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Decor management calls employees back to work Management does not know when the Decor Plant in Penetanguishene will be reayening according to statements made by p pany spokesman Michael Tidy yester- Vol. 8, No. 27 Wednesday, July 2, 1975 day. Following two work stoppages last week, the Decor Plant which employees roughly 300 people, was shuttewn Friday afternoon. 32 pages Call off negotiations for the summer Management is now asking its employees to phone the plant and signify their willingness to return to work. As soon as we feel there are enough people available to work we'll reopen the plant Tidy said, but he added, "We don't know yet when the plant will be reopened." In the meantime a group of 11 mechanics who left their jobs last week in protest over the dismissal of a supervisor are classified as having quit. "The company's position is the mechanics have quit,"' Tidy said. 'They were given the option to return to work. They were fully advised clearly that if they chose not to work they would be asked to leave the plant. If they left the plantsthey would be considered as having quit. In no way can they be considered to be fired because the choice was theirs to return to work," Tidy said. Tidy added that the mechanics had tried to be reinstated "but they've been un- successful.'" The dismissal of a popular plant foreman led to the walkouts last week. The business agent for the union at the plant, Elvio Dallorto (Textile Workers Union) said the stoppages were sympathetic ones towards the fact that a supervisor (foreman) was dismissed. However, since foremen are not part of a union Dallorto said, "This is out of our hands...We can't interfere with company business."' He added that the union executive advised members to report back to work and to follow the terms of the collective Agreement and the Provincial Labour Relations Act. In the meantime negotiations for a new contract for workers at Penetanguishene's Decor Plant have ground to a halt. "Our first concern is to get the plant going again," Tidy said adding, then we can get back to negotiations. ; The present contract at Decor expires on September 15. Teachers reject SCBE contract offer by Sue de Stein For the first time since the inception of the Simcoe County Board of Education in 1969, county elementary and secondary school teachers will be without a contract when school starts in the fall. Chief negotiator for county elementary school teachers Dan Shouldice requested a recess in the negotiations with the board until September, following the rejection of a proposed salary settlement by the teachers at an earlier meeting. In his letter to the board, he noted that most of the teachers' negotiating team would be busy during the summer months, due to previous com- mitments. Furthermore, he pointed out that it wold be impossible to contact the teachers ifa Pavement could be tentatively reached. Despite the fact that both -the board's negotiating chairman John McCullough and the teachers' chief negotiator had earlier signed a memorandum of agreement ac- cepting the contract settlement and had agreed to recommend the ratification of the agreement, the teachers rejected the proposal. About 39 per cent of the 1100 elementary teachers with the board voted against the offer, 24 per cent voted in favour of acceptance, and 37 per cent did not attend the meeting. Salary increases from September 1974 to September 1975 on the teacher grid offered by the board, ranged from a low of $1,650 to a high of $4,850. Despite the teachers' rejection and the request for the extended recess, board chief negotiator McCullough stressed that "negotiations have not deteriorated." Although he said he understood the problems involved in bringing the teachers' negotiating team together, he expressed his disappointment that negotiations could not be pursued during the summer. In addition to these problems, the timing of the introduction of Bill 100 was '"'un- fortunate", he added. Because both the teachers and the trustees do not know the full implications cf the bill,- McCulleugh said there does not seem to be any alternative but to wait until the fall for the resumption of talks. But while there are no immediate plans to continue negotiations, "we are prepared to meet at any time," he added. Secondary school negotiations at standstill Board negotiations with the county's secondary school teachers appear to have broken off -- at least until late August. At the board meeting on Wednesday night, trustees were informed that its final offer was found to be "unacceptable" to the Eying Barnacle Barnacle the bear kneels beside a youngster after winning the award for the most comical character in the parade. Despite the nature of the award, Barnacle was up to some very serious business during the parade. He was urging people to clean up litter. Staff photo teachers. In a letter to the board, teachers' chief negotiator Ian M, Smith of Collingwood Collegiate pointed out that the proposed salary grid is approximately $850.00 to $1900.00 below the recent settlements in Hamilton, York, Halton, Ottawa, Carlton, and Grey. The board's offer was turned down also because the board had not met the teachers' request for a monthly cost of living allowance and because the board had not consented to the teachers' request to allow negotiations to go to final offer arbitration by a local arbitrator, he noted in the letter. "We feel we have gone as far as board guidelines have permitted,* said board negotiator Roy Edwards. With legislation pending, it appeared wise to withdraw all offers, and let nature take its course, he added. "We're back to square one"' in the talks, Edwards said, but "'we are not in an impasse position." Both sides have agreed to meet in August to