HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2015-04-29, Page 22 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Revised
Some Ontario residents can now text 9-1-1
Marco Vigliotti
Huron Expositor
trims tax hike
Marco Vigliotti
Huron Expositor
The prospective tax hike facing
Huron East homeowners has been
narrowly reduced to an average of
5.13 per cent in the second draft of
the municipality's 2015 budget,
released last week.
Treasurer Paula Michiels pre-
sented council on April 21 with the
revised spending blueprint, which
slashes the municipal levy rate to
10.4 per cent from 11 per cent and
adjusts the distribution of policing
costs among households, in addi-
tion to pulling more funding from
the surpluses in the Grey/McKillop
and Tuckersmith waste manage-
ment systems.
Huron East council will finalize
the budget at its next meeting on
May 5.
Including the trimming of the
original 5.4 per cent overall
increase, the most prominent revi-
sion in the second draft is an addi-
tional two per cent levy hike in
funding for all three recreation
centres in an attempt to cut into the
sizeable operating deficits pro-
jected by the facilities this year.
In exchange for the funding
increase, the Seaforth and Brussels
arenas are expected "to bring a
2015 balanced budget and not
exceed this set budget," Michiels
writes in a report to council.
The Vanastra Recreation Centre,
though, is still expected to be sad-
dled with a $22,340 deficit, mainly
the result of planned repairs to a
section of its roof.
In the first draft, the Seaforth
arena forecasted a deficit of about
$39,000, while the Brussels facility
was projected to come in roughly
$14,000 in the red.
Under the revised spending
plan, the Seaforth and Brussels are-
nas would receive an additional
$18,585 and $23,071 in funding
respectively.
Despite the revenue hike and
further spending cuts, the Seaforth
arena would still boast a roughly
$7,400 deficit, according to budget
projections from the municipality.
The options to balance Seaforth's
budget include taking the difference
from its reserves, which currently
total $18,876, cancelling work on
the compressor valued at $10,000 or
slash other expenses such as snow
clearing, Michiels writes.
The accumulated deficit for all
three recreation facilities in 2014
was cited as $235,000 in the first
draft budget.
Michiels proposes in her report
that a review be launched prior to
next year's budget to "determine
how they are going to eliminate
their accumulated deficits:'
In terms of taxation, Seaforth
ward residents are facing the small-
est overall levy increase in the sec-
ond draft budget at 2.62 per cent,
while ratepayers in McKillop land
the highest hike at 6.78 per cent.
The proposed increase, however,
is not entirely attributable to the
municipality, with McKillop home-
owners feeling the pinch from
hikes in the county and education
levies.
Meanwhile, ratepayers in Sea -
forth are actually seeing the com-
bined cost of their county and edu-
cation levies fall slightly by about
$4,000 and $11,000 respectively.
Brussels, the municipality's sec-
ond biggest urban centre, is project-
ing a higher overall increase than
Seaforth at 6.14 per cent, which
Michiels attributes to reallocation of
the policing special area levy.
Huron County council approved
a 2.3 per cent levy increase for the
year in March, while the education
rate for residential properties fell
slightly in 2015.
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Emergency services in certain
parts of Ontario are now just a text
message away.
Residents with hearing and
speech difficulties can now access
local emergency services in over 340
communities across Ontario by tex-
ting 9-1-1, the Ontario Provincial
Police announced earlier this month.
"The OPP is committed to Ontario, visit http://textwith911.
increasing accessibility for persons ca/service-availability/.
with disabilities, and has made The OPP, though, warns that some
extensive network upgrades to be older model phones may not be com-
able to offer Text with 9-1-1 service patible. The police force also stresses
in the communities we serve," that the service is not intended for use
Vince Hawkes, the provincial by the general public.
police force's commissioner, said in The preparations for the launch
a prepared statement. of the text messaging service were
To use the force's new "T9-1-1" "complex," and involved "months
service, people with communica- of collaboration with our service
tive disabilities must first register provider and the communities,"
their cell phones with their respec- explained Chief Superintendent
tive wireless carrier. Those with Rick Barnum, commander of the
more than one cell phone must OPP's communications and tech -
register each line individually. nology services bureau.
The Waterloo Region, Simcoe The OPP, he said, appreciates the
County, Wellington County and "patience of many stakeholders
Windsor represent just some of the while we implemented the neces-
many regions where they service is sary changes to provide this impor-
currently available. tant and innovative service."
To see all of the communities Further information can be
where the service is available in found on http://textwith911.ca/.
Forms changing for criminal record checks
The Huron County Ontario Pro-
vincial Police (OPP) administrative
team would like to inform the public
of an upcoming important change to
the Criminal Record Check/Police
Information Check procedure.
Effective May 1, 2015 anyone
seeking a Police Criminal Record
Check (PCRC), Police Information
Check (PIC) or a Police Vulnerable
Sector Check (PVSC) will be
required to use the new version
forms. Any applications on the old
forms will not be accepted.
The new forms can easily be
found online at the OPP website
located at www.opp.ca, once on the
homepage, a search for Criminal
Record Checks will take you to the
desired page or you can click on
the appropriate tab under the
"How Do I?" section.
Detailed information about the
various forms and what is required
to complete a proper application is
provided on this webpage. In addi-
tion, the new forms can be
obtained at any OPP Detachment.
Please note: The OPP cannot
complete any type of record check
for any applicant if they reside in
another police service's jurisdic-
tion. For example, if you live in the
Town of Wingham, the Wingham
Police Service will have to com-
plete your record check. All checks
provide Canada wide results.
So, if you live in OPP jurisdiction,
please attend your local detachment
to have one of the three checks com-
pleted. Huron County OPP provides
this service at the following detach-
ments: Huron OPP located on Blue -
water Veterans Highway south of
Goderich, Goderich OPP located on
Courthouse Square, Exeter OPP
located on Main Street North and the
Clinton OPP Detachment located on
Albert Street.
Those requiring checks must attend
in person for drop off and pickup dur-
ing administrative hours Monday to
Friday, excluding statutory holidays.
Two forms of identification are
required to complete any of the
above checks; one must be govern-
ment issued and must include the
applicants name, date of birth, signa-
ture and photo of the applicant.
Acceptable forms of photo ID
include: Driver's Licence, BYID
(Bring Your Identification, issued by
the LCBO), Military Employment
Card, Canadian Citizenship Card,
Indian Status Card, Passport, Perma-
nent Resident Card, PAL (Possession
and Acquisition Licence issued by
the Chief Firearms Office), CNIB
card, Ontario Photo ID Card, NEXUS
card or FAST pass. Acceptable forms
of Non -Photo Identification include
a Birth Certificate, Baptismal Certifi-
cate, Hunting Licence, Outdoors
Card, Canadian Blood Donor Clinic
and Immigration Papers.
The fee for a Criminal Record
Check, Police Record Check or Vul-
nerable Sector Check is $25, payable
in cash only. The fee is waived for
volunteer positions. Normal pro-
cessing time is generally 10 to 15
business days.