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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-09-24, Page 2PAGE 2 --GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1986 News qh nom page 1 Following Aitchison's resignation, Cecil Cranston accepted the nomination for reeve. He first declined in opening nomina- tions, but later reconsidered. "I hope we can all work together so we can make a go of it," said Cranston. In advising council of their options regarding the empty council seat, township solicitor Ross Davies of Wingham said the Ontario Municipal Act - which governs the activities of municipal councils in the province - offered "nothing requiring you to fill the vacancy". He pointed out council has the discretion to do nothing and leave the seat vacant for the rest of the term, call a by-election or have an appointment by council to the position. However, council passed a motion to proceed with a by-election as the "fairest" way to fill the position. Under the Municipal Act, a 45 -day nomination period is to be allowed followed by the by-election 14 to 21 days after the closing of nomina- tions - making a West Wawanosh by- election possible in early November. "I hate the thoughts of the costs for an election, but to keep everything on the up and up, I'm willing to go along with it," said Councillor Rhea Hamilton -Seeger.` Clerk Joan Armstrong said the voters' it was list for the 1985 municipal elections last everything you did or what you thought �i s, Gby-election is November would be used for the special you did, was void to. that point," said years as Armstrong grkreshesp had never encountered onded that in her 1 by-election Davies. All members of council agreed the such a situation before. She said she The controversial situation regarding resignation of Aitchison took place in dos- cove the ked resigneed for a nation on of a reeve.motion to ac - the resignation and subsequent reinstate- ed session, ment l Reeveg iihch o arose solicitor a Davies ati n on Se tember 2 was never ap- should have halted thointed out that Aitchison's "I never knew e meeting and we t about this. 1 special meeting with the township sohcttor resign o p t " h 'd on September 15. At the meeting, Davies d b majors y of until t While asking questions Aitchison's resignation on di to councillor Gordon H September 2 was invalid because, accor- ding to the Ontario Municipal Act, it was not approved by a majority vote of council. The ruling negated a nomination on September 9 which appointed Kathy Todd of St. Helens to the councillor's position through the drawing of lots to break a three-way stalemate for the position. Aitchison later withdrew his resignation citing a "procedural error" as his reason for returning to the reeveship. Prior to Aitchison's final resignation, Davies had advised council that Aitchison was still the reeve as it was tendered in a closed session of council on September 2. Under the'Municipal Act, a resignation can not be accepted in a closed council session. "According to the minutes of September 2, Aitchison's resignation was tendered in a closed session. If you accept the fact that tendered in closed session, ash. reeve re ® pro' yam motionco• According (Harry) Brindley, the motion to accept Aitchison's resignation was made "all in one motion" with Cecil Cranston's appoint- ment to reeve and Aitchison's resignation passed by council. However, Davies said the appointment of Cranston was not a mo- tion to accept the resignation. "Under the Municipal Act, the resigna- tion was not valid until it is accepted. Ait- chison's resignation was simply a declara- tion of intent and does not deprive a member of office," he said. Davies said the subsequent nomination and appointment of Kathy Todd to the councillor's position on September 9 was• also void because there "simply was no vacancy". Todd, a former councillor for the township, said that the whole situation has caused her a "great deal of trial and tribulation" which she claims was caused by a "gross error" on the part of Clerk Joan Armstrong. o the Munici al) Ac , of Aitchison, `° Todd asked him to comment on specula- tion that the township "hadn't had proper re iresentation on county council" and that he would "answer roll call and leave" before the end of the meeting. Calling the allegations "just plain dirt" Aitchison said, on some occasions in the past, he would leave the county council meeting 20 minutes early in order to get home to drive his school bus. He said this was only the case if the "agenda was short". However, in the past two years, he discontinued this practice, saying: I didn't think it was the right thing to do". In the midst of the questions directed at the reeve, Councillor Rhea Hamilton - Seeger took exception to the verbal attack on Aitchison, saying the situation would not have occurred if council had followed through on their agreement to put him on council as a councillor. "The gentlemanly thing to do was to put DeGrandis c • from page 1 that makes work, it's work that con- tributes to their quality of life at the institution. As far as pampering the young offenders at the centre, DeGrandis pointed out that one of the biggest underlying reasons for the changes in the way the ministry deals with these kids is that sending them to adult institutions meant they would be in- fluenced by older, hardened criminals. In- carceration in such institutions produced very little behavioural change and in many ways taught criminal behaviour. The accusation that the centre is lux- called Jim in as a councillor and we wouldn't be having these ridiculous m9ting9. You're accusing Jim that his word's no good. When we didn't put him in as councillor, our word's no good either," she said. Deputy Reeve Bruce Raynard also ques- tioned Aitchison's tinning in declaring a procedural error which resulted in the in- valid nomination meeting. He said Ait- chison waited until after the nomination meeting and Kathy Todd's subsequent ap- pointment to cry, foul on the procedures. "Nothing was said until after she was signed in." said Raynard. According to Clerk Joan Armstrong, Ait- chison was not in agreement with the pro- cedures because a "verbal agreement", allowing him to step down as reeve but re- main on council which was struck at the September 2 meeting, was not followed. "When we left the meeting on September 2, Jim was going back on as councillor, there's no question about that. He did.,11 think you'd stab him in the back. "Jim accepted that fact (that. Kathy Todd had been appointed councillor) but he objected to some of the procedures of the last meeting. He said, 'I'm calling my solicitors and you'll be hearing`, from me," 'said Armstrong. 