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Clinton News-Record, 1983-11-09, Page 1V.J —J THE BAY FIELD BUGLE cents — No. 45 incorporating THE BLYTH STANDARD Wednsday, N Clinton to hire building inspector member 9, 1983 118t year New officer will enforce bylaws y Shelley McPhee Clinton Council has approved the hiring of a new building inspector, property stan- dards and bylaw enforcement officer. Approval was given at council's Nov. 7 meeting to hire Murray Taylor, of 22 North Street N., Clinton to the positions, effective Jan. 3, 1984. A salary of $19,000 was also passed by council. Mr. Taylor will be replacing Tom Chuter as the building inspector and he will also be in charge of two other areas of town business. He will be responsible for en- forcing many of Clinton's bylaws and will act as property standards officer, work that council has agreed has been left abandoned in the past. As property standards officer Mr. Taylor will enforce the town's detailed property standards bylaw. It will be his job to act on complaints and he may order Clinton property owners to clean their lots. With his appointment, Clinton's property standards committee may now find some work. The committee will hear any appeals from private individuals who have opposed Mr. Taylor's decision. As bylaw enforcement officer, Mr. Taylor will act on behalf of the town m an effort to see that all Clinton bylaws are followed. It could be his duty, for instance, to see that the currently controversial transient trader bylaw is enforced. Rec director hiring Clinton Council, on a recommendation from the town Recreation Committee, may be hiring a recreation director for the town. It's been several years since Clinton last had a recreation director and the town recreation committee has advised that a full-time director be hired, effective Jan. 1, 1984. Council discussed the proposal at length and the eventual replacement of the arena manager who would report to the recreation director. They agreed to advertise the position. They also supported the recreation committee's recommendation to extend the employment Steve Campbell, summer recereation programmer, until Dec. 31, 1983. Katimavik coming In other business. Council learned that Last Sunday, Doug McAsh (foreground) of Varna Paul Steckle and Bill Reid representing the Clinton brance Day service held in Varna. ( Rod Hilts photo) LOL 1035; Legion, laid Stanley Township Reeve wreaths at a Rmem- Blyth council submits preliminary ONIP plan By Rod Hilts BLYTH - Blyth Council has submitted their preliminary plan to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for approval on projects eligible for the allocation of a $100,000 ONIP grant over the next three years. At their meeting on Nov. 7, council met with village engineer Art Clark to discuss how much Ontario Neighborhood Improvement Project (ONIP) money is to be allocated toward each project and the time frame each is to be done in. A decision was made to spent 60 per cent of the funds on hard services and 40 per cent on soft services. Hard services include sidewalks, street paving and street lighting ( capital works 1. Soft services include parks, recreation and libraries. A break -down of the funds over a three- year period ( project costs) shows $40,000 going toward arena improvement; 822,000 to Memorial Hall projects; $5,000 toward the re -sodding of the ball park and $13,000 to outdoor recreation projects. On the hard service side, $90,000 will go toward street paving, street lighting, sidewalks, drains and water mains over the next three years. Under the program, ONIP provides a $100,000 grant while the municipality is obligated to match the grant. Council sited the hall diamond sodding, arena improvement and some work at the Memorial Hall as priority areas for 1984. Not all of the above funds are to be allocated over the course of one year) Soft services costs are proposed as follows: 332,000 in 1984; $30,000 in 1985 and $18,000 in 1986. If the ministry approves council's preliminary plan, a motion to enter into the ONIP agreement will be expected at the village's December meeting. Council pays half Council passed a motion to pay 50 per cent of the landscaping work that was done around the refreshment booth at the ball diamond. Stone, gravel and gradall work was done for a cost of $1,004. The Blyth I.ioins Club have spent ap- proximately $6,000 for repairs to the booth. Repairs included raising the booth and adding a cement pad and renovating the interior and exterior of the building. Blyth population drops The 1913.3 copy of a census report for Blyth shows the population at 930, a decrease of four from 1982. The report stated that 457 males and 473 females lived in the village. It also stated that 137 people in Blyth were 70 -years of age and up. Katimavik, a national volunteer program for 17 to 21 year olds, may be coming to Clinton. Kate Wiggins, district co-ordin sr for Katimavik asked council's position to allow 12 participants and a supervisor to rent a home at 139 High Street. This would require a zoning change. Ms. Wiggins explained that Katimavik students are presently working on 10 area projects with the ministry of natural resources, including work in the neigh- boring towns of Goderich, Seaforth and Exeter. Housing in