The Goderich Signal Star, 1976-05-06, Page 111
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Members of Huron County
Council are considering,• the,
possibility_ of reducing its
members frorn 45 to 29, but it,
isn't likely they will come to a
decision .until ; June.' at '.the
earliest. A report of'the local
government studYcommittee
'Was tabled .until the May
session -.but council probably
won't be ready to vote on the
matter until . the ,following
meeting at the end of June.
Itwa as
agreed at the April
session, Thtirsday, April 29,
to ,send a letter to all
municipal councils in Huron
asking for opinions con
ce>sning. the., feasibility ` of
adopting Section 27 (a) of. The
Municipal Act which•provid.es
for . a reevefor up. to' 2,000 -
electors ; a reeve and • .a
depu, ty=reeve over 2,500
electors; the reeve with a
second vote . over 5,000
electors.; and the reeve and
the deputy reeve with a
second Vote over :7,500
electors.
'What's more, Jith Mair of
Morris Township, -hopes that
there Will. be time for the
Huron County people to ex -
•
press their opinioq. ,� on the
matter-weith. •rb .de'le' at.i n
. e Y• g o s
to cauneils or by speaking
directly to elected officials. in
their municipalities.
the report of the com-
mittee ,chaired by > Warden
Jack NieCuteheon, it . was
noted that. in 1975,the
population' in Huron *as
5,.671. Based on that figure,
council 'has at they present
time a member of council: for
each 1,437 people: If Section
27 (a) was adopted, there•
would be onemember of
council for each 1;885 people.'
Presently, there . are 56
votes in ebuncil, an average
of., one , •vot :w, for each . 976
people;""' 2.15 votes per'
Municipality, or. 1.24 votes
per member. Under the
system proposed, there would
be 30 votes in council, an'
average of one vote for •each
1,822 people, or 1.15 votes per
municipality, or 1.03 votes
per member:
"IV any believe in the
principle of oneperson, one
vote;" Warden McCutcheon
'said in his report. "Under our
present representation there.
Seymour:Student.
created -by• student
"Seymour Student"„ the cartoon strip starting in
this issue on the editorial 'page was drawn by John
•Latham, 16,-a. grade 12.'student:at South Huron High
School.
John has beencartooning since he ,was eight years
oid• i3is cartoons have.^appeared in ,varinns._jilaces in
the Exeter area since he moved from.London about six
months ago. • -
John gay's cartooning comes fairly easy to him. He.
can turn out a strip in as little as.10'minutes, although
a problem can .cost him many copies and iiours of
: "amid-wdl i `Crus cr a e
_ .._ _ .. ,, p--�th rd's
Barnes, the coordinator of the Manpower. Centre for
Students. in Goderich. Jim says he was looking for a_
• cartoonist and 'the head'of Guidance•at'South,l-luron
High School suggested John. 4
Mr. Barnes says he was immediately impressed
with the quality of John's work, and hopes this strip
will draw attention to thevery real need students have
.for summer work.
Council •�"stuii ped"
ers
1 shot for stul
are 11 members with two
votes each. At the .present
time if Section 27(a)' were
adopted, there would be
on
l
y
one Member coun i1 with
'
two votes." „
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The most interesting g as ect
P..
of the_p ,P. . ro osal as. far .as .the
majority of Council members
was. concerned, was the
suggestion' that between'
;$2.5,00Q and, $30,000 could be
saved, . .in' one year if the
nurnbe`of representatives'on
council was decreased.
The report noted that based
on the 'present rates being.
paid to council for a full day"
' session, the present cost• is
$2,402.18.. per session. Or an
average of $5.3.38 per member
per session. '•
Using this average cost per
member, for 29 members the.
cost • per session`:wou4d be
$1,548.02 - or a saving of
$854.16 .per session. For ten
regular sessions per year,"
that would be: about $8,500.
,saved ifper diem rates etc. `'
remained as they are at
present, •
For . comniittee' meeting
the cost is .. $3,0..01.70 fore the
Mine standi'n'g committees :to.,
meet once each trienth. Thai's
an average of. $333.52 per
committee. -
It hasbeen proposed sed that.
p
instead of nine, committees,.
six committees would be"""
sufficient under ' the new'
system:.:if adopted. For
discussion purposes, it was
suggested that . health and
Social . services be
amalgamated.. into• , one
committee, librarye and ,
property into one committee,`
and planning and develop-
inent into one committee:
At an, average • cost of
$333.52 per , copimittee, - the • :
total cost for six committees
to meet once monthly would
be $2,001.12.-,a:saving'of $1,000
A
A.
4
r?.
car':month. Another3-$10000
ould be saved ever a 10-
month period - if . costs
remained the same and if
committees .met only once
Monthl•y. •
m y '
it' is expected ..that another
. could be saved ed in meals
and cents/ea/Ion expenses for
the. smaller council.
In total; that's $23,500 In
actual savings per annum - a'
bare mimurri. •
, "Concern has been 'ex-
pressed .*that with .fewer
cornm'itteegs . • the •workload"
may become such that nitre
meetings would he necessar.
Y
or alternately more authprity
and responsibility turned
to non-el.e'cted staff,'•
aver
•
COLfl)ciI will
Warden McCutcheon said $n
the report..
• Reeve Jack Tinney of Hay
Township, a member of the
local •governnient' •study.
comin•lttee said he thought it
was . significant that the
report' rioted: that ,a „heavier
workload . might prevent
Members . from becoming
directly . involved 'with • the
administration of the Xarf ous`
departments as .at 'present,;''
and that more meetings could:'
mean thatcertain members
might'-, not' be. • interested.
running for, elected`:office rol '
because of being ;unable to
take time off work, could hot
attend ,meetings .
He added•that as ,the study
(continued: on.page 16 '
•scussproposal • next meeting
Goderich Town•Council agreed to table. until Mon-
day's meeting a discussion concerning Huron County
Council's suggestion to move toward fewer'mernbers
at the county level.- -
In urging. his fellow couriciliors to'YF'read•backwards ',
and forwards, upwards- and downards"' the report
from county council sent to Goderich council by
county Administrator Bill Hanly, Reeve Stan' Profit
said he is in favor•. of a "less cumbersome, less ex
pensive" county system,
"There is a need for some sort of restructuring," -• .
Reeve Profit said. "The deputy -reeve and I want. •to
take this rnnnrir'c'nnint of yi4,444' +r .thp rnunty." -
ro
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• Councillor Elsa' Haydon. asked :if ,county council t
could make the decision about reducing members, or,
ifthe matter -hid to be taken to the -electorate on the
nextballot.
She was told by the`countyrepresentatives that Mr":
Hanly` w•as..of the opinion it wasup to the coutity'.
councillors to maketh-e decision since theeprovision
was in The Municipal Act. '
"If we don't make the decision,joronto will do it for
.k41. us," said Reeve Profit,
The giestion is expected to be thoroughly discussed
again by county council at its May:session.
`'"4,',Ja, .2 p4:5 r Nm7< •(.
�?oi �%5.'�.£�?h~�k�1%i�� 2a'Tr'.'��r.,��;'�•�da��a'�•��f,�'^���nT7,* YS�;� .'<`,<
Goderich Stennis promoters•
proposing the formation of a -
-lti:b based -'at -the-Hartland
Country Club'served up their
ideas . to a Maitland
shareholders :.• meeting
recently and won the seal of
approval 'tram the -members
to, goahead with their plans.
' • A'. nine member. caucus• •led.
by-eha-ir.-rnan Dr--Torn-Jasper
faced what -could have been a
proxy fight at the
shareholders' meeting laying
out their •Courts, wind plans
for a $30,000 project including
Goderich Town Councifwas
"stumped' Monday evening
after vetoing a proposal by
Councillor Elsa Haydon to
stop charging Goderich
residents for tree stump •
removal.on,town property.
Mayor Deb Shewfeltsaid he
would hear ;alternate motions,
from councilconcerning how
' ' to handle the stump problem,
but there were none - Coun-
cillors .apparently seemed
content to- continue -charging
the $6 sump removal fee
under a- resolution which
according to the town
Administrator Harold Walls,
and the town solicitor Dan
Murphy is illegal. '
"There simply, is no legality
for charging • . the town's
citizens for stump removal on
the town's boulevards," said
Councillor Haydon. "The
administrator has checked
•
it."
