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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-04-28, Page 28PAGE 28. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2016. Huron East deputy -mayor to be chosen from within Continued from page 1 overloading one councillor per ward with the work currently done by two would make the job impossible for someone with a job. Feeling stretched for time as it is, Diehl said there would be no way council would attract many candidates for a job that paid so little and would require a full-time commitment. She also suggested that change to the structure of council shouldn't be made by councillors alone, saying that the public should be consulted before any changes were set in stone. Councillor Alvin McLellan, also of the Grey Ward, agreed. He said that being a councillor and representing a community is much more than attending meetings and making decisions. He said it's about planning community events, meeting with residents when they have problems and just being visible throughout the community and at various events, even when you're not getting paid. If the job were to be left to one councillor per ward, he said, the meeting schedule would be such that it would be impossible to fulfill what the community expects of you because you'd be too busy attending council and committee meetings. He also agreed there would be no way for one councillor to cover a Huron East -sized ward and maintain a full-time job, which would eliminate a large swath of residents who may have otherwise been interested in municipal politics. New to the council table, Chartrand also disagreed with the move, saying that with Huron East's size (one fifth of the entirety of Huron County) there would be no way five councillors could effectively cover the municipality. Dividing the estimated $30,000 in savings amongst all of Huron East's ratepayers, he said having two representatives per ward costs a resident $7 each per year. For that cost, he said, what he's hearing is that residents want representation. Seaforth Councillor Bob Fisher said he has been lobbying to reduce the size of council for over eight years, but felt the proposal even wasn't enough. He said he wants to see the ward system done away with, retaining a north and south ward at the very most, but ideally making all councillor positions at -large elections. Brussels Councillor David Blaney spoke against the motion, but advised council on a larger, more disturbing trend as he saw it, which is that council is trying to cut its way to prosperity. "The appearance is that the only way to fix something is to cut things. We want to cut the day care and cut recreation and cut council," he said, but added that the day will come when there isn't anything left to cut and Huron East will still have a bill to pay. Huron East needs to focus on growing its tax base, he said, rather than trying to cut things down to the bare minimum. Fisher objected to Blaney's implication, saying he didn't see the proposal as cutting, but rather as streamlining and finding efficiencies. Councillors voted seven to four against the proposal, with Councillor Larry McGrath absent. Mayor Bernie MacLellan, Deputy -Mayor Joe Steffler and Councillors Nathan Marshall and Fisher voted for the motion, while Councillors Blaney, Chartrand, Diehl, McLellan, Kevin Wilbee, John Lowe and Brenda Dalton voted against it. Immediately after the vote, Chartrand put a motion on the floor to eliminate the deputy -mayor position, saying instead that one of the 10 councillors could be stepped up to the position after the election, resulting in an 11 -member council. Chartrand said his motion would take effect for the 2018 election and beyond. Knight said he had a number of concerns with the proposal, most notably Huron East's representation at the Huron County level. He also said that if the proposal was being presented as a cost-saving measure, it wouldn't be very effective, eliminating less than $10,000 from the annual council budget. Steffler spoke against the motion, but said it wasn't for self-serving reasons, as he was not planning on running again in 2018. He said that when a deputy -mayor is chosen by the people of Huron East, that person is elected at -large, meaning that all residents voted in favour of that representative. The new format, he said, would take that power out of the hands of residents and put it in councillors' hands. And with the deputy -mayor serving as Huron East's second representative at the Huron County Council table, that position is more important in Huron East than it is in some other municipalities. In a recorded vote, everyone present but Steffler voted in favour of the motion. Knight has been directed to will be accompanied by a staff report meeting for council's final prepare a bylaw to that effect that to be presented to council at a future consideration at that time. Filling up Melville Presbyterian Church held its annual springtime supper on Sunday night at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre. The event has always been well attended and has proven to be a successful fundraiser for the church over the years. Here, Marg Siertsema, one of the church's volunteers