HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-10-17, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2013.
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Shwadchuck, how many she felt
would be fair.
“That’s a tough question,” Walker
admitted, but stated she felt Morris-
Turnberry councillors were being
too strict with their numbers.
“I know of other areas like
Listowel and Kitchener where
people can have three dogs in a tiny
apartment,” she said. “I can take care
of dogs and puppies and it doesn’t
matter if there are two of them or
three of them.”
She explained she would love to
take in animals that have been
spayed or neutered from local
shelters or from local rescue
operations, however, due to the limit,
she can’t.
Shwadchuck, who constantly
questioned the dog limit, stated he
felt councillors were not
representing the wishes of the
ratepayers.
Wick pointed out most other
municipalities had blanket policies
of three or more dogs and placing
limitations on those in settlements
bordered on persecution.
Locations like Goderich limit
people to four pets total for example,
while others limit to three dogs in
settled areas.
Shwadchuck stated that four, in his
mind, could be an extreme, however
two was too few.
“Maybe four is a bit much, I mean,
you can go to Waterloo and stick
four dogs in a bachelor apartment,
but we don’t want that here,” he said.
“Maybe three is a good average.”
Council stated they would discuss
the issue of how many dogs are
allowed in what circumstances at
their next meeting, which was held
on Tuesday night.
Shwadchuck also pointed out there
were no rules regarding the
qualifications for an animal control
bylaw officer. He claimed that
through his research he couldn’t find
what qualifications Bob Trick has.
Gowing explained there are no
written qualifications for the
position anywhere, but added Trick
has handled the job for decades for
more than just Morris-Turnberry.
Shwadchuck responded by saying
the amount Trick makes from each
municipality is too much and anyone
attempting to get the same job in
other centres would require specific
training.
Sherry McLaughlan was one of
the scheduled presenters for the
evening. McLaughlan, who has
several properties within Morris-
Turnberry, was there to speak on the
issue of having guard dogs on
properties that don’t have permanent
dwellings on them. McLaughlan is
currently in the middle of legal
proceedings with the municipality
regarding the issue, so her request to
have dogs allowed as guard animals
on properties without homes was left
unaddressed.
Wick indicated she had also
received papers alluding to a legal
process pending with the
municipality.
Aside from issues around the
number of dogs allowed, council
indicated all prohibited animals,
including, but not limited to, skunks,
hedgehogs, scorpions, tarantulas,
bats, snakes, elephants, hyaenas,
eagles, falcons, owls and horses,
would not be permitted under any
circumstance unless the owner had
them prior to the bylaw being in
place.
This went against the notion
previously discussed at council
meetings that individuals could get
exemptions provided they proved
they were capable of caring for the
animal and received an exemption.
Anyone with a prohibited animal
needs to have it registered through
the municipality.
Al Murray, an area supervisor with
the Ministry of Natural Resources
(MNR), explained some of the
animals on the list could be kept with
the ministry’s permission. He stated
hunters, falconers, animal trainers
and other specially designated
individuals could, through having
express permission from the MNR,
keep animals on their property
including all manner of wild, native
animals.
Sergeant Arden Farrow of the
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) was
also on hand to discuss the OPP’s
role in the bylaw. She stated that,
unless there was an issue with public
safety, they wouldn’t be involved.
She explained the OPP’s
responsibilities followed five main
areas of focus: crime prevention, law
enforcement, assistance to victims of
crimes, public order maintenance
and emergency response. She went
on to say having the OPP responding
to animal control issues would be
something they aren’t prepared for
and would cost extra tax dollars to
prepare for.
“We’re not trained in exotic
animals,” she said. “For example, we
don’t know how to capture a large
snake or reptile. We would need to
be taught which costs money. We
would also need specific tools and
vehicles to transport the
animals. Housing would be another
factor.
“That would cause a significant
cost increase,” she said. “We’re not
assuming the role of animal control
however we would assist if there was
a case of criminal offenses occurring
or an issue with public safety.”
Read next week’s issue of The
Citizen to see how council dealt
with the bylaw at the Oct. 15
meeting.
MUNICIPALITY OF
MORRIS-TURNBERRY
2013 FALL YARD WASTE
COLLECTION
The Municipality will be picking up leaves, grass clippings and yard
waste in the Morris-Turnberry Urban areas on the following dates:
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
NO BAG TAGS ARE REQUIRED FOR THIS PICKUP!
Areas included:Belgrave, Belmore, Bluevale, Fringe of Brussels, Junctionville,
Lower Wingham, North Wingham, Turnberry Estates and Walton.
