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The Huron Expositor, 1986-03-05, Page 1INDEX Births /A8 Brussels 1A5 Classified /Al2, 13, 14 Dublin /A4 Entertainment /A16 Family /A8, 9 Farm /A7 Hensall /A15 Legion /A16 Obituaries /A8 People IA8 Sports /A10, 11 Walton /A6 Seaforth Golden Bears off to OFSSA again. See page Alt Serving the communities and areas of Seaforth, Brussels, Dublin, Hensall and Walton B Huron xpositor SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 1986 — 16 PAGES laze guts home A family of five are homeless after their Winthrop home was gutted by fire early Monday afternoon. At press time there was no information available as to what prompted the fire or just how extensive the damage was. "It was a 75 -year-old house and very dry inside, I guess," offered Jean Fehr, the owner of the house. Mrs. Fehr and four children were out of the house at the time of the fire. "We'd just gone into town to do some shopping and were only gone about three- quarters of an hour." This is not the fust time the Fehrs have fell victims to fire. Approximately five years ago anotherhouse, on the same property was lost in a fire. This home was moved onto the current property, just west of the ball diamonds in Winthrop, after that fire. "I saw the smoke and then I saw fire going up by the television antenna, " said Frank Doimage, a neighbor who called in the alarm at approximately 1:50 p.m. "1 was coming out onto the road with the tractor when I saw the smoke." Another person early on the scene was Helen Brenie of Walton, She and a neighbor were driving on County Road 12 when they noticed the smoke. " W e noticed black smoke and a little bit of red flame. W e came down to investigate but there didn't seem to be anyone around. W e could only see a dog running circles around the house." she said. "We found out the family had been home only a short time before the fire was called m... "I don't believe it. What a way to start 1986," said Ben Fehr. 50 cents a copy SMOKY VISION — Seaforth firefighters were called to a Winthrop area home Monday afternoon. The home, belonging to Jean Fehr and housing herself and four children was completely gutted by the fire. Left, firefighters Richard Verborne and Doug Anatott hose down a portion of the fire, and others, bottom, take an aerial approach, and Jean Fehr and son Ben look on. Mcllwralth photos Plan to fix hall exterior rejected Council rejected. but didn't entirely dismiss plans to fix up the exterior of the town hall in 1986 At its February meeting council agreed changes. as set out by the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture's Heritage Branch, should be made to the existing plans drawn by architect Nick Hill. but also agreed the money that was originally to go towards the reconstruction of the town hall porch, could be better spent inside the building. The exterior work could. it said, be done at a later date The town had applied for a Community Facilities Improvement Program (CFIP) grant for the porch project. The application is acceptable to the Heritage Branch of the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture, but Seaforth has been told they can make more changes to the building to reverse "the inappropriate changes of the past." What the ministry suggests is a new front door and windows and a better treatment of the former doorway on the righthand side which now has the horizontal window. New windows with a vertical emphasis have been suggested. It seems to m e that if the Town is going to fix up the Town Hall as an example and indication of support for the District you Board pleased with funding "Happy" is how the director of education for the Huron -Perth Roman Catholic Sepa- rate school board described himself following the announcement the Ontario Court of Appeal voted 3 to 2 in favor of full funding for Catholic secondary schools. William Eckert said while the decision doesn't have any effect on the school board, there was concern the delay in a decision was having on parents. ] don't know to what degree that will affect enrolment at St Michael," said Mr. Eckert. The Catholic school board is establishing a Catholic high sdhool in Stratford, St. Michael secondary school, for students in Perth County and possibly the Seaforth area. To be phased in a grade at a time, Grade 9 will be introduced this fail. The director said to date 64 students had registered for the high school and he doesn't yet know if the announcement last week will encourage more students to enroll. Mr. Eckert said 'some people could have been intimidated because no court tilling had been tradeonwhether the full funding islegal. Up until Jttne 1985 Catholic school Watts only received funding to the end of Grade 8. "The legality 'snow ivlonger a question," commented Mr. Eckert. However, he doesn't see any changes in the board's plans for Huron County. A steering committee recommended last year, and the board approved, to wait until 1988 before considering a high school for Huron County. Mr. Eckert, said the board intends to work with the community to consider the best plan for a high school in Huron. Currently, high school age students in Huron are able to take credit courses in religion after school hours. The director said he and the administration of the Perth County board of education have tentatively set a meeting, for March 17 to reads an agreement on three issues regard- ing secondary education. I expect the Perth County board of education will be more confident in striking an agreement," said Mr. Eckert. The agreement will cover transfer of personnel, how mud) it will cost the Catholic school board to buy programs, such as some technical education daurses, from the public school board and the general sharing of information between the high schools. He isn't surprised that any group is going to the Supreme Court of Canada in an attempt to have the Ontario verdict overturned. "But we sh&ildn't say this decision doesn't count. We can't ignore it," he said. should try to get as much accomplished as possible, said conservation officer Mi- chelle Greenwald. Ms. Greenwald added at this stage in the grant process Seaford) could revise its application to include additional work, and get the province to help with 50 per cent of the entire cost. When the project was first proposed the estimated cost was 515,000, so council faces an $8,000 cost. Seaforth councillors were however some- what unhappy with the thought of spending 58,000 on exterior renovations some thought didn't need to be done. "I suggest we put the whole thing on hold rather than go tearing out perfectly good