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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2011-09-15, Page 1CitizenTh e $1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, September 15, 2011 Volume 27 No. 36 REUNION - Pg. 20Thresher Reunioncelebrates 50 years FAIR - Pg. 22 Belgrave, Blyth and BrusselsFair results from studentsSPORTS- Pg. 11Summer sports pictureshonour local teamsPublications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0INSIDE THIS WEEK: Grey department starts over after tanker dispute Numbers up at 50th annual Thresher Reunion Leading the parade This group of tractors was just a small part of last weekend’s downtown parade for the 50th annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association. The parade made its way through Blyth on Saturday morning, quickly moving into Saturday afternoon as the parade lasted for nearly two hours. (Denny Scott photo) It’s back to the drawing board for Huron East Fire Chief Marty Bedard and the members of the Grey Fire Department. A handful of representatives from the Grey Fire Department were at the Sept. 6 meeting of Huron East Council to voice their opposition to a recommendation by Bedard concerning a new tanker truck for the department. To replace the department’s current 1972 tanker, Bedard suggested a $189,500 tanker from ResQTech Systems, which would be within the municipality’s budget for the truck, which was $200,000. Members of the Grey Fire Department, however, were not in support of this recommendation, saying it went against direct requests made by firefighters. Despite the fact that Bedard asked for additional funds (the allotted $200,000 minus the cost of the truck) for additional equipment, Grey Fire Chief Gary Boyer, had signatures from several firefighters saying the ResQTech proposal was not what the firefighters agreed to. During preliminary meetings with Bedard, Boyer said, the additional equipment and space the department wanted for its new truck came on a proposal from Fort Garry, a company out of Winnipeg. The tender, however, due to a mix-up on the company’s behalf, was sent in two days late. Boyer said there was a mix-up at the company, as Huron East did receive a proposal from Fort Garry on time, but it was a truck listed at over $212,000 that didn’t even include features the department had been asking for. The late tender, however, was the truck that Grey firefighters were hoping for. Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan said that while it would be within council’s right to accept the late tender, it is something the municipality had never done before. While discussion between Bedard and Boyer got quite heated, MacLellan insisted that the two fire chiefs return to the drawing board, come to a consensus on what features the firefighters want for their new truck and try and work the situation out. Because a proposal was received by Fort Garry, MacLellan said perhaps the fire chiefs could customize the tender that was submitted to meet the department’s needs, and budget, or if that couldn’t work, perhaps the tendering process could take place again. Boyer said the department would be willing to wait until spring for the truck in order to ensure that the firefighters got the truck they wanted, and needed, to do their job right. “We need more room than other departments on our tanker,” Boyer said. “We do not have a rescue van.” Boyer said there was a 50 square foot difference between the truck the Grey firefighters agreed to and the truck Bedard was recommending to council. There had been meetings between the two parties, however, and Bedard said he left those meetings under the impression that the Grey Fire Department was happy with the truck he would be recommending. Many members of Huron East Council simply sat and listened while the fire chiefs discussed the truck back and forth. Once it was their turn to speak, however, every councillor said that whatever the firefighters needed to do their job, they should have. The motion to accept Bedard’s recommendation was officially tabled until he and Boyer could meet once again and come to an agreement on how the municipality should proceed. “Council has to respect the wishes of the fire department,” said Grey Ward Councillor Alvin McLellan, “whether there was a mix-up with the proposals or not.” Boyer said whether he dragged his feet on the process or not, his obligation was to the members of the Grey Fire Department and that he would do everything in his power to ensure they had what they needed to do their jobs. “I wouldn’t settle for anything less than what the guys wanted six months ago,” Boyer said. “As far as I’m concerned, if that happens, I let them down and that’s not acceptable in my eyes.” Councillor Larry McGrath said there was no other way to proceed except for keeping the fire department happy, as far as he was concerned. “We need happy firemen,” he said. Despite a decision made after a public meeting years ago to build a new library in Brussels, Huron East Council decided on Sept. 6 to renovate the existing Brussels Library, a historic Carnegie building. As promised, councillors from the Brussels and Grey wards of Huron East, Huron East’s mayor and deputy-mayor and representatives from Morris-Turnberry met on Aug. 24 to discuss their options and came to the Sept. 6 council meeting with two recommendations. The first recommendation stated that Huron East Council would renovate and expand the existing Brussels Library structure and the second stated that architect John Rutledge, who had volunteered to do some earlier work on the Brussels Library, be brought in to discuss plans for the renovation and expansion of the library. The biggest factor in the mind of Mayor Bernie MacLellan, he said, was the library’s continued presence on the main street of Brussels. “It would be a shame to take another building off of the main street in Brussels,” MacLellan said at the Sept. 6 meeting. “Brussels as a village may be doing well, but the The 50th annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association was the biggest and best in memory according to Secretary Marian Hallahan. “It was a great weekend,” she said. “Everything went great.” Hallahan said that the event brought 825 campers to the Blyth Campgrounds, and that admissions to the site were up significantly on Saturday and Sunday. “We had a lot of first time visitors coming,” she said. “Many of them said they would return to camp.” The parade was unbelievably good according to Hallahan. “The downtown parade was nearly two hours,” she said. “We had 82 confirmed entries in it, but a lot joined up on the day of.” The reunion brought participants and spectators from across the province and around the globe, as visitors came from England, New Zealand, France, The United States, Nova Scotia and Alberta. The celebrations up to the three- day event were also well received according to Hallahan. The ladies program, a new event this year, was so well received that organizer Ann Bosman has already begun lining up potential speakers for next year. “We had 10 speakers and presentations lined up,” she said. “Each presentation had between 50 and 70 people, not just women.” The best turnout, according to Bosman, was a local Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer talking about avoiding scams. Bosman said that, with the presentations, dancing and BINGO, the tent which was used for the ladies program was a welcome addition to the reunion. “I hope to utilize it even more next year, provided the association decides to keep it,” she said. Gladys Van Egmond, entertainment co-ordinator for the event, said that while the fiddle competition contestants numbers were down due a scheduling conflict, it still drew a crowd. “We had 20 fiddle competition contestants despite having 15 musicians on a float in the parade,” she said. The step dancing competition on the other hand, was extremely well received according to Van Egmond. “We had 21 dancers in four groups,” she said. “It brought in a huge audience.” Van Egmond also stated that the Thursday night fiddling workshop prior to the event brought out 40 participants. “It was a great show and everyone had a good time,” she said. By Denny Scott The Citizen By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Renovation chosen for Brussels Library By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Continued on page 19