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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 1987-03-11, Page 22PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1987. Don't fear local press. Warden tells councillors Members of county council were urged to not be afraid of Huron County press representatives as a result of what they consider negative coverage featured recent ly in The London Free Press. Warden Brian McBurney made the appeal during his opening comments at council’s March meeting in Goderich. The local press, he said, had been more than fair in its coverage. Editorial in The Wingham Advance-Times and The Citizen pointed out that fair presentation of the facts was a responsibility of the press, Mr. McBurney said. “I feel the local press has lived up to that responsibility and I hope that you continue to be open and honest with (the reporters).” He added there would be nothing gained if councillors were to draw into a shell, trying to hide from the public because of ‘‘this one unfortunate experience”. The Free Press articles had not been factual, he claimed. Statements attributed to department heads had not been made by them. Mr. McBurney said he had the personal assurance of all department heads that none had made the state ments. The department heads have sent a letter to The Free Press asking that this point be clarified, but to date there has been no response from the newspaper. It appeared for awhile that any comment on the articles would be limited to the remarks of Mr. McBurney, how ever Exeter Deputy Reeve Lossy Fuller again raised the issue toward the end of the day’s business. Mrs. Fuller said she had been on vacation at the time the stories appeared, but when she came home there were two copies on her doorstep. ‘‘It read just like a soap opera.” Local residents are deeply con cerned, Mrs. Fuller said. ‘‘I believe we of the council, or the executive committee should fully investigate the allegations made. ’ ’ If the story has done nothing else, she said, ‘‘I hope that it has made us more aware of our roles as county councillors.” Asked by Mrs. Fuller what he intended to do about the articles, Mr. McBurney replied that he did not feel the stories were factual enough to even warrant a re sponse. Colborne Township Reeve J. R. Kernighan, was also out of the country when the stories appear ed. During that trip he had visited several nations on other continents and some of the things he saw made it clear that he would change nothing in Huron County. “There is nothing going on in Huron County that is not going on all over the world,’’ he said, holdingupa foreign newspaper with a headline bemoaning farm credit to illustrate his claim. Bayfield Reeve Dave Johnston, whose early reaction to the articles was perhaps the strongest of any county councillors, said his objec tion centered chiefly on what he said were attacks on county staff. Criticism, he said, should be directed at elected representatives - the ones making the decisions - andnotthestaffnorthe admini stration. In his four years as a county councillor, never has a member of staff voted on an issue nor advised him how to vote. ‘‘Any remarks against the staff of this county or employees are totally out of line and uncalled for. And, I guess it’s a personal vendettaby one or twopeople of this county,” Mr. Johnston con cluded. Goderich Township Reeve Grant Sterling acknowledged the impor tant role of the press in a democracy. The former warden said he hoped for good relations with a fair press in the future. “As for the affairs of the county, there is nothing to my knowledge that has ever been done under the table,” he said. As the member of county council with the longest continued service, Mr. Stirling said he had always found both staff and politicians to be “of very high calibre”. Hensall Reeve Jim Robinson, library board chairman, said his local council was covered by two newspapers and he had always found them to be fair. “I would not like to see them judged by the articles in The Free Press.” he said. “I have to concur At: with the previous speakers and the warden, that this garbage should not be responded to.” Grey Township Reeve Leona Armstrong, lastyear’s warden, told council she was “shocked by the way staff was degraded in the newspaper articles.” Another former warden, Hullett Township Reeve Tom Cunning ham also defended the Huron County staff and urged fellow councillors to “keep it all in perspective.” While it was true that staff does offer advice, Mr. Cunningham said, “that’s what we are paying them for. ’ ’ However, it was the politicians who ultimately make the decisions, based on that advice. 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