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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-03-28, Page 13THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013. PAGE 13. Anti-turbine group makes demands of council Total receipts for Brussels Livestock for the week ending March 22 were 1,849 cattle, 1,960 lambs and goats. On Tuesday fed steers and heifers sold at steady to $1 lower prices. Choice steers and heifers sold $117 to $121 with sales to $138.25. Second cut sold $112 to $116. Cows sold on a strong trade at steady prices. On Thursday veal sold under pressure at $1 to $2 lower due to increased Easter demand for lambs. Lambs sold $10 to $20 higher while goats sold on an active trade at higher prices. Sheep sold $5 to $10 higher than last week. On Friday calves and yearlings sold on a steady market. Aaron F. Martin of Newton, consigned five steers averaging 1,389 lbs. selling for an average of $133.38. One black steer weighed 1,380 lbs. and sold to Horizon Meat Packers for $138.25. Wayne B. Martin of Drayton, consigned three steers averaging 1,427 lbs. selling for an average of $130.49. One red steer weighed 1,475 lbs. and sold to Norwich Packers for $134.50. D. Porter of Goderich, consigned three steers averaging 1,413 lbs. selling for an average of $118.50. Two red steers averaged 1,405 lbs. and sold to Norwich Packers for $118.50. Andrew Mitchell of Listowel, sold one grey steer that weighed 1,340 lbs. to St. Helen’s Meat Packers for $118.50. Willard B. Martin of Drayton, consigned two steers averaging 1,840 lbs. that sold for $118. Greg Higgins of Brussels, consigned 31 steers averaging 1,475 lbs. selling for an average of $118. A group of nine black steers averaged 1,421 lbs. and sold for $118. Aaron F. Martin of Newton, consigned two heifers averaging 1,380 lbs. selling for an average of $132.91. One limousin heifer weighed 1,395 lbs. and sold to Horizon Packers for $135.75. Dwayne and Lorri Dickert, consigned four heifers averaging 1,363 lbs. selling for an average of $121.04. One rwf heifer weighed 1,425 lbs. and sold for $124.75. Murray London of Watersdown, consigned 10 heifers averaging 1,292 lbs. selling for an average of $111.83. One charolais heifer weighed 1,475 lbs. and sold for $123.50. Robin Riehl of Gadshill, consigned four heifers averaging 1,293 lbs. selling for an average of $116.61. One black heifer weighing 1,285 lbs. sold to Green’s Packers for $120.75. Paul Murray of Ripley, consigned two heifers averaging 1,370 lbs. selling for an average of $117.36. One rwf heifer weighed 1,275 lbs. and sold for $119.50. Ossosane Farms Ltd. of Goderich, consigned 12 heifers averaging 1,334 lbs. selling for an average of $110.21. One limousin heifer weighed 1,395 lbs. and sold to Norwich Packers for $119. Murray Gordner of Mitchell, consigned three heifers averaging 1,245 lbs. selling for an average of $117.12. One charolais heifer weighed 1,295 lbs. and sold for $118.75. There were 229 cows on offer. Export types sold $62 to $77 with sales to $77.50; beef, $69 to $79 with sales to $81.50; D2 and D2, $54 to $63; D3, $45 to $52; D4, $37 to $45. Byron Miller of Thornloe, consigned three cows averaging 1,387 lbs. selling for an average of $80.62. One charolais cow averaged 1,575 lbs. and sold for $81.50. Eugene and Paul Lafleur of Haileyburg, consigned two cows averaging 1,493 lbs. selling for an average of $75.62. One charolais cow weighed 1,580 lbs. and sold for $77. Elam W. Martin of Harriston, sold a holstein cow weighed 1,450 lbs. for $77.50. There were eight bulls selling $60 to $86. Harold Baumbach of Gadshill, consigned one limousin bull weighing 1,755 lbs. selling for $86. Harold McKee of Harriston, consigned one bull weighing 2,010 lbs. selling for $85.50. There were 185 head of veal on offer. Beef sold $115 to $150 with sales to $170; good holsteins, $80 to $90 with sales to $94.50; medium holsteins, $70 to $80; heavy holsteins, $80 to $85 with sales to $87. Lamar Frey of Listowel, consigned 15 veal averaging 780 lbs. selling for an average of $138.26. One Belgium blue steer weighed 810 lbs. and sold for $170. Ervin W. Shantz of Wallenstein, consigned four veal averaging 789 lbs. selling for an average of $142.19. One limousin steer weighed 755 lbs. and sold for $155. Ervin W. Shantz of Wallenstein, consigned