Clinton News-Record, 1985-4-3, Page 1V
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50 CENTS
'WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1985
I20T11YEAR No. -1.1
•
Clinton operator era ends
By James Friel
CLINTON - Clinton was one of the last Bell
Canada offices in Ontario with long distance
operators, but the end of an era was com-
pleted at 4 a.m. Saturday when the last of
the new equipment replacing the operators
came on line.
The change is part of Bell Canada's move
to Traffic Operator Position System (TOPS)
program, which will enable most telephone
users to dial all their own long distance calls
with little or no operator assistance.
Thirteen women are affected by the
closure including 12 operators and Manager
of Operator Services, Ruth Rueger.
Four of the women have taken positions in
other company offices. Ruth Rueger, who
moved to Clinton 14 years ago, continues in
her position at the London office. Marion
Durnin and Betty Jo Cudmore are joining
the manager at the London office. The two
were forced to step down from their posi-
tions as Service Assistants and revert back
to their previous jobs as operators. The Lon-
don office has its full complement of Service
Assistants.
Betty Daer goes to the Stratford office in
the upheaval.
Of the other women, three were eligible
for retirement and the balance elected to
receive termination pay.
. A small function was held for the women
on March 30 and the group was joined by
Peter Croome of the Stratford Bell office
and two former employees who had retired
last year. One of those retired employees,
Lillian McCann, of Crediton, collected her
nension after 39 voar' of working for the
communications company.
Mr. Croome thanked the outgoing Clinton
employees for their dedication and wished
them happiness in their future endeavors.
On a light note he thanked the operators
on behalf of the Stratford office for all "the
irate customers you've helped to fend off for
us."
He said 'the women were still welcome to
be part of the huge in-house service club, the
Telephone Pioneers of America, which has a
membership collected from employees of
companies in the telephone industry of
about 600,000 volunteers.
"They're a real good group of dedicated
employees," said Mrs. Rueger, as it was
estimated that the women in the room
represented almost 350 years of service to
Bell Canada.
Anne Sills, of Seaforth, a 23 year employee with Bell Canada sits at
the Clinton office switchboard for the last time. She and 25 year
employee Elaine Cox, of Clinton, chose termination after a new
equipment system took over the operator's responsibilities. Fifteen
operators and their superior, representing almost 350 years of sera
:vice to the communications company, gathered a last time at thec
Clinton Bell Canada office or. March 30. (James Friel photo )
More recreation, tighter funding
By James Friel
HENSALL - Recreation is going to
become more important as our population
iages and' interests change. Municipalities,
which have been touched by the province as
'having the primary responsibility in footing
the bill and initiating programs, will have to
learn techniques to make their recreation
- dollars go further.
A day long workshop held in Hensall on
March 30 attempted to address this theme
and develop some ideas for its application in
Huron County.
The workshop was attended by more than
30 represenatives from area municipalities
and conducted by members of the Ministry
of Tourism and Recreation I MTH i.
Robert 'ollins of the ministry opened the
meeting outlining the need for recreation
problems and
��, an
overviewof
villin
and pro gP
solutions:
Recreation strengthens lifestyles by
enhancing learning abilities and
creativeness.' Studies have shown that in-
volvement in recreation improves produc-
tivity and decreases stress in individuals.
An individual taking advantage of recrea-
tion events and programs have fuller, more
well-rounded lives, said Mr. Collins. Skills
are gained in the activities including leader-
ship and organizational techniques.
• It reduces loneliness tri the elderly and
handicapped.
"The aging of the •population is going to
have a profound affect on our programs.
We're already getting pressure from the
adult population and pressure is lessening
from those 29 and under," said Mr. Collins.
When we look at policies, we have to look
ahead."
• When looking at future recreation pro-
grams, municipalities should take a !good
look at the resources available in the com-
munity including people and finances. iden-
tify needs and realistically assess oppor-
tunties and d
limitations.
i
Clear, publicly understood policies should
he developed, because often. "people don't
understand what things cost."
A collaborative approach should be in-
stituted to identify problems and resolve
them with community groups asked for in-
put.
