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Clinton News-Record, 1977-03-03, Page 16. • PAGE 16—CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 1977 J LI ' • e• Five candidates for mayor give their views (The News -Record, as a public service, has offered free space to the candidates to reach the voters in the upcoming municipal election next Monday, M.arch 7. AC 'opinions arae strickly those of the candidates and thiS paper assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions.) by Bill Crawford First, I would like to ex- plain a little of my background. I moved to Clinton some ten years ago. I am married and have five children, two married and three at home. I have been very active in our community in the past eight years. I sat on Council in Clinton in 1970-72. I have been on the Industrial Board for eight years, and on the Recreation Committee for four years serving as both Arena Chairman, and Parks Chairman. I'm also involved with the Fire Area Board, at the present time as secretary - treasurer. I chaired the Winter Carnival on two oc- casions for two years, and found it very rewarding. I am employed by. the Ontario Federation of Agriculture as a fieldman tin Huron County. Some of my responsibilities consist of the activities of the 16 Township Federations, in which I work in very close relationship with the elected people. 1 also co-ordinate the activities of Huron County Federation, which represents in excess of 2,000 members. Clinton has many major problems, to name a few of them: - There has been some discussion in the news media that there will have to be some major repairs to the arena. This is the year we pay off the debenture on the arena, however, there are problems with the floor and thereis' talk of some major expansion. I am concerned that the people involved will have every opportunity to participate in the decisions to be made in regards to our arena. Another major problem coming up this year is. the Senior Citizens Recreation Centre. I feel that this has to be discussed; and I feel it would be my responsibility to find some way of finding out what the people think about this problem. There are several ways of doing this. A plebiscite, which is costly, a telephone poll to see what people's opinions' are, and then also the news media could be used. Another main issue is our hospital. I hope we are not naive enough to believe that the hospital has been saved for Clinton. I feel the battle has just begun. The Ontario Government has ways of prolonging things. I know of no-one who has told us that we have a permanent hospital in Clinton. I see many many groups that were involved in saving the hospital to this point, and I think the activity of stimulating these groups in the future is certainly going to be the only way our needs will be fulfilled. I am concerned about the Rural -Urban relationship. Quite often we make ar- bitrary decisions that involve our rural neighbours, and I feel that a lot orthese things are very unnecessary. It is usually a lack of com- munication, and I think that we should sit down and consult and negotiate before decisions are made. I feel it is very important that we have our rural neighbours feeling comfortable to come to Clinton for business and social events. I think this is a working agreement that should be emphasized. • I would like to touch briefly on our town hall. It seems to me, three or four years ago, there was a plebiscite, and you, the electorate, made a decision that the town hall be preserve‘'. I feel if it was your decision, then certainly something should be done to continue with that program. Although this doesn't happen as must locally, as it does' Provincially and Federally, I am concerned that when it comes to election time, each candidate is busy trying 'to get support. It seems to me that at election time, my vote is important as an individual, until that person is elected and safe in their position, and then I wonder if they forget about me. If 1 am elected as your mayor, one of the things I'd try to do is.to encourage your council to get the people's opinions on major decisions. The responsibilities don't just belong to Council, but to every citizen in the town of Clinton. I look forward, if elected, to working with Clinton Council. I travel all over Huron County, and it is probably an advantage to me to be aware of what is going on in the county. I am visiting and talking with other elected people in other municipalities and it gives me a broader understanding of what people are looking for. If I am elected, I will still be exposed to these kind of opinions from people. I offer my services to this community. I feel I have the skills and ability to be your mayor, and I feel that ar important part of being mayor of Clinton is being a spokesman not a decision maker. • I seek your support on March 7 and will o my very best to be your spokesman as mayor. I would like to pledge that whoever you choose, I will give them my total support, as I have in the past, to make this a better town for all of us in the future...Where are we, where are we' going, and how are we going to get there? Thank vou. live in. I wish to see it con- tinue to grow and prosper so that my wife and two children can continue to be proud of -their town and can watch it grow around them in an or- derly fashion. As a resident of High Street, by the Legion, I also pay taxes .and am, in- terested that we receive good value for every one of our tax dollars spent and will work towards a rational balance of services and tax dollars. Although the mayor is but one member of a nine member council, he does have a position of special privileges and respon- sibilities as the chief executive officer of the municipal corporation. The mayor is responsible for the smooth operation of the business of the town. To this end, I would keep my finger on the pulse of the municipal organization by following through council decisions to ensure a speedy resolution and would haye boards and employees under municipal control make monthly reports to council. I would attempt to fill the leadership role of the Mayor by making recommendations to the council for the development and growth of the town. I will try to stay ahead of problems so that we will be working towards improvement rather than scrambling to stave off stagnation. I would lead the council to go out and work for services that are needed by the. town such as an ambulance service based at our own Clinton Hospital to further strengthen its position and aid Clinton's people. The mayor must be available to the people on a regular basis. I would accept the challenge to keep the people informed and aware. The institution of regular by Jim Hunter I would like to thank the News -Record for its interest in the municipality as shown by allowing the candidates both a forum in the newspaper and a meeting for the, candidates to be heard and questioned. It is this same type of in- terest in our community that has enticed me to again enter the political arena. An in- terest in: community affairs that I have continued since my childhood in Goderich. During my 30 years of life, I have devoted my energies, to Scouting as a leader, to politics as the President of the Huron Young Liberals, to the community as advertising chairman of the Matheson Chamber of Commerce and to sports as a coach of various ball and soccer teams. My enthusiasm for in; volvement and my, desire to play an active role in my community has continued since I, moved to Clinton. I have tried to serve my community's needs through membership in the Kinsmen Club, as a town councillor, and as an active Planning Board member. The en- thusiasm did vitality that was displayed by the Hospital Action Committee to Save Our. Hospital of which I was chairman, I hope to bring to the town council as its Mayor. chair and with your help we can move forward, acting on issues before they become problems. Action is the promise, action is what I will deliver if elected Mayor. At the age of thirty, I am now office hours for access to the '. prepared to take on the mayor at the town hall would ultimate responsibility, of fill* this need. As well, I would community involvement as institute a regular corn - Mayor of our town. . munication to the people so I am a citizen of Clinton and that input and comment can intend on being one for a long be made in advance of council time to come. I returned to decisions. this area to renew my family' I feel that I can accept the ties and because I knew that challenges of the Mayor's reat town to Clinton was a g by Harold Lobb At this time, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to reveal some of my thoughts; ambitions and issues with regard to this election for mayor. I also would like to th-ank my nominators, they were very encouraging. Congratulations to the council for the way they handled the situation in the first part of the year, due to the untimely death of Don Kay, and I wish to extend my sincere sympathy to Mrs. Kay and the Kay family. The reasons I am running for Mayor are: I feel that I have the experience in municipal government that is needed to create the co- operation that is necessary to accomplish good things for our town. In the past nine years, I have served -on the Development Property, Library, and executive committees for the County of Huron, the committees of the town council including two years as Chairman of Public Works, representative for the town on the board of joint land fill site at Holmesville and on the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority since Bayfield River has been part of that large conservation area. This town Of ours has come a long way in the past century but still has a lot of growing to do. We need more industrial property for which we may have to annex. We need to repair, rebuild or renew many of our sidewalks and if this is done in the next year or two, that it be done in the fashion requested by Miss Elaine Townsend to help thoseheeichirs. whoaare less fortunate than we are and have to use w The idea is to have ' all approaches with ramps in- stead of curbs. This would also be a great help to young mothers with babies in baby carriages. We need off-street parking very badly. We also need better washroom facilities for the general public. These issues I have been discussing would bring more people to Clinton and keep them happy. We are not just building our On page 17 id---71" "Illito Hardware Mick & Decker 3/8" DRILL • DOUBLE REDUCTION GEARS • MOO R.P.M. ID 2.1 AMPS. Clinton Home Hardware 24 ALBERT ST. 482-7023 NOTICE OF POLL Notice is hereby given to the Municipal Electors of the Town of Clinton in the county of Huron that since more candidates have been nominted to the following offices than the number required to fill such offices, therefore polls will be held at the times and places stated' in this notice for the purpose of electing the holder of such office. Office for which elections will be held: MAYOR 1 to be elected REGULAR POLLING DAY Date: March 7, 1977 Location ' Poll Station No. 1 - Town Hall If you live in the North-East section of Town between the Eastern side of Albert St. and the North side of Ontario Street, you vote at the Town Hall. Poll.Station No. 2- Legion Hall, Kirk St. If you live in the South -Eastern section of Town between the South side of Ontario St. and the East side of King St., including that portion known as "Little England", you vote at the Legion Hall on Kirk Street. Poll Station No. 3 - Senior Citizen's Apartments, King St. If you live in the South -Western section of Town between the West side of King St. and the South side of Huron Street, you vote at the Senior'Citizen's Apartments, King Street. Poll Station No. 4 - Clinton Arena If yqu. live in the North-Western section of Town between the North side of Huron St. and the West side of Albert St., you vote at the Clinton Arena. All polis will be open from 11 o'clock a.m. until 8 o'clock p.m. and no longer. C.C. .PROCTOR Returning Officer YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO SPEND " A I) AY WITH 11 TOPICS OF CURRENT INTEREST WILL BE PRESENTED BY Ontario Wheat Producers' Marketing Board Ontario Bean Producers' Marketing :•ard Corn and Malting Barley Specialists TWO DATES & LOCATIONS FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE "FOOD & REFRESHMENTS AT NOON" KIRKTON-VVOODHAM COMMUNITY CENTRE KIRKTON, ONT. Tuesday, March 8 930 a.01.—eprly bird coffee 10:00 a.m.—prograin begins PINERIDGE CHALET Hwy. 84, 2 Miles W. of Hensall Weilneultiy, March 16 9:30 a.m.—early bird coffee 10:00 a.m.--program begins Pick Up Your Free Tickets At 'Any Of Cook's Elevators — Hensall — Centralia --L'Kirkton 262-2410 228-6661-1, 229-8986 ® 1 . ,.... , • , • ''''e... \ , ‘ • i ---t ?, / . —4 .. ., : : ' ,•••r..; *1 \ • — )1' —at •' •$' 4." • : , 0