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The Lucknow Sentinel, 1983-11-16, Page 6SENTINE "The Sepoy Town" Established 1873 The Lucknow Sentinel, P.O. Box 400 Lucknow NOG 2110 Telephone: 528-2022 Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, November 16, 1983-10 Thomas Thompson - Advertising Manager Sharon Dietz - Editor Pat Livingston - Office Manager Joan Helm - Compositor Merle Elliott - Typesetter Subscription rates in advance '1 6." Outside a45io0 Canada Senior Citizens a 1Iso Outside *43.00 Canada Second class mailing reg. no. 6641 Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, the portion of the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid at the applicable rates. e 6 Keep council business open The editor of the Sentinel has been busy crusading for ratepayers civil liberties this week. At their regular November meeting Lucknow Village Council opened the tenders for the job of snow removal this winter and Kinloss Sand and Gravel was the successful tender. The only other tender submitted was that of Hill Nelson of Lucknow who has done the job for the past several years. His bid was considerably higher and council decided to give the tender to the lowest bid. Council very carefully avoided mentioning the name of the successful tender at the meeting and when the Sentinel editor phoned to ask for the name of the tenders submitted, she wits promptly told by clerk -treasurer Bertha Whitcroft that council had instituted a policy a year ago whereby only successful tenders would be printed in the newspaper. Apparently the Sentinel had printed the names of ufuccessful tenders when the arena manager was hired last year and to quote the clerk, a „disturbance" was caused by the report in the paper. Over the weekend, the Sentinel editor contacted aited expert on municipal affairs and coned the Municipal Ad. She confirmed that tenders are included in the records, reports and documents which must be made available to the public upon request under Section '78, pages 46 - 47 of the Municipal Act, Revised Statutes of Ontario 1980. The editor contacted the clerk -treasurer on Monday morning to say that tenders must be made available to the public according to the Municipal Act, and the clerk asked the reeve of Lucknow to respond to the editor's request. The reeve. George Joynt told the editor that he was not aware that council had made policy to withold the unsuccessful tenders. He said he had only learned of the policy When the clerk told him about her conversations with the editor of the Sentinel Monday morning. He assured the editor of the newspaper that he is aware all information is open to the public and the municipal office in I.ncknow redtrees must reveal all information, reports, records and documents upon request. What is council trying to hide? They continue to hold special meetings to consider important municipal business without in- forming either the public or the press. Their reason is that municipal business today is more complicated and involved than it once was and council must keep up to date on business. This is a valid reason for holding special meetings, but since Lucknow has no daily paper where these meetings can be advertised to the public on immediate notice, council should inform the editor of the Sentinel who would .cover these meetings and report to the ratepayers of Lucknow. There are good reasons for holding meetings on short notice, but an attempt should be made to inform the public or the, press so it cannot be construed that the intent was to meet behind closed doors. Regarding tenders, if council chooses not to reveal the names of tenders opened at public meetings, they place themselves in a position where their intent falls into question again. Council had a valid reason for accepting the tender or M Hamilton a year ago as arena manager even though Mr. Hamilton's bid was not the lowest tender. Councils does not necessarily accept the lowest tender as long as they have good reason to support their decision. If council members are reluctant to become involved in public controversy. they should not run for public office. And further- more. it is not the news story or report of a decision in the newspaper which creates the controversy. The reporter does not make the news. he only reports it, It is the old case of kill the messenger who bears the bad news instead of the person responsible for the bad act. Members of council should familiarize themselves with the Municipal Act and their duties as councillors just as the clerk -treas- urer should become acquainted with her responsibilities under the act. Any respectable council and clerk -treas- urer know that the best way to conduct municipal business is to be as open as possible. We will remember Photos by Sharon Dietz by don Campbell Of all the people in Redtrees. MacC'ritn- mon was held in the highest esteem, but he could not, by any stretch of the imagination. be isonsidered a congenial character. His life was mainly centred around his family and upon the