look at it and to see "if we could come up with something favourable to both sides." In its report, the negotiating committee noted that a number of the teachers' requests are '"'unacceptable to the committee", and are "beyond what the Board of Education or the people of Simcoe County consider to be reasonable." Pére Murray greets the people Monsignor Athol Murray and Centennial committee chairman Doug Dubeau meet the people along Penetanguishene's Main Street Parade route. During his speech prior to the start of the parade Monsignor Murray praised the French and English people of Praises town's bilingual nature Penetanguishene for living together as pals and not squabbling like they do in Montreal. Staff photo Pere returns to Penetanguishene Penetanguishene couldn't have found a better person to give the kickoff speech for its Centennial parade then Monsignor Athol Murray. The booming voice from Saskatchewan delighted the spectators, who lined the streets for Saturday's parade by telling them, "It's a great thrill to be back in the old town and see you've never lost your love for a parade."' (Pere Murray was an. assistant priest at St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church in the early 1920's before moving on to Saskatchewan where he founded the University of Notre Dame.) Athol Murray wasted no time in getting to the heart of his message on Saturday. He shouted to the people of Penetanguishene that they had a "great responsibility to Canada. You're both English and French but you're pals, You're not squabbling like they are in Montreal.' After plugging the bicultural nature of Canada Murray resurrected his idea of building a great cross on Penetanguishene Bay at Toanche where Samuel de Champlain Local power rates increase by 12% The Penetanguishené Water and Light Commission is raising its electricity rates as a direct result of increased power costs from Ontario Hydro. And while consumers may find that hard to swallow, the manager of Penetanguishene's Water and Light Com- mission Ernie Lalonde, claims that the in- crease in rates will not even cover the higher power costs which the Water and Light Commission has to pay to Ontario Hydro. The Penetanguishene Water and Light Commission acts as a retailer for Ontario Hydro which is a wholesaler of electrical power. The Ontario Hydro office in Tay Township residents will find they are not immune to inflationary pressures when it comes time to pay their 1975 tax bill. According to budget figures recently released by the township, a residential public school supporter will be faced with an in- crease of 11.71-in the mill rate, up from the 1974 figure of 81.51 mills. On an assessment of $3,000 -- a rough average in the township -- the taxpayer will be forking out just under $36.00 more this year than last. Out of a total budget of $1,213,974, the public school levy accounts for $239,753, while the high school levy takes another $208,516. The township has budgetted $599,260 Penetanguishene serves residents outside of Penetanguishene in Tiny and Tay Townships. Although the Penetanguishene Water and Light Commission is only increasing its rates by 12 per cent the actual cost of power, which the Commission purchases from Ontario Hydro, has risen by 15 per cent Lalonde said. Furthermore, Ontario Hydro recently received approval for a 30 per cent increase in power costs. The increased costs of power from Ontario Hydro mean the Penetanguishene Water and Light Com- mission, 'Will probably be operating in the red in 1976." In order to enable the Water and Light Commission to pay for increased power costs Lalonde expects another increase in the Commission's rates will be within another year. The amount of the increase, if it does come depends on the outcome of the energy board hearings which are currently taking place in Toronto. The cost of power from Ontario Hydro is the dominating factor in the budget of the Penetanguishene Water and Light Com- mission. It accounted for 82.3 per cent of the budget in 1974 and is expected to take up 83 per cent this year. Tay Township taxes rise 12 mills | The Simcoe County bill to Tay township accounts for another $134,113, while the separate school levy takes $32,332 from Tay coffers. Breaking down the figures, the general and county levies represent a 33.95 mill rate to the residential taxpayer, up from the 1974 figure of 26.88. The comparable mill rate for commercial ratepayers is 37.61, an increase from last year's 32.38 figure. A residential high school supporter will add the equivalent of 25.70 mills to his tax bill, up from the 1974 mill rate of 23.48, while a residential public school supporter will pay 33.57 mills. Residential supporters of the A long line of antique cars heads down Main Street during Penetanguishene's centennial Reliving the past parade. The old cars formed only one of the highlights of the Saturday parade which was organized by parade chairman Mike Tinney. Staff photo cera schools will pay at a rate of 37.80 mills. For Sunnyside residents, the water tax will remain at 15.00 mills on the 1975 tax bill. Commercial ratepayers supporting high schools will pay 28.55 mills, while com- mercial public school supporters will add the equivalent of 37.30 mills to their tax bill. Out of their total tax bill, commercial separate school supporters will pay at a rate of 42.00 mills, Kitty Hawk launched By Sue de Stein The spirit of Orville Wright sails again on the waters of Georgian Bay. On Sunday afternoon at the Midland town dock, an estimated two hundred onlookers witnessed the rejuvenation of a favoured toy of the man who gave the world the airplane. Forty-four years after Wright's 32-foot mahogany cruiser first took to the waters, Midland's Guy Johnstone launched the restored Kitty Hawk, whose wreck had been a