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The Lucknow Sentinel, 1987-01-21, Page 1ESTABLISItED IN 1873 "THE SEPOY TOWN" ON THE HURON -BRUCE BOUNDARY PUBLISHED #N l tl1~l iQW ONTARIO: 16 PAGES 40°" PER COPY Wednesday, January 198 . Annual meeting Co-op members encouraged by 1986 profit By Alan Rivett Members of the Lucknow District Co- operative have reason to be optimistic for 1987 as the co-op financial outlook con- tinued to be bright in .1986, with another year of profit. Approximately 300 members, directors and employees of the Lucknow .District Co- operative attended the annual meeting of the co-op at the Lucknow Community Cen- tre on January 16. This year again, the co-op has continued its strong financial trend' since a disasterous year in 1983, finishing 1986 with a net profit of $66,693. However, sales figures were down slightly from 1985 with the co-opfinishing the year with $4,415,672. down from last year's sales of $4,476, 540. According to Lucknow District Co-operative President Don Reid, the bad spring and fall weather were much to blame for the slight decline in sales: "Weather played havoc . with our chemical sales this spring ands also feed and fertilizer sales this fall, but despite these setbacks we saw volurne increases in fertilizer, stores and petroleum areas," said Mr. Reid in his report to the members. For Dave Dawson, manager of the Lucknow District Co-operative, said he has been pleased with the tremendous recovery the co-op has made in the last three years. "It was as much as can be expected," said Mr. Dawson of this year's profits. "The last three years have been really gratifying . But, it's been necessary because if .we hadn't have turned it,around in 1983, we wouldn't have been here. But, we've got t� do it in 1987 again. You can't rest on your laurels or you'll go broke, especially in today's economy." Mr. Dawson was also encouraged this year by the amount of members' equity in the Lucknow Distr ict Co-operative, climb- ing to a high of 44.9 per cent equity. In May of 1982, co-op members only held 19 per cent equity in the business. "Equity is a big thing, especially for the co-op. We want to keep it strong. In markets more stable than agriculture, you could afford to have lower equity. We wouldn't mind taking the equity, over 50 per cent. The more equity you have, the more freedom you have," said Mr. Dawson. Mr. Reid also reported that the profits shown over the past few years has allowed the co-op to expand its services to its members. •He reported that last summer, the directors compared fertilizer blending equipment to replace the existing blender. Five different systems were looked at and the Waconia Floor System has been pur- chased and is expected to be operational prior to the spring. Three new directors were selected for three year terms at the annual meeting. Gerry Gerdes, Shawn Drennan and Joe Van •Osch were elected to the Board of Directors, replacing retiring directors, Robert Rutledge and Don Alton. .J. ISMWSW.Mg,v, '.. . } UY%a� sem` These children had lots to be happy about last Friday. It was not on- are, Amy' Blake, Lynn Irvin, Darlene Aitchison and Jason ly Story Hour time at the Lucknow Library, but the Lucknow Kinet-, Pentland. The Story Hour is held at the library on Friday's from tes made a donation of a table and chair set to the library. From left 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. ( Alan Rivett photo) Lucknow • receives reply sewer installation in the core area, they feel the village sould assume a larger por- tion of the costs for full communal service, the letter went on to say. With the MOE funding 85 per cent of the costs for full service, the village's share averages out to approximately $600,000 which, according to Reeve Herb Clark, would be the most the village would be able to finance. Council has instructed B.M. Ross and Associates of Goderich, the village's engineers and the project planners, to re- submit the application for full communal service for further consideration by the MOE. Reeve Herb Clark ,said that the MOE would receive the new application "within days", but could not speculate as to when council would receive an answer from the ministry. Lucknow council's move to pursue MOE funding for sewers for the whole. village James Bradley, Ontario Minister of the Environment, has requested Lucknow council to re -submit their application for the proposed sewage works in the village. The application is to include a plan to "ser vice the whole village, council learned via a letter from the minister last week. The reply from the ministry came near- ly two months after a meeting of Lucknow council, Mr. Bradley and Huron -Bruce MPP and Minister of Health Murray Elston in November. At pe meeting, coun- cil requested the whole'village be included in the sewer project, rather than just the core, area - which the ministry is prepared to fund to the tune of, $1.3 million. The village's new submission will be subject to "a re-evaluation by the Priority Rating Committee of the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) which will consider the merits of all supplementary informa- tion, the minister said in the letter. While the MOE is prepared to provide Resolution discussed by council Lucknow Village Council received a resolution from the Town of Hanover re- questing support for the construction of a four -lane highway through Bruce and Grey Counties at the council meeting on January 13. According to the resolution, a four -lane highway would greatly assist the expan- sion of industry and tourism in Grey and Bruce resident and would also provide im- proved access to the Toronto International Airport and to the southern part of the pro- vince. •�" Four -lane highways, according to surveys, tend to more safe than two-lane highways, the resolution stated. Currently. Grey and Bruce counties are only serviced from Highway 401 by the out- dated highways 4, 6 and 10. Also, rail ser- vice has been abandoned recently by CN and CPR rail service to the area ceased in 1978. The resolution- further says that Ontario Hydro has been diligent in obtaining hydro transmission corridors through Grey and Bruce Counties to provide energy to southern Ontario. "If we think it might do the area some good, we should support it," said Coun- cillor Ab Murray.° However, council supported a motion by Herb Clark to see what discussions' dic- tated at the county level before making a decision on the resolution. from MOE began after an overwhelming number of Lucknow ratepayers early in 1986 had` shown, through a questionaire, their sup- port for the whole village included in the sewer, project. In, the interim, village council optioned additional lands owned by Floyd Milne ad- jacent to the Gordon Brooks property in Kinloss Township late last year, making that land parcel big enough to accom- modate'a sewage plant if the whole village is taken into the project. Anniversary The Lucknow United Church held a , special service last Sunday, marking the 25th anniversary of the UCW , at the church. SEE PAGE 3. Hockey In hockey action this week, the Lancers continued their winning ways, posting a win over the Ripley Roosters. The Pee Wees have' won an amazing 10 games in a row with their latest wins coming in games against Blyth and Ripley. SEE PAG1E 9. Broomball The Lucknow Lazers, a ladies' broom - ball team, played exceptionally well at a tournament in Mount Forest recently, ad- vancing to the consolation finals before losing to Seaforth. SEE PAGE 7.