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Clinton News-Record, 1983-08-24, Page 1,r 0 cj O x O O 4-) cents - No, 34 Wednesday, August Budget up 10.8% Blyth taxes rise. 6.4 per cent By Rod Hilts Blyth taxpayers will see their taxes rise 6.4 per cent in 1983, however, the increase is comparatively small to a 17.4 increase residents faced in 1982. While council was able to hold the line on taxes, the 1983 budget rose 10.8 per cent to a total of $462,227. Highlighted in this year's budget was a $101,584 reserve fund set up for future works. Council came into the year with a sur- plus of $17,482, a vast changer from the $9,244 deficit they had a year ago. This year's budget allows for $45,000 to be put into a general working fund, $49,084 toward capital works and $7,500 into dump expansion. The final payment of $7,000 for the new Blyth and District fire truck will be coming out of the reserve fund. According to Clerk Larry Walsh, the budget allowed for the increased reserve fund because of the money the village received from the sale of the former bank building ($31,000), the increase in grant money made available by the Province of Ontario (ONIP $15,000 and a resource equalization grant in conjunction with sewers. In dollars and cents, a public school residential supporter with an assessment of $3,000 will be paying $787.20, up $47.31 from last year's $739.89. The mill rate for that supporter is 262.40, compared to 246.63 in 1982. The same commercial supporter will pay $926.10 in taxes, compared to $870.42, a $55.68 increase from 1982. This year's mill rate is 308.70. Last year the rate was 290.14. The separate school residential sup- porter with a $3,000 assessment will face a 5.9 per cent increase in taxes. Taxes will go up $43.53, from $740.40 in 1982 to $783.93 this year. The mill rate is set at 261.31, compared to 246.80 last year. The separate school commercial tax- payer will see taxes rise by $51.24. This year the total is $922.26, as compared to $871.02 last year. The mill rate has risen from 290.34 to 307.42. The dollar levies for the various pur- poses are as follows (increase or decrease in brackets) : general municipal $116,450 (an increase of 5.74 per cent) ; county $28,854 (a decrease of 4.45 per cent); elementary (an increase of 15.95 per cent); separate $1,615 (an increase of 13.61 per cent); and secondary $50,933 (an in- crease of 3.97 per cent). While expenditure costs for the village are up, with additional financing needed for a hydrogeological study on the Blyth- Hullett landfill site ($4,000), money for a reserve dump expansion ($7,500), a downtown improvement study ($2,500) and the reconstruction of a parking lot in the core of the village ($17,000), higher grants from the Province of Ontario and the sale of the former bank building helped offset the costs. This year's expenditures are up $89,268 over the 1982 figure of $390,446. Last year, major expenditures included a $5330 share of the Blyth and District fire hall building and a $3,000 reserve for the new fire truck, an addition to a PUC shed and the purchase of park land beside the senior • Citizens' home. 2,0n the revenue side of the budget, Blyth received an Ontario Neighborhood mprovement Project (ONIP) grant of 05,000, which will be used to finance a ortion of the 1983 road program. Council Will use some of the ONIP funds as the Ministry of Transportation and Com- munication denied them a $15,000 subsidy. The Experience '83 employment incentive grant increased $2,490 over. 1982 to $5,300. General support increase $9,143 to $18,885 while resource equalization increased $3,992 to $36,649. The education taxation levy rose significantly over 1982 increasing $10,260 over 1982 to $118,914. Clerk Walsh summed up the 1983 budget by saying the $17,487 surplus to begin the year gave council "room to move." Clinton flowers bloom, inspite of weather By Shelley McPhee First came heavy rains, then a record dry summer, then devestating hail storms, yet despite the year of weather contrasts, Clinton area gardeners produced a fine array of floral exhibits for the 1983 Clinton Flower Show. Weather conditions were so ppor<. this - year that the annual June Rose Show *a cancelled for the first time in 100 years, but the second Clinton Horticultural Society show of the season saw some better cooperation from Mother Nature: Still the number of entries in this year's show was considerably less than previous years. Twenty-five adult gardeners, down two. from last year, showed a total of 205 displays, a drop from last year's 314 e hj its. 1983 winners At the 1983 showing, held on August 19 at ....Central -Huron • Secondary School, a s"'tiiiliar name in the Clinton Society, Jean Barnett, earned the highest number of points and the Horticultural Society Award. She also received a special prize donated by Jean McEwan for the best petunia and another special prize donated by Ida Cudmore for the best marigolds. Mrs. Barnett was also the highest point exhibitor in the arrangement classes and won the .Clinton Credit Union Award for her efforts. The senior division's youngest exhibitor, 15 -year-old Gwen Holland won the Clinton News -Record Award,' for the second highest:numbet bof pints and last .year' top winner, Jean McEwan was back in the winner's circle with the third highest points for the Verbeek's Farm and Centre Award. Mrs. McEwan also won judge Jean McKee's decision for the best arrangement in the show and the Simpson Sears Award, along with the Grace Mid- dleton Memorial Award for the best gladioli arrangement. Another annual winner, Jean Currie, received the Anstett Jewellers Award for the exhibitor with the fourth highest number of points in the show. For her first time efforts, Karen Whitmore won a cash award donated by Mrs. R. Feist for the highest points in her first year showing. Evelyn Olde earned a cash award donated by Bev Williscraft for her beautiful gladiolus and young Fiona Bennett showed the best dahlia to win a cash award donated by Mrs. Olde. For the best floor arrangements cash awards donated by Miss Florentina Marquis went to: first, Dorothy Williams; second, Mrs. Barnett; third, Roberta Plumsteel; fourth, Marion Powell. Florence Pullen showed the best bouquet of sweet . peas and won a special prize donated by Cela Sloman. Mrs. Plumsteel took home a special cash prize given by Daisy Holland for the best potted plant. Junior winners Seven junior gardeners, down from 1982's 11 exhibitors showed 57 garden displays, also down from last year's 73 entries. For the second year in a row, Michael ,Pullen in the elementary division, had the highest nui.u.c. ak points and Fiona Bennett in the junior garder)er section also had top points. Both young green thumbers earned cash awards from the Bank of Montreal. Second place winners, Michael Holland in the elementary class and Shirley Watkins in the junior division won cash awards donated by Marion McCann. Sisters Dawn and Lori Powell split third place winnings in the junior gardener class and Mark Walker was the elementary winner for cash awards donated by Margaret Sloman. Lauralee . Johnston and Fiona Bennett showed the first and second best cake pan creations to win cash awards donated by Kerrigan Fuels. Shirley Watkins and Lori Powell showed the best dish gardens and won special prizes given by Marion Powell. Michael Pullen had the best wayside flower arrangement and Dawn Powell came second to win special prizes donated by Bess Fingland. The newest junior gardener exhibitor, Andrew Walker, was the recipient of a prize donated by Mary Jamieson. Cool refreshments were served by Horticultural Society members at the day long show and special door prizes were won by Fiona Bennett, Catherine Plum- tree and Edna Andrews. Voting Lori Powell of Clinton was one of the first prize winners at the Clinton Flower Show. Although entries were down at this year's show, the August 19 event showed a Im ely array of garden produce. (Shelley -McPhee photo) Mother and daughter, Mary Walden and Linda Wilson were two of the top prize winners at the Byth Flower Show on August 18. More details on the show results are on Page 6. (Shelley McPhee photo) A Sunday afternoon fire at Draper Brothers and Reid Piano Factory was quickly put under control by the Clinton fire department. Fireman Ross Jewitt directs a hose and the saw dust pile were the blaze began. Although cause of the blaze has not been firmly established a package of matches was found nearby. Some lumber in the 88 year-old building was damaged, but the pianos were safely located in another section of the building. (Shelley McPhee photo) Clinton backs time change By Shelley McPhee People have talked about the possibility for years and now Clinton council has joined in the support of extending Daylight Saving Time. Council members endorsed a resolution from the City of Toronto proposing that Daylight Saving Time be introduced each year on the first Sunday in March and be in effect until the first Sunday in November. Supporters of the extension believe that it is equally as practical to introduce Daylight Saving Time in early March as it is toeotttinite'it until late October; • • Facts from a study conducted by• the National Research Council of Canada indicate that a net saving of electrical energy estimated in the order of 1 kw.h per day ($1.50 per month) would be realized in home from the earlier introduction in many parts of Canada. Other calculations from the survey note that in the United States, studies carried out in 1974 and confirmed in subsequent years, showed a saving of one per cent in total electricity consumption when Daylight Saving Time was extended. Along with the advantage