The Citizen, 2010-06-24, Page 1CitizenTh
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$1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, June 24, 2010
Volume 26 No. 25MARKET- Pg. 3Blyth Farmers’Market opens this weekend THEATRE - Pg. 19 ‘Kiss Me Kate’opens atStratford FestivalSPORTS- Pg. 8Howson Hurricanes placesecond at Seaforth tournamentPublications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0INSIDE THIS WEEK:
Central Huron and North Huron
Councils are still working towards a
fire protection agreement for
northern Central Huron.
Central Huron returned a revised
version of the proposed fire
agreement to North Huron Council
which was discussed at North
Huron’s Committee of the Whole
Meeting on June 14.
North Huron grudgingly agreed to
some changes Central Huron had
proposed to the original drafted fire
agreement, but problems remained
in two key areas.
Problems that were overcome
include termination periods
(originally the contract had a 12-
month notice period which has now
been reduced to three months at
Central Huron’s request) and several
smaller issues regarding
communication between North
Huron and Central Huron’s Fire
Departments were also changed.
North Huron felt that Fee
Schedule F, which stated North
Huron would provide a complete
financial breakdown of fire
suppression costs to Central Huron,
and Section 5.2, which stated North
Huron could be responsible for any
extra expenses incurred while
fighting fires in Central Huron, were
unfair amendments to the proposed
document.
North Huron’s Chief
Administrative Officer Gary Long
stated that he believed staff had
taken the issue as far as they could,
and the conclusion of the saga would
rely on council.
“Going forward, I don’t think John
[Black, Chief of the North Huron
Fire Department] and I are going to
get this resolved,” Long told council.
“It might take a meeting of the two
councils as a whole again... [or]
representatives of the councils may
need to get together.”
Central Huron Reeve Bert Dykstra
explained in a interview on June 22
that it could require another “full-
blown” meeting, depending on how
Central Huron council receives
North Huron’s changes at its June 24
Committee of the Whole meeting.
Long stated that considerable time
and effort had been expended getting
negotiations to where they are.
Two major problems remain for
North Huron, however; detailed
reporting about department spending
and the ability to recover costs above
and beyond normal fire suppression
costs in Central Huron.
Black explained that the change to
Section 5.2 of the fire agreement
could leave North Huron responsible
for a significant amount of money.
Black stated that the point of
contention should state that if North
Huron runs into extra expenses
through needing specially trained
individuals or equipment when
servicing a Central Huron ratepayer
then it will be covered by Central
Huron. Examples included
construction vehicles to allow better
access to fires, or HAZMAT
(Hazardous Material) teams to deal
with drug laboratories or potentially
dangerous chemicals.
Any municipal governing body
can regain these lost costs within
their own boundaries either through
the property owner’s insurance, or
through taxing the property owner,
however North Huron has no right to
The Brussels Optimists received
$50,000 from Huron East last week
towards the improvements they
initiated at the Brussels Ball Park.
While there was some discussion
on the donation, councillors found at
their June 15 meeting that the
actions taken by the Optimists, as
well as many other volunteers, fell
into the category of community
improvement at a municipal sports
park, which in the past, the
municipality has funded on a half-
and-half basis.
In the case of the St. Columban
soccer fields, for instance, council
committed the municipality to pay
half the costs if the other half could
be covered by the community, in
addition to carrying the debt until it
can be paid off.
Councillor David Blaney found
this circumstance to be no different
and proposed a motion to donate
half of the costs of the project, up to
$50,000.
Project Chair Don Sholdice
estimates that despite the group’s
initial target of $104,000, the project
sits at approximately $130,000 now.
So the municipality will pay the
Optimists the full $50,000, as a
result of the motion, towards the
project.
Sholdice, along with fellow
Brussels Optimist Doug McArter
presented pictures of the building
process to council, saying that the
project was yet another example of
initiative being taken by the
Optimists on a community project.
This was an area of concern for
Deputy-Mayor Bernie MacLellan
who said he was concerned with the
order with which this project, and
subsequent request, was handled.
“I’m just concerned with the order
of the steps,” MacLellan said. “It’s a
bad situation for the municipality to
get into for sure.”
MacLellan said that because of a
donation to the Optimists, a
precedent could be set that would
allow community groups to
complete work, spend money, and
come to council looking for a
donation after the fact.
Sholdice, however, said that it
was a project the Optimists had been
considering for a while and
eventually began and completed in
the span of one day.
“This was quite a huge project for
us,” Sholdice said. “A lot of money
was spent, but it’s made a lot of
people happy.”
Sholdice said that initially he had
talked to Huron East Treasurer Brad
Knight about applying for a Trillium
Grant, but that all of the work would
have to be contracted out. In
addition, they would have to wait
approximately one year. Sholdice
said it didn’t make sense to him as
the Optimists had over 20 members
who were capable of completing the
work themselves.
Sholdice said that the group had
received $3,500 in local donations
and in addition to the approximately
$30,000 from the Optimists
themselves, they were sitting at just
under half of the initial proposition
for the project, which was $104,000.
Sholdice wouldn’t name a specific
amount that the Optimists were
The world premiere of A Killing
Snow by Paul Ciufo officially opens
the 36th Blyth Festival season on
June 25.
“Every year I marvel at the
extraordinary passion of the artists,
technicians, administrators and
volunteers who bring this festival to
life. This season is no different, as
we open with two very demanding
productions, which are both sure to
hit home with our audience. I am
confident that word of mouth is
going to be our best friend in 2010
when it comes to box office sales.
Also, I’m pleased to announce that
I've banned the vuvuzela from Blyth
Memorial Hall,” Artistic Director
Eric Coates said.
A Killing Snow is a witty take on
the murder mystery genre and
follows many of the conventions of a
typical “whodunit”. The play
revolves around four travelers who
take refuge from a Huron County
blizzard in the secluded home of
Gerald Goldie, retired Latin teacher.
All of the strangers share a working
knowledge of Latin, a serious
distaste for their host…and a
growing animosity for each other. As
ominous Latin phrases begin to
appear on the walls, it becomes clear
that someone has murder on the
mind. And as the body count rises,
Another meeting probable
as fire negotiations persist
Blyth Festival opens
for its 36th season
Optimists receive
$50,000 for park
from Huron East
Nice catch!
While it might not have been perfect fishing attire, Mike McDonald, centre, is wearing the tie
that his son Nick made him in kindergarten class for Father’s Day. The McDonalds, Mike’s
daughter Jenna included, were at Radford’s pond on Sunday for the annual Father’s Day
Fishing Derby, casting their lures and hoping for a big catch on dad’s big day. (Vicky Bremner photo)
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Continued on page 18
Continued on page 20 Continued on page 10
By Denny Scott
The Citizen