The Citizen, 2008-10-09, Page 1The process hasn’t even officially
begun, but already mention of the
budget raised debate at county
council Oct. 1.
At the meeting that day warden
John Bezaire of Central Huron,
initiated discussions when he
suggested two dates to start
planning. Councillors will meet
Nov. 4 at 9 a.m. for the first budget
meeting, then at 1 p.m. Nov. 10 in
council chambers.
“We will probably need a couple
of other meetings and we will also
discuss the strategy of getting the
information out to the public.”
Public meetings held at the north
and south end of the county last year
to inform the ratepayers of what they
could expect from the budget were
poorly attended.
Bezaire said that Bluewater Cable
TV has agreed to tape the budget
sessions free of charge. Also, he said
that chief administrative officer
Larry Adams suggested that for this
year extra money be put into
advertisements encouraging the
public to attend the meetings.
Bezaire told councillors that on
Nov. 4 they would start from the
previous year and go through each
department’s budget.
With the announcement just the
day before that the Volvo plant
would close in 2010, councillor Deb
Shewfelt of Goderich wondered if
council should approach the
planning process a little differently
this year. “Due to the economy right
now, should we be making a shift
and start the budget at zero then
move from there?”
Bezaire said he was not in
agreement with going in at five per
cent and starting from there. The
departments, he said, should bring in
the suggestions for this budget, then
council would try to implement as
many as they could.
Huron East councillor Bernie
MacLellan suggested that council be
told specifically the programs that
the have no control over. “Then we
can deal with what we can deal
with.”
Councillor Joe Seili of Huron East
wondered how realistic it was to
begin the process with a zero per
cent increase. “ We’ve got automatic
two to three per cent raises coming
in. To get zero you’re either going to
have to cut staff or expenses.”
Councillor Ken Oke of South
Huron said his view was that zero
would be the starting point, rather
than starting at five and trying to
trim. “It’s not cut in stone. Staff has
to give us reasons why it should be
more.”
Shewfelt said the county gets a lot
of money from the province that has
been “tucked away”.
“Yes, I agree it may be impossible.
But we really have to look at the
provincial money and put it to
work.”
NH withdraws from
Wingham fire board
Happy face
Mieka McClinchey, daughter of federal Liberal candidate Greg McClinchey and his wife Julie
was starting the day with a smile as she enjoyed the delicious breakfast served up by the
Lions in Auburn on Sunday morning. (Vicky Bremner photo)
Budget talk begins
North Huron council took a step
closer to an amalgamated fire service
for the township at the Monday night
meeting.
Having sought legal opinion
regarding the dissolution of the
Wingham and Area Fire Board and
the Blyth and District Fire Area
Board, clerk-administrator Kriss
Snell said that the Fire Protection
and Prevention Act “no longer
contemplates fire boards.”
Snell went on to say that fire
boards are not able to hold real
property or assume the obligation of
employment. “That has been my
concern.”
He said that if a firefighter in
Howick was hurt, the municipalities
in the board, Howick, North Huron
and Morris-Turnberry, would be
equally responsible.
The same would be true with
Blyth. “And if I was Ashfield-
Colborne-Wawanosh that fact would
upset me, because they only pay
about three per cent but they have the
potential to be liable for about 24 per
cent,” said Snell.
In order to move towards
amalgamating the departments,
North Huron would need to
terminate the two existing fireIn challenging times it’s good to
have friends.
At the Oct. 1 meeting of county
council membership to the South
West Economic Alliance (SWEA) at
a cost of $5,000 was discussed.
Though the request had not been
viewed favourably when it was first
received, warden John Bezaire of
Central Huron, who attended the
SWEA Assembly at the end of
September, expressed a desire that
council consider joining “sooner,
rather than later.”
Bezaire said he had been given a
seat on the board and was elected
secretary. Goderich warden Deb
Shewfelt said the county was
fortunate because at one point that
wasn’t going to be possible. “They
were going to drop us off because
we hadn’t paid. We had to do some
stickhandling and I think it’s going
to be a good organization.”
SWEA seeks to engage
communities in the promotion and
development of the region's
economic potential, particularly
with respect to trade and
manufacturing, agriculture and
agrifood, tourism and culture, and
the knowledge economy. By
working together it is felt that
opportunities are maximized.
Bert Dykstra, councillor for
Central Huron asked if other rural
counties surrounding Huron were
members. Bezaire said in any
discussions he’s had, most counties,
he thinks are “coming on board.”
“Their leadership is pointing in
the direction of support.”
Shewfelt said that SWEA received
$300,000 funding from the province
recently and suggested that federal
funding may now be available too.
“What we’ve been told is that the
money’s there and you will get it,
but not until you co-operate and
form an alliance. I think it will be
successful if we show that kind of
solidarity.”
The membership fee was deferred
to the 2009 budget.
Warden on SWEA board
CitizenTh
e
$1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008
Volume 24 No. 40HEALTH- Pg. 14The quiet crisis inhealthcare BUY LOCAL - Pg. 28County homes get freshapproach to mealtimeELECTION- Pg. 11Candidates answerreaders’questionsPublications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 PAP Registration No. 09244 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0INSIDE THIS WEEK:
This weekend is a time for gratitude in the many
blessings and abundances, the love of family, health
and comfort. To provide staff with the opportunity
to celebrate and give thanks for the bounty
that exists the offices of The Citizen will be
closed Thanksgiving Monday, Oct. 13.
Deadlines for editorial and advertising copy to be included in the Oct. 16
paper, must therefore be in the Brussels office by 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10
and by 4 p.m. Friday at Blyth.
Offices closed Monday
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
Continued on page 7
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen