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Community Newspaper Vol. 6, No. 29, Folio 57 Friday, July 16, 1982 Penetanguishene, Ontario Tiny chips In to PGH fund by Adrienne Graham Gardner Tiny township has contributed $2,500 to the Penetanguishene General Hospital capital fund with a promise of "a further $2,500 later if funds are available in November." Deputy-Reeve John Lackie, who sits on the PGH board, originally proposed an immediate grant of $5,000, arguing that "Tiny should support the two hospitals (Huronia District Hospital and PGH) equally," but was over-ruled. Tiny contributes approximately $15,000 each year towards the fifteen year debenture load shared by six municipalities for the building of HDH. Councillor John Butler, Tiny's finance chairman and a member of the HDH board, suggested "hospital boards should pressure the Ministry of Health to provide more funds rather than appeal to local municipalities." Butler also noted "ratepayers have had the choice of giving or not giving to PGH in their recent fund drive." John Lackie reported that the fund drive had netted PGH approximately $90,000 to date. PGH had requested a grant from Tiny: this spring to cover 14.6 per cent of the unfunded balance of their capital projects, or $10,333. This figure was based on Tiny's share of total patient usage of the hospital in the preceding year. New club"s Charter Night Wednesday The 24 members of Penetanguishene's newest service club, the Penetanguishene Rotary Club, will be inducted next Wednesday evening in the Penetanguishene Legion hall. The Midland club's members are expected to attend en masse the charter night, as well as representatives from other Rotary clubs, and the past president, and president, of the district, Penetanguishene Rotary Club president Don Charlebois said yesterday. Only one member of either club has first-hand experience of the ceremony of a Charter night. Midland Rotarian Arni DeCarli was present at the charter night of a Rotary Club in the Toronto area before he moved to Midland. representation Wednesday at Camp The club has its first provisional meeting in | Bivouac. The little ceremony is part of April. the camp's many daily activities for area youngsters. Sponsored by the Token tent Catherine Jones of Lafontaine stands at the centre of a '"'tent-raising"' - Tiny Tiny Township fire Citizen briefly Tiny Township firemen put out a tiny fire last Saturday. The fire in the ground in an uninhabited area on the township's Concession 8 covered an area 20 feei square, Fire Chief Guy Maurice said. Change will end lineup, ministry says Both Midland Flower and Feed, and Chalet Sports in Penetanguishene, expect lo receive computers from ithe Ministry of Tran- sportation and Communications soon. The iwo businesses are local licence plaie sticker issuing offices. Licence issuing is being compuierized with the installation of com- pulers in the 320 licence issuing offices across Ontario. Under a new system to be introduced Dec. 1, those last minuie line-ups in February will be eliminated, the ministry says. Vehicles will be registered annually on each owner's birthday. The plates will transfer with the owner of the plates from old vehicle to new vehicle. A year in South Africa % aps Inge Schwauss of ~ Penetanguishene has returned home from a year in the Orange Free State in South Africa. 7 While there she was the guesi in the homes of five wealthy South African families. She has interesting com- ments about prejudice and the South African school system in the story on Page 8. Free showing of King Kong for kids Passes for children age 12 and under to a showing of King Kong in Midland's Roxy Theatre, courtesy of The Midland Times, are available at any Midland Town Centre business with an ad in today's Sidewalk Days' supplement. The free show is a matinee NM THE NEWS >: Oa. Centre D'Activities Francaises in Penetanguishene, the camp will be shifting from Lafontaine' to Penetanguishene and then Perkinsfield over the next several weeks. by Adrienne Graham Gardner Lafontaine Seniors In response to a request by Montcalm Maurice Tiny council has instructed township administrator Guy Maurice to investigate the mechanics of conducting a survey to identify the need for a senior citizens' home in Lafontaine. Assessor An Assessor from the _ provincial government will be at Tiny municipal offices on the fourth Friday of each month at 9:30 a.m. beginning July 23, to answer ratepayers questions regarding assessment. Accounts The following accounts were authorized at the regular meeting of Tiny council July 14: General Accounts $48,004; Roads Department $118,375; Fire $861; Water $22,267; Parks and Recreation $3,925; Planning board remuneration January to June $1,155, ROMA Insurance plan $18,601; Planning $3,627. Midland's RCA plant closing Midland's second-biggest employer, RCA, told its 600 remaining employees yesterday, one day before the television colour picture tube manufacturing plant closes for the annual two-week summer shutdown, that the plant will close Dec. 31. Newly-appointed plant manager Harry Cox said the decision was made in Toronto a week ago today. The last details were finished Wednesday. In its press release, RCA said that it is actively seeking a purchaser. Cox said that a tube manufacturer in another country, or a television set manufacturer in this country, would be a potential buyer, but the number of buyers would be limited. Jeff Peck, who represents the 450 members of the International Union of Electrical, Radio, and Mechanical Workers (IUE) employed at the Midland plant, said, "I knew it was bad, but not quite that bad." Peck laid the blame for the closing on the federal government, for not controlling the sale of foreign picture tubes in Canada. "'It's an unfair situation, but that's it. We got no protection from the government. They could have stopped the imports. It's the same as for the car manufacturers. They flood the market with Japanese imports. What have you got? People out of work." Both Cox and Peck have been employees at the Midland plant since it opened in 1966. Richard Platt, also an employee from the first year, and chairman of the finance committee of the town, said, "This is a disaster from anyone's point of view." The RCA executive doesn't think that tariffs would have saved the plant. "We're a victim of the economic situation. The Japanese are more competitive, it's a free market, they can bring picture tubes in at a lower cost. It's hard for people to see when their jobs are affected. We have to be competitive." Speaking of the effect on the community, Platt said that the municipality will lose a large amount of tax revenue, and that both local retail businesses and suppliers to RCA will feel the ripple effect. There will be a lot less money in the community. "It's a cloud without any silver linings that I can see." "Tronically things seemed to be a little better lately," Platt added. But the long- term prospects were not good enough for the head office in the United States, he said. "Midland Deputy-reeve Bev Day said yesterday, "It's a shock. It's going to hurt us. I hope Decor can hang in there."' Local RCA dealer Ted Light said the Midland plant closing wouldn't make any difference to his business. The few sales he probably lost because RCA employees bought television sets from their employer is nothing compared to the loss by the employees of their jobs, he said. At this time last year the Midland plant had the highest number of employees that it had in its history, 1,200. Cox said that a few employees might get jobs with RCA elsewhere, but added that RCA is cutting back elsewhere, too. The feeling yesterday afternoon at the plant was one of shock and resignation, Platt said. "A lot of people knew in the back of their minds that this was not unlikely," he said. Peck said, "It's too early to tell. For most people it's hard to realize that it's going to happen. It's not really got home yet to people. When it gets closer to Christmas, people will start to realize their jobs are gone. It'll start to sink in." ee ee Ss. Be