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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1989-12-20, Page 11Lnelmow Sentinel, Wednesday, December 209 1989—Page 11 ruce County Council Beaver and wolf bounties WALKRTON—Beaver and wolf boun- ties will be back in Bruce County in the new year, even though the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) declared bora- tes illegal and banned them in October. The ministry railed municipalities can't put bounties on wildlife, and ordered a ban on the payments this fall. But Bruce kept up a lobby for bounties on nuisance beaver and wolf, saying beaver destroy thousands of acres of forest and farm land. No reason was given for wanting to continue the wolf bounty. Now a recent change to the provincial Game and Fish Act means Bruce can resume paying bounties, as long as the landowner gives written permission to a licensed trapper to capture the problem - causing animals. That permission has to be filed with the county clerk for audit by the MNR. Councillors congratulated each other on pushing through what they called a "long overdue" change in the rules. The new bounties will likely go into effect in the new year. Tourism promotion four years to go. toward renovations at the two county Domes for the aged. Mit McIver, finance chairman, said the homes in Wiarton and Walkerton need overall upgrading of washrooms, lounges and other areas. He admitted the amount in the forecast might not be enough to do the job. Earlier emotes put the price tag for renovations at $11.2 million, with the county responsible for $5.5 million of that total. Stu Mowry, Kincardine reeve, spoke in support of the need for renovations at the homes. "The seniors' study indicates these figures, if anything, are low," he said. "If you want to get depressed, just walk through these homes to prove our seniors need something. If you don't agree, you really are the Scrooge of Christmas," Mowry told his fellow councillors at the county council meeting in Walkerton on Tuesday, Dec. 12. Another reserve fund sets aside almost $867,000 over three years for a new coun- ty library headquarters, while $750,000 has been allotted for a new, 7,500 square foot county office building in Wiarton. That project has been on the books for several years, and is tentatively set for 499o. ack to Bruce Unlike the reserve fund for the county homes, the Wharton office has both op- ponents and defennder s. on Andrews, ruce Township reeve was amo those who said they aren't against the building, but they are against a building costing three quarters of a million dollar& Others argued the library headquarters and Wiarton o nice would be combined to save money. Compared to capital spending in 1989, the proposed forecast is up an average 19.5 per cent in each of the next five years, but McIver said the impact on the overall county levy will be 2.5 per cent increase a year each year until 1994, bas- ed on 1989 taxes. Many councillors were cautious about the big jump in capital spending. "Education is up by double digits and we have our municipal budgets to worry about," said Weir Sheane, Kincardine Township reeve. "I don't argue the need for these projects, but can we afford it?" Those worries and continued debate over the Wiarton building led council to delay the vote on the capital forecast un- til January. In the meantime, reeves will get their own municipalities to figure out what its impact will be in local tax dollars. Mclver was unable to predict what the levy increase will be with operation and inflation costs added to the capital forecast, but said the county is in good financial shape as the 1989 year-end approaches. He described the capital list as "ag- gressive" and "progressive," and said with some tightening up en the operations side, the county could expect a "reasonable" mill rate increase for 1990. Protests mounting Letters protesting Bruce County's plan to sell 3,100 acres of Bruce Peninsula forest are mounting. But the county's planning director says the federal govern- ment, not the county, is to blame for the situation. So far, Bruce has received more than 280 letters protesting the plan to sell county forests near Cameron Lake into private hands. Don Scott, county planner, admits the sale would have "serious im- plications" for the Bruce Trail and the Bruce National Park, but said the pro- blem is with Public Works Canada. The federal government wants the land to be Turn to page 12 • One of the first jobs Bruce County's new agriculture and tourism coordinator will have is explaining the county's stand on tourist promotion. Sally Wright was hired December 1 after Bruce County decided to pull its funding from the Grey -Bruce Tourist Association (GBTA) . Wright said in addition to developing long and short-term plans to promote Bruce County, she has to put straight the misconception that Bruce County is set- ting up its own tourist association. •I'm not setting up a tourist associa- tion. The county has no intention what- soever Of forming a tourist association. The county wants to make sure it is here to support the efforts of the tourist com- mittees," Wright said. There are now three tourist committees serving different parts of Bruce County. The GBTA serves as an umbrella group for those committees 'and others in Grey County and Owen Sound. Wright supports the _GBTA, but said Bruce had to establish its own coor- dinator because of the funding and 'political problems that plagued that group. "Bruce has created this position to assure the continuity of tourist promo- tion." Some councillors complained at county council's meeting Tuesday, Dec. 12 of the continued criticism they are getting from tourist operators and the public for their decision. A letter from Mamie Cammidge, owner of a tourist lodge in Southampton, said the county should have opted for its own coordinator and continued membership in the GBTA. She accused council of acting without first consulting tourist operators, and said there would be less frustration toward the county if council would ex- plain its plans to the public. John Gambel, Huron Township reeve, agreed that the county has "taken a lot of knocks for our decision." "We should take the offensive now and explain what we're doing and how the new coordinator fits into the structure," Gambel said. Brad Davis reeve of St. Edmunds Township said the county "stabilized" its own tourist promotion efforts by remov- ing it from the uncertainty of a joint ven- ture with Grey and Owen Sound. "We don't have to worry if Grey is go- ing to withhold funds or fire the director or whatever," Davis said, referring to past political and financial ,problems faces by the GBTA. "It won't matter to us when we have our own coordinator and advisory committee and can carry on the agenda." Capital forecast Have A Very Merry Christmas And A Safe And Happy New -Year: Sherry and Mandy etin LUCK.NOW specializing in 328-3204 Lbigerie and Maternity Fashion • °.)f Z • AO off Gift Items Teddy Bears. Cosmetics Bags. Ceramics, Bair Bows. Bands. hanger. soap baskets. A capital forecast proposed by Bruce County's finance committee could cost taxpayers $5,152,604 th 1994. The biggest item on the list is $3.4 million in reserve funds over the next OPEN THIS WEEK MON. o Fill. 9 Ali - 9 PM SAT. 'TIL 5 PM