Mr. Collins said the people involved u)
The Clinton Women's Institute celebrated its 80th anniversary on March 27 with a special
banquet, attended by WI officials and area members. Former Clinton WI presidents
Leona Holland, Viola Nelson and Doris Batkin took part in the special cake cutting
ceremony. (Shelley McPhee photo) ,
Mustangs still alive,
goforJunior D rating
community recreation will have to sharpen
management skills to manage the dwindling
dollars earmarked' for recreation purposes.
Tom Horlor, also of the ministry as a con-
sultant for Facility Operations and Manaige-
rnent, spoke of the need for reducing costs
and he singled out staffing as the major cost
factor.
Staffing accounts for 51 per cent of recrea-
tion budgets of the roughlj, 830
municipalities in Ontario. Where there were
143 municipalities with recreation directors
in 1973, 259 directors are now employed.
Nineteen arenas in Northern Ontario
decided to combine and compare costs
despite the differences in size and type of
operation. Salaries niade, up 50 per cent of
their costs.
Mr. Horlor suggested anunib(r of staffing
economies without firing staff members one
of which is simply to decide icainst luring
new staff.
Other methods of cutting dowiron salaries
is to' use volunteers extensiyel}, perforin a
staff reorganization resulting in more work
completed by fewer people, attrition, reduc-
Turn to page 3
Budget whittled down to 5.9%
After cutting money from both museum
and hospital reserves and doing some finan-
cial juggling with the historical atlas, Huron
County Council reduced its 1985 budget in-
crease from 11.7 per cent to 5.9 per cent.
It took hours of discussion at county coun-
cil's March 7 meeting before Bayfield Reeve
Dave Johnston came with a plan to reduce
county expenses.
The reeve suggested that council
eliminate a $100,000 reserve in the '85 budget
earmarked for the county hospital reserve
fund, reduce from $300,000 to $250,000 the
money being put aside for the Huron County
Pioneer Museum and $75,000 that was to
come from the taxpayers directly for the
historical atlas will now come from reserve
money already on hand. ( The money will be
returned to reserves from atlas sales.)
County council agreed with the Bayfield
r aeve's plan by a 20 to 6 recorded vote.
A further suggestion from the Bayfield
reeve which called for eliminating 823,000
for the Goderich airport was withdrawn
after Goderich deputy -reeve John Do erty
cried foul.
('ouncil gave tentative approval to depart-
ment budgets at its morning session, but in
the afternoon. after initially approving
8300,000 for the museum, council realized
cuts had to he made when faced with an 11.7
per cent increase. The budget was
presented to go up from $16.2 million last
year to $18 million this year.
('ouncillors eyed the budget of the road
department, library and Huronview
specifically when looking for cuts.
"It's okay to cut Huronview, but each
department roust be cut the same," said
Huronview's board chairman Marie
Hicknell,
No department budget was rut. in fact, in
reference to Huronview, there was no deci-
sion to go ahead with improvements to the
facility."
CLINTON - The Mustang hockey fran-
chise will continue- in Clinton, and if
everything • goes as planned, they will be
playing at the Junior D level instead of
Junior C.
The fate of the franchise was in jeopardy
after a meeting on March 14 failed to draw
five volunteers to sit on the executive.
Twenty-two people were present for the
meeting with 17 motioning that they would
like to see the franchise remain in Clinton.
,L-iowever, prior committments prevented
'those present from taking on the respon-
sibilities of an executive member. '
A second 'meeting on March 26 produced
better results. Bryan Marriage was•elec-ted
president and will be„work with first vice-
president Jack Hart, second vice-president
Butch Elliott, secretary Cleo Colquhoun land
treasurer Debbie Bailey.
Although it was decided to apply for the
Junior D league status after approximately
10 years of Junior C, action, Mr. Marriage
said that the club is "keeping both sides of
the fence open.”
The Clinton Mustangs are a member of
the Junior.0 league, and will remain so until
Each department head was in turn
brought before council for the second time
that day to defend their• budget
Warden 1'aul Steekle rxpress61 concern
that if cuts were made from the department
budgets, council would be •• del icit
budgeting".
1.fsborne' Township Reeve Gerry 1'rout
said several times that the $3(10.000 for the
museum should he cut.
Huron County will spend a total of $17.7
million this year. Of this. $4.1 million will he
raised locally. up 5.9 per cent from the $3.9
million Huron taxpayers paid last year
Over half of the funding for the 1985
budget comes from provincial grants. They
total $9.6 million and include $3.3 million for
roads, $1.8 million for the health unit and
$2.4 million for Huronview.