Clinton would provide a central location for the workers. Katimavik hopes to move in by January and will stay in Clinton for nine months. Every three months the participants will move on to another part of Canada, and a new group will arrive in Clinton. A home supervisor will remain however. Ms. Wiggins explained that Katimavik is in its seventh year of operation. She also noted, "We have an excellent reputation." Funded through the federal government, Katimavik workers have guaranteed fun- ding until 1985 and 20 programs will be carried out within that time. Regarding their stay in Clinton, Ms. Wiggins stated, "We have a pretty strict code of conduct." They enforce five basic rules, no drugs, no hitchhiking and no abuse of alcohol. Par- ticipants must sleep in separate quarters and must do their share of household work. If any rules are broken, participants are disqualified from Katimavik. Council made no decision on the request, however Mayor Chester Archibald noted that council had investigated Katimavik's credentials and found no objections to the program. Cemetery advance Council has approved additional funding of up to $6,000 for the Clinton Cemetery board. Explaining the request for extra funds, Clerk Cam Proctor said, "It's simply that the healthier people are, the less money there is for the cemetery board. People must buy plots to bring in revenue." He noted that the board recently in- creased the price of plots. David Hiltz of Clinton decided he was going to disguise himself as something no one would recognize. David received some help with the facial from Lori Bechtel of Clinton. The event took place at the Wesley -Willis Church bazaar held last Saturday. ( Rod Hilts photo) House party controversy ends in heated discussion By Shelley McPhee CLINTON - The recent Clinton Council controversy regarding transient traders, those who sell goods door-to-door, ended up in a heatedargument at the council table on Nov. 7. Mayor Chester Archibald and Councilor Rq mary Armstrong engaged in a battle of w s after Mayor Archibald reported to co° cil that he received another complaint fror ci the Clinton merchant who is opposed to horde Wickerware parties. Last month council ordered a Seaforth woman to purchase a $100 transient trader licence after the mayor received a com- plaint from the Clinton businessman who questioned home fashion clothing parties being held in town. Mayor Archibald stood buy his original decision, saying that he was strongly op- posed to this type of retail sale. He noted, "They (transient traders) should have to buy the licence or they should be kicked out lint�nand.. Auburn may get free calling exchange CLINTON - Bell Canada will be surveying Clinton telephone customers to see if they are in favor of the elimination of long distance charges between Clinton and Auburn. Peter Croome, Bell's manager for the area, said customers in Clinton will be asked if they are in favor of adding Auburn to their local calling area. If the survey finds a majority of customers do wish to expand local calling, then telephone rates would increase. "The monthly charge for telephone ser- vice is based on the number of telephone numbers that can be reached without paying long distance charges. Because the addition of Auburn customers to Clinton's local calling would increase the number of sub- scribers a caller could reach, then the monthly rate for service in Clinton in- creases," Mr. Croome said. In Clinton this would mean basic residence service would increase from $8.45 to $8.75 (current rates). The number of telephones a caller could reach would also increase from a maximum of 15,000 to 35,000. At the same time as the Clinton survey, customers in Auburn will be asked if they wish to add Clinton or Goderich or both to their local calling area. In May of 1981, Auburn customers were surveyed about this proposal, but the results with respect to adding Clinton alone did not demonstrate a clear preference for this proposal. Since Clinton's rates will now rise with the addition of Auburn to its local calling, ap- proval is needed from both exchanges. The surveys are being carried out under guidelines for Extended Area Service which have been approved by the Canadian Radio County to hire junior planner The void left in the Huron County planning department by senior planner Roman Dzus' departure for another position will be filled by a junior planner. Citing difficulty in attracting a senior planner with seven or eight years ex- perience to Huron County and the fact that it might not be necessary to hire another senior planner, county council approved advertising for a junior planner at its November 3 meeting. The planning and development commit- tee's report to county council indicates a senior planner with seven or eight years ex- perience would be in a $24,570 to $32,812 salary range 'Whereas a junior planner, under the present salary schedule, would have a salary range of $19,110 to $24,310. The decision to go with hiring another junior planner followed consideration of two other alternatives. One was to replace Mr. Daus° position as senior planner and the other was to hire a contract planner. It is expected the new junior planner would be on staff by January 1, 1984 Television and Telecommunications Commission. These include 51 per cent approval on the survey results, ; a defined • level of long distance callings maintained between ex- changes, exchange rate centres no more than 30 miles apart and contiguity. of town." In support of the downtown merchant he noted, "We don't have much industry and it's unlikely that we'll have much coming in. People are leaving Clinton and small towns are in real trouble. We must to everything in our power to make this a market centre. We must encourage and support our merchants to keep them in operation." As she previously stated, Councillor Armstrong pointed out that to be properly enforced, the transient trader bylaw must apply to all door-to..dooi° Mese op1e, trbm; the Avon lady to the .ivfcker company representative. She said that Wickerware sales are no different than Avon ladies who do out and solicit business by knocking on doors. Mayor Archibald suggested that there was a dif- ference between the two, based on the amount of money made. Councillor Arm- strong replied, "It all depends on the salesperson and how much they can sell." The councillor went on to say, "People are going for the best buy. This is not only being done in Clinton and we're really making ourselves look foolish. I've had more bad comments about this. We're discriminating against some people." She added, "What are we, a police state or something? You can't stop people from holding these kind of parties in their private homes. There's nothing that impells people to buy. Parties are held by invitation, there's no advertising, it's a social time and their private business." . Deputy Reeve Frank Van Altena said that transient traders can sell merchandise at -lower "costs because they don't have to pay business tax. This is one of the oppositions voiced by the two Clinton business people. who complained'to,Mayor Archibald. Councillor Armstrong added, "The money earned by these people is put back into the community." Mayor Archibald said that the argument was fruitless andhe called for council's opinion, asking if they supported a move to omit home parties and door-to-door sales from the transient trader 'bylaw. Only one councillor backed the p'r'oposal, Rosemary Armstrong. ForrnerCanadian champ wins tourney By Rod Hilts Last Saturday arm wrestlers converged on the village of Blyth to vie for top honors in a tournament organized by local Paul Gross. Former Canadian Arm Wrestling Champion Bob Snarey of Shakespeare, participated and had no problem in walking away with the heavy -weight crown. Snarey defeated Peter L. Uyl of Blyth in a quick match in the final. Two hundred and ninety- six pound Snarey defeated Doug McDougall of Blyth in a preliminary match enabling him to enter the final. Kim Leslie of Teeswater won the women's division as she defeated Cheryl Flynn of Lucknow. Leslie swept her preliminary opponents easily and was by far the strongest in her division. Shawn Watson of Goderich overcame a muscle pull in his arm to take the light- weight division. Watson who arm wrestles in the London circuit, said his arm was hurting him before he began the match. Paul Engel captured the middle -weight division. The spotlight of the tournament was centred on Snarey. In 1979, he was the Canadian Arm Wrestling heavy -weight champion and today is ranked fourth in Canada. With only two competitors entered against him, he really didn't have any competition. Six years ago, Snarey got involved in arm wrestling on a suggestion from his brother- in-law. Since that time, he has travelled across the United States and Canada, participating in tournaments for trophies and cash. "My first tournament was in Mississauga in 1977. Between June and September of that year I won $700," he said. Aside from the glory Snarey received in his first year of arm wrestling, he also ex- perienced injuries. He tore his elbow five times. Snarey, who weighted 334 pounds at one time, is employed as a machinery mechanic. He explained that his size and weight was inherited. "My mother was over six feet tall and weighed 240 pounds. I was born and raised on a farm and that's where 1 got my strength," Snarey said. In 1979, he travelled to Kansas City to represent Canada in the World Aran Wrestling Championships. He said he didn't do too well in the competition but managed to place sixth in the world. Snarey lost out to the man who eventually won the world championship. The man was 6' 8" and weighted 460 pounds. Snarey said the longest tournament he ever entered was heldin in Timmins last May. "It started at two in ,the afternoon and • went until' five in the morning. 1• finished: third. It turned bait to be quite a test ,of enr, durance,': he said. " 1 ,,Although he admits arm wrestling, "is not profitable unless you go to the States," he did say he enjoys the sport, "because it's a good day out. Tots Saturday, Snarey travels to Hamilton *re tfe will pariticipate in the All -Ontario ' sit tlowp; arm wrestling championships. He ,said, "It tthoruld be :a lot of fun, they strap you in a seat like you're in a car." Former Canadian Armwrestling Heavy weight Champ'on Bob Snarey (left) had little problem in winning the men's heavy weight division at a tournament held in Blyth last Saturday. Snarey is pictured defeating Doug McDougall in a preliminary round.(Rod Hilts photo)