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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-07-18, Page 14TWO-BEDROOM COTTAGE WITH bunkhouse at Point Clark, includes fully-equipped kitchen, gas barbecue, fire pit, horseshoe pit and much more, close to lighthouse and beach. To find out more or to book your holiday call 519-523-4799 after 6:00 p.m. tfn -------------------------------------------- PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2013. Classified Advertisements All word ads in The Citizen classifieds are put on our webpage at www.northhuron.on.ca Tenders Tenders acation propertiesV HURON COUNTY HOUSING & PROPERTY SERVICES Reference #: P.T.(HS) 2013-03 Bids are invited to supply all labour, material and equipment necessary for Roof Replacement at 400 Alexander Street, Brussels. BID SECURITY $2,000.00 Bids will be received for the above until 11:00 a.m. local time Wednesday, July 31, 2013,by the Huron County Housing & Property Services, 77722D London Road, Clinton, ON N0M 1L0, 519-482- 8505, from whom tender package and details may be obtained by referencing above tender number. THE LOWEST OR ANY TENDER NOT NECESSARILY ACCEPTED Continued from page 1 hanging as several requirements had to be met before the parkades could be put on the street. This decision was against suggestions made by staff and much appreciated by businesses, however, with the stipulations and the fact that the council won’t meet again until September, it means that for the remainder of the Blyth Festival season, which is when the businesses really hoped to have them ready, the parkades will remain off the streets. Queens Bakery co-owner Les Cook was very upset with how long the issue was taking and wondered why council was not doing more to push the issue. While Reeve Neil Vincent explained that the municipality had pushed the issue up to the county in late summer of 2012, due to turnover at the top of the county administration, many issues weren’t handled with the speed they should have been. “When it was brought up recently, it was very new to a lot of the county councillors,” he explained. “Municipal government takes four to six times as long as any business to make these decisions... We lost three of our highest staff members so a lot of things were delayed. “When you have your top three positions filled by temporary people for eight and a half months, the job just doesn’t get done,” Vincent said. Cook, however, wasn’t happy with the decision because the parkades are paid for and designed by someone else, all the council has to do is approve the issue. Blyth Business Improvement Area (BIA) Chair Rick Elliott asked why the plans had been questioned and Vincent stated that he was told that the plans were “street-ready.” Elliott, however, stated that the architect who designed them hadn’t even been contacted to find out if they were or not. Vincent said he would get to the bottom of that issue. Don Scrimgeour, owner of Scrimgeour’s Food Mart, hadn’t heard of the parkades yet and, after an explanation and slide show showcasing the wooden constructs which would be placed in front of stores, he was concerned with how much parking could be lost to the plan. His fears were somewhat assuaged, however, when Elliott explained that there likely wouldn’t be more than three of the parkades installed taking up three parking spaces and that they would be between Scrimgeour’s store and Elliott Nixon Insurance. Scrimgeour did, however, share a story about a family who takes their business outside of Blyth during the Festival season because they can’t find a parking spot close enough to the grocery store to easily complete their grocery stopping. “We’re a fortunate town to have that problem,” Scrimgeour said. “However, if everyone participates, we’re going to deter people from shopping downtown.” Blyth Festival General Manager Deb Sholdice said that 40 per cent of the theatre-goers in Blyth are over the age of 60 and that they like to see the vibrant downtown but they also are concerned about parking. Painted Black Studio co-owner and former Huron County Business Development Co-ordinator Douglas Barill stated that walkability was an important issue to address and that the parkades help deal with that. “There is a theme in walking towns and it is walkability,” he said. “In a town where that hasn’t been addressed, there might be problems.” Barill talked about Goderich’s Courthouse Square park and surrounding area which has been reduced to two lanes from three and has had bumpouts added to address walkability and help pedestrians. “Blyth needs to have those excellent attributes and needs to have that walkability and be that flower-ridden community,” he said. “We need a number of strategies focused on keeping the village pedestrian-friendly because it’s a proven economic strategy.” Aside from Vincent’s pledge to get to the bottom of the lack of communication between the consulting firm that designed the parkades and county staff, no other actions were taken. The business owners also discussed the upcoming Chrome Madness