OPP investigated the incident
which ocentred late friday iii ht or. early
�` g Y
Saturdaym'or°nin.._.. Thereno' suspects .-
. g areus
yet, and their investigation is continuing.
}
W