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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2015-05-28, Page 1CitizenTh e $1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, May 28, 2015 Volume 31 No. 21 OPP - Pg. 19 Impaired driving numbers double in Huron County TRAIL - Pg. 7 North Huron G2G Rail Trail concerns continue 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: Quite the tradition Last weekend Blyth once again played host to the Barn Dance Jamboree featuring a number of musical acts performing the best in country and bluegrass tunes. The fun began Friday night with the bluegrass show, continued on Saturday night with the Barn Dance show and finished on Sunday with the Gospel show. Here, award-winning fiddler Linsey Beckett took centre stage on Saturday night, joined by Grant Heywood, left, and Bill Norris, right, of the Barn Dance Show Band. Beckett shared the stage that night with Paul Newell, Sue Weber Bell, Bill Murray and Kiley Joe Masson. (Jasmine deBoer photo) Drastic changes to CBS proposed H. East considers grant for BMGCC Huron East Council is considering a grant application that could mean significant upgrades and expansion for the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre. Chief Administrative Officer Brad Knight presented council with the report at its May 19 meeting outlining the Community Infrastructure Program (CIP 150) and how the community centre may be a good fit for the funding. The proposed improvements to the centre came to council by way of a joint meeting between the Brussels, Morris and Grey Recreation Committee and the Brussels Lions and Optimist Clubs. The biggest component of the proposed expansion is an addition that would house an L-shaped annex to the east and south sides of the building. The addition would put dressing rooms behind the benches, construct a larger lobby – relieving lobby congestion – and make the booth and washrooms accessible in the summer months to the baseball diamond and soccer fields. After the joint meeting, Knight told council, the preference was for the proposed L-shaped addition. The committee has been actively investigating renovations to the centre for several years now and after hiring GB Architect Inc. from Stratford, the same architect that oversaw renovations at the Seaforth and District Community Centre, it is clear that an addition of this nature will cost nearly $1.5 million. In order to access the federal North Huron Township Council has directed its Chief Administrative Officer Sharon Chambers to produce a new draft of its cross-border servicing policy with some radical changes after a meeting with Morris- Turnberry Council representatives. In a recorded vote at its May 19 meeting, all members of council, save Reeve Neil Vincent, voted to have Chambers prepare the amended policy which will see significant changes to the existing document. The current policy calls for 30 per cent of the municipal tax portion from any land serviced by North Huron, but outside of the municipality, to be given to North Huron in recompense for the capacity and infrastructure used. Instead of the clause calling for the 30 per cent pay-out, Chambers’ report called for a new clause which would reflect one used in the West Grey/Hanover charter which states, according to her report: “[Arrangements will be made] as opportunities arise, to facilitate the review and improvement of other agreements between the parties in such areas as recreation, library, fire and infrastructure.” Chambers report indicated that “soft” services that extend beyond North Huron’s borders, such as recreation centres/arenas, libraries, cemeteries, parks, museum and day care programs could be bolstered by arrangements made for servicing and that Morris-Turnberry representatives said they would be willing to work with that idea. Of the private meeting, which involved members of North Huron and Morris-Turnberry Councils as well as Chambers and Morris- Turnberry Administrator Clerk- Treasurer Nancy Michie, Chambers said it was a positive event. “Each side was able to discuss their own challenges as far as revenue generation,” she said. Morris-Turnberry had no stated problems with any of the clauses in North Huron’s policy save the one calling for 30 per cent of the municipal taxes and, according to council members and Chambers, were willing to discuss the situation. After the presentation of the report, Reeve Neil Vincent abdicated his chair to Deputy-Reeve James Campbell so he could speak to the issue. He said that the cross-border servicing policy was a “long and well-travelled road” in trying to reach a final agreement. Vincent pointed to Royal Homes which, 43 years ago, benefitted from Wingham’s services and have become ratepayers of Morris- Turnberry while using North Huron sewer and water and pointed to other properties in similar situations like DuPont-Pioneer. “Basically, when we provide services the way we have without a charge of some kind or getting something for the use of that capacity that was built into the The Citizen Celebrating 30 Years 1985~2015 McGrath wants ec. dev. scrapped Huron East Councillor Larry McGrath, a long-time critic of the municipality’s economic development program, has recommended that it be dropped entirely, with a full discussion set to take place at the June 2 council meeting. “I’d recommend that economic development be scaled back or cut right out,” McGrath said, raising the new business at council’s May 19 meeting. To ensure transparency and to give members of the public the opportunity to attend meetings in which they may be interested, as is council’s policy, McGrath gave notice that he would like to discuss the new potential direction for the department at one of council’s future meetings. While he acknowledged that the economic development department budget isn’t the biggest Huron East has, he still felt that the Continued on page 18 By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen By Denny Scott The Citizen Continued on page 11 Continued on page 14 By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen