The Goderich Signal-Star, 1983-05-04, Page 14 JI
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GODERIC111, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, MAY 4. 1983
50 CENTS PER COPY
Taxes increase b
The average taxpayer M Goderich will pay an
additional $46.11 in property taxes this year, an in-
crease of just over five per cent.
Goderich, town council finalized its 1983 mill rate
structure 'Monday after learning the Huron County
Board of Education passed its budget of $35.2 million
earlier in the day.
Trustees of the' Huron County Board of Education
agreed to a 10 per cerit increase in the 1983 budget
which boosted the amount to be raised for education
through taxation to $11':6 million. Of that amount the
town Of Goderich will have to contribute $1.7 million
to 'the board an increase of $177,394 over the last
year's figure.
Based on the average house assessment of $3,000, a
Goderich taxpayer faces a total tax bill of $876.84, a
five per cent increase over the 1982 amount of $830.73.
Of the total amount paid in taxes, $367.39 is used by
the town of Goderich, $85.93 goes to the County of
Huron and $423.51 goes to the board of education. Of
the average $46.11 increase faced by taxpayers,
$37.65 will go for education purposes, $7.20 will be
used by the town and the County of Huron will take
$1.26.
Over the past three or four years, there has been a
growing rift between the portion of the tax bill used
for municipal purposes and the portion used for
education. This year, 48.3 per cent of a tax bill will go
to the board of education. The town will use 41.9 per
cent of your money for municipal purposes and 9.8
per cent of the bill goes to the County of Huron.
Considering that council, through .the use of
reserves, held the town budget increase to a paltry
two percent, councillors chastised board trustees for
HOW YOUR TAX
DOLLARS ARE SPENT
MUNICIPAL $367.39
EDUCATION ' $423.52
COUNTY $85.93
1983 Tax bill $876.84
EDUCATION $37.65
TOWN , $7.20
COUNTY $1.26
Total increase $46.11
Based on average assessment of '3,000
what they considered an extrvagant mere*. Having
attended the budget session earlier that day in
Clinton Bill Clifford said trustees acted irresponsibly
in paSsing the 1983 budget.
"Each year the number of people from -area
Municipalities who bother to go to Clinton for the
budget is less," he said. "The majority of trustees
saw the budget for the first time Monday and yet
there was not one change. It was unbelievable.
"I know their hands are tied to a certain extent, but
not totally. It is almost irresponsible."
Conceding that much of the board's. budget is eaten
Drea remains fh7.*n.
Davis is not
too concerned
While Provincial Liberal leader David Peterson
termed the government's five-year integration plan
as an "ill conceived plan" the provincial government
announced it plans to proceed as usual with the
closure of the Bluewater Centre for the Develop-
mentally Handicapped.
Peterson, who touted the Bluewater Centre for the
first time Tuesday, said it is unlikely the government
will back down from its ill conceived plan.
"The minister's five-year plan has created ahxiety
among parents, staff and residents and we have
asked for a moratorium on that decision," he said.
"We are only asking for the best . care for each
resident but I am not satisfied that will come about.
The Liberal leader did concede that he did not
expect Drea to have retained his portfolio as minister
of Community and Social Services this long. Cabinet
shuffles are more often the rule than exception prior
to the summer session of the Legislature but a pre-
occupied Premier William Davis made no changes.
"We were quite honestly hoping for a cabinet
shuffle and hoping that Drea would be removed but
the deadline• passed," Peterson said. "We are
focusing our attention on Premier Davis because, if
he had knowledge of what was taking place, I don't
think he would allow Drea to make judgments."
But the premier, Peterson says, has his sights on
larger political arenas and is more preoccupied with
the leadership of the national Conservative party
- than running the affairs of the province.
"The premier 'has paid little attention to Queen's
Park,and mistakes have been made," he said. "He is
preoccupied with the big job."
Peterson is concerned that Drea's promise, that no
residents will be moved from provincial institutions
until adeqaate support services are in place in the
community, will not be kept. He suggested that
services are slow to come to fruition and many
residents will simply be moved to larger institutions.
Peterson and Huron -Middlesex MPP Jack Riddell
toured the centre before meeting briefly with em-
ployee and parent organizations.
