The Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-02-22, Page 4PAGE 4 —GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR; THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1979
Goderich
SIGNAL -STAR
et. The County Town Newspaper of Huron
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Why wait council?
It appears that Goderich town council will have to
consider a special meeting prior to February 28 to
make a decision on the money which is this
municipality's share of the $125,000 needed by
Alexandra Marine and General Hospital to build a
laundry facility. Although the town's finance
committee and council members knew full well the
urgency of making a commitment regarding the
hospital addition on or before February 28, the
Monday evening council meeting made it quite
clear the matter would come up for discussion on
March,.5 when the first draft of the 1978 budget will
be presented.
There is little doubt the finance committee with
the help of Clerk Larry McCabe has worked hard on
the budget, and pushed to have it ready for coun-
cil's perusal this early in the year. But it isn't early
enough for the board of A,M&G who must have an
indication of the town's intentions by next Wed-
nesday.And there are no guarantees a final decision
on the budget will be made on March 5. Could a
commitment to AM&G be put off even longer?
From the beginning, the board has been explicit.
The town has.known exactly how much money is
required and exactly when a commitment for the
funds is required. Is there any intention on the part
of Goderich town council not to pay its share of the
expenditure? If not, why not tell the hospital board
of the town's intentions to meet its commitment,
and work out the necessary details at budget time?
Why hold up a vital project at the hospital ... or even
worse, put it in joepardy entirely ... by avoiding the
issue until it is too late?
There seems to be enough interested people at the
council table in Goderich to rectify the error by
calling a special meeting to consider the matter in
time. But that shouldn't have been necessary.
What's more, it does nothing to build the confidence
of the board at AM&G that the work it is un-
dertaking at the hospital is considered by the town
to be worthy and necessary.
In the same context, the matter comes before
Huron County Council this Friday. Surely that
group will make the required commitment to
AM&G, despite the parochial misgivings that might
exist. Other hospitals in Huron have recognized
AM&G's need in this instance and have given their ,
approval for county funds to be appropriated to the
laundry. Surely county councillors will quickly and
positively honor that agreement.-SJK
Are trusteessincere?
It's almost a case of the spirit being willing but
the flesh being too weak.
After spending a secluded weekend at a "think -
in" at a Brockville motel, trustees of SD & G.
Separate School Board decided they wanted to
improve communications with the public and press.
So, they did what every other red-blooded'gover-
nrnent organization would do - they set up a com-
mittee.
What they did not agree to do, however, is open up
committee meetings. There is apparently' great
division of opinion on this sensitive question.
In other words, the cerebral exercise in Brock-
ville has done little more than convince the trustees
that they •must improve their "image;" not
necessarily their performance.
The only way to improve communication is to
open up channels of communication and since much
of the board's work is done at the committee level,
these meetings should not only be open, but when
matters' of major public significance arise, the
press and public should be notified and invited to
attend.
One of the main arguments against open coca-
mittee meetings - and I've heard it so often frofn so
many councils and boards throughout Ontario - is
that trustees would learn of committee recom-
mendations in the press, prior to their coming
before the full board.
So what?
If the board members are concerned about the
pros and cons of this system, let them talk to
municipal bodies which have opened up their
committee meetings. They will find that there are,
in fact, great advantages to having committee
recommendations outlined in the press prior to
formal discussion at full board meeting.
Such advance publicity allows trustees to obtain
public feedback before making a final decision.
Under the present set-up, the board stands in
danger of making a` decision, finding it is not
palatabre to the public and then having to reverse
or alter the decision after the fact.
Not only does this procedure slow down the
decision-making process, it also places trustees in
the potentially embarrassing position of having to
back down from an earlier decision Unfortunately,
ego still plays an all too important part in politics.
By publicizing recommendations in advance and
encouraging good public discussion, trustees will be
.,in a much better position to make their final
decisions when the matters come before the full
board.
The separate schoorboard"has been studying its
communication problem for well over a year. It's
about time to do something concrete. Nothing can
substitute for genuine openness. It will' serve no
useful purpose to establish a committee of com-
munication if the attitude of trustees is to continue
deliberations behind closed doors.—By Bob Roth,
Glengarry News.
Slip up
It was really quite unbelievable. Butthere it was.
A letter from the Progressive Conservative Party
of Canada asking the town of Goderich for a
donation. ,
It didn't take the councillors long on Monday
evening to handle this piece of correspondence. As
quickly as it was introduced it was "received and
filed" -council's weapon against matters it does not
intend to pursue, There were a couple of snickers
and one or two remarks, but council wisely didn't
waste any unnecessary time -on the letter.
The letter was written by T.E.Yates, chairman of
the PC Canada Fund who concluded: "I accepted
by responsibilities as chairman of PC Canada Fund
because I am convinced Canada's future will be
better served with Joe Clark as Prime Minister.
That's why I do not hesitate to ask you to join with
us today."
