HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-03-02, Page 7THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017. PAGE 7.
Locals travel to St. Catharines for Scotties tourney
PEOPLE AROUND
WALTON
By Jo -Ann
McDonald
Call
887-6570
What a wonderful week of spring-
like weather to shorten up the winter
by one more week! Folks were out in
shorts enjoying the sun and strolling
the streets, breaking up snowbanks
and watching the snow melt away!
With the melting snow also comes
higher water in the streams and
creeks, so be sure to keep children
away from them.
The Scotties Tournament of Hearts
for Ladies curling has been on this
past week in St. Catharines. Many
local folks made the trip from our
area to watch the curling for the day.
Some of those heading "south"
included LeeAnn McDonald, Kelly
McDonald Jarosz, Neil and Marie
McGavin, Wayne and Linda Elston,
Gary and Lori Pipe, Edith Pipe and
Dorothy Thompson. We hope they
enjoyed the live experience as much
as we have enjoyed the games on
TV.
We have happy healing wishes to
go out to Val Pethick. She has had
carpal tunnel surgery on her wrist for
the second time. She got along fine
the first time and seems to be doing
well again. Happy healing! We also
like to congratulate Val on her new
position as manager of Dauphin's
Country Store. She started awhile
ago and reports she has settled in
nicely.
Obviously Anne Bosman has
retired from Dauphin's Store. She is
settling into retirement, doing what
she wants and when. She has been
spending lots of time with Jim and
family and setting her sights on the
upcoming International Plowing
Match. Happy retirement!
Another retiree is Frank Stretton.
He has retired from his teaching
career again! Frank had a short semi-
retirement awhile ago and then went
back to his profession again. He has
been filling in as principal in Howick
the last while and with the return of
the regular person, he is now
officially retired. He says he has lots
to do and looks forward to his new
timetable!
The Cranbrook Dart Club had a
few less out to shoot because of
holidays for some for the last couple
of weeks. On the 15th of the month,
there was no change to the winners
from the 19 players out, with Ern
Lewington and Brad Speiran taking
five games for the night. Team 7 of
Brussels, Seaforth could
see decreased tax rate
Continued from page 1
five per cent and education tax rates
expected at between two and 2.5 per
cent, the average Huron East
resident will likely see an overall tax
rate increase of under seven per
cent.
With the shift in assessment from
urban to farmland, however, Chief
Administrative Officer Brad Knight
said that residents of Brussels and
Seaforth will likely see a decrease in
tax rate under the current budget.
While some councillors were
happy to see the proposed increase
as low as it was, others felt that
because the municipality expects to
end 2016 in a surplus position,
council should attempt to reduce the
tax rate even lower and pass savings
onto ratepayers.
Michiels told councillors that the
projected surplus has already been
factored into the budget and will do
just that after years of sizable tax
rate increases due to large decreases
in provincial funding.
Councillor David Blaney,
however, said he came at the
municipality's 2017 budget position
from a different angle, saying that
perhaps in a year when a large tax
increase isn't necessary, council
should attempt to catch up on
purchases that have been delayed in
recent years.
He compared some of the projects
that have been delayed like road
resurfacing and equipment
purchases for the Public Works
Department to kicking a can further
and further down the road, simply
delaying the inevitable cost for
another year. He cautioned that
council should be "very careful"
taking that approach and that it
could come back to bite them in the
future.
Council then debated a handful of
individual expenses in the budget,
including the purchase of a new
backhoe for the Public Works
Department, a new tanker for the
Brussels station of the Huron East
Fire Department and the expansion
of the Grey station of the fire
department in Ethel.
Councillor John Lowe said he
couldn't support the expansion of
the Grey fire hall, which was
removed from the 2016 budget as a
cost-cutting measure. With the Ethel
Community Centre, which he said is
seldom used, right next door to the
centre, it would only make sense
that the department would use the
hall for its needs, rather than
building a brand new addition to the
existing building, he said.
Several projects will be paid for
by way of community betterment
funds from three wind turbine
companies and reserves from solar
projects.
The installation of a new floating
pressure head and variable
frequency drive at the Seaforth and
District Community Centre will be
paid for through solar reserves,
while $80,000 to help replace an ice
resurfacer will come from the
Northland Vibrancy Fund over the
next two years.
