The Goderich Signal Star, 1976-02-26, Page 131 ,Deo '.1 0 9 5.7
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•
•
29 .YEAR 9 THURSDAY, FEgRUARtY.26.* 197
When the members• of the.
'Gude:rich Town,C'buncil
,decided to enter the ;public
foram and,•mana.g a the affairs
of the town they were forced
to make, some unavoidable
•
sacr•ificesof time and.
privacy. The politicians;:
upon election,. iin'me.drate.ly
became public servantS:,and
the : responsibilities of. that
title ,cavi' be. 'demanding
along and the. mayor is off
and runningagain. •,.
"We :have quite' a bit of
discussion on -things ''Deb is`
involved in," said Barb. "He
is ,probably looking. for '
second :opinion on things. I..
don"t know it my opinions.
affect his decision, het,' I.
doubt it • because he has'' a•
strong will and usually works
things out in his own mind." •
Being -in public life has had
its'benefits for Barb. She said
she very` enech' enjoys at-
tending social functions with
her mayor husband_.and° has
made some interesting
friendships in; the past year.
• She' said her children have
also become more aware of.
Municipal affairs since Deb's
mayorship began, but added
that . no one ever discusses
town business 'with her nor do
the• kids get• cajoled about
their father's position.
BARB SHEWFELT F�� Barb has not always agreed
Barb is in the eighth year. of •
with • things :.her husband's
her husband's ;absenteeism., council has done but puts that
an absenteeism that nearly down to the fact that "nobody
can be right all
doubled when he ran for and. , ilia time".
•
was selected to the mayor's. She said she: Can't recall any_
chair in .19.75. Her husband's un
move' .to the head • of the -
received as, a result of
council •table was a decision council's' action.° She • said.
he :made him'self" bet ::not" that if; s.he was upset enough
p about council's ,actions' to
• ..before. considerable' con
aultationwith Barb. •actively take'action she '
due criticism ' Deb has
doubted she would
."It wasn't something Deb personally
..jumpedinto," recalled Serb • petition council. 'She `ex •
-
"We di cussed the time the plained that a personal ap-
--T�rn.a or's fab woul take and-parance•::-wouirl -probalkerpi
y 1 would
her husband in a position that
what effects it would haye on•
the famil 7 . ' would force hiri-i to excuse
• y' himself from Participation.
The consultation was not p
prompting on Barb's behalf. Barb has not .resented her'
She said,she.told her husband husband's political life: She
that it was his choice, the said `• she would not encourage
•
aariie tiling she told him eight him to leave politics On her
yearsago when h fi : behalf adding that if the:_
e, that. mayor really •.did want• to
tared politics. She said that
her husband had' no specie
-qu
n• -ens fol—••ta
council but just an. activ
. interest in the affairs of th
town. •
•The time the mayor spend
away from home o
Municipal. business ha
become an accepted, thing i
Barb. She ;aid Deb average
four nights a week.on tow
business adding that his time
on council • prepared her for
' `his • busy .schedule. • Tw.o
hockey playing sons and an
active daughter, nieinber.ship
in' '.the Kinette club and 'a •
howling' league and hobbies'`
such as, knitting and sewing
keep her as busy. as her
husband:
Being the wife of the mayor
automatically ii-iakes.Barb.a
secretary. She said a lot of
people . call the .mayor at
home and although.she. tries
to avoid municipal affairs she
willatry to learn the nature of
the call to see if she can direct
. it to the.•proper committee
, chairman or councillor
She said that quite t
number' of the' taxpayer's
calls .are from. people,'with
I retire from politics she. would
n not heir to change his nrind.
e It was his decision to get
e into politics and it will be his
s .i
n
s.
o'.
n•
suggestions the mayor may
want to consider ie making a
council decision. She added
that ;if the person wants to
talk to the mayor personally,
she phones his office or •the
Mown • hall leaving _the
message, knowing that
sooner or later the mayor will
catchup With it.
The time needed to handle_
all the duties of the mayor
force Deb.to'sacrifice his
business time. Barb ex-
plained that Deb is notable to
devote the time he should ea
his• business. She said .that
the mayor's job is not yet 'a
full time j9b and if someone
Wanted to be mayor and was
supporting .a family, they
would need to be working
somewhere else.
