HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-01-13, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2011.County bylawquestioned by
Van Diepenbeek
Glass for cash
Stephanie Hummel and Olivia McArter were two of the members of the graduating class from
Brussels Public School who were out collecting bottles on Saturday. The class collected and
returned the empty bottles to raise funds for the class’s graduation. (Denny Scott photo)
Continued from page 1
issues per year, as well as his other
responsibilities.
Josling says that Huron East is
coming off one of its most profitable
years ever, in the post-amalgamation
era, in terms of building permits and
their associated value.
Huron East Fire Chief Marty
Bedard discussed the needs of
Huron East’s three fire departments
(Brussels, Grey and Seaforth),
explaining that a major expansion
could be in the works for the Grey
fire hall.
The three fire departments have a
total of 68 volunteer firefighters,
including three district chiefs, three
deputy-chiefs and 10 captains.
Director of the Public Works
Department Barry Mills explained
the functions of his department, as
well as the division between the
north and south patrols, with
Winthrop Road being the dividing
line throughout the municipality.
It was, however, clerk-
administrator Jack McLachlan who
raised eyebrows after listing the
functions of his job, as well as the
jobs of the rest of the administration
department.
McLachlan, who has been with
the municipality since
amalgamation and with Tuckersmith
for decades before that, officially
announced that he would be retiring
from his position later this year.
McLachlan gave six months
notice for his retirement, adding that
he would stay on for an additional
three months to help find and train a
replacement.
Later in the meeting, after a
session that was closed to the public,
council voted to retain the services
of a consultant for the hiring process
of a new clerk-administrator.
At the year’s first meeting of
Huron County Council, Ashfield-
Colborne-Wawanosh Reeve Ben Van
Diepenbeek questioned the
reasoning behind not reducing the
amount of councillors in the
Goderich chambers.
After conducting some of his own
research, Van Diepenbeek stated that
he felt the bylaw he read stated very
clearly that council size should be
reduced in accordance with voter
numbers. He stated that one
representative was automatically
allotted to each municipality and an
addition representative was awarded
for every 4,000 residents in that
municipality.
By that rationale, he said, the four
municipalities who thought, going
into last fall’s election, that they
would lose representatives (North
Huron, Central Huron, South Huron
and Huron East) should have indeed
had their representation reduced by
one councillor each.
Late last year, Huron County
Chief Administrative Officer Larry
Adams stated that he and several
other members of the Huron County
administrative staff had done some
digging and found that in order to
reduce the amount of representatives
at the Huron County Council table, a
bylaw would have had to been made
by councillors prior to the election,
which had not been done.
“Four municipalities didn’t meet
the threshold,” Van Diepenbeek said,
citing a bylaw from 1999 that states
a second representative at Huron
County Council would be allotted at
4,001 residents and a third at 8,001
residents.
Adams said that he and the rest of
the administrative staff had done
sufficient research, even seeking out
a legal opinion on the matter, stating
that maintaining council’s size
during the 2006-2010 term was what
Huron County was legally obliged to
do.
Van Diepenbeek said he would
like to receive a copy of the
correspondence from Huron
County’s solicitor to that effect.
Van Diepenbeek was also
concerned that when the matter was
being discussed and research was
being conducted that council was not
consulted on the matter.
Adams said he had not been
anticipating Van Diepenbeek’s
request, so he could not provide
legal correspondence immediately,
but that he would have it for him at
the Committee of the Whole meeting
on Jan. 12.
Looking for local heroes
There are so many people out there who do
so much to improve their community.
Now you have a chance to say thanks.
Nominate that special person for the 26th
Annual Citizen Citizenship Awards.
Each year a committee chooses an outstanding citizen from each of the Blyth and area
and Brussels and area communities to receive an award for contribution to the
community. If you know someone you think should be honoured, please fill in the ballot
and send it in. You may attach a longer explanation of why you think your nominee
should win, if you like. If you have nominated someone before and he or she didn't win,
please feel free to try again.
I nominate
as Citizen of the year for
I feel she/he deserves this award because
Nomination Deadline April 30, 2011.
Name and phone number of nominator
❑Blyth
& area ❑Brussels
& area
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
McLachlan
retires as
HE clerk