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Times-Advocate, 1987-01-21, Page 28Page 14A Times -Advocate, January 21, 1987 Deny request from Federation Nay eouncll okay furnli'ure grant for, reef home A decision to give a $4,000 grant to the Blue Water Rest Home to help purchase new furniture for the main lounge received unanimous approval -at the second regular January meeting of Hay council. Mike O'Connor and Ian McAllister, both members of the Home's board of directors, had attended the meeting to explain the need. The original fur- niture is 20 years old, and was design- ed for homes rather than institutions. Refurbishing the lounge, which Hay township contributed to originally. is part of a five-year up -dating plan. O'Connor said that rattan -type` chairs and sofas with cloth backs and suede -like seats and pedestal tables that are not easily toppled have been selected from a Toronto firm specializing in furniture designed to meet institutional requirements. The cost of .10 armchairs, seven loveseats, 12 side chairs, 10 end tables and three pedestal tables will be ap- proximately $12,000. and the directors hope to receive a government grant which will bring the cost down to around $7,000. Road superintendent Ross Fisher informed council that a reduction in this year's MTC allocation means a cut-back in planned road construction if applications for supplementry sub- sidy are unsuccessful. The 1987 allocation is up only three percent in 1987, which does not even cover the in- flation rate of four percent. Despite a plea for financial assistance from Gerald Thiel representing the Huron County Federation of Agriculture, council decidedto continue its policy of not' contributing to the organization. Reeve Lionel Wilder said he did not think the F of A should be partially funded with taxpayers' money. (He pointed out that four of the five pre- sent members of council have paid as individuals for their ISM member- ships in the organization.) NEW EXECUTIVE — The executive of the Hensall Horticultural Society for 1987,are (front left) Kathy Bell, 2nd v/p Bill Gibson, president Brenda Russell, post president Sheila Reaburn, secretary -treasurer Mary Kinsman and (bock) Bev Moir, Jean Creror, Olive Cooper, Dick Packham, Eileen Ronnie, Mary. Buchanan and Marg Cole. Missing: 1st v/p Diane Gerstenkorn and directors Kathy Mann and Helen Thiel. DebateconflictingIdeas. for Exeter traffic signs Conflicting recommendations per- taining to signs for two intersections were presented to Exeter council, Monday, and after considerable debate, some motions and amend- ments, one recommendation from each committee was approved, with some changes. The public works committee .recommended that MacNaughton Drive be a one-way street, with traf- fic -moving in an easterly direction from April through November and moving w>'sterly from December through March. The recommendation stemmed from a request from the PUC dile to the fact the trucks which carry per- sonnel to check the pumphouse three times each day have difficulty navigating the hills in winter. The police committee, however. recommended that MacNaughton Drive be a two-way street. Police -Chief Hardy explained to council that it would be impossible to enforce regulations that do not carry throughout the entire year and the courts would not convict anyone due to the confusion that could exist. Public works committee chairman Lossy Fuller noted that the street leading up through the picnic grounds was too narrow to permit two-way traffic. .. Mayor Bruce Shaw quickly jumped into the debate to suggest that safety was the main consideration and coun- cil members didn't give a damn whether people were charged. The issue appeared to be resolved when Councillor. Ga_ylan Josephson noted that the PUC trucks could be Seek more leaders for :Huron 4-1-1 clubs Young people and communities have a great deal to gain from 4-11. In 1986, 747 young people in Huron Coun- ty completed. 1,394 4=H projects on 16 different topics. One hundred and ninety-five volunteer 441 leaders were inv -' ed.- Besides d.Besides learning skills such as how to show a calf, or write a resume, 4-11 members develop skills in self - 'confidence, responsibility, leadership and communications. 4-11 clubs have six meetings over a three to six month period. If a project is not offered in your area, new clubs can be formed. All it takes is at least six interested young people between the ages of 12 and 21, and a leader. On-' tario Ministry of Agriculture and Food provides leader training and project materials. A volunteer 4-11 leader requires a genuine interest in young people, en- thusiasm, an ability to work with young people, and a willingness to learn new ideas. For information on the Huron Coun- ty 4-11 program contact Richard Hamilton or Jane Muegge at 482-3428 or 1-800-265-5170. Workshops for leaders will be held as follows: "Surviving with Style" project: Thursday, January 22 - Belgrave Women's Institute Hall, Belgrave , 10:00 a.m.; Friday, January 23 - Cen- tralia College - 10:00 a.m.; Tuesday. January 27 - Wesley -Willis Church, Clinton - 6:00 p.m. Dairy - Wednesday, February 18 - 10:00 a.m. - OMAF office. Clinton Beef - Thursday, February 26 - 8:00 p.m. - OMAF office, Clinton Crops, SodbusterS,- Agricultural, Machinery and Conservation '- Wednesday, March 4 - 8:00 p.m. - OMAF office, Clinton Poultry, Sheep, Swine and Goat - Thursday, March 5 - 8:00 p.m. - OMAF office, Clinton Horse - Tuesday, March 10 - 8:00 p.m. - OMAF office, Clinton Veterinary and Farm Safety - Wednesday, March 11 - 8:00 p.m. - OMAF office. Clinton , Sewing Plus - Thursday. March 12. considered emergency. vehicles and could go the wrong way on a