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The Citizen, 1993-02-17, Page 1See page 7 See page 3 Sports Bulls sweep Walkerton in first playoff series Contest Identify the heritage items to win Special Wedding tips to make your planning easier See page 11 The North Huron izen • t • Vol. 9 No. 7 Wednesday, February 17, 1993 60 cents Blowing smoke Blyth firefighter Murray Black and John Van Santen of RR 1, Auburn turn away from the smoke for some fresh air while fighting a barn fire in a broiler barn owned by Siep and Anne Bosma of RR 1, Auburn. The fire started Tuesday morning when three electric heaters overheated on the second floor of the three-story barn which was lined with straw in preparation for an arrival of chicks that were due that morning. Fire Chief Paul Josling said the fire caused little structural damage to the building but did bum holes in the floor and the heat caused extensive damage to plastic water lines. An estimate of damage wasn't available at press time. Blyth resident Mason Bailey attended the Feb. 10 meeting of Blyth council to discuss his objec- tions to council engaging a solicitor at the ratepayer's expense for an adversarial exercise with the elec- torate. The issue arose following a meet- ing with council which Mr. Bailey attended. In a letter to Reeve Dave Lee, Mr. Bailey said "We were informed that council or someone from council has engaged a solici- tor to act and advise council in a matter of confrontation with the electorate of our village. We were advised that we, the electorate, will be paying the legal bill." The legal advice was sought fol- lowing the presentation of a peti- tion, circulated by a group of ratepayers, regarding Clerk Admin- strator Helen Grubb. Mr. Bailey said if council or vil- lage employees feel the need of legal assistance they should assume the financial burden themselves. Reeve Lee wrote to Mr. Bailey to explain his reasons for consulting with the village solicitor Mike Mitchell. In the letter he said the purpose of the consultation was not for legal advice, but because "I did- n't have the knowledge required to recommend to council the proper action on this matter. I therefore communicated with the village lawyer for advice." Further Reeve Lee said in his let- ter that he was acting according to his duties under the Municipal Act and since he had acted on behalf of the village, it would be the village's responsibility to pay the lawyer's fees. Mr. Bailey told council he saw no indication this letter had been sanctioned by council and couldn't understand why council was "sit- ting back" to allow this. "I don't agree with these tactics or proce 7 dures in this level of government or anywhere else," said Mr. Bailey. "It is taking on the characteristics of a 'puppet' regime." Mr. Bailey finished by saying that while he couldn't tell others what to do, he wasn't going to pay legal fees and would withhold his taxes. Councillor Robbie Lawrie addressed Mr. Bailey, saying, "I don't' think councillors are sitting back. I walked out of a closed meeting earlier and have stated openly that I won't sit at a meeting without prior knowledge that there would be a lawyer present."(Couc- nillors Lawrie, along with Council- lor Doug Scrimgeour had left the closed meeting prior to the regular session, as he had not been informed the lawyer would be pre- sent.) "I hope I haven't created the wrong impression," said Mr. Bai- ley. "I realize this has never been unanimous." He then questioned whether there was a motion on the books regarding the engaging of a lawyer. "My understanding of the Munic- ipal Act is that you don't need a motion by council to obtain advice. Because I didn't know how to rec- ommend to council I felt I should get advice," said Reeve Lee. "I recognize you didn't know how to do it," said Mr. Bailey. "I just don't think you have the right to pay large amounts of our money to do it." Councillor Scrimgeour asked if there wasn't an agreement reached in October of 1992 that no lawyers would be engaged without council approval. Councillor Steve Sparling agreed noting the agreement had been for engaging any professional. He added as well that spending for such things was to be limited. Councillor Scrimgeour then noted that he had not been told the lawyer would be present that evening until 5:20. Reeve Lee cor- rected him saying it was an hour earlier then that. The meeting began at 7:30. "It has been established that council's consensus doesn't limit the legal right of the reeve to bring in a lawyer," said Councillor Spar- ling. He then told council he had been approached earlier in the week by a concerned ratepayer who said council's indecision was unhealthy for the village. "Regard- less of what the decision is a deci- sion should be made," said Councillor Sparling, adding that the person had offered to pay for the legal costs. "I believe we should take this person at his word," said Councillor Sparling. A motion was made that council accept the ratepayer's offer and dis- regard the accounts of Mike Mitchell for the Dec. 22 and Feb. 10 meetings. These would be hon- oured by the aforementioned ratepayer as per specific request. The motion carried. Councillor Scrimgeour then made a motion that any profession- Continued on page 3 Blyth ratepayer confronts council Familiar faces return for Blyth Festival season In what has been described as a "new Blyth tradition", the Blyth OPP lay charges Wingham OPP have charged a 41- year-old Kitchener woman with impaired driving causing death fol- lowing an accident Jan. 28, which claimed the life of a Brussels-area woman and her unborn child. Kathleen Falconer's car collided with a car driven by Gary Souch of RR4, Brussels on Grey County Road 16. Mr. Souch's wife, Sherry was taken to Victoria Hospital in London. She passed away as a result of injuries on Feb. 2. Festival toasted its 1993 season at a gala reception in_the--Ittne Hill Room on Friday, Feb. 12. Artists, media, corporate spon- sors, board of directors and staff were reacquainted with some famil- iar faces and introduced to some new ones. The first offering of the season is the Blyth Community Play, Many Hands, written by Dale Hamilton which debuts June 7, and runs to June 19. While this is the first time Ms Hamilton has had a play appear on the Blyth stage, she has become a familiar fixture in the community through her research for the project. She describes the play as "part of an international move in theatre." The play, a story of the area and its people, both past and present, begins as a 'parade of promise' down Dinsley St. ending at the Rutabaga factory. En route, Ms Hamilton says the audience will meet many "life stations" or theatri- cal events. Several stages will be placed around the parameter of the factory; the audience will move from one to the other. With Ceilie House a much loved face makes her return to Blyth. Colleen Curran is the author of Cake Walk and Moose County to name just a few. In Celli House, Freya Brady is hired as curator of an old home being turned into a museum to hon- our a famous writer who once lived there. Like Curran's other plays there is a variety of eccentric char- acters, including an opera singing gardener and a retired librarian, who just happens to be a practising Druid, converging on her colourful setting. The play opens June 22 and runs to Sept. 11. Safe Haven , introduced by Asso- ciate Artistic Director Greg Spottis- wood as "a beautiful piece of writing, will open June 29 to Aug. 21. First- time playwright Mary Colin- Chisholm tells the story of a young Continued on page 27 • Correction An error has been reported in the cutline beneath last week's front page picture of an accident involv- ing Bryan Allan of Blyth, William Fry of Goderich Twp. and Aram Kassamanain of Cambridge. Cor- rectly written, the cutline should have stated that the passenger being taken out of the car on a stretcher was Mr. Allan while the driver was Mr. Fry. We are sorry for any con- fusion this may have caused.