The replacement of the condenser
at the Brussels, Morris and Grey
Community Centre will be funded
from the St. Columban Vibrancy
Fund and lighting improvements
will be funded through the
municipality's solar project
reserves.
In addition, approved renovations
to the Seaforth Library will also be
funded from the St. Columban
Vibrancy Fund.
Michiels also presented another
suggested addition to the budget in
the form of a one-time special levy
of $108,000 for the International
Plowing Match, which will be
hosted in the Huron East community
of Walton this September. The
funds, she said, would be spread
across multiple departments.
The special levy, Michiels said,
would increase the proposed tax
levy by 2.8 per cent. That, however,
has not yet been approved.
Council didn't make any final
decisions regarding the budget at the
Feb. 21 meeting and will continue
deliberations at a future meeting
when the second draft of the budget
is presented.
Steve Bowers, Ev Blake and Kathy
Workman captured four games as
did Team 1 of Murray Houston and
Pat Gillis. The high lady to shoot
was Pat hitting 92 and the high man
was George Zwep hitting 115.
Feb. 22 saw just 14 players out for
the club, more holiday folks and
some illness, the teams were shaken
up to accommodate the boards. With
surprise, Team 1 of Pat Gillis and
Murray Houston won all six games
and dead -eye Brad Speiran, playing
alone, also won all six games, no
surprise there. Team 2 of Rob
VanderVeen and John Gillis were
lucky and won five games for the
night's play. The high lady for the
night was Ev Blake hitting 109 and
George Zwep again for the men
hitting 121.
Congratulations to Danica Zwep
and Cody Janmaat on their
engagement! It will be a busy time
ahead with planning a fall wedding
for right after the International
Plowing Match! I'm sure Jane and
George are up to the task and a busy
time.
The Brussels' ladies birthday
group
gathered last Tuesday to
celebrate the February birthdays
which included Marci Bremner and
Bev Palmer. The ladies enjoyed a
delicious meal at JR's and had 20
ladies able to attend. Helping to
celebrate with the birthday girls
were Nora Stephenson, Merle
Cousins, Betty Campbell, Marie,
Betty and Lois McCutcheon, Laura
Barbour, Jane Hall, Nelva Scott,
Jean Davidson, Alice Marks, Sandra
Cable, Marg Work, Joan Bernard,
Cora Alcock, Leona Armstrong and
Dale Chesher.
Our sympathies are extended to
the sisters and family of the late
Grace Foxton. She will be missed by
her five children and her sisters
Marg Garniss, Doris Wilcox,
Ruthann Paulin and Frances
Breckenridge. Our sympathies to all.
It looks like the tundra swans are
returning for their break around the
area. There have been some in the
back field near our son's farm. They
are beautiful birds to watch. They
will not be here long, so get out and
see them as soon as you can.
Returning from a glorious
vacation in El Salvador are three
local couples. Jim and Linda
McDonald, and Jim and Danica
McNichol joined Ray and Wilma
Rammeloo at their home in the
beautiful country. The home is on
the beach outside of San Salvador
and they enjoyed two weeks of quiet
and relaxing time. They bought their
own food at the local market and
"super store" where a huge crate of
fruits and vegetables cost about $20.
They enjoyed great hot weather, and
toured up into the mountains where
it was cooler. The beautiful area of
lush green forest and where sugar
cane is grown was beautiful to see.
Celebrating birthdays this past
week includes Bruce McDonald,
Tamara Williamson, Chris Lee,
Carly Terpstra, Terry Nichol,
Andrew Blake, Beverly Stevenson,
Drew Wilts, Ava Robinson and
celebrating Feb. 29, if there was one
this year, are Nathan Bachert, Ryan
Baan and Pam McLellan. Happy
birthday to all!
Powerful!
The Brussels Power Skating Club held its year-end awards
ceremony last week. From left, coach Michelle Blake, Level
6 skaters Kyle Stevenson, Brady McCutcheon and Tyson
Fischer, Level 3 skater Brenna Walden, most improved
junior award winner Madison Bernard and senior award
winner Caleb Koch and level 3 skater Zeke Walden. (Denny
Scott photo)
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