that night, dishes out some dessert for Jim Prior, a long-time member of the Brussels Lions Club. (Vicky Bremner photo) Obituaries LENA SIEGERS Lena (Martin) Siegers of Brussels, died suddenly on Wednesday, April 20, 2016 when struck by a motor vehicle. Born in Woolwich Township on May 2, 1942, Lena was 73 years old. Lena was the loving mother of David Siegers (Valerie), Nathan Siegers (Jodie), Andrew Siegers and Susannah Haskins. She was the dear sister of Tilman Martin, Rebecca Bauman, Peter Martin (Elizabeth), Leah Boehm (John), Noah Martin (Jean), and Susannah Shantz (David) and the loving grandma of Scott, Mike, Celena, Jake, Michael, Paul, Mia, Koa, Jacob, Emily, Drew and Patrick. She is also loved by her many surrogate grandchildren. Lena was predeceased by her parents David and Susannah Martin, her sisters Elizabeth and Mary, her brother Aaron and her granddaughter Danielle Faith Haskins. Lena attended Brussels Mennonite Fellowship and sang with the Menno Singers and the Blyth Festival Singers. She served with Christian Peacemaker Teams in Haiti, Bosnia, Burnt Church and Colombia from 1994 to 2004. Friends were received by the family on Sunday at the Schimanski Family Funeral Home, Brussels. The funeral service was conducted at Melville Presbyterian Church, Brussels on Monday, April 25. Pastor Ken Gazley officiated with the message given by Lena's niece, Pastor Ruth Boehm. Those assembled worshipped in song under the direction of Bob Shantz and tributes of music were performed by Lena's sisters and her grandchildren, Celena and Michael Haskins. Burial followed at Brussels Cemetery with grandsons Scott, Mike, Drew, Patrick, Jake, Michael and Paul acting as pallbearers. As an expression of sympathy, memorial donations to Christian Peacemaker Teams, 25 Cecil St., Unit 301, Toronto, ON M5T 1N1 or the charity of one's choice would be appreciated by the family. Online condolences may be left at www.schimanskifamilyfuneral home.com LEONA MARIE NICHOLSON Leona Marie Nicholson died peacefully at the apartment of her brother, Nelson in Dresden on Jan. 3, 2016. She was in her 61st year. Leona was the daughter of the late Gordon and Roma (Breckenridge) Nicholson. She is survived by her two brothers, Gerald, Dresden and Nelson, Goderich and one sister Donna, RR 4, Brussels. Leona is also survived by aunts, Brenda Perrie, Brussels; Wilda Trethewey, Guelph; Velma Elliott, Listowel; Shirley Gaus, Listowel and uncle Rae Breckenridge, Bluevale. She is also survived by her good friends, Kathy and Stewart Curran, Maria Fulford and Margaret Salter, all of Goderich. Leona was born in 1955 at Dr. Meyer's Nursing Home in Brussels. She attended SS#3 Morris and SS#4 Morris until the closure of the one - room schoolhouses resulted in her attendance at Brussels Public School. She attended F.E. Madill Secondary School and graduated with a five-year diploma. Leona entered the workforce after high school and worked as a machine operator at Spinrite Yarns, Listowel. Later she worked at Lloyd Doors, Wingham, until the factory closed in the early 1990s. Leona was an avid reader and enjoyed her gardening, westerns, mysteries and romance novels. It was in her later life that she developed an enjoyment of gardening. This was especially true of her love of hostas which started with one variety and ended up with over 60 varieties. A graveside service and interment under the care of McBurney Funeral Home will be held at Brandon Cemetery, Belgrave at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, 2016. All friends and relatives are welcomed to attend the service. JUNE (formerly ELLIOTT) JACKLIN June Marie Jacklin (nee Petrie and formerly Elliott) of Clinton, formerly of Brussels and Seaforth passed away peacefully at Huronview Home for the Aged on Tuesday, April 19, 2016. Born in Stratford on March 31, 1928, June was in her 89th year. June was the beloved wife of the late Nelson Elliott and the late Melvin Jacklin. She is survived by her children Robert (Rita), Marlene, David (Lorna), Doug (Joy), Bonnie, Richard, Nancy, Barbara and Lori. She is also survived by many grandchildren and great- grandchildren. At June's request, cremation has taken place and a private graveside service will be held in St. Marys Cemetery at a late date. As expressions of sympathy, memorial donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation would be appreciated and can be made through McGlynn Family Funeral Home, Seaforth. Online condolences and donations can be made by visiting June's memorial at www.mcglynn familyfuneralhome.com eiztemi4yed Do you have fond memories that you'd like to share of someone whose obituary has been published recently in The Citizen. Send us a few lines or paragraphs with your story. E-mail editor@northhuron.on.ca, Fax 519-523-9140 or mail to: The Citizen, P.O. Box 429, Blyth, NOM 1H0 or P.O. Box 152, Brussels, NOG 1 HO. There is no charge for comments we choose to publish. 519-357-1910 ry of ord of ays s of A cemetery is a histo people, a perpetual rec yesterday and a sanctuary of peace and quiet today. A cemetery exists because every life is worth loving and remembering - alw Distinctive Memorial Lasting Satisfaction North St. West, Wingham Mac & Donna Anderson