Clinton News-Record, 1979-01-11, Page 1a
1 '14t -h -=year -No. 2 -
Unusual visitor
The parking lot at the Elm Haven Motor Hotel had an
unusual vehicle parked in it last Wednesday night, when an
armed forces search and rescue helicopter was forced to
land in Clinton because of a howling blizzard. The chopper,
from the 424 Squadron out of CFB Trenton. had been
returning from a search for two missing fishermen In
Southampton, when it ran into nil visability at Clinton. The
four men on board, Capt. Bob Grant, Capt. John Louis
Cauchon, Sgt. Al Ward, and Sgt. Ron O'Neill, were able to
fly out on Thursday morning. (News -Record photo)
Taxi fares to go up in town
In correspondence on Monday night
Clinton council received a letter from
Doug Howse, suggesting an increase in
taxi fares.
Mr. Howse suggested that the charge
for 1979 be $1.25 per mile for the first
half mile and 85c per mile after that.
Reeve , Royce Macaulay said,
"Previously a flat rate was set for
Clinton. The original rates were based
from the centre of town, but many
seniors -who now use the, service Iive
throughout t the town. They may
become. confused by the two new
rates."
It was decided that a basic rate be set
for within the town limits.
The bylaw regarding this will now
read that the rate for one or two
passengers will be $2, with an ad-
ditional charge of 50c each for the third,
and fourth passenger.
From Clinton to Huronview the flat
rate will be $2.50 with an additional
`charge of 50c for'each extra person. A
fee of $3.50 was set for taxi service
from Clinton to Vanastra, with the
same additional 50c charge. A flat rate
4.$10 per hour was set as the waiting
fee.
Mr. Howse, who recently bought the
taxi service, known as Ashton's, in-
formed council that he hopes to change
the name of . the business to Clinton
Taxi and is looking for a more suitable
outlet to relocate the service.
In other correspondence, Deputy
Clerk Jefferson was happy to• report
that the Ministry of Culture and
Recreation apprgved a grant up. to
$44,115.75 to be used for arena
renovations.
The grant is valid for ,one year.
Forms still must be filled before the
money is given to the town.
Deputy Clerk Jefferson informed
council that 'to date over $114,000 had
been paid out for the renovations and
donations. of $50,465.58 had been
received.
During the absence of Clerk Cam
Proctor, council; gave Deputy Clerk
Jefferson permission to bejhe ap-
pointed deputy division registrar. This
approved motion is necessary in order
to allow her to sign birth and death
certificates.
Bylaw 1 for 1979 was passed,
authorizing a borrowing of up to
$100,000 from the Bank of Montreal.
The loan can be used to meet town
expenditures until taxes are collected.
Councillor Roy Wheeler pointed out,
"We're not going to run out and borrow
$100,000. This is just a standing bylaw
arid it's seldom used."
Deputy Clerk Jefferson later ex-
panded on this by saying that several
years ago part of the loan was used,
just before the taxes were collected,
but it was quickly repaid.
She noted that it is seldom needed
since taxes are collected four times a
year.
•The constant problem of stray dogs
was brought up by Councillor Frank
Van Alte.na for discussion.
Mayor Lobb noted that the problem
seemed to be on the increase again.
"It's a difficult problem to cope with
and it needs co-operation from.a lot of
people," he stated.
Councillor Wheeler said, "Some
people may pot realize that their dogs
have to be restrained, especially new
residents in the town.
On Tuesday, Clinton Police Chief
Lloyd Westlake' reaffirmed the town's
Farmer charged
A Hullett Township farmer .will
appear in Goderich court on January
29, charged with fraud in connection
with a claim to the Ontario Crop
Insurance Fund.
Kenneth Beverly Wright of RR 2,
Seaforth was charged last Thursday by
the Goderich detachment of the
Ontario Provincial Police after in-
vestigation by the OPP and the Crop
Insurance Commission.
