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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2014-02-05, Page 1212 News Record • Wednesday, February 5, 2014 Reductions ahead for Auburn post office Gerard Creces Clinton News -Record So long, Saturday. The Auburn post office is targeted for restructuring as Canada Post seeks to cut unnecessary costs to stay in business. The likely outcome - no more Saturday service at the post office. According to a spokesman for Canada Post, the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association has been in consultation with the corporation, and results of those talks are expected early this week. With low Saturday usage of the post office, the recommendation is to close for the day, as well as look at restructuring the weekday hours to when most customers use the post office. "A careful review has determined that we have a very small number of local customers between the hours of 08:00 - 12:00 and 14:00- 17:00 Monday to Friday, and very few custom- ers on Saturday," states a letter to Central Huron council from Greg Hunter - local area manager for Canada Post. "Canada Post is therefore considering closing your post office on Saturdays only and realigning the hours during the week" Canada Post is obligated to inform the municipality first of any changes, and was expected to be bringing their recommenda- tions to council Monday night. Details were unavailable as of press time. Snow days, exams and a new semester Eagles' Pride Claire Gordon Minister of Public Relations It has been a great week here at St.Anne's this past week. We had another snow day on Monday, which unfortunately pushed the last day of exams back until to Tuesday. However, once exams were done on Tuesday the stu- dents still got a two day break until the start of second semester on Friday. With new classes and teachers, we wish everyone good luck in the second half of the year. Here is to another great semester of learning and having fun! Our Mission Trip to India team is hosting a Family Day Spaghetti Dinner on Mon. Feb. 17th at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Goderich. For only $30 per family you'll be treated to salad, spaghetti, garlic bread, des- sert, coffee, entertainment and all money helps our local youth travel to India this sum- mer to build a school. Please call 519-482- 5454 for more information. Are you a former client of C&M Income Tax Services? If so, Glenn Hayter CMA CFP and his team at Hayter & Associates Inc. invite you to meet, and discuss your future income tax and accounting needs. A complimentary review of your 2012 tax return will be provided, if requested. Call 519-482-5840 to set up an appointment 320 VICTORIA ST. CLINTON The Auburn Post Office could be seeing a large reduction in hours, pending the results of a report from Canada Post this week. Budget awaiting final county numbers Gerard Creces Clinton News -Record No cause for alarm. That's the message from Central Huron Treasurer Terry Rau, as the municipality awaits the county's finalized tax rate for 2014. Late last year, Rau outlined the proposed expenditures for the 2014 budget, and as it stood at the time, unfunded expenditures represented an increase of just over seven per cent. However, she said the budget is very much an open document, and the initial figure was literally, "a moment captured." Things change almost daily. There is much trimming and adjusting that can take place from now until the final rates are approved at county - a move Rau MAKE • ISH® Canada Because some wishes can't wait for someday. www makeawish.ca 1-888-822-9474 said will hopefully be completed by the end of March. There are some significant challenges fac- ing the municipality come tax time, though. Ontario Municipal Partnership Funding is down five per cent in Central Huron. The $105,200 reduction represents about two per cent of the budget, with $2.3 million coming in. "When funding goes down that much, you need to raise those dollars yourself if you're not going to change the service level," she said. Between OMPF reductions and police increases, "it's going to affect the bottom line." However, she did not Central Huron will be receiving a policing credit of about $148,000 for officers seconded to other areas of the province. In addition to changing funding and serv- ice costs, the issue of fair assessment also presents financial difficulties for the munici- pal budget. Agricultural assessment rates are just one quarter of their residential counterparts, though with ag properties selling far higher than their assessed value, the money com- ing in does not reflect the properties' actual worth. Having farmland assessed at sale price, she said, would be beneficial to the bottom line, however it would require a change in law. Meanwhile, council has approved capital expenditures of $1.3 million for the year in order to get the ball rolling on municipal projects for 2014. But, with less money to go around, it won't be a walk in the park. "We're going to be tight," Rau said. "You can see that from the monthly reports." Council will be holding their next budget meeting Tuesday, March 11 at 5 p.m. at town hall, with a public meeting to come April 22.