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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-06-20, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013.Association looks to place signs throughout county The Huron County Home and Farm Safety Association is hoping to increase safety along county roads, but not all Huron County councillors are sold on the association’s plan. At Huron County Council’s June 12 Committee of the Whole meeting, Jim Burns and Merv Bauer,both volunteers with the association,presented a plan to install 75 slow moving vehicle signs throughout the county. Most councillors were in favour, however, not all felt it was Huron County’s project to pay for. Both Burns and Bauer are cash crop farmers, Burns near Seaforth and Bauer near Brussels, and they both felt councillors wereundervaluing the signs and theirimpact on farm safety. The organization came to council seeking an in-kind donation from from the Public Works Department for the location and installation of the 75 signs. After a discussion with county Civil Engineering Technologist Mike Alcock, Burns was told the rough estimation is$200 in labour per sign, which, for75 signs, comes out to about $15,000. Burns discussed the initial placement of the signs over 10 years ago. He said that less than five of those original signs remain, suggesting that most of them would have been lost due to wear and tear or vehicle collisions taking out the signs. That brought Burns to the second part of the association’s request, which was continued maintenance and replacement of the signs once they have been installed. Burns suggested that it would be up to the county to inspect the signs on an annual basis, making sure they are still in their original location and still visible. If any repairs were needed, Burns said, they would then be the responsibility of the county. He told councillors that the association had raised enough money from the surrounding communities to supply materials for the signs, which include a two-part steel post, a large metal sign and the fastening bolts necessary. Burns also showed councillors a map of potential sign locations, which were strategically chosen for high farm traffic and near grain hubs where there is a high likelihood of slow-moving farm vehicles travelling to and from grain hubs, such as Hensall, Walton and Varna. Huron East’s Joe Steffler said he was in favour of the donation. He then made a motion that staff be directed to prepare a report on the feasibility and exact cost implications of taking responsibility for the signs. Huron East Mayor BernieMacLellan, however, was concernedabout ongoing costs associated with the maintenance of the signs. MacLellan said that he had no problem with the association wanting to place the signs at its own cost, but for it to become a county project, he felt wasn’t the county’s jurisdiction. He added that all the signs are doing are reminding people to obey the laws of the road, which he felt didn’t necessarily need to be done. Bluewater’s Paul Klopp, however, said that such a practice is exactly what’s behind the posting of speed limit signs. He said that speed limit signs are posted quite regularly because drivers forget what the speed limit is on specific roads. Sometimes people need to be reminded of the laws of the road, Klopp said. Bauer, however, told MacLellan that the signs have been successful in Huron County. “Before the signs went up in 2000,” Bauer said, “there was about one death per year involving farm equipment collisions. “Since 2000, there have been none. I think that about justifies the cost.” Despite MacLellan feeling the project wasn’t one for the county, he voted in favour of directing staff to prepare a report. The report will be forthcoming at a future meeting. Retirement life to discover!