The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1975-05-08, Page 1 (2)•
$157 increase on $6,000 assessment
Stephen taxes up 41 percent
A majority of taxpayers in the
township of Stephen will be fac-
Ing a whopping 26.17 mills in-
crease when their 1975 tax
notices arrive.
The township budget approved
Tuesday night shows a total of
expected expenditures of $922,-
086. The 1975 budget is up about
$24,000 over last year. Clerk
Wilmar Wein indicated about
8100,000 of last year's money was
spent on the new Haist bridge.
The increase of 26.17 mills in
the farm and residential rate for
those persons supporting public
schools brings the total levy to
99.82 mills,
In dollars and cents this would
mean that on a farm with an
average assessment of $6,000,
taxes this year would be 8598.94
an increase of $157.02 or 41.1 per-
cent from a year ago.
The increase for farm and
residential separate school sup-
porters will be 20.08 mills. This
increase on a similar $6,000
assessment would be $120.48.
The general residential rates
also apply to residents at Huron
Park. Clerk Wein indicated the
average house assessment at
Huron Park was $1,800, making
an increase of about $47 for
public school supporters and $36
for those paying school taxes to
the Huron -Perth separate school
board.
The 26.17 mill increase is made
No vice -principals
at Stephen, Osborne
The position of vice-principal at
two South Huron elementary
•schools will not be filled for the
1975-76 school term according to a
decision made by. the Huron
County Board of Education
Monday afternoon.
Acting on the recommendation
of director of education John
Cochrane, the board agreed to
leave the vice-principal posts at
Stephen Central and Osborne
Central open for at least one
year.
Larry Black, currently vice-
principal at Usborne Central will
be moving to a similar position at
Exeter public school in the fall to
replace Gary Jewitt who will be
taking over as acting principal at
Brookside public school.
The present Stephen vice-
principal Mrs. Sharon Soldan has
submitted her resignation ef-
fective September 1. 1975.
In making the recommendation
against replacements director
John Cochrane said board policy
did not permit appointment of
vice -principals in schools having
an adjusted September
enrolment of less than 300 pupils.
The projected September
•
•
Five tickets
not enough
Police Chief Ted Day agreed
with a suggestion this week by
Reeve Deify Boyle that five
parking tickets in one month was
not very many in view of the
number of cars which appear to
be parked longer than two hours
on Main St.
"I've already spoken to them
(the local constables) about it,"
Chief Day said.
He noted he had also discussed
the matter with police committee
chairman Harold Patterson and
indicated the officers would be
spending more time in enforcing
the parking regulations than they
did in April.
The Chief also outlined some of
his plans for Police Week and
asked council members to assist
where possible.
His report forApril included the
following statistics:
Twelve accidents with damage
of 84.998. 45 charges and 19
warnings under the highway
Traffic Act. 11 investigations and
seven charges under the Liquor
Control Act, two places of
business found insecure, nine
animal complaints.received, one
incident of indecent exposure,
two fraud investigations, three
impaired drivers charged, four
thefts investigated with a total
loot of $142, three mischief in-
cidents, one break and enter, one
stolen car recovered. 2,695 miles
driven in the cruisers.
Council salaries
hike 20 percent
Following the guidelines used
for their employees, members of
Exeter council granted them-
selves 20 percent pay increases
this week.
Total cost to the ratepayers for
the services of their elected of-
ficials will be 811,400 in the
current year.
For a time, that appeared to be
the only information that would
be released on the pay increases,
because a motion presented gave
only the total figure to be ap-
proved for salaries.
However, noone would second
the motion.
Reeve Derry Boyle then said he
would make an "open and not
camouflaged motion" calling for
the Mayor to receive 81,800 per
annum and all members of
council to receive 81,200.
The previous figures were
81,500 and 81,000.
In supporting the increases,
Councillor Ted Wright noted the
job on council was taking more
time and the new salaries were
justified.
He also explained that annual
increases were better than falling
into trap of the federal MPs who
Owound they had to make an ex-
essive increase at one time
cause they had not taken an-
nual increases.
adjusted enrolment for Stephen
and Usborne Central schools is
305 and 307, respectively.