There are many Canadians including, perhaps,
some on Goderich town council who agree with
Yates' viewpoint, but certainly much more care
should be taken by the PC Canada Fund chairman
to ensure that such requests do not go to public
bodies like Goderich town council. Many sure fire
candidates have been soundly defeated long before
the voting got underway, by similar careless
campaigning.-SJK
iwourismommr
DEAR EDITOR
Weather watch
By Dave Sykes
Thanks
Dear Editor,
I would like to thank
Joanne Buchanan for her
excellent coverage in the
newspape$ for Guide -
Scout week.
„Girl Guides of Canada
Klahanie District
Commissioner
Diane Buchanan
Other side
Dear Editor,
The Goderich Per-
forming Arts Foundation
takes this opportunity to
provide more in-
formation regarding the
Foundation's fund raising
project which has
recently been announced.
We hope to obtain
comments and insights
from potential users of
the proposed Cultural
Centre, which is planned
for the Polley's Livery
Stable site at 35 South
Street in Goderich.
Communication con-
tinues with several
centres and organizations
such as Theatre London,
Simcoe Theatre, Sudbury
Thea.tre Centre, The
Creative Arts Centre in
Ingersoll and the Blytli
Centre for the Arts, in
order to build our
research file on similar
projects.
We have also been in
touch with Mr. Louis K.
Fleming who until 1976
was with The Ministry of
Culture and Recreation
and who now heads a firm
of Cultural Consultants
and Performing Arts
Specialists. Information
is being received
regarding a feasibility
study which was done for
improved arts facilities
for Oshawa and District
and ---Durham Region, --as
well as a similar study
completed . for St.
Catharines and District
and the Niagara Region.
On a more local level,
reports have been
received from Mrs. Erla
Stewart of Goderich on
Musical Criteria as well
as from Dr. J.11 -I. Peters
concerning the im-
plications of establishing
a centre for the per-
forming arts in con-
junction . with the
Goderich District
Collegiate Institute.
Information has also
been supplied from the
Goderich Little Theatre,
the Owen Sound Little
Theatre and from Guelph
Little Theatre regarding
projects that they have
been involved with over
the past few years.
One of our aims is to
provide a multi -use
facility which will en-
courage maximum
revenue production in
order to cover the costs of
maintaining such a
building on an annual
basis.
In order to forecast
what size of building the
community of Goderich
can feasibly hope to
maintain, we must
consider the different
kinds of activities that
now take place at several
locations within our area.
Many of the facets such
as Theatre, Films,
Concerts, Art Shows and
Mobile Exhibits
(available from other
areas), Musicals and
Choir activity • are ex-
tremely inhibited by the
existing facilities
available in our town.
The careful planning of a
Cultural Centre could
provide a place where
many established groups
could offer and expand
their form of en
tertainment, in a com-
fortable and attractive
atmosphere, as well as
encourage the evolution
of new groups. Operating
costs for any size of
building are going to be a
main concern. The key is
to have an everchanging
«forum for several ac-
- tivities -and to also have
appropriate managements
of the facility's•use.
It has been mentioned
that Polley's Livery
Stable presents a unique
situation where the
preservation and
Turn to page 5 e.
75 YEARS AGO ,
Mr. L. Layis, the genial
agent on Hamilton Street,
has a big.gonsignment of
vehicles and agricultural
machinery coming along,
threecarloads which he
expects in a few days.
Although a few cars
have been loaded at the
dock this week., the
blockade has not been
lifted and the machinery
at °the Big Mill is still
silent.
Miss Carrick -has
returned to''take charge
of the dressmaking
department at Smith
Brothers and is now
prepared for the spring
costumes.
The severe frost closed
off the town water supply
to laundryman Con-
signey's premises and as
a result he lost all last
week's work.
A. Strehler, piano tuner
LOOKING BACK
is in town and orders left
with Mr. H.W. Thomson,
druggist will receive
prompt attention.
' A supply of pure
Quebec maple syrup is
now in stock at G.M,
Elliott's Maple Leaf
Grocery for 30 cents a
quart.
A few dozen herring, a
few perch . and two or
three trout were caught
off this port this week.
Work was carried on at
the island and the south
pier till yesterday when
the zero snap laid off
most of theworkmen.
' 25 YEARS AGO
An increase of $6,797.11
over the amount it
received last year was
requested by the G.D.C.I.
Board in a letter to Town
Council last Friday night.
Town Council has
decided that cast
aluminum -magnesium
street signs will be
erected on street corners
in Goderich with a start
on the project likely to be
made in the near future.
W.J. Mills has been
named by Town Council
to fill a seat on the PUC
'made vacant by the death
last December. of
Dr.W.F. Gallow.
Indication that
Goderich Town Council
may be thinking of selling
MacKay Hall was given
at last Friday night's
council meeting.
Goderich Public School
Board was offered the use
of four classrooms in the
old collegiate building at
a rental of $50 per room
per month by Town
Council at a meeting of
the two groups ...last
Friday night.
