HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-02-12, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2009.
The value of building permits
issued in Morris-Turnberry in 2008
jumped nearly 17 per cent from
2007, despite the fact the number of
permits was down.
In his annual building report,
Steve Fortier, chief building official,
reported 87 permits had been issued,
compared to 94 the year earlier, but
the value jumped to $5.7 million, up
from $4.9 million.
Value of new houses climbed from
$1.5 to $1.9 million with eight
permits issued in each year. There
were 13 additions to dwellings
valued a $612,000 in 2008 compared
to five addtions worth $183,000 in
2007.
Last year saw only two permits
issued for new agricultural livestock
buildings worth $1.2 million, down
from six for nearly $1.5 million in
2007. However, there were 27
permits for $903,831 in agricultural
accessory buildings in 2008
compared to 21 for $612,900 in
2007.
In total, the municipality collected
$61,253 in permit fees in 2008,
leaving the building inspection
department with a deficit of $4,539
for the year, in part because it had to
contract out building inspection for
the early part of the year when it had
no chief building official.
Councillors passed a bylaw that
will increase permit fees three per
cent per year for the next three years.
Before passing the bylaw the
councillors questioned the idea of
the three-year increase. After
councillor Bill Thompson wondered
at committing to the three-year
increase, Nancy Michie,
administrator clerk-treasurer said
councillors could always decide not
to implement the increases in the
second and third year.
“The main objective is to be
revenue neutral,” she said.
“We can leave (the fees) the same
next year if we end upwith a
surplus,” mayor Dorothy Kelly said.
29 in attendance for Seniors’ meeting
A warm parting gift
Leona Armstrong, right, presented Cathrine Campbell with
a queen-sized quilt from Melville Presbyterian Church as a
retirement gift. Many people from the community signed the
back of the quilt and helped with the quilt. (Photo submitted)
The Belgrave Seniors meetingbegan with the president, MurielCoultes welcoming 18 members and11 guests. Grace was sung and apotluck lunch enjoyed.The program began with a poem,The Valentine Box then Barbara
Anderson introduced Bruce and
Linda Campbell who told of the
Mediterranean Cruise they enjoyed
last October. They first visited Sicily
where they saw the large cathedral
which houses the Black Madonna
statue and an old Roman town
uncovered by archaeologists.
The next stop was in Greece totour a temple built in 5 B.C. It isadorned with painted murals andtapestries decorated with gold andjewels.From there they went to Istanbul,Turkey which is the only city built
on two continents, Asia and Europe.
It is a rapidly growing city with
thousands of new homes constructed
every year and traffic causing major
problems.
The main attraction is the Blue
Mosque Temple, completed in 1660,
which is now a museum. The roof is
supported by 107 columns, built ofmany colours of marble, and ithouses unbelievable wealth in jewelsand armour.They also visited the GrandBazaar, which is 4,000 small shopsunder one roof. Some government-
inspected shops sold hand-knotted
carpets and costly jewelry.
The final stop was the island of
Malta where many houses are
surrounded by walls to keep the
topsoil from blowing away.
A photo album and history book
was on display also.
A short business meeting followedwith secretary and treasurer reportsgiven and notice of a Valentinedessert shoot party to be held onFriday, Feb. 13 at 1 p.m. The lateGordon Bosman’s name will beentered in the USCO Book of
Remembrance.
Happy Birthday was sung to Lois
Chamney.
The field man for Zone 8, Charles
Reid, was present to tell of grants
available for seniors and the
importance of sending in
resolutions.
The next meeting is a potluck
lunch on Friday, April 3 at noon.
The meeting closed with the
singing of God Save the Queen.
NEWS
FROM BELGRAVE
The Evening Unit of the Belgrave
UCW met at the home of Donna
Shaw on Tuesday, Feb. 3 with Pat
Hunking’s group in charge of the
meeting. She opened with a poem,
Thinking and recited the UCW
purpose.
Muriel Coultes read the minutes of
the last meeting and gave the
treasurer’s report.
Pat Hunking reported six cards
had been sent.
During the business it was decided
to make more turkey and beef pies
on March 3 and 4. Orders can be left
with Barbara Anderson at 519-357-
3317.
The women also volunteered to
make squares for the ARC meeting
in East Wawanosh School on
Thursday, Feb. 12. Everyone is
encouraged to attend that public
meeting.
The World Day of Prayer, Friday,
March 6 hosted by the Presbyterian
ladies, is in the United Church at 2
p.m. London Conference UCW
Gathering of Women will be held in
Sarnia, April 19-20.
The roll call was answered by
naming a Biblical person.
Sheila Nixon opened the worship
on Love with a Call to Worship and
prayer. Scripture 1 Cor. 13 was read,
and she gave a meditation. The
worship closed with prayer.
Pat Hunking based her program on
Genesis – and raised questions about
all the emotions that were found in
that book of the Bible. Some were
rage, temptation, jealousy, grief,
intolerance, patience, hate and love.
As each member related those
words to what happened in Genesis,
they also made reference to the fact
that all those emotions and feelings
are still alive today.
The next meeting will be at the
home of Muriel Coultes, April 7 at
7:30 p.m. Following the benediction
and grace, lunch was served by
Barbara Anderson, Muriel Coultes
and Donna.
A social time followed.
Evening Unit Belgrave UCW
program based on Genesis
The community extends
congratulations to Amelia Pletch
who was presented with a Trivial
Pursuit board game on Jan. 25 as a
prize for winning the Alzheimer
Society poster contest.
Her poster Healthy Brains also
won her entire Grade 5 class at East
Wawanosh Public School a pizza
party.
Presenting the prize was former
caregiver Gordon Coultes and
Huron Alzheimer Society rep Cathy
Ritsema.
The Accommodation Review
Committee (ARC) which has been
planning for the future of the five
public schools in the area, will be
holding a public information
meeting at East Wawanosh Public
School, on Thursday, Feb. 12 at 7
p.m.
They want to encourage parents,
grandparents, seniors and other
community groups to attend this
open meeting.
There will be a chance
for questions or question
sheets, so concerns may be
addressed.
By Linda
Campbell
Call
357-2188
PEOPLE AROUND
BELGRAVE
Building value up in M-T for 2008
By Keith Roulston
The Citizen
The eyes of North Huron
councillors will soon be
securely fixed on the municipality’s
budget.
At council’s Feb. 2 meeting,
Clerk-administrator Kriss Snell said
he wanted to present a “realistic
budget” to council with as little of a
tax increase as possible, proposing
an initial two per cent increase to
work with.
In the first draft, Snell said there
were plenty of worthwhile projects
in the budget that may have to be
cut.
“Right now, there is $700,000
more in this budget than we wanted,
but it’s full of a lot of worthwhile
projects,” he said. “Today, however,
we cut $450,000 out of it in capital
spending. Right now, we’re only
putting money into buildings that are
leaking.”
However, after additional cuts,
Snell said $250,000 remains that
still needs to be cut by council.
Snell said that council will have to
look at the municipality’s operating
expenditures and possibly into
downgrading or cutting some
services.
While he knows times are hard,
Snell said, cutting capital spending
will not be a permanent solution for
North Huron.
“We can’t keep slashing capital
though. It will catch up with us,” he
said. “If we don’t do anything here,
in this building soon, town hall will
start to look pretty rough.”
Snell added that just before the
budget was compiled, he had an
estimate on how much it would cost
to paint town hall that came in at
approximately $200,000.
With the new cuts, Snell said he
would circulate an updated draft of
the 2009 budget at the council’s next
committee-of-the-whole meeting,
giving council a week to think the
current and potentially more cuts
over.
“Council is going to have to make
some very hard decisions,” he said.
“I think we should invite the public
in to participate in this process as
well.”
NH council working on budget
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen