Loading...
The Citizen, 1992-02-26, Page 15Board of Authority Maitland Valley Conservation Authority elected its new board at the annual meeting on Feb. 21. Back row, from left: Leona Armstrong, Vice-Chairman of Finance and Administration; Diane Hahn, Chairman of Water Management; Ron Beecroft, Director-at-Large; Norman Haid, Vice-Chairman of Land Management; Carman Kaye, Chairman of Land Management and Dave Gower, Chairman of Finance and Administration. Front row: Secretary/Treasurer Marlene Shiell, Chairman George Wicke; Vice-Chairman Ivan Suggitt, Dave Grummett, Acting General Manager and Past Chairman Bruce McCall. MVCA approves budget with 0% increase in levy In spite of decreases in provincial government grants, the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority approved a budget showing a zero percent increase in the levy for 1992, at its annual meeting in Wroxeter on Friday, Feb. 21. Secretary-Treasurer for MVCA MArlene Shiell, warned the direc­ tors they were dealing with a"really short-term way of handling the crunch and the crunch is still to come." Provincial grants, provided through the Ministry of Naatural Resources (MNR) are expected to decrease by five percent this year. These grants typically make up about 65 percent of the MVCA budget. In addition the province has reduced grant rates to the conserva­ tion authorities in a number of pro­ gram areas, MVCA said. The proposed budget for MVCA is $2,089,720. With no levy increase to local municipalities, the per capita cost of the general levy averaged across the watershed will remain at $5.71. In order to maintain the levy at last year's level MVCA had to implement a number of cost cutting measures, Mrs. Shiell told the directors. Some of the short term ones are the discontinuation of the maple syrup demonstration and the soliciting of funds form the Mait­ land Conservation Foundation for the operation of the Wawanosh Nature Centre. Mrs. Shiell said the Foundation has in the past funded development of the Nature Centre but not the operation. MVCA was also able to use sur­ plus funds from 1991 operations. Mrs. Shiell assured the directors that MVCA is not draining the cur­ rent reserve by doing this, but is simply not putting all of the 1991 dollars into the reserve fund. The crunch, Mrs. Shiell said will come when the dollars have to be raised. "By his reduction we will have to eventually raise double the local dollars, plus taking the sur­ plus money is something we can't keep doing forever." Acting General Manager Dave Grummett said, "The MVCA's pri­ ority is to maintain as many ser­ vices and activities as possible." The change in grant rates has had many effects on the budget. The most significant will be the reduc­ tion in grants for capital projects and the elimination of grants for development of small conservation areas and conservation education. Beginning this year, grants for capital projects such as flood and erosion control works and studies, will be reduced from 85 to 50 per­ cent. Municipalities designated as benefitting form such projects will now be left to pay 50 percent of the costs. It was noted that smaller conser- vation areas will no longer be eli­ gible for the 50 percent grant they have received in the past. Larger "regionally significant" areas including Wawanosh Valley and Falls Reserve Conservation Area will now be eligible for 70 percent grants for operation and 50 percent grants for development. There will be no grant for main­ tenance. MNR will no longer fund the development or staffing of Wawanosh Nature Centre. Mrs. Shiell told the directors that the budget is not written in stone. "I'm sure we can live within the guidelines of this budget, but it is subject to change," she said. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26,1992. PAGE 15. B. McCall steps down as MVCA Chairman After four years as Chairman of the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority, Bruce McCall of Brus­ sels passed the gavel to Vice Chair­ man George Wicke al the annual meeting in Wroxeter on Friday, Feb. 21. In his remarks to the directors Mr. McCall noted the progress of the MVCA in its 40 year history, highlighting some projects that he has been part of since becoming a director 15 years ago. The first he mentioned was the establishment of the Wawanosh Nature Centre, which is now visited annually by 5,000 students from Huron and nearby counties. In its attempt to keep the budget to a zero percent increase, the MVCA has decided that they will no longer be able to support the centre, which Mr. McCall said was a great disappointment to him. "If anything should be funded, it should be education," he told the directors. "There is no belter way of teaching conservation than through a child." A second highlight for Mr. McCall was the resurrection of the Brussels dam and conservation park. "When Brussels council asked me if I would be the repre­ sentative to the conservation authority," said Mr. McCall, "they asked me to see if there was some­ thing that could be done about that damn dam." He said many obstacles were overcome before the project was completed and advised the board that in the future, if they have a job they want to see done not to give up. "If you believe there's a need, than believe you can have it," he said. For inspiration, Mr. McCall closed with a quote by Abe Lin­ coln. "You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money. You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could do for them­ selves." Report shows surplus of $113,048 Peter Thor of the accounting firm of B.D.O. Dunwoody Ward Mal- lette told the directors of the Mait­ land Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) at the annual meeting of Friday, Feb. 21 that the authority had finished the year with a total surplus of $113,048. Revenues came to $1,838,492, lower than the 1991 budgeted amount of $2,402,150. This was due primarily, Mr. Thor said, to a loss of government grant funds for water management. Last year's revenues were $1,650,983. Part of the reason that there was more revenue this year, was because of the increase in user fees at the Fall Reserve Conserva­ tion Area, said Mr. Thor. Expenditures for this year amounted to $1,747,179 down from the budgeted figure of $2,402,150. Last year's expendi­ tures were $1,608,506. The excess of revenue over expenditure came to $91,313. Added to that was the surplus from last year of $53,155. A total of $11,057 was taken from reserves for vehicle and equipment purchas­ es, while $42,477 was given to reserves from the working capital, bringing the total surplus to $113,048. 3 WAYS TO SAVE Hullett holds meeting to discuss re-zoning Hullett council held a public meeting on Feb. 18 to discuss the re-zoning of Part of Lot 12 in the Maitland Block from AG1 to spe­ cial to permit the construction of a single family dwelling, not acces­ sory to agriculture. After the meeting council went into regular session, where they approved the zoning. Road Superintendent Jim John­ ston was instructed to send a letter to Ontario Hydro to cancel the con­ tract to service the street lights in Londesboro. Council supported the placing of signs at the Hullett Wildlife Area along Highways 4 and 8, indicating the existence, location and uses of the Area. A policy was established regard­ ing the animal control cage owned by the township. It was agreed that the cage should remain at a particu­ lar location for 48 hours at no charge to the owner of the premis­ es. At the end of that time, it will be the owner's responsibility to pay the cost of the Animal Control Officer's supervision. Council voted to limit the remu­ neration paid to appointments to various boards to that of full board meetings. UUSK ALL THE TIME! A LUBE v OIL & FILTER ONLY $18.95 @ MARCH SPECIAL 15% OFF ALL MUFFLERWORLD EXHAUST AND BRAKES @WE NOW HAVE A SENIORS DISCOUNT OF 10% ON ALL PARTS AND SERVICES 12 MONTHS OF THE YEAR! TURNBERRY ST. N. BRUSSELS 887-6173