of extra daylight during evening rush hours, the extension could provide "quality of life" benefits including recreational ad- vantages, safety for children at Halloween and reduced exposure to criminal "powers of darkness," the resolution stated. With support from Toronto city council, the metro energy coordinator and an executive committee have requested additional support from southern Ontario municipalities. The proposal has also been forwarded to the provincial government with the request that they give con- sideration for the necessary legislation to provide for this extension on a provincial - wide basis. Clinton Councillor Jim Hunter supported the extended daylight hours but questioned whether the majority of the province would back the idea. Locally Stanley Township, Hullett Township and Blyth are three municipalities that have not approved the idea. Both Hullett and Stanley councils felt that the extension would have little ad- vantages on the rural areas and Stanley Reeve Paul Steckle noted in the agricultural business, work must be done whether it be dark or light outside. A major concern of both Stanley and Hullett councils was that extended Daylight Savings Time could mean that children would be waitingfor morning school buses in the dark. However Ms. Therese Jani, supporter of the extension believes otherwise. In communication to Dr. C. Costain, Division of Physics, National Research Council of Canada, she wrote, "I observed carefully the play of light last winter and with Daylight Saving Time all of November it definitely would have been still bright enough in the morning for kids going to school (average 0800) and we definitely would have enjoyed one more hour of pink, colorful light, after work or school. One more month of enjoyable autumn before the long, unavoidable, cold winter. Similarly, end of March, it would have been bright enough for kids on Daylight Saving Time, for their morning trek to school, and all of us, kids and adults, could already enjoy as extra hour of light before supper, we could feel one month earlier than you allow us to, the thrilling renewal of incomparable spring.' "My plea to you, Dr. Costain, is: Give us a break. Let Canadians enjoy a longer autumn, and earlier spring, do it for human considerations....," she urged. Stratford City Council in February endorsed the Toronto resolution and outside of Ontario the Council of Maritime Premiers have said that if the United States Senate approved a bill to extend Daylight Saving Time, the three Maritime provinces would urge similar action be taken in Canada. School resumes soon • By Stephanie Levesque About 30,000 elementary and secondary students will be hitting the books when schools open across Huron and Perth counties on Sept. 6. The board of education in the district, Huron County Board of Education and the Perth County Board of Education, recently released the number of students projected to arrive at school on the first day of the 1983-84 school year. The superintendent of program with the Huron Board of Education, Bob McCall, said the accuracy of the projected figures is•"pretty high". A decline in enrolment is expected in most areas, with the major exception being the elementary division in the Perth Board of Education system. In the kindergarten to Grade 8 public schools in Perth County, enrolment is expected to increase from the 1982 figure of 10,285 to 10,395. 1"n a further breakdown, Stratford elementary school enrolment is expected to increase :from 2,816 to 2,890 with the rest of the schools in the county anticipating an increase from 7,469 to 7,505. The secondary schools in Perth project a decline from 7,132 last year to an estimated 6,841 for this September. Last year Perth and Huron, as well as most of the secondary schools across the province, experienced the phenomenon of a greater number of secondary school students returning to the classroom than expected. Scarcity of employment was thought to be the main reason for the high number of returning secondary school students. Unsure if the phenomenon will occur again. this year, boards are taking a wait and see approach. Huron is anticipating that 3,688 secon- dary school students will be entering the classrooms, down from the 3,851 average daily enrolment of the 1982-83 school year. Elementary students in Huron are ex- pected to number 6,075, down from 6,201 in the school year just past. Enrolment at the Huron Trainable Mentally Retarded TMR) schools is expected to jump by one student from 66 to 67. Figures from the Huron -Perth Separate School Board were unavailable at press time, but the system had a total enrolment of 2,569 students in the 1982-8.3 school year. 1983 198;[ K6(;UST 16 17 18 19 20 HI I,0 HI Id) 28 29 27 30 26 21 27 22 22 Rain 14mm. 13 28- 13 15 23 11 17 24 6 12 26 10 14 23 11 10 17 9 16 16 5 Rain 16mm