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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-09-22, Page 15rAkff $, 1111 Me 1101v re N P, fts at Gif ,S0 ICH rS 821901' t make ilding byl town of Goderich needs ated building bylaw eeds to more clearly the power and sibility of '0 building tor according to Roy enridge, town building tor. Breckenridge, who ced his retirement y, told council that he future building in- rs needed council's of the two bylaws to proper development of tial, commercial and 'al lands in Goderich re. ` kenridge,who made his nation effective ber 15, 1977, said Monday that his comments to council were designed to start the ball rolling towards getting the necessary bylaws prepared and passed. He said the townsiefinitely needed to update its building bylaw if only to conform to the Ontario Building Code which was passed in 1974. He said the Goderich bylaw was revised in 1973 to set out building permit fees but the changes did little to alter the original bylaw passed in 1954 and revised in 1957. The changes made to the building bylaw in 1973 also made first reference to a town building inspector. Breckenridge was the town's first building inspector and was hired in October 1972. He claims however that it is time for the town to clearly outline what it wants the building inspector to do and what the powers of the office will be in regards.' to building in Goderich. He said that a bylaw should be passed naming the chief building official in Goderich. He said he understood some members of council were suggesting a town engineer be hired to look aftersewers, roads and buildings in Goderich and claimed that • • einsion while a town paid engineer would be excellent for reference for a building in- spector he would not be qualified to be a building inspector himself. He said the building in- spector's duties in Goderich could encompass occupancy permits, demolition permits that are more detailed, swimming pool permits and forms to guarantee the quality of the building, under Housing and Urban Development Association of Canada (HUDAC) requirements. Breckenridge said the current system employed by the town for building permits is sort of a hit and miss thing. He said he relies on ttie good, sense of the builders when he inspects a job claiming that if a builder chose to object to his suggestions he may be forced to stand by and let the con- tractor do as he wants, He said the present bylaw is too weak and could not be taken to court by the town if it was contested. \He said the suggestions he is making will give the building inspector's office more support legally. His suggestions under the building bylaw may require ven projects completed under OHRP Ontario Home Renewal m is slowly catching oderich as more low ixed income home take advantage of the m to complete repairs r house. OHRP is in its year of existence in ich and the town recently named Andy Boutilier as its full time supervisor. Boutilier said Tuesday that in 1977 seven OHRP projects have been completed valued at just over $14,000 and that another eight are in various stages of completion. He said the average cost of each job% between $1,500 and $4,000 but added that the applicant can borrow up to $7,500 for necessary work on a home. He said the reason most applicatipns are for the lesser amounts is that up to $4,000 can be a forgiveable loan ydro increase may depending on the person's eligible for money that aren't ..annual income. making any effort to take The program is aimed advantage of OHRP," basically at keeping housing Goderich entered the units in good repair without program in November of financially burdening owners 1976. Last year the town was who otherwise couldn't afford eligible for $60,000 to he spent expensive home repairs.He under OHRP and half of that said the program is only amount was used. This year available to people with an just over $80,000 was made annual family income of available to Gbderich by the $12,500 or less.and that as the province and about $30,000 of total , income drops interest that has been spent or . rates on the loans drop to committeed. - enable low income owners to Deputy clerk Larry less than expected an annual income of $6,000 aim of the town in the first .,, - ,He explained that if a financial arrangements of the , take advantage. .. .. ,., .. . MeCab,,, 'administers the couple living on a pension had program and said that the they would b li ib rt Taylor, chairman of that neither had worked wit Hydro, said Tuesday before. He said Hydro ha ydro, would be an- managed an excess revenu g its 1978 price in- in 1977 thus far and that if th to utilities within a excess continued through th dding that it looked fiscal year it would affect th increase would not be proposed increase for 1978 f as first expected. He said the original forecas was in Goderich to for i e was set at abou to the Ontario 12 percent but that figure had ipa I Electrical been reduced. tion district meeting He said that the excess id that the final revenue had reduced the ions on the price increase _Hydro needed for e were -not available 1978 to about nine percent and -that the OEB was planning to order Hydro to pay the excess hack to utilities. He said that the increase les's the payback may result in an actual price hike to the utilities of about four percent in 1978. Taylor said he originally was in a quandry as to what to speak to the utility com- missioners and managers about at the meeting. He said he felt he knew what the members wanted to know but c'ouldn't decide between what Hydro 'thinks you ought to know and what you really want to know", He touched on the controversial matters facing Hydro today mainly cost of Hydro and wages paid by the provincial electrical supplier, future plans for Hydro, government in- volvement with the operation of Hydro and conservation of electricity and Hydro's ability to meet the demands of the province in the next decade. He said that Hydro was constantly accused of not being cost conscious in areas of wage S and benefits paid to its employees. He said utilities faced problems with their employees who sought wage demands on a parity with Hydro that just couldn't be met by municipalities. He said that in many cases ar- bitration boards forced Hydro to pay the demands and there was nothing, that could he done adding that despite "despotic powers" Hydro is accused of having there is little that can be done unless h Hydro's stand was supported d by the public and the utilities. e Taylor said that other cost e were increased by direc e public intervention of Hydro's e plans. He said that it ap peared as though the t corridors taking power from t the Bruce Nuclear generating plant would be stopped costing Hydro an extra $25 to $50 million by March 1979 and an additional $5 to $15 million annually after that, ,"Nuelear-• energy . will be responsible for two thirds of the Hydro demands after 1985," he said. Taylor said that Hydro was not the massive power many considered it to he. He said that it was relatively free from government in- terference hut not from government intervention. He said many times Hydro feels that the government over- steps its abilities in dealing with Hydro and that con- versely government feels occasionally that Hydro isn't keeping it informed. -"Hydro is too big and too, pervasive on the' life of the province to he cast loose and you wouldn't want that," he said. He added that Hydro and government were responsible to one, another to form a co- operative system where everything done is related to both and to the good of the province. The OMEA members also heard comments from .1. C. Sornfay on the future of solar energy in Canada and how it can be utilized in the future. Somfay told the members that solar energy may he an unavoidable thing in the near future as accepted energy sources iri the world are depleted. He said that solar heating is now an expensive and in some cases cumbersome thing now but with some investment by government and business and, with technological skills available that could be changed in a very short time. 82.11B -should be Within the id the Ontario Energy and Hydro were ing the price increase complicated Anti n Board guidelines 0 petition ner amity and Children's of Huron County - the Children's Aid this week announced er of its logo corn- ompetition was open udents in the Huron chools. The winning s designed by Megan f RR 2, Gorrie. esign was prepared ing by a local com- artist, Mrs . Gwen received a prize of he second prize of as won by Lorri RR 5, Lucknow and ze of $10.00 was won nne McKinley of w logo will he used e printed materials The Family. _and s Services and thework completed social work agency undies and children County. .4 • }WehI% 1 ' - al 0,‘ a rutin Irehert Taylor was in Goderich Tuesday to speak to the Ontario so p 7e t de a I Assoiatinii district meeting hosted by the Goderich Public Utilities. commissioners and employees from southwestern Ontario attended the whit. and here Taylor chats with Goderich COmmissioner Harry Worsell and Mayor Worsen. was named a director of OMEA at the district meeting. (staff - s 0 o et the to $4,000 work and may be low cost loans to low income entitled to that money in a owners. He said when those forgiveable loan. He said people have been offered the anything over that amount ,money and given . the op - would have to be paid back portunity to take advantage a but may be amortized over 20 more concerted effort will by years with no interest to made with owners in a higher enable them to handle the income bracket monthly payments. He said McCabe said that he sits that a family with $8,000 may down with interested owners be eligible for $3,500 and works out a 'rate of forgiveable loan with the paymont they can easily remainder paid'back at one' afford. He said interest rates percent interest, On the repavable ;rLInn 'It's an excellent program the loan range -frorn zero to but I don't think enough tight percent depending on people know about it," he the income antl that he said. "There are a lot of amortizes the loan to ensure retired home owners living on they -can repay it corn - small pensions that are Turn to page 22 • • CODE RICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1977—PAGE 15 the town to rewrite its building permit forms. He said an example is the current demolition permit form which is a catch all that basically outlines what the demolition is for and estimating the costs. He said the most money he usually charges for demolition is $3 estimating the„ value of the demolition at $1,000. "I've never seen a greater charge because I have no authority to measure square footage of the building to be demolished and estimate the value," he said. "That arena demolition permit should have been more than that." tor He said he feels a flat rate should be charged for con- struction of swimming pools regardless of the type for cost. He said that by doing that the town would know where the pools 'are located and the Public Utilities Commission and the assessment office would have information necessary to their responsibilities on swimming pools. Breckenridge also feels that the town and its neigh- bouring townships could work on a co-operative system using one building official for the three municipalities. He said the Ontario Building Code requires each municipality to name a chief building official-- and the townships don't have one. He. said Xhat there., Is no reason the three municipalities' couldn't work together with one official. "We're growing here and, we've come a long way since 1974," he said. "There's a challenge in this office and a lot of work to be done to en- sure that development of housing and industry is done the way everyone wants it to be." Ontario Horne Renewal Program supervisor Andy Boutilier checks over some ap- . plications received for OHRP assistance. Boutilier was named program supervisor by Goderich. (staff -photo) town council and will be responsible for overseeing the financial assistance program in Canada needs unified effort against inflation ,Canadians are going to have to make a strong effort to regain national unity in this country and then sell the merits of their ability to compete on a world market if they ever hope to lick in- flation and move hack into a prominent position in world Horton said the country is trade according to Edward stiffer -Mg from the effects of Horton, special advisor to the inflation and .disun ity and Anti Inflation Board. Horton that the only way to stop the told the Goderich Rotary Cluh. suffering is through a strong Tuesday that Canadians will united effort. He. said the ha ve to resell ,themselves to country went from a very Over 100 people. attend first forum. their friends around the world and show that they hit,ve the guts to compete 11 ith anyone at anytime. if they want to avoid leaVing their sons Lind daughters a heritage theY won't hi' zible to li\( with. Despite inclement weather, Society more than 100 people at- District. tended the first arthritis goes to forum ever held in Goderich. Toronto. Bill Work, president of the out that Goderich Branch of the Arthritis Society welcomed people from Dungannon, Bayfield, Stratford, Seaforth. Lucknow, Kincardine and Ingersoll who travelled a distance to come to the forum held at G,D.C.I. on Tuesday evening. The forum got underway with a film entitled What is Arthritis? The film pointed out that th'e hest treatment for arthritis sufferers is a balance between rest and exercise. After the film,•those in the audience were invited to write their questions about arthritis on pieces of paper which were then collected and given to the panel of experts. The panel consisted of Dr, J.L. Hollingworth, Medical Advisor to' the Goderich Branch, Dr. Manfred Harth, jirector of Rheumatic Diseases Unit, University of Western Ontario Hospital in London and Mrs. Judy Threinen, C.A.R.S, physiotherapist from Mitchell. Moderator of the forum was Bluewater PITHd Representative, Mrs. Betty Janke. The Bluewater . District of the Arthritis Society covers the counties of Grey -Bruce, Huron -Perth and Dufferin-North Wellington. • • Mrs. Janke told the audience that 50 campaigns from London to Collingwood were being carried on to raise money for the Arthritis in the Bluewater The money raised a central fund in strong national unit in 1987 to something resembling a -cracked windshield- in 1977. 111 said theccountry enjoyed a s‘t rong national unity in its centennial year but -that now it was made tip of 10 pro\ inces each believing their life should he in- dividualistic ,ind each rapidly into oro•incialism. Ho, said it's time Canadians oheyed their prime minister 1010 IS I1011: 'tiering .1 per- sona 1 plea ,isking. that Canadions "please control inflations through voluntary restrictions and give me, on .‘ our behalf. stability-. Horton said" that the AIR ,wen].; to he the only holy in Canada (lc oted to 511(0 ng inflationary trends, He said, historically big business" doesn't 01101 government in its pocket and that labo 11 r groups appear to be taking Mrs. Janke pointed -advantage el v‘erything they eight percent of can gel and still wanting to paw. I h• more. He said he would hope only that labour wouldn't act wildly but couldn't in Its demands hut couldn't ()nvincc himself they (1001(1)11. He added that business .doesn't want responsibility for anything running wild hut sti141 wonts government out of their iAity and that if that ever happened the economy would he Stire11 run ,jld. 1 -le said that more often than not business and labour both act out of utter selfishness. The AII3 must continue and ing Horton's opinion will continue to function to, defeat inflation. He said business in the past sought to hang on to 11 niargin-of profit tnat labour couldn't live with. 1 iihnur ..14;ieci to remedy the pr( hlem by seeking more money and concessions and 111t11, since gone ON, (.1-1)0ar(1. (;o‘-ernrnents ,11 all levels are guilty of overspending and not w a t ching ‘v h t hi (1) w h we ha V(' in- flationary prOlern,, like we, t)rtons- said that the disease of inflation was..it the point of kitting us when the AIR began its ‘vork, He said in 1 9T4 inflalion rose 12 percent and thin .'ven't up another 12.percent in 1975. In 11175 the 12 per(i•nt hike was accompanied • by a world record I 1,000.000 mon hours lost in this country due to strikeswork stoppages and sln ci,.1,k ns• -ThaT created the worst possible situation,- said Horton ."A price increase 11 Ith productivity I( 1011 know if we'll ever get hack to what we had but Canadians are going to have to stop their lax work habits and get back to a strong 40 hour work week giving a 100 percent !'ffort during those hours if they hope to. lick inflation, he said. Over 100 people attended the first arthritis forum ever held in Goderich on„Tilesday evening. The forum got underway with a film and the audience then directed questions to the panel. The panel members were, left to right, Dr. J. L. Hollingworth, Medical Advisor to the"Goderich Branch of the Canadian Arthritis Society; Judy Threinen, C.A.R.S. Physiotherapist from Mitchell; Betty Janke, Bluewa ter 4 Field Representative and moderator of the forum; and Dr. Manfred Harth, director of Rheumatic Diseases Unit, University of Western Ontario Hospital in London. Sep- tember is Arthritis Month and in the Goderich area over $2,000 has been raised this year. Mrs. Janke told the audience that Canada is way ahead of other countries in its arthritis control programs. (staff photo) 5 11 515 As11 r 1511 5