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Clinton News-Record, 1985-6-19, Page 1Taxes up six per cent ft1L�'II'Hl STA HOAR D -THE BA) [HELD 113w Q;LE No. 25 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 1985 50 cents Clinton resident Vickie Cantelon recently won the highest youth award in Canada which was presented by the award's sponsor, Prince Philip. Vickie was one of 75 young people receiving the award during a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa which also recognized the 75th armiversary of Guiding. Guide meets prince CLINTON - It wasn't easy but Vickie !'•tintelon's • year -and -a -half of effort presented its own rew'ar'd of personal satisfaction. But the• recognition of that time, in the forst of the country's highest youth award, presented by its sponsor, 1'rinc'e Philip. topped off her satisfaction in the best possible manner. The Clinton native and longtime Girl Guide started her odyssey after Rev. ,Jin) Bechtel of Wesley -Willis united Church col- lected the information and •forms and presented' them to Vickie and other young people. • She had to complete five categories and attain "excellence of achievenient" in each one. For the Community Service category, Vickie helped plan two Guide. rumps and several bus trips: Expeditions and h;xplora- tion: she canoed 1(2'miles .along the Mat- tawa Riper, Lake Nipissing, North Care] and French River: Skills: Vickie took up choir singing at her church: Physical fitness: jjshe earned the Canada Fitness Aw'ar'd ((old): and Residential Project: Vickie spent seven (lays in Guiding training at Provincial level. Vickie and the 74 tither youths 75 awards were given to commemorate Guiding's 75th year) receiving the award were given lessons in the 'Fent Room at Rideau Hall in Ottawa MI how to meet the prince. "'They told us how to curtsey and lune to talk. Prince Philip is Your Royal highness and Mada'I11 Sauve is Your Excellency - then after that you call- then) sir and madam, Vickie explained. • Ile cvati nice: he out everyone at ease. He talked to everyone but the bashful two or three who didn't want to stick around." At the same time there .was an interna- tional conference which most of the award winners attended with young people from around the world. 'AVickie has gond through all the Guiding levels, including leader and while she is at Sheridan College studying to be a library technician, she's a Link, still receiving in- formation but not as actively involved as before. Two other young w•wrnen are to receive the award. Vickie mentioned that Margie Wise and Sharon East are' scheduled to receive the award at a ceremony in Banff, Alberta. Vickie is the daughter of Doug and Irene ('antelon of Clinton. School's .future remains m limbo Earlier thea } car, the board 'budgeted $105.000 for the.purchase and upgrading of the public school. It was hoped that some money Would corse from the ministry of education but it has indicated it will not help finance buying the Vanastra school this year. Allan said . calling the situation at Vanastra in limbo is a "fair statement''. However. the school beard is working towards an enol he said. of which outright purc'ha'se of the building is not the only op- tion. By Stephanie )Levesque Aprofessional appraiser wi11 be checking out the • value Of Vanastra public school. although its future remains in limbo. At its ,lune 3 meeting. the Huron County board of education approved hiring an rip- , pi idair. last year, following an acconr modati:nn review at the school. the board committed itself to looking after the future of the school. IIdirector of education. Robert A1hin, I�Lnl the appraiser is being hired because as with any public building where negotiations are taking praee and prices ,u c . uewng discussed, the board has to know the value of the building. Allan said he has not yet met with officials from Conestoga ('allege. which owns the en- tire n building housing Vanastra public school. However. 11 rental agreement for the com- ing school year is also expec'te'd to 'he work- ed out. Allan said the board did have a three-, year rental agreement w'hic'h has runs ex- pired. Ile estimated the cost of that agrce- rnent at $35,000 a \ car. Proniising year for CPH hospital CLINT( l\ • What ended as a deficit year in 1984 was turned into a surplus year in 1985 for Clinton I'ubhc I hospital i ('1'111. mist year CPI1 finished the fiscal year with a §72.200 deficit. In 1985 the financial report shows an operating surplus of $30,0''25. The 1984 deficit resulted from the cun- struction costs• of the new nut -patient omer•siency wing in 1983. As predicted it in- creased expenses and left CPH in 11 deficit 0 position. but also as predicted the deficit was quickly turned around. With one Major expansion project com- pleted 1tile1 paid for, ('P11 is readying to ern - hark on its next priority plan. the con- st1 uc•tion of a new obstetrical wing. �flans for the new wing, to be built in 1986, i ;blighted reports given at the ('P11 annual meeting on .June •12. The long term planning committee has econunended the major building project. It till 1>e constructed above the 1983 nut - patient wing, enabling further expansion of the chronic care department into the old ebst etri(' area. Chief of Medical Staff, Dr. T.A. Steed reported. "The dramatic increase in the number of deliveries, coupled with the Gradual deterioration with age of the pre- ,ent obstetrical facility fully justifies this 'yew expansion. We fully expect continuing :•rewth in the number of deliveries, and con - trued Confidence 111 the hospital by the obstetric population." The hospital isseekine hlrnistry of Health financial backing on the project. As wall, public fund -raisins; his been discussed and already more than $21),000 irl donations have been received. Statistics for 1984-'85 shoe, t}iat 121 babies were horn at ('1'I I, up from the 1983-'84 total of 102. This year's statistics showed major in- creases in all areas of hospital care. 'Total admissions numbered 1,492, compared to 1.460 in 1983-'84. Out-patient treatments marked substantial increase over the year. til 1983- '84 some 7,980 out patients were treated at ('PH. in 1984-'85 a total of 11,42(1 people utilized the services of the new department. Special clinic visits totalled 2,406. up from the previous year's figures of 1.872. Physiotherapy treatment figures were set at 10,017 in 1984-'85, compared to 9.876 in 1983-'84. Laboratory services at CP11 also saw in- creases over the last year, rising from 95.548 tests performed in the hospital in 1983-'84 to 106,100. Some 12,205 tests were sent out hist year, up from 10,557 in 1983-'84. ('P11 has also become a county leader in surgery and 760 operations were per'forned here in 1984-'85, compared to 630 the CLINTON - Taxpayers in Clinton will see an increase of just over six per cent in this ear's tax bi i i. The 1985 rates were approved by council n June 17. Mayor Chester Archibald referred to the budget as lean and trim. He noted, "This budget is cut thin. There isn't much fat on it. I expected a larger increase this year and I was pleasantly shocked and relieved. I ex- pected about 12 per cent." Public School supporters will pay 6.3 per cent more in taxes this year and separate school supporters will pay 6.57 per cent more. than taxpayers faced in 1984 when the overall rates jumped 9.5 percent. The budget totals $2,231,592 and shows that Clinton taxpayers will finance greater increases in public works projects, street reconstruction and recreation. This year's street reconstruction budget has been set at $124,000, up substantially from the $105,641 that was budgeted last year. This year council agreed.to contractto have more street work done. They have the option of deleting some reconstruction pro- jects if the work proves too costly. Public works rates for 1985 were set at $251,140. In 1984 some $173,390 was spent. Council approved the increase to help pay for a new truck, costing more than $48,000. Additional work in 1985 includes the $13,000 paving work on Dunlop and Erie Streets and a $1,500 payment for the repaving work at the town's main intersection. The Ministry of Transportation and Communication will foot 90 percent of that bill. Also on the in- crease this year are the costs of wages and supplies. Street oil this year cost more than $8,000. Parks and recreation budget was set at $148,200, up more than $10,000 from the $137,545 spent in 1984. Included in this year's figures is $12,500 for arena repairs. It was noted that the budget includes an estimate of $31,000 alone to pay for utilities at the Community Centre. Recreation still plans to whittle down this year's budget by several thousand dollars by deleting some capital works projects. Fire protection budget is up by more than $8,000, to this year's figure of $38,290. Another substantial increase is seen in the police budget, set at $268,384. The 1984 figure was $251,546 and actual costs came in below that figure at $243,200. This year's increase Turn to page 2 • Farmers meet with MP previous year. ('1'11 Administrator Dan Steyn reported, "A review of the statistical information pro- ves that we are a very busy hospital with ever increasing ntunbers of visits to our out- patient department and number of deliveries in our obstetrical service. Our surgery department is very active, putting pressures on us to expand sometime in the foreseeable future." Expansion. inc'r'eased services, major changes - these are the key wirds in the ('Ph1 annual report fir 1984-'85. Mr. Stcyn noted, "With the professional health care tears the hospital has been able to assemble, the next 80 years of caring will certainly he an exciting time for the com- munity in w'hic'h we serve." • The financial picture The financial picture at CP11 in 1984-'85 'sas a bright one. The hospital ended the year ahead en the revenue side of accounts. The year saw revenuers at $3,531,297 and ex- penditures at $3,501,272, leaving .an operating surplus at $30,025 and bringing the financial statement out of the red. The major portion of CPH expenditures go to cover wages and employee benefits, amounting to over $2,869,000. The breakdown of wages are: nursing salaries, Turn to page 3 By Stephanie Levesque Thirteen farmers from the Huron County federation of agriculture crowded into Huron -Bruce MP Murray Cardiff's, Brussels office Monday morning to let him know that while they support him, they are disappointed with his party's budget. Members of federations from across the province are meeting with their MPs to let them know of their dissatisfaction with the budget introduced last month by finance minister Michael Wilson. The meeting started to take a turn for the worse when MP Cardiff said agriculture should have been mentioned in the budget. "Agriculture was mentioned. After the government says it wants to know our pro- blems, and we tell them, then it kicks us harder," said first vice-president in the Huron organization, Paul Klopp of Zurich. A resolution, passed at the Ontario Federation of Agriculture's monthly meeting, states in part, "we demand that our MPs represent our frustrations and anger and demand for actionto their respec- tive caucus and ministers." Huron presi- dent Doug Garniss of RR 4, Wingham read the.resolution to Mr. Cardiff. "It was a fair meeting," said Mr. Garniss at the end of the hour-long session. "We're hoping to get some responses on exactly what action is being taken." For his part, Mr. Cardiff said he was aware of the farmers' concerns before the brief prepared 'by the OFA. He asked the farmers to give his government more time. "We've only been in office eight months," said the Progressive Conservative• hack bencher. He did say it is his hope that a national tripartite program will be approved by the House of Commons within two weeks. Car- diff said numerous groups affected by such a program have presented information to the government and his colleagues have told him the necessary legislation will be passed by the end of June when the house recesses for the summer. However, several federation members said federal agriculture minister John Wise recently in effect said that a national tripar- tite program would be frowned upon by the Americans and thus limiting markets for Canadian commodities. Cardiff was surpris- ed that Wise had made such continents. "I can't imagine him saying that," said Cardiff shaking his head. He added that he supppqrts such a program. "That's the way I heard it," said Dungan- non area farmer Ross Eedy. The Huron -Bruce MP said the tripartite program will only be a step toward help for farmers with no immediate changes for the agriculture sector. The Huron farmers pressed for an outline from the Progressive Conservative govern- ment stating when it hopes to introduce pro - gams that will help the farmer. Cardiff didn't commit himself to getting such an outline. ' 'There was considerable discussion on the agribond proposal, which Mr. Cardiff has said and re -affirmed he fully supports. The farmers want agribonds because they are secure and a government is committed' to them and they are similar to current in- dustrial bonds, said Mr. Klopp. The member of parliament asked the farmers what they would consider a fair in- terest rate and Seafor-th area farmer Jim McIntosh said about three per cent..over in- flation. The farmers also asked for more action from the federal government regarding American borders being closed to pork pro- ducers. Four or five states have taken such action. Cardiff • encouraged the federation members to come into his office any time. The farmers said they would help Mr. Car- diff any time to get•the agriculture message . across in Ottawa. Albert Leibold cleans up the few salvageable possessions which survived'a fire nn Jun( 16. Mr. Leihold and his wife Iona lost everything in a fire•that Fire thief Fred 1.ohh sal( had a "tremendous head start before it was noticed." t .lames Friel photo) Couple lose many any possessions during fire GODFRICH TWP. - A township couple lost everything they possessed in a fire which tore through their trailer home on the evening of .June 16. Albert and Iona Leihold were the victims of a second fire in two and a half years last. Sunday and an appeal has been set up to help the Leibolds start over again. Dona- tions can be left with Glen Price (Clere-Vu Auto Wreckers), at the Holmesville Store or with the Leiboldi' son Douglas who lives next door to where the couple's trailer was burnt out. Receipts wlil De go“.11. "We were tied up for 0 two hour period.". said Fire Chief Fred Lobb of Che fire. 'There wasn't anyhody borne 5ince'.1111(1 afternoon so the fire obviously had a tremendous head start before it was noticed by one of their 1 the 1,ccf>oId's 1 sons," he add- ed. Chief I,obh said the cause of the fire was undetermined and estimated the loss to be in excess of $30,000. There was :Some in- surance coverage but the chief was unaware of the extent.