Huron Expositor, 2014-03-19, Page 22 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Changes in job titles, new hires at County of Huron
Paul Cluff
QM! Agency
A retirement, some newly created posi-
tions and a shifting of roles and responsi-
bilities have led to some staffing changes
within the County of Huron.
Dave Overboe, director of social and
property services, is retiring in May.
Retiring with Overboe is his job title.
Barb Springall will become director of
social and property services and homes.
Springall's focus will shift towards senior
management team (SMT) responsibili-
ties, said County CAO Brenda Orchard.
Currently Springall is the administrator
at both Huronview and Huronlea - the
county's long-term care homes, but SMT
responsibilities means she also reports to
the CAO and council, which cuts into the
administrative side of the job, Orchard
said.
An administrator will be hired to over-
see the homes for the aged.
Those changes will save about $30,000.
Sandra Weber made a few presenta-
tions to county council at their March 12
meeting in her new role as manager of
planning.
CAOs in the lower tiers have been ask-
ing for planning help for some time and
county council discussed the need during
strategic plarming sessions.
Weber has previous experience in the
county's planning department.
It's another shifting of responsibilities
for an SMT: Scott Tousaw, director of
planning, will have more time to oversee
economic development and for SMT
duties.
"We have been active this year with
strategic planning, action planning and
staff surveys," Orchard said of senior
management tasks. Tousaw is also help-
ing with a full facility review in 2014. That
review will be a factor in asset manage-
ment and how the county deals with its
significant surplus.
Orchard said the county is close to hir-
ing a new professional engineer. Inter-
views are set to start at the end of March.
The professional engineer will be director
of operations and responsible for over-
seeing public works and EMS.
"It is important to me to have profes-
sional engineering oversight on aspects of
the budget and efficiencies that can be
gained in that budget'
Orchard said a decision was made not
to hire a director of human resources and
to instead redirect those funds toward
hiring a professional engineer.
The county is also hiring a communi-
cations professional to provide service
throughout all departments. That person
will also help with grant writing.
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Maple Syrup Festival celebrates
18 years in West Perth
Dublin Lions host
March 22 event
Kristine Jean
Mitchell Advocate
The 18th annual Maple Syrup Festival in West
Perth is taking place Saturday, March 22 from 8:30
a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hibbert Shed south of
Dublin.
This year, the event is sponsored by the Dublin
Lions Club and Spring Valley Products in Staffa -
the sugar bush who will supply the maple syrup
for the event.
"The church in Staffa started it and then it closed
down there three years ago. It's a good community
event and they didn't want it to fall to the wayside,
so we took it over," said Mery Shewan, chair of the
Maple Syrup Festival and member of the Dublin
Lions Club. "We'll have real maple syrup - it's
made right across the road from where we're hav-
ing the breakfast"
The Maple Syrup Festival is an enjoyable day for
the entire family, with plenty of food to enjoy and
a unique learning opportunity as well, Shewan
added.
"It's a family event. We'll have apples on the
table for the kids and hot apple cider," he added.
"When they're done eating they can get on a
wagon and go across to see the maple syrup being
made and see how it's processed. It's all done by
hose now but years ago they went and picked up a
barrel and pails and now it's all automatic from
tree to tree."
Last year there were over 1,000 people who
came out for the annual festival and this year, pro-
vided Mother Nature cooperates, they hope to see
a good turnout as well.
"That'll make a big difference, the weather. How
cold it is will dictate how many people come out,"
said Shewan, noting the possible warmer temper-
atures in mid-March.
Although Spring Valley Products have maple
syrup in stock, the extremely cold winter this year
hasn't been good for maple syrup producers.
"The syrup isn't running yet. We have to get
warmer temperatures during the day and then
colder temperatures at night," explained Shewan.
The annual Maple Syrup Festival in West Perth
raises some much-needed money for organiza-
tions in Mitchell and surrounding communities.
"It is a fundraiser. We split the money up
between the Mitchell Lions Club, the Knights of
Columbus, Dublin Lions Club and the church
groups in the area," said Shewan. "Everybody that
pitches in to help, gets a share and it's all used for
community projects."
He pointed out the support the annual Maple
Syrup Festival receives from the municipality and
volunteers who help make the event a great
success.
"John DeKroon in Dublin does a great job with
the horses and wagons," he said. "We really appre-
ciate that West Perth gave us the Hibbert Shed to
use again this year, and we appreciate all the peo-
ple that come out from the community to volun-
teer to help us."
Maple syrup festivals are a common site every
March, and are usually one of the first indications
that spring is just around the corner.
"It's a good community event. People come year
after year, the kids enjoy it and they love the horse
rides," he added.
"We just need Mother Nature to give us some
warm weather and some sap running from the
trees."
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