1� misconceptions mused in letters ifies misconce ti •t• misconce urious, DeGrandis finds hard to believe. The comment that the cafeteria is better than any in a Huron County high school; DeGrandis finds just as hard to unders- tand. While he hasn't seen the cafeterias in the local secondary .schools, he observes that the caferteria at the Bluewater Centre has a floor that is half cement and the re- maining half is a mixture of cement and concrete. The only other changes made to the cafeteria when it was transformed from a workshop in the. former facility was to paint the walls and add several potted plants to brighten the room. Concerning the criticisms levelled at the centre since the escape of three young of- fenders in July, DeGrandis asks what_com- passion and understanding the critics have shown towards the young human beings at the centre. "The very fact that we're dealing with human beings indicates we need to make sure that each of them is handled within their own reality, rather than imposing a group responsibility. Not one of the young offenders at the centre had anything to do with the escape in July," added DeGrandis. Each of these, individuals needs the op- portuny to help themselves without fac- ing sanctions brought on by people who are no longer at the centre who precipitated • ,!C zF the event. DeGrandis suggested that one way''to deal with the fear neighbouring residents have concerning the centre is to volunteer at the centre. They all have skills to offer and perhaps learning more about the cen- tre and the young offenders will help to ease the fear. "If the be all and,end all is control, we could have a penetentiary but when the young offender gets out, what then? If everything is imposed and structured, the offender does not have to make life deci- sions." he said." Generally the young of- fender has made an inadequate life deci- sion way outside the acceptable spectrum. You ask them to look at the way they have made decisions in the past and help them to learn to make more adequate decisions." "How do you decide whether it is in your best interests to go to school if you are not called, upon to make that decision?" DeGrandis would also like to see some kind of understanding for the staff at the centre. Each is working as hard as possi- ble towards the kind of institution where these types of fears will not be evident. .They need the support and appreciation of the community. DeGrandis has contacted the people who have expressed their concerns in letters to the editor and spent time trying to allay their fears. He has also invited each to • • �.1?lR.•kpY'�fVIr:4ly."•`%f' .... +;>•'�.N'JiF: f. aH fir' TURBO YOUTH SKATE SIZES 8 -13 The perfect skate for the beginner or recreational hockey player. This polyurethane molded skate offers good support, durability and comfort and that will. help your budding hockey star to gain confidence quickly. SPECIAL ry/Mfi :rP"A. 1' Fires are on but damage come to the centre to learn more about the facility and its program. If the centre's critics are concerned about their children being afraid of the centre, making statements that are not outrageous and us- ing language that deals with reality is a positive way to handle their fears, sug- gests DeGrandis. The centre has provided the opportunity for the residents to express their concerns directly to the staff which is not a normal course of events when an escape occurs at either a provincial or federal institution, said DeGrandis. The centre responded with a public meeting and prvided copies of the minutes. A telephone alert system has been established which is the only one of its kind in the province. Procedures have been altered and a night patrol at all times has been added. DeGrandis is ex- ploring possible ways for establishing a closed circuit television and alarm system. "These are legitimate responses to legitimate concerns. What I haven't done is succumb to the installation of snapping guard dogs and gun towers. " he commented. "MyE, attitude has been one of non - confrontational response to legitimate con- cerns in an attempt to create the type of in- stitution the law mandates and the type of institutioh that provides security and meets the needs of the young offender." the increase, is down • from page 1 seven fires resulting in damages of $195,001. • Colborne, West Wawanosh, and Ashfield townships all experienced increases. In Colborne, ten fires were reported in 1985 compared to seven the year before. Damages rose by close to 300 percent as the 1984 damage estimate of $84,000 ballooned to $246,360 in 1985. In Ashfield Township, the number of fires increased by one, from 13 in 1984, to 14 in 1985, but the dantage estimates skyrocketed from $,111,270 to $375,504. West Wawanosh Township witnessed a four -fold increase in damages from 1984 to - 1985. Damage estimates from the three fires in 1984 were $65,600. The five fires in 1985 caused damages totalling $250,001. THE BEAUTY LOUNGE 81 East Street, Goderich WILL BE CLOSED AS OF SEPT. 30, 1986 A very special thanks to all who made the past 23 Years so enjoyable. • MRS. RUSSO %0�•%'iti.D7f,7F:lffii%///:'. D & R 378 4 BOY'S GLOVE $2 Reg. $34.99 SALE... CROUCH -THROATon .PROTECTORS t�w'��:4�/t'�,yy�'���,,�;��.¢ , f,�`4`�n"�`f ,/v�crr���t r✓!.�f"f% r�r"' Fps;/ 33' // /�9y1/< Yyyy, l�' • ie PV 4 fs/ 99 OUTFIT CG3-GIRDLE AND CLP3-LONG PANT ra � 99 ry 10, ORNADE-DM Cough Liquid R99 1,29 250m1. U. 100 ml. 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