HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1987-07-29, Page 23THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 1987. PAGE 23.
Mayors, county smooth hurt feelings
Although the historic first meet
ing between the mayors and reeves
of Huron county’s five towns and
the executive committee of county
council was called in haste to
counter stories of what a London
newspaper termed “an urban-
rural" split in the conn*1’ *»-
- ----mere are
indications that such meetings
could continue.
The July 15 meeting called by
Huron County warden Brian Mc-
Burney was designed to address
concerns expressed in the media
by the five mayors, covering such
topics as planning, unity, the
development of Highway 8 and the
creation of a county economic
development office.
Last February the five mayors -
Jack Kopas of Wingham, Alt Ross
of Seaforth, John Balfour of
Clinton. Eileen Palmer of Goderich
and Bruce Shaw of Exeter appear
ed as a delegation to request an
informal liason with county council
through its executive committee,
but it wasn't until the London Free
Press quoted Mr. Shaw's threat to
lead his municipality into seces
sion from the county that the
meeting was brought together.
"This meeting was brought on
by articles in the paper, and I hoped
to have an open and frank
discussion." Mr. McBurney said.
“Idon'twantthistolinger. and
hopefully we can put concerns to
rest, because we are all responsi
ble for the same people."
Following the meeting, Mr.
McBurney indicated that the dis
cussion had been useful, and had
accomplished “a lot of what I
hoped for." And although he said
that continuing this type of meet
ing was not in his original plan, he
did not entirely rule out any future
dialogue between the two parties.
"We’ll meet with anyone who
wants to meet with us, but it’s not
up to us,” he noted. “(This
meeting) has shown that we are
approachable.”
Mr. Shaw’s threat to secede
from the county proved to be just
that, as he assured the county
executive that Exeter does not
wantto secede, but said his council
would not sit idly by if they
continued to feel their concerns
were being ignored.
"We get the impression that not
a lot of attention is paid to
recommendations from (town)
council,” Mr. Shaw explained.
"We have asked (the county) for a
few things, and while we are not
always looking for support, we’d
liketoatleast see some interest
(from the county). We are left with
the impression that (our) ideas and
concerns are being dismissed.”
Although much of the three hour
meeting was taken up with a
problem chiefly of concern to
Exeter, an ongoing dispute be
tween Exeter and Hay Township
Colleen Lichti
Ontario Scholar
Colleen Ann Lichti of RR 2,
Brussels has been awarded an
Ontario Scholarship for achieving a
mark of 85.2 in her final year at
Listowel District Secondary
School, one of 25 students at LDSS
to be so honoured.
The Scholarships are presented
to students who maintain an
average of 80 per cent or higher in
their final year of high school. The
$100 awards will be presented at
the commencement ceremonies in
the fall.
Miss Lichti has enrolled in the
general arts program at the
University of Waterloo this fall,
although her long-term plans for
the future are not yet definite,
according to her mother.
Miss Lichti is working this
summer as co-program director at
the Conestoga Bible Camp at
Conestoga Lake near Moorefield.
She isthe daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
David Lichti.
about the establishment of an
agri-industrial park on their mutu
al border, the meeting did find time
to address several other issues,
including Clinton Mayor Balfour’s
urging that a separate economic
dcvelonn,/»rxi — J- •
r ice ue established
in the county, which would benefit
the entire county.
He said that more economic
development could be attracted to
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Huron if there was a co-ordinated
county program established, and
noted that such an office would not
only deal with industrial develop
ment, but with tourism and retail
and commor^-1
......^«v.ai ueveiopment.
"Wein this county are missing a
big bet, and that’s tourism,” Mr.
Balfour said.
Both Mayor Shaw and Mayor
Palmer agreed, although both
PUI YOW
BUSINESS
IN THE
SPOTLIGHTS!
noted that their towns already had
local industrial development com
mittees. "We need that co-ordi
nated effort with costs equally
----czmeu inrough county assess
ment,” Mayor Palmer said. "We
need the strong voice of the county
going to Ottawa, to Toronto, to the
doors of industry.”
All representatives at the meet
ing agreed that the development of
Highway 8 and the establishment
of a county economic development
office should go hand in hand, and
rf)A * -
Hicvuug ended on a concilia
tory note with Mayor Kopas
pressing for continuing dialogue
between the towns and the county.
Let ’s stop sniping at each other
in the media,” he said. We want
every township, town and village to
thrive in Huron County.”