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Times-Advocate, 1979-12-05, Page 1 (2)• • Huron Park fire chief Norm Hyde and OPP Corporal Bill Freeth and Constable Don Mason at front door of Walden home. A fireman throws debris out upstairs window of the Walden home. while chief Norm Hyde confers with o fireman at the front door. A fireman smashes siding of Walden house to get to flames. Questions continue over noise bylaw Are Exeter residents who operate generators to supply energy for electrical equipment during power failures in contravention of the new noise bylaw? That was the question raised this week by PUC manager Hugh Davis, and members of council weren't too certain of the answer when they received his letter at Monday's meeting. Reeve Don MacGregor said the use of generators would be covered under emergency situations, and while Councillor Jay Campbell said he agreed with that contention, he said it would take someone other than council to make the final decision in that regard. He suggested the matter be turned over to the ministry of the environment who had supplied the draft bylaw. Chief Ted Day said common sense would determine such a situation and noted the police wouldn't charge anyone using a generator in a prohibited time during a power failure. However, works superintendent Glen Kells said a private citizen could still lay a charge. During the debate, Councillor Don Cameron stunned council when he presented a motion to rescind the noise bylaw. He failed to get a seconder for the motion. The letter from Davis was turned over to the police committee for an answer. Relief help pours in from neighbours Two die, three escape HP fire Two members of a Huron Park family lost their lives in fire early Thursday morning in their home at 266 Algonquin Drive. Elizabeth (Betty) Walden, aged 46 and her 11 year-old son Kevin died from smoke inhalation in an upstairs bedroom. The father Edward Walden 51, and sons Michael 14 and Sean, 18 escaped by jumping from an upstairs window. The alarm was turned in at about 6:45 a.m. by the two boys who were first to be awakened by the smoke. Michael ran across the street to the Bob Lawrence residence for help while Sean assisted his partly crippled father to safety. Flames and smoke were too intense to allow Mrs. Walden and Kevin to be rescued. Norm Hyde, fire chief of Stephen township depart- ment No. 3 at Huron Park said it took his volunteers only five minutes to get the blaze under control. Hyde added, "I would Cost of sub -station will jump $25,000 Once again, it was a case of good and bad news for the Exeter Public Utilities Commissioners when they held their November meeting, Thursday. The good news was that the cost of buying the San- ders St. sub -station from Ontario Hydro will be about $3,000 less than expected. The main reason for that, explained manager Hugh Davis, is that an inventory undertaken by Hydro of- ficials indicated that some equipment originally listed at the site has been removed. In addition, Hydro will remove some other items. The final cost of the sub- station is now expected to be between 822,000 and 823,000. The PUC anticipate recouping that in short or- der, as the annual bill for the power from the site runs around 812,000 and that cost will now be eliminated. The bad news was that the sub -station the PUC plan to build in the Rosemount Ave. area of Thames Road East next year could cost up to 825,000 more than the original estimate of 8110,000. Davis said he had done some pricing with suppliers and found the costs escalating. With that announcement, the PUC agreed to ask council to approve a debenture issue of up to 8161,000 for the two sub- stations. They originally had expected the debenture to be $136,000. There was a suggestion that when the time comes to pay the bills, the PUC may "borrow" some money from their water works depart- ment rather than the banks. The water department account is so healthy at the present time, the Com- missioners decided to put 860,000 of it in a special four- month short term in- vestment. That was in addition to re- investing a 810,000 water department bond that comes due in December and two bonds totalling 88,000 for the hydro department. Those bonds will be renewed for a one-year term. The current balance of the water department was listed at 893,256, with a 816,793 debenture payment due in December. However, billing income was expected to cover much of the latter. The debate over the rental of the Hicks well and the Board okays pay increases The Huron -Perth County Roman Catholic separate school board has approved increases for two of its administrative staff and office secretaries in its 19 elementary schools. At a special meeting trustees granted John McCauley, superintendent of education, a 85,000 increase for 1980 --the increase will push his yearly salary to $38,000 in two stages plus fringe benefits. His salary will increase by 83,000 on January 1 and 82.000 on September 1. This was a recorded vote, with seven votes for the increase and five opposed. The board also increased the salary of Edward Rowland, co-ordinator of plant and assessment, by 81,557 to 819,538 a year, in- cluding fringe benefits, effective January 1. The school secretaries salaries set in October, 1979, was amended to give slight increases to be effective January 1 to August 31, 1980. For those with 9 year's experience, they will receive 84.55 per hour for one year's experience, they will receive 84.70 per hour; and for two year's or more 84.85 per hour. development of three lots on Riverside Drive continued at the Thursday session. Tom and Doug Prout, owners of the Hicks well property, sent a letter ad- vising that the agreement signed by the former property owner back in 1960 was no longer legal under the Planning Act. They said they would terminate the agreement this December 31 and would be prepared to negotiate a new five-year lease. 1f the Commission was not prepared to do that, the property owners requested that the equipment be Please turn to page 3 guess the fire was burning for as long as two hours before we arrived. The smoke was very intense." Coroner Dr, Brian Lynch of Goderich said preliminary results of autopsies showed both members of the family died from smoke inhalation. Mr. Walden was treated at South Huron Hospital in Exeter for cuts and burns. Ile was released the same day while Sean was treated for smoke inhalation and kept overnight. They were taken to hospital by Hoff- man's Ambulance of Dash- wood. Fire chief Hyde said he believes the fire started from an electrical heater in the living room which was being used to dry freshly painted walls. Neighbour Anne Lawrence has been in charge of donations of clothing, dishes and furniture. A collection centre has set up at the Stephen Township Neigh- bourhood Resource Centre, behind the Huron Park Post Office. Mrs. Lawrence told the T.A., "The response has been absolutley fantastic. The Walden family was very well liked and everyone is pitching in to help." Cash donations are being accepted at the Exeter, Credition and Lucan branches of the Bank of Montreal. The Stephen Optimist club and the Exeter Lions and Kinsmen are sponsoring this project. Officials of the Centralia Marauders hockey team will be turning over all proceeds from a regularly scheduled South Huron hockey game Thursday night to the Walden family. The Maraudersmeet the Parkhill Merchants • at the Huron Park arena at 8:30 p.m. Bob Lawrence said the Walden family moved into a Bendix rec plant closes This area's employment situation became somewhat bleaker this week with the announcement of more lay offs at Bendix in Hensel!. Recreational vehicle plant general manager Andy Imanse said Monday that the plant's entire complement of 116 workers were laid off Friday. He said the workers will be back on the job January 7. Imanse said it was the first lay off of the recreational vehicle plant in his time with the firm and attributed it to the higher interest rates. Up until the rate increase imanse said 1979 had been the best year on record for his plant. Come the spring when interest rates have hopefully stabilized, interest in recreation vehicles should pick up, he said. Ames Serving South Huron, North Middlesex house on St. Lawrence Avenue at Huron Park Monday night. Lawrence continued, "The house has been completely furnished. Thanks to the Stephen Optimists a ramp has been built to allow Mr. Walden access with his wheel chair. Furnishings will continue to be accepted and an auc- tion sale is planned for the near future with all proceeds going to the Walden's. Living room of Walden home started. where Thursday's tragic fire is believed to have dvocate & North Lambton Since 1873 One hundred and Seventh Year EXETER, ONTARIO, DECEMBER 5, 1979 Price Per Copy 25 Cents Debute over assessment continues at countyeve Huron county council tatives whose township resolution asking members indicated their councils had already ap- province to rescind conflicting opinions proved the equilization factors. regarding tax equilization factors would be con- Bill Elston reeve of factors when they supported tradicting t hemselves. if Morris. said his township has a resolution asking the they voted to support a appealed their assessment province to rescind equilization factors at Thursday's council meeting. A resolution from Woolwich township which the council supported. requests the province to rescind the equilization factors as published in June and asks the province to move quickly to implement a full program of the assessment of agricultural lands and their relative values. Five townships in the county have appealed the tax equilization factors because they expect costs to rural taxpayers will increase more rapidly than urban municipalities. There is concern that rural factors have decreased to a greater extent than in urban mun- cipalities, since the price of land has increased drastically particularly in rural areas. Tax equilization factors have been frozen since the early 1970s. The resolution supported by Huron County Council criticizes the im- plementation of equilization factors because the factors do not resolve the problems created by the lack of property reform and the proposed factors do not relate to population or the ability of muncipalities to pay. The resolution states that the proposed phasing of tax increases does not resolve the problem of the weighting of agricultural assessments for levy purposes, but only acts to slow the im- plementation of unfair shifts of the tax burdens. Deputy -reeve Bob Allen of Goderich told council he felt those townships represen- the oased on the new factors. the "The factors are already set -, he said. "What good is an appeal'" "It is unfortunate our assessment is in such a mess. and a mess it is." he observed. Seaforth reeve John Flannery said he was on council when the mun- cipality did its own assessing. The province thought they could do a better job. said Flannery. "but they are further out on their assessment than ever we were " "The province set the factors. let them contend with them " Deputy -reeve Allen told council there is a discrepancy in the way we think because rural and urban areas conflict. "Some