four veal averaging 789 lbs. selling for an average of $142.19. One blonde heifer weighed 765 lbs. and sold for $158. Lambs under 50 lbs. sold $180 to $261; 50 - 64 lbs., $215 to $260; 65 - 79 lbs., $174 to $230; 80 - 94 lbs., $160 to $183; 95 - 109 lbs., $153 to $180; 110 lbs. and over, $109 to $157. Sheep sold $50 to $80 with sales to $95. Goats: kids sold $60 to $100 with sales to $145 per head; nannies, $50 to $100 per head; billies, $150 to $300 with sales to $340 per head. Top quality stocker steers, 400 - 499 lbs. sold $147 to $177; 500 - 599 lbs., $136 to $172; 600 - 699 lbs., $130.50 to $150.50; 700 - 799 lbs., $126 to $139.50; 800 - 899 lbs., $119.50 to $137.50; 900 - 999 lbs., $123 to $136; 1,000 lbs. and over, $105 to $131.75. Top quality stocker heifers, 500 - 599 lbs. sold $112 to $145; 600 - 699 lbs., $112 to $136.30; 700 - 799 lbs., $110 to $130; 800 - 899 lbs., $108.50 to $126; 900 lbs. and over, $106.50 to $123.50. After a lengthy discussion and some heated debate, Huron East Council and an anti-wind turbine group could be moving forward together. After a presentation by Huron East Against Turbines (HEAT) at council’s March 19 meeting, councillors prepared two notices of motion that will be considered at council’s April 2 meeting. The first notice of motion, brought forward by Councillors Bill Siemon and Larry McGrath at HEAT’s request, was that council declare the Municipality of Huron East an “unwilling host” to wind turbines. The term references Premier Kathleen Wynne’s throne speech where she said she would only want to see wind turbines built in “willing host communities”. The councillors were also careful to include, in addition to turbines, transmission lines and transformer stations. The second notice of motion, brought forward by McGrath and Councillor Bob Fisher, was to draft an agreement that would be optional between the municipality and a wind turbine company. The agreement would have the company take responsibility for any changes in sound levels, property values or health quality as a result of their operation. The agreement would not be mandatory, said HEAT member Gerry Ryan, but he stated that if a company refused to sign the agreement, that it should raise red flags in council’s mind as to the proposed operation and its safety. The reasoning behind the agreement, HEAT members said, is that it’s not a bylaw, so it can’t be challenged in court. Both motions will return to council for consideration and discussion on April 2. Council spoke with HEAT members Jean Melady, Tom Melady and Gerry Ryan after HEAT’s presentation, which criticized council for not taking an active role in opposing wind turbines. “We’ve been coming here for four years,” said Jean Melady, “and we’re still requesting action and accountability.” Melady added that she had heard a lot of talk from councillors saying they support HEAT’s efforts, saying that they wish they could support them further, but in the end, no action has been taken, which makes council’s reasons for not getting involved sound a lot like excuses. “You’ve got six land owners who want [turbines],” Ryan told councillors, “and you’ve got hundreds that don’t want it and they’ve said that very cleary.” HEAT members also said they were extremely disappointed when they heard council had not submitted its municipal consultation form (see letter on page 7), a necessary step in the fight against wind turbines, members said. “We’re way behind the eight ball on this,” Ryan said. “We’ve missed it.” Councillors and staff disagreed as to the form’s validity, with Chief Administrative Officer Brad Knight saying that he and Mayor Bernie MacLellan felt the form wasn’t the appropriate way for council to voice any concerns it might have. “It’s an excellent place to do it. It’s the best place to do it,” Jean Melady said. Members also said that they wanted councillors to adopt a 10- point action plan proposed by the group’s lawyer Kristi Ross that covers issues from property values to health and safety. The issue will be addressed by McGrath and Fisher’s notice of motion on April 2. At the meeting, however, Knight said that some of the 10 points will be covered in the proposed road user agreement, but nothing pertaining to health and safety, simply rules surrounding the municipality’s