In preparing the budget, county ad-
ministrator Bill Hanly did not know if the
province would increase its grant money
Turntopage2so•
they have been accepted into Junior D. If
they are not accepted, the club will still be
eligible for Junior C.
The decision to go Junior 1) was made for
several reasons. According to Mr. Mar-
riage, more local boys will have the' oppor-
tunity to play, travelling and mileage ex-
penses will be cut\and it is hoped that better
crowds will attend games and support! the
team.
Specific plans for fund raising have not
been made at this point, but Mr. Marriage
believes that two or three events will be held
over the summer to help the club reduce its
deficit.
....,b.,,,; :,w,.,ii•.+ . , a ,r•,aae�^,.0.:^«r.+;c ; - •2.
The Mustangs' net operating.. loss fro n
June 1, 1984 to February 28, .1985 wa.s
$3,452.30, plus an additional $2,389.59 in
outstanding, bills. These financial reasons
were a major influence on the franchise's
decision to take the Junior D route.
If the Mustangs are accepted into Junior
D, they will be facing teams from Seaforth,
Exeter, Mitchell, Lucan, Tavistock, Bel-
mont, Mount Bridges, Thamesford, Thed-
ford and Bothwell.
Mayor (;hester.-'lrehibalcl assures
Town hall licencing
won't cause competition
CI,INTON - Changes and upgrading are
required before the Clinton Town Hall
Auditorium can be used at maximum
capacity for liquor licenced events.
Regulations and rules make it impossible
for the Town Hall to be licendred for max-
imum use under the liquor allowances until
kitchen and washroom facilities are upgrad-
ed. The necessary changes not only affect li-
quor use, but also serving et food.
Clinton Councillor Gord Gerrits informed
recreation committee and council members
that a third sink is required in the kitchen
area to permit the serving of food or
beverages. Health regulations state that a,
sink must be available for washing dishes,
another for rinsing dishes and a third sink
for washing hands.
It was noted that this regulation even ap-
plies to the senior citizen groups who serve
refreshments at their meetings and special
functions.
Councillor Gerrity questioned the original
design of the kitchen and noted,' "The ar-
chitects and builders should have known
this requirement. If a public facility needs
three sinks, he should have known this,
tullcss there is a way around the health
regulations."
As well, additional washroom facilities
mast be added to if the town hall auditorium
is used at maximum capacity for liquor
licenced events.
('ouncil agreed that there would be 00 im-
mediate need to expand the women's
washroom, but will investigate it in the near
future.
With liquor licencing, the auditorium can
hold 164 people; the meeting room, 59 people
and the lobby 16, people for a total 239.
Of immediate concern to council was the
additional sink requirement and further in
vestigation was approved.
The \problems with ligpor regulations
brought 'up another issue - the need to
licence the facility. Councillor Charlie
Burgess asked, "Is it all that important to.
have this a licenced establishment'? Are we
taking over from free enterprise'"
Councillor John beeves noted, "The
Legion's not happy with the licencing talk
up here."
He reminded council that the Legion has
to paytaxes and a major source of revenue
for the organization is through hall rentals
and liquor licencing. He noted, 'They have
to make their 'money some place and that's
their money."
Mayor Archibald reminded Councillor
Dceves that the Legion is well booked, often
a year in advance. He stated, as he has in
the past, that the Town
Auditorium will
Hall Au
not compete with other licenced facilities in
town. it will only be suitable for small to
medium receptions, not for dances and ma-
jor functions that are booked at larger halls
in Clinton.
Councillor .Jim Hunter further expanded
on this, saying that the liquor licencing at
the town hall would he u,scd after, con-
ferences, for wine and cheese parties, for a
small bar before a theatre production, as
some examples.
Mayor Archibald assured, "We have to he
careful about this. We don't want to be in
c•ornpetition.'•
Area public schools held their an-
nual. science fairs last week and
treated visitors to the cleverness
of young minds. A favorite exhibit
at the Clinton school fair was a
closed circuit television set-up by
,Jason Moxam and Ben Carter.
The top winners in the school fairs
will go onto to regional and county
meets and may reach the national
finals competition. For more
science fair photo, tune into the
front page of the second section.
1(1( 'M; ti(:IF:Vi'IS'I'a