Cochrane continued, •"In view
of the fact these schools are both
in declining enrolment situations,
I hesitate to appoint vice -
principals for a year and then
have to demote them or carry
them as surplus to requirement."
Usborne principal Bill Linfield,
at the meeting as an observer
said he would require an in-
termediate teacher to replace his
vice-principal.
up Of 19.3 mills in the general
township rate; 6.1 mills for the
public schools; .38 mills for the
County of Huron and .39 mills for
secondary schools.
The difference of 6.09 mills
between the public and separate
school supporters is because the
Huron Board of Education rate
went up 6.1 mills and the Huron -
Perth separate school board levy
rose only .1 mills.
The tax increase varies for the
three police villages, in the
township. Crediton residential
ratepayers face only a 1.27 mill
increase because of a large
debenture for the new fire hall
and fire fighting equipment was
completed last year.
The Crediton levy for the past
seven years was much higher
than other areas because of the
fire charges.
The mill rate increase in
Dashwood will be 9.59 mills and
in Centralia the rise will be 15.25
mills.
Clerk Wein said the small .38
mill hike for the County of Huron
came as the result of over levies
of some $22,000 over the past two
years. A report from the County
a few weeks ago indicated the in-
crease would be about eight
mills.
Users of the new water system
in the Grand Bend area will be
charged 3.41 mills for residential
use and commercial customers
will be charged 4.01 mills.
Accept tenders
Tenders were accepted for
three municipal drains in
Stephen. Hodgins and Hayter
were awarded the contracts for
the Dundas and the Baker-Ratz
drains.
The Parkhill firm will receive
$4,927 to complete the Dundas
drain and 88,107 for construction
One Hundred and Second Year
of the Baker -Raiz work. Robert
Nicholson of Sebringville .sub-
mitted the lowest of two bids for
the Adams drain. The accepted
price was 87,650.
Land severance applications
from Paul Pavkeje, part lot 6,
Concession 1 and F. Turnbull and
Sons at lot 5, Concession A were
approved.
Five tile drain loan ap-
plications totalling $39.800 were
passed.
Council will be investigating
further a request from Bill
Clarke to establish overnight
acconlmucjation for a tourist
trailer park in the area of his
Greenway general store.
Bylaws were passed officially
naming three district fire chiefs.
Jesse Reid will be the Huron
Park chief. Charles Browning Jr.
will he in charge of the Crediton
department and Emil Becker
heads the Dashwo(xt brigade.
BALLOONS FROM USA — The farm of Gerald Prout in Usborne
township was invaded by balloons from Detroit, Michigan,•Soturday
afternoon. A card to be returned to the sender accompanied each
balloon. Checking the balloons are Rob Smith and Greg Prout.
EXETER, ONTARIO, MAY 8, 1975
Approve Theatre Arts
Theatre Arts will be introduced
to South Huron District High
School at the grade 13 level in
September, 1975.
11 is understood that if the
proposed course of study is ap-
proved by the Ministry of
Education it will qualify for a
grade 13 credit. Otherwise, it will
be offered as an interest course
only. The theatre arts program
was outlined by Mrs. Pat Quigley
of the South Huron staff.
To invite quotations
After considerable discussion
and amendments to an original
motion the board agreed to use
the method of inviting com-
petitive quotations for any
maintenance projects.
The subject was first brought
up in July of 1974 when plant
superintendent R. McVean said
fewer than ever tradesmen and
contractors were interested in
submittin$"fetticlet+s' fdr the work
specified in the board's current
maintenance project
requirements. McVean said he
felt it would be increasingly
difficult to have essential repairs
guaranteed under the present
system of base bid tendering.
In a Monday recommendation
that quotations be invited,
superintendent of business af-
fairs, R. B. Dunlop said, "It is our
opinion that after six years of
business we have developed a
fairly good knowledge of the
integrity and skills of a fair cross-
section of the county's tradesmen
and contractors."
His brief also suggested 'that
such quotations be priced either
on a firm price or a time and
material basis.
In supporting, Dunlop's
suggestions, director Cochrane
said. "Time is a problem with
public tendering."
Vice-chairman Herb Turkheim
suggested that with a quotations
system for established firms any
new contracting firms would not
be getting a fair chance.