one-way street if required. That appeared to --satisfy most members, but works superintendent Glen Kells questoned the legal posi- tion if a town or PUC vehicle travell- ing in the wrong direction on a one- way street got into an accident. It was finally agreed to have Mac - Naughton Drive as a one-way street, with'trafficflowing easterly, subject to an opinion from a lawyer regarding the liability question posed by Kells for townorPUC vehicles. Before the motion was approved, some.suggested the two committees should meet to resolve the debate, but Shaw whimsically suggested that - would merely be "a pooling of ignorance". - The same two committees differed in their recommendations regarding the intersection at Anne and William St. It currently is a three-way stop, with traffic westbound on Anne not being stopped. The public works committee recommended that Anne St. be stop- ped in both directions and that William be made a through street without any stops at that location. The police committee recommend- ed that the intersection be made a four-way stop. Main consideration in the discus- sion was that the traffic westbound on Anne was not stopped to enable am- bulances going to the hospital to pro- ceed as quickly as possible through the intersection. Chief Hardy said ambulances would still have the right-of-way over other traffic if it was a four-way stop and he added that several citizens had indicated the three-way stop situation at present had nearly led to some serious accidents. After one defeated motion and an amendment to the final motion, coun- cil agreed to make it a four-way stop and to review the situation within six months. During the discussion, Shaw had complained about "so damn many signs and bylaws", but Mrs. Chap- man quickly replied that the use of stop signs had reduced the accident rate. - EMERGENCY EXIT -- Hensall Public School principal Dave Kemp watches while David Stephens (left) and Tim Packham help fellow student Chris Rowcliffe through the emergency window exit during a bus safety demonstration at the school. Wilder agreed that agriculture is the township's biggest industry, and said council will spend dollars to de- fend projects like the proposed Huron Farms agri-industrial park. However, he noted that Huron Farms Volunteers are needed Now in its fourth year, the Friend- ship program stillfilis a need in our community. This can be expressed in at least two ways. First, the program fills a need in the life of our friends who happen to be somewhat more handicapped than we are. Our friends, like many of us feel a need for a regular spiritual input in- to their lives. We go to the church of our choice as often or as seldom as we wish, for our spiritual input. Unfor- tunately our friends do not fit very comfortably into our normal church settings for whatever reason. It -may be their behaviour is a little bizzare or they find it difficult to make'and keep friends to accompany them. The Friendship program provides those who wish to attend, an oppor- tunity to fill this area of need in their lives on a regular basis_ The second community need is just as important. Friendship offers an op- portunity for many of us to share a small portion of our lives with others just a little less fortunate than we. Each of us need to help others if we are all to live useful and satisfying lives. By getting involved in Friend- ship we can share as much or as lit- tle of ourselves as we wish, there are no demands made, only offers of help. If you can spare the time please feel free to come and experience the fun and fulfillment of "Friendship" at the Exeter - United Church, Thursday evenings at 7:15 p.m. This is truly an interdenominational effort and is sponsored by South Huron and District Association for the Mentally Handicapped. have paid for all hearings and other related costs. Brad Pryde of Paragon Engineer- ing made a presentation on what ser - cies his company could offer to the township. He said that if Paragon was hired for any work, travel expenses in excess of 30 miles would be borne by the firm, which has offices in Port Elgin, Bracebridge, London and Timmins. - Wilder said council is satisfied with the work of the engineering firm presently employed by Hay, and has not yet made a decision on hiring an additional company. He said he was pleased to hear that Pryde, a native of Hay township, would be the com- pany's contact man with Hay if Paragon is chosen. Repair reports on the Pergel and the Peters drain will be read at the February 16 council meeting. Building permits valued at $350,000 for three new homes were issued in December. Four new pole sheds are also going up. - Wilder, deputy reeve Claire Deichert and councillor Murray Keys will attend next month's ROMA con- vention. Wilder, councillors Gerald Shantz and Don Weigand and road superintendent Ross Fisher will go to the Good Roads convention. Wilder's expenses will be paid by the county, as he is on the Huron road committee this year. The readers write Dear Editor: Mrs. Janis Bisback is to be com- plimented on her letter to the editor last week outlining her experience as a member at large on the library board over the past four years. It is evidence of the continuing drama of power plays that unfold behind the great grey walls of the county castle. The imaginary soaps of Dynasty can- not outdo our own home-grown, re life versions. Our hard earned tax dollars should facilitate the delivery of programs in this county. Tax money should not be used for a few people to indulge their massive egos in power plays to see who can be King of the Castle. Professional people are hired to spend their time assessing County needs and administer programs