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By RICHARD THOMAS Of The Examiner Port McNicoll Reeve Robin Talbot is quite frank when it the possibility of career in comes to discuSsing municipal politics He doesnt want one would make poor politi sense cian in the classical the examiner Toady May 1910 simcoe county because cant appease everyone and wouldnt try says the 2Gyearold Talbot who is serving his second term on county council You have to make so many compromises would inevitably end up alienating some faction Then why is he in his present Robin Talbot of Port McNicoll Youthful reeve not your overo role For selfish motives he says candidly wanted to get involved in county council because wanted to learn something of the political process political science graduate from Trent University in 1975 Talbot says he was unemployed at the time of elections two Debris litters park As the snow melted in and around the parking lot at Minets Point Park signs of winter debris are very much in evidence Garbage scrap wood the remains of vandalized ice fishing huts cover the end of the lot nearest to the lake Local residents called The Examiner to draw attention to the situation Examiner Photo By TERRY FIELD Of The Examiner cut back on Bill Straughan trustee with County Board of Education with the board payer said Straughan damage to that has perhaps system adds all about and that ed Straughan says Taxpayers have to make available Straughan says SWITCHEI TO BOARD If the province continues to grants to school boards the quality of educa tion offered Ontarios popula tion could be eroded says Barrie the Simcoe Straughan in his fifth year says the ministry of education has been shifting more of the financial burden to the tax dont think the trend is going to change The result will be tighter control on spending by On tarios school boards and the been established he says School boards would be forced to cut programs and services he Consistency is what its con sistency could be undermin reasonable but they do not have the resources govern ment does and if the govern ment wants to maintain the system of education it will funds Straughan started in public service as an alderman with the City of Barrie but pro motion to director of inspec tion services for the Simcoc your school boarol Calls grant cutbacks danger to education BIL STRAUGIIAN Barrie trustee County Health United created potential conflict of interest The city provides some money to the unit He switched to school board and has been trustee since 1975 Originally from Goderich Ontario Straughan married local girl and moved to Simcoe County in the 19605 brother Ben is Barries city clerk The Straughans have three children Two in local high school and one in elementary school Seatin for350 ersons New sanctuary By BRIAN BAKER Barries Grace nus qks Itn United Church recently celebrated historic milestone with sod turning ceremony in prcpara tion for constructon of ncw conventional church sanctuary The new $115000 building will seat some 350 persons and be ready by the end of July Honored gucsts were the Rev William Fritz minister of Col jéW 35 He says the province takes libcrtics when awarding grants to school boards in cluding initiating programs which they fund for few years before handing th responsibility to the locals SWITCHES PRIORITIES That is constant concern of the trusteesoften oncc program gets going the special funding is taken awaythey just switch their priorities The province in many cases tells the local board what programs it should run without providing additional money to cover the cost Straughan says This year the board has alloted $350000 to expand its special education program at the provinces insistence but no grants will be available until 1981 he says While money is major concern of both the province and the school board it can not be the only concern Straughan says Its the responsibility of the board to make sure thc system is operated in very businesslike manner but you also have to bc concerned that proper organization is not the only objective of the board The prime consideration should be the value of educ tion being offered and Straughan says Im quite satisfied years ago thought why the hell not run for Reeve he says with grin The youngest member on county council Talbot says there was some resentment locally about his seeking the position Government was so complex it was no place for young novice Nothing is that complex he says shaking his tousled head It is basic decision mak ing that is all that occurs The 212 years on county coun cil has been learning pro cess the young reeve says and an enjoyable one despite the difference in age and often opi nion between himself and the majority of councillors pilot by profession flying charter planes for Georgian Bay Airlines Talbot says as devout socialist he is quite out of place at the county Almost everybody there is Progressive Conservative Sometimes he is controver sial but no one takes it per sonally he says have been very pleased at how have been received and working with them has been pleasure MIXED REACTION The tour of duty at the coun ty has left the outspoken reeve with mixed reactions to the system and the represen tatives On the one hand he sees the council as being fraternity oriented somewhat reac tionary in thinking and perpetuating crony