.. The fraud charge is in connection
with a $4,000 claim to the Insurance
Commission over some white beans.
Constable Lorne Carter of the OPP
carried out the investigation.
Snow and ice, wind and rain seem
to be popular topics in Huron County
about this time every year, so we
thought there was little sense in
bucking a trend, and we'd talk about,
them too. •
Most of the,talk centres around the
winter storms of late, and although
the immediate Clinton area has been
spared the mountainous drifts of
snow up until presstime anyway the
areas to the north and east have
been victims of some vicious "snow
squalls. Some children in the north
have only been to school two days so
far this year.
+++
But, no• matter -what, winter will
seem a little shorter this year
because df'a benevolent December,
according to Graham Campbell, a
weather watcher with the Goderich
Station.
Graham says that overall,
December in Huron County was
slightly warmer and dryer than
normal again, except for those poor.
souls in the snowbelt. The *tem-
perature average was minus 1.9
'degrees C compared to the normal of
minus 3:0 degrees C.
Except for a pouring rainstorm on
the last day of the year, Graham --
says December would 'have been
much drier, and as it was we ended
up with 56.2 mm of rain, and 41.6 Cm
of snow which totals up to 95.5 mm of •
precipitation, slightly lower than the
average of 100.3.
. That says Graham, was in sharp
contrast to t ece , ber of 1977, whip'h
was colder and wetter.
Overall, says Graham,197ili wi.11 go
into the record bookA as a year of
'below normal temperatures, as
compared to the 30 year average.
Just like the climatologists
predicted.
+ + +
And still on the subject of ice,
there are several '`interesting hap-
penings connected with ice in these
parts in the next week or so.
First of all, the llth annual ban-
tam hockey tournament starts on
Thursday night and continues until
Sunday night.
Second, is the highly acclaimed
Passe ' Muraille Production of Les'
Canadiens being staged at the Blyth
Memorial Hall, for one night only
next Wednesday, January 17.
No, the play isn't in French, and
it's at times a fuuny, excellent look at
the barons of the hockey world.
Remember Howie Morenz, Rocket
Richard, Jean Belliveau Well
that's what it all about.
And last but .not feast; the annual
Varna Winter Carnival and
Christmas Tree Burn will be held
this Friday night, so dress warmly
and bring your hotdogs for roasting.
+'++
Frequently in our rounds about
town, we hear complaints about
what this committee, or that com-
mittee is doing and how they could
beimproved.
Well, here's your chance. The
Clinton recreation committee is
looking for several new members,
and the planning board also has
several openings. If you wish to
volunteer your services to either one
of those' bodies, or know of someone
who could 'do a good job, drop your
name off to Marie Jefferson at the
Town Hall in the next couple of
weeks.
problem with loose dogs.
He noted that there is a $10 fine if
tagged dogs are found running loose.
He warned that this will be enforced
•and fines issued:
"It's not just stray dogs," he said,
"people are getting a little lax about ,
their pets."
"If they'd at least keep them tied up
on garbage day, nearly half the
problem would be solved."
Thursday, January 11, 1979
own sells site to bank
by Shelley McPhee ment date of 1980.
Although the transactions had been The 1980 date was established,
in the workings for several months, Deputy Clerk Jefferson explained,
according to deputy clerk -treasurer, because the council didn't want the
Marie Jefferson, town council was land to sit idle or to be sold at a high
forced to make a quick decision when profit in a few years.
1two lots were sold to the Royal Bank of The land, which the town owned for
several years and at one time was the
site of a proposed senior citizens centre
will now be used to build a new bank,
with parking facilities, according to
Iner Smith, Clinton's Royal Bank
manager.
After some discussion and hesitation
council recommended to the com-
mittee of adjustment that the minor
variance application from John
Kassies be accepted.
The minor variance for a 361 High
Street home included relief from the
minimum rear yard requirement's of 25
feet to be lessened to 10 feet and relief
from the minimum lot line be lessened
from 15 feet to 11.28 feet.
