Huron Expositor, 1999-09-22, Page 1Problem
of
stopped
trains and
flashing
lights
rectified
Trains are no Longer
stopping and leaving the
signals flashing at the
Main Street crossing,
Clerk -Treasurer Jack
McLachlan reported to
council at its Sept. 14
meeting.
Mayor Dave Scott had
raised the issue at the last
meeting, expressing
concern the train was
stopping there for lunch
breaks, leaving the
flashing lights going.
As a result. people
were getting in the habit
'of crossing when the
lights were flashing and
Scott was concerned there
would eventually be an
accident when a train
realki was comiigg and
someone kept going
through the crossing.
McLachlan said he
called the general
manager of The Godericht
Exeter Railway Company
and tried to set up a
meeting to discuss this
issue. the train derailment
of last September and the
issue of needing a second
crossing to allow
emergency vehicles to
cross town if a train is
blocking Main Street.
He hasn't been able to
set up a meeting Yet but
spoke with the manager,
Jan Pauley who said the
problem had been
rectified.
"I'm not going to say
what he said to nae,"
McLachlan said, about
how Pauley addressed the
problem.
"Even now, when they
are shuttling cars, the
lights haven't been
flashing," he said.
"It's definitely an
improvement," said Scott,
although be was still
concerned about trains
coming to a stop right at
the intersection and
sitting there.
He said it could
surprise a driver who
doesn't realize the train is
at a stop and might cause
an accident.
By Scott Hilgendorff
n&de...
Aday inthe We
of...
A Dui rider
/
Natalie Dale photo
A Harvest of Harmony f
While singing, A Rooster Came into.dur Yard, the S+eafarth Harmony Kings are conducted by a
chicken at Saturday night's concert at the Seaforth District High School
Report joins Seaforth,
McKillop & Tuckersmith
Next step" is proposal
to merge with Brussels
and Grey Township
By Scott Hiflendorff
Expositor Editor
A restructuring report has been adopted. by
Seaforth. 1Tuckersmith Township and
McKiLlop Township. . • .
Seaforth council was last to.adopt. the
• report at its Sept. 14 meeting where it was
first presented Jo them by Clerk -Treasurer.
Jack McLachlan.
It now paces the way for an amalgamation
between the three municipalities to take place
and' for the group to go ahead and begin
working:.out a similar report. between
themselves-and;Grey-To‘tiship and -Brussels._.
Normally. a public meeting: would be called
to outline how the municipalities would he
restructured together` hut while this plan was
being prepared. Ganey and Brussels asked to
link with the three. • .. -
•As a 1rdult. the three councils decided to
comtiete this part of the plan first and would
then try to merge this proposal with a similar
One prepared between Grey Township and
Brussels:
'This report is still there to fallback on if
anything happens with the other two,'said
McLachlan. -
This reportwould normally start a final
approval process from Huron County Cofincil`
and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs but
McLachlan said instead' of using it that way,
itwill 'sit On a ,hell . . •
It is. however. being submitted to the
county as an 'indication that work is
proceeding and plans are being put in place,
followinglast month's Hurim County Council
. - S.. CLOSURES, -Page 2
Financial crunch coming for
Avon Maitland school board
November," he said.
Controller Louis
Lacoursiere said decreasing
enrolment is not just a
financial problem.
"We can either increase
enrolment or think of new
ways to handle costs.
Everyone is going to have to
be involved and if westart
planning now.. we can do it
piece by piece and we can do
something about it," he said.
By Susan Hundertmark
Expositor Staff
A p,rojected enrolment
.decreaseof two per cent a
year was confirmed by
numbers on the first day at
Avon Maitland District
:schools this September.
finance superintendent Janet
Baird -Jackson told trustees at
their Sept. • 14 board meeting.,
And, with provincial
funding formulas tied to
enro['ment. a financial
"crunch : is coming."
education director Lorne
Rachlis told trustees during a
presentation of anticipated
activities during the 1999
:000 school.year.
•He said the solution lies in
increasing revenueby
retaining more students and
reducing operating costs by
reducing the •number of
schools or "the capacity we
carry."
"That's (reducing capacity
is) going to be a hot topic in
See CLOSURES, Page 2
September 22, 1999
$i
(includes GST)
Local weather
Wednesday --Cloudy
with sunny periods.