She said she did not know
what the mayor's job paid but
pointed out that whatever
income it brings home has not
made a•big difference in the
househol'dfinancing. •
Barb' has occasionally
served .as a sounding board
forthe mayor arid is often the
--eerily person he confides in
about• his frustrations. over
municipal life. She said at
times he thinks he would be
better off without politicseend
talks with her about getting
out•of public life, . She added,
however, that just `When
things . seem to he worst,
something Interesting comes
•
despite the fact that •in •.
political cirelee; Goderf ch is a'
mall to?Wn:.
'Election to council`i� more
than •just three rneel.ings a
• month; " • It , is corn mitre
m.eetin ,n
.. gs, phone calls from
co'n:c c r ne d o.r---iii -e r° es t
u ed
taxpayers, beekgraurid work
required te-. get.: acquainted
and 1 rances enjoys the
. politics`, she has become ac
customed to. She said her
interests in murii.Cipal •affairs '$
in Goderich have •• been
sharpened from• con:su•ltatior•r
she has had with the reeye ati.
• actions of Counell. She said .
the discussions usually centre
around. something Stan is
concerned . about .whenhe is
seeking Frances` opinion on
,the subject. •
"If he is stumped or'
, frustrated at council he never
takes out a bad mood on me
but looks for my -opinion on:
the matter,"'she explained.
The husband -wife talks are
usually sparked by Stan's
strong conv,ictioi'' and his
belief in the necessity ..to
carry out what he feels is
PAT CLIFFORD
right. The belief in doing what
is thought' • , right has' f'ci* r la-f:'0''d has been the•
•
sometimes gotten the Reeve wit" tr .politician since
emotionally .: involved ; in J,ert ,.. of 1973 when her
council Matters and his liar }111`i''°trt'1;' itep>aty-reeve.; Bill
d ` C;tiFe id t.)1 111 his first term
fine ° approach : is . what '
'Trances occasionallyi tries to' lifestyle 4°t'r'�i'• • The couple's
corivincb him to aveld. •1 fc yl4' a n 'changed much'
"`If. he believes, .what .h•e • since. Bill was elected ,to
doing is `right he does it;" said ccte'r'' i1 h.rcztuse 'of the long
Frances. "But;I•think in a few ° hoiri s of work' they shared
areas I've convinced. him to' hr :v,• to his ;eptoring Politics
calm:. -d n_and .take a softer k;•itc'i;'tl•,c•y were owners. cif a _';
approach•to problems.' . t•c;,ta„ "''1'' business, ' .
The reeve.h'as on occasion “We'i; lu1en artners 24•
been frustrated at the council_. hours t ,y +n business and in
table and although •the • ,;'`'r •
net since We've
ten' married,' : said .Pat.
frustrat'ioir nearer•. -led to c
�'' e dtc'n't get many -
thaughts' ca.f giri-I:tr-g _
;,,n i o ourselves •when'
municipal polities it : has g
caused Stan to• lose . al,l' �` `4`'1 kc'•' the restaurant and
5 its .n.:;t much different now
-headway m finding a soletion dee lull's busy,with council
to a matter. Fiances recalls tot e,, .;
one •problem•.. ;hat • had h:r,,r . ,
husband .sturri pv'd. for set;lie ''t has no complaints '
time. She recaps Stan, taking;'out the ' time Bill.has •to'
Contin ,.' .eteer'te to• the town's affairs.
( eel o age.9'A) •
says: -she watches•
:FRANCES PROFIT
Frances Profit :has been
saying goodbye" to husband"
Reeve Stan Profit -.for six
years of council nights.
During that time, her attitude'
has changed from the ' Ap-
prehension she felt 'when 'Stan
'
announced he was seeking a
council chair' a half decade
ago. ., •
'`Stan was always in-
terested in politics and
v followed it closely even when
we lived in Scotland," said
the reeve's wife. ."He has
always• formed his • own
opinion on matters of
government whether he was
directly involved or not,"'
The appxehenion• Frances;
felt when, Stan first ran for
'council was due to -what she
calls shyness. She does not
like: public attention and was
uncertain. of the effects an
election "win for Stan would
have on her. She said she was
concerned that the wife of a
':counCal° -member • weeld, ;rat
tract • .the: • public ' eye,
something she added that .he't-
husband- .is not bothered by
and usually enjoys. .
