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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2015-05-13, Page 3Wednesday, May 13, 2015 • Huron Expositor 3 County council mulls future in SWEA Marco Vigliotti Huron Expositor Huron County council remains divided on the future of its mem- bership in a regional economic development organization that one member slammed as a "mess" and warned would likely "implode" in the near future. Council voted to table a vote at its May 6 meeting appointing South Huron mayor Maureen Cole as the new representative to the Southwest Economic Alliance (SWEA), after members were unable to reach an agreement on the appointment. Council members ultimately decided to revisit the debate fol- lowing the organization's annual general meeting next month. Cole had withdrawn herself from consideration prior to the motion being tabled, requesting more time to become familiar with SWEA before potentially assuming the role. She did promise to attend the general meeting but only as a member of the public. Huron East's mayor Bernie MacLellan moved for the motion after raising concerns about the possible extension of former county council member John Grace's term as representative on the SWEA board. He said the committee weighing Grace's re -appointment failed to have a substantive discussion about the impact of appointing a member of the public to the board and only asked one question to Grace, which was about whether or not he would have a conflict of interest. "We pay $600 to $700 a month for a member of the public to sit on this and they don't have to be accounta- ble to anyone," MacLellan said of his opposition to having an unelected official serve as representative. "We don't get any information back - I don't know if anybody from this board that has heard a report from former councillor Grace about what SWEA is doing for Huron County." If Huron County is going to send a representative to sit on the board, it should be a member of council who can "report back" and keep council "informed," he said. MacLellan also took aim at SWEA itself, accusing the Scoreboard Seaforth Shuffleboard May 6 Men's high: Ken Preszcator, Lloyd Hoy and Red Vantyghem 3 wins. Women's high: Charlott Norton and Carol Hoy 3 wins. nine-year-old regional body, which counts as members 15 counties or single tier municipalities and seven separated cities, including London and the Waterloo Region, of lacking clear direction as it hurls towards yet another round of significant changes in the coming months. "Unfortunately, SWEA does not have a good track record with Huron County- this is the third time they are doing a major shake-up;' he explained. "Even John (Grace) had admitted to the economic development board that he's not sure in six months from now they'll even be a SWEA." Grace, who was allowed to address council during the debate, said planned changes would trans- form SWEA's membership from mainly elected officials to members of the private sector and academia. The board of SWEA would then be reduced from its current level of 21 to either seven or nine members, with perhaps only one representative being an elected official, he said. "We recognize the private sector has to play a large role in regional economic development, so we're asking the private sector to step up and play that role," Grace explained SWEA, he said, would also look to become a research body for the Western Ontario Warden's Caucus. When asked by council what accomplishments SWEA has won for the region and county, Grace pointed to the southwest development fund, a sustainable foods scheme and the "engagement of the intelligent region initiative" which is described on the organization's website as "bringing fast and reliable information commu- nication technology" to promote "sus- tainable economic development" SWEA describes itself on its web- site as "a forum to promote eco- nomic cooperation throughout the HURON COUNTY region and across key sectors of the economy" Its listed objectives include "pro- moting regional economic cooper- ation" and "signalling the benefits for improved cooperation among key sectors of the economy." Brenda Orchard, Huron County's chief administrative officer (CAO), told council that the future of SWEA would be discussed at next month's general meeting in Oxford County, saying the group has to "find what they're true calling is going to be in - casual inthistries fr6. IDINUCAL 1, Mfg Px1 r& I! rr!o.s DiI' /a.f T .TO YOU hCOMPLETELINEOFCASUAL TURIk ITVRE TO COMPLIMENT Alt A REAS OF YOUR FFOMI?, For outdoors, patios, gardeti rheas, slat roo l?1!#. II S ed.wra rrhfaierrar e rMaria/A .I2 rauahrrffay. FIE i PRIC1NE ALL WEAR Lt MwidstY - Friday 9;U0 - 5; I'll) Saturday 10:00 - 4:00 519-238-2110 "ww gocas n*I.c service to the counties:' Kevin Morrison, mayor of Goder- ich, though, speculates that SWEA will "probably implode" in the near future and accuses its board of "drawing at straws" after repeatedly failing to plot a clear path forward. "I believe we've already provided them with the extra (support) of our own CAO and they still don't know where they're going," he said, commenting that the group hasn't "had their feet on the ground since the day they started:' "They're a mess, Morrison added. The end of the organization could come sooner rather than later, accord- ing to Grace, who said a proposal to terminate SWEA will be floated at next week's meeting if the membership rejects its latest reconfiguration plans. The move, he explained, is nec- essary because SWEA "cannot exist the way we've existed the last year." "We will put something forward. If the membership doesn't like it, we're more than happy to wrap it up," Grace said. OFFICE HOURS The Office Hours for The Seaforth Huron Expositor are as follows Mondays - 9am - 5pm Tuesdays - CLOSED Wednesdays - 9am - 5pm Thursdays - 9am - 5pm Fridays - 9am - 5pm Seaforth Won Expositor 8 Main Street, Seaforth ON PH: 519-527-0240 www. seaforthhuronexpositor .com