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The Citizen, 2011-04-14, Page 9THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2011. PAGE 9. Donna Shaw hosted the Belgrave United Church Women’s Group on Tuesday, April 5 with nine members present. Pat Hunking’s group was in charge of the meeting and she opened with a reading and thanked Donna. The UCW Purpose was read. The group decided to support the silent auction for camp Menesetung and will be placing a box in the church for donations of anything useful at a barbecue. That is the theme of the box. They will also be sending a financial donation to Camp Menesetung in memory of Gloria Dow, who had always been interested in camping. The UCW had received a picture back from Sleeping Children Around The world, of the three children who had received their bed kits. Vacation Bible School was announced for Aug. 22-26. The Calvin Brick unit will be taking a trip to see the Walters Family on Thursday, Aug. 18. Sheila Nixon presented the worship on Tenegrae. She had lit four candles, and after reading scripture a moment of silence, one candle was extinguished. As she did this she said “The light is extinguished” and the group replied “the darkness deepens”. (This celebration is the opposite of Lent, when one candle is lit at a time). After the fourth candle was put out, the room was in darkness. She closed with a hymn and prayer. Mrs. Hunking read interesting information about the Islamic faith. Their religion is called Islam, but the people are called Muslims. This year is based on the solar calendar of 354 days for 19 years and 355 days for 11 years. It goes in a 30-year cycle. She told a lot about their faith, and at the end compared their version of The Lord’s Prayer to the Christian prayer. The program closed with reciting of The Lord’s Prayer. The next meeting will be at Sheila Nixon’s on May 3 at 7:30 p.m. Following the benediction and grace, Muriel Coultes and Barbara Anderson served lunch and a social time was had. Some homeowners in Morris- Turnberry will get a break this year because their municipal tax bill is actually going down. Morris-Turnberry councillors adopted a budget at their April 5 meeting that will see the municipal tax rate drop by 1.14 per cent. The Huron County rate was listed to drop 1.33 per cent when the budget meeting was held but was further reduced at the county council meeting the following day. The effect of this reduction for Morris- Turnberry residents had not been calculated at press time. The public school board levy is down 4.57 per cent. The result, according to figures at the time of the budget meeting, was a saving of $25.66 on a residential property assessed at $100,000.The catch for taxpayers, saidMayor Paul Gowing, is that assessments are being revised so some ratepayers may find their assessments have increased, wiping out the saving. A 3.568 per cent increase in assessment was a factor in the saving, despite a 3.58 per cent increase in the money that needs to be raised from taxes. Also keeping taxes down is a 6.8 per cent increase from the province’s Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund, up $92,700 to $1,435,000. The municipality will spend $850,000 on road construction in 2011 but $195,000 of that is for paving Belgrave streets, work that was meant to be done last year but the contractor was so late getting to the job that council postponed the work until this spring to make sure weather conditions didn’t pose aproblem with quality. The money isin a reserve to pay for this work. Other major projects include $250,000 for Salem Road, $102,000 for a second coat of tar and chip paving on Brandon Road; $160,000 for paving Jamestown Road and $98,000 for tar and chip paving on Glennanon Road. In other capital projects, council has budgeted $30,000 to be given to Township of North Huron for a water line on Cornyn Street that will serve Morris-Turnberry customers; $10,500 for the completion of the environmental assessment for the Duncan Street drain in Bluevale; and $98,000 for the installation of water meters in Belgrave. Roads will cost $2,261,000, making up 28.68 per cent of the budget. Waste disposal will cost $370,472 (offset with $146,340 in income); fire protection at $302,290;policeing, $272,517; the historybook, $185,497 (offset by an estimated $159,000 in sales and grants); staff wages and expenses, $264,000; building inspection, $117,570 (offset by $86,867 in building permits); $117,500 in council expenses; $109,300 for recreation, and office expenses of $82,000. Despite the decrease in taxes, Morris-Turnberry still has the third highest tax rate in Huron County after Goderich and the East Wawanosh Ward of the Township of North Huron. Its total value of assessment is also third smallest, trailed only by North Huron and Howick. Mary Hunter and Kay Roberts recently visited Freda Johnston at Queensway Nursing Home