are paying more than their share and some are not paying their share." Allen commented it is better to go ahead with equilization until another system is developed. "Let the rural areas lobby that education taxes should not be based on property taxes " WILL BE QUIET! Exeter council held their first meeting of their final term, Monday, and Mayor Derry Boyle said he hopes it will be "as peaceful and quiet as the last one". in brief remarks to council, Boyle said he couldn't foresee any earth - shattering decisions facing members this year. But he quickly added "you never know". Resort man hurt in district collision A Grand Bend man, J. Douglas Taylor, was badly injured when he was in- volved in a two -vehicle crash while on his way to work Monday morning. Taylor was eastbound on the Crediton Road when he was in collision with a tractor trailer unit which was proceeding south on County Road 2 west of Crediton. The truck was driven by Marvin James McAdams, Hay P.O. The vehicle was owned by Trojan Freight Lines, Mississauga. Taylor sustained a broken arm and ribs. as well as cuts, bruises and internal injuries. He was taken to University Hospital. Constable Jack Straughan investigated and listed damage to the truck at 8800, while Taylor's car was demolished with loss estimated at 82,500. The accident occurred shortly before 8.00 a.m. It was one of four ac- cidents investigated by the Exeter OPP this week. There were two on Sunday, both as a result of icy road conditions. A vehicle driven by Robert Brintnefl, RR 3 Granton, skidded into a ditch on the Biddulph-Usborne townline with damage listed at 51.000 by Constable Frank Giffin. Constable Don Mason investigated the other, which occurred on concession 2-3 of Usborne, south of Highway 83. A vehicle driven by Terry Phillips. Calgary. skidded into the ditch with damage in that one also set at 81,000 There was one crash on Friday, it involving a vehicle driven by Douglas Marshall. RR 2 Ailsa Craig. He lost control of his car on an icy patch on the Mt. Carmel Road. just west of Highway 4 in Stephen Township. Damage was listed at 81.000 by Constable Wally Tomasik. A YOUNG WATCHER - - Two year-old Jenny Porker of Huron Pork was one .Sf the youngest spectators at Saturday's Sonto Claus parade. Above, Jenny watches with her mother Julie. T -A photo Officer faces assault count An officer of the Exeter police department has been charged with assault by a citizen. The charge arose over an incident on November 11 when the officer was on duty. The citizen who laid the complaint faces three charges. At council this week, a motion was approved to hire the services of Goderich lawyer Jim Donnelly to defend the officer. Another motion was also presented to have Mayor Derry Boyle write to the OPP Com- missioner requesting in- vestigation of the complaint and to notify the chairman of the Ontario Police Com- mission of the request. Chief Ted Day told the T -A Tuesday morning that this was the normal procedure to follow as members of the local force could not in- vestigate situations in- volving fellow officers. Chief Day did not name the officer. and indicated he is still on duty. A court hearing has been set for January 8. A BUSY FELLOW to hundred,. of follow.ng Mo'r — Santa Claus area Saturday's youngsters rode. Pa was busy Saturday talking of the South Huron Rec Centre Above, Santo chats with Tracey T -A photo Building inspector plans retirement Building inspector Doug Triebner announced his resignation this week. Noting that he would be 65 on January 8. Triebner said his resignation would be effective on January 31 or upon completion of the construction of the new police station which he has agreed to inspect. The matter was turned over to the executive com- mittee to bring in a recommendation for the next meeting. Councillor Jay Campbell expressed his concern to the executive that they look at the feasibility of having a replacement work with Triebner to learn what is involved before the veteran building official retires. in his November report, Triebner indicated that permits valued at 8230,000 had been issued. The major portion was for industrial additions and renovations at Kongskilde Ltd. The executive committee was also asked to study a letter from the Rural Ontario Municipal Association who plan to provide insurance coverage to municipalities. ROMA became interested in such a service to its members after viewing the success of municipal associations in other provinces. it was indicated the members in these provinces enjoy the best of coverage, lower premiums and full disclosure of premium revenues and claims expenses. A motion had been presented to file the letter. but Councillor Jay Campbell said if anyone was prepared to come forward with lower insurance rates. he was all for it. The original motion was defeated and subsequently council approved more study by the executive committee Join resolution to save country Exeter council agreed to join the fight against the separation of Quebec when they endorsed a resolution from the City of Barrie which supported the position taken by Ontario Premier William Davis in opposing Quebec's white paper on sovereignty association. Councillor Don Cameron presented the motion that the resolution be supported unanimously by Exeter council, and it was. "i don't know what the white paper is all about, but 1 certainly support keeping Canada together," com- mented Councillor Ted Wright. The resolution from Barrie suggested that the en- dorsation be sent to Premier R. Levesque of Quebec and that it be in French. They provided a French format for council's use.