Clinton News-Record, 1985-5-29, Page 39I<NCIDRIi°QD1 {A"Q'IN6-'➢ HE BL' "drill s ll's1mU HU- II'HII': HELD ifl 61,LI :
120TH YEAR
EDNESDA\ , Jt1NE 5, 1985
NO. 23 50(:h:vr
4iVen, grader, new bridge raises rates
Hullett es up 1426%
By James Friel
HULLETT TWP. - Hullett Township is
still waiting for ,grants from various
ministries for their 1985 budget, but before
those grants are included, township
p
residents are looking at a 14.26 per cent in-
crease' in taxes.
There are two expenditures which ac-
count for the rise. The municipality has
decided to purchase a grader at a price of
$102,500 which will be paid for over two
years and is eligible for government grants.
A bridge on Lot 31, Concession 12, 13,
estimated at $42,000 has also been included
in the budget. Ministry of Transportation
and Communications' (MTC) funding may
also he applicable to this project.
In dollars this means, based on an ar-
bitrarily .chosen assessment of $4,000, a
public school supporter will pay $856.68 in
1985, up $22.84 from last year's $833.84. A
separate school supporter has an increase of
$27.44 from $847.44 in 1984 to $875.28 this
year.
Overall 11nil rate increases fur public
school supporters amount to 2.74 percent
from 208.46 in 1984 to 214.17 in 1985. Separate
school supporters face an increase Of 3.29
per cent, raising the rates frunr 211.86 to
218.82.
The mitt rate for town expenditures has
S7 ,sur root fr ijn 54; ()
•pool •,na: ,L•„prang' ha
to 56.30 mills.
In 1984 the municipality spent $527,282 and
grants and miscellaneous revenue supplied
$387,093 of that total. This year local expen-
ditures are estimated to increase to $667,615,
which includes the grader and the bridge,
and grants and additional revenues are
estimated to cover $466,300 of those costs. ,
As a result, $201,402 is expected from tax-
es, up only $1.185 from 1984's total of
$200,217.
County demands on the township have in-
creased by .84 per cent from 40.32 in 1984 to
40.66 in 1985. This is a $1,874 jump from
$144,428 last year to $146,302 for 1985.
Public elementary school increases are
substantial but the secondary school mill
rate accounts for the largest percentage in-
crease.
Elementary school demands ruse by
$11,308 for the taxpayers of Hullett
Township. Ratepayers paid $205,692 in 1984,
this year a request for $217,000 must be
drawn from those residents' pockets. This is
a mill rate increase of 4.84 per cetit, from
61.62 to 64.60.
Finally, secondary school needs have re-
quired a raise in the mill rate of 5.43 per
cent, from 49.90 to 52.61 mills. In dollars,
secondary schools now take $189,317 where
they took $178,777, an increment of $10,540.
Viviane Cappelli of Clinton thought it a good time to take advantage
of the Clinton Public Hospital's booth which featured blood
pressure testing. Nellie Hoogendoorn, a nurse at the hospital and a
resident of Clinton, did the honors while the crowds at the Clinton
Spring Fair swirled around them. (James Friel photo )
Vanastra'
$175,
By Anne Narejko
1'U('KERSti I'I'}I -''he. public was made
aware of the areas which will benefit from
the $175,000 Ontario Neighborhood
Improvement Program r ONIP) grant at an
open Meeting 'nn June 3. The Township of
Tuckersrnith will meet the government's
amount, making the total project worth
$350,000.
Tuckersrnith councillors and Municipal
Engineer Henry Conten, of Burnside and
Associates. presented the proposed projects
for the next three Years. •
The Intal area of Vanastra has be
designated as an improvement area. but
crnurtil has found the majority of upgrading
is required in the residential area. This area
has approximately' 168 houses and 20
occupied town (louses with another eight
being renovated for future use.
it has been indicated that the percentage
of houses m need of repair in Vanastra is
larger than that of Tuckersrnith as a
whole." cnrntnented Mr. ('enten.
One of the stipulations of the grant is that
:11 per cent be used on either hard or soft
ervices The proposed projects will meet
this requirement with 27,5 per cent, or
$92.010 going. towards social and
recreational facilities. The remaining 72.5
per cent, or ,$243,000. will go towards' the
repairing of roads, buildings and other such
;terns, within Vanastra. it has also been
0st;niated that administration costs over the
trtree year period will cost $15,000.
-Vanastra is very well blessed with parks
and recreation facilities for its size." said
Mr. ('enten. "Therefore you need to provide
the uplrnep."
Breaking down the $92,000 to be spent on
social and recreation facilities. Mr. ('enten
explained approximately $55,000- will go
towards the Vanastra Recreation ('entre
to benefit from
ONIPwant:
arlU $37.000 towards the parks.
Ile also explained there are several areas
within the centre that are in need of repair.
'I'llese areas include refinishing the pool
bottom because the paint is flaking, the
installation of ;in air to air heater to control
the hurnidity in the pool area and replacing
Oa- south-east w indow• and door, in the pool
area xvhlch are rotting due to the hirrnidity.
Plans in ,the rnnununity hall include
closing -in the. windows and installing
insulation and the addition of air air
(•ondittnner.
;1 baseball backstop. fencing in the
diar,und and erecting. new lights for the
ale nhnnd are n ,few items nn the parks
i;nprn,enlenttist.
The 12•13:000 will go towards projects
involving reconstr'uetinn or',resurfacing of
roads.and street lighting.
.After conducting varretus tests. it was
finurd that Regina Street. 'Toronto
Boulevard and Quebec Hoad are in need of
repair While these roads are under repair:
it is also suggested that work be done on the
sanitary sewe'r's, eliminating the need to dig
up the road a second tune. Fifth Avenue is
also to have its alignment and drainage
repaired and Halifax Road is to be
resurfaced at the enterance to Toronto
Boulevard.
It was mentioned during the first public
meeting held earlier this, year, that storm
drainage at the intersection of Winnipeg.
Toronto and Qnetx•c Street, as well as
Regina and Victoria Boulevard. was not
functioning properly. Since this time, the
storm drainage system has been flushed and
are now working well. According to Mr.
('enten, this would indicate a problem
further down st ream.
Also during the first meeting it was
suggested that front yard sidewalks be put
Strike vote taken,
teachers could vvalk
Huron County secondary school teachers
voted 71.1 per cent in favor of strike action
last week.
Huron County's returning officer, Eldred
Sirrunons of Exeter, was in charge of the
voting conducted in the county's five secon-
dary schools. He reported that 165 teachers
voted in favor of strike action while 65 were
against. There were two spoiled ballots.
These figures, he said, represent a margin
of just over 71 per cent of the teachers'
federation membership.
The strike vote was counted after the
teachers turned down the Huron County
'Board of Education's latest contract offer
by 84.9 per cent. In that vote, 37 teachers
voted in favor of the board's offer and 197
utcd against. There was one spoiled ballot.
Director of Education Robert Allan said
there was "no reaction" to the vote.
Shirley Weary, chief negotiator of the Orr-
tario Secondary School 'Teachers' h'edcra-
tori, District 45, said no strike date has yet
been set.
The earliest the teachers could go on
strike is .lune 5. Earlier, Weary said that
in place. However, after much consideration
un the part of council, it was decided that
this project could wait. Reasons given by
Mr. ('enten were the sidewalks are
expensive and there is a low traffic flow in
the residcbntial area. But he did say that
sidewalks could he considered in a future
allocation.
'"rlw present street lights are of very poor
intensity and have very, poor ene'r'gy
e'fficiency," said Mr. Center'. "All the street
lights in the residential area are to he
replaced. Ontario Hydro w 111 replace the
poles."
The type of street lights to 1,)e used is yet to
be determined.
Projects to be undertaken this year are,
the refinishing of the pool bottom. iron filter
to prevent staining of the pool, door and
window replacement' in the pool area.
baseball backstop and fence, Toronto
Boulevard, Halifax Street resurfacing and
street lights. These costs, plus
administration. is estimated 1n cost $130,000.
Year two, or 1986, will include the air to
air heater. baseball diamond lights and
reconstruction of Quebec - Road. These
projects will cost approximately $1.11,500.
The final year will see the insulation in the
pool and hall area done as well as the air
conditioner put in, the trimming of trees in
the park areas and the reconstruction of
Fifth Avenue. Costs are estimated at
$78,500.
"We went over everything thoroughly and
picked out what we felt were the worst
situations," commented Tuckersmith
Reeve Robert Bell. "We also tried to
balance out the costs so we wouldn't get a
harder clout one year or another."
During the. first year, the municipality
will pay approximately $65,000, $10,750 the
second year and $38,750 the third year.
Clinton Hospital repairs okayed
Phillip Andrews, Ontario Minister of
Health, announced on May 31 that approval
has been granted to Clinton Public Hospital
(CPH) to proceed with plans to make brick
and roof repairs -to a wing at the hospital.
r tic wing, built in 1941, houses the chronic
care and obstetrics departments. Investiga-
tions have determined that the wing is struc-
turally sound, but repairs are needed to up-
date the section.
Mr. Andrews noted, "The repairs at Clin-
was not the teachers' date, but the board's.
The board's offer started with a max-
imum teachers' salary of $44,120 and the
teachers want $45,600. The board offered a
maximum principals' salary of $59,000 and
the teachers want $61,087.
All salary changes, not including in-
crements (the annual jump on a salary
grid) represent a four per cent increase of-
fered by the board. The teachers want 7.5
per cent.
The board is offering staffing at a number
based on the student enrolment plus 9.5
teaching positions at an estimated cost of
$120,000. However, the teachers want the
base number plus 17.4 teaching positions at
an estimated cost of $309,600.
The board's memo to its teachers says
"previous collective agreements provided
for forrtrula plus 4.5 staff".
Under working conditions, the board is of-
fering average class sizes ranging from 15
for basic level students to 30 for advanced
level students. While the teachers agree'
with the numbers, they ant these as max-
imum glass sizes.
Industrial pl backed
By Shelley McPhee
C'1.INTON - Misunderstandings were
resolved and lines of communication were
re -opened between town council and the
planning -industrial cortunittee this week.
An hour long discussion on June 3 between
council members and John Balfour of the in-
dustrial committee put plans for the
development of the town's industrial park
back on the right track.
. Mr. Balfour carne to council, asking for
their.support and backing to promote the
sale of land in the industrial park.
"We're ( industrial committee 1 trying
desperately to get someone else in here to
pay the tax bills. We can do this through in-
dustry but we're spinning our wheels and
nothing's happening."
Lack of promotion and confusion over the
price set for the industrial land sale have
been the main concerns of the industrial.
committee.
At a recent meeting, council set the price
for industrial land at.$10,000 an acre for
unserviced land and the •price of serviced
land to be negotiated at the time of sale.
"What are you calling unserviced land?"
Mr. Balfour asked, "Dq the services go to
the lot line or just to the. iiidustrial park."
Mr. Balfour stated, "we're snit to lunch,"
if Clinton is not offering services to the lot
line for the $10,000 price. He noted that
Goderich is selling the same type of land for
$5,000 an acre, Palmerston is selling for
$3,000 and in other areas the prices range
from $5,000 to $10,000.
"You can get $10.000 an acre for
unserviced land' in Toronto, but not here,"
he emphasized.
Mayor Chester Archibald urged council to
clarify the price of the land and the servic-
ing involved. He noted, "It will cost the town
money to service the land and if you want in- ,
dnstry, you'll have to live with that."
Councillor Charlie Burgess agreed. When
the pricing was originally set he' had sug-
gested) a rate of $4,000 an acre for
unserviced land and $7,000 for serviced
land.
"We're investing in the future," he stress-
ed. "In a few years -when industries are
operating, you'll be surprised how quickly
you can recover your costs."
Mr. Balfour suggested that $10,000 an acre
for land serviced to the lot line would. be a
"workable rnaxirnum" for Clinton. He
stressed the need for firm, well established
costs and servicing requirements, explain-
ing that negotiations with industrialists are
ton Public Hospital are uesigned to improve
the energy efficiency in the building."
The cost of the project will he two-thirds
funded by the ministry of health.
Tenders will be called shortly, with work
expected to begin early this summer.
"hairy arid that's why we need exact figures
to work with."
Council made a motion to sell the in-
dustrial land at a price of $10,000 an acre,
serviced to the lot line, exclusive of sanitary
sewers.
the lot line, exclusive of sanitary sewers.
Councillors Jim Hunter and Ross Carter
said•that the $10,000 price tag was too high.
Councillor Burgess added, "If you want to
sell something you can sell it at a bargain."
Councillor Gord Gerrits moved to sell the
land at$8,000 an acre. He reasoned, '`We've
lost worse money in worse ways."
Council passed the. new motion. The land
will be serviced with water mains, base
road, and hydro to the lot line, but no sewage
will be installed at this point, or street lights
or curbs. ' •
The installation of a sanitary sewage
system through the park will be negotiated
at the time of the sale of the industrial land.
Presently Clinton does not have the money
available to put in the new system.
Also, government restrictions have put
further development of Clinton's sewage
system on hold until expansion and im-
provements are made to the town's sewage
treatment plant. -
Mr.' Balfour is confident that Clinton will
be able to attract industry. He noted that the
town is in the advantageous position of being
located at the crossroads of two major •
highways.
Some industrialists have shown interest. in
location in Clinton. Signs advertising the in-
dustrial land will be erected next week and
brochures will be sent to various govern-
tnent agency offices.
Queen'sfPark wasn't even aware that we
wanted industry in town," Mr. Balfour said.
"V4 e need to attract industries from the
U.S.A., from Japan, from around the world.
It's a competitive market and we need the
tools and the backing of the town."
Council also agreed to put in a basic
gravel road 'through a portion' of the in-
dustrial park. The public works crew will do
the work. Mr. Balfour said that the road
would help identify lots and Would alli)w in-
dustrialists the opportunity to drive through
the park, ahead of walking through. the area,
now planted ir, corn.
• "It's difficult to appear professional when
you're standing in a corn field. It makes the
town come out looking like a bunch of
hillbillies. We're trying to deal with this in a
professional manner," Mr. Balfour stated.
Rhonda Lobb, sponsored by the Clinton News -Record for her bid as Clinton Fair Queen
won the contest held the evening of May 31. The 17 -year-old had to deal with four other
contenders before capturing the judges' nod as queen. (Jaynes Friel photo)