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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2018-07-26, Page 1INSIDE THIS WEEK: COUNCIL - Pg. 3 Stewart chosen as interim Blyth Ward Councillor FOUNDATION - Pg. 11 Tanner Steffler Foundation hosts successful festivals FESTIVAL - Pg. 23 Curtis to Brinke leads Young Company process Publications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON NOG 1H0 Citiz Volume 34 No. 30 $1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, July 26, 2018 Rough waters On Saturday, the Tanner Steffler Foundation held its first-ever Six -String Summerfest, followed by the Six -String Music Fest. Between the two events, nearly 1,200 people made their way to Seaforth for the day. Here, children took their turns working on some pedal boats before the rain came. While there isn't yet a final tally, Foundation founder John Steffler says it was a "very healthy" event and they are already planning for next year. (Quinn Talbot photo) NH will build new fire hall, sell ESTC By Denny Scott The Citizen After a lengthy closed -to -the - public session on Monday night, North Huron Council approved three separate motions labelling the Emergency Services Training Centre (ESTC), south of Blyth, and the Blyth and East Wawanosh Public Works yards surplus to the municipality. The designation means the municipality can sell the properties, with Reeve Neil Vincent anticipating the ESTC to sell sooner, rather than later. "There was news there was a possible buyer that wanted the building and the grounds," he said, when asked why the ESTC was declared surplus. Vincent also confirmed that the offer is expected to come in rather quickly, which resulted in the motion for the ESTC being worded differently from the motions regarding the public works yards. The three motions, one to declare the ESTC surplus and accept any offers that meet the requirements set out by council (which weren't made public), and the other two, to declare the public works sites surplus and receive any offers, were hotly debated after the closed -to -the - public session. Some councillors were concerned the word "accept" might mean council would have to act on those offers. Councillor Trevor Seip said the two public works sites may not be sold until after the October election, once the new council is sworn in by December. Vincent said the decision was made "to get rid of a sizeable portion of municipal debt," adding that he anticipated, depending on contracts for the new building, the sale would "eliminate the ESTC debt plus rebuild a south fire hall [and] a major North Huron Public Works building and yard." He said the yard would service both East Wawanosh Continued on page 9 Councillors needed in Blyth, East Wawanosh By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Just days away from the nomination deadline of Friday at 2 p.m. candidates are desperately needed for the Blyth and East Wawanosh Wards of North Huron, neither of which have seen a single candidate come forward. In North Huron, former Councillor Bernie Bailey was the first to run for a council position, filing papers to run for reeve after a failed bid in the 2014 election. He has now been joined by incumbent Reeve Neil Vincent, who put his name forward on July 10 for the township's top council position. Agost Vaday has also filed papers to be a councillor in the Wingham Ward, as has incumbent Wingham Ward Councillor Trevor Seip and Paul Heifer, who filed on Friday. No one has yet to file for any of the two councillor positions in either the East Wawanosh or Blyth Wards of North Huron. In Huron East, Zoey Onn has joined incumbents David Blaney and John Lowe running for two Brussels Ward councillor positions. Bernie MacLellan has filed to become the municipality's mayor once again. Current Deputy -Mayor Joe Steffler is running to be a Seaforth councillor. Huron East Council recently eliminated the at -large deputy -mayor position and decided, after the election, to promote one of the councillors to the position. Current Tuckersmith Councillors Ray Chartrand and Larry McGrath and McKillop Councillor Brenda Dalton have filed for their positions for another term. Gloria Wilbee, mother of current councillor Kevin, has filed to run to be a McKillop Ward Councillor. Newcomer Curtis McKinnon has filed to run as a councillor in the Grey Ward, going up against the two incumbents, Alvin McLellan and Dianne Diehl, who put their names forward Monday night. Incumbent Seaforth Councillor Bob Fisher is also looking to fill his position once again. In Morris-Turnberry, current Councillor Jamie Heller has put his name forward in hopes of becoming the municipality's next mayor. At council's June 5 meeting, Mayor Paul Gowing announced that he would not be running for re- election, after two terms as mayor and several years as a councillor. Incumbent Councillors Dorothy Kelly, Jim Nelemans and Sharen Zinn have all filed for councillor positions again, while newcomers Andrew Somers of Walton and Michael Miller of Belgrave have also filed for councillor positions. In Central Huron, Mayor Jim Ginn is running for the mayor's position once again. Jared Petteplace has filed his papers for the Deputy - Mayor position, as has incumbent Deputy -Mayor Dave Jewitt. Councillors Dan Colquhoun and Marg Anderson have also filed nomination papers to serve as an East Ward councillor for another term, while West Ward Councillor Alison Lobb has filed her papers for another term in her current position. Newcomer Mike Belford of Clinton is also running for an East Ward Councillor position. In Goderich incumbent Mayor Kevin Morrison has filed once again alongside former Deputy -Mayor John Grace and David Yates. Former Goderich Mayor Deb Shewfelt has put his name forward to become the town's deputy -mayor, running against current Councillors Michele Hansen and Myles Murdock. Current Deputy -Mayor Jim Donnelly will run again, but this time for a councillor position Continued on page 17 Do you know someone who has done a lot for your community? Let us know! 33rd Annual Citizen of the Year Award Nominations are closing soon See Page 7 for more details info@ northhuron.on.ca Fax: 519-523-9140 Box 429, Blyth, ON NOM 1H0 or Box 152 Brussels, ON NOG 1H0