Five ears; down the road
•
• Y
CATHERINE ALLEN
Catherine Allen is another
• newcomer tp mu•nicipal af-
fairs as" her husband .Bob is
just heading into his second
year as councillor .'fore the
Mown • of Goderich.; Politics,
• however, has not; made an
appreciable difference• in life
at the Allen house except' it
° does make ita bit more hectic
With more • dates'. to add to
Bob's 'already crowded
ca lender. •
"I m used to it," said
• • Catherine of Bob's busy Sche-
dule. "For a lot'of Years�Bob
was involved with the country
club and lfis union business,:
so this is nothing new."
"Sometimes it gets bectic,
though, : remembering all
those dates," she said. -..•
According to •...Catherine,
Bole.feit-he had something to•
contribute • to town council
andwanted a chance o make
the contribution. to
has
always had an interest in
municipal affairs and when
' he voiced his intentions to
seek a council ,chair in the
1974 election she encouraged
hire to go ahead. '
The decision td run"foe-
council and Bob's subsequent
-election, has'not had -any ..
adverse effects on the Allen's
lifestyle. Catherine said Bob
-was aware of the work he
faced when he voted to get
into municipal life and. has
responded • to the timeand
effort needed.
Sh.e.,said her husband has
been called on to Make some
time sacrifices for town
council but not to the paint
wlreri•ait tias•atiected his job.
She :said she is not par-
e -lege
ticularly 'bothered by her
,husband's busy schedule,
claiming her gardening and
reading combined with
raising • seven. children has
kept her busy'as. well.
Catherine, on occasion;
plays the role of Bob's:unpaid
secretary. She •says ' her
husband has a filing cabinet
in the• house that. is full of
papers and reports he
receives..,from the town, his,
own employer or from other.
agencies. Occasionally the,
two of them sit'down'ang sort
through the piles of paper-
work -to file them ,away ac-
cordingly.,
The time. spent on town
work is often augmented by decided to et into municipal
•
te'itli ration knowledge..
needed �•C',� .n tke : decisi.ons` 't
•
effecting the town' and the •':
fiustuotio s. caused by, the ..required to be•
a good
unman tendency to, .• try, .to. municipal• politician. is
,tF
•
COND SE1#
please all the people , all, the" seldom `considered ' b ': ax
ime, ' t• Y t:
payers . criticizing 'council's
The: time , arid, ' e,ffort
action in 'a particular matter
•
but the affects that time and'•
SUE.GOWER.
, After seven. 'years of
political life, Sue Gower is
still happy her husband
'Councillor Dawe Gower
g
discussions, of Municipal politics and claims that if
they had it to do over sh
wouldn't want it• any othe
way.. .. --- —
` If; it.' wasn't politics i
would be something _else,"
;said Sue.•
"Dave is active and I'r
content to sit at•home an
read," she . says of- thei
different lifestyles. '
A , general interest in tow
business )and public life en
politics. Catherine'said Bob
sometimes talks about things
going; on at the town hall and
occasionally gets angry with
the way'some of the town•
business is handled.
She said he has 'never
seemed depressed_with
municipal life and usually
blows off steam when talking.
over town business with her.
"I don't think I. have any
real influence • in' Bob's
decisions and attitudes to•
-town "business," .said..
Catherine. "He's a _very
strong minded person."`' , ..
, • Catherine says she would..:
not try to influence her
husband if he expressed a
desire to get out.of polities.;
She'said she encouraged him
to do what he wanted . to';do'
when he thought about •get-
ting into council�and would 1,et
him make up his own' mind
• about getting out.
Running the affairs of the
town is a rough job, according
to Catherine. She feels that a
lot of people really aren't
aware of the time and. effort
councillors put into their
public jobs: She went on to
say that the -pay the Coun-
cillors" 'receive for their
elected jobs is not out of line,
explaining that compared to
the time they put into doing •:
. the • job right they are not
overpaid. • '•
Catherine is not sure ofd
Bob's future -in town politics. S
She said he • hasn't me~ntibned s
yet what he intends to do in f
'the next election butigays:that l
ultimately the decision is up
to him: He has to do the work,
•
•
•
h•u:;band may undergo on his
way home •from • council
meetings does not exclude
Sue.from discussing what the
town is involved ineShe says
that if she ,is up when Dave
. 'comes.i,n;`slie will usually ask
him.if anything interesting is
going.on. .
