Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 9, 1979, Winnipeg, Manitoba Mill rate boost needed to offset higher expenses Steen predicts 9% Rise in City operating costs by Rick Blanchard the City faces a or nine per cent Rise in operating expenses in 1979, mayor Robert Steen said in an interview Mon Day. Steen said increased civic Revenue would offset some of the increase. He said reports of a Mill rate hike of around three or four were accurate. His operating budget in crease prediction suggests a budget this year As compared with last year s million. The mayor said part of the in crease in operating expenses Are unavoidable debt servicing charges which will increase in 1979 to million up Mil lion Over last year. It s the most shocking thing about Steen said of the fact that Council has no Power Over the increased costs for Bor rowed Money. The mayor said the bulk of the remaining in crease he is predicting would probably be caused by in creases in City staff salaries. Wages now account for Al most 80 per cent of the operating budget he said and the City is presently in the midst of negotiations with civic unions. Steen said the City has pro posed five or six per cent in creases to the unions but the unions have proposed increases of 20 per cent. The mayor said for every one per cent increase granted to civic employees it had the potential to add one Mill to the tax rate. One Mill equals in taxes for every of assess ment Steen said the City compares favourably with other major cities in its per capita debt and is maintaining the Law of Vigi Lance to prevent a slide to wards bankruptcy. He said the City s anticipated million in borrowing for the year s capital works Mil lion above its self imposed limit would t Hurt its Finan Cial standing. Increased assessments Are expected to bring the City be tween million and million More in Revenue while City licence and permit fees will also Lessen the Impact of in creased costs. Civic finance committee chairman coun. Abe Yanofsky said he is optimistic the operating budget will come within the same Mill rate As this Yanofsky said an increase in assessment alone will bring in three per cent More Revenue. Indications Are that Winnipeg Hydro s surplus will continue to help offset increased operating expenses Yanofsky said but j. C. Gilmour City treasurer predicts the Utility s assistance will Lessen in the future. Gilmour said any benefits Winnipeg Hydro gleans from a mandatory rate increase in february will be substantially eroded because Manitoba Hydro with which it shares debt costs faces heavy costs on the foreign Exchange and debts recently taken on for re cent additions to the system. Winnipeg Hydro general manager k. H. Hallson said there appears at present to be a decrease in the Al though he could t say to what extent. One hopeful sign for the City is preliminary figures which show the City experienced a 21-per-cent increase during 1978 in the value of new construction having issued building permits for million com pared with million in 1977. The City will probably also seek an increase in provincial Grants expecting to reap some of the benefits of a 5.7-per-cent increase in the province s growth taxes on retail sales liquor and Gas. Last year 11 per cent of All City Revenue came from the provincial government. Mayor Robert Steen Winnipeg free press tuesday january 9, 1979 City news 2nd class mail registration number 0286 Barbara Cansino the eclipse this past saturday afternoon a group of 40-Odd school teachers and three Joe Public gathered together at the Glen Lea astronomical Observatory nine Miles South of the University of Manitoba off Highway 75, to listen to or. Richard Bochonko of the u of m department of mathematics and astronomy and Robert Miller super visor of the planetarium at the University talk about observing and photographing the total eclipse of the Sun in Southern Manitoba at on the morning of feb. 26, and ways in which people can make the most of the experience. The setting was fit Ting. For those who have not taken themselves beyond City limits since the Snow fell the endless Flat White Ness Between the Road to St. Adolphe and the Green sign which says Glen Lea research Centre appeared an earthly augury of the unearthly event to take place Miles away in the sky. Or if you will 93 million Earth to Sun Miles away in the sky. Bochonko explained what actually happens when there is a total solar eclipse. The Moon comes Between us and the Sun. The disc of the Moon blocks out the Sun. The Moon will entirely cover the disc of the Sun. The partial eclipse can been seen All Over North America. But the total eclipse occurs Only on a Small part of the Earth. The maximum duration of any eclipse that can occur is seven minutes. The maximum duration of this eclipse will be two minutes 50 seconds at Hecla Island. Winnipeg will have two minutes 15 seconds. The last total eclipse in Winnipeg was in 1905. The next will be in 2218. I think we can say it will be a spectacular Bochonko said with a Broad smile of enthusiasm. The total experience is about two i hours Long. The eclipse contains two Ott gels parts the partial phase when there is Light and the total eclipse when it is completely Black. The danger to the eyes comes in the partial phase. During the partial phase the Moon moves slowly Over the disc of the Sun. Viewers will not be Able to experience what s going on until the last few minutes. The Sun is so Bright. The Sun is about a million times brighter than the full Moon. The descriptions Are of a mid Day most of the activity will occur during a 10-minute period. What to watch out for the most obvious thing to look for is the Shadow. A massive thing. It will look like a big band of