Exeter mayor
gets promotion
During Monday's regular
meeting of the Huron County
Board of Education, director
John Cochrane announced that
Bruce Shaw has been named
principal at Seaforth District
High School.
Shaw who has served as vice-
principal at the Seaforth school
for two years replaces the
retiring L. Plumsteel. The
principal's position has been held
by Mr. Plumsteel for the past 27
years.
4
Price Per Copy 25 Cents
A RUMMAGE SALE PURCHASE — One of the interesting
sored by the Huron Park Brownies pack was a guinea pig.
Paula Jackson, Freida Van Fleet and Lourie Robichaud.
items listed on Saturday's rummage sale spon-
Admiring the smolt animal are Peter Jackson,
T -A photo
Parking Authority'sugests
purchase of two properties
The Exeter Parking Authority
made their first report to council
this week, t.ith most of their
recommendations being ac-
cepted.
The purchase of two properties
recommended in the report were
turned over to the property
committee for further in-
vestigation. A report on the costs
involved in acquiring those
properties is to be made at the
next council meeting for possible
inclusion in this year's budget.
Two of the recommendations in
the report submitted by Bill
Batten, Jim Hennessey and Bob
Fletcher actually curtail parking
in two areas.
One is on Anne St. in the
vicinity of Tuckey Beverages to
allow large transports to more
easily unload and the other is on
Sanders St. East between Main
and Andrew.
The Authority recommended
that parking be eliminated en-
tirely on the south side of the
latter block to ease the
congestion and traffic hazards
associated with the new post
office.
By eliminating parking and
stopping on the soup side, the
Authority suggested this would
provide more room for school
buses and traffic and not en-
danger young bike riders who use
this street at high traffic periods.
A large portion of the street is
already prohibited for parking
and it was noted that by ex-
tending this the entire length, the
problem of erecting coherent
signs would be eliminated.
One sign is now located at right
angles to the traffic "and ob-
viously leaves considerable doubt
as to which corner is being
mentioned" the report explained.
In a further effort to solve the
parking and traffic problem, the
Authority recommended the
purchase of some property in the
vicinity of the post office for off-
street parking. This is one of the
purchases being investigated by
the property committee.
The other purchase is on the
west side of Main St. in the core
area and the Authority noted this
was required to gain better ac-
cess to the large parking area
behind the stores which had
already been suggested as a
public parking zone by the Exeter
Board of Trade.
Noting the "legal headache"
that may be involved in deter-
mining ownership of land in this
area and acquiring deeds, the
Authority suggested it may be
better to secure verbal
agreements from the owners in
question to allow the town to
clean up the area in general and
set out parking places.
Council also agreed to have
their solicitor check into the
ownership of land leading off
Jaynes St into the parking area
-- Please turn to page 3
Speaker cites gov't
`fiscal irresponsibility'
:1 scathing attack on the "fiscal
irresponsibility"" of the govern-
ment of Ontario was delivered by
Sarnia NIPP James Bullbrook at
the inaugural meeting of the
Iluron-Middlesex Provincial
Liberal Association on Wed-
nesday night at the Dashwood
Community Centre.
Mr. Bullbrook, energy critic of
the ,provincial Liberal caucus.
said. "Premier Davis doesn't
understand that bureaucrats
can't run a government as well as
people can. We must have input
from the total spectrum of our
population."
That the operation of the
provincial government was being
taken out of the hands of the
people was pointed out by Mr.
Bullbrook when he compared the
record of the present Progressive
---Conservativegovernment to that
of former premier John Robarts.
"Under Mr. Robarts. 78 per-
cent of all bills passed were sent
to the standing committees
where the members of the
Legislature can discuss them and
get input from any interested
citizens." said Mr. Bullbrook.
"Under the Davis regime, only
three percent of the bills stave
gone to the standing com-
mittees."
Mr. Bullbrook said that the
Legislature passed 37 bills in the
final three weeks of the last
session and charged that there is
no possible way" for sufficient
discussion of the bills, even by
members of the Legislature.
"As for Mr. Davis, we put a
clock on him and found out that in
four weeks of the Legislative
session. he attended for a mere 37
minutes,' charged Mr.
