HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2010-07-01, Page 9THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 1, 2010. PAGE 9.
While he says he made the
decision over a year ago, recent
events have done nothing to change
Huron East Mayor Joe Seili’s stance
that he will not be running for office
again this fall.
Seili said that he planned to serve
two terms and he has, with his
second term coming to an end this
fall when the municipal elections roll
around.
While Seili has not put out any
official statement through the
municipality, he has been saying that
he would not be returning for months
at regular meetings of council and
community functions.
Seili says that his decision was
made when he saw clearly that lower
tier municipalities were not getting
respect from the current provincial
government in his opinion and that
nothing could be done to change this
system.
When provincial grants were
offered, he said, Huron East always
seemed to come up short, something
he took responsibility for it himself,
saying that the municipal staff
wasn’t to blame and that they did all
that they could to bring provincial
funding into the municipality.
Seili blames his relationship with
Huron-Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell
for that.
“I always looked at this as a
business,” he said. “I didn’t try to get
the most votes.”
In addition to his frustration with
the provincial government, he said
that certain practices that remain in
place at Huron County Council are
possibly holding the area back from
a one-tier government, which he says
Huron County could benefit from,
but not with the current councillors
sitting at the table.
“There are good people at Huron
County Council, but it’s time for a
change,” he said. “There is room for
a one-tier government, but council
isn’t there yet.”
Seili says a change like that can’t
happen with councillors from the
pre-amalgamation period at the
table. He says the process
would have to start fresh, with fresh
minds.
The reason for the fresh start, he
says, is that there’s too much turf-
protecting going on and if a council
began as a Huron County council
without borders, it would be more
inclined to act on the best interests of
all of Huron County.
“Common sense doesn’t come into
play a lot of the time [at Huron
County Council],” Seili said. “A lot
of councillors don’t care until it
affects their area.”
At the local level, however, Seili
says he is happy with how things
have happened under his watch in
Huron East.
He says that while things haven’t
been perfect, of the municipalities
throughout Huron County, he would
call Huron East one of the better
municipalities in terms of its
thinking and frame of mind towards
government.
“Overall, the recession didn’t hurt
us that bad,” he said. “Huron East is
still a great place to do business
because we’ve been responsible.”
Seili says that with his many
obligations he continues to push
himself, saying that he is often
sleepless at night.
He says that while his decision
was made over a year ago, the
fights he has had with the
Avon Maitland District School
Board have done nothing to make
him reconsider his position. If
anything, he said, it has helped to
strengthen his resolve in that he
would not seek a third term as the
mayor of Huron East.
“With the provincial government,
every time there is a new deal, local
government loses,” he said. “We
have to take care of more and more
but with less and less of a say.”
For the incoming members of
council, he did offer some words of
advice.
“Take it slow,” he said. “And don’t
make promises you can’t keep.”
Once Seili is no longer the mayor
of Huron East, he says he is looking
forward to travelling more, fishing
more and focusing completely on
his business (Huron Feeding
Systems).
On Father’s Day, the Kids for
Christ Club of Knox United Church
took over the Belgrave Community
Centre and presented a version of
Joseph’s Techni-Coloured
Dreamcoat. The performance was
packed with singing (special thanks
to Kendall Jardin for her solo,
dancing and a message for
everyone).
This was the final day of the
program for this season. Over 20
participating received a certificate
for their involvement in the program
over the last eight months.
Following the performance,
everyone enjoyed the annual
chicken barbecue organized by the
club.
Sincere thanks go to Nicole
Coultes, Kim Walker, Lila Procter
and Shannon Bieman for putting the
performance together and to
Elizabeth Stennett for her many
musical talents. Thanks also to
Colonel Cam and his helpers for his
chicken barbecue expertise.
A moment of silence was also
taken to remember Gloria Dow and
her many contributions to our
community.
She will be missed.
There were six and a half tables of shoot in play on Friday, June
25 at the Belgrave Community
Centre.
The winners were: high pink
card, Dorothy Carter; second high
pink card, Eileen Sellers; most
shoots, Louise Hammond; high
white card, Vaughn Hunking;
second high white card, Mary
McIntosh; most shoots, Vera
Schmidt.
This was the last shoot for the
summer. Shoot parties will resume
again in the fall. Have a great
summer!
Seili’s decision to not return
strengthened by closure vote
Cards inBelgrave
Well done
Nicole Hardy, a student at East Wawanosh Public School, received recognition for a poster she
created as part of a Mothers Against Drunk Driving poster contest. Hardy placed first in all of
Canada for the 10 and under division. Cathy Beyersbergen, who is on the Huron-Bruce board
of Mothers Against Drunk Driving was at the school last week to present the award. (Shawn
Loughlin photo)
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