motorcycle event and poker rally as well as the recent approval of two grants from the Huron Economic Development Partnership to the BIA for a part- time staff member and an economic development video. ONE CARE Home and Community Support Services is set to host its annual fundraising Golf Tournament on Saturday, Aug. 10 at Woodlands Links, Clinton starting at 10 a.m. The tournament includes 18 or nine holes of golf, and the fee includes a cart, a full steak dinner, and excellent prizes for everyone. “Businesses and individuals have been so generous in supporting this event. We have great prizes to give away and this is a great tournament which supports such important work,” Shelley McPhee-Haist of ONE CARE says. This tournament is a major fundraiser for ONE CARE and all proceeds go directly back to help senior citizens, disabled adults and children with services to help them live independently. ONE CARE assisted more than 4,700 people in Huron and Perth Counties last year. ONE CARE is a charitable, non-for- profit agency providing services to families in the area. Last year, for instance, the agency delivered 46,000 Meals on Wheels, provided more than 70,000 rides for people who needed transportation and served more than 1,300 seniors at 20 different dining programs. As well, services helped more than 1,600 individuals with home care and additional support for more than 290 people at adult day programs. “We count on fundraising and donations to help support our programs. A day of golf for ONE CARE is a great way to support programs that make life better for others,” she says. Golfers are asked to register by Aug. 2. The cost is $85 for 18 holes and $65 for nine holes. To register call Shelley McPhee-Haist at ONE CARE Home and Community Support Services at 519-482-1634 ext. 2009. For more information visit www.onecaresupport.ca Making lovely music As part of the Ball’s Cemetery annual decoration service last weekend, the Goderich Harbouraires Male Choir performed at the cemetery’s chapel. (Vicky Bremner photo) Blyth meeting gets heated At least one Central Huron councillor believes a proposed code of conduct for council leaves too much room for frivolous complaints. As councillors again looked at the draft code of conduct during their July 9 committee of the whole session, Councillor Brian Barnim took issue with the fact that complaints can be made anonymously. “How can you be anonymous when you can’t be anonymous about reporting somebody’s grass is too long?” he asked. While Central Huron CAO Peggy Van Mierlo-West noted the complainant’s name would be known to the integrity commissioner investigating it, the final report, which is released to the public, would delete the complainant’s name. Van Mierlo-West also noted other concerns raised by Barnim and other councillors at past meetings, including allowing for criticism of municipal staff in closed-door meetings, can be addressed and changed if council so desires. She said that rather than staff’s suggestion of turning over a complaint to the integrity commissioner in the event a complaint is lodged against the mayor and deputy-mayor at the same time, council could instead consider turning over that duty to a senior-level councillor to handle. Meanwhile, Councillor Alison Lobb questioned how much an integrity commissioner’s services would cost, to which Van Mierlo- West noted it would depend upon the number of times the service is used, as such officials generally bill $250 per hour. Barnim contended every case he has reviewed with integrity commissioners show costs in the “several thousands.” He also suggested every complaint is subjective with its own circumstances. During the public inquiry session of the session, The Citizen inquired about the parameters in place with regard to the types of complaints that the integrity commissioner will investigate with regard to council. Van Mierlo-West reported the complaints would have to centre on ethical matters and would not be considered if they are legal or financial in scope. She also confirmed to The Citizen that the newly-drafted code would be open to municipal staff to use in order to lodge complaints against councillors, the deputy-mayor or mayor. That idea proved to be a concern to Barnim, who suggested Bill 168, which was passed in the province in 2010, is enough. The CAO noted Bill 168 allows for termination of a staff member if he/she is found to be harassing someone on the job, but it does not allow for the termination of elected officials. Councillor Dan Colquhoun added that Bill 168 is merely an amendment to the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Van Mierlo-West also confirmed to The Citizen that investigations into complaints against council would be released to the public once completed though the names of those involved will be deleted. Central Huron Council debates code of conduct ONE CARE to host golf tournament By Cheryl Heath Special to The Citizen Read Rhea Hamilton Seeger’s Gardening column on the Huron Home and Garden Guide section of our website www.northhuron.on.ca