Mr. Walls explained that a
•
•
resolution --_o counCilLis :only
legal and binding if it passed
under some authority „set
down in the ,provincial
statutes. As far as he and the
town solicitor can ascertain,
there^just is no such authority
to levy' :a' charge against
residents for stump removal
on the boulevards. •
1110
themselves,'' said Mrs.
Haydon, •
Councillor Dave Gower:
quipped, "If we • do it
systematically '-and• charge
the $6, it will be cheaper
•st�i11:"•
"Yes," admitted Mrs.
Haydon, "but there is. no
legality to collect the' $6."
Councillor Gower explained
Councillor Haydon argued that the $6 levy was designed
for the convenience ' of
residents who want 'stumps.
removed from the area. ad-
jacent
d
.jacent:to their homes., and are
not willing to wait until the
town gets around to their
street. •
Councillor Haydon
suggested a compromise. She
said the stumps should be
removed, systematically and
the . bill • p.aid, by the
municipality, • with the
provision that if • someone'
wanted a stump removed and
was willing to pay a portion of
that stump removal should be
done at the town's expense on
a system .otic basis. Sh'e
reported • that'when the,
machine to' remove stumps
was brought • into town to
remove stumps all located on
Victoria Street, the cost was
$198 for 61 stumps or $3.24 per
-stump When stump removal
is carried . out on .a random
' basis, moving from street to
street, the last billing was for
34
it
stumps at $368 or $11 per
`T P
hey for '
figures speak
Prettiest Towns in Canada
.••
• prettier with Legfion_tu�ip�,,
,..The "Prettiest Town in Canada" is
emblai✓ened with some 14,000 new tulips
this spring. '
Branch 109' of the ltgyal Canadian
Legion • undertook to promote the
Massive plantings as part of the
celebration of the Canadian - Legion
'Golden Anniversary'' .• Orders were
taken a year ago at this time., and bulbs
were delivered in time for 'last fall's
planting. ' ' • :
While the larger majority of the
golden -yellow tulips are planted in
private gardens,, there are about .4,000
bulbs in public gardens throughout the
Town. The plants have added 4a colorful
touch .to a number of t e corner
patkettes surrounding the S�juare, the
Cen to h and a special planting
Ty area,
was undertaken at the soldier's plot at
Maitland Cemetery. '
Each plot, including private plantings,
is marked with' a small golden stake,;
attesting to the:50 year history of the
Royal Canadian . Legion. The tulip
festival is.one- part •of the year long
celebration which lasts throughout 1976.
The Canadian Legion, as well as at-
tending to the needs of veterans, is ac-
tively involved in community service
Work for citizens,of all ages.
The Branch. 109 tulip project was the
first venture' undertaken by. the
organization '.• in community
beautification and rbflects the'Legion
commitment to serving the Town of
Goderich and its citizens. •
Branch 309 • wishes to extend its
gratitude to the many citizens and'the
Town of Goderich for its enthusiastic
suppojt in ,bringing this project to
reality," -
9,
the 'cost,:the mach.ine could be•
taken to that location and the
stump removed ahead of
schedule:
The parks chairman went
• on to explain that 'as. the
system .presently works, only
those who could afford the $6
were able to. have stumps
removed' • from the town's
boulevards adjacent to their
homes..
The administrator reported
that in. some.cases, the $6
(continued on page 16
two specially surfaced do tble
tennis courts, _wind screens,;
fencing and special lighting.' '.
"We had a very good tur-
rputof shareholders'and they
Were fairly •unanimous in'
their decision to .back the
tennis courts•;".. said .Dr,
Jasper:
The shareholders turned
out 75 strong arid 'backed the
new , courts by' a margin of
about 50 to nine. -Many ab-
stained from voting.:
dining, lockers, changeroo,ms.,
and sauna.
The promoters of the tennis.
club didn't go into the
meeting cold but gathered
support for the'neW ceurts, in
the form of pledges •from
people. interested: in -' joining:
the club. The pledges made
publi;cby Word of mouth only,
were signed by . '95 senior
members and • about 40
juniors.• Mr. Jasper. feels that
the singles indicate. that the.