Claimed as Canada's
oldest twins, Mrs. John
McPhee of R.R. 3 Auburn
and Miss Mattie
Mcllwain of Goderich,
will be 87 next Monday.
A Bell Telephone
release for the Goderich
area reports 1,922
telephones in Goderich at
the end of 1953.
5 YEARS AGO
Fire gutted a structure
knownas the Little
Theatre Barn at the
residence of William
Cochrane, 28 Nelson
Street, West last Wed-
nesday, February 13. The
fire department fought
the fire for three hours in
zero temperatures. The
barn housed furniture,
props and wardrobe
belonging to GLT. Loss
has been estimated at
$12,000.
Renovations to St.
George's Church are well
underway. The
renovations, which will
cost about $7,000, include
painting, lighting im-
provements and stained
glass window cleaning.
Renovations and
repairs to the Victoria
and Grey Trust Company
building were completed
last week. The building
was damaged last
summer when a car
smashed into it.
The stretch of highway
from Britannia Road to
the south limits of
Goderich has been found
"structurally deficient"
by the Ontario Ministry of
Transportation and
Communications.
Stray cats are a
significant problem
confronting Goderich,
Animal Control Officer
Dick Eisler told Goderich
Town Council at its
regular meeting last
Thursday. There are
about 400 to 500 homeless
cats on the loose.
I
EAR
REALE
BY SHIRLEY J.KELLER
It isn't spring but the spring-like
sunshine a few days ago gave the in-
spiration needed to clean some kitchen
cupboard drawers.One would' hardly
think anything exciting could come
from cleaning out drawers ... but that's
where you're wrong. In fact, the
drawer cleaning episode provided
something this reporter needed very
badly .., a topic for a confirm.
Drawers are handy places to put
things you think you would like to keep
... but don't know what to do Vith.
That's where the leavings go out of
your purse that is getting too heavy ...
the nearly empty tube of lipstick that
could be pressed into service just one
more time if you were in a bind; the old
outdated cheque ' book that could
become a scratch pad for keeping
game scores; the program from the
play, you attended and enjoyed so'
much.
That's the kind of things my kitchen
drawers collect. And a whole lotmore.
Would you believe, for instance, that
one drawer yielded a safety pin for a
diaper? You know the kind with the
plastic cover over the head of the pin. -
It was just a moment°, mind you, but
I just couldn't throw it away. It
reminded me of those wonderful times
so long ago when I had babies in my
home and chubby little butts to keep
dry. Why just the sight of that pin
brought back a flood (pardon the pun)
of happy memories. No. The pin must
remain. Back in the drawer it went.
And what's this. Oh my' goodness.
Gifts from young hockey players who
have been in town for the Young. -
Canada : Hockey Tournament. Here's
two spoons from Cambridge ;.. and a
carved bottle opener from St. Lambert.
I must really find some way to display
these keepsakes.
Now here's something that can go in
the garbage. It is the pocket from my
husband's shirt. How did it get in my
kitchen drawer? I remember. I didn't
get the shirt pocket mended, so my
husband just ripped it right off and left
it on the' cupboard. The pocket must
have been shoved into the drawer when
the doorbell rang one evening.
And what about this plastic clip from
a loaf of bread? And here's a whole bag
of them. Waste not, want not, my
mother used to say. Seems to me
somebody told me that some church
group in Goderich was collecting these
for some mission project. Does anyone
know if that project is still going?
Well what do you know? Here's that
recipe for unbaked Christmas cake I
was looking for in December. I
remember I turned the kitchen upside
down then to find it, and finally gave up
and bought a fruit cake at the• store.I
must put it away in my recipe file right
now and remember to bake it next
year.
Here's a thankyou letter from my
godchild.I hate to throw it out but I
don't have a letter file. Maybe I should
start a scrapbook.
And here's all those badges our
youngest son was looking for a month
or so ago. I knew I'd put them away in a
safe place. He needed those badges for
a special day at the bowling alley and I
couldn't find hide nor hair of them.
What a traumatic experience that was
for our son. The only kid whose mother
couldn't produce the Coveted badges.
This is the receipt from the shoes m•y
husband just bought. What a price he
paid for them! Why, I could get two
pairs of shoes for that kind of money.
Aa bunch of toothbrushes tied
together. What in the world? Oh I
remember. Spatter - painting. I kept
them just in case somebody was called
on to do spatter painting. Guess that's a
dying art.
A fancy handkerchief. An honest to
goodness roses and lace lady's handy.
Where did that come from? Did
somebody leave it'here? I haven't used
a handkerchief like that since
disposable tissues came on the market.
Well, better save it. It must belong to
somebody.
A wishbone from a chicken? Oh yes.
The kids wanted to make a wish but the
chicken bone was too wet. It had to dry.
Guess it is dry enough now. Anyone
interested?
Oh oh. Here's a bill that should have
been paid a month ago: "Pay promptly
and protect your driver's licence."
Good thing I cleaned out these drawers
when I did. Another week and I'd be
walking.
,0