The Lucknow Sentinel, 2013-12-18, Page 1616 Lucknow Sentinel • Wednesday, December 18, 2013
One year, two, are we back to one again?
Paul Cluff
Goderich Signal Star
The two-year term of war-
den could be going back to
one-year after Huron County
council hastily voted to re-
address its length of term by
year's end.
At the Wed. Dec. 11 com-
mittee of the whole meeting,
council voted 9-7 to bring the
topic back to the table, nullify-
ing a November 2012 decision
to extend the length of office,
set to start after Joe Steffler's
term ends next December.
As per the municipal act, a
decision has to be made either
way before the end of the year
or that decision won't take
effect for four years, because
2014 is an election year, said
CAO Brenda Orchard.
Council agreed to discuss
and vote on the length of
term Dec. 30.
Opinions varied widely in
council chambers.
Past Warden George Rob-
ertson said council should
remember that they are
elected in the lower tiers and
time commitments will con-
flict with the warden's post. A
two-year term is not good for
the lower tiers, he said.
Councillors Deb Shewfelt
and Dave Jewitt emphasized
that Huron County is a big
business and consistency is
needed in leadership in a
competitive landscape.
"I have been a long, long
time believer that it should be
a two-year term, it's a busi-
ness, it's not a social club and
we treat it like a social club;"
Shewfelt said of the warden's
post during a break from the
meeting.
Shewfelt told councillors it
takes two or three months to
acclimatize to the warden's
role. Summers are slower, as
well, with fewer meetings.
"You can't run a $90 million
business with someone head-
ing it up six or eight months of
the year. It's impossible:"
At the polar opposite of the
debate sat Bluewater Mayor
Bill Dowson, who suggested
the warden's post is more of a
'length of service reward' for
councillors and a one-year
term would give more people a
chance to run for the position.
Seaforth Mayor Bernie
MacLellan balked at the
'reward' suggestion.
"As a group we pick some-
one who can lead, it has noth-
ing to do with how long you
have been around:"
MacLellan said the work-
load can be managed and
responsibilities delegated if
need be. The position is not
meant to be full-time, he said,
though he did take a year off
work to focus on the warden's
to all our
good friends
Please accept our thanks and
best wishes for the very
merriest holiday season.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year, everyone!
Wayne, Conor and staff
MCDONAGH INSURANCE BROKERS LTD.
LUCKNOW WINGHAM TEESWATER
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post and Huron East council
in 2012.
Art Versteeg, who lost the
warden's vote earlier this
month to Steffler, mentioned
in the past he sees the role as a
'figurehead: "I don't believe
everyone should get a turn.
There are differences in abili-
ties around this table"
"It is a figurehead position
now, kissing babies and cutting
ribbons," Shewfelt said. "I
haven't seen (a warden) get out
there and meet with industry
and find out what they want. I
have been around since the
'70's. It's a social club, always
has been:'
Huron County's warden is
paid an honorarium of $11,500,
plus per diems for full and half-
day (less than 2.5 hours) meet-
ings of $259.37 and $148.21,
respectively.
Sponsorship of ROMA suite
to be reviewed by lawyer
Two Huron County com-
panies have offered to 'spon-
sor' a hospitality suite at the
Rural Ontario Municipal
Association (ROMA) confer-
ence in Toronto next year,
Coun. John Grace told coun-
cillors. Held at the Fairmont
Royal York Hotel, the suites
are a place where councillors
can interact with each other.
A suite that allows the renter
to bring their own booze and
food runs $1,900 while a suite
that sells those items to guests
is $1,200.
Grace said on a break from
the meeting that there are
many suites sponsored by
businesses and the practice is
nothing new. "I don't believe it
is a problem."
Shewfelt suggested asking
the county lawyer if there is any
potential conflict.
"If it is a company that (the
county) are doing large busi-
ness with, I don't think you can
accept that sponsorship. Cer-
tainly if you wish to have a
room that you can drop in,
that's a different thing."
"My understanding is they
are sponsoring it, whereas if
they rented a room and opened
it to various communities, it's a
different thing to me, but it's a
lawyers decision."
Council agreed to have legal
counsel look into the matter. If
they are advised not to accept
the sponsorship, a suite will be
paid for on the county dime.
Wood accepts honour from
county Gary Wood was pre-
sented with a plaque from the
county in honour of his serv-
ices as emergency manage-
ment coordinator. EMS chief
Dave Lew said Wood worked
in emergency services for
more than 33 years, including
10 in Huron County.
"He moved our system for-
ward and now we are well rec-
ognized in southwestern
Ontario and the province,"
Lew told council.
Shewfelt said Wood's exper-
tise was appreciated, particu-
larly when the F3 tornado hit
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Here's hoping your holiday
is one -o f a -kind!
We appreciate your
continued loyal support.
Thanks everyone.
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•
JIM, TRACEY, TYSON & SHAUNA
Jim Van Osch
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Goderich and area.
Deaccession at the
museum Firearms, an organ
and a Sebringeville OPP uni-
form are among the items on
their way out of the Huron
County Museum. A deacces-
sion process is underway and
those items will find their way
to other museums, said
Meighan Wark, director of
cultural services.
Items often move from
museum to museum, but
best practice is to inform the
public and council when
changes are made to collec-
tions, Ward said.
Lucknow remembers
Dr. Raymond Flowers
Ruth Dobrensky
GM Agency
Dr. Raymond Flowers a well
known doctor from the area
passed away recently, he was
well respected and many peo-
ple in the area have been
patients of his for many years.
His daughter Michelle is
also a doctor and still works
out of Wingham hospital. Dr.
Flowers was 82 and a resident
of Clinton. Our sympathy to
his family.
The community extends its
sympathy to the Guay/How-
ald families have lost two
brothers, Harold Howald, 80,
of RR #5, Lucknow, and Arthur
Howald, 73, near Edmonton,
both passed away within
hours of each other. Emerson
Howald commented that in
their youth they were constant
fishing companions and are
probably already out fishing
together now.
The Lucknow Sepoy Ranees
were unable to go caroling as
they had wanted due to
inclement weather. We apolo-
gize to all the seniors out there
who were looking forward to
our visit, we hope. Hopefully
next December's weather will
be a bit better.
Tuesday's Table held their
annual Christmas dinner at
the United Church last Tues-
day, about 57 people were fed
a great dinner, provided by St.
Peter's Anglican, Lucknow
Community CRC and the
United Church. There will be
no dinners in January but they
will begin again in February.
Congratulations and happy
65th anniversary to Dorothy
and John Harris.
Next week is Christmas and
most churches in the area will
be holding special Christmas
Eve and Christmas services,
check out the ads to see
where you can attend a
church and time suitable for
you and your family.
Sympathy of the commu-
nity to the families of: Tom A.
Johnston, 53, Lucknow; Doug-
las Hackett, 78, Hanover (for-
merly Lucknow); Dorothy Fin-
layson, 96, London; Linda
McQuillin, 58, Thornhill; Wal-
lace Ballagh, 83, Lucknow
(formerly Teeswater); Mary
Eaton, 93, Stratford; and Helen
Casemore, 82, Collingwood
(formerly Wingham).
THANK YOU
FOR SHARING THE SPIRIT OF
CHRISTMAS
The Lucknow Sentinel once again is
overwhelmed by the generosity
of Lucknow and area residents to our Mitten Tree
This year you helped us collect:
• 56 pairs mitt/gloves
• 25 sets of hats/mitts
• 10 pairs of waterproof
gloves/ mitts
• 10 scarves
• 33 hats
• 2 sweater/hats set
• 2 pairs of slippers
All donations have been delivered to the Salvation Army, in Wingham for distribution.
Jillian & Marilyn
kIN