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The Citizen, 1991-04-17, Page 1Harris in town Tory leader speaks in Blyth See page 11 NDP worries Elston Can NDP run economy? See page 21 TO Bound Blyth play gets big treatment in Toronto See page 23 ooivmy diumdu, Diym, Muuurn, DBigra.vo, Eirwi, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. VOL. 7 NO. 15 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1991.60 CENTS Faces tell tale for tiny taste tester Alex Munnings of Clinton was one of many who started their Sunday morning off at the Londesboro Lions Old Tyme Country Breakfast but may have been one of the more discerning taste testers. Our photographer managed to capture some of the facial expressions behind the judgements. ____ Hhhmmmm! That taste reminds me of something I’ve eaten before. Maybe Mom gave me too much.Wow! Maple syrup and pancakes sure beats mushed peas from a jar. Blyth diverts yrant for park improvements Blyth Village Councillors voted Thursday night to divert more of the Village’s Pride money to the Huron Pioneer Threshers Associa­ tion for improvements to the fair­ grounds. Councillors had toured the park with executive members of the Threshers earlier in the day to see the improvements planned by the Threshers which will include more landscaping, the installation of more hydro and water services, the construction of more benches for the arena floor and a new stage. The group already had $10,000 left from its previous allocation under Pride and council agreed to give another $10,000 to be matched by money donated by the Threshers. Reeve Albert Wasson said that diverting some of the grant to the Threshers will mean the village doesn't have to come up with the matching funds for projects that might have been undertaken. The big difference would be in street lighting. Under the Pride applica­ tion, council had budgeted $50,000 for street lighting improvements. The Reeve said he felt that amount could be cut back and the village could still get a lot done. “What the Threshers want is good for the community”, Reeve Wasson said. “They’re not selfish.” A motion was passed supporting the money for the Threshers. Clerk-treasurer Helen Grubb said the money saved by the village could go to needed repairs to the bricks on the outside of the municipal offices. She pointed out that there is still a problem with water getting in t».c back of the building because the bricks are in such bad shaDe. Other brickwork Continued on page 3 Blyth ends year with $45,000 surplus The Village of Blyth ended 1990 with a surplus of $45,837, village councillors learned at their April 11 meeting. Paul Seebach of Vodden, Bender and Seebach presented the year end financial statement to council that showed revenues at $561,313 up from the budgeted amount of $493,706, mostly due to extra work being done under the Pride pro­ gram which brought more grants to the village. The village also had $10,000 more in interest revenue than it had budgeted for. On the expense side, the cost of running council activities was well above budget, totalling $24,083, up from $18,156 in 1989 and $16,500 in the budget. Administration costs had been set at $31,500 but came in at only $24,537 (costs of admini­ stering the office are split between village and Public Utilities Com­ mission activities). Council also had a surplus of funds because $15,000 set aside for office renova­ tions was unspent by the year end. It cost the village nearly $3,000 less than it had budgeted for the cost of its recreation committee (mostly for the summer recreation program), and nearly $5,000 less than the budget, (and the 1989 total), for Memorial Hall, at $12,133. Blyth’s contribution to the Blyth and District Community Cen­ tre Board was $17,804, exactly on budget. The Community Centre Board had an accumulated surplus of $22,337 up from $18,900 a year ago. Council will investigate paying off some of its debt on the sanitary sewerage system operated by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE). The village has a surplus of $102,000 in its sewerage account, designed to pay for repairs and necessary improvements to the system. It owes $48,000 toward the plant but interest payments will mean the deficit in the yearly operation fees owed to MOE will increase each year in future years. If Blyth was to pay off some of the debt from its surplus, it would lower interest costs. “I’d like to see us to do whatever we can to reduce the size of the note,” Councillor Steven Sparling said. Council will investigate farth­ er. Man found shot in Dungannon An autopsy was done Tuesday on the body of a man found in a pickup truck near Dungannon, Sunday, to determine whether or not he was the victim of foul play. In a report in the London Free Press, Goderich OPP Constable John Marshall stated the answer will come from forensic experts in Toronto after they have completed the autopsy on Ricky Royce God­ frey, 32. Marshall said police had hoped to learn by Monday which way the investigation was heading, but were delayed by a backlog at the Continued on page 19