Christmas gift from wife Cathy in 1971. Once a familiar sight on the Bay near Honey Harbour, where Wright owned an island, the Kitty Hawk lay in disrepair for several years in a boathouse owned by Cathy Johnstone's father, Mr. Wilfred France. In 1941, Mr. France had helped Wright outfit the Kitty Hawk with a new marine engine, when the original aircraft engine proved un- successful. Upon Wright's death, Mr. France purchased the cruiser from the estate. When Mr. France died, both the boathouse and the Kitty Hawk deteriorated, until Cathy Johnstone bought the cruiser for her husband from her father's estate. landed in 1615. "I want to come back some time in the future when you put up a great cross,'"' he said. (What Athol Murray didn't tell the people of Penetanguishene was that he has already donated $500. towards the construction of that cross.) At a public meeting at the Penetanguishene town office a month before the start of centennial week it was decided there was not enough time to build the cross by June 28 but that the project may be feasible on a long term basis In closing his speech, 85-year-old Athol Murzay reminded the French and English people of Penetanguishene of their challenge. £7 want to urge you that Penetanguishene...Huronia...can do a hell'va a lot to keep Canada together." Citizen Capsules A good year year at PSS A great number of Penetanguishene Secondary School students distinguished themselves during the past year in a variety of fields but the greatest achievements of all were recorded by those grade 13 students who won Ontario Scholarship Awards ac- cording to PSS principal Don Beatty. Beatty made the statement during last Thursday night's Commencement Exercises at PSS. First of all we strive for academic excellence he said. Some of the highlights which Beatty mentioned for the 1974-75 school year were: 4& q While Penetanguishene celebrates its 100th birthday as a municipality, and Canada arrives at her 108th birthday as an /in- dependent nation, one of North Simcoe's most popular institutions also celebrated a birthday yesterday. Radio station CKMP, the voice of North Simcoe for 16 years, had its own quiet celebration yesterday. The station is jointly owned by Midland- Penetang Broadcasting and Countryside Broadcasting, and was started by Bruce Armstrong, the station's general manager, just four days before Queen Elizabeth arrived in Georgian Bay aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia following the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Armstrong came with a background of 18 the sold out performances of the Penetanguishene Secondary School Band, the Fastmatics competitions over the local cable TV station which were organized by PSS teachers for area elementary schools, the success of the PSS badminton team which finished third in a competition involving all the secondary schools in Ontario, the PSS football team which won a Georgian Bay Secondary School Championship, PSS's victory in the CKMP track and field meet and the improved performance of the PSS senior boys basketball team. Selling books Tina Brophy (14) and 11-year-old Nadine Lalonde look over Penetanguishene's centennial book. The girls were selling the books outside of the Presbyterian Church last week. Cost of the 36 page book on the town's history is $2.00. Copies can be obtained ' at the town office and the Odd Copy Book Store. Staff photo Eas z appy birthday CKMP years in the business with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and says now that he's "quite happy with the way things have worked out." One son, Jim Armstrong, is program director and another, John, is the sales director for the station. Last fall, in- dependent surveys established that CKMP had the highest number of listeners of any station whose signal reaches into North Simcoe. So, gentlemen, congratulations. We trust your celebrations were a suitable model of sobriety, and that you duly reward people like Tom Shields, Paul Brent, and Frank Shunk who worked through both a national holiday and the station's birthday. Paul DiCorsi was on holidays: The Week in Review Lots to see and lots to do. We're smack in the middle of 'Old Home Week' and our photographer is using film like it's going out of style. We couldn't fit all the pictures in but we did our best. Pages two, three, and seven are largely picture pages designed to capture the spirit of our centennial celebrations. A 15 pound rhesus monkey has been seen roaming around somewhere in Tiny Town- ship. For a light hearted report check page two. On a more. serious note, Penetanguishene Secondary School was the scene of commencement exercises for grade 13 students last Thursday. The report is on page two. Monsignor Athol Murray honoured us with a visit from the West last week. He thinks it's great the way French and English Canadians can live together as pals in our town. We offer a comment on Father Murray's comment on page four. aud we couldn't pass up the chance for a few words on John Turner's recent 10 cent a gallon gas increase. k * Sports on pages 13 and 14 lead off our second section. Penetanguishene's Larry Patenaude was the dominating player in the championship centennial tournament game. Unfortunately for us he plays for the Port MeNicoll fastball team. Anne Merkley is now ranked to seed in Ontario in the 12-year-old girls division. She earned the ranking during a tournament last week in Toronto. (See page 13.) Classifieds are on pages 16-18. Saturday's centennial parade was a great one, but was it legal? For the story and pictures see page 19 x* In our third section, Huronia Life, we take a feature look at the Gryphon Theatre in Barrie. That's in addition to Shirley Whittington's regular column, ar- ticles on cooking, the movies and books and our weekly crossword puzzle.