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The Times-Advocate, 2002-10-02, Page 22 Exeter Times–Advocate2 Wednesday, October 2, 2002Exeter Times–Advocate Regional wrap up Trudeau sons invited ST. MARYS – Mayor Hahn invited Justin and Sacha Trudeau, sons of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to the unveiling of a plaque marking the 35th anniversary of the PM’s visit. According to the Journal Argus, in July 1968, Trudeau made an unscheduled stop to swim in the Quarry. A party is planned for July 1, 2003. Scarecrow beheaded PARKHILL – Vandals wrecked the 1st-prize- winning scarecrow in the Parkhill Fair home decoration competition. The Parkhill Gazette reports the head, hat and veil of the beekeep- er scarecrow at Wilf Conway’s home was removed. This year’s fair theme was ‘Bees’. Last grad party SEAFORTH – Former students of the smallest high school in Huron County reminisced at the Seaforth District High School com- mencement Sept. 27. According to the Huron Expositor, for- mer principal Harry Scott says the small school meant “every- body knew everybody else.” Women’s march GODERICH – More than 50 women marched around the Square Sept. 19 in the Take Back the Night march. The Goderich Signal- Star reports the women marched to raise awareness of violence against women. Pam Hanington of Women Today of Huron says, “Our communities are not truly safe for women if women aren’t safe in our own homes.” Skateboarders banned CLINTON – Signs will be posted warning skateboarders of a $2,000 fine for board- ing in town parks in violation of a municipal bylaw. The Clinton News- Record reports board- ers lament the lack of a skateboard park. A group of concerned citi- zens may build a park in the spring. variety of students and teachers who have come and gone. An important part of Mason’s job is knowing about all the events taking place at the school. She describes her- self as the school’s welcoming commit- tee and a fountain of information (any Times-Advocate reporter will tell you how helpful she is). Mason says front office employees are “very important” and speak volumes about a school. South Huron has three staffers in the main office and one in the guidance office. There have been a lot of laughs and tears over the years, Mason says. There have been tough times when students and teachers have died, but Mason says she’s grateful for all she has. “I feel I’m truly blessed in my life,” adding one of the best perks of the job is having time off in the summer and Christmas and Easter to spend with family. September is the busiest month for Mason and the rest of the office staff at South Huron. She says sometimes staff are overwhelmed by the amount of work to be done. Exam time and com- mencement also keep the staff on their toes. Plus, Mason has to deal with the phone, which she says some days rings off the hook. Some mornings she will field 40 phone calls, in addition to oper- ating the PA system, dealing with atten- dance and passing messages along to students. Mason says she’s glad to be part of the South Huron family. She jokes one of her biggest jobs is training new vice- principals. “It’s a big job, keeping everybody in line,” she says with a smile. What changes has Mason noticed in students in her 30 years at the school? She says youth have lost respect for adults and authority. And Mason says she’s been on the receiving end of some pretty nasty language over the years. “But it’s a small per centage of stu- dents,” she says, adding she tries to help the students as much as she can and gives them the benefit of the doubt. Mason was honoured in a celebration in the school a couple of weeks ago to mark her 30th anniversary. She said time goes by quickly in the school sys- tem and she never thought she’d be at South Huron for 30 years. But she says she’ll keep working as long as she enjoys it and, in four years when she turns 55, she’ll decide whether she’ll continue. Continued from front page Mason celebrates 30 years Mayor Paul Klopp, pub- lic works manager Ross Fisher and two represen- tatives from BSRA. They will study which of the 45 km are private, clarify the definition of public access or public owner- ship, set a criteria for pri- vate roads and the grant- allotment process. Dowson insisted the grant cheques be issued to the associations, not to an individual and all road work payments be docu- mented. Continued from front page Bluewater road rage Key issues for Huron County in the strategic plan include: • to grow the manufac- turing labour pool, as there is a shortage of skilled manual labour in the county; • increase links between manufacturers, clients and suppliers; • encourage industries to keep their lands attrac- tive. Caldwell explained banks are reluctant to give loans to finance man- ufacturers for expansion in unattractive industrial parks; • help small manufac- turing businesses grow; • define the Huron prod- uct (for example, does the county have a niche?). But the strongest voice at the meeting came from deBoer, who said the municipality is out of touch with the needs of the industrial sector. “You can’t make deci- sions because you have no idea what people’s thoughts are,” he said to council, explaining some- one from the municipality has to sit down with industry owners to find out what their needs and wants are. “How much does the town know about industry and its owners?” deBoer asked. He said the municipality has to take an active role in industry and suggested South Huron needs an economic development officer, an idea echoed by others at the meeting. Mayor Rob Morley later said an economic develop- ment officer is a good idea, but he’s not sure South Huron could have a full-time position. He added deBoer’s points were valid and council probably doesn’t know as much about industry as it should. Chief administrative offi- cer Larry Brown added the municipality already has a manager of building and development. Also of much discussion was the issue of land available for new indus- try. While a map provided by Caldwell and Weir identified a big chunk of vacant industrial