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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-11-14, Page 26The parameters of a proposed wind turbine cost recovery bylaw continued to be debated by Huron East councillors at their Nov. 5 meeting. Councillors debated the issue while municipal staff members insisted that determining what should be billed to wind turbine companies was not an easy distinction to make. They have been debating the bylaw for several meetings, while Chief Administrative Officer Brad Knight said he felt the discussionwas premature, as the wind turbineprocess is still ongoing. He told councillors he felt once the turbines were up, and operational, then council could look back and establish which costs would be reasonable to attempt to bill back to a wind turbine company (council is currently dealing with NextEra Energy and St. Columban Wind Energy). One councillor, Allison Dekroon, however, disagreed with Knight, saying that she felt council needed to have its ‘ducks in a row’ prior to the turbines being erected. At the meeting, Knight providedcouncillors with a lengthy reportdetailing costs that have been incurred by the municipality associated with wind turbines and staff time that has been allotted to the subject. As a rough starting point, Knight told councillors, he has calculated over $32,000 in legal costs associated with wind turbine projects since 2010. Beyond legal costs, however, Knight told councillors that additional costs, such as staff time, will be hard to quantify going forward. Knight also told councillors aboutwhat wind turbine companies arelegally bound to agree to, which, he said, is not much. Turbine companies are not bound by any law to agree to a cost recovery bylaw, a road-user agreement or a community vibrancy fund, which had been mentioned in one of NextEra’s early presentations to council. In fact, he said, the only fee the turbine company is legally required to pay to the host municipality is the building permit for the turbine. Mayor Bernie MacLellan said that some municipalities have realized this and attempted to institute exorbitant building permit fees (one example he gave was $25,000 per wind turbine), which have not held up in court. Knight said there would have to be extensive discussion on cost recovery, where the right legal costs would have to be billed back to the corresponding turbine project. He also said the argument could be made by a wind turbine company, that costs such as staff time, research and open houses, to name a few, follow the normal course of a development in the municipality. Knight also said that council would have to decide when to start billing staff time, if that’s the routecouncillors wanted to take.“Do you go back and bill starting with [former Chief Administrative Officer Jack McLachlan’s] first phone call? I don’t think that’s the case,” Knight said. As discussion continued to get more pointed and specific, Knight suggested that if council were to go any further, the issue should perhaps be discussed in a closed-to-the- public session. Dekroon told Knight that she wanted to discuss the issue in public, to which Knight responded, “I don’t.” Other councillors then came to Knight’s defense, saying that they too felt the issue shouldn’t go any further in open session. Deputy-Mayor Joe Steffler said that council needed to trust in its administration, saying that councillors don’t examine and second guess every pound of gravel laid by the Huron East Public Works Department and its director Barry Mills. Dekroon, however, insisted that it was important that all councillors were on the same page in terms of the turbine issue. “We need to decide what page PAGE 26. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2013.Tempers rise over turbine cost recovery bylaw MARJORIE ANDERSON Marjorie Grace (nee McClure) Anderson of Seaforth, formerly of Hullett Township, passed away peacefully at Seaforth Manor Nursing Home on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013. She was in her 79th year. Marjorie was the beloved wife and best friend of Eric Anderson for 61 years and the loving mother of Jim (Marg), Ken (Diane), Lynda Horbanuik (Leo), all of RR 1, Londesborough and Pat Arts (Gary), Mary Lou Eichorn (Paul) and Jane Paille (Stephan), all of Guelph. She was the cherished grandma of Lindsay, Brad (Michelle), Amanda (Jason), Matt (Becca), Kyle, Adam (Veronica), Cody (Stacey), Angela (Calvin), Erin (Mike), Erica (Dave), Mary Jane (Lee), Molly, Jenna, Abby, Trisha, Eric, Mark, Drew, Sam, Jack and the great-grandma of 21. Marjorie is also survived by her brothers Don McClure (Joyce), Ron McClure, Ken McClure (Marion), Murray McClure (Chris) and sister-in-law Margie McClure. She was predeceased by her grandson Luke Anderson and brothers, Glenn and John McClure. Visitation was held at McGlynn Family Funeral Home, Seaforth on Thursday, Nov. 7. A private family funeral service to celebrate Marjorie’s life was held at the funeral home on Nov. 8. Pastor Mary Fletcher officiated. The pallbearers were Brad, Matt, Adam and Cody