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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2015-04-02, Page 1CitizenTh e $1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, April 2, 2015 Volume 31 No. 13 AGRICULTURE - Pg. 11 Cronins named top young farmers in Ontario HOCKEY - Pg. 8 Atom LL team triumphs in WOAA tournament Publications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0 INSIDE THIS WEEK: From beginning to end In a fantastic showing of co-operation and teamwork, the Blyth churches, as well as Huron Chapel in Auburn, once again pulled off their Walk Through Holy Week despite some unexpected wintery conditions. The trip began at Huron Chapel in Auburn with the Palm Sunday parade. It was followed by the anointing at the Blyth Christian Reformed Church, the Last Supper at Living Water Christian Fellowship, the trial in the garden at Blyth United Church and, finally, the crucifixion at Trinity Anglican Church, which can be seen here with Pastor Perry Chuipka, left, and Peter Zoeller, right. (Vicky Bremner photo) North Huron approves final draft of budget Decorative lights approved by Trust North Huron Township Council’s budget deliberations are coming to a close as council prepares to present the final product to the public later this month. After a special budget meeting on March 23, council felt that the budget document, which includes some substantial capital projects, was ready for unveiling in a final public meeting. The budget calls for a 2.24 per cent increase in spending over the 2014 budget which will result in increases for both Blyth and East Wawanosh ratepayers. Ratepayers in Blyth with an average assessment of $156,250 will see an increase of $37.46 dollars per year, or 1.46 per cent on residential properties while East Wawanosh residents in settled areas, with that same average residential property, will see an increase $21.35 per year, or an increase of 0.88 per cent. Farmland in East Wawanosh, however, is going to see a significant spike as Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) assessment continues to rise. While an average residential property in rural East Wawanosh will see an increase of $1.38 over the year agricultural property will go up $172 on average. Councillor Trevor Seip said that, since the increases in East Wawanosh were not due wholly to taxes and more based on assessment, he felt that the system was fair. “Every ratepayer can appeal their assessment,” he said. Reeve Neil Vincent explained that if assessment continues to increase the way it has in the current four- year assessment cycle, farmland owners could see as much as a 120 per cent assessment increase over four years. Director of Finance Donna White said she felt most people won’t appeal because a lower assessment means lower value if they ever decide to sell the house. Wingham, on the average assessment above, has the lowest increase with a 0.42 per cent increase over last year. Most of council was happy with the 2.24 per cent increase, noting that staff had done an admirable job preparing the original 2015 budget, which had a spending increase slightly higher than four per cent. “I don’t see anything missing and I can’t see anything we could put back in,” Councillor Bill Knott said. “There are a few things I’d like to put in that weren’t there, but I see we have no money for that.” Knott, along with Councillor Ray Hallahan, did initially ask for another meeting and more time to review some of the information that was presented for the first time that night, specifically about community partnership funding. Both, however, after other councillors said they felt it was unnecessary, recanted and said they would take up their concerns with White privately. Both Deputy-Reeve James Campbell and Vincent stated that staff and council had done a good job finding a balanced budget with a smaller increase, commenting that, with a higher-than-average 27-pay- period year, that wasn’t easy. “Originally, I figured we would have been stuck at four per cent,” Vincent said. White explained that the relatively low increase will have a minimal impact on ratepayers and that both staff and council knew that with the increase in water rates this year, it was important to keep costs down. “There’s only one taxpayer whether you’re paying water, sewer or taxes,” she said. White said that the budget represents the status quo. “For sure in the next little while we’re focusing on affordability and sustainability,” she said. Council was briefed on the budgets for each department by its respective senior staff member if they were in attendance starting with Director of Recreation and Facilities Pat Newson. “We added $20,000 for roof repairs for the North Huron Wescast Complex,” Newson said. “There are more leaks appearing.” Newson admitted that the roof has problems. She said it was not the roof that should have been chosen for the building. Beyond that, it was installed poorly and the municipality is now seeing the consequences. “It’s a massive building and we want to keep the leaks under control The Brussels Community Development Trust has stepped up to help fund decorative street lighting for the village, but the decision has warranted a special meeting. At a meeting late last month, the Trust voted six to one in favour of paying for 20 decorative street lights that will run through the village’s downtown core, from the bridge in the north to the Royal Canadian Legion in the south. The cost is $800 per light for a total cost of $16,000. The purchase will be made in concert with the Municipality of Huron East. The municipality will be paying for traditional “cobra” street lights. However, the cost to upgrade to decorative lamps is $800 per light, which the Trust will cover. The decision came after a presentation by Kathy Nichol, owner of Solace on Turnberry. She presented members of the Trust with two options. While members went with the second option, the first option was to run the lights along the entire main street from Huronlea Home for the Aged in the south to Island Wire Products in the north. That option would require 50 lights at a cost of $40,000. The Trust turned the larger proposal down by a vote of 4-3, but went with the 20-light proposal. A special meeting, however, has been requested in order to discuss the motion further. That meeting will be held on Thursday, April 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Brussels United Church. *** At the March 19 meeting, the Trust approved a motion to donate $2,000 to the Brussels Leo Club for its sports pad project, now named the Libro Community Sports Pad, at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre. Leo Club President Sean Mitchell spoke to the members of the Trust at the beginning of their meeting, outlining the details of the project and asking that members consider a donation in the amount of $500. *** With the closure of Brussels Public School, the Brussels Community Development Trust voted to discontinue its award that had historically been presented at F.E. Madill Secondary School’s annual commencement ceremony. The award had been presented to a graduate of Brussels Public School who chose to continue his post- secondary education by learning a trade. The annual award of $500 will now be discontinued. The Citizen was honoured at the national level late last week with three Canadian Community Newspaper Awards. In the 2015 results, released on Friday, The Citizen was placed second in the Best Overall Newspaper category in the Canada- wide circulation class between 1,250 and 1,999. The Citizen also placed second in the Best Front Page and Best Editorial Page categories, bested only by The Osoyoos Times of British Columbia in all three categories. The Citizen was judged against nearly 150 other community newspapers from across the country in the same circulation class. It was the only Ontario-based newspaper honoured in the circulation class. The awards will be presented at the Canadian Community Newspapers Association’s annual convention this May in Toronto. Founded in 1985 and supported by community shareholders, The Citizen will be celebrating its 30th anniversary this autumn. The Citizen staff thanks all of its readers and sponsors for their help in supporting local journalism and the goals the organization strives for week after week. For a full list of winners, visit www.newspaperscanada.ca. The Citizen Celebrating 30 Years 1985~2015 ‘Citizen’ recognized nationally By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen By Denny Scott The Citizen Continued on page 9