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Log homes are booming business for Paul Petric How does a Queen University graduate make a living By building log and timber houses of course Paul formerly of Acton admits his university education is not too closely relaled to his chosen profession of con struction work but adds that a knowledge of history sometimes comes in handy of Paul Construction is the son of Lucy and Louts Petric Lake Avenue He originally entered university with his sights set on a law career but of ter a few years realized he preferred to work outdoors rather than behind a desk Now after being in business for four years hi has helped build various log and timber style homes from as far away as South America and as just north of even though his home base is in the Ha 11 burton area set up is a bit different than other businesses He belongs to a co operative guild but maintaining his own company at the same time He explains he and several other friends each have business but work for each other on various jobs If has a job and needs help he enlists the help of other guild members If one of them has a job will go work for them Business is booming in the log and Mm ber home construction field and Is busier this year then he was last The majority of his customers do not have any set style or plan In mind when is first approached He sits down with each client and designs the home un less the customer goes elsewhere for the designs and works out size and price The cost of a log or timber style home Is equivalent in price to a conventional home of the same size and layout says but has a terrific appreciation value Some homes he points out were built for around and sold a few years later for Weil over is responsible for only the actual log frame and staining Other contractors look after plumbing wiring foundations etc Most of work is done in the burton workshop He gets his logs and timber from various suppliers in Parry Sound and Pembroke Then going by the owner criteria most of the actual work is done indoors with Just the erecting of the build ing and last minute jobs done at the work Not all logs are suitable for a log home either paints out Only about one In 100 red and white pines are good enough quality lo be used In one of Paul Construction homes so it Is not a matter of using the logs cleared from the home- site Most of the log homes he builds include a passive solar design feature taking ad vantage of he sun and are space and energy efficient structures Most of his customers are professional people and most of the homes are conversation pieces Continued on page 2 Paul formerly of Acton Has been spending time In town li this log home tor David Bralda north of A Community Newspaper One Hundred and Seventh Year ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY JUNE 30 14 Pages Thtrn Cents 666 councilors raise mayors pay up 1683 Hills general committee approved a 666 yearly pay boost for councillors and a raise for the mayor The town fathers and mothers receive a 10 cent boost The pay boost must still be approved next month by council and the raises arc retroactive to January 1 of this year The pay for a Hills councillor will rise from 190 while the mayors pay will lo18 183 Last year councillors in an attempt to defuse the potentially politically explosive Issue of their own wages established a formula to set annual raises The criteria was that on a December lo December basis councillors were lo receive the lesser per Increase of three indices It turned out the Consumer Price Index soared 12 1 per cent between December I960 and DccerHber the Industrial composite of average weekly wages and salary index Increased 11 7 per cent and the percentage adjustment arrived at by comparing the annual Job rate salaries of seven selected municipal employee occupations went up 10 per cent the least amount Councillor Harry Levy who was chairing the meeting and so couldn vole advised he will comment when the matter comes to council Councillor Ross Knetchel he said would vole for the raise at committee but was reserving the right to change his mind when It comes to council based on the contents of the new federal budget There was need for belt tightening but Councillor Mike Armstrong said that after tax his raise was just over a week so he felt it was a raise he could support When Levy noticed none of his colleagues voted opposed to the raises he mildly Ihem they should be ashamed He noted he had opposed the policy which set the councillors raises Conn Councillors Armstrong Sheldon George Maltby Dave Whiting Miller and John McDonald voted for the raise Mayor was out of the council chamber while that Item and a couple of others were discussed while Levy as chairman couldn vote Councillors Terry Walter Manlyn Serjeantson and Roy Booth were absent In January of last year councillors gave them selves a raise and the mayor a wage boost of Mayor wont take over 6 In the woke of Monday federal budget calling for Just six per cent wage hikes for of Icials and civil servants Mayor Peter Pomeroy announced Tuesday morning he will be accept just a six per cent wage hike instead of the per cent wage boost approved by general committee Secstoryonlhecouncillors raisesabove He will be making is official announcement at council next month when the raises come up for final approval Councillors Ross Knechtel and Harry Levy they would be comment ng further on the raises at that meeting also The Mayor and councillors were to receive a 10 percent wage hike based on a formula estab lished last year With a per cent raise pay would jump from to JIB 183 for 1981 Now that he is accepting just six per cent his raise shrinks from to for a total of He said he won be accepting more than six per cent the other per cent will simply remain In the town coffers In light of the new federal economic moves