in Hensall. There were seven tables of shoot in play on Friday, April 8 at the Belgrave Community Centre. Winners were: high pink card, Judy Hahn; second high pink card, Edna McLellan; most shoots, Mary Hunter; high white card, Louise Hammond; second high white card, Ron Taylor; most shoots, John Pollard. The next shoot is Friday, April 29 at 1:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome. On Palm Sunday, April 17 at 10:15 a.m. at Knox United Church God’s Word to Us is entitled, “Encountering Jesus in Holy Week.” A town hall meeting is being held at the church on April 16 at 9:45 a.m. (Course of Action - a way to 2016). We gather to enable the faith family and the community to understand the process (course of action) needed to move us forward into a future God desires for us. The flowers at the front of the sanctuary at Knox United Church on Sunday, April 10 were placed by the Vincent families in loving memory of Edith Vincent. Belgrave UCW learn of Islam Knox prepares for Palm Sunday Morris-Turnberry tax rate goes down Casserole queen Muriel Coultes wasn’t fooling around as she uncovered casserole dishes full of very good vittles during a pot-luck lunch held at the Belgrave Community Centre on April 1. (Denny Scott photo) THE PROJECT: The Municipality of Morris-Turnberry is currently investigating options to improve stormwater drainage within the Bluevale urban area. This assessment is being carried out to address ongoing concerns with inadequate stormwater drainage west of the Clyde Street corridor, between Amberley Road (Huron County Road 86) and the Little Maitland River. The attached key plan illustrates the general boundaries of the project area. At this time, a preliminary strategy for improving stormwater drainage within the project area has been identified. The general components of this proposal are outlined below. Preliminary Servicing Plan: • Construction of a network of stormwater drainage facilities (storm sewers) within the existing municipal road system. Private drain connections would be provided to all planned storm sewers in order to receive sump pump discharge from adjacent properties. The installation of storm sewers throughout the community may occur as a single project or the work may be carried out in several project phases; • Installation of a new storm sewer outlet extending from Bell Street to the Little Maitland River, across Bluevale Cemetery lands. A comprehensive cemetery assessment was recently conducted which confirmed that construction of the outlet would not disturb burial sites or monuments; • Replacement of the existing Clyde Street storm sewer system. Road improvements may be completed in conjunction with this component of the project. ENVIRONMENTAL SCREENING PROCESS: The project is following the planning process established for Schedule B activities under the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) document. Schedule B projects are approved subject to a screening process. The screening process is conducted to identify any potential environmental impacts associated with the proposal and to plan appropriate impact mitigation. PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING: A Public Information Meeting is planned to present additional details on the proposed servicing plan and to receive input from interested persons: DATE: April 14, 2011 TIME: 7:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. (Open House) 7:30 p.m. (Presentation) PLACE: Bluevale Community Hall, (32 Clyde Street, Bluevale) Any comments collected in conjunction with this Class EA will be maintained on file for use during the project and may be included in project documentation. With the exception of personal information, all comments will become part of the public record. For further information, please contact the consulting engineers: B.M. Ross and Associates, 62 North Street, Goderich, Ontario, N7A 2T4. Telephone (519) 524-2641. Fax (519) 524-4403. Attention: Scott Allen, Planner (e-mail: sallen@bmross.net). This Notice first issued March 29, 2011. Nancy Michie, Administrator Clerk-Treasurer MUNICIPALITY OF MORRIS-TURNBERRY MUNICIPAL CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR STORMWATER DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS (COMMUNITY OF BLUEVALE) NOTICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING MEETING NOTICE MUNICIPALITY OF MORRIS-TURNBERRY The upcoming Council and Committee meetings for the Municipality of Morris-Turnberry will be held: Thursday April 14 at 7:00 p.m. Open House at 7:30 p.m. Bluevale Drainage Meeting at the Bluevale Community Hall Tuesday April 19 at 7:30 p.m. Regular Council Meeting Wednesday April 20 1:00 p.m. to History Book Review 9:00 pm at the Bluevale Community Hall Thursday April 28 5:30 pm Special Council Meeting By Linda Campbell Call 357-2188 PEOPLE AROUND BELGRAVE NEWS FROM BELGRAVE By Keith RoulstonThe Citizen