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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-01-06, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2011. Paid for by the Government of Ontario ontario.ca/kidscredit s 1 866 668-8297 s TTY: 1 800 263-7776 There’s a world of kids activities. From soccer to dance, cooking to piano, get a tax credit for whatever your kid’s into. The Ontario Children’s Activity Tax Credit lets you claim up to $500 and get up to $50 back for each child. Keep your receipts. You’ll need them to claim this credit when you fill out your income tax return. For more information visit or call. NEWS FROM BELGRAVE Irene Lamont received word of the death of her brother-in-law Barney Marshall of Campbell River, British Columbia. He was 92. He leaves his wife Annie (Lamont), three children, Audrey of Alberta, Doug of Saskatchewan and Brian of Campbell River and three grandsons Nolan, Jessee and Dana and many nieces and nephews. Cremation has taken place. Burial will take place in Moosomin, Saskatchewan in the spring. The community extends sincere sympathy to Irene Lamont and family. Santa Claus came to Belgrave on Dec. 21 to the cheers of lots of children, parents and friends. The Belgrave Community Centre Board hosted a movie night and Christmas party for the young people of the community. They watched “The Search for Santa Paws” while several of the older girls of the community served them popcorn and juice. When the movie was over the children got to sit on Santa’s lap, and told them what they wanted for Christmas and then picked out a gift from the board. The board is hoping to host another movie night sometime in 2011. By Linda Campbell Call 357-2188 PEOPLE AROUND BELGRAVE Waste charge was an “educational tool”Continued from page 1when garbage may be full ofmaggots if its not taken to thelandfill. He suggested that part of the resistance to the fee was because of poor implementation. “We (residents) got a letter saying (the municipality) was going to charge the fee. It didn’t explain that recycling was an asset.” In a backgrounder for council, Nancy Michie, administrator clerk- treasurer, had noted that during 2010 budget deliberations it became evident that the $31,912.97 grant Morris-Turnberry had received in 2009 to help with wastemanagement costs, was going to bereduced to $10,500, due to a change in tying the grants to recycling efficiency instead of tonnage. “I was behind the motion that put this (fee) in place,” said Mayor Paul Gowing. “The idea was to offset the cost of recycling material that has to be trucked away.” (The municipality has to pay extra for trucking of recycling materials left at the landfill, on top of the regular fee for curbside pickup.) Michie said the council of the day had felt it was more efficient for people to use the curbside pickupthe municipality is already payingfor.Councillor Jamie Heffer said his understanding had been that the fee was a budgetary measure but “now I’m hearing it was an educational tool.” Gowing said the former councillors had to defend the charge many times and he had explained to critics that it was better, environmentally, to use the curbside pickup than to have 10,000 trips a year by residents to the landfill. “I got a lot of calls last spring and into the summer with complaints,” Gowing said. But since the word ofthe proposal to kill the fee hadspread, he’d had two calls frompeople asking that council keep the charge. Heffer said the fee was causing more people to dump garbage on roadsides. “I have picked up garbage out of the ditch since this decision.” Heffer felt there was need of a better plan for waste management than the fee. Warwick said it’s possible that the fee might have to be brought back under the waste management strategy that council is considering in 2011 but “I just think it should be nixed for the moment.” And it was, with all councillors voting to end the fee immediately. Festive pet flick featured at Belgrave Comm. Centre Grant sought by Morris-Turnberry council for Belgrave water meters Morris-Turnberry councillors, at their Dec. 21 council meeting, voted to seek a grant for the installation of water meters in Belgrave. Councillor Jamie McCallum said the main concern he’d been hearing from Belgrave residents about the possibility of water meters being installed was cost. In a report to council, Nancy Michie, administrator clerk- treasurer, said North Huron plans to install meters in residences on its side of Belgrave, as well as in Blyth. Michie said she had met with North Huron’s Treasurer, Donna White, and Water Operations Manager Don Nicholson regarding the issue. As well, the Ministry of Environment inspection report for Dec. 10, 2010 recommends water meters be install on the system. North Huron has a quote of $342 per household for the meter, for a transmitter that will allow remote meter reading as well as installation. With 113 households on the Morris-Turnberry portion of the Belgrave water system, the total cost would be $38,646. The municipality is seeking a grant under the Ontario Small Waterworks Assistance Program (OSWAP) which would cover two-thirds of the cost, or $25,764, leaving a net cost for the system of $12,882. The application has to be received by Feb. 15. Michie reported that there is no plumbing inspection fee from the Huron County Health Unit as some councillors had feared while discussing the issue at their Dec. 7 meeting. North Huron is purchasing meter reading equipment at a cost of about $13,000 and would read meters for a fee on the Morris-Turnberry side, saving duplication of the meter- reading equipment. Michie said if the grant is received and the meter installation goes ahead, it would be the end of 2011 before the new system was in place. In approving a motion to apply for the OSWAP grant, councillors asked that a quote be sought for the installation of backflow valves for each household and this cost be included in the grant application. M-T receives Christmas Bonus Morris-Turnberry received what Nancy Michie, administrator clerk- treasurer called “a nice Christmas present” when it was notified it will receive an increase of 6.78 per cent in its grant from the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund. At their Dec. 21 meeting, councillors learned the 2011 grant will be $1,453,600, up $93,300 from 2010. By Keith Roulston The Citizen