Pomeroy said direction must come from the local level as well said he will be leaving it up to each individual councillor to decide If they will take six percent or moreup to the percent limit Whiting push 6 iimit all councillors Hills Councillor pave Whiting announ Tuesday he is prepared to either move a motion or second one from another councillor calling for all members of council to receive just a six per cent ago increase Councillor Ross Knechtel said it is entirely probable he will move the motion but wants to discuss the matter with clerkadministrator Ken Richardson first He explained there could be a problem with a motion calling for everyone to take six per cent since council raises arc auto matically set by bylaw However he doesn t expect there will be a problem One thing is certain says he won accept more than six per cent He said he thinks a motion calling for all council raises to be limited lo six per cent is in order Whiting said there may be a problem with the present council trying to limit next years council to five per cent in Under a formula established in are entitled to a per cent wage hike this year but the new federal budget encourages elected officials and civil servants to receive just six per cent wage boosts this year and per cent the following year Major Peter has announced he will accept just six per cent this year but will leave It up to make their own decision It looks good enough and tat and eat Over people did just that raffled off to the chefs could be heard all evening I eft to right Saturday evening at the annual Legion Beef Barbecue Sixteen of the IT large Terry Ingletton Ivan Kllbey Claire Doug Cal and prime rib roasts were devoured try the hungry crowd and the leftover roast was Mick Holmes spent moat or Saturday preparing for the meal Councilpolice talk coming up on parking ticket blitzes Hills councillors are looking for a way solve the problem of police suddenly giving out doz ens of tickets for overnight parking bylaw viol Monday general committee decided to invite Inspector Matt MacPherson Regional Pol tec commander in Hills to council for a frank discussion of these sudden blitzes even when there is nosnow The bylaw which prohibits parking on the street for more than three hours between midnight and a m days a year was passed several years ago It was aimed at keeping cars off the road Eickltge stad and Bwea leave ha a few weeks for Denmark and were grrea tram the town of Halloa Huts and the Acton hi tawm Terry Grabbe and Dare WhlUag tabo Chamber made Ike arewataUaaa Canadas With the cancellation of Back to Acton Days there fl not as much going on in town for this year Canada birthday celebration but there will still be some fun in Ac on Sunday night Firefighters will hold their annual fireworks display at Prospect Park On Sunday morning the Acton s Men will hold their annual Biathlon race starting at the arena at a m Saturday and Sunday men and women s ball teams will be in action the annual Back Aclon Days tournament at Prospect Park Acton merchants will feature special sales both and Saturday The office editorial and advertising depart at the Free Press will be closed on day July and reopen on News sports and advertising deadlines remain the same as usual for next week paper inside Legal aid pays for Mercun and McCns tall s trial trans Details on page An Acton man has been sentenced lo four months in jail Seepage The hides theft case has been adjourned again More on page and the winter to facilitate snow plowing and also prevent people from leaving cars on the road all the time However at the time they passed the bylaw councillors expressed confidence that the police would show discretion and enforce the bylaw gen the winteror when people complained about cars being continually left on the road Councillors repeatedly said the parking bylaw wouldn be a problem for residents having over night guests during the spring summer and fall That however been the case From lime to time police seem lo go around and ticket every car on the street this spring and ft has upset many citizens Mayor Peter predicted If some kind of deal can t be worked out with the police then Halton Hills will either have to change lis overnight park ing bylaw so it applies only in winter or find a new way of having municipal parking bylaws enforced without using the police Acton Councillor Dave Whiting who first raised the issue several weeks ago complained about nights in ward one when officers will suddenly give out 50 or tickets even though there Is and no good reason to keep cars off the a tree Is He said not having parking on the streets In nice weather is a hardship in areas which are heavily populated and offstreet parking is at a premium or driveways are short He pointed to areas like Kingham GEcnlca Acton Blvd The problem Is police enforcement dared noting he has received many calls about this problem The police say the bylaw applies year round and they must enforce It as they arc able to year round and can seem to sec the intent of the three hour might parking limit is to keep streets clear for snow plowing He added he never gels anywhere when he challenges the pol for the 122 tickets In one night Whiting said from reading the report he concluded the oily reason not to change the bylaw bo it applies only in winter was because other mun icipalitles in the area have overnight parking Urn year round The municipality and police receive complaints citizens about cars being parked on the road overnight and traffic congestion problems year round clerk administrator Ken Richardson said He added some older streets Just It to accommodate parking Richardson warned pro hibiting overnight parking only in will only confuse the public more though he knows some only ban overnight parking during snow season Some streets wind up looking like parking lots Continued on page