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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-07-16, Page 20County councillors are throwing their clout behind Huron’s agricultural industry. At the July 8 meeting, Central Huron councillor Bert Dykstra asked for council’s support in getting governments involved in the situation many farmers are facing. Specifically, Dykstra spoke on the plight of hog farmers. “We’ve lost 3,600 (producers) per year over the past five years.” Dykstra noted that prices are at an all-time low and many have to go to the Farm Debt Review Board to help them through the crunch. “The governments are busy helping out the Big 3, and these folks are pushed to the wayside.” Councillor Joe Seili of Huron East said that as family farms went, the operations got more commercial. “Even they’re selling but there’s no one to buy. It’s tremendous the loss in the last couple of years.” Asked what steps county could take, chief administrative officer Larry Adams said a resolution could be made to encourage governments to become more involved. The struggles of the beef sector were also noted. Councillor Bill Dowson of Bluewater said that the beef and hog industries lacked the power that some of the other agricultural groups had. “They need all the support they can get.” Howick councillor Max Demaray suggested it to emphasize that helps is needed now. Goderich councillor Deb Shewfelt said that it might be worthwhile for the county to make a presentation at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference. “We should put together a group with agricultural backgrounds to meet with government at Ottawa.” Adams said that there was still time for requests for submissions to AMO and added that staff would work on arranging it. “It’s never too late to lobby government,” said Dowson. PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2009.Huron East council, at its July 7meeting, approved a zone amendmentthat will see a transfer and storage site for processed organic waste in Grey. Despite some concerns from members of the public and neighbours in close proximity, comments from the landowner, Al Stewart, and Ontario Greenways manager, Stever Gloor put the minds of many councillors at ease. The bylaw will allow for the storage of animal by-product (described by Gloor to be the oil that is emitted from an animal when slaughtered, which up until now, was going to waste) for the purpose of being spread on agricultural lands as fertilizer in North Perth and West Perth Counties. With Huron County planner Carol Leeming on hand, however, some worries were dispelled with a simple change of definition. In the initial definition of the material that Ontario Greenways would be bringing into Grey, a provision included sewage, which took some people, including Gloor, by surprise. In response to that definition, Gloor assured that the material is not sewage, that no chemicals had been added, with the exception of a treatment for odour, which will be applied prior to transportation to the Grey site, and asked that the definition be changed. Gloor describes the waste as being 40 per cent dry matter and comparable to the consistency of store-bought top soil. Gloor assure Leeming, council and the citizens in attendance that smell would not be an issue, with theformer turkey barn that will be usedfor storage being sealed and perhapsoccasionally treated for odour.Some people, however, still had abad taste in their mouth with an incident from several years ago that involved beef slaughterhouse by- product finding its way into Huron East. Gloor said he was aware of the situation and that the storage Ontario Greenways is undertaking will be nothing like that previous situation. Stewart said that the barn presently has several inches of turkey manure on the floor to keep the floor from drying up and potentially cracking and there have been no smell or pest complaints. This proved to be a large factor in council’s decision. Councilllors Joe Steffler and Larry McGrath cited Stewart’s testimony as a turning point in their opinion on the matter. Gloor added that the Ministry of the Environment has also inspected the site and found that it was safe, despite the claims by residents that the site is above and beside a drinking water source. Gloor said that the barn will be sealed and the whole point of the indoor storage is to keep the material dry and out of the elements. Stewart also added that he has a pool on his property, which would be the first place to become contaminated, in addition to his drinking water, if there would be a problem, and that he has no worries. Deputy-mayor Bernie MacLellan, who chaired the public meeting, said that if the Ministry of the Environment had approved the site, that council was in no position to overrule them and certainly didn’thave the wealth of knowledge to drawupon that the Ministry of theEnvironment has.There are also built-in provisionsthat protect the neighbouring residents if something should go wrong, Gloor said. Not only doesOntario Greenways have toconstantly re-apply for a certificatefrom the Ministry of theEnvironment, subject to further sitevisits, but if there does happen to be an odour complaint, Ontario Greenways has one day to respondand neutralize the odour, in whichcase, Gloor says, liquid lime would beused.The motion was passed with justtwo councillors, Bob Fisher and Grey councillor, Alvin McLellan opposed. County councillors to fight for agricultural industry HE approves zoning for transfer and storage site A defence of the right of Morris- Turnberry residents not to have to pay an additional non-resident plot charge at the Blyth or Wingham cemeteries will be considered by councillors at their July 21 meeting. Councillors said they had been receiving complaints from residents after North Huron councillors decided to charge an additional $400 per plot fee for people who live outside of North Huron. “If they can’t operate on the budget they should bring everyone up a little,” said councillor Lynn Hoy. “Everyone in North Huron and Morris-Turnberry should be charged the same. Nancy Michie, administrator clerk-treasurer, pointed out that when a Morris Ward resident died and left a legacy, it was used to replace the roof on the chapel at the Blyth Union Cemetery. Councillors agreed they should issue a statement defending the position of residents who felt they were being treated unfairly and agreed to consider a draft at the next meeting of council. Showing off The youngest participants in the Blyth Fesitval kids theatre workshops presented their performance to family and friends last week. (Vicky Bremnerr photo) 404 Queen St., Blyth 519-523-4792 541 Turnberry St., Brussels 519-887-9114 We have many wonderful books available at... The Citizen Summer Reading PLEASE DON’T TELL ME MY SON IS DEAD Following the sudden accidental death of her son Geoffrey in 2002, Walton poet Patty Banks created a series of moving poems. They are collected in this book along with reminiscences of friends and family. $15.00 LIGHTEN UP, EH! – Humorous Short Stories set in Bruce County Bruce County writers contribute 12 short stories that look at the funny side of life in the county – filled with characters who could live just down the road on farms, in cottages or towns. $5.00 BETWEEN TWO WOMEN Bruce A. Woods’ book about growing up in the 1940s will bring back plenty of memories of the Stratford area and of vacationing on Lake Huron near Goderich. Those were days of war shortages, of horses delivering milk to the door and of warm friendships.$20.00 EDITH ADAMS OMNIBUS Looking for recipes the way your grandmother used to make it? This compilation of recipes by a famous Vancouver newspaper cook from the 1940s recalls recipes for baking, main courses, preserves and more. $24.95 THE WONDER OF IT ALL Huron County native Stewart Toll tells of his boyhood near Blyth, his early years as a teacher, his adventures teaching in Kenya, time spent in Europe, his business dealings in Bermuda and his long love of music. $19.95 CANADIAN CROSSWORDS Test your knowledge of Canada plus your cross- words skills with this look at Canada through crosswords. Words include important people, places and events. explorers, native tribes, prime ministers, etc. $3.99 BEHIND BARS — Inside Ontario’s Heritage Gaols: Popular Ontario historian Ron Brown tells short, colourful stories of more than 50 Ontario jails, including Goderich, Owen Sound, Stratford and Walkerton and those people who have been imprisoned in them. $22.95 RUNAWAY Huron County’s own Alice Munro recently won the Giller Prize for this collection of 8 short stories. Atlantic Monthly called Munro “The living writer most likely to be read in a hundred years.” $34.99 By Shawn LoughlinThe Citizen By Bonnie Gropp The Citizen M-T will support residents over NH cemetery charges