While both Peterson and Riddell said they will
continue to monitor and fight the closure of the six
regional centres across the province. Drea told the
Legislature Thursday he will follow through with
plans to close Bluewater and St. Thomas.
Drea told the Legislature. that the closure . the
Bluewater Centre would begin in the very near future
and that there would be no moratorium on plans to
close the six centres oyer the next five years. The
minister said the government's plans are proceeding
adding that the affected communities were accepting
the closures.
The St. Lawrence regional centre in Brockville was
the first closure effected by the government and
Drea, claiming the ministry is delighted with that
effort, said the focus will shift to Goderich.
When Brockville is completely closed, 74 out of the
100 residents will be placed in group or family homes
in the community and six of the remaining 26 will,
be ready for community living in three years, Drea
said.
Of the Brockville staff, 50 were given new positions
with the ministry, seven are being interviewed by
another ministry and 20 others are awaiting the
development of related jobs in the community.
"The /parents of gni" resident will be individually
consulted before any decision regarding relocation or
community placement is made "Drea promised.
Drea said the ministry has contacted parents and
guardians of all the residents of the six centres and
staff, advising of the ministry's intentions.
A
up by fixed costs, Clifford, said salary increases,
which comprise a major portion a the fixed costs,
were not in line with government policy. Increases in
salaries and benefits for teachers and administrative
staff exceeded the five per cent:guidelines advocated
by the federal government Clifford said.
He was told that most contracts are in effect until
August and wage guidelines will be imposed after
that time. "
Other members of council alai snggested that the
education costs were getting old of hand in light of the
fact the education requisitiOn took' up nearly 50 per
cent of the municpal tax bill, Councillor Glen Carey,
said the bpard should be put on notice the town will
not tolerate its prodigalhabits.
"Sooner or, later a group of us will have to make
them pay the piper," he said. "They will just have to
be more responsible."
Trustees are not practicing restraint councillor
Don Wheeler said adding that it' sounded +like the
budget, of 1983 was merely rubber stamped.
"I would have to go along with -what Coluleillor
Carey said. The trustees 'do not practice restraint,"
he said. "There was no in-depth study on the budget
The budget was prepared, presented to the board and
rubber stamped."
Councillor John Doherty reminded council that,
representatives Of Goderich council approached the
board of education a few years ago expressing con-
cerns over escalating costs. "They more or less told
us then it was none of our business;" he said. "Their
attitude leaves something to be desired.
Councillor Jini Searis suggested the problem of
escalating education costs was not unique to the
Huron County Board of Education but was a problem
faced by all boards across Ontario.
This year the consolidated mill rate for a public
school supporter increased 5.6 per cent and S.:per
cent for a separate school Supporter. Over the last Six
Years the general residential municipal mill rate for
public schwitsupporters has increased anaverage of
3.12 per cent or 3.44 mills annually. During the same
period, the education mill rate has gene up nearly 10
per cent or 10.17 mills annually.
Mill rate increases for the County of Huron have
averaged .34 mills or 1.3 per centannually.
"We have a lotof * the
Tato elnoaey. ours1;helv4e0Xw' aystaye are. .11 for
,
ndll
Whelp," Sholdice said. "We will hold,a'diallee
one and arejahing on more engagements before
tillAriPt" . ,., In
`',.. without a request from the band for a specific
amount, councillor John Doherty initiated a motion
fjetolhngir tot!, gnome emd t000doonn acatertled,000:thwpaordarrithvyeeahliis
Worsell and councillors Bill Clifford,
Giesbrecht voting in favor. Councillors glen Carey,
Jim Searls and Don Wheeler voted against the
motion,
AdMidiatrator Larry McCabe told comma that, it
had 62,000 set aside for grants to groups and the
Money could be spent in any manner it saw fit.
The Laketown Band will be in Truro from July 844
and hopes to entertain the Truro band in Godaith
next summer.
Psychiatric
: .
admissions 110..
Admissions to the Department, Of.3.esychiatty at
, Alexandra Marine and General.Hospitativereup.last
year over the year before and thupward trend is
-continuing.