blackness. The Best Way to observe the Shadow is from the top of a Small building. You look to the South West and see the oncoming of the Shadow big dark band coming across the the Shadow bands Are parallel dark bands that sweep across the ground in the Shadow of the Moon. They travel along the ground at 20 feet per second. They Start appearing at about five minutes before total eclipse. The event is similar to rip Ples in a swimming Pool. People should look for the approach of the Shadow and the Shadow bands before and after totality. Once the eclipse is Over Don t run away and get the most spectacular events Are Baily beads and the Diamond ring. As the Moon crosses the Sun there will be some valleys through which the last Ray of sunlight will come. Baily beads occur when you have several valleys through which the Light can Shine. The Diamond ring is want to observe the Shadow approaching you might miss Baily beads. Set yourself a plan of what to see. When it s Over you will see a Flash of Light coming. It la be like coming out of a movie during totality you will see a Beautiful Circle of Light around the darkened Sun. This is the Corona. Its color is Pearly White. Streamers come out of the inner Corona. You should also take a look around. There Are atmospheric Phenomena to observe. There is a change in the intensity of the Light just before totality occurs. It is interesting to find out How dark it is. Eclipse Chas ers find the darkness level varies from eclipse to eclipse. Look at the horizon. During total eclipse look at other parts of the sky and see the stars. The summer Constellation will be in the sky. The Vega is the brightest Star of the summer Triangle. You will also see the planets Mercury Venus and Mars. And look for a Comet. Comets have been observed close to the Sun. There will be meteorological events. There s a temperature drop because no sunlight is coming to the surface of the Earth. We lose solar . The temperature drops about 18 degrees fahrenheit nine degrees celsius. There is a windchill Factor because a wind comes along during a total eclipse. There will be either a forma Tion of Clouds during total eclipse a dreadful or the sudden opening of Clouds. There is a change in the Beha Vior of plants and animals. Animals bed Down. Chickens go to Roost. Dogs go into the dog House. Plants close and open. And then there will be the Man in the Street who no matter what won t know what s going on As he s driving across the Disraeli Bridge and everything goes thursday risk to the eyes and How to observe the eclipse safely it leaves you breathless Highway collision kills one l photo by and Blicq the wreckage of a car is towed away after it was involved in a fatal collision with another vehicle South of Selkirk. One Man died and an other was sent to Hospital monday after two vehicles collided head on at . On Highway 9, about 12 Kilometres South of Sel Kirk an ramp spokesman said. Dead is Lawrence Peter Gauthier 16, of Lorette Man. In Good condition in Selkirk Hospital is Stanley Pochinco 43, of Winnipeg police said the two vehicles were travelling in opposite directions when they collided on a curve in the southbound Lane. Ramp said one Driver died and the other was taken to Selkirk general Hospital where he is listed in fair condition. There were no Passen Gers police said. City delays hearing on overpass last tuesday an item called bagels considered the Bagel Book which presents 113 ways in which to serve up a Bagel. These ways included the traditional lox and Cream cheese on a Bagel and other More modern exam Ples like Sloppy Joe Bagel and egg Foo Yong Bagel. Bemie Gunn of Gunn s bakery in Winnipeg has phoned up to give his shop s slant on the Bagel the Bagel in the past few years at our shop has taken an interesting turn. We be developed some new. Flavors in bagels. We have the pizza Bagel the onion Bagel and the Pumpernickel Bagel. Those Are in addition to the regular boiled Bagel. And we also have a bread Bagel. That s More of an Ordi nary Roll the Type of dough that is. Then we have an egg Bagel. It s like an egg the Plain Bagel is of course the least expensive the pizza Bagel is More expensive. It has pizza sauce and onion and Mozzarella cheese. If you missed them the monday night comedy series at the University of Manitoba started last night continues to feb. 5. Of special interest Woody Allen s Annie Hall is on Jan. 15 and Monty Python s Jabberwocky is on Jan. 22. The All Star Cinema series featuring films on wednesdays thursdays starts tomorrow continues to feb. 8. Of special interest pretty baby directed by Louis Malle and starring Brooke Shields is on Jan. Ii and last tango in Paris with Marlon Brando and Marie Schneider is on Jan. 17 and 18. Time . Place the Multi purpose room University by Ingeborg Boyens the Public meeting on the Sher Brook Mcgregor overpass promised by City councillors in Decem Ber will be delayed until Spring. And at that time residents will have a Chance to comment Only on possible Crossings and safety Fea Tures for the four Lane rail Yard and the two one Way feeder routes. Winnipeg s civic works and operations committee ruled monday that it would be pointless to have the meet ing held at this time As City Council had decided to proceed with construction in any Case. Area residents have protested that the Bridge would have a harmful Impact on the surrounding Community. However City Council overrode the objections of local residents in de Cember by approving the Start of detailed design work. Works and operations committee chairman councillor Gary Filmon Iceo Crescent who first suggested the Public meeting argued monday that any such meeting would be ineffectual As a final Deci Sion had already been made. The