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Times Advocate, 1998-03-18, Page 2Pap. 2 Times -Advocate, March 18, 1998 Regional wrap up Clinton BIA expands CLiNTON - Plans are in the works to eitpand the Clinton Business Improvement,Associa- tion loencompass the town's en- tire business community.. - -According to the. Clinton News -Record.. the ,BIA • expan- sion has been under considera- tion for some •time. The BIA has been asked wh) it docs not con- tinue its .heat.'ification projects outside the downtown core. Un- der the current bylaws. money collected from businesses in the core can .curly- he spent in the' • • core. • Thc expansion of the BiA will allow beautification projects to he extended to the town's edge including entrance signs. - Thc BiA also hopes to in, crease participation in the plan- ning of events. and promotions. Lewitt retires BRUCEF11:LD - After 35 'years: Huron Centennial Public School's principal .Gary Jewitt• has. retired. effective March f6, reports •the Clinton - News:. Record. Jewitt first started teaching .at Clinton Public School in 1963. . Since then he has moved to many different schools in the Huron County. For the past eight years. -he has hecn.the prin- cipal at Huron Centennial. • He said he,has seen constant changes in curriculum, schools and .the way the government handles education. He also noted ,a. difference' in- today's students . as opposed to the children • he taught in the '60s. He finds chil- dren more knowledgeable today with a world' of knowledge at their fingertips. thanks to the In- ternet andtechnology: • Goderich CPR land for sale GODERICH - Goderich coup cil has committed in -principal to. selling a portion of town land at the harbor front to build a hotel. according to the Goderich Sig- nal -Star. . - Part of the land .holds the foun- dations of the CPR Station which Heritage Goderich wants council :to designate a heritage building. Council says such a. designation would "tie the hands . of Goderich forever and a day." Currently. a subcommittee of the economic development com- mittee is proceeding with a fea- sibility study that will help de- termine. if a hotel can he built at the site. Golf and Country Club renovations near completion ST. MARYS Work on a 7,500sq. ft. $4(10.000 addition continues at the St. Marys Golf and Country Club with the first week in April estimated as the completion date. The St.- Marys Journal -Argus reports the renovated facilities include a new banquet hall. pro shop. bar. offices and expanded . outdoor patio. . Woman charged in standoff ST. MARYS - A St. Marys woman charged in connection with a police.standoff in Febru- ary will appear in court April 14. The woman laces charges of as- sault. assault .with a weapon and threatening after being arrested in St. Marys in the early morn- ing hours of Feb. 1 f . . The woman surrendered to po- lice at that time, after of period of several hours when she had refused to exit her home at the request of police. THEJVEWS Opposftlon to pay raises ir Continued from front page Armstrong. who seconded the ' motion for the pay raise, said mo- tions are often seconded so they can be discussed. "i feel this council has cleaned up.an injustice which went on for years. The previous. council de= served it (raise),`' he claimed. Armstrong admits the 33 per cent figure "sounds. drastic" hut council stipends are small num, tiers. so using percentages makes the numbers seem more sig- nificant. - Olga Davis commented she has not heard anyone say the council was over paid. People arc upset because two councillor positions were eliminated to save money and giving the raises means those savings avill not occur: At the end of.the - first dis- cussion. Chapmaadded one fi- nal comment. "We do appreciate what you're doing.- up there for us." she said. pointing to the councillors. - At the end of ibe meeting. the Times -Advocate asked if the is- sue would be put on the agenda again for council to reconsider•its decision... . Reeve Roy Trichncr, who chaired the meeting. said his.read on the issue was that it would not be reconsidered. • PUC answers residents' questions on water issue I; or Continued from front page. formation made - available -to the public. She said shc, reviewed the PUC minutes of the past three years -and didn't see any indication the Nabisco issue was being discussed, only that the decision was made. Hoogenhoom replied .. the dis- cussions . were held at the PUC • • meetings which arc .open to the public. -Although not reflected .in -the minutes,- some topics arc -"dis- cussed at great length." don't take, the minutes," stated - Hoogenhoom. • However, minutes of the previous meeting are approved or amended at each meeting. According- to Hoo- genhoom. the minutes were -taken too council. ° Hughes, a former coun- cillor. said the PUC only began. sending minutes to council pan way . through_ 1997:. council- did not- re- -ccive • PUC minutes when the Na- hisco decision was made. Skinner also entered the dis- cussion. "We're elected to make decisions. -I don't think we have to inform thc public." he said. later adding com- missioners arc 'accountable to the people who elected them. . • . Pipeline size and project financing The rationale behind building the pipeline with -the current capacity was also defended. Livingstone ex- - planted the engineer told the PUC the pipeline capacity would he suf- ficient to service the town for IO to 15 years• and revenue from the sale of water would pay for the next ex- pansion.- According to Trichncr. projects are hased on 20 -year planning ho- rizons. Any larger pipeline was con- •sidcred to . he. • "overbuilt" • and wouldn't have received provincial grants'. As well, it wouldn't he fair to tax current taxpayers for sonic - thing they probably won't -use. Livingstone said when more ca- pacity is needed, twinning the pipe- line wouldn't he as .expensive he- cause new pumps would not he needed.-• • Hughes was concerned provincial grants won't he available when the expansion is needed. - The original _ project to obtain the Lake Huron water had a $3 million. price.tag, but .provincial grants cov- ered nearly•two-thirds of the costs. The PUC -.had $500.000 in funds. and, approximately $667.00() was debentured.. Skinner said the orig inal loan was with • the Ontario Clean Water Agency hut the utility ' moved the load 1.6 a private lending institution and saved -customers $ 14.000. "We do try our best to make sure water customers are looked after." he said. - Water costs - Brown commented on a rumor the PUC was purchasing Lake Hu- ron water for 19 cents and selling it to Nabisco for 16• cents, meaning other customers were subsidizing Nabisco. Roth replied Lake Huron water does cost more than water from the wells but that there is no new pipe- line to Nabisco:11 gets the same.wa- ter as everyone else. Water from the wells and the pipeline is mixed to- gether. In 1997, Exeter paid $16.000 for • Lake Huron water.• "The majority of water used by customers conies from wells. We tap into Lake Huron to ensure- turn- over." Hoogenboom explained. adding there were a couple of pe: • clods in 1997 when the well pumps were not working and all the water came from Lake Huron. "1f wc. used Lake. Huron water to. capacity. we would have to increase rates (fees)," Hoogcnhoom said. . • . Process 'challenged Brown questioned the PUC's management of the water issue in- cluding the -decision-making pro- cess, methods used to get in- formation to the public and the validity of the data provided to B. M. Ross. She asked the commis -sioners•to review the process so the same situation would not bo re- peated. • "The process should he looked at and refined." she. explained. "1t doesn't matter what the issue is, it's thc steps in the process." • Skinner said the PUC would deal with her concerns ,when the en- ginccr's report was received. "We're -not going to point any fin- gers until we have. thc repo►rt." • "You've accused us of gross er-. rors and mismanagement. The stud) will show we didn't make- et- rors. We arc vers confident there will he no reason to take a step hack" added Hoogenhoom. "At -some point you're going to have to retract those comh►ents."-he promised Brown. . Livingstone fook .another - ap- proach. _- "Stop and think about all- the years of good management..We've never .rue into -this situation tfore nor has any Utility*," he said re- ferring to mothballing the' pump - house used to draw river water and not being able to use the river. He added the decision-making process was already changing: "W'e're getting instructions from across the street." he said referring to the Town taking over the man- agement of the water. - - Roth said Hundey, PUC em- ployee Dennis Hockey and himself were jointly working with Steve Burns of B.M. Ross. As well. PUC meeting minutes are sent to council. "giving a flaw of information." , "As_ you go through administra- tion. you look at things to make you better," Roth said, adding he was looking forward to rectifying - the situation. Skinner brought-. up the Feb. 18 memo from Hundey to Roth that states PUC staff could only go to the engineer and the media through Hundey.. He was providing the memo to summarize the results of council's decision on Feb. 16 to . have the final say on water -related decisions. - - The memo states the following: I. Any meeting with affected ma- jor users and businesses, particular- ly Nabisco and other ratepayers will he arranged by the Town or B.M. . Ross, and. not the PUC. • 2. Any contact initiated by the media should be deferred/referred to the Town pending completion of a public relationspolicy. • 3. The PUC should not initiate any media contact. Skinner questioned whether coun- cil had approved the memo. Tri- ebner replied "yes". • Hundey took exception to Skin= ner's question and said he was car- rying out the orders of"council. . "1 know how to do my job,'` he shouted. In the paper Triebner said there- have already been•three articles on the issue in the' Times -Advocate and will likely be more in the future. • "I hate debating in the press. It's a lose -lose situation." he said, add- . 'ing the PUC and Council need to have a meeting to discuss the issue and future management. Have a news tip? call the Times -Advocate 235-1331 Residents react to casino vote Continued from front page rink. taking in a show at the movie theatre. or dancing at a hall named. ironically, 'The Casino.' "You didn't go into. a smoke fillcd.rom and pull a lever or sit at. a card table." she explained. "Grand Bend's always hecn sin city. On the Iake...but it worked...If we wind up with_ just gamblers coming to this town. heaven help us." • . Donaldson recalls a time, about 15 years ago. when she claims the village was centred around family- oriented activities. and as a result. was bumper to bumper with traffic. Now she feels the strip has turned into "a jungle." "You have this constant - battle with the residents and the kids," she said. • Donaldson doesn't think the ca- sino will generate much spin-off husincss for the community. She challcnges'.facts and figures of the casino proposal, which highlights 'benefits the proposed facility would offer including jobs, sponsorship projects and funds for charities. "There arc so many ifs. ands or bills," she explained. "If this thing is such small potatoes; 'she mused, "why arc such big players conning into this''...Are they_ going to make their money and go home at the end of the day'?" - - Donaldson especially questions the fact more than 1.000 votes were tallied in .a "snow bird city" that seasonally loses some of•its 1,000 - person • population. to southerly cli- mates: Others are asking themselves the same thing.. "I figure they've brought the spin doctor in...l don't know what turned the- vote around," grumbled a Grand Bend resident who wanted his name withheld: "A •lot of places have hecoime ghost towns because (gamblers) don't spend. the money." .he added. "They go 10 the casino and they leave." "1 don't like the fact that we didn't get a chance to vote," said an anonymous Bosanquet.. • resident. "They made up their ntinds.thcy were going to have,(a casino) any- way." ' He felt Grand Bend simply want- ed to he the lirst village in the arca to have a:casino. that the project is politically Motivated. "I .think i( they. lost that last (vote) they would've kept coating back" • . Despite all the negative talk 11y- ing around town. many residents welcome a casino -with open arms. They like the fact charities would be involved_ that jobs would he generated and sec the casino as a fresh source. of revenue that would revitalize the area. _ At council's .March 9 'inc.—ding. Councillor Brian Knights' gave a verbal report citing Windsor ben- efits front 'its casino. Councillor - Shirley Andraza feels many people want a casino in Grand Bend and that council "should be supporting their wishes." - . Councillor Phil. Maguire .agreed "they have cut casinos down to size" and Councillor. Bob Mann pointed out the village already has 41 ways to gamble. - Shelley Miller. a Hay Township teen, feels a casino, would greatly benefit Grand Bend. which she Fels is "kind of dying. _especially in the winter...) think (a casino would liven it up."- "I p.""I think it's great." echoed a husi- ncss owner along Highway 21 in 'the village.' "I have friends who have -businesses and they all (cclthc sante wa) 1 do...Right now we need as much business as we can get...A lot of the cldcrlics. they don't want it (but) they don't want the kidsTei- ther." this woman also wanted her name withheld. for fear of losing custontcrs who _ take a firm 'no' stance. "(A casino) doesn't bother me any." said a Grand ('ovc. Estates woman who initially gave her name. then changed her mind. "1 ntight.even go myself." No -place to play at Zurich school until funds raised By Brenda Burke • T -A Reporter 712RICH - St. Boniface School is, without playground equipment. but not fol.