The Huron Expositor, 1988-05-18, Page 1Legion - A7
Sports - a8, A9
Dublin - A10
Hensel) - A15
Obituaries - Al 6
Births - A17
Walton - A18
Smoking banned at county council: See page A5.
erch
Serving the communities
and areas of Seaforth,
Brussels, Dublin, Hensaii
and Walton
Huron •
xpositor
Seaforth, ®; .tari0
HURON EXPOSITOR, WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 1988
50 cents a copy
Area contractor opposes down shed
The proposed construction of a new public
works shed has met some disapproval from
Smith Construction Ltd.
Harold Smith -told Seaforth Town Council
last week the information it had released to
the public, through The Huron Expositor,
was misleading.
"As the present owner of the leased town
works building, a land owner and taxpayer
in the town of Seaforth, I feel the facts
presented to the public should be correct -
not misrepresenting or misleading," he
said. Mr. Smith added he was also surprised
the town hadn't the courtesy to inform him
personally, as owner of the present public
works shed, of its intention to build another
shed.
Mr. Smith noted the newspaper had stated
rental of the present public works shed
would be increased to $1,600 per month as of
next April, and pointed out that figure was
submitted as a proposal for review only, and
was not fixed as the new rental rate. He said
he had also, in the same letter, offered to
sell the shed and one acre of land to the town
for $150,000.
"We put the rent up because we'd rather
sell the building than lease it," he said, ad-
ding he thought Smith Construction had
made a fair proposal, but in turn had not
been dealt with fairly.
"We built and designed the shed for
Seaforth, and now it's not good enough?," he
asked.
"Our long range plan was to sell at a
reasonable cost."
In addition to his concerns about the way
the town had handled the incident Mr. Smith
said he was concerned about the actual cost
figures being advertised by the town.
"Cost of building new shed set at
$120,000," he quoted.
"This cost does not reflect the true and ac-
tual costs that will be realized in the con-
struction of the town shed."
In comparison with other sheds in the
area, Mr. Smith noted Seaforth's cost much
less, despite the fact it was larger than
most. The cost of building the Township of
McKillop shed, for example, averaged
$36.61 per square foot, for 5,336 square feet.
Seaforth's cost averaged out to $20.34 per
square foot for 5,900 square feet of space.'
Tuckersmith averaged $37.41 per square
foot for 6;325 square feet and the Village of
Bayfield $51 per square foot, for 2,268 square
feet.
"Ifa shed of equal quality to the
Tuckersmith shed is proposed for the town
of Seaforth,,a more realistic cost would pro-
bably be 5,900 square feet at $36.61 per
square foot to equal $216,000. Is the figure of
$120,000 a firm contract price for the com-
plete job? And what guarantees are there
the actual cost may not double? Were all
costs associated with the buildin g con-
sidered, or are costs of lavor and equip-
ment, and toher items provided by the Town
Works Department hidden in other areas of
the town works budget?," he asked.
"If you people can build sheds so cheaply,
maybe you should go into the business," he
said.
"It was always the town's intention to
build its own shed and the new one would be
a bigger one than what it has now," com-
mented Seaforth Reeve Bill Bennett.
"We could go on forever and a day, con-
tinue to pay rent and still have no equity.
$120,000 is the amount of the debenture the
town would need, we already own the land,
and the town employees are paid no matter
what project they're working on. We think
building a' new shed is in the best interests of
the town. The town is A -one financially fit,
and this is what council has decided to do."
Reeve Bennett said Public Works
Superintendent John Forrest would be ac-
ting as contractor for the shed construction.
"We built the police station the same way.
The contractor costs 10 to 15 per cent on top
of the cost. We might as well save that," he
said.
Mr. Smith was not so sure, and said
although he did not question the ability of
Mr. Forrest to do the job, but did question-
ed his ability to cope with doing two jobs at
one time.
' If there's not enough for the public works
superintendent to do as superintendent - and
the town works employees too - that they
can afford to take time to build a shed, then
maybe the town should look into it. Maybe
we don't need thena. I can tell you as a tax-
payer on Birch Street, 146n not happy with
the taxes we pay in this town," he said.