. "He, •doesn't volunteer any
information. i. ask for 'it,"
said Sue. .• •
The discussion of town
business, prompted hy'Sue has'.'
led tee- some heated con-
:'ve•rsatien• hut never; she,
quickly points out, to • an •
argument. .
She said she has disagreed
With . her husband. on some
'matters' the- town is in the
midst of. • She voices her
opinion and • he listens.She
sometimes tells him to talk
the matter out thoroughly and
it may temper his decision. • ..
She adds, however, that she
. doesn't think the talks ever
c .
e •tells me what' he is- done
-te!e%ision and has learned to: -
play the . guitar in her
eeeningshome alone,
• I'm no-good with the guitar.
That's. why I play when no
one's around•,'.' she said.
Bill entered the political
scene because of an interest
he has al°i<vays• had in .town
' affairs. She said he, does not ,
seem to be bothered by•the•e
time he ki.as to; devote to
council•,' whf 'h has averaged
two meetings. a Week over the
year and once meant: a dozen
meetings in nine days,
The time that Bill giv.es to---�
the 'town does not bother Pat • '
but what fides frustrate.her is
the leek. of., appreciation the
council members seem to get.
She referred'to the job as a
"thankless one", adding:that
the pay does not really merit
the:service.
"When youconsider all the
hours that' counciltakes
compared to the pay; the
members are below Vie
minimum wage," she said.
Pat said she felt that the
majorityof, taxpayers don'
„e�`�_�t� �e u,FAC•
effort have .on the 'council . •.
member's' family: life axe'.°
probably ti:.never \considered :.
When taxpayers' assess': the
job,their council is doing •
•
• PENNY -PETERS •
• Penny Peters •is .stil
:litlatively new to the political
affairs `of ' Goderich. • . Her
husband,• Councillor Jim
!Peters. is entering 'the second
year at • the council table
• despite the. fact that his wife
feels he was crazy to seek a
councirniembership in 1974:
• • She said she. felt a;general
t •interest•Jirn had in municipal
realize the .work involved in .; •of fairs induced him'to run,for
council: -She -said-that some:: ncilShdd
people think the job is -just orie time of: h•ise,ananoeudncement'tlrat atth`e to
meeting a week, adding.that'•.run in the election she felt lee
she wouldn't eke, the;, job didn't have the time...eweded
herself.- • . for. the job and was crazy to
•• "T•hat's•. the type. 'o.f.. , take it on.
_chafle • ill�:;.:tikes;''_._she s always been bu
•
age E ,,,
•shrugged:l she. reflected. He plays in
The time. not only eats,into thea town :band, is involved
Balls after work: hours, but' • with a'.service' club and has
according :to Pat; consumes always '• 'been edoing
esome of his business. hours. ' something:
• She:said Bill has put the teem... The • :time. Penny felt •her
business ahead of •his own on',husband :didn't • have . has
occasion, and has even left .amounted to an avernagse ie
customers to take 'care of: a• •three nights,a week' She said
council: matter. the' •extra re-pc>nsibility ha
She said that Bill's business' : not hang. d the 'family lif
is still -young and requires • adding ,that curlin.g,.:_.,an
more tinie than he can give it. bridge keep her•basy and tha
adding . that she thinks the she has recently taken up th
absenteeism is- wrong 'piano• : , • '
because the business is their ,•'She said thatherhusband is
"`bread andbutter". •happv'with his council duties
'De,spite the apparent..
• shortcortiings, Pat said she
•would never tell her. husband
to quit politics. She saidthere
have , been times. when Bill
has been e.motionally'drained
'by cguncil business • but she
felt he would never quit. She
said she wou•Id •never try 'to.
talk him but of. quitting irshe
honestly • felt •he 'wanted to
'continue, adding he • can
"standup for himself."
-The deputy -reeve discusses
a lot of council affairs with hie.
wife, but she does •not con-
sider 'herself..in ',the know'
.about town business. She said
she never discusses council
doings with other. people since
she' does not feel she knows
what•she.is talking about. She
added.that a lot of.people call `.