task of building a new life for them on the sandy sly of the Caledon helps. It is only human nature for common people to look for personalities to place upon a pedestal. Perhaps the Friends of Skye expected too much from the ragged. determined and somewhat stubborn t- er of tbe man who had led them into the wilderness. In reality, MacCritt mon was just • shepherd and a piper. folkrwin-g in the footsteps of his ancestor. Whatever disappormtments Neil felt con- cerning the deep and bitter religiouscontro- versy over the frish woman. he did rot show it_ He condoned oned to treat all his friends and neighbours in his quiet and respectful manner. Although his confidence in the Reverend Duncan MacLeod had been sadly diminished. he nevertheless was determined that a mere ceefl ct of opinion sold not interfere with his religious devotion. As he often said: ''Tis not frae sue tare pass judgement on my fellow man. That is God -s right - aao mom. " On the Sunday morning following tthe arrival of Maureen Brady to Redtrees. !ilea Max -Criminal) grreipared for etrarch as usual Flora, his wife was surprised that he should go and fisten to the roan who should have kept his silence. rather than take sides with general opinion. for the sake of retaining popularity. "M'e're awa tae the kirk then?", Flora asked her husband. ..Aye... he said_ "Is it no the Sobbed"? h will please nee if ye and the bairn would hurry tae be ready. frae soon we shag hear the bell." "1 dinna ken how ye can gae tae the place and sit wi people who turned their backs on ye council. And how can ye listen tae the man who agreed wi" the gossip and tickle -tackle of thoughtless and ungodly folk?" But they did. and took their Once in the church. There were no whispers behind cupped hands and no furtive glances in their direction. MacCrrmnaon was tilacCrininsin, and heaven help those Who would choose to ridicule hire or his family. Neil was not the only person who had reason for concern that Sunday After long and earnest conversations with his wife. Mary. MacLeod had second thoughts abort Maureen Brady. He was determined that his sermon should at least attempt to bridge the asp between hiniseff and his old friend JCC ' _ When he ascended into the pia' :. f„ he was inspired by the thoughts of the sermon which he was about to deliver. Feeling absolutely Main that his carefuI • wed !Message would have the desired effect to proceeded to put on a mart perform- ance_ "And behold they brought unto Him a woman caught in the act of adultry,'° he said. his voice as bold and powerful as ever. Whatever else MacLeod was, be was most certainly an orator, if dart a very clever actor. "They were cruel days at the time of out Lord. Men were crucified upon the cross fm speaking out against their Roman aggres- sors. Punishment far exceeded the crime, and for some. even adiuittryy Was punished by the offender being stoned to death by members of her corn community. Ah yam. 1 say her. because it was ustitally a OVUM" who was pushed rather than a man... Macleod aired his eyes to rove around the congregation to discover the effects of his words upon his f1ock, They MOW to rest alma Madrimmon. but if the 's words bad softened Need" heart. it did not show upon his face Throughout the long sermon the level of the pane, 's at l o c toy trod o duaazia . When Ism at 1 be ' iF'!1'v 'i words, he raised ..band a ,., {F, ,;riagged his finger at congregation_ FM vow was earnest a c r- taiu* sounded tee, So this rst Trgesesage this ref -ora_ and 1say uoTto you ort is also the ssay:< of oar Lord_ Jew Cott_ Ill therei amongst you wtaav sirm. ile2t Urn be the one to castt first '°.. Maas of ttlzre pe pOe art Reitthrees Weare Ivireved erart Macleod bad chosen this took • for his sermon. but tyre were of course, some to whom mere words could trot change or cart through the religious bias wieich has existed across fire years. After the sermon they stood in groups in the church yard, weighing up the pros and citrus of Mac1.eod°s message. MacCritrunon had intended to escape the postmortem but lan Jamieson apposached him and toot his hand. "1 1 thinkire a fine sermon ib Wig.He tried so hard to right the wrongs which have mode us feel so sad, There is no doubt that be is a fine preacher.' ° 'That he is." leistCritnnvon said, in some- what of a satrcastic tone. He pointed to the chimney of the donor's lease *Awe elf gray motile issued forth. .,He as t=.e a which cis frac the fire where the Imola woman tothis the e acaeal. 1t yes Wier and *Ater mer the strongest wind Bake Us 68/11"1 Olaf to iteldi OW Di aFtar t folasr od,'" Meal ` a rather lr" enteric.. "He its a fir, bard rd wearing g al '"t Fri c r..does ria tie al MO ar sit_ 1 *en MacLeod well_ He ft; arbraw man S is forced tate (*aim frae the eke o' his popularity, Ae_ ellen face its for every parson F n, .,, Dave off f entree crumbs of- `y,- be said sodCp ! ; d directly, mote the ewes Cebu lam faami sn "Macleod d lea everyothing ogee say be os.. Ikkrt like safe many or bin leo d, O r a krprorri;le!!'' 1