roads. MacLellan said that health and safety concerns could not be part of anything council approves because of the Green Energy Act and its parameters. Ryan, however, was not impressed with MacLellan’s negativity and said he’d like every councillor to be able to think for himself. “It’s not your job to convince council why we can’t do it,” Ryan told MacLellan. “We need councillors to do their jobs. “Council is playing games with our lives.” MacLellan said that if there was going to be an agreement in place that would be directed at all of industry, not just wind turbine companies, it would instruct potential businesses that they would be responsible for any losses residents take that could be connected to the business, whether it be a drop in property values, adverse health effects, a rise in sound levels, etc. MacLellan, however, was concerned with the effect that would take on the municipality’s efforts to attract business. “I’m afraid of driving business away from Huron East with this,” MacLellan said. Knight said that if such an agreement were to be enacted, the onus would be on the resident to prove the harm and that the municipality wouldn’t get involved, which confused some councillors. Both notices of motion will be addressed at council’s next meeting on Tuesday, April 2 at 7 p.m. at Huron East town hall in Seaforth. AgricultureBrussels Livestock report Fed steers, heifers sell steady at sale By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Huron County staff has already begun looking into ways the county can help the Huron Stewardship Council (HSC) after its funding was cut by the Ministry of Natural Resources. The issue raised by Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn at Huron County Council’s March 13 Committee of the Whole meeting, is that the HSC would need an approximate annual budget of $50,000 which would include the salary of a co-ordinator and office space for the year. Ginn, who has sat on the HSC for 12 years, said the council has done a tremendous amount of good work throughout Huron County and he would hate to see that work end due to a lack of funding. During budget deliberations earlier this month, $50,000 had been contributed to the Huron Clean Water Project and Ginn said he sees no real difference in the good work that both of the projects are doing and no real reason to not support the HSC moving forward. Ginn asked councillors if they saw the HSC fitting somewhere within the county. He said that office space at the Huron County Courthouse could work. He said the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) had offered space, but he felt something more central to the county (the ABCA is located near Exeter) would be more appropriate. Ginn said that while the ABCA may be the best fit, he felt the right move was to send the issue back to county staff to find out for sure. He said the office would need access to the internet and GIS mapping, as well as some other amenities. Goderich Mayor Deb Shewfelt, however, urged Ginn to not overlook the Conservation Authorities. “The Conservation Authorities do a lot of work with [the Huron Stewardship Council] and they already have everything there,” Shewfelt said. Ginn assured Shewfelt that he has had that discussion with the Conservation Authorities, and that he didn’t have an issue with it, but he just wanted to make sure that he explored all of the options available. The Huron Stewardship Council is currently operating at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs office in Clinton, but the lease is up soon. Council carried the motion and staff will bring a report to council at a future Committee of the Whole meeting. TUESDAYS 9:00 a.m. Fed Cattle, Bulls & Cows THURSDAYS 8:00 a.m.Drop Calves 10:00 a.m.Veal 11:30 a.m. Lambs, Goats & Sheep FRIDAYS 10:00 a.m. Stockers Call us 519-887-6461 Visit our webpage at: www.brusselslivestock.ca email us at: info@brusselslivestock.ca BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd. UPCOMING SALES 2013 Special Spring Sales Stocker Sale in lieu of Good Friday Sat., March 30 Sale starting at 10:00 a.m. Vaccinated Sales Mon., April 8 & 29 Sale starting at 10:00 a.m. sponsored by Huron-Perth Beef Producers County may help fund HSC By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen