The Goderich Signal-Star, 1982-11-10, Page 1Goderich
rio
SIGNAL
STAR
134 YEAR -45,
GODERICH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10,1982
50 CENTS PER COPY
Kevin Feagan (33) of the GDCI Junior Vikings
triumphantly raises the ball in the air after scoring
a touchdown in the championship game against
Listowel here Saturday. While the Vikings led at the
time, that excitement, soon dissipated as Listowel
scored a touchdown in the final minute to defeat
Goderich. The Senior Vkings staged a dramatic
comeback to defeat Stratford 14-13 in the cham-
pionship final. Details appear on the Recreation
page. (photo by Dave Sykes)
Council
veterans
re-elected
Searls tops polls
as six elected
to new town council'
Goderich town council will have two new faces at
the table during the next term and both have previous
municipal experience. •
Incumbents topped the polls in the election with
Jim Searls and John Doherty collecting the most
support. Glen Carey returns to council for a second
termand former reeve Don Wheeler had to battle two
opponents to secure the sixth and final seat on
council.
The two new council members are Bill Clifford and
Ed Giesbrecht. Clifford, a real estate broker, was
elected to council in 1972 and served subseqent terms
as deputy -reeve and reeve before losing in the 1978
election. He finished third in the council race with
2,008 votes.
Giesbrecht, chief technologist at Alexandra Marine
and General Hospital, served on council from 1967-71
and was secretary of, the planning board for four
years.
As the results trickled in at town hall Monday, it
was evident that the top five positions were secure
but a battle for the final council seat brewed all night
long between Wheeler, Bob Cornish and Bruce Ryan.
Wheeler trailed Cornish most of the evening' but
managed -to -overtake -the -recreation board chaternan
in the final two polls recorded.
After running a close second to Profit in the 1980
- election:. councillor Searls topped the polls with 2,317
votes. Doherty finished second with 2,1I3 votes,
compared to 2,008 for Clifford and 1,67-2 for
Giesbrecht.
The real battle was for the final council seat where
- = Wheeler -defeated Cornish -11y26 dotes and Ryan by 29
Wheeler collected 1,323 votes compared to 1,297 for
Cornish and 1,294 for Ryan.
Maria Metcalfe followed with 1,029 votes, Dave
Harrison had 930 votes and Jim Magee, who . an-
nounced early in the campaign that he was unable to
seek a position on council for personal reasons,
received 490 votes.
The council will meet Monday, November 15 to
clean up some outstanding matters and the new
council will accept the reins of office in December.
The reeve and deputy -reeve positions on council
were filled by acclamation with Harry Worsell being
acclaimed reeve and Jim Britnell, deputy -reeve.
•
4
Palmer wins
mayoralty race
Eileen Palmer defeated three other candidates in
one of the more interesting mayoralty races in recent
memory, to fill the mayor's post vacated by Harry
Worsell.
Palmer defeated three strong candidates in the
four-way mayoralty race as she established a modest
lead in early poll results, a lead that remained con-
stant throughout the evening. Palmer won ap-
proximately 20 out of 25 polls.
Palmer's main• opposition came from former
mayor, Ernie Fisher, who had worked with various
provincial government ministries before retiring to
Goderich last year. Palmer collected 1,276 votes
compared to 1,018 for Fisher, 883 for Stan Profit and
322 for Bob Allen.
Profit and Allen, both first-time mayoralty can-
didates, take with them a great deal of municipal
experience. Profit, a 12 -year veteran of municipal
and county politics, has served as councillor, reeve
and deputy -reeve before making his bid for the
mayor's chair. Allen has also served on both town and
county cbuncil, the past term as deputy -reeve and six
years as chairman of the works and engineering
committee.
Ironically, Palmer polled almost the enact number
of votes that left her on the losing side of the
mayoralty race against Harry Worsell in 1980. In that
election she received 1288 votes compared to 1,276 in
1982. It was that block of supporters, she says, that
made the difference.
"It was difficult with four people running to gauge
the support because there were four good candidates
running," she said. "I was able to hold my block of
supporters and where I didn't have support the vote
seemed to be split between Stan and Ernie."
With four candidates in the running, the campaign
became a door-to-door affair and Palmer conceded
that it was difficult to gauge the support of the
electorate because of the number of candidates.
The new three-year term will be a demanding one
and Palmer is ready to get down to work with a new
}council: .�
"It is going to be a tough jpti and I fully appreciate
that but I will work to the best of my ability," she
said. "The voters have elected a good council and I'm
sure we can work well together."
"I fully intend to proceed with a think tank to get
council together and work on issues and we will also
discuss a mini -review of the structure of municipal
government."
Eileen Palmer.
Prior to the election. the Goderich Rotary Club
sponsored a candidates' meeting and Palmer said the
success of the meeting indicates it should be an in-
tegral part, of every election.
"The candidates' meeting was excellent and ser-
vice clubs could band together in the future for such a
meeting," she said. "The public turnout Was en-
couraging and people were genuinely interested in
the election and the . candidates and their views. It
was a beneficial evening for both the candidates and
the electorate."
Palmer becomes only the second woman to be
elected mayor of Goderich, the first being Mrs. May
Mooney.
ary Baker will speak to:
group at Bluewater Centre
Ministry of Community and Social Services
representative Dr. Gary Baker spoke at Bluew'Ater
Centre Wednesday, presenting the ministry's position
on the closure of six institutions for the develop-
mentally handicapped across the province.
The meeting here Wednesday resulting, from a
request from a group of parents and volunteers to
meet with the Minister to discuss the effect" the
closure of 'the Bluewater Centre would have on
residents. The group was prepared -to -travel -to -
Queen's Park but the ministry chose to send a
representative to the centre.
Parent Jean Papernick said while the group was
John Doherty
Ed Giesbrecht
Bill Clifford
Glen Carey
ELECTION
RESULTS
Town of Goderich
Mayor
Eileen Palmer 1276
Ernie Fisher 1018
Stan Profit.... _ 883
Bob Allen 332
Council
Jim Searls 2317
John Doherty 2113
Bill Clifford 2008
Glen Carey 1878
Ed Giesbrecht 1672
Don Wheeler 1323
Bob Cornish 1297
Bruce Ryan 1294
Maria Metcalfe 1029
Dave Harrison 930
Jim Magee 490
PUC
Jim Peters 2351
Len Sheardown 2245
Herb Murphy 2018
Tom Melady 1990
Doug Bundy 1858
Board of Education
Dorothy Wallace 1465
Jean Adams 756
Jim Kingsley 694
Separate board
Mike Moriarty 358
Anne Steward 310
Ashfield Twp.
Deputy -reeve
Allan, Gibson 421
Clete Dalton 312
Council
Grant Farrish 561
Grant Curran 545
William Andrew 493
Elmer Draper • 345
Board of Education
Tony McQuail 488
Marybelle Cranston 337
Pat Haskell 324
WestWawanosh"Twpt.
Reeve
Jim Aitchison 316
J. D. Durnin 254
Council
Bruce Laynard 348
Kathryn Todd 316
Joseph Hickey' . 284
Bob Hallam 271
Karl Seeger 246
prepared to see either the minister or his deputy in
Toronto, with the help of Huron -Middlesex MPP Jack
Riddell, the ministry opted to meet with concerned
groups here.
While the structure of the meeting is unknown, Mrs.
Papernick said the public is' invited to the 4. p.m.
meeting in the centre's auditorium.
Since the closure was announced by Community
and Social Services Minister Frank Drea, parents,
volunteers and staff at' the centre have been ex-
pressing-eoneer-ns4e-gavernrneaLahottt_the., f utureof
the resident population and the loss of jobs. Drea said
the Bluewater Centre for the Developmentally
Handicapped would close by the spring of 1984.
Council reverses bylaw decision
The town of Goderich asked for an adjournment of
an OMB hearing here Wednesday into the heritage
district bylaw passed by council in January.
In January, town council passed a heritage district
bylaw designating the area bounded by Waterloo
Street, Victoria Street, Elgin Avenue and Bruce
Street as a heritage district area.
But, at its last regular meeting, council passed a
resolution requesting that the Local Architectural
Conservancy Advisory Conunittee to proceed with
steps to de -designate the area. The resolution further
requested the administrator to cancel the scheduled
OMB hearing Wednesday. November 10.
The resolution came after a large delegation,
representing homeowners within the affected area,
petitioned council to reconsider the heritage district
designation. Group spokesman, Mrs. Shackleton said
that 87 of 95 residential taxpayers in the area were
opposed to the bylaw.
INSiDE THF
SIL NAL—STAR
•
• Shakleton had previously' submitted a petition to
council bearing 147 signatures of residents opposed to
the bylaw, and the petition was subsequently for-
warded to'the Ontario Municipal board. In her
presentation, Shackleton said the bylaw was too'
restrictive.
"Each property owner should be notified of the
designation because disturbing changes could be
made to property rights." she said. " We don't need
more restrictions. Why should a few dictate what we
can do to our property. We are not against any in-
dividual who wishes such a designation."
In view of the number of objectors to the district
designation, council opted to try and proceed with a
'de -designation process.
Mayor Harry Worsell. reeve Don Wheeler, deputy- '
reeve Bob Allen and councillors Stan Profit, Jim
Searls, Glen Carey and John Doherty voted in favor
of the resolution while Jim Magee and Elsa Haydon
voted against the motion.
County putshold on salaries_.
Huron County Council will receive no honorarium farmers and not all conunodite prices increased five
_,increase in 1983 and has instructed its negotiating_ per cent. "And we are the ones paving the taxes."
-committee to• keep.employees' salaries,at the -present -._,:,Ile added fhat he is• under the unpression_ moi a1e
level. has dropped among county employees since -'the ex-
At its Oct. 28 session council approved keeping ecutive committee decision to hold salaries.
committee and session pay_ at $67 per day and the "What about our morale... it hurts," added Reeve
warden's honorarium at $4.000 for 1983. Council also Bogie in reference to county's decision.
voted unanimously in -faros -of -holding errrployee-..Y.e-r, enti ped-the•atno t. if- 00;0007.7k :i est'ed:_
salaries to current rates. figure of what will be saved by not increasing
TIt's no reflection on the competency of• the salaries.
cin-plo-y' es;"—stn'ewd- ealborne- -Township---Reeve— That buysa-lot-of-serrires,—united R-eeve-Bogie-.
William Bogie. He suggested that in the road department alone.
The reeve said it is rather a result of the current $300,000 will pave four to six miles of road and the
economic situation. He acknowledged that the pro- Hullett-McKillop bridge, which is currently under
vincial government has given five per cent as a wage construction, will cost about $200.000.
. increase limit. Reeve Bogie wasn't the only county councillor to
"That five per cent is not a God-given right, as i see speak in favor of the action. in fact no councillor
it anyway," said Reeve Bogie. spoke against the motion.
He appealed to the employees to consider that if Reeve Paul Steckle of Stanley Township commend -
council grants five per cent salary increases services ed the executive cornmittee for coning forward with
may have to be cut and some employees may be laid the recommendation. He . doesn't want restraint
off. limited to non -bargaining employees, but that zero in -
"How many county councillors enjoyed a five per creases be across the board. He also suggested that
cent increase?" asked Reeve Bogie noting most are Turn to page 2 •
Big bazaars
There were plenty of bazaars and craft shows in the
Goderich area this weekend giving people a chance to
get some Christmas_.shopping.- clone ahead of_ time. _
Joann•Ri hanan_isitt.d__a._.a.tunber.. of...spectall�� .
bazaars and demonstrations and pictures appear on
the inside pages.
lei tY of sn..or-ts
it was quite a sports week in t;odench and aside
from coverage of the football finals played here
sat urdnt (ilei` -''t coverage -other high school;
sports. hockey and the Gixierich Industrial F'astball
League's annual banquet See the Recreation pages
for pictures and details
More letters
There is much concern on the part of the coni-
nui pity over the closure of the Rluevater Centre for
the i)eveloptnentall} Handicapped and several
opinion are expressed in letters to the editor I)ue to
the abundance of letters this week, additional :pace
Lhas been made available on the editorial page