- long if fundraising efforts of parent volunteers arc successful. `After the school's playground failed a routine safety inspection -.last fall. the School Advisory Council ,came to the rescue. The group. which requires $22,0011 to replace the equipment. was in= formed late last year that funding from the school hoard is not avail- ahk. for the project. "ft's an unfortunate sign of 'our ..times," said fundraising committee member Dave. Long.- "We have a hard enough time getting in -school equipment." Although it is not the board's policy to 'finance the equipment. it will maintain it once it's in place. Both the equipment and its soon - to -be -decided location must he ap-, proved by the board. In..an effort to raise the funds needed for the new equipment. the council formed a seven -member parent committee to raise . funds. According to this committee. the 15 -year-old equipment was not only in poor shape. but in •a had lo- cation since- it was -close to a bas- ketball court as well as over- hanging cables from portables. "At.the top of the slide. thcy had no harriers,': said School Advisory Council Chairperson Tracey Regi- er. who .also. oversees the fund- raising committee. ' "You couldn't see that there wcrc children in the slide." echoed Long. adding the slide had shifted away front, its top platform. presenting a danger for lingers and clothing. As .well, there was also a gaping space ' between the ground and the bottom of the slide. The equipment also had loose joints and splintered wood: "The Very odd (student who) got Hurt on it complained." said Regicr, adding. "They couldn't tear it down- just ownjust because the standards weren't up to dale."' - Because the equipment would have been too costly to dismantle. mole, repair and put hack in place. the playground was first fenced off. then permanently removed: " Sonie•of (the students) were very unhappy (and) didn't even want to go outside:" said Regicr. Committee member Carolyn Ma- thonia added its important for sou: dents to "burn that energy so they can. focus on the teacher when they go hack in the classroom." The committee plans to install two large; separate pieces of equip- ment — one for primary grades by the end of May -and one for junior students by September, both in thcir own play areas. "The . reason that we bought two separate pieces is so we can do this in phases." explained Long. "1t solely depends on the fi nances," added Regier. , The fundraising project began in January and so far. $2,300 has been raised through donations from par- ents in Zurich. "Our schoc,l takes in a big arca. That's a plus." said Mathonia. The school draws students from Dashwood, Hensall, Grand Bend, - St. Joseph and-Byyfield. - Organizers are honing a 'Time. Talent and 'i'reasurc Auction • planned for April 26 at the Zurich ' Community Center will help'thcir cause. The auction already has 52 recorded items on its list including four sides of pork. and many items are 'yet to he recorded. "A -lot of our farm families have conte forward," to . donate ag- riculture products. said Long, add-. ing. "We've had all kinds of trades- men coming forward donating renovations...Everybody has some- thing that they can give." As the school has 135 families, . the fundraising committee aims to - ohtain at least 100 items in total for the .auction, which was advertised in early February. Initially the group wanted the items in by , March 6, but • have extended that deadline to the auction date. - "We've never actually done a project like this before," explained Regier,. adding the committee will see how successful the auction is before putting other ideas, such as yard sales. into action. • Although the• school hoard does not allow its students to fundraise, student council will run a food booth the day of thc auction. The school has applied to Rev- enue Canada for charitable status that would pc.rmit it to issue tax re- ceipts. To make a donation, call. 'Tracey Regicr at 236-7120. `' •L =,t � fae� a iii, i' t-41► ftis X $1e- slit* reit f)A1$3: • iety ' 2i1C 1rtt6 • a• t yam its v,� - 7�:.i.r aunt +/'d f' "% tiRi• ' �r,� .'9 . . :,r.., i4 : ; , i 21-14:Y • Fundraising effort begins. St. Boniface School needs donations for new playground equip- ment. In back, from left are fundraising committee members Carolyn Mathonia, Peter Ma- thonia and Dave Long. In front, School Advisory Council Chairperson Tracey Regier with Ka- tie Mathonia, left, and Laura Mathonia, both students of St. Boniface. Absent committee members include Mike Hosang, Karen Mathonia, Carla Long and Sandy Wondergem.