Chance of rain High 16.
Thursday --Sunny with
cloudy periods. High 22.
Low 10
Friday --Sunny with
cloudy periods. High 24.
Saturday --Sunny with
cloudy periods. High 25
L:ow near 14
From Environment Canada
Town council
asks to hear
proposal
for fitness
complex
By Scott Hilgendorff
Expositor Editor
A titness complex could go a long wqy io keeping students
at Seaforth District High School: said Cd�tn. Paul Menar•y at
council's Sept.. 14 meeting. - r
"We're losing a good number of students .to schools in
neighbouring communities that E don't think we'd be losing
if -we had a facility like this." said MenaryLin a discus§ion
about the• fitness. complex a group of citizens.. led by high
school teacher Terry Johnston. }las proposed he built.
Council had -received word the Avon Maitland District
School Board was turning down paying the maintenance
costs for the facility. as outlined in Johnston's proposal made
to the hoard in the spring.• The proposal would see grants and
fundraising cover the costs of the building, .vhich would he
constructed adjacent to the high School. The school hoard •
would cover the maintenance cost of the building if the
proposal was approved. '
"I would -like to think it would.keep the high school open.",
'said Mayor Dave Scott. Concerns remain that low enrolment
at the high school could 'see it close as the school hoard does
a system -wide accommodation review. The hoard has said
new provincial tunding models will mean some schools have.
S.. CLOSURES, Pogo 7:
Board will take
second look at
fitness complex
By SusanHundertmark
Expositor Stott
Avon Maitland=District
Education Director Lorne
Rachlis will take a .second
look at the proposal for a
fitness complex at Seaforth
District High School.
Trustees reviewed a letter
.from Rachlis to the fitness
complex committee's
spokesperson Terry Johnston
that said the board cannot
support the project
"monetarily" at the board's
Sept. 14 meeting.
Trustee Abby Armstrong
told Rachlis the committee
was looking for land, not
capital funding to build the
fitness complex.
"I think the committee
;experienced some frustration
when they saw the response
that we could not support
them monetarily when that's
not what they are asking us
for." she said.. .
• Rachlis responded that he
would recheck the request
but had understood the
committee was looking for
support with ongoing
operating -.costs for the
.complex...
"If they don't need money
from us and they. just need
space. it could he a.
wonderful partnership for'
us," he said.
He added that however,
the board does not need the
facility for its students and is •
"not looking for new ways to
spend money."
Church serves up 520 lunches. a day fo r IPM
By Scott Hilgendorff
Expositor Editor
Armed with 200 dozen eggs. 450 dozen
home -baked cookies and about 35 bushels of
apples, the First Presbyterian Church is
ready to serve up ,520 lunches a day to, the
troops working and plowing at the
International Plowing Match near
Dashwood, starting next week.
"It's sort of phenomenal.". said Debbie
Procter. 'one of the church's organizers for
the lunch making. .
"We've got 200 pounds of butter and 1
don't know if that's going to be enough,"
she said. •
They're also 'making lunches for those
involved in the national plowing match
being held at the same site startingthis
week, leading into the larger, international
event.
Bach competitor and conunittee volunteer
working at the site will be given a boxed
lunch with two different sandwiches, two
cookies, a piece of fruit and a drink.
The 200 dozen eggs will . become egg
salad while 100 loaves of bread will be used
to make all kinds of sandwiches.
"We'll have a real work crew going on,"
said Procter..
Already. members of the church have been
baking at home to generate the 450 dozen
cookies that will become a lunch box treat.
• "Our ladies in 'the church are all
volunteering," said Procter. •
The Ontario Plowmen's Association and
the various plowing match committees are
paying the church to make and deliver the
lunches. Any money left over from the
supplies to make them becomes a profit for
the church.
"Most of our supplies are coming right
from Seaforth," said Procter.
Once the lunches are' put together, she
said, "We take them from the church to
Dashwood and distribute it."
A total of 2,578 lunches will be made for
the plowing match week
Susan Hundarhoork photo,
Ruth Snell, of Seaforth, is part of an assembly line of
sandwich makers at First Presbyterian Church this week.
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