Members of ,council said they were
unaware Smith Construction had offered the
current public works building for sale, when
they made their decision to construct their
own facility.
"It came up at the meeting that Smith
Construction had no intention of selling the
building," said Councillor Bob Dinsmore.
"We understood you needed the shed for
yourself," said Deputy -reeve Hazel
ropos
1
Hildebrand.
"Everything hinges•on this letter - which
you say is a proposal," commented Mayor
Alf Ross.
"Unfortunately council did not take it that
w Council voted to refer the matter to its
Public Works Committee for further
discussion.
it lairs '":. t _I
RAM -A -FEST - The students at Seaforth District High School
recently participated In the age-old tradition of seeing how many
bodies can be shoved (or rammed) into a vehicle. The kids got 34
bodies into a Jimmy. The "Ram -a -fest" was a promotion put on by
two of the candidates in the student's council elections. Ben
Driscoll and Connie McClure -who sponsored the truck cramming
event- on Monday won the positions of president and social con-
vener. Anne Robinson will be the first vice president, and Lisa
Strong is next year's student's council secretary. Corbett photo.
Town finances in good shape, auditor commends council
The finances of the Town of Seaforth are
in good financial shape, according to ac-
countants From the firm Touche Ross and
Co.
Seaforth Town Council was told last week
it had shown a degree of fiscal responsibility
in 1987 that was "second to none". The com-
ments came in reference to the annual con-
solidated audit performed on the Town of
.• Seaforth and the Business improvement
Area (BIA), by the accounting firm.
"Council has shown a degree of respon-
sibility to inhabitants of Seaforth that should
leave it feeling very comfortable in an elec-
tion year," commented Archie Leach.
"And if council members do not wish to
run again, Lima successors will find
themselves coming into a very well run
organization."
The financial statement prepared by
Touche Ross and Co., reflects the assets,
liabilities, sources of financing and expen-
•
f11I — ,
SPINACH THE PRIZE - Anona Crozier of Harpurhey became engaged in a game of
SPINACH, Thursday when the Seaforth Community Hospital hosted an afternoon
awareness session to coincide with Canada Health Day - Florence Nightingale's birth-
day. The SPINACH game, which stands for Significant Points In Normal Age Changes
and Health, was developed by the VON and is played in much the same manner as
trivial pursuit. In addition to the game, the afternoon session contained a presentation
by pharmacy nurse Yvette Binnedyk on the taking of medication, and the problem of
corn .liance. Mcliwraith •hoto.
ditures of the revenue fund, capital fund,
reserve funds and includes the activities of
all committees of council, and boards,
municipal enterprises and utilities under
the control of Council - including the
Seaforth BIA Board of Management.
According to the statement of operations
the Town of Seaforth came in under budget -
cutting the 1987 proposed expenditure of
$1,687,774 by $13,118. Although $3,166 extra
was spent for operations, $121,269 was saved
in capital outlay. A net appropriation of $254
was made to reserves and reserve funds and
Second muse
$1u'i,i31 made to offset taxes or user
charges.
According to the consolidated balance
sheet, Seaforth's assets were up $102,542 (to
$540,291)from 1986, and while the town's
unrestricted cash flow was down con-
siderably (from $83,150 in 1986 to $6,656 in
1987) in total Seaforth's unrestricted assets
were up (to $374,557 from $272,015).
Restricted assets were up as well (to
$85,734 from $64,604), but capital outlay
financed by longterm liabilities, and to be
recovered in future years, was down $5,000
um project set
BY BILL HENRY
It's business as mita) — almost — at the
Huron County Pioneer Museum in Goderich.
The staff moved into the brand new
building on North Street six weeks ago and
the facility has been open to the public since
May 1.
But the seemingly -empty shell displaying
much of the museum's collection against a
drab, concrete and steel backdrop is really
just the beginning of the end of four years of
planning, design and construction.