Councillor McKay said, "We're
running into the same problem again.
Twenty five feet to 10 feet is not 'minor,
that's major. I•t's a 60 per cent dif-
ference. The sooner we get the in-
-aspector in to check the foundations the
better.''
Councillor Chester Archibald agreed,
"The house is already up and we can't
do much about it, but I hope that this is
Canada.
The lots, 295 and 296, Plan 7, also
known as 68 and 70 Victoria Street will
be sold to the Royal Bank at a cost of
$47,500. Council approved the motion,
with little discussion at their regular
council meeting on Monday evening.
Deputy clerk Jefferson said Tuesday,
that council wasn't trying to be
secretive about the- land sale, despite
the fact that it hadn't been previously
discussed in open council.
She noted that council was suddenly
given a December 29 deadline from
Toronto to complete the transaction
and they were forced to take the
discussion to committee of the whole.
"We had no idea it would come to
such a quick halt," she added.
However, • council approved
motion approving the purchase
little conflict at the open'meeting.
The closing date for the final sale has
been set for February 15 and included
in the transaction is r commitment
from the Royal Bank that the lots' will
be subjected to a projected deVelop-
the
with
MeKiliop agrees to salaryhike
By Wilma Oke
McKillop Township Council reviewed
the salaries of employees at a meeting
in Winthrop Monday and gave an in-
crease of $1,500 to Clerk Marion
McClure, raising her salary to $18,000
plus certain administration fees and a .
car allowance of $600 per year; Road
Superintendent William Campbell had
his wages raised from $5.80 per hour to
$6.52 per hour; Grader operator Frank
I-iuftey fr`611115.'80 to -$6.38 per hotreani''`'
road workmen from $5.00 to $5.25 per
hour.
Drain inspector Clarence Regele will
receive $5.25 per hour plus 20 cents
mileage; poultry and animal valuators
and fence viewers will be paid $12 per
trip plus 20 cents mileage.
• The legal firm of McConnell, Stewart
and Devereaux was named solicitor for
the township.; Monteith & Monteith,
Stratford, named auditor for the year;
'and Toronto Dominion Bank, Seaforth,
was authorized as tax collector for the
township.
A private property owner will pay $20
per hour for the grader to work on his
property, up from $18 with a minimum
of. $10 charge, up from $9.
Council left the remuneration paid to
them unchanged • at $1,000 for the
reeve; $800 each for deputy reeve and
three councillors for one regular
meeting per month: They' will be paid
$15 for any extra meetings or while on
council business plus mileage of 20
cents to any meeting other than council
meetings.
Council endorsed a resolution from
the Town of Oakville calling for a drive
to change or create a law in Ontario
which will prevent, forbid and stop the
practice in Ontario of topless or bot-
tomless waitresses, dancers, strippers
and nude or partially nude floor shows
in bars, restaurants or other places of
entertainment. This law . should ban
pornography on public newsstands,
television, in movies, magazines and
other media.
Council made a grant of $500 to
Maitland bank Cemetery, located in
the township but serving a wide area
around Seaforth.
Deputy reeve Harvey Craig will
attend a court of revision on January 9
for the: Buchanan Drain (Grey
Township) for which McKillop.
Township is assessed $1,635.
Passed for
payment were road ac-
counts amounting to $6,963.84 and
general accounts of $957.39.
McKillop's levy to the Blyth Fire
Area board for 1979 is $1,400, Half will
be paid now and the remainder in mid
summer.
Eugene McAdam, Clinton, building
inspector for the township attended the
council session. He reported he issued
99 building permits for the township...-
new houses, new barns, additions and,
home repairs, plus ten" demolition
permits. Mr. McAdam said he
averaged 2.9 inspections for each
permit -- some construction requiring
more inspections than others he stated:
icemen get two calls
Clinton firemen were called out to
two minor blazes in the past week that
caused little damage.