to meet those needs. It is the job of elected officials to see that these various specialists and ad- ministrators of local services carry out their duties in a responsible fashion. It is not their duty to take over these jobs themselves. I was shocked when I read that the politicians were considering a motion to involved themselves in the deci- sions of which books to purchase for our libraries. This is analogical to the politicians choosing the vaccines to be used by the Public Health Nurses or the girders for building bridges. The library system has been ably administered for the last fourteen years by a professional with three al----Uhiversity Degrees. Because Mr. Partridge and Mrs. Bisback have chosen not to conform they are being removed. Mrs. Bisback spoke against the dissolution of the Library Board in Queen's Park. Copies of the pro- ceedings (Hansard 1 of Private Bill Pr -7 are now available in each of the five town libraries. The interested public should take the time to glance through these reports. If the concerns of the public lie with censorshi and other control issues it would be informa we y -par-- ticular attention to Pages T-14 to T20 of the December 17, 1986 hearing. Sincerely, J. E. and H. R. Cieslar t 4 WHO IS BEING REGISTERED? — Kindergarten candidate Joseph Denomme sits beside father Francis and sister Michelle as St. Boniface School secretary Patty Meidinger fills out his application form. McCurdy school touted as site for programs By September 1987 the Huron Coun- ty Board of Education will be pro- viding Family Studies and Industrial Arts courses to grade 7 and 8 students in the southern half of the county. The two part plan has seen the establishment of such courses for students in the central and northern parts of the county and the second phase is now looking for accommoda- tion in the southern district. The south program is to begin in September. Education Director Bob Allan reported to the board, at its January meeting, that a space review of schools in the south end indicates that the most, appropriate placement would be at McCurdy Public School in Huron Park. Sufficient space is not available at Exeter Public School, Hensall Public School, Stephen Cen- tral Public School, Usborne Central Public School or Zurich Public School. Space at South Huron District High School in Exeter is being utilized by the extension of Basic Studies classes and the development of a music program. Allan reported that two classrooms are available' at McCurdy Public School. They are presently being us- ed as a classroom for the French teacher and the School Resource Teacher. Both of these programs can be relocated within the school. Location of the Family Studies and Industrial Arts program at McCurdy Public School, rather than in Exeter, will create only minimum increases in bus costs since board owned buses may be used by Zurich, Exeter and Stephen and since the minimum charge applies to the Hensall and Usborne contract buses. Allan pointed out however, that the - establishment of the courses at McCurdy may involve extensive fun- ding to upgrade electrical services. -He further noted that renovations at the school would provide the oppor- tunity to rearrange the Developmen- tal Handicapped facilities to a more appropriate location within the building. The Family Studies and Industrial Arts program has been well received in other areas of the county. The courses have been provided to students in the centre of lluron Coun- ty for several years through facilities at Seaforth Public School and Victoria Public School in Goderich. M Huron educotfon • boord upgrades adult courses by Shelley McPhee Haist The Huron County Board of Educa- tion will be working with Conestoga College to develop adult academic upgrading and employment prepara- tion programs. The new line of educational ser- vices has been requested by the Canada Employment and Immigra- tion Centre in Goderich, as the result of the recent termination of a similar program at the Vanastra Campus of Conestoga College. In his report of the board of educa- tion trustees at their January meeting, education director Bob Allan noted that alternatives have been outlined between the three groups, and, "it appears that. the Huron County Board of Education could offer such a program in the cen- tral part of the county for approx- imately 15 adult students at no cost to the local taxpayer. (The service wjll be funded entirely by Employment and Immigration Canada." Central Huron Secondary School in Clinton has been chosen as the site of the program. Allan noted that con- sideration will also be given to other facilities•within the school system. In his report to the board members Allan further noted, "The Huron County Board of Education is becom- ing a provider of upgrade education. Itis an important community service to offer, and it is funded entirely by Employment and immigration Canada. There is no local cost attach- ed to this." r The north program was establish- ed at F. E. Madill Secondary School in Wingham in the,fall of 1986. Bruce Robertson, principal of Wingham Public School told board members that the new program has been successful and has received favorable support from teachers, parents and pupils. In support of the McCurdy location to service the southern half of the county, Robert- son noted, "Special needs children particularly profit from . the program" Plans and preparations to imple- ment the program by September 1987 will continue at the board level, and Allan pointed out, "The program is seen -as a bonus to whatever school it goes to." SPRING TRANSPORTATION Mork McAdams was out an the Main street of Zurich with his skateboard Saturday afternoon.