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Times Advocate, 1989-05-03, Page 1Tack EXETER TOYOTA) 242 Main St. N. Exeter Across from O.P.P. Phone 235-2353 Gaiser-Kneale Insurance Exeter 235-2420 Grand Bend 238-8484 Ilensall 262-2119 Clinton 482-9747 Inside It's tops New name for upholstery firm page 7 Excellence Special education awards to South Huron page 10 - Bowling stars Winners from three area alleys page 20 High school expanding CLINTON - South Huron Dis- trict High School is slated for an expansion, according to a decision made by the Huron Board of Educa- tion on Monday. The expansion is part of a capital works plan ap- proved for five Huron Schools planned for completion before Sep- tember. While initial plans call for three new classrooms to be built at SHDHS, principal Bruce Shaw said "it could be as many as five." Shaw submitted a five-year plan for the school in January, calling for the conversion of courtyard space to cope with high enrollment lev- els. The ministry of education allows for the use of portable classrooms, but "it's my wish that we don't have portables," said Shaw. South Huron District High School is presently at 102 percent capacity with 980 students en- rolled. This reflects the changing standards imposed by the ministry on classroom size. A few years ago, SHDHS could have accommo- dated 1,200 students with 30 stu- dents to a class. The new classroom space, accord- ing to Shaw, is needed to cope with demands for special education and adult education. Cable plans more service EXETER - Ron Sinson of Ex- ccn Cablevision Limited told Ex- eter council at a recent meeting that he hoped his firm could pro- vide more community program- ming to Exeter subscribers in the near future. Sinson attended the meeting to ask council to transfer the original agreement with Ron McIntosh to the present firm. Council had also asked for an explanation of why the cable company services -were not availa- ble for a community program prior to last fall's election. When asked by Reeve Bill Micklc about his firm's long term plans, Sinson said, " The commu- Please turn to page 2 I Flag raising - Exeter Public School students saw the rais- ing of the Canadian and Board of Education flags Monday morning as the board kicked off a week of celebrating its 20th anniversary. ' Hosting the flags were former board trus- tees Clarence MacDonald and Garnet Hicks. Council applauds 1988 town police report EXETER - Members of town council were pleased Monday night when chief Larry Hardy presented the police report for the year 1988. The report showed that total ad- minstraation costs were only $816 more for the just concluded year than they were for 1987. Hardy pointed out that the in- crease was kept to a minimum mainly because of a decrease in sal- aries and wages due to the differ- ence in pay of officers who re- signed and those who were hired at the bottom end of the pay scale. He continued, "Also, you must take into consideration that we paid out about $24,000 in overtime and ,bought a new cruiser. With the ad- dition of a new cadet officer, I am hoping our overtime for this year will be cut considerably." While 'actual expenses for the year were $390,898, this amount was reduced by a $77,450 provin- cial policing grant and $4,162.69 turned in to the clerk's office. The major portion of the latter came from a $2,000 - RIDE grant and $1,379.50 in parking tickets. Hardy told council the statistical data showed an increase in the area of thefts and assaults while calls for assistance increased by 242 and enforcement was up about 12 per - Change street names EXETER Cduncil Monday night agreed on the changing of the name�cthree-sire~:thick ri•1-h, cated north of the river. William street north will now be known as McConnell street in hon- our of the first merchant in town; Calling street north becomes Fran- cis street and Andrew street north will be known as Orchard street. Mayor Bruce Shaw said the ex- ecutive committee met with resi- dents on the three streets north of the river recently and he also sent a letter explaining the need for changes. In his letter Shaw said, "Contrary to what you might believe, we do have a good reason for suggesting changes in your street names." He went on to say that last year an ambulance was dispatched to a call on Andrew street. The driver went first of all south of the river, realized he made a mistake and then found the house on Andrew street north. Shaw continued, "This was a simple error, but catastrophe could have resulted. The resident who ad- vised us of what happened sugg- ge,sted that for safety, we should change the names of these three streets. As well, it is possible that in the future, dispatchers for police, ambulance and fire could be located in Goderich