Club' could have at least 150
members this year and that
number' will grow as ,the club
develops:
No definite _figures have.
been placed on the cost of
membership in the club but
the pledges suggested costs of
$75 for -seniors, $25 for juniors.
and $1.25 The
double 'memo-
bership. .The' cost include.
complete use of the Maitland
clubhouse facilities, • par,
ender good one;
•
opening Wa:.SpOOr
The tender for a 'storm
sewer on Raglan Street South
and Keays. Street was ap-
proved without question by
Goderich Town Council,- but
the method of opening the
tenders was hotly debated by
several Members -Of council
Monday evening.
. The 13 tenders_ for" the
project were opened Monday
afternoon at a Works and
Engineering, Committee
meeting at which Burns Ross,
the town's engineer,. was
present: The committee
recommendation to accept
the tender of Ron Sutherland,
Melbourne, for $39,895.12 was
approved by council:
"When did we start opening
tenders in committee?"
asked Councillor Leroy
Harrison,.
"If the tenders were :called
by the Town of Goderich, they
should come right to this
table," said Councillor Jim
Peters. _.
'Committee chairrnah Dave '
Gower' said thetime for
tendering Closed.,.• early
Monday. He .'said the conn,
mittee was ,heating Monday
afternoon and M'r. Hots was
present. The committee felt it
Construction wk's expected
..to get underway this -week on
the new courts' and a tentative
completion date of. May 24 has
been set. The club: feels that
Weather,- "conditions, needed
far some of the work _m ay
make •a June 1 completion
.:date: a little more realistic,. ,
however.
Suggestions for the future
of the tennis club include • a
Possible linking of mem-
bership cost-Ao .cover golf
•
membership.'Club •members
• feet that nxany p__eopl:e may..
take o -f: a
single
a advantage'.•
rate to cover both spores'and
possibly. -tennis club mem-
bers, if: they are not golf
enthusiasts, could have
shares in the Maitland made
available to-therri.'
Propose deeming bylaw
The ,Goderich' Planning
Board will recommend to
,town council that a deeming
-bylaw• be: passed on the
property -on Bennett . Street.
bounded by Mary and Maple
Streets. The bylaw, if passed
by council, will•sguash a plan
of subdivision on the prpperty
that was, designed arid -op-
,.
proved. in 1906..
The property, zoned
developmental in the, town's
official plan, -is broken up.into
small parcels with several
owners holding rights. The
would be within its
jurisdiction •to open the
tenders, have Mr: Ross check
them over and make a
recommendation tocouncil
which was Meeting later in
the. evening,. : •
"If that's wrong then
somebody had' better set me
Straight," said • Councillor
Gower..
Councillor Harrison ,said
that in all the time he'd been •
on council, tenders have been
opened at a council meeting.
"If that has been changed,
then I thirik every councillor
at this table would like to.
knew it," said Councillor
Harrison. •
"And every committee
shouldbe treated equally,"
commented Councillor Elsa
Haydon. •
The mayor said council, the
committee or :the engineer
may open tenders,
'It is couneit who Accepts
them," said Mayor Shewfelt. •
The. Sutherland tender was
lower than ` time engineer's
estimate of $42,006 - and about
$30,000 lower than the highest
bid of $69,'0910,
"It's . a good pride," said.
Councillor Gower.
plan of subdivision contains
about 30 lots and has • two
streets bisecting it. •
Planning ,,,board chairman
.:Dave Gower said the move to
kill the plan of subdivision'
protects, the. iisterest of the
town in: a'double fashion. He
said under the present: plan
the lots on the .large: parcel
can be :sold .by the ov eers in -a=
piecemeal fashion and the
new owners can demand
servicing for the properties,
at great costs to the town.
If the one owner demanded
servicing,the town would be
forced to•cornply but the work
needed_ to service one lot
would be costly to 'the town
since.only:one.propertyowner
�be
would bdirectly served but
the remainder of the property
would increase in value With
al] the : expense going 'to the
town.
Under norrfiral subdivision
•agreements the services are
put in at the -cost of the
developer with the outlet for
the sewers- paid by the town.
(continued - on page 16
joinedp l
Councillors Elsa Haydon and ]bave`Gawer forces iiY a tree yai�ti>ng ceren,'loli�r:
outside the courthouse last Thursday. The pia.nting was 'done in eoniliniietion"With Arbil '••
Day ae'tivltiea. (staff photo)
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