windows etc...." said Deputy Reeve Hazel Hildebrand. "As a ratepayer I would think it was a waste of the taxpayer's money. Why don't we just get a new front door and update the office inside. As it is now there is a lot of wasted space in the lobby, no staff washrooms and very cramped office space " Councillor Harry Hak reinforced Dep- uty-Reeve Hildebrand's sentiment. "We could decorate the front. But then it would just remind me of a good looking lady. But you've got to look inside. ft's a shame. If repairs need to be done they should be inside." "There are more things in town we could spend our money on than this building (town hall)," said Councillor BID McLaughlin. "Yeah, after taking a tour of the downstairs I agree $8,000 is a lot of money which at this time can be put to better use," edloed Reeve Bill Bennett. Council was reminded the grant, which would give Seaforth 50 per cent of the cost incurred in this project, may be a "sunset" grant, and might not be available next year, if rejected this year. last year the request for the same project was turned down in the grants. "LACAC feels the town hall is a prominent building in the town - even more prominent now that it is lit up at mould It's very attractive building. Continued on Page A9 Parents want kindergarten St. Columban parents want their kinder- number in these lasses. Project figures show garten children in their school and came en 30 children in the Grade 1.2 and 3 lass next masse to indicate their seriousness to the Huron -Perth Roman Catholic separate school board. Them were 45 parents crammed into the third floor board room at the school board's February 24 meeting. Board chairman Ron Marryof Stratford said the parents' concerns would be considered further by the board accommodation review committee. The spokesmen for the group were Frank Crowley and Steve Murray, president and Past president respectively, of the St. Columban Separate School Parent -Teachers' Association. The kindergarten students from St. Co- lumban have always attended St. Patrick's separate school in Dublin. Director of education William Eckert said the school board set up kindergarten classes in 1970 and both Ecole Ste. Marie at RR2, Zurich and the St. Columban school have never had kindergarten classes. St. Columban has four classrooms, three of which are now used as classrooms and the fourth is used as a library -French room. There is triple grading in the school, with Grades 1, 2 and 3 together, Grades 4, 5 and 6 in another classroom and one double grade with Grade 7 and 8 in the third classroom. The parents would like to see all four classrooms used as dassmoms. They propose this fall, the eight kindergarten children from the St- Colurnban area come to the school and be combined with Grade 1 for a total of 19 children. This would leave a.double graded class for Grade 2 and 3 in one classroom, Grades 4, 5 and 6 in another and Grades 7 and 8 in the fourth classroom. Mr. Murray said the parents are concerned about the triple grading in the primary classes and because of the triple grades, the parents are also bothered about the high year. "For Grades 4, 5 and 6 we're not as concerned," said Mr. Murray. "We have not asked anything of the board before," he said, adding, "We have been satisfied with the triple grades." The parents' proposal would require one additional teaching position for the school. There are now 3.8 teaching positions in the school. Principal George Van Slyck was not present at the meeting and Mr. Murray said he had a previous commitment. "He said he'd be with us in spirit though," commented Mr. Murray. Mr, Crowley also stressed the kindergar- ten children should come to their parish school to strengthen their ties with the St. Columban Roman Catholic church. Both spokesmen said they had no quarrel with the board and they were willing to work towards a solution. The parents asked the board to answer seven questions. -Will kindergarten children generally be bussed to neighboring schools'? -Should limits be set for triple grade class size? -Should they (triple grade classes) not be smaller than single or double grades? -How many years should the same children be in triple grades? -What will your policy be for teachers' aides? -Will we all let primary dasses go up into the 308 with teacher aides and eliminate the number of teachers? -Are you willing to do this, decrease the number of teachers for teacher aides across the system? Chairman Marcy said it would be doubtful if any report will be brought forward in time for the board's next meeting on March 10. County approves Huron County's planning and develop- ment department had a budget of almost half a million dollars approved for 1986. ' County council will have a second chance to look at the department's estimates for the year when all department budgets are. considered at once in March. The 1986 planning budget is up 5.28 percent from last year. The planning and development budget of $490,585 reflects salary increases of six per cent. Salaries and benefits, totalling $256,042 makes up more than half of the planning department .he second major expense of the depart- ment is production costs. Budgeted at 569,706 for the year, these costs reflect the printing of zoning bylaws, official plans and maps done for the municipalities in the county. The net largest expense is for business development set at 561,800. Included in this is the cost of promotional advertising of the ci unty for economic development and tourism. Staff training, equipment and other planning budget internal administrative functions take up the rest of the budget estimates. Huron County pays the largest share of the budget. However, the estimate of 5368,085 for 1986 reflects only a four per cent increase over the county's share last year. The planning department will pull 855,000 out of its reserves to cover the various projects being worked on this year. Planning director Dr. Gary Davidson said the reserves are used to balance the department's budget because the province pays 85 per cent of the cost of the project at the beginning, but the project takes two to four years to complete. The budget also reflects an anticipated revenue increase from consent application fees. The department expects to get between 527,500 from the fees, because it upped the individual fee from $300 to $500. Provincial grants and other application fees account for the rest of the revenue. Some of the work to be carried out by the department this year includes 19 zoning plans at various stages, six official plans at various stages and preparing an economic development strategy.