Bill or stop him- en -the -street- - BETHHAYDON
to• discuss politics' of• some • Beth Hayden is . the only
sort, claiming•that Bill knows political husband •in'Goderich•
more people, in Goderich than and fo,i five ..years he' has
she does. , watched his wife Councillor
And I rn, the native here, Haydenncrim -et herself
she said: • to, the affairs of the town' of
Council decisions • do. 'not Goderich. With ne profession
upset Pat' directly but ..she and a strong desire to apply,
does concede that some of. the her talents to, a worthwhile
decisions have'been "dumb", cause, Elsa is a prime, can
She puts that down to the fact didate for small town politics
that not everyone is perfect according to Beth.:
and although she has no "She-.doesn't'.like to be idle
complaints ` about ,town:' and:cvith the opportunity to do
business, she can- see where a worthwhile ,Ioh.she has to
she would be if she lived in'a use her head. Elsa 'is deeply
differentnei.gh.borhood. in'volve.d with council
She said that taxes 'in business," -said Beth, `'With .
Goderich are fairly high •aed no -o.ccupa-t.ion to fall ba`
that •there: seems to be •a" she'd be lost without •counci"t
considerable gepinsome tax wot�k.
hills according to neigh-: Elsa spent her first term on.
horhoods• council as. an. •appointed,
"I'hc faxes aren't ' bad councillor rather than
considering what you get for elected. tong attracted to the
your money," she said. "But town's public affairs she
I'd ciamplain if I lived in one •,.ipplied for e council chair
of those new subdivisions after one member of the then
where you can't evert drive acclaimed council ,,resigned
down the street." • • the lost:Siete-was accepted for
The husband and wife the chore and from then- on,,
'liscussions' abaft toi1 af-"bas centered a great deal of
fairs do" net lead to direct her attention on the. business
advice from Pat who said her. of Goderich°
husband has 'a mind of his The appointment to..the.,
iwn and is responsible for the-ciltmcil chair did not change
ob, She added that in 'her the Ilaydons' lifestyle vastly,
estimation; Bill has done ,according to Beth. He said •
eine ;dumb things at council prior to •being appointed .to.
but added that "he's the one council, El:sa1was °attending
hat hies to suffer the con- eublic mce`tin'gvs out...nf per-
cq..uences". k • somal interest, He pointed out
Bills future• in ,politics is however, that oich year his
indertain. Pat feels he would wife spends on , council
ike to move up the ,council generally, means more effort
ipdder but not right as;ay' . is requisaed of . her. to handle '
and that she is new not sorry
he got into polities last year.
The Peters' time together is
,opt centred: about municipal ',•
politics but according. to
Penny, e her .....husband:
••sometimes - brings town
business home with .him. She
said her husban.d'- gets • ,.
depressed occasionally with
the town. affairs and rather .
than complain to `his wife, he ..
uses her as a type of sounding •
board. • ..
"I stay away from, direct -
involvement .with' town af-
fairs" said Penny, • "One in
the family is enough,"
Jire's periods. • •of '
frustrations have led to`
Consideration by him to.leave
the council scene and' -return
l . to his private life. •The threats"•
to quit ,are not opposed by, thee.
councillor's wife who usually.
-.says' "go 'ahead if you ,want
Penny said she would never .
try to talk her husband out of
quitting. politics i:f he wanted
to continue.
D.espite•.Penny's apparent :;•
lack of erit.husiasm - for• .
municipal _politics she says.:
she admires-Jimefor his..ef-
for:ts: She says the: ` job has
caused him. to make some `•
sacrifices in his business and'•-
personal time'that.qujt.e abit'
of his,work fort -he -town goes.
' r `ftflout- t Tanks ;.fro -m -t;e
- payers. • •
She says she doesn't know'
what the job. pays Jim but
points out that• it ;is personally.
rewarding to him and terthat ,
she admires him... ' •
Penny feels she is not' cut , .
f . out .far' political lil`e 'and. th.its
would never: tail ern• the lob of •
s. town.councillor-. She says she'
e ° doesri t:know whit Iles lit liar
husband's political. future
t since, her predictions in the
e ..last election..were wrong. `
hinge his mind. •-.1-1 • wally•
r
rather, than what he is going
to do." she smiled. •
The seven years of public
life have not been without
n criticism from taxpayers, •
Cording to Sue, She said
r • most of the criticism has, been .
legitiinate pointing out that
you can't make a decision for
n.. f.000 .people and satisfy
r ••ever'yone.
d ' The criticism. Dave has had
s • in the. past, however, ha§ not .
all been so easily rationalized',
e• by his wife: She said that on
i,tcasian he has been a'ceused •
courage' D.in ' to .run fo
Council seven years ago, an
encouragement shared by hi
wife Sue, .at that time. Th.
councillor's wife said sh
encouraged • Dave to seek
council: chair since at tha
time she was working, ful
time and was busy and th
extra time he needed to do th
'public .chore would not affect
their lives.a great deal.,
Since that time Sue has lef
bei teaching•,jab and r'aised"t
family and council business
has become a lot• more time
consuming. .
'Since I left teaching I have
probably done a. lot more than
I would have if Dave. had not
been Si) busy, said Sue.
garden 11 lot and purse -cattier
hobbies and belong to• some
organizations in town.. that
give nie some time out."
Sue describes her husband
as one _cif those very lucky
people who can, leave his
work at'the office -and not let
`1f'fect their' private lives.
he. says her husband nes-c'r
hoe ,s• signs of depression or
rus.tration wi th tttw'n
)psiness and if -he is subject to
those moods it never affects
hisfarnily life.
'1"h'e change in rmiods her
irf doing things at. council fi• •
at personal reasons ,or personal
gairs; and that riles both the
.Lewers. • •
e Sue said her husband has.
. the ability to'look at most •
t things. objectively and she
)., explains 'he would never put
himself hi the • position to
benefit personally lion")
council business.
I don't accept criticism as
Well as Dave," said Sue: "If it ..•-
i� fair it doesn't, seem to
bother 'him -but to me it's like
a personal wound. 1-Ie's a
realist and I'm a romantic."
The time taken tohandle all
the duties •oF co.tincil is
hecom ing • greater en.e1
greater. Every year Dave is E
noire involved; 'according to
Sue. She claims that now it is
taking tin.eayerage of four .• s
nights a- week and I>ave's._
social incl: personal. life V s...t
being sacrificed. • s
• "I wealth -11e think he'd run.
' again but I didn't think he'd.
runt the first'time,"she said•»` •
Su4"•said her husband used
In howl rinclir elt.rl regularly• t
- ,incl can't now. She said he a 1
(rontin'ied on page 9A) •
•
the.responsibilities:
"The time goes in fits and
Starts,' _ he said. "It panned,'.
.out so::that the longer she was' •
in council the -more work. she
had to do.' .. -
The affairs •of council. take
up: °about four nights . of the
week. for Elsa. Beth said she'
is not always:out at meetings •
those four nights but phone ..
calls . from taxpayers,
homework required to make
herself aware Ottown affairs •
or spending. time • getting
thoughts of council interest.
,dowh on paper takes up.gie to
a few evenings when no
meet rigs are st heduled• - T• he time .and effort Elsa.
puts into council.' work
generally does.not . directly
involve her: - husbarift `but
occasionally he has had some •
fnput into his.wife's'activities.,
.. Beth explained that' although '
he leas very little influence on•
.Elsa's opinions' she •does poll
him in conversation to seek
•out his thoughts on a council
matter.. He. added that at
• times she is not. after a second
opinion but dierely:•wants a .
;shoulder to cry on.
• The• • moral supporta gets
Elsa through periods; ol"
frustration' over 'council ., •
•.business. Beth .eaid•h.e,felthis
,'wife had nevt"r suffered from
undue. Criti•cisin tt roc
casionally,_: she. gets. fed up
�' with the headaches of being a
councillor. He added that she
•
never really thought of giving
up politics. saying. it would
take something drastic to
cause her to leave the public
life..
"The impression) got from
past situations ',,is problems
that have arisen from a male- '
female conflict in council,"
said Beth. '
Elsa is able totake heart in
thefeeling that'she has done
her best at the job,' according
to Beth. ,He said the personal
satisfaction of having• done
the best .she could has more
titan compensated for the 'oad
times endured atcouncjl, •
Tf•e ex'piarned . that her
devotion to duty has. been ' '
measured by him" from the•
number of calls she receives**
`from taxpayers with
questions who feel that she is
'the best council hrerrrher• to
(continued on page 9A) • -