Bullbrook
""1'he 'super ministries' set up
by Davis have only added to the
bureaucracy." commented Mr.
Bullbrook. "The provincial
budget was 1.8 billion dollars the
year I was elected and last year
the budget was 10 billion. The
deficit alone last year was 1.7
billion. almost as much as the
entire budget previously."
He pointed out that in three
years there had been a 38 percent
increase in the cost of education
while the cost of administration
of the province had increased 222
percent.
"I'm also concerned about the
cost of education today," said
Mr. Bullbrook, "considering the
quality of education our children
are receiving. We've got to get
hack to the fundamentals in
education."
Mr. Bullbrook ridiculed the
governments establishment of
the Lamarsh enquiry into
violence on television.
"Why does he do that when the
province has no jurisdiction over
television?" asked Mr.
Bullbrook. "Why doesn't he do
something about the movies that
are playing in our theatres? He
does have jurisdiction over
them."
Mr. Bullbrook concluded that
the Progressive Conservative
government had been in power
too long and "exuded arrogan-
ce." Ile mentioned that the
federal Liberals had ,done the
same thing in the past and it had
resulted in their defeat. He
predicted the same fate for the
present provincial government in
Ontario.
Despite some opposition to
changes in the provincial elec-
- Please turn to page 3
Usborne to tell ministry of change of mind
Investigate two
break and enters
Two incidents of break sand
enter are under investigation by
Exeter OPP this week.
One is at Traylor Industries,
Hensel) where thieves gained
entry by a window and took about
four cases of pop and five
packages of cigarettes valued at
821.05.
The breakin was discovered
Monday morning.
Entry was also gained at a lab
at the Centralia College of
Agricultural Technology, but
nothing was reported missing
The would-be thieves atempted to
get into a pharmacy section, but
were unsuccessful.
Cyclist hurt
in area crash
A motorcycle rider was injured
in one of three accidents in-
vestigated by the Exeter OPP
detachment this week.
John Neilands, Hensall,
sustained cuts and bruises when
his motorcycle was in collision
with a tractor driven by Kenneth
Elder, RR2 Hensall on Friday at
2:50 p.m.
The mishap occurred on Queen
St. in Hensall.
-Damage to the motorcycle was
listed at 1250 by Constable Bill
Lewis.
At 5:00 p.m. the same day, an
unknown vehicle struck a car
owned by Donald McLellan, RR 2
Staffa, while parked in the
municipal parking lot in Hen-
sall.
Damage to the McLellan car
was set at 8300 by Constable Ed
Wilcox.
The other crash was reported
at 3:20 p.rn. Sunday, when cars
driven byVicki Lynn Kiss,London,
and Charles -Hill, RR 1 Ripley,
collided on Highway 21 about one
mile north of Highway 83.
Damage in the crash was
estimated at 82.000 by Constable
Wilcox.
During the week, the detach-
ment officers charged 11 people
under the Highway Traffic Act.
There were seven charges
under the Criminal Code and nine
under the Liquor Control Act. The
total LCA charges to date this
year now stand at 147.
Hay awards
drain work.
Hay Township council has
awarded a 827,532.41 tender for
the Allen Street drain, Dashwood.
to Lenford Construction of
London. Work is now being done
on the drain.
Council at their monthly
meeting Monday, agreed to
tender for a road grader, due to
the damage on the old machine.
The tenders are to be in the hands
of council by May 15.
Also accepted was the budget
prepared by Zurich and area
fire departments of 855.580. Hay
Township will be paying 48
percent of the budget. The fire
department also serves Stanley
Township.
Accounts passed for the past
month totalled 87,762-.88.
Council also set aside one mill
on the 1975 taxes for recreation.
Hay clerk -treasurer Wayne
Horner said council has ap-
pointed two members to the
newly formed recreation - com-
mittee of the township.
Say mistake okaying water test
A petition signed by one hun-
dred farmers was presented to
Usborne township council at a
meeting Friday night in Elim-
ville. About a dozen and a half
Osborne farmers accompanied
spokesman Dick Etherington as
he presented the petition.
The petition stated that the loss
of water, should the town of
Exeter use another well in the
township, would result in serious
losses to farmers. It said that the
water was non -returnable to the
source, that lowering the water
table would have an adverse
effect on crops and that the in-
come of livestock farmers would
be threatened. It urged Usborne
township council 10 insure that
farmers would not he deprived of
nater necessary to their
livelihood.
Reeve' Walter McBride ad-
mitted that Usborne council had
,:even permission for test drilling
but now must convince the
Ministry of Environment and the
rtntario Water Resources
Commission that another well for
SHINGLING LIONS — Members of the Exeter Lions club took to the
roof of the Exeter Scout House Saturday and were able to complete
the reshingling program. Renovations to the building to be used by
senior citizens was mode possible by a government grunt and the Lions
supplied the manpower. Among
Lorry Snider, Bob Dinney, Ross
mond, Jack Malone, Jack Fuller,
mont, Ned Ryan and Pete Mason.
the lions on the roof ore Jim Pinder,
Dobson, Doug Knowles, Peter Ray-
Mox Dawson, John Norris, Dale la -
T -A photo.
Exeter in Usborne township was
not a good idea.
"We didn't realize the
problems at the time permission
was granted," said Deputy -reeve
Bill Morley. 'We made a mistake
and we're simply going to tell the
Ministry that we've changed our
minds "
At the conclusion of the
meeting. it was agreed that a
letter from council would be sent
to the Exeter Public Utilities
Commission outlining council's
position ('opies will be sent to the
Ministry of the Environment,
Ministry of Agriculture and to the
federal and provincial members
for l'shorne.
Dick Etherington who
presented the petition to council,
said that MPP Jack Riddell had
become involved and asked
several related questions on the
floor of the Ontario Legislature.
He said the Minister of
Agriculture Bill Stewart has been'
'informed of the facts and has
indicated support for the Usborne
Farmer.
"The Minister of Agriculture is
reported to have termed the
situation 'ridiculous'." said Mr.
Etherington.
Walter McBride, reeve of
Ushorne, said that MPP Jack
Riddell had indicated he was in
favour of Exeter acquiring any
increase in water needs from the
filtration plant in Grand Bend.
"They have a 3,000,000 gallon a
day surplus production of water
in Grand Bend now," said Mr.
Etherington. "1 hope the Ministry
of Environment will try to use the
total capacity of the plant by
having Exeter draw from that
source."
Mr. Etheringion said statistics
showed the town of Exeter used
204,000 gallons on May 20 last
year but this jumped to 1,548.000
gallons sometime in August.
"Where does all this water go
in August?" asked Mr.
Etherington. "They need extra
water in August at the very time
when our wells are at their lowest
level. What happens if we need
more water later?"
Farmer G Zandbergen related
how technicians had come onto
— Please turn to page 3
Riddell suggests town
consider lake water
Iluron MPP Jack Riddell, in a
telephone interview from
Toronto. Tuesday. told the
Times -Advocate he was hopeful
any problems arising out of a bid
by Exeter to gain more water
from Usborne township, could be
solved by the people involved"
"Hopefully the town and the
township will come to some
agreement but if not. the Minister
of the Environment would in-
tercede to determine if there is
any threat to agriculture," said
Mr. Riddell.
Mr. Riddell denied speaking to
the Minister of Agriculture on the
matter fps had been stated but
said he had spoken personally to
the Minister of Environment
William Newman. He said the
matter had not reached the floor
of the Ontario Legislature to his
knowledge.
Mr.Riddell said he asked the
Minister of the Environment
what would happen if the town
and the township could not agree.
The Minister replied that if a
settlement was not possible, his
department would investigate
the matter to determine if there
was any danger of a lowering of
the water table in Usborne if
Exeter was to draw more water
from township wells.
"The same situation exists in
Kitchener," said Mr. Riddell.
"The only difference is that
Kitchener has no alternate
source of water while Exeter
could tap into the Lake Huron
source once Dashwood and
Crediton hook up."
Mr. Riddell said he could not
understand why Exeter would
want to lay pipe four miles to the
well in Osborne if the distance to
the Lake Huron pipeline would be
about three and a half miles.
"And the Usborne well is
certainly not going to be an
everlasting supply," he com-
mented.
"My personal opinion is that
— Please turn to page 3