committee s Only commitment to a Public meeting was to provide residents with a Chance to indicate what traffic safety measures they wanted not to act As a rear guard to Council s decision said Filmon. Coun. Bob Bockstael tache agreed it was premature to have a Public meeting As official Federal approval from the Canadian transport commission had not yet been received. Financing for the Bridge particularly in Light of the Federal govern ment s reluctance to share in the costs also had to be finalized added the councillor. In a Telegram late last year announcing the denial of a Grant Federal transport minister Otto Lang requested that the con Cerns of local residents be Given appropriate consideration prior to implementation of the government sources have con firmed that issuance of the final Federal order May be withheld if there is no serious attempt on be half of the City to examine the Impact of the Bridge on the Community. Civic transportation director Harry Burns confirmed that an offi Cial order had not yet been received although approval in principle was announced dec. 6. Councillors also protested that they would not be properly armed to at tend a Public meeting. Before i attend any Public meet ing i would want to be Well-versed.-1 would like to know myself what this is All said coun. Eldon Ross the committee therefore voted to hold off on any meeting with Resi dents until a background report could be received financing approved and Federal approval granted. Sister Geraldine Macnamara a spokesman for the residents said monday she was not surprised that councillors had changed their minds to hold a Public meeting. The residents would nevertheless continue their fight to have construction halted she said. While she said the Community group was consider ing several strategies to have the matter reassessed she said it was premature to indicate what they might be. Stricter Law on Winter Street parking urged civic works and operations com Mittee monday recommended Council seek changes to the Highway traffic act to ban All Winter Street parking Between 3 . And 6 . The overnight parking restriction now in effect nov. 1 to May 15 in residential areas allows Drivers to Park vehicles for up to an hour in the three hour time period. Committee moved to seek fhe am amendment despite a report from the civic administration that an absolute ban on 3 . To 6 . Parking would cause inconveniences and Cost a substantial amount in signs to Tell Drivers of the Law. Coun. Harold Piercy Derson said delegations to the East Kildonan Transcona Community committee complained police weren t ticketing everyone parked for More than an hour during the restricted time period. He said police should have More time for other duties but because of the hour s Grace now have to catch twice to Mark the vehicle and once to tag it. Coun. Abe Yanofsky also reporting complaints police weren t ticketing everyone Vio lating the current restriction told committee removal of the one hour Grace period would serve As a form of Revenue and serve to measure police activity. Coun. John Angus called the total restriction of overnight parking a form of what if someone stays past three at a Angus to asked. He said a one hour limit gives party goers the Opportunity to move their cars to another spot if they want to stay longer. Coun Gary Filmon cent Heights pointed out areas such As the City s Core which Don t have adequate off Street parking for Resi dents could suffer As a result of com plete parking ban. In other business committee re Quested the specific costs of restoring nine mini buses for use on bus routes travelling through residential areas. Although administrators cited substantial repairs for the former dial a bus service coun. Filmon said he Felt that despite the buses original Price tag the City would get peanuts for the vehicles if auctioned off. Full size buses Aren t required on some residential routes Filmon said and residents would appreciate re placement of Large buses with smaller units which created less vibration. Sex shop owner will try operation by John Sullivan controversial Winnipeg entrepreneur Joseph Gabrielle has finally thrown in the Towel closing his Venus erotica sex shop and Massage parlor and vowing to run a decent theatre operation. Gabrielle convicted three times in the last 14 months for showing obscene films said monday he will drop a planned court Appeal against the City s refusal to Grant him a business licence and intends to convert his Gabrielle said he plans to apply today for a new City business licence for his theatre and will turn his empty Massage sex shop into a cafe or snack bar. All three enterprises Are located at 801 Sargent Avenue. The problem was just too much Gabrielle said of his Deci Sion to close the Venus rub parlor operation nov. 15 and he sex shop on new year s eve. He also stressed that his Massage girls have All been let go and he s getting tired of that s it i Don t even want to hear about Massage he said. Problems with the girls prob lems with the customers it was too much. I just want to run a decent business just like a Shoemaker. He fixes shoes. I want to run Gabrielle blamed his licensing wrangles with the City and the Gen eral harassment you get from peo ple when you re in the sex shop Busi Ness for his demise but not police Winnipeg City Council rejected Gabrielle s Appeal for a 1978 business licence in october saying it objected to sex oriented services. Citing the obscenity convictions Council also claimed Gabriele was operating in an improper manner. However the theatre has stayed open pending a county court Appeal filed by Gabrielle s lawyer John Scurfield. Despite Gabrielle s turnabout Scurfield said monday he has re ;