Last Friday morning 'about 8:15,
Weather
1979 1978
JAN
2
34
5
6
78
HI LO
C C
—4 -11
—12 —17
---11 --15
—11 —15
—10 —14
—7,5 —12
— 7 —11.5
Snow 17.0 cm
►+I La
F F
27 11
20 13
'31 6
32 24
29 22
30 23
36 27
Snow 8"
.11.1111111/
The first skate
Whoops! give me a hand, mom and dad, this youngster seems to be saying at
the Clinton arena last Sunday afternoon as the arena re -opened for public
skating; following replacement of the floor. A burned out motor in the com-
pressot, however, temporarily closed the arena again for the first part of the
week. (1V,ews-Record photo)
e,
firemen qurc.y; contained a blaze in a
bedroom at the James Morden home at
53 Princess Street.
The Clinton volunteers confined the
blaze to a chest of drawersin an up-
stairs bedroom of the home, but some
smoke and water damage did occur to
the bedroom. A ,faulty electrical cord
may have started the fire.
Firemen were"'called out to a freak
fire on Sunday afternoon about 4:30
when a fire broke out, in the electrical
distribution panel, blacking out hydro
to a two -block area in the north part of
town.
The fire, at the Ross Carter -Ward
Knox residence at 228 Queen Street, is
under investigation by the Ontario
Hydro investigation office, and may
have started when the.mains in the box
shorted to ground, causing a small fire
and blowing the main fuse on the hydro
pole transformer.
The fire was out by the time firemen
arrived, and little damage was caused,
except to the panel, which will have to
be replaced.
Burned motor
closes arena
The Clinton Arena which just opened
Last Friday night, had to, be tem-
porarily closed again Sunday night,
after a motor burned out.
The motor, a 50 -horse model, runs
the compressor and burned out
'Saturday night, but it was expected to
be replaced by Wednesday allowing
full operation of the arena and per-
mitting the start of the bantam hockey
" Tournament on Thursday night. .
Electricians said there is no way of
telling in advance when a motor is
going to go, and Clinton's had to be sent
toa.London to be rewound.
Meanwhile; Ron -McKay, chairman
of the fund raising committee said on
Tuesday that only $30,000 remained to
be - collected in the $180,000 cost of
putting in the new floor, after the town
received word this week that they were
getting a $44,115 grant under the
Community Centres Act grant of the
ministry of'Culture and Recreation.
The volunteer arena canvass. also
received good news Tuesdy night
when they received a $5,00 cheque
from the Clinton Lions Club, t' 0 largest
received, bringing total donations to
$55,65.
The remaining money owing will be
paid by a Wintario grant, about $5,000.
•
35 cents
the last one of these we pass a motion
on."
Councillor Roy Wheeler pointed out
that when the house was built, Ran-
sford Street was not opened, and when
it opened Kassies measurements were
affected.
Mayor Harold Lobb told council that
the building inspector would be
checking the foundations in the future.
At last,
first baby
At first it seemed that perhaps
Clinton would take the award for.
having the last new year's baby.
But, finally, in the early hours of
January 10, at the Clinton' Public
Hospital, a girl, the -first baby in 1979
was born.
Carol, weighing in at 7 pounds, 7
ounces came into the world at 1:34 a.m.
with help from Dr. Brian Baker.
Her parents are Mr. and Mrs. Gleri
Haskett of RR 5, Clinton. When she
arrives to her Vanastra home, she will
be, greeted by three other sisters,
Denise, 4; Glenda, 5; and Patricia, 7.
It ' was unsure when Carol would
arrive into the world since her mother
went into the hospital on Sunday. She
was released on Tuesday at noon hour,
but went back into the hospital.again on
Tuesday night. Mrs. Haskett ' only
missed her due date, January 9 by an
hour.
Carol and her family wiLl Abe
presented with numerous gifts from
various merchants and organizations
in the area for being the first baby in
1979.
Arena
floor,
canvass
1
i