HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1997-06-11, Page 1VOL.124 WK, 24
' WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11,,1997
65' INCLUDES G.S.T.
Restructuring talhs
Lucknow says rio
to county's
by Pat Livingston
After a lengthy and sometimes heated.
discussion, Lucknow village council.
'turned down Bruce County council's May
20 proposal for amalgamations that
would result in eight municipalities in
Bruce by Jan. 1, 200.1.
The proposal :would Combine
Lucknow with Kinloss, Huron and
Kincardine townships and the town of
Kincardine, and give the new municipali-
ty threevotes at the county level using a
weighted voting system (one. vote per
5,000 electors). County council would
consist of the heads (total of eight) of
each new municipality;
In a recorded vote at :a special meeting
in1oss
by Pat Livingston
Kinloss township coun-
cil is also saying no to
Bruce• county's restructur_
• ing proposal that would
see that 'municipality,
amalgamated , with
Lucknow, Kincardine and"
the townships of
Kincardine and Huron:
The,:, county's proposal
would see Bruce reduced
two eight municipalities
by Jan: 1, 2001: There are
currently 30 municipalities
in the county.
In a.te.lephcjne inter-
view.Monday morning,
Deputy Reeve Leo Murray '
• . said they had two con,, '
,cern1s,.,-
"'Ne 'weren't very
enthused about being
lumped in with: the town'
proposal.
last Tuesday (June 3), Councillors Rick
;McMurray, Lillian Abbott• and Tom Pegg
voted nay to the county proposal; °while
Reeve Stuart Reavie and Councillor Paul
Zinn voted yea. The motion to turndown
the proposal' was made by McMurray,
who sits 'on the LucknowfKinloss amal=
gamation team
.McMurray wasn't happy with the
speed with which the proposal was devel-
oped and "thrown at us and now we have
to . vote." •
Reavie, who chairs the county :•restruc-
turfing committee, said it was necessary
for county council to take: a leadership
role in order to preserve' a two-tier system
•turns to page 2
of ` Kincardine,'•' said
Murray. "And 'the` other
thing Nye ; were really ;ques-
tioning' Was if the county
had . th.e, authority to
impose that program on
us.
"Butt right now, I just
got 'off. the phone from
talking 'to ': Wayne
Jamieso,n, the county.
Clerk, and he :said yes that
when the proposal is,.voted
on,again at county council
on Tuesday, if they get
that triple majority system;.
they have the right," said
Murray. "And it sounds: as.
if the majority might, be
there;"
The triple majority
1 adoption by a majority
vote'of county council, 2
support :from the majority
Larry
, MacPherson,
was the
'home-grown
:talent' during;
the Barn
Dance
Historical
Society's.
CKNX Barn
Dance in .
Lucknow last
Saturday
night.
MacPherson
belted out.a
fine,rendition
of '"the -
Mercury
Blues'.
(Livingston'photo)
no
too
of 'the. local• municipalities
within the county;' 3.
municipalities supporting'
the proposal must repre-
sent,over• 50 per cent of
'the electors .within the
'county, Bruce county has,
'
72,122: electors:..:
Destine Shepherd, 22 months, was just a wee bit shy . of Angel, one of
the ponies giving children a free ride during the Western Days .in.
Lucknow last week. She felta little safer in mom's (Gina) arms, who is
hiding behind Angel. (Livingston photo).•
Huron` county begins
restructuring talks
by Blake Patterson.
Some :would call it a
scare, tactic, but .it seems.
to.be working. Prompted
by the provincial govern-
ment's recenr forced 'amal-
gamation in Kent County,
Huron County niunicipali
ties. now seem eager -to
restructure.
Councillor ' Mason
Bailey of Blyth said.
Huron County municipali-
ties better come' to some
kind of consensus or face
the ° same unenviable fate
, as municipalities in Kent
County:
Kent County munici- •
.palities could not reach a
consensus on amalgama-
tion and 'a comniissione.r
was called in to make the
decision for 'them: The
coinmissione'r's decision
was to' merge the county's
23 municipalities into one,
sotneth ng nane_oF_theni
. {wanted.
Bailey said, "If that..
happens, • (in Huron
County), 'five Will have
something' that none. of::us
wants."
Councillor +Tom
Cunningham :of'Hullett
Township . agreed with
Bailey, and said, ;"We
should be proactive in get-
ting : hold of our. own des-
tiny."
At the regular monthly.
meeting 'of Huron County
Council . June 5 ,• in
Goderich, the
Administration, Finance
and Personnel Committee.
recommended the best
way .for the county to be
proactive would be to hold.
a:Strategic' Planning Day
next week to discuss a
one -tier .option for county
restructuring. .
But not all the council-
lors agreed. They did
agree that restructuring;
needs to be discussed, but
disagreed with the, timing_
of.the meeting and said it.
should :not be limited to
+turu,to page 3
In. Kent County, a provincially appointed'restructur-'::
ing commissioner• recently decided that23 nto ilei
paiities. and the county will>be merged as of ,lan 1„
1998.
• The new structure will reportedly save $ l2 naillion
and be more efficient than. a two-tier madel.
`1 he'.newly merged municipality will consist of six `
wards with representatives, elected to a 17 -member
manic' council, plus an elected mayor at is e.
The mat waw, wilt eieeertine . members,. while the
county's two majorurn' centres, ,Chatham and.
Wa laceburg will elect six and two. respectively. .
• The new municipality will have 10%350 resa rs:
At. present, Huron eautity's population is 5%372. •
Orme county's is 61,761 (1994 stats).'
• The number of municipal politicians: was rediited
room•
t€athaM Mayor Bid :Erickson likened the news of
tlie::.one-tier system to a deathin the family.. "JO the
cid of the city of Chatham as we have known it,"
said Brick: "k's a sad, sick days.