"We hope to be open completely within 18
months," says Claus Breede, executive
director and museum curator.
Breede said tenders are out, a contractor
will be chosen, and work will begin early
next month on the second, essential phase of
the four year, $3.3 million project.
The federal government's recent $1.15
million grant "completes the project,"
allowing work to begin on a new interior and
facelift for the 1856 school, as well as design
and construction of as many as nine theme
galleries within the complex.
Breede said plans for a military gallery
recieved county council's approval last
week.
The major gallery, an 1890 streetscape,
complete with a steam locomotive, will
stretch 100 feet within the new building.
Period storefronts will line both sides of the
street, and museum patrons will be able to
enter some and browse.
Speciardeadlines
for holiday weekend
The Huron Expositor office will be dos-
ed Monday in recognition of the Victoria
Day holiday. As a result all newspaper
deadlines will be moved ahead one day.
All copy for news stories must be in to
The Huron Expositor by Friday, May 20 at
4:30 p.m. to ensure reproduction in the
May 25 paper.
The deadline for all advertisements
-classified and display- will also be Friday
at 4:30 p.m.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Deadlines will return to normal next week.
Among the stores will be an undertaker's
business, a fireball, a general store and a
photographer's studio through which the
museum cr'llection can be shown in context.
Breede admitted last week that he and the
county's museum committee had many
"anxious moments" during the 29 months it
took for the application for federal funding
to be processed and granted. "We were very
nervous about it."
But when the money arrived a month ago,
it completed the picture of three levels of
government cooperating equally to bring
to $80,000.
Seaforth's liabilities were up approx-
imately $100,000 due for the most part to a
bank indebtedness of $74,000, and deferred
revenue (the town has collected payments
from the Ministry of the Environment
amounting to $19,302 in excess of the
Ministry's current obligations).
Funds to be used to offset taxation or user
charges are up $20,000 to $104,731, reserves
are down $20,000 to $76,710 and reserve
funds are up $20,000 to $85,734.
Turn to page 16 •
for June start
the project together, he said.
County, provincial and federal govern-
ments have each agreed to $1.15 million.
Workers have been removing displays
and artifacts from the old building, a two-
story brick schoolhouse which first became
a museum in 1950.
Next month, the entire inside of the
building will be gutted. New floors and in-
terior will be installed and the exterior will
be restored as closely as possible to how it
was in 1856. That includes original windows,
Turn to page 16 •
Ned Boswell dies at age 100
After a long and active life, Edward C.
"Ned" Boswell died Saturday, May 14, 1988.
In February he celebrated his 100th birth-
day and was able to give a good account of
himself at the local festivities.
Mr. Boswell was the last surviving son of
the late John Boswell and former Ger-tr--ude
Osler of Cobourg. After service in World
War II he spent most of his working life with
the Dominion Bank, retiring in 1950. He is
remembered for his tenacious spirit and in-
dominable will that allowed him to do his
own housekeeping into his 100th year, as
well as his many stories and anecdotes.
Mr. Boswell was an avid curler into his
90s, and got great enjoyment from his hob-
bies - painting and fishing. He was a
member of St. Thomas Anglican Church, a
life member of the Ljpns Club and the
Seaforth Curling Club, a member of the
Canadian Legion, the CNIB, and the
Masonic Lodge.
He is survived by a daughter, Mary Cornu
of Wilmington, Delaware, and a son Walter
of Dundas.
Also surviving are nine grandchildren and
17 great grandchildren.
Mr. Boswell was predeceased by two
wives, Phoebe L. Smith in 1934 and Mary L.
Chidley in 1974.
Friends can call at the Whitney-Ribey
Funeral Home, Goderich St. West, Seaforth,
until 2 p.m. Wednesday, when a funeral ser-
vice will be held at St. Thomas Anglican
Church. Interment Maitlandbank
Cemetery.
A Legion memorial service was held at
NED BOSWELL
the funeral home on Monday, and a Lions
Club service and a Masonic memorial ser-
vice, both on Tuesday.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made
to the charity of one's choice.
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