HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1992-04-29, Page 22PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 1992.
County gets recommendations from final study report
Huron county should examine
sharing of costs for such items as
library capital costs and recreation
services, and look at the inequities
of policing costs between rural and
urban areas, the final report of the
Huron County Study recommends.
The three recommendations are
among 20 detailed in the two-vol-
ume report issued at the end of the
process of studying restructuring of
the county. The report's steering
committee decided early in the pro
cess that the study should look at
"functional" rather than "structural"
reorganization so the report keeps
the present 26 municipalities intact.
It does, however, say the county
should establish a process for
boundary adjustments within the
county.
The report suggests the county
look at the issue of inequities
between rural and urban areas in
regard to police service funding.
The study discusses the possibility
of a county-wide police force but
points out that such a force would
reduce the work of the O.P.P. in
Huron to patrolling provincial high
ways and waterways. That would
likely mean a reduction in O.P.P.
staffing at the three county detach
ments at Wingham, Goderich and
Exeter which currently have 52
officers. Municipal police forces in
the five county towns, however,
depend on O.P.P. for some services
from District Headquarters such as
the Identification and Crime Units.
With fewer people in local detach
ments there would be fewer people
at the District level to help munici
pal forces. Currently the O.P.P.
issues all Firearms Acquisition Cer
tificates and this job would likely
be turned over to the county force.
A possible alternative, the study
says, would be to look at the coun
ty contracting the O.P.P. to provide
services to the whole county, thus
keeping O.P.P. numbers high in the
county.
The study recommends the coun
ty study the role of the County
Library system as a central infor
mation provider and examine the
issue of the distribution of capital
costs for the branch libraries. Cur
rently, costs of providing the build
ing for libraries in towns and
villages are paid by the taxpayers
of the municipality, though the
users of the library may come from
the surrounding townships. The
study points out that although there
is an annual maintenance fee paid
to the municipality providing the
facility, when it comes time for a
In the past 20 years, the pnce of
live cattle has increased approxi
mately 225 per cent.
In the past 18 years, the price of
eggs has increased 195 per cent.
In the past 16 years, the price of
milk has increased 250 per cent.
In the past 20 years, elementary
school teacher salaries have
increased over 400 per cent.
In the past 13 years, Registered
Nurses' salaries in Ontario have
increase over 300 per cent.
large capital expenditure the host
municipality is on its own.
The study also points out that
with no university or college,
Huron county has no other refer
ence library facility and the county
library system must try to fill that
role.
The report suggests the county
investigate the potential for ratio
nalizing recreational services and
more equitable distribution of
recreation costs. The study point;
out that there are some communi
ties that have formal agreement;
for sharing of costs for recreations
facilities (in Brussels, Morris anc
Grey the agreement covers both the
BMG arena complex and the BMG
pool) while others such as
Goderich have no agreement with
surrounding municipalities for cosl
sharing.
The study recommends the coun
ty give consideration to hiring a fire
prevention officer to serve the
entire county in co-operation with
local fire departments. The group
studying the fire issue pointed out
that as well as fighting fires fire
chiefs are responsible for fire
inspections. In Exeter, this requires
300 inspections per year. The
Office of the Fire Marshall has
indicated fire code enforcement
may become a mandatory function
of municipal fire departments. A
county officer might be the answer
to preventing forces having to have
their own full-time staff.
Fire departments no longer just
fight fires but also assist at highway
accidents, chemical spills and other
emergencies. This may put too
much pressure on volunteer forces,
the study says, but the alternative
of looking at a three-shift, 24-hour-
a-day professional staff is very
expensive. Currently there are more
than 300 volunteer firemen in
Huron.
The county should also investi
gate the advantages and disadvan
tages of forming a single roads
department for the whole county,
the report says. The group studying
the roads issue pointed out some
small municipalities, mostly vil
lages, can't maintain a self-suffi
cient roads department and must
contract out work. It may be more
efficient to have road incorporated
with adjacent municipalities but
there are differences in the types of
equipment needed and the realities
of the way snow drifts onto urban
versus rural roads, the study says.
The study also points out there
e increasing demands in rural
townships for 24-hour winter road
service with people working shift
work and going out to evening
recreational activities. Municipali
ties with cottage populations are
finding cottagers don't expect to
have to drive through more than a
few inches of snow.
"While a one-level highway
department might improve the
delivery of road services in the
county, the best way to deliver ser
vices is yet to be determined," the
study concludes. "Costs and the
level of services are critical fac
tors."
The report also recommends the
county give consideration to orga-
nizing group purchasing of goods . information network to encourage
and services by local municipali
ties. It also recommends the county
assume a role in establishing a rural
the sharing of information and
elimination of duplicate informa
tion collection.
INCREDIBLE FINAL
*
Use
STAG & DOE!
for -
GLEN LAMB
AND
PflTTI REAN
FRIDAY, MAY 1, 1992
Goderich
9 pm - 1 am
For tickets call
524-4962or524-4816
AGE OF MAJORITY REQUIRED
s-
/
EnJ°ypremiu frornhome.
Our best selling Extra Firm
Restonic Legacy 312
coil available with
full 15 year warranty
Purchase a cipnnn
LEGACY Queen Mattress at
and the Box Spring is FREE!
Sets were S69995
OUT THEY GO! - SETS ONLY!
Limited quantities! Full 15 year written warranty
iUT ■.. Bring your truck, DELIVERY IS EXTRAI
"FREE" Taxi Service
within town limits
11:30 pm to 2:00 am OF WINGHAM
DELIVERY
AVAILABLE HOURS: Mon.-Thurs., 9-6; Fri., 9-9; Sat., 9-5
9
1411 HOMECAJU)
j“t$ I
•I
Walden Photography
Weddings &
Portraits
Cail
Gary Walden
482-7675
.X
BLYTH RUTABAGA
FESTIVAL
BALLOON DAY
Blyth Public School _ 7
Students |Mg|
at the Arena
May 1 - 1 p.m. iff
It's Rutabaga Festival Time*™^
Join in V
Helium supplied by Durham Welding
Supplies through Radford Auto of Blyth
fc
WALTON INN
FAMILY RESTAURANT
BED ’N’ BREAKFAST ___
At the main corner in Walton 887-9517 J
"Far From The City... Close To Nature."
... -- - -------■ -—
Welcome Back...New SUMMER HOURS
MON. TO FRI. 7 AM to 5 PM SAT. and SUN 8 AM to 7 PM
SATURDAY-------------------------------
RECESSION-BUSTER SUPPER
Served 5 to 7 PM ' '1
ROAST BEEF$C „I
Coleslaw, Roll & Rutter, Tomato or Apple Juice ~ J j
Tea or Coffee_______________________________
COUNTRY SUPPER SUNDAY MAY 3,5 to 7 PM ’i'|
COUNTRY HAM & SCALLOPED 9 i
DAT ATA EC vegetables, Roll &
■ I Al UEO Butter, Coleslaw, Choice
of soup or juice and tea or coffee and
Pie or Fruit Cocktail
ALL TAXES INCLUDED
A fl SENIORS
BED-N- BREAKFAST ROOMS CIGARETTES pkg. 25's l
Now OPEN Year Round
Summer Rates $25. Single $35. Double
Includes A Full Breakfast & all taxes
(No Ups No Extras)
V?
All Taxes Included
"Tell us your brand
and we'll get them.5.36