The Wingham Advance Times, 1995-11-29, Page 1L
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WINGHAM ADVANCE -TIMES
P.O. Box 390, 5 Diagonal Road
Wingham, Ontario, NOG 2W0
J
Children from the
Wingham Nursery
School had the chance
to talk to Santa recently.
Page 3
Highlights from the
Wingham Optimists'
Santa Claus Parade held
this weekend in town.
Page 12
The Wingham
Midget Silver Stick
Hockey Tournament
wrapped up Sunday.
Page 6
'Food
phare'
group
formed
tance
At a public meeting last Fri-
day, Nov. 24, the "North Huron,
Community Food Share" was
formed.
Its first goal is the establish-
ment of a community-based
food bank to provide emergency
assistance to all people in the re-
gion who are in need. The
founding group includes people
representing area Churches,
business and industry, local gov-
ernment, unions and interested
citizens.
Although their backgrounds
are diverse, members come to-
gether with a common concern:
hunger and how to deal with it.
The steering committee will
meet again this week to get the
project underway. Its chairman
▪ is loan van d'er Meer of Wing -
ham, who brings considerable
experience 'in' community
support programs. Commenting
on the new initiative, she says,
• "An urgent need exists to pro-
vide adequate nutrition to many
in our area."
Another public meeting is
planned for next Friday, Dec. 8,
at 1 p.m at St. Paul's -Trinity An-
glican Church in Wingham. All
are welcome to come out to
share their concerns and ideas.
At the public meeting last Fri-
day, all agreed there is a tremen-
dous need for something to be
done locally. Rev Vicars Hodge
of St. Paul's -Trinity said, "There
is a consensus that people are
falling through the cracks
around here," due mainly to pro-
vincial cuts to social assistance
payments.
After some discussion, it be- •
came evident that the establish -
Please see SITUATION/5
30 days to go...Santa was in town Saturday to spread good cheer, see page 12.
News
Editorial
Sports
Crossword
Community
Obituaries
T.V. Guide
Classifieds
Horoscopes
Page 3
Page 4
Page 6
Page 8
Page 10
Page 11
Page 13
Page 14
Page 17
A LOOK AT m s
The annual Wingham
Kinsmen Radio Auction
itemized listing.
Page 9
The Wingham Advance -Times
is a member of a family of community
newspapers providing news,
advertising and information leadership
Assessment meetings
to field public concerns
The recent reassessment of Hu-
ron County properties to 1992 esti-
mated market value is good news to
some and not so good to others.
Assessment open houses will be
held today, Wednesday and tomor-
row, Nov. 30, from 1 to 8 p.rn. at
the Wingham Town Hall. Repre-
sentatives of the regional assess-
ment office will be on hand to an-
swer questions. Any property
owners who are not satisfied with
the response have the option of ap-
pealing their assessments.
Gerald Morgan, Huron asse-s-
ment commissioner, explained the
history of the county reassessment
program in a telephone interview
last week. In 1987, the county and
municipalities of Huron agreed to
enter into a county -wide reassess-
ment program which would be up-.
dated every four years. For exam-
pie, the 1988 tax bill reflected 1984
values. It' was updated four years
later t� 1988 values and now, just
in time for the 1996 tax season, the
properties have been reassessed to
1992 values.
Morgan says that since the as-
sessment office cannot visit each
and every property, all county land
sales in 1991, 1992 and 1993 --
with the emphasis on '92 -- are
used to determine the reassessed
value.
Morgan also notes that reassess-
ment does not raise any extra mon-
ey in property taxes, but redistrib-
utes the tax burden more fairly. The
flyer that was mailed to all property
owners and tenants with the reas-
sessment
notice states, "The reas-
Huron
County
sessment ensures that similar prop-
erties with similar market value
now will pay the same county and
school taxes, no matter where, they
are located in the county."
The assessment commissioner
notes that in general commercial -
industrial properties have decreased
in assessed value. As far as individ-
ual municipalities are concerned,
Morgan notes virtually no change
on residential properties in Wing -
ham.
In the townships, there is a slight
increase in the residential assess-
ment in Turnberry, says Morgan
and a slight decrease in the as-
sessed value of farmland.
The townships of Morris and
East Wawanosh also show virtually
no change in the assessed value of
residential properties and farmland.
The assessed per acre price of
Class 1 . farmland has inched up-
ward, notes Morgan, in all three
townships. According to 1992 land
sales, the value assessed to Chess 1
land in Turnberry and Moms town-
ships has gone to $1,000 per acre,
up from $900. East Wawanosh
Township Class 1 land has gone to
$750 per acre from $700, reports
Morgan.
Wingham stands to lose courtr
se vices
Ministryreport indicatesrovince-wide closures
By CAMERON J. WOOD p
surrounding larger urban centres
The Advance -Times which are staffed full-time; satel-
INNOCENCE lite courts which open only some
While there is no confirmation days; and "base courts", or busier
on the court room situation in OR courts in larger centres.
Wingham, speculation is that the GUILT''`' The Star article states cases af-
town stands to lose local courtg gr `AtifeRW., fected would include criminal and
service to provincial cutbacks.", family trials in Ontario Court,
A report prepared by the Minis- provincial division, criminal and
try of the Attorney -General indi- civil law cases in Ontario court,
cares that 50 towns and cities general division, provincial of -
across the province have been = fences court and small claims.
identified for removal of court Huron County Justice Further to that, an October 16
services. The report also indicates r W... memo was circulated to Ontario
that courthouses in larger centres Provincial Police regional, bureau
would absorb the case load from Reporter Tracey Tyler, the Minis- and detachment commanders by
the centres targeted for closure. try report recommends the shut- Inspector Robin Shrive stating the
According to an article written downs in terms of three catego- ministry "will be closing some
b Toronto Star Legal Affairs ries: "satellite courts" in areas court facilities within the next
year." The same memo indicates any closure without "extensive
that the closures will place a sig- consultation".
nificant demand on the police de- This is not the first time Wing-
partments in areas where courts ham's provincial • court has been
are closed. the subject of discussion. A
Extra time, officer numbers and couple of years ago, town council
cruiser availability are in question was notified in writing that the
as policing levels are already building did not meet the stan-
strained with the amount of time dards required under court agree -
officers must spend in the court ment. The town hall did not pro -
room and not in the community vide accessibility to everyone.
they serve. Since that time a wheelchair lift
Attorney -General Charles Har- has been installed.
nick has said the government has Ironically, the Goderich court
not begun any detailed examina- was in a similar situation as it had
tion of the report and the con- no external ramp of lift but little
tained recommendations. He add- mention was made at the time.
ed in media reports that the Goderich has since added a ramp
minis will not proceed with Please see LOCAL/5
6.049 WV :, ».
SHARING TREE
During this holiday season, Brian's valu-mart along with the Salvation Army
are operating a Sharing Tree. Gifts rr,.ay be brought in so that the. Salvation Army
can distribute them to children Tess fortunate.
A Drop Off Box for non-perishable foods will be available for the Food Bank.
Wingham Lions Club
Will be raffling tickets
Wednesday through Saturday
for a
Shopping Spree
1 1 1 Josephine Street
Wingham
at Brian's valu-mart.
Proceeds go to Canine Vision.
&