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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2013-02-14, Page 17THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2013. PAGE 17. Nearly $750,000 required to balance HE budgetContinued from page 1portion of a resident’s taxes consistsof a 21 or 22 per cent slice of the pie.He said the Huron County levy takes up about half of a tax bill and the education tax is the remainder. He said that education taxes are low this year and that the county is currently looking at a three per cent increase, while that has yet to be finalized. Several specific items were discussed, such as a new truck for the Seaforth Fire Department and the food booths at the municipality’s three community centres, but staff was given no clear direction on how to proceed. In addition, MacLellan talked about the discontinuation of the connecting links program with the province. He said that maintenance on Hwy. 8 through Seaforth could get expensive as the years go on and that’s something council will have to continue to monitor closely. Councillor Larry McGrath asked about a potential 30 per cent increase, but as discussion went on, his proposal found little support.Councillor David Blaney said thateach councillor should brainstormsome ideas on how to reduce the budget and they could all be discussed at the next council meeting, which is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 19.MacLellan, however, felt it wasn’tfair for each councillor to contactMichiels separately to discuss the budget. He said he’d rather give staff direction to come up with some cost- saving measures for the second draft of the budget to be presented tocouncil at the Feb. 19 meeting.MacLellan said that Knight andMichiels could bring forward some suggestions that would bring the budget deficit down to a more manageable place where a 10 or 12 per cent tax increase could cover it.Councillors were also instructed tomake suggestions on cost-savingmeasures to Michiels or Knight in writing before the Feb. 19 meeting when the second draft of the budget will be presented. Business Directory Affordable CAR AND TRUCK RENTALS Large & Small Trucks fridge carts - piano dollys- moving blankets Complete Selection of Cars Our rates qualify for insurance replacement Passenger Vans full size or mini GODERICH TOYOTA 344 Huron Rd. 519-524-9381 GODERICH 1-800-338-1134 NEW CONSTRUCTION AGRICULTURAL RENOVATIONS RESIDENTIAL Call 519-527-1538 Tarion Home Warranty Builders THE ZAHND TEAM P.O. Box 38 Listowel, Ontario N4W 3H2 Claude Robin Broker 519-887-6205 Kurt Keller Sales Representative 519-236-7874 www.zahnd.on.ca JAMES BROWN PHARMACY 198 Josephine St., Wingham, Ont. 519-357-1629 Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9 - 6 Sat. 9 - 4 Rear Parking Available Delivery available - COMPLETE MECHANICAL SERVICE - COMPUTERIZED TUNE-UPS - TIRES - BRAKES MUFFLERS - VEHICLE INSPECTION STATION DAN'S AUTO REPAIR Owned and Operated by Dan & Heather Snell RR 3, Blyth, Ont. N0M 1H0 (on the Westfield Rd.) DAN SNELL, Automotive Technician 519-523-4356 ELLIOTT NIXON INSURANCE BROKERS INC. BLYTH, ON N0M 1H0 519-523-4481 MEMBER OF HURON INSURANCE MANAGERS GROUP 5 Generations Since 1910 R. John Elliott Res. 519-523-4323 J. Richard Elliott Res. 519-523-9725 Jeff Elliott Res. 519-523-4377 PAUL COOK ELECTRIC Home, Farm & Commercial Wiring BELGRAVE 519-357-1537 SEAFORTH ANIMAL HOSPITAL Dr. Kathleen Day Dunbar New Patients Always Welcome! 519-527-1760 Medicine & Surgery, House calls, Grooming, Pet Food and more Linda M. Bross, CA 519-357-3231 lbross@bdo.ca Wingham,ON Call 519-523-4792 or 519-887-9114 to book your spot today! We have solutions for your storage needs. Great for home, office & business. Ask for Ken at LAKESIDE 519-524-1740 Storage Solutions In stock used Pallet Racking, used decking steel & 4'x8' T&G fir plywood. Ontario CraneRentals Box 134, Teeswater, ON N0G 2S0 519-392-6469 Cell: 519-357-7869 1-866-392-6469 Fax: 519-357-3798 Email: marlene.baker@sympatico.ca Merv 24 HOU R SERVIC E FULL Y INSU R E D BROWN’S PHARMASAVE All Natural Gas Services Furnaces, Fireplaces, & Water Heaters Sales & Services BLYTH 226-222-0821 Susan Alexander, CFP CLU CHS EPC Certified Financial Planner 472 Turnberry St. PO Box 69 Brussels, Ontario N0G 1H0 519-887-2662 • 1-866-887-2662 Fax: 519-887-2671 Email: susan@sholdicefinancial.com Website: www.sholdicefinancial.com SUNSHINE COUNTRY CONSULTING ACCOUNTING & INCOME TAX SERVICES Ralph Watson 810 Turnberry St., Brussels, ON N0G 1H0 Bus.: (519) 887-6011 sunctry@ezlink.ca Concerns over the future of small food processing plants were front and centre at Huron County Council’s Feb. 6 meeting. Goderich’s Deb Shewfelt said he was concerned after reading a recent article in a local farming magazine about changes to the sizes of packaging that could potentially be required going forward. Shewfelt said that future regulations could require packaging plants to adhere to packaging sizes used in the United States, as opposed to those in Canada. If this were to come into effect, Shewfelt said, he was concerned that packaging plants would begin an exodus to the United States because it would simply make more economic sense. “We don’t need that right now,” Shewfelt said. While he acknowledged that such a change would be negative for an area with so many small food processing plants, he said he didn’t know how to approach the problem. “After reading the article, the e- mails started to come in,” Shewfelt told councillors. “But the OFA (Ontario Federation of Agriculture) is on top of it now.” Huron East Mayor and former Huron County Warden Bernie MacLellan said that at a recent meeting of the Western Ontario Wardens, the issue had already been discussed. “It’s on our plate and their concerns are exactly what our concerns are,” MacLellan said. Potential changes could affect plants By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen See histories and historic photographs on the Huron History section of our website www.northhuron.on.ca The Citizen