HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-03-14, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2013.Council commits $125,000 to project again
A Toy Story
The Blyth Skating Club held its annual year-end awards
ceremony and showcase on Friday, which featured several
different performances. This performance, prepared by the
Stage 1 class, is based on the Disney/Pixar movie Toy Story
with this skater closely resembling the movie’s lead
character Woody. (Vicky Bremner photo)
After years of discussion
surrounding a $125,000
commitment to a Seaforth project by
developer Brian Barnim, council
voted a second time to make the
contribution as long as the project
begins sometime this year.
While some have been confused
over the issue, the money would go
towards developing a road owned by
the municipality, not directly to
Barnim’s project. Barnim was at the
March 5 meeting to speak to the
project and his hopes that it might go
forward.
In a complicated recorded vote,councillors defeated a motion that
would rescind the original motion
committing the $125,000 to
Barnim’s project. Councillors were
told that voting against the motion
on the table at the March 5 meeting
would be a positive vote for the
$125,000 contribution. Defeating
the motion would keep the original
motion pertaining to the contribution
from 2007 in effect.
In a recorded vote, the new motion
was defeated with seven votes
against the motion and three votes
for it, keeping the 2007 contribution
of $125,000 in effect. Councillors
Nathan Marshall and Bill Siemon
were absent for the vote.Discussion on the topic
meandered throughout the entire
meeting, with the issue being
brought up several times. Mayor
Bernie MacLellan, however,
reminded councillors that Barnim’s
project aims to build 40 new homes
in the Seaforth community and that
the contribution of $125,000 is not
going to Barnim’s pocket, but rather
to develop a road that is owned by
Huron East. He also told councillors
that the money was not coming
from the general coffers of
Huron East, but from the pre-
amalgamation reserves of the
Seaforth Ward.
While both Seaforth councillors
voted for the original motion in 2007
(Bob Fisher and now-deputy-mayor
Joe Steffler), Fisher changed his
vote, voting against the contribution
on March 5 and the other Seaforth
councillor, Marshall, was absent for
the vote.
MacLellan, as well as Brussels
Councillor David Blaney, said that
by approving the motion at theMarch 5 meeting, council was not
signing any contract that day, they
were simply giving Barnim’s project
the approval to go forward. Without
the contribution to the road
construction, Barnim said, he would
have to re-evaluate the investment.
“No road, no money, end of
discussion,” Blaney said about
killing the development with the
vote.
Fisher responded, however, by
saying that he was “stupid” to vote
for the motion in the first place and
that he hadn’t done his due diligence
about the project.
“I don’t like the idea of the money
going to one company and then
when other companies come to us
we can’t give them anything,” Fisher
said. “I’m opposed to giving
$125,000 to any developer.”
MacLellan told Fisher that this
situation was only different from
others in the past because of the
order in which it’s being done. He
said that normally a road is
developed and brought up tostandard and then is handed over to
the municipality. Because the
municipality already owns the road,
things change slightly, MacLellan
told Fisher.
Councillor Les Falconer said he
thought it was a good idea six years
ago and that he still thinks it’s a good
idea, but that the municipality
should get something in writing
about when the project should start.
Council had discussed an
agreement with Barnim, saying that
work on the project would have to
begin this year or the agreement
would be voided.
Barnim said that the project is
currently in the hands of the
Ministry of the Environment and
that approval should be received
within four months, at which time
the project can go ahead.
The vote to rescind the $125,000
offer was then defeated and council
attached a condition to the money
that the project would have to start
within 2013.
COUNTY OF HURON
MUNICIPAL CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
FOR THE REHABILITATION OF THREE BRIDGES
NOTICE OF COMPLETION
THE PROJECT:
The County of Huron is planning to carry out repairs to three structures (as shown on key plans). The first
structure, Dane’s Bridge is located on the Howick-Turnberry Road (7) east of the town of Wingham and north of
Gorrie and Fordwich. The second structure, Clegg’s Bridge is located on Morris Road (16) west of Brussels and
south east of Belgrave. The third structure, the Auburn Bridge is located on the Blyth Road (25) immediately to the
west of Auburn. All three structures span sections or tributaries of the Maitland River. The rehabilitation project
for all three bridges would involve the replacement/repair of deteriorated bridge components. This will include
concrete repairs to the bridge decks; and the replacement of the existing concrete railings with solid concrete
barriers or parapet walls for the Clegg’s and Dane’s bridges; and repair of the Auburn Bridge railings
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PROCESS:
The planning for this project is following the environmental screening process set out for Schedule ‘B’ activities
under the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) document. The Class EA process involves
consultation with the public and review agencies to ensure that the project can be carried out in an environmentally-
sound manner. The environmental assessment process has now been completed. There were no negative impacts
identified with the project that could not be mitigated.
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT:
For further information on this project, or to review the Class Environmental Assessment process, please contact
the project engineers: B.M. Ross and Associates, 62 North Street, Goderich, Ontario, N7A 2T4. Telephone (519)
524-2641 or 1-888-524-2641. Fax (519) 524-4403. Attention: Pamela Scharfe, EA Coordinator, (email:
pscharfe@bmross.net).
A Screening Report documenting the environmental assessment process will be available at the Township of
Howick Municipal Office, 44816 Harrison Rd., Hwy 89, Gorrie; Municipality of Morris-Turnberry Municipal
Office, 41342 Morris Rd., Brussels; and Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Municipal Office, 82133
Council Line, RR5 Goderich; during normal hours of operation, as of March 15, 2013.
If environmental concerns arise regarding the project which cannot be resolved in discussion with the County of
Huron, a person or party may request that the Minister of the Environment make an order for the project to comply
with Part II of the Environmental Assessment Act which addresses individual environmental assessments. Requests
must be received by the Minister at the address below within 30 calendar days of this Notice. A copy of the request
must also be sent to the consulting engineers at the above address. If there is no request received April 12, 2013,
the project will proceed as planned.
Minister of the Environment
77 Wellesley St. W., 11th Floor
Toronto, ON M7A 2T5
This Notice issued March 13, 2012 Dave Laurie
Director of Public Works
County of Huron
By Shawn LoughlinThe Citizen