or London. We can't af- ford a mistake. With the cost of bridges and anticipated traffic pat- terns, we don't sec any links join- ing any of these streets." Reeve Bill Mickle commented, " We must have all street name changes cleared up by June 1 when new postal codes and super mail boxes come into effect." At the request of Gus Gregus, a street in his new development off Marlborough street will be called Gregus Court. He told council Monday night, " As I am paying all costs of this de- velopment, I feel I should have the right to choose a name. I am re- questing the street be named Gregus Court, meaning short street, when and if it is deeded to the town." cent. The chief continued, " Clearance rates in all categories increased dur- ing the year which goes to show that proper training of members of our force is ea must and helps in solving crime. Further it reinforces the force's committment to achieve better policing for the residents of the town." In this regard, Hardy said the force was very active with in-service training, public education and crime prevention. The force remains in- volved and committed to the V.I.P. and Co-op Education programs. He went on to say," As the force continues to grow and the officers are better educated, the taxpayers will see a better level of policing for their dollars. Our force will con- tinue to work with the public in an effort to reduce crime in Exeter. The total number of motor vehi- cle accidents investigated by town police officers in 1988 was 139, one less than for the previous year. Incidents of theft were up consid- erably from 73 in 1987 to 112 last year with loss value of $186,087, Please turn to page 2 First PRIDE, road grants for town in many years EXETER - After a number of re- jections, the town of Exeter has fi- nally received a PRIDE grant from the province of Ontario to under- take a number of municipal pro- jects. The town was informed Thursday afternoon that $140,000 would be- come available over a four year per- iod on a 50-50 basis. The original application was for $149,625. At the same time works superin- tendent Glenn Ke11$ reported get- ting word of a supplementary grant in the amount of $40,000. Kells said this money would be used to help finance present recon- struction work at the south-west end of town and in some extra maintenance. The works superintendent added, "This is the first supplementary road grant we have received since Charlie MacNaughton was minister of highways." The only work to be done on the PRIDE project which stands for Program for Renewal, Improve- ment, Development and Economic revitalization this year will be engi- neering plans and approvals. Slated for 1990 is a lighted walk- way and sidewalks on Victoria streets from the community park gates to the easterly end of Exeter Public School and development of more parking adjacent to the tennis courts. - The same year curbs will be cut at a number of intersections throughout the town to provide wheelchair accessability: In 1991 it's sidewalk construction on the north side of Sanders street from Pryde to Eastern -and from Eastern to Edward on thesouth side of Sanders. The project for 1992 will be side- walks on the east side of Main street from George to the Ausable River bridge including Riverside Drive to Main streeet. The final phase of the project will be in 1993 with phase one of im- provements to cNaughton Park. In making t.fie PRIDE grant an- nouncement, Huron MPP Jack Rid- dell said', " These grants which have been awarded to more than 80 mu- nicipalities across Ontario, have in- creased from $14.8 million last year to more than $18 million this. y Riddell continued, "PRIDE also helps municipalities create jobs, strengthen municipal tax bases and foster an environment for invest- ment." At Monday's regular council meeting, Reeve Bill Mickle said, " We have waited so long for some of these grants, maybe we should send a letter of thanks." Ben Hoogenboom quickly replied, " All joking aside, I think we should send a letter to Jack Riddell. We let him know when we are criti- cal of the government. Now, when we get good news, we should send thanks." Mayor Shaw concurred saying, " We have applied many times for both of these grants. It's good news all around." In conclusion, Mickle 'said, " It could be a mattert4of the squeaky wheel getting the grease." PUC on tight budget this year EXETER - "Can the PUC con- tribute anything substantial from this year's working capital?" was the question posed by Mayor Bruce Shaw at the Commission's regular April meeting. Shaw went on to explain that he had been approached recently by an Exeter developer about possible ex- pansion of one subdivision and creation of another. He wanted to know if the utility could handle the capital costs that would be involved in supplying services. PUC manager Hugh Davis told Shaw that installing anodes to pro- tect the 14 -inch main on Main Street is the utility's immediate pri- ority. He reminded the mayor that the PUC has already had to borrow from its reserve fund for current capital expenditures, and 1989 is going to be a 'financially tight y Work begins this week on Huron West from Carling to west of the tracks to replace the last remaining section of four -inch main with eight -inch. Van Brie Construction has been awarded the tender for the Huron St. project. The PUC's share will be $7,743; contingencies may increase that figure. The Waterloo St. main in the Gregus development area has also received approval. Davis had prepared a report on the adverse effects to Exeter if an Onta- rio government proposal on county government became a reality, and responsibility for the town's water- works department was passed to county council. Among the points he made were the fact water main breaks need immediate attention; at present the one utility makes one trip to read both water and hydro meter, to bill customers for both, or turn services on or off; Exeter has two water systems - wells for domestic customers and a complex industrial service using two dams and a filtration; the service duty em- ployees are trained to deal with both water and hydro emergencies. - Shaw called the proposal stupid. "If the water department was ad- ministered from Goderich, they would get advice from Hugh Davis, and the decision would be made I there. It's absurd", Shaw added.. Davis said the two departments work hand in glove, and separating them would create a nightmare for customers. Jail sentence for drinking EXETER - Larry Consitt, Hen - salt, will be spending his week- ends in jail until he has served a 90 -day sentence imposed by Judge RGE Hunter in Exeter provincial court on April 25. Consitt had pleaded guilty to having a BAC over 80 on two separate occa- sions. A breathalyzer reading registered 250 and 230 when Consitt. was taken to the Godcrich police sta- tion on April 8, 1985. The ma- chine registered 250 and 270 after Consitt was picked up for erratic driving on Novcmbcr 12, 1988. Consitt's driving privileges were suspended for three years. Hunter took the guilty pleas to a BAC over 80, and to uttering death threats, when Michael Je- romkin, Exeter, appeared before him. Jeromkin had counts of 230 and 210 after being stopped on Huron St. in Exeter qn March 18. He was also charged with threatening by phone to kill James Rowe and Shannon Hrudka. Jeromkin was fined $600 and given a 12 -month driving suspen- sion on the first charge, and fined a further $300 on the second charge and put on probation with orders to have no contact with Rowe or Hrudka, Dale R. Reid, Bayficld, pleaded guilty to possession of cannibus resin. Police had found a five - gram bottle of resin during a search of the van after the accused had been stopped for a liquor of- fence. Reid was given 30 days to pay a $500 fine. Having a BAC of 150 when stopped in Usborne township on April 9 cost Monty Duane Steele, RR 1 Kirkton, $600 and a 12 - month suspension. George Arnold Maxwell, Hen - sell, was sentenced to a total of nine months in jail for driving in Hay township on April 7 with a BAC of 210 and 220, and operat- ing a vehicle while disqualified . Maxwell had bccn prohibited from driving for three years begin- ning January 10, 1989. He had served short jail sentences for pre- vious drinking/driving convictions on August 17 and Novcmbcr 8, 1988 and the January conviction. A further three-year suspension was imposed. Wayne Fraser, Exeter, pleaded guilty to fraud. A personal cheque for merchandise worth $140.18 purchased at the SAAN store on October 12 had been returned NSF. Fraser was fined $100. Terry Pfaff, Huron Park, plcadcd guilty to defrauding the Exeter Big V of $30.42 by using an NSF cheque to pay for merchandise. He has made restitution. Pfaff was fined $100. Lions join retail business this week Youth Week - May 1 to 6 is Youth Week at the SAAN store, with 10 percent of all sales being donated to the Exeter Lions Youth Centre. Mayor Bruce Shaw has been declared store manager for day, and SHDHS students are assisting at the store. Gathered to- gether for a ribbon -cutting ceremony to start the week are (back left) employees Sherry Cornell and Judy McBride, Lions Gary Bean, Ross Mathers and Rick Simpson, store manager Peter An- taya, Mayor Bruce Shaw, Lioness members Rosemary Straw, Anne Prout, Louise Pincombe and Norma Parsons, employees Wendy Hodgert and Sally Snedden and (front) SHDHS students Tammie Winger, Lori Dalrymple, Andrea Becker, Diane McCarter, Terry Hoffman, Brian Baird, Ron Mosurinjohn, Scott Simpson and Kim Lensbergen.