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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-02-25, Page 1INSIDE THIS WEEK: SPORTS - Pg. 8 Local hockey teams destined for playoffs BRIDAL - Pg. 13 `Citizen' presents its annual guide to nuptials BUDGET - Pg. 32 Huron County Council approves 2016 budget Publications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON NOG 1H0 4Citiz Volume 32 No. 8 n WELCOME TO BINT H $1 .25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, February 25, 2016 Mr Huron East tax levy may rise 10 per cent Dance of the rings What's a circus without rings? As part of the Brussels Skating Club's annual talent showcase (which was circus -themed this year), skaters dressed as performers and wild animals to amuse and amaze. Performers of all ages dazzled those in attendance with their skill and pagentry in a variety of routines. When it was all over, the club handed out its year-end awards. Shown doing their ring performance are, from left: Abby Strome, Sarah Strome, Emily Mitchell and Julia Jacobs. (Denny Scott photo) County now By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Despite some very strong opinions to the contrary, Huron County Council has voted to remain in the South West Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) process, paying $50,000 to do so. After representing Huron County Council on the SWIFT committee, Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Deputy -Reeve Roger Watt presented his thoughts on the project to council at its Feb. 17 committee of the whole meeting. Watt, who spent his entire career in various divisions of high-level information technology, told councillors he had many doubts about the SWIFT project, but at the same time felt it was still too early to drop out of the process. In explaining the project to By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Presenting her first draft of the Huron East budget at council's Feb. 16 meeting, Treasurer Paula Michiels started with an eight per cent overall tax increase and councillors have instructed her to go even higher. The original eight per cent overall increase consisted of three components: the municipal levy, with a proposed increase of 15.4 per cent; the Huron County levy, with an increase of three per cent and the education board levies, with an estimated increase of one per cent. The proposed increase of 15.4 per cent, Michiels said, would only cover the municipality's lost Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF) money in the amount of $294,200 and the proposed increase to OPP costs of $191,352. At the first draft levels with a proposed 15.4 per cent increase, Michiels said she would still be over $367,000 short of balancing the budget. As a result, council has directed Michiels to prepare a second draft of the 2016 budget to include a 9.9 per cent overall levy increase. While the county and education levies remain unchanged, to reach a 9.9 per cent overall increase, the municipal tax levy would have to increase by approximately 21.35 per cent. Michiels explained that the municipality's community centres continue to be an area of concern. Even with deficits built into the 2015 budget, they still continue to come in over budget. To help her understand the continued challenges of the community centres, specifically the Brussels and Seaforth arenas, Michiels examined hydro costs. She said that much of the centres' budgets are tied to hydro costs, which have risen steadily in recent years. For the 2016 budget, Michiels has built in further consideration for rising hydro costs and included additional levies in the budgets of just over $33,000 for each centre to get them back to what Michiels would consider a relatively balanced budget (while also considering hydro cost rises). She said she did turn away a capital levy proposed by the Seaforth and District Community Centre Board in the amount of nearly $500,000. How that money would be spent had not been specified, she said, so she would not approve that budget line item. While Michiels said she could appreciate how important community centres are to ratepayers of all ages, she said other departments are having to propose zero -increase budgets or "go without" in order to subsidize the municipality's community centres. The trend, Michiels said, of community centres barely making 50 per cent of what's expected of them continues to be concerning. Councillor David Blaney, who is a council representative on the Brussels, Morris and Grey Recreation Board, said that in Brussels the arena building was in a relatively break-even position for 2015, which is encouraging. It is the soccer and baseball fields, as well as the pool, that drove up costs in 2015. The discussion led to Mayor Bernie MacLellan, saying council needs to seriously discuss its arenas in the near future. "Do we need three community Continued on page 7 financially invested in SWIFT project councillors, Watt outlined a number of facts and figures, including proposed upload and download speeds. He also said that SWIFT has proposed to have 350 network access points by 2020 and the potential for 3,000 by 2040. However, for members of Huron County Council, Watt's presentation came down to two major factors: funding and providing high-speed internet to every home in Huron County. Under SWIFT's proposal, Watt says the federal and provincial governments will be responsible for $89.7 million each, while private investors will pay $71.7 million. Municipalities throughout the region will only be responsible for $18 million. Should Huron County decide to remain involved in the SWIFT process, Watt said, the county would be receiving the benefits of improved region -wide internet capability for seven cents on the dollar. "It's a staggering deal," Watt said. "Whether we need it or not is another story." He went on to detail the current state of internet in Huron County, saying that all is "not well" in Huron, since much of the county is still suffering through low -speed internet. Low -speed wireless or DSL internet is the only option available to over half of the county's residents, Watt said. However, Watt said, the county, in conjunction with its independent internet providers, submitted over 20 questions to SWIFT regarding its operations and those questions have yet to be answered, which he said is certainly a cause for concern. He said that because to date Huron has yet to invest any money in SWIFT, the organization is unable to finance its request for proposals (RFP) and request for quotations (RFQ) processes, which is why the questions have yet to be answered. Watt said that in his opinion, Continued on page 30 Major announcement Thursday in Blyth On Thursday night, the Emergency Services Training Centre is scheduled to play host to a special event dubbed "The Home Opener" hosted by Steven, David and Grant Sparling. The event, which is by invitation only, is being held in order to announce an "exciting new initiative in Blyth" according to the invitation. Invitations were sent out to members of local municipal councils, Huron County Council, Blyth business owners and neighbours of the new project. The Citizen was granted an exclusive media preview to the event and a story will be published on The Citizen's website Thursday night, immediately after the announcement. Visit northhuron.on.ca Thursday night to read the story and be sure to check next week's issue of The Citizen for full coverage of the event and the announcement.