HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-05-15, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2008.
Huron East councillors were pre-
sented with their polished copies of
the 2008 budget that was passed on
April 15 and a bylaw to establish the
new tax rates was passed at council’s
May 6 meeting.
With the final numbers in,
Brussels is facing an increase of 3.6
per cent. That is the second-highest
increase in the municipality with the
highest being Vanastra with a 15.5
per cent increase. The other four
wards, however, all have increases
between 2.5 and 2.7 per cent.
While the budget was passed with
a deficit of $228,932, Huron East
opened the year with a surplus of
$198,067, leaving Huron East just
over $30,000 in the red, a figure
treasurer Brad Knight says the
municipality shouldn’t be too con-
cerned about at this point in the
year.
There are still several variables,
both large and small projects that
could easily come in over or under
budget or not even happen at all this
year, in the case of the Brussels
Library. The new library has
$300,000 allocated in the budget for
this year, but if the project does not
start this year, the cost can be
dropped from the budget and easily
added to the 2009 budget.
The deficit is split up among the
street lighting system, water systems
and sewer systems.
The budget is adopted with
$15,158,571 in expenditures and
$9,148,095 budgeted as the total tax
levy. Huron East will see $2,806,601
of the levy, which will go directly to
the municipality, $4,155,324 that
will go to Huron County and
$2,186,170 comprises the education
levy.
While some wards’ levy remains
high, like Tuckersmith’s $2,473,717
total or Seaforth’s $2,135,400,
Brussels’ tax levy remains low with
the village paying just $892,188 in
taxes, with only $290,618 of that
going to Huron East.
Perry Chuipka, newly-installedpastor of the Parish of NewBeginnings comes to the area with
high hopes of community involve-
ment and outreach.
The Parish of New Beginnings is a
four-parish alliance comprised of
Trinity Anglican Church in
Blyth, St. John’s Anglican Church
in Brussels, St. Paul’s
Anglican Church in Wingham and
St. Peter’s Anglican Church in
Lucknow.
Chuipka, who is now living in
Wingham, came this way after a
nine-year stint in Sudbury and
before that, an 11-year service with a
church in Copper Cliff, near
Thunder Bay.
He comes to the Parish of New
Beginnings excited and optimistic
about the work he plans to do. He
hopes that the design of the
church will help to unite
neighbouring communities in the
area.
Chuipka plans to alternate
between the pairs of churches, lead-
ing a service in the north, Lucknow
and Wingham one Sunday, then in
the south, Blyth and Brussels, the
next. There is a registered, trained
lay-minister who performs services
at the churches on the weeks he has
alternated.
Chuipka, his wife Lore and his
four children, Noel, Peter, Sydney
and Serena moved to Wingham ear-
lier this month from Sudbury and he
says the adjustment has been very
smooth, thanks to the
community.He says there were approximately30 members of his various congrega-tions, who hadn’t even met him yet,waiting to help his family move intotheir new house. What took the bet-
ter part of a day to put on the truck in
Sudbury was in his house and in the
process of being assembled in an
hour and a half, he
said. He was overwhelmed by the
immediate support he received from
the community.
“I walked into my bedroom and
people were putting my bed togeth-
er. By the end of the day, they had
supper ready for us,” he said.
It was this act that readied him for
the kind of giving community he had
moved into.
With two Sundays under his belt
already, Chuipka says he finds the
people of his new congregations
very happy and optimistic, adding
that it didn’t take him long to notice
their enthusiasm.
He hopes to have brainstorming
sessions with each of his congrega-
tions very soon. He wants to learn
about each community and identify
opportunities for outreach, some-
thing he is very excited about.
“I’m hoping to get more exposure
in the community very soon. I want
to see where it can be helpful, in all
of the towns,” he said.
This Sunday, Chuipka will be
leading services in Brussels at 9:30
a.m. and Blyth at 11:15 a.m.,
then next Sunday in Lucknow at
9:30 a.m. and Wingham
11:15 a.m. and will continue to
alternate as the weekly services go
on.
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Located 500 yds. west of Londesborough on County Road 15
519-523-9781
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Sat. 8-6
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Parish of New Beginnings welcomes pastor
Welcome
Perry Chuipka and his family, who just moved to Wingham from Sudbury received a warm
welcome from the community who helped them move into their new home. Chuipka is head-
ing up the Parish of New Beginnings, a four-church alliance comprised of the Anglican church-
es in Blyth, Brussels, Wingham and Lucknow. Back left: Lore Chuipka, Perry, Noel and
Sydney. Front left: Serena and Peter. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
By Shawn LoughlinThe Citizen
Sizzlin’
It was hearty fare indeed as the Blyth Legion grilled steaks
for the masses on Saturday night. Joel Jenkins was busy at
the grill tending to the many steaks that would soon find
plates for dinner. (Vicky Bremner photo)
Huron East finalizes budget
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
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