The department, Which .serveS, Buren Comity and'
has 20 beds, had to tempararilf stop- admitting
patients a few weeks ago • after it had alreadkac-•
cepted 25. „ •
. "We have been running four beds over Minna lata
the time," says Dr. Michael Conlon, medical director.'
of the department .' • •
In 1981 there were ptadraissiont tohe department
while in 1982 there were,258. Hogpital:AthulniatiatOt
Elmer Taylor says while this incteasidoes ndsound
dramatic, it is significant. COnsidettig that the
department is nearly full all the time.rilesays that
there is a higher use of the Mental•Health Centces at
both Wingham and Clinton too. • •
Taylor says he ieelg the upward trend in the
Department •of Psychiatry, is directly related -to the
downturn in the. economy. Conlon agrees saying that
"dire financial pressure", especially on those people
involved in the farming industry, is creating a lot of
. stress. - '
Clinton man named
education director
R.B. (Bob) Alien has been named the new director
of education Or Huron County. •
The Huron County Board of Education chose Mr.
Allen, currently superintendent of operations witlithe
board. at a meeting . on Saturday, April 30. He will. -
A resident ' 'Mi. -44410h has be�n
suipleri;taeri,
superintendent of operations with the Huron Board
for
INSIDETHE
SIGNAL -STAR
Tours centre
Provincial Liberal leader David Peterson toured
the Bhiewater Centre for the Developmentally
Handicapped for the first time Tuesday and is„seen
here with administrator Bill Gregg and Goderieh
mayor Eileen Palmer. Peterson, who said his party
is monitoring the closure situation closely, called
Frank Drea's five-year integration plan an "ill
eonceived plan." After touring the centre, Peterson
spoke privately with parents of residents and unfair
representatives. (photo by Dave Sykes)
Hospital board agrees to pay $12,048
in additional provincial tax on unit
BY JOANNE BUCHANAN
The Alexandra Marine and General Hospital Board
has agreed to pay an extra $12,048,05 in provincial
sales tax on its Intensive Care Unit (ICU) project.
The board will pay the money out the hospital's
operating account and will not pursue the matter any
further. However, Bob Dempsey, provincial
representative on the hospital board and ICU fund-
raising chairman, says he is going to write a letter to
Treasurer Frank Miller and Minister of Health Larry
Grossman to express his anger over the whole
situation.
Although the hospital heard signed its ICU building
contract prior to the May 14 provincial budget and
was under the impression that it would be exempt
from sales tax, a clause was later put into effect
which stated "any increase or decrease in cost to the
contractor due to change in such taxes and duties
after the date of tender shall increase or decrease the
contract accordingly."
Dempsey is angry because the government con-
tributed nothing to the ICU , project and is now
collecting sales tax on it.
"I'm upset on behalf of the people who donated
their hard earned money. That extra $12,000 could
have been used to buy another piece of equipment for
the hospital," he says.
Dempsey feels that while it may be legal to charge
the sales tax, it is morally wrong.
"It is inappropriate to apply such a ruling. Our
contract was let prior to the.( May 14) date and there
was supposed to be an exemption for fixed price
'
contracts. What the government is now doing by,
applying this tax is political suicide and they should
have their knuckles rapped," he says.
The ICU account is presently overdrawn by about
$54,000. Of this amount, $47,500 was spent on an
ultrasound machine. It was the hospital board's
decision to spend this money on the ultrasound
machine and pay interest on the overdraft so that
they could take advantage of the machine's bargain
price. The particular machine purchased by the
hospital board normally costs $120,000,
The bulk of the ICU pledges are not due until
December of 1983 and once collected, the overdraft
will be -eliminated. The hospital board has decided to
approach people on a personal basis regarding those
pledges which are currently overdue.
Soccer -season
The high school soccer season began last week and
both of the teams made a good showing. The
senior team won one game and tied another while the
juniors lost one of their two games. For reports and
pictures on the games turn to the , front page of the
Recreation section.
YBC banquet
The Goderich Youth Bowling Council held its year-
end banquet on Friday night. During the evening
young bowlers were awarded trophies and plaques in
recognition of their bowling skills. The story and
pictures appear in the Recreation section.
Effective color
Last Thursday evening, the !Maple Leaf Chapter
IODE hosted a unique fund-raising event at the
MacKay Centre. Color analyst Ethel Harper and
Mary Kay representative Pat Cooper demonstrated
to a group of Goderich women what effect color plays
in everybody's lives. 'to find out which colors yo
o
should be wearing look inside the hitt section,
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