HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-12-15, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2011.
Council reluctantly releases funds to REACH
Huron East explores
Citizenship award
M-T approveswater agreement
Jingle all the way
A group of dedicated singers hit the streets of Belgrave on Sunday night to sing some carols
for residents of the area. Members of the Knox United Church in Belgrave met at the church
shortly after dinner on Sunday night and made their way out into Belgrave to spread some
Christmas cheer. (Vicky Bremner photo)
Funds have been released from
Central Huron to the Regional
Equine and Agricultural Centre of
Huron (REACH), but concern with
councillors continues to grow.
Several councillors had a hard
time not releasing funds to REACH
for the month of October at their
Dec. 5 meeting because the decision
was being made after the fact.
However, several councillors felt
Central Huron has to take a hard
look at its relationship with REACH
and how it’s going to proceed
moving into 2012.
Deputy-Mayor Dave Jewitt
suggested that Central Huron
Council take a “very, very hard
look” at the municipality’s situation
with REACH because despite
repeated requests for a detailed
budget and a long-term financial
plan, council had found itself in the
same place it was a year ago before
those requests were made.
Jewitt says it’s not his intention to
cease operations at REACH or
endanger its future, but to him it was
clear that REACH needs to operate
differently going forward if those
involved hope to receive municipal
funds in the future.
Mayor Jim Ginn said he has had
correspondence with REACH
representatives and from that
correspondence he feels things will
be operating differently as the centre
moves forward.
“I’m confident that the financial
situation will be different come
budget time,” he said.
Jewitt was persistent in his
frustration, however, saying he
didn’t understand why it would be so
difficult for the municipality to see
the centre’s budget plans and long-
term goals.
“I don’t see how we can continue
to fund something when we have no
idea of its direction,” Jewitt said.
“The sooner we get the information,
the better I’ll feel.
“I’m just not sure why we’re not
receiving what we’re asking for.”
Councillor Burkhard Metzger said
things were going fine with the
centre until a grant application was
denied by the federal government.
After that, he said, “things kind of
fell off the cliff.”
Jewitt said that despite his best
wishes for the centre, he couldn’t
vote in favour of releasing the funds
until council receives what it has
been asking for.
“I’m a little disappointed,” he said.
“This somewhat ties my hands.”
In a recorded vote, Jewitt and
Councillors Brian Barnim and Dan
Colquhoun voted against releasing
the funds to REACH, but the motion
carried.
Huron East Council has begun
investigating the possibility of
presenting an award for an
outstanding citizen of the
municipality on an annual basis.
The direction for Huron East staff
to investigate the potential award
came from correspondence from the
Seaforth BIA which asked to be
relieved of its current duty of
naming the winners of the Seaforth
Citizenship Awards annually.
The responsibility, which had
previously been handled by the
Seaforth Recreation Committee was
passed off to the Seaforth BIA
where Councillor Bob Fisher said it
quickly became a “popularity
contest”.
If the municipality was to be
involved in the naming of an
outstanding citizen each year,
several councillors commented, it
would only be fair that the award be
given to someone from Huron
East, and not specifically
Seaforth.
Brussels Ward Councillor David
Blaney, however, mentioned The
Citizen’s annual Citizen of the Year
award honouring a citizen, or group
of citizens from Brussels and the
surrounding area every year.
Seaforth Ward Councillor Nathan
Marshall said that perhaps the award
could honour a “volunteer of the
year” but several councillors felt that
was inappropriate in the event that,
for example, an emergency services
worker goes above and beyond the
call of duty in an emergency. The
person would not be volunteering,
but would still be worthy of being
honoured with the award.
The name of the award has yet to
be decided, but council passed a
motion asking staff to bring a report
back regarding the possibility of
honouring an outstanding Huron
East citizen each year.
There was discussion about
continuing the tradition of
honouring specifically a Seaforth
resident with an annual award,
which may continue on, however,
a service group would have to
step up and take on the award, as
Huron East has said any award it
hands out will be municipality-
wide.
After delaying the decision for one
meeting for more information,
Morris-Turnberry councillors
approved an agreement with Veolia
Water Canada to manage the
Belgrave water system at their Dec.
6 meeting.
The approval came over objections
from Councillor Jamie McCallum
who asked that council investigate
the possibility of contracting nearby
muncipalities to mange the system
after Veolia proposed to increase the
annual fee from the current $33,573
to $43,500 in 2012, and add a cost-
of-living increase for 2013. The
company said it had under-estimated
the cost of operating the system in its
first contract.
Nancy Michie, administrator
clerk-treasurer, told council that to
approach the North Huron or Huron
East would mean putting out a
request for proposals. She reminded
council that when requests for
proposals were called for to manage
the system in 2009, Veolia was the
only company that was interested in
operating such a small water system.
Councillor Neil Warwick, who had
commented at the Nov. 15 meeting
that management costs for the
system were nearly $100 per user
household was reluctantly in favour
of the contract by the Dec. 6
meeting. He reminded his fellow
councillors: “We are personally
responsible for the safety of the
water. We have a reputable company
willing to [manage the system] and
saving a few pennies isn’t worth the
risk.”
McCallum persisted that North
Huron’s water personnel are
probably travelling between
Wingham and Blyth regularly and
might be able to manage the system
less expensively.
But Michie reminded councillors
that if they were to change their
operator the operation manuals,
which cost a lot of money to
assemble for Veolia’s management,
would have to be revised. “It’s going
to cost money.”
Councillor John Smuck
complained: “We’re paying for a
full-time job to take a water sample
once a day.”
But Mayor Paul Gowing said there
was more involved than taking a
water sample. The Belgrave system
is state-of-the-art, he said. As well,
he pointed out, Veolia personnel had
to travel from Goderich daily.
Michie note that Veolia had agreed
to sit down after six months of the
new agreement to see if they could
cut costs in any way.
Councillors agreed to approve the
contract.
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