relation ship with the conservative pro vincial government typical Upper Canada mentality still exists here The politicians dont understand the problems of federalism he says But on the other hand they are very shrewd in dealing with money from the municipalities he says have to stress their effi ciency financially There is strong agrarian bias at the county level because most of the represen tatives are farmers but one thing admire in that is that there is grass roots representa tion says reeve Talbot Id sooner see that type of representative than the slick cosmopolitan lawyer type im age FUNCTIONS BETTER The county system is more functional than regional government and continue to support it says Talbot but despite the phobia about regionalism at the county level some centralization is in evitable proposal to cut the number of councillors at the county level currently in the mill is something which should have happened long ago says reeve Talbot County councillors should also be elected separately and not take seat automatically because they are an elected reevelocatly he says But that will never hap pen he adds with grin His local role as reeve in Port McNicoll has given Talbot more satisfaction than his seat at the county There is sense of communi ty spirit inthe village thanks to the efforts of young council made up of hard workers he says What we are looking for is development of tourism he says Because it is one of the very few municipal ties left in 0n tario which has water rail and road tranSportation Port McNicoll in decade or two may attract heavy industry Talbot says After living in the community for the past 20 years Talbot is considering spreading his wings and travelling further afield He says he wants to eventual ly fly for large commercial airline But despite everything he has said about never being professional politician he isnt going to walk away from the op portunity for another fling if it arises smile slowly creasing his face he says If am here for the provincial election Ill definitely run Steam train lovers have treat in store By LORI COHEN The Examiner Steam train lovers have treat in store later this sum mer Theyll be able to ride an authentic steam train as part of celebrations marking the 125th anniversary of the Ontario Simcoe and Huron Railway the first railway line in Ontario The rail line celebrates its an niversary on June with rides and festivities in Collingwood and Stayner Oats Straw and Hay train excursion on VIA Rail diesels will run June between Barrie and Collingwood sponsored by the Upper Canada Railway Society As special added attraction steam train will run between Collingwood and Stayner dur ing the afternoon Passengers can board in Collingwood at 115 pm Cost is $5 for adults and $2 for children under 12 DEPARTS BARRIE The diesel train departs Bar rie at 830 am and arrives in Collingwood at 1010 am The excursion train returns to Bar rie at 415 pm arriving here at 540 pm The fare is $995 for adults and $695 for children Tickets may be purchased in person from the VIA Rail sta tion in Barrie or mail from the Upper Cana Railway Society in Scarborough Collingwood has declared June Heritage Day and will celebrate with parades bands and gold spike ceremonies Stayner will stage its Holland Days Festival complete with custumes food and parades Upon arrival in Collingwood train riders can view the On tario Heritage display on board baggage car display of railway equipment and the societys soyearold private car Train lovers can ride steam train like the one above between Collingwood and Stayner June in honor of the Ontario Simcoe and Huron Railways i25th anniversary it was the first railway line in Ontario The rides are organized by the Upper Canada Railway Society for Grace United Church lier Strcct United Church and chairman of the Simcoc Presbytery and mayor Ross Archer who shared the honor of breaking the first sod The shovel was prcscntcd by == as Taking part in sodturning ceremonies for new church sanctuary at Grace United Church Barrie are left to right Ken Dryborough Rev Arthur Storey minister of Grace United Rev William Fritz chairman of Simcoe Presbytery mayor Ross Archer and Nelson Garrett Examiner Photo Alvin Perkins representing the founders and charter members Former Barrie alderman Nelson Garrett chairman of the building committee the Rev Arthur Storey minister of Grace lnitcd Church for the last 10 years and Ken Iiryborough chairman of the building study committec took turns in turning the sod Appropriately the theme of the Itcvcrcnd Storcys sermon was Build your church on strong foundation Hc pointed out that likc the bible church must be built strongly upon thc rock of faith to the service and glory ol God ltl1tllElilllE Nelson Garrett recalch that when the construction of the present building was started in 1904 wccds crc alrcady grow ing up on the two acre site bought in 193 by the Simcoe Presbytery In 190 Grove Street had not been cpcncd through from Lay Street to Duckworth and the present road was known as Willow dale Avenue Hence the church was first called Willowdalc nitcd Church Construction on the new building should be underway by midMay We are looking for all the volunteer help we can get Ev veryone can put their talents to good use whether it be decorating digging shovel swinging hammer or giving financial