land to the west of the railroad tracks in Exeter between Victoria Street and Thames Rd., Morley said that land has private own- ership and is unavailable. The issue of annexing some private lands was also brought up, with Morley saying South Huron would have to prove in court why it needs the land if it decid- ed to go that route. Beyond that, there is industrial land available at the Grand Bend Airport and in Huron Park, where 80 acres just went on the market. South Huron is expand- ing water and sewer ser- vice south down Hwy. 4 about as far as Bergie’s, although Morley said it can be expanded further south if that’s what the property owners want. The expansion would be built on a user-pay sys- tem. He said the new ser- vices could help with expansion to the south of Exeter and said there is great potential for indus- trial expansion in Huron Park. deBoer, though, suggest- ed the municipality keep its industry in one spot and not expand south of Exeter. McMaster suggested land near the railroad tracks would be attractive to industries looking for rail service, something Coun. Drew Robertson echoed, saying he thinks trains will be used more in the future because they are more environmentally friendly than other meth- ods of transporting goods. deBoer and Caldwell, though, said access to highways and trucking are more important to industries than railways. Tax advantage? Brown said one advan- tage of an industry mov- ing to South Huron would be tax rates, which he said are about 20 per cent lower than in London. “There’s a significant tax advantage,” he said. Exi-Plast owner Frank Zawalsky, though, said water rates here are 15 per cent higher than in London and most indus- tries are dependant on water. Lack of workforce Concerning the lack of a workforce in the industri- al sector, Deputy Mayor Dave Urlin said certain tech classes, like plumb- ing, have been cut from schools and there won’t be enough people to replace retiring plumbers. “Not everyone coming out of school can sit in front of a computer all day,” Urlin said. “Somewhere down the line they’re going to have to get their hands dirty.” deBoer said the manu- facturing group is trying to promote skilled trades and students need to be made aware they don’t have to move away to a big city to find a job. He said quality of life is better in Huron County and liv- ing expenses are lower. The official plan Caldwell and Weir are working on South Huron’s official plan and intend to present a draft to council in mid-October. They will take the comments from Monday’s meeting and return to council with rec- ommendations. Caldwell said council has to decide where it is best logically and financially to expand. He said expanding to the south of Exeter and west of Hwy. 4 is a logical idea and more opportunities in the Hwy. 4 and 83 area should be explored. Another thing to consid- er is finding the right bal- ance between what lands are zoned industrial and what are zoned commer- cial, Caldwell said. He said the two types of business- es can co-exist and the industrial sector has an unfair reputation as an unpleasant area to be near. He said most indus- tries are environmentally friendly. Working with the chamber deBoer’s and McMaster’s work with the manufacturing group was an offshoot of their involvement with the South Huron Chamber of Commerce. McMaster said over the next five years the chamber wants to have a hired employee to work with the industrial sector and develop com- munications and Web sites. It also hopes to establish an office in town. McMaster said the chamber, the municipality and the community have to work together for growth. “We need unison . . . it’s all fragmented now.” SH considering industrial land options Continued from front page Improvements needed for area libraries By Sandra Forster TIMES-ADVOCATE STAFF VARNA – Low circulation rates and outdated buildings are sounding the death knoll for small libraries in Huron County. Seven members of the Huron County Library Board met with Bluewater council at its regular meeting Monday in the Stanley complex. A consultant study recommended the Centralia library be closed and money spent to upgrade the Zurich, Bayfield and Hensall libraries. Desirable standards would have these libraries open 20 hours per week, be fully accessible with a minimum 1,000 sq. ft. County council provides maintenance grants for each library but municipalities are responsible for capital improvements and operating expenses. County librarian Beth Ross said although “Hensall is a lovely facility” by the criteria, it is a bit small at 1,300 sq. ft. The Zurich library is “way too small” at 834 sq. ft. and is not accessible to wheelchairs, strollers or oxygen carts. Accessible entrances are estimated at $15,000. Board chairperson Diane Denomme said council needs a three to five-year plan for capital expenditures on the Zurich library since it isn’t meeting the needs of the community. Circulation at the three libraries has tripled since 1968 and they are the three busiest of the six in the same category. Coun. Joe Laudenbach suggested working the library into the new Zurich arena plans. The Kirkton library’s location in the high-traffic community centre is a bonus, but the board will monitor circulation once the new Exeter library opens. Deputy Mayor Paul Klopp objected to the unnecessary cost of the consultant’s $35,000 report. County warden Ben VanDiepenbeek said the consultant visited all the libraries and presented his report to county council and to the library board. Bluewater councillors are to tour and evaluate the libraries and strike a committee to study improvements at a realistic cost. POLICE BRIEFS Pot plants found in Stephen Twp.field STEPHEN – A farmer on Kirkton Road in Stephen called Huron OPP when he found marijuana plants growing in his corn field. An officer pulled and destroyed five mature plants. The OPP appreciate calls from anyone finding plants in their crops. Anyone with information on drugs or plants is asked to call Huron OPP or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222- 8477(TIPS).