Leaves, grass clippings and yard waste may also be delivered to the
Morris-Turnberry Landfill Site at 85047 Clyde Line, any Wednesday or
Saturday.
Materials MUST be placed at the curb in Biodegradable Bags.
Paper Organic Yard Waste bags can be purchased at Stainton
Hardware, Hodgins RONA in Wingham and McDonald Home
Hardware and Huron Country Hardware in Brussels
The Bags must be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. for
collection.
The Bags will be picked up by a different truck than the regular
garbage.
Plastic bags are not acceptable for yard waste and will NOT
be picked up.
The Municipality encourages grass clippings to be left on your lawn
providing valuable moisture and nutrients to your lawn.
Residents should not include tree branches, which are greater than 4"
in diameter and 5 feet long. Use strong twine to bundle tree or shrub
branches.
Yard waste DOES NOT include sod, soil, lumber, tree stumps or
stones and must be free of metal, food wastes and garbage. The
Municipality will NOT pick up loose branches!
Any questions please contact the Municipal Office at 519-887-6137
Laundry Service
Blyth Laundromat
191 Westmoreland St., Blyth
519-523-9687
Bringing in the big guns
Morris-Turnberry Council left no stone unturned in finding experts to help flesh out the
municipality’s animal control bylaw during a special council meeting on Oct. 8. The meeting,
which was attended by more than a dozen interested ratepayers, brought, from left, OPP
Sergeant Arden Farrow, Ministry of Natural Resources Area Supervisor Al Murray and local
animal control officer Bob Trick. Also shown are, continuing from Trick to his left, Morris-
Turnberry Administrative-Clerk Treasurer Nancy Michie, Mayor Paul Gowing and concerned
citizen Sherry McLaughlan.(Denny Scott photo)
M-T’s plumbing inspections approved by committeeHuron County Council’s
committee of the whole has
approved a motion that will allow
Morris-Turnberry to conduct its own
plumbing inspections.
The process began in July, when
Morris-Turnberry Mayor Paul
Gowing first brought the issue to
council. After receiving the support
of a majority of Huron County’s
lower tier municipal councils, the
recommendation to allow the
inspections was approved at
council’s Oct. 9 committee of the
whole meeting.
Chief Administrative OfficerBrenda Orchard presented councilwith a report detailing the responsesfrom lower tier municipalities.
Gowing’s proposed motion had been
circulated to all lower tier
municipalities for feedback and
support.
In her report, Orchard outlined a
number of municipalities that were
in favour of the move.
The motion, however, simply
made an exception for Morris-
Turnberry. Until a similar request is
made, plumbing inspection
practices will remain the same
for Huron County’s other eight
municipalities.
Jean-Guy Albert of the HuronCounty Board of Health saidexempting Morris-Turnberry fromthe inspections is not a huge blow to
the program.
However, if a number of other
municipalities, or some of Huron
County’s larger municipalities
decide to opt out of the program, the
Board of Health may have to re-
evaluate the program and the
money it will no longer be bringing
in.
“If too many opt out,” Albert said,
“council will have a decision to
make.”
Gowing, who spoke in favour of
his motion, said that taking on the
inspections locally would make theprocess more efficient.“It really is a customer serviceissue,” Gowing said.
Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh
Mayor Ben Van Diepenbeek
countered by saying he has no issues
with how the program is currently
running and that he would vote to
keep it the way it is.
Howick’s Art Versteeg, however,
said he supported Gowing’s motion,
saying that the lower tier
municipalities can likely do a better
job with the inspections than the
county can.
Bluewater’s Tyler Hessel,
however, was concerned with the
potential change from a differentstandpoint.He said that with Huron Countybeing in the early stages of
potentially partnering its health unit
with that of Perth County, he felt
changing any of the health unit’s
functions would be premature.
“I think we’re jumping the gun a
bit here,” Hessel said.
The motion to waive the bylaw,
which was made in 1999, for
Morris-Turnberry was then passed
by council, with a recorded vote, by
a tally of 12-3.
The recommendation will be up
for final approval at council’s Nov. 6
meeting.
By Shawn LoughlinThe Citizen
Grace
Rev. Tom Murray, left, and Belgrave resident Mia Robinson
helped kick off the annual Belgrave turkey supper on Oct. 9.
The event saw the Belgrave Community Centre packed
with people enjoying a good meal. (Denny Scott photo)
Number of dogs allowed on urban properties debated