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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2007-01-18, Page 1After months of preliminary steps by Huron East council, members of the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario finally came to Huron County to drive Hwy. 8. Deputy-mayor Bernie MacLellan went on the ride-along with four members of the MTO as well as MPP Carol Mitchell. The MTO has now proposed improvements to Hwy. 8 between Mitchell and Seaforth on which construction should begin in 2009- 2010. The MTO is currently working on the preliminary design and an environmental assessment before anything else can happen. MacLellan said that he brought up paved shoulders as an option and that he “nearly got laughed out of the car.” Financially it is not a possibility MacLellan said he was told. MacLellan also said that it is undecided at this point, but it is possible that the Minister of Transportation might make the trip down for an official announcement. Councillor Joe Steffler was not as optimistic however and feels the government may be missing the point on this issue. “At least we got their attention,” Steffler said. One of the issues that has come up is the issue of guiderails. MacLellan says that the MTO is trying to avoid guiderails at all costs because of the inconvenience that they pose to wide farming equipment and trucks, but there are laws about guiderails. MacLellan said that the government is going to look into possibly purchasing land and/or altering landscapes whenever possible to avoid guiderails. In a detailed letter to clerk- administrator Jack McLachlan, there are 15 points to the improvement schedule that say the improvements The Citizen Volume 23 No. 3 Thursday, Jan. 18, 2007 $1.25 ($1.18 + 7c GST) Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Inside this week Pg. 3 Pg. 6 Pg. 7 Pg. 9 Pg. 19 New owners at Radford’s North Huron to vie for Hockeyville M-T finances in good shape PeeWee team gets tourney gold Watchmen come to Blyth Incidents of graffiti vandalism have taken centre stage so far in 2007, with several incidents in the area not even halfway through January. The most recent streak of these occurred over the evenings of Jan. 12 and Jan. 13 with three incidents taking place over the two nights. Between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. on the evening of Jan. 12, profanity, rude gestures and derogatory remarks were spraypainted on the walls of Central Huron Secondary School in Clinton. When a nearby resident noticed the behaviour, the resident went out to confront the youths. The resident was unable to find the suspects and woke up to profanity spraypainted on their vehicle and a child’s play set. Later that night, vandals were observed spraypainting obscenities on Colborne school around 11:30 p.m. The next night, profanity was spraypainted on the windows and back door of the Fordwich United Church. This rash of incidents comes on the heels of several others in Goderich dating back to late December of 2006. On Jan. 9, Goderich Plastics had profanity spraypainted on two loading bay doors and a trailer, while St. Marys Catholic School had its walls, tarmac and picnic tables vandalized. In December, there were incidents at the Goderich District Collegiate Institute, the Goderich courthouse gazebo and windows were smashed on four buses at Laidlaw Bus Lines. Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to call the OPP or Crimestoppers at 1-800- 222-TIPS. An inconvenient snowfall After an extremely mild December, Blyth and the surrounding area got dumped on in the neighbourhood of 10-15 centimetres of snow preceeded by freezing rain and ice pellets early Monday morning. With schools declaring a snow day, the kids were home and ready to be put to work, like Joshua and Brianna Kuperus who shoveled their driveway with the help of three of their sisters. (Shawn Loughlin photo) Morris-Turnberry council has approved a motion to examine election reforms including abolishing the ward system. The issue was raised at the Jan. 9 meeting by councillor Paul Gowing who noted there were questions at the ratepayers meeting in Bluevale prior to the last election. “Half the people are not getting to vote on half the council,” he said of the ward system in which Morris residents vote for their representatives and Turnberry residents vote for theirs. “You’re voted in in that ward to represent those people but you come to this council and you vote on issues for everyone,” Gowing said. While saying he could see the need for a ward system where there were rural and urban areas or a far- flung geographic area, Gowing said “In Morris-Turnberry we’re so similar there is no benefit to have separate wards.” “Why have only the mayor that everyone can vote for,” wondered councillor Lynn Hoy. But councillor Bill Thompson disagreed. “If you do away with the ward system all six councillors could come from the south end of Morris or the north end of Turnberry,” he said. “People like to have someone they can call.” Councillor Mark Beaven said he’d opposed abandoning the ward system when he’d lived in Huron East because of the diversity and geographic size of the municipality but Morris-Turnberry might be a different case. “In my mind I am representative of Morris,” he explained of the dilemma of councillors, “but I’m told I should be representing all residents.” Beaven felt however that before any changes are made, there be plenty of opportunity to debate the issue. He suggested an old-fashioned town hall meeting, perhaps with arguments for both sides being put forward in a debate. Whatever the proposal it should be put to a ballot of ratepayers, he said. “Maybe we would also be deciding if we should elect the deputy-mayor and if we need as many councillors,” said Gowing. Currently there are three councillors from each ward plus the mayor with the deputy-mayor appointed by council from the opposite ward to that represented by the mayor. By a four to two vote, councillors approved a motion to investigate the possibility of abolishing the ward system, electing the deputy-mayor and reducing the number of councillors. Supporting the motion were deputy-mayor Jim Nelemans and councillors Hoy, Beaven and Gowing. Opposing the motion were councillors Edna McLellan and Thompson. There will be a Blyth farmers’ market for 2007. Meeting Saturday in Blyth, the vendors decided to continue for the coming summer. The dates will co- incide with the Blyth Festival season, beginning Saturday, June 30 and concluding Saturday, Sept. 15. One additional vendor committed at the meeting and several other possible vendors expressed interest, allowing the market to continue, though more vendors will still be sought. In a significant change, vendors voted to open the market to those selling crafts and goods they had not produced themselves. Until now the market had been restricted to produce and baking and homemade crafts. The market will also invite local church and service groups to take a turn operating a bake sale table at the market. Two long-term vendors at the meeting reported that 2006 had been their best year yet at the market. In an effort to make 2007 even more successful the market committee plans to hold regular special events to add to the market atmosphere and attract more local customers. M-T to examine election reforms By Keith Roulston The Citizen Market will continue Vandals deface schools, church Ministry reps drive Hwy. 8 By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Contined on page 6