HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-08-03, Page 7A toe -tapping tradition
The Brussels Lions Club hosted its annual Brussels Fiddle Jamboree at the Brussels, Morris
and Grey Community Centre on July 23. Participants came from near and far to dance to,
enjoy and perform music. (Quinn Talbot photo)
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 2017. PAGE 7.
NH appoints CAO
North Huron Township has
appointed Dwayne Evans as its
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)
and Deputy Clerk.
Evans takes over after Sharon
Chambers left the CAO position
earlier this year and Larry
McGregor was appointed interim
CAO and Director of Public Works.
Reeve Neil Vincent, in a press
release, stated that council looks
forward to Evans joining the staff
and leading the senior management
team.
Evans has Master's Degrees in
Geography and Public
Administration and has worked for
the Province of Ontario and the
County of Huron as a professional
land use planner. Currently, he is
Clerk and Planning Co-ordinator for
the Town of Goderich.
Vincent, in an interview after the
announcement, explained that Evans
was selected from 22 applicants
across Canada in a month-and-a-
half long search.
Evans will start on Sept. 5, which
should give him time to finish out
his current position, Vincent said.
"Dwayne, with his experience,
should be a good fit at the job,"
Vincent said. "I see him as a team
builder."
Vincent went on to say that being
able to foster teamwork will be
especially important with the
departure of Jeff Molenhuis, the
township's former Director of
Public Works, earlier this year.
HE declares hall, ball
diamond surplus
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
The Municipality of Huron East
has declared the Moncrieff
Community Hall and the Moncrieff
ball park surplus.
The passing of this bylaw, which
was done after a closed -to -the -
public session at its July 25 meeting,
was the first step in the eventual sale
of the property.
The way is now cleared so the
request for proposals process can
now begin for the property to be
sold.
Council received a report from the
Huron County Planning and
Development Department earlier
this month about the property and
what the future holds for it. With the
hall not being used much anymore,
Planner Claire Dodds said that
declaring the property surplus and
selling it made the most sense for
that community.
BIA able to cackle large projects with loans: Knott
Continued from page 1
that if the BIA didn't approve a
budget that night, just a few days
prior to the last tax bills being
prepared for the municipality, it
would not receive any funding for
the current year.
In response to an explanation of
how the levy system worked, Dana
Weber, who runs The Village Barber,
asked if all businesses in the town
were levied or if it were just
commercial or industrial properties.
Elliott explained that all the
businesses that have customers visit
should be levied, however some are
not due to the Municipal Property
Assessment Corporation not having
the properties assessed
commercially. He went on to say
that North Huron has a list of those
properties and is working to have
them identified properly so everyone
pays into the BIA.
The exception to the rule of
contributing to the BIA, Elliott said,
as determined by the province, was
businesses that don't have customers
coming into a location. He explained
that some home-based businesses,
like contractors, would not be levied.
Don Scrimgeour, who runs
Scrimgeour's Food Market, said he
didn't feel that was fair.
"If someone wants to be a
carpenter, plumber of whatever...
they should be paying," he said. "I
don't understand why they shouldn't
be included."
Elliott said he didn't disagree with
Scrimgeour, however that is the way
the province classifies the
properties.
The proposed changes to the levy
proved controversial for some
businesses as, without a cap on how
much a business would be charged,
they could be paying more than
$1,000 per year where they currently
pay $250.
Bailey was against the idea, going
so far as to suggest implementing an
opt -out system for businesses that
aren't interested in being part of the
BIA as his assessment on both his
residential and business properties
would increase significantly.
Rick Howson, representing
Howson and Howson Ltd., said on a
personal note he appreciates the
work the BIA does but from a
business standpoint, but doesn't feel
his company sees a return on the
levy it already pays, let alone a
significantly higher one.
"We don't see a direct link
between our financial statements
and the BIA activities," he said. "We
are an industrial food manufacturer.
We have one customer in Blyth and
any investment in the Blyth main
street doesn't bring business to us.
We like to be good corporate citizens
and encourage employees to enjoy
the events, but having no maximum
levy on this, from what I can see, is
an irresponsible thing to do."
Howson said he understood the
Citizen' closes for
summer vacation
The Citizen's offices are now
closed for the company's annual
summer vacation.
There will be no Aug. 10 issue of
The Citizen and the newspaper will
return with its Aug. 17 issue.
The Blyth office will reopen on
Monday, Aug. 14 at 9 a.m., while
the Brussels office will open that
same day at 10 a.m.
Deadlines for the Aug. 17 issue of
The Citizen will be Aug. 14 at 2 p.m.
at the Brussels office and at 4 p.m. at
the Blyth office.
Those at North Huron Publishing
wish their readers, supporters and
community members a safe and
happy Civic Holiday weekend.
need to increase the levy over time
to coincide with inflation or property
value, but not having a maximum
wouldn't work.
Elliott claimed that he had
intentionally proposed a "no
maximum" levy in the agenda as a
way to generate discussion and
encourage bigger businesses to
come to the table. He went on to say
he feels there should be a maximum
levy in place and asked for one to be
suggested.
The membership, however, was
still not happy with the proposed
budget and increased levy. Chris
Courtney, who, with her husband
Gary, owns and operates Blyth
Building Supply, said that Elliott's
suggestion of the cost of being in the
BIA being less than a dollar a day is
a good way to look at the issue.
While it may not seem like a lot of
money, she said it could prove a
barrier to some businesses staying
open or relocating to Blyth.
Irene Kellins, a member of the
current BIA board of executives,
asked if there wasn't a way to
fundraise for projects like the RT04
project. Elliott pointed to Streetfest
and the BIA's Golden Ticket
fundraisers, which haven't realized
their full potential in his opinion, as
a problem because they don't
provide consistent funding for the
organization. He said the best way to
be prepared was to have this funding
in place.
While Elliott wanted to make sure
funding was available for project
that may come to the BIA, Knott
explained that, if a significant
project came up, the BIA could
request an advance on future levies
to take advantage of projects.
"The BIA is not going to miss
opportunities by passing the first
budget," he said. "If RT04 comes
forward tomorrow and says they
need $20,000 for the project, there is
always the opportunity for the BIA
to put together its little presentation
and come to council and request the
$20,000 this year against [future
budgets]."
Cowbell Brewing's Natasha
Fritzley said she wasn't familiar
with North Huron's current financial
situation and practices and
asked Knott if that funding
represented a loan or some kind
of contigency fund, and
Knott explained it would be a loan.
After more debate, Elliott asked
for a motion to discuss the increased
levy numbers, however one didn't
come forward. Van Leeuwen said
Elliott was jumping ahead and
instead moved that the group accept
the lower of the two budgets, saying,
if enough people felt the higher
budget was necessary, they would
deal with the levy as a result of that
decision.
A majority of members voted to
approve the lower budget,
maintaining a status quo.
REPRINTS
OF PHOTOS
taken by Citizen
photographers are
available to purchase.
ALL ARE IN COLOUR
4x6 - $4.00
5x7 - $5.00
8x10 - $8.00
Phone to order -
519-523-4792
or 519-887-9114
Primordial Soup Theatre Company presents
THE DOWNS
For tickets call 519.523.9300 Toll Free 1.877.862.5984 or visit blythfestival.com
Canadian *I Theatre
BLYTH
FESTIVAL
Written & Performed by Sheryl Scott
Directed by Desiree Baker
Come and spend some time with Millie Johnson as she spins tales
about life on the farm in 1950's Northern New Brunswick, when
working hard had a whole different meaning and homemade bread
was served at every meal. This story of raising five girls on a New
Brunswick farm will leave you inspired, touched, and wondering if
you can return for a cup of tea at Millie's table.
The hit of the 2015 London Fringe Festival, "Scott's performance
is a tour de force, among the best I've ever seen at London Fringe.
Millie will make you laugh. Millie will make you feel happy to be
2015-2017 Season Sponsors Season Media Span -..n
Parkland *Farling! 000
FUEL CORPORATION o ww
Blyth Festival gratefully acknowledges the support of
IliCon
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alive. Millie will warm your very soul
and make you cry with joy."
JOE BELANGER, LONDON FREE PRESS