HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-11-24, Page 30PAGE 30. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2011.North Huron addresses several nagging issues
Report
coming
In the form of a press release,North Huron Township Council andstaff decided to publically answerseveral questions recently posed to
them by a resident regarding recent
actions taken by council.
Questions revolving around recent
controversial council decisions like
the sale of the Wingham trailer park
and a potential councillor code of
conduct were sent to the township
and staff who decided that, instead
of simply addressing the issues to
one stakeholder, they would share
the information with their key
contacts, including media outlets
like The Citizen.
“We answer to the taxpayers so
when they have questions we do our
best to respond,” Chief
Administrative Officer Gary Long
said in a telephone interview. “We
felt with these questions we could
share the answers with our key
contacts, and not just with [theindividual who asked them].”A document was circulated byNorth Huron Council showing the
questions and answers in their
entirety.
Several questions regarding the
Wingham trailer park were asked,
the first of which regarded its
budget.
Council had taken criticism from
several individuals in the gallery
during various council meetings
regarding the fact that they continue
to fund North Huron’s LeVan
Airport, which operates at a loss, but
is open to the idea of the trailer park
no longer being municipally owned
despite the fact that it occasionally
breaks even.
The response explains that costs
directly associated to the park are
considered in the budget, but that the
manpower to run it is part of the
overall Recreation and FacilitiesAdministration budget. Once thetwo have been reconciled with afocus on the park, council
discovered the park did not
consistently operate at a profit and
sometimes broke even.
The completion date for the
Wingham trailer park’s Request for
Proposal document (RFP) was also
questioned.
The tornado in Goderich
prevented several contracted
services, including the land survey
and title search, from being
completed according to the
document.
Those services have been
completed and the RFP will be
prepared soon.
The resident also requested an
update to the status of a complaint
made by Blyth resident Bill Knott
against Deputy-Reeve David Riach.
The document stated that a letterwas provided to Knott regarding theissue.A proposed Councillor code of
conduct, inspired by the actions and
remarks of Councillor Bernie Bailey,
was discussed at length by council
and, according to Long, will be
looked at before the end of 2011.
“We have three issues that we
wish to complete before the end of
2011 so they can be in effect in
January 2012,” Long said during a
telephone interview referring to the
code of conduct, an updated
procedural bylaw and a document
concering transparency and
accountability. “Whether the code of
conduct will be approved as is, with
revisions or not adopted we hope to
have that concluded by the end of
the year.”
A large part of the document
refered to taxes and what councillors
are doing to lower them.
The document explains that North
Huron offers services that aren’t
really comparable to similar-sized
municipalities. They are a smaller
community than others that offer the
same, or comparable municipal
services, and as a result it makes it
hard to lower taxes.
A list of local services andfacilities, including the EmergencyServices Training Centre (ESTC),the North Huron Museum, the
Wingham Police Service, the North
Huron Childcare Centre, the Blyth
Campground and the local
community centres and libraries
were provided to remind the resident
of the increased number of services
and locations that North Huron
provides that similar-sized centres
don’t.
“All of these assets make North
Huron unique but come with a
considerable price tag,” the township
states through the document.
“Council and staff are in the process
of the expenditure review and
revenue generating program.”
Other questions included the
chairing of Committee of the Whole
meetings, which will remain
presided over by Riach, councillor
packages being made public and
taxes, the contents of the councillor
code of conduct and the activities of
the Economic Development
department.
For the full-length document in its
original question-and-answer
format, visit The Citizen’s website at
www.northhuron.on.ca
Continued from page 28
15 meeting he felt it was only a
matter of time before Workplace
Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)
regulations meant there’d be no
choice but adopting an automated
system.
Deputy-Mayor Jason
Breckenidge suggested council put
off the decision for another year, but
Nancy Michie, administrator, clerk-
treasurer, reminded council Veilleux
has said there was senior
government funding to buy the large
bins but it runs out after 2012.
It was Michie who suggested staff
could prepare a report to give
council the financial ramifications
of the change. On a motion by
Warwick, council agreed to ask for
the report for January.
“There are definitely skeptics in
our midst,” summed up Gowing.
Belgrave
Wing
Night
Saturday, December 3
6 pm - 1 am
at the Belgrave Community Centre
Take out available
Proof of legal drinking age required
MPP to table turbine bill,
open temporary offices
Last week, Huron Bruce MPP
Lisa Thompson addressed the
Minister of Energy on behalf of her
constituents who are concerned
about the Canadian Auto Workers
(CAW) wind turbine being placed in
the centre of Port Elgin.
Thompson wrote to the Minister
of Energy asking him to clarify the
setback rules for industrial wind
turbines, as the regulations within
the Green Energy Act state the
setbacks for industrial wind turbines
must be 550 metres, and the
proposed CAW turbine will only
have a setback of just over 300
metres from homes.
“If communities had the power in
the placement of wind turbines, this
would be a non-issue,” said
Thompson. “This is a time-sensitive
matter and I have asked the Minister
to clarify the rules, and to ask the
CAW to delay the project until there
is clarity from his Ministry on the
rules.”
Thompson supports the Town of
Saugeen Shores and Council’s
recent resolution to ask the Ministry
of the Environment to review the
public’s concerns and provide the
public with an opportunity to be
heard and to exercise their authority
to review, suspend or revoke the
Certificate of Approval for the
CAW’s wind turbine.
Next week, newly elected
Progressive Conservative MPP Todd
Smith (Prince Edward-Hastings) is
tabling a bill which will give the
planning power for industrial wind
turbines back to local
municipalities.
“This bill will give communities
back the power to plan and site wind
turbines where they see fit—not
where provincial government
believes they should go,” said
Thompson. “I will be speaking
adamantly in favour of this bill next
Thursday when it is called for
debate, and will be pleased to vote in
favour of it,” said Thompson.
When the House resumes routine
proceedings later this week,
Thompson plans to table a motion
which will place a moratorium on all
wind turbine projects until a third
party health and environmental
study has been completed.
Thompson’s offices in Clinton and
Kincardine will also be open for
business on Monday, Dec. 5.
The offices at 49 Albert St. in
Clinton and 322 Lambton St. in
Kincardine will be ready to open
their doors at 9 a.m. Business hours
will be Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to
5 p.m.
“I have been working hard to put
together a staffing complement that
is ready, willing and able to assist
me in serving the constituents of
Huron-Bruce,” said Thompson. “As
a first-time MPP, there are many
logistics that take some time to put
together, but I look forward to
hitting the ground running in
Clinton and Kincardine on Dec. 5.
The Clinton and Kincardine
offices will be temporary, as
Thompson is looking into two new
locations that place her
geographically in the centre of
Huron-Bruce and where the
population is denser.
“Once we get more permanent
office locations set up, I look
forward to having a grand opening
for both offices,” said Thompson.
Voicemails left at the constituency
offices are being picked up and
messages will be responded to at the
first available opportunity. To leave
a message please call 519-482-5630.
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