contributions said Garrett According to the Rev Arthur Storey the new $115000 building will be 58 feet square have single point roof and 25 foot steeple topped by cross Allowance will be made for future secondphase addi tion of two expansion rooms each with seating capacity of hundred nursery library and gcncrl office BLIIJ FOR FlTlltE The future of the church Grace United looks very good commentcd the Rev Storey We are optimistic that with new growth and support we will have this all paid off within five to 10 years This dynamic new and growing com munity and we are not building in excess of what can be substantiated by future growth Dr Perkins charter member recalls that the pro sent church site was bought by the Simcoe Presbytery in 1959 off the Isaac Carruthers farm when farmland extended vir tually all the way down to Steel Street First church and Sun day school services and classes were held in Steel Street Public School The present church was built under the stay of the first minister the Rev Baker who did not live to see the com pletion of the building The church as congregation was inaugerated in 1961 After Baker lay preachers included Mr Creaser Albert Cook and student ministers in cluding Alan Tomilson Douglas Tomilson another stu dent minister did the original feasibility survey Ernest Har ris was the first Sunday school superintendent and his brother Eveard both charter members has been on the of ficial board tnost of the time Today some 105 families and over 300 members are record ed Over 100 children are registered in the Sunday school classes of which Mrs Bruce Pauline Chappel is superintendent Mrs Velma Wice is president of the United Church Women group Chair man of the official board is Craig Hall ge pliticion Robin Talbot 26 reeve of Port McNicoll and county councillor says his years at the county level have been learning experience An avowed socialist Talbot says he is quite out of place in the predominately conser vative county body Examiner Photo Upswing predicted Beef cattle herd lowest since 1960 The size of the beef breeding herd in Canada is the lowest since 1960 and there will be about 15 per cent less beef going to market this year than last year says Charles Gracey manager of the Canadian Cat tlemens Association Gracey told members of the Simcoe County Cattlemens Association Wednesday the beef cycle is bottoming out Farmers have sold the herd and have not yet started to rebuild he said Gracey said marketings will likely be lower each year until about 1982 The price of beef to the farmer in the coming year will be about 95 cents pound down from $102 last year he said But the price is not likely to dro below 90 cents pound he ad ed PREDICTS UPSWING Gracey predicted an upswing in the cycle as farmers take steps to rebuild herd numbers and said more calves will be go ing into the feed lot rather than the veal route He said he was not concern ed about continuing pressure in the country to increase beef imports because there arent know big enough supplies in the world to bother us too much and the price of foreign beef would be strong and not depress local prices Gracey said the association was winning its fight in Ottawa to institute long term beef im port law which would be countercyclincal in nature It would let more beef in when we are in short supply and keep it out when we have surplus he said Gracey told the meeting there was little governments could do to change the fun damental cycle but they can control imports impose export controls to keep the beef in the country and envourage the use of meat substitutes such as vegetable proteins Gracey said for the next two years see heavy pork sup plies having definite impact on beef priving It will slow beef prices but not pull them into down trend he said Gracey said it takes big supply of pork to damage beef prices TROUBLES CONSUMERS Gracey said on the demand side of the beef market cone Mrs Pat Sharpe of Glencoirn Ont correctly identified last weeks entry in the Know Your County Contest as the old Glencoirn School and wins two steaks courtesy of and Super Discount In Barrie Angus or Alliston if you know the answer to this weeks entry send your name and address and telephone number along with your entry to Know Your County Contest The Examiner Box 370 Barrie L4M 4T6 Winners are selected by random draw of all correct answers and will be notified by mail your county sumer are troubled because food prices in the last year have risen more than wages He described this change in the trend as catching up and said consumers are feel ing the bite because they can not buy as many luxury items now Consumers have come to see cheap food as right Gracey said hostile consumer groups such as Women Against Rising Prices WARP argue that food is not for profit But food for profit system generates production he said Gracey told the cattlemen WARP intends to boycott all beef over $175 pound but the raw price of beef even before anything is done to it in the way of processing is $188 pound he said Gracey said WARP was not organized enough nor was there sufficient symathy among the general consumer for boycott to be successful He said the success of boycott was shortlived because it discourages farmers from raising cattle and creates shortage in the long run driv ing up prices Farmers wont produce in boycott Gracey said