Anderson, Eric Eichorn and Drew Paille. Flower bearers were Mark Eichorn, Sam and Jack Paille. Interment took place at Maitland Bank Cemetery, Seaforth. A reception followed at Cavan United Church in Winthrop. Memorial donations to Cavan United Church or the charity of one’s choice are appreciated and can be made through the funeral home or by visiting Marjorie’s memorial at www.mcglynnfamily funeralhome.com AMY McCREA Mrs. Amy McCrea of Blyth passed away peacefully at Wingham and District Hospital on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2013. She was in her 88th year. Amy was the beloved wife of the late Ralph McCrea, and loving mother and mother-in-law of Maureen and Brad Montgomery, Central Huron and Douglas and Betty Jean McCrea, St. Thomas. She will be loved and sadly missed by her grandchildren, Tabatha and Sean Kieffer, Bradley Montgomery and Shannon Moir, Ryan Montgomery and Jessica Montgomery. Amy is also survived by her great- grandchildren Brady, Bryce and Keagan Kieffer and Madison and Jaxon Montgomery. She was the dear sister of Irene Lamont and is also loved by several nieces and nephews. Amy was predeceased by her parents Winnie and Thomas Smith and brother-in-law James Lamont. Friends were received at the Falconer Funeral Homes, Blyth Chapel on Monday. The funeral service was held on Tuesday, Nov. 12. Interment is in Blyth Union Cemetery. As expressions of sympathy, memorial donations to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 420 Blyth Building Fund would be appreciated. Condolences for the McCrea family may be forwarded to www.falconerfuneralhomes.com IAN WILBEE Ian Ross Wilbee of RR 1, Walton passed away at Seaforth Community Hospital on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013. Born in Grey Township on Nov. 22, 1927, Ian was in his 86th year. Ian was the beloved husband of the late Elva (Sholdice) Wilbee, who passed away on Aug. 24, 2001. He was the dear father of Carol and Murray Henderson of Egmondville; Keith and Gloria Wilbee and Brian Wilbee, all of Walton and the loving grandfather to Scott and Erin, Stephen and Jaclyn, Kevin, Mark and great-grandpa of Mason and Lacey. He was also loved by his brother Ken and Isabel Wilbee, Listowel; sister-in-law Euniece Wilbee, Boissevain, Manitoba and his many nieces and nephews. Ian was predeceased by his parents Russel and Edna, brother Roy, his brother-in-law Mac and Dorothy Sholdice, sister-in-law Grace Wilbee and nephew Steven Wilbee. Friends were received by the family on Tuesday at the Schimanski Family Funeral Home, Brussels. The funeral service was conducted from Duff’s United Church on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Rev. Peter Kugba-Nyande officiated. Carrying floral tributes were Murray Sholdice, Sandra Sangster, Erin Henderson and Jaclyn Hulley. Pallbearers were grandsons Scott Henderson, Stephen Henderson, Kevin Wilbee, Mark Wilbee and nephews Bruce Wilbee and Allan Wilbee. Burial followed in Brussels Cemetery. As an expression of sympathy, memorial donations to Duff’s United Church, the Seaforth Community Hospital Foundation or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada would be appreciated by the family. Condolences may be left at www.schimanskifamilyfuneral home.com FREDA GEORGINA SCOTT Freda Scott of Belgrave, passed away at Gilbert Hall Retirement Home, Wingham on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2013. She was 83. She was the former Freda Hunter, wife of the late Malcolm Scott (who predeceased her in 1990) and the dear mother of Dianne and Garry McWhirter of Lucan. Freda was the loving grandmother of Bryana McWhirter and Jace McLaughlin and Cody McWhirter and Kesley Rummell. She was the sister-in-law of Isabel McMillan, Listowel; Nora Robb, Lucknow and Mary and Leonard Eccles, Mount Forest. Freda was predeceased by her son Donald in 1973, brother John Hunter, sister Rena Menary and baby sister Doris Hunter. Visitation was held at McBurney Funeral Home, Wingham on Friday. The funeral service was held at the funeral home chapel on Saturday. Mr. Les Cook officiated. Interment is in Brandon Cemetery, Belgrave, Ontario. Memorial donations to Gilbert Hall, Heart and Stroke Foundation or Canadian Women’s Foundation - Purple Ribbon Campaign would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy. Online condolences may be left at www.mcburneyfuneralhome.com Obituaries This year give a gift that will last all year long Send a one year subscription for The Citizen to: Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Prov.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Postal Code. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Date to start subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Return with payment to: The Citizen Box 429, Blyth, ON N0M 1H0 or Box 152, Brussels, ON N0G 1H0 For U.S. and foreign subscription rates call our office at 519-523-4792 ❑ Payment Enclosed Please send a gift card from 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE CITIZEN FOR ONLY $36.00 By Shawn LoughlinThe Citizen Continued on page 27