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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1993-03-10, Page 1 See page 6 See page 7 itizen The North Huron Vol. 9 No. 10 Wednesday, March 10 1993 600 GST included And up and back With spring just around the corner it's time to start thinking about getting in shape. You're never too old or too young to get fit and Andrew VanVliet is raring to go as he watches local fitness instructor Maxine Houston leading the class. Maxine is conducting fitness classes two mornings a week in the basement of Duff's United Church, Walton. Huronlea fire agreement passes Community Blyth figure and power skaters present carnival Sports Bulls, Barons near playoff series end Government County councillors hold off on voting change decision See page 11 News Area snowmobilers tour trails with magazine publisher See page 21 Officers lay charges following arena brawl County taxes to increase 4.33 % Despite efforts to bring in a bud- get with a zero per cent tax increase, Huron County council Thursday approved a budget that will mean a 4.33 per cent increase in taxes. The result will mean a tax increase for county purposes to an average home assessed at $71,000 of $8.62 said Bill Alcock, county treasurer. Someone with a house assessed at $100,000 will pay $12 more. The efforts to hold all budgets steady at the 1991 rate were stymied by the rising cost of wel- fare, the cost of the county's waste management study and the opening of the new Huronview and Huron- lea projects which will mean that for part of this year the county will actually operate three homes for the aged, the two new ones plus the existing home. The move will cost Huronview $256,000 extra. The overall increase in county expenses will be 1.85 for 1992, including these expenses. - But the county doesn't have as much manoeuvering room this year as last because it is carrying a deficit from 1992 of $131,852, rather than the surplus of $125,376 from 1991 which was used last year to reduce the mill rate. It meant a net difference of $257,228 that must be found in the 1993 budget. The county will also lose rent of $23,200 on the former Children's Aid Society building which that agency has vacated. The deficit could have been worse but for a decision to increase Area girl page at county council KAREN TRICK Londesboro-area's Karen Trick was page at Huron County Coun- cil's March 4 meeting at Goderich. fees for land severance consents and chop $250,000 from the Huronview reserve fund. Huron- view is coming in under budget and interest costs have been dropping so the cut was possible. While most county departments were able to come in at the zero per cent increase requested, some departments had less control. The budget for social services increased by 15.11 per cent and with welfare costs climbing because of the recession, there's no guarantee that will be enough. The budget for Family and Children's Services, based on last year's requisition, is up 5.67 per cent. The Huron Coun- ty Library's budget. increases 5.57 per cent. Godegkial„Deputy-Reeve Bill Clifford called the 1.85 per cent overall increase in the county bud- get "pretty reasonable" and praised the transition team, headed by Plan- ning Director Dr. Gary Davidson in the absence of a clerk-administra- tor, for doing a job that was "quite commendable". But other councillors were not so complimentary and several were upset by having so little time to study the budget proposals. Coun- cillors received the budget package only on the morning of the meeting and because of many other lengthy discussions, the budget did not come up for approval until 4 p.m. after some councillors had already left. "I don't know how we can approve this," said Lossy Fuller, deputy-reeve of Exeter. "There is no way anyone other than execu- tive members, had time to look at this." Brian McBurney, reeve of Turn- berry objected to starting debate so late in the afternoon. When it was suggested councillors should show trust in the work of the committees that went into the budget prepara- tion he said "I do have trust but I don't have blind faith." "I'm not going to commit my ratepayers without more time to look at it," Reeve McBurney said. He questioned why another meet- ing couldn't be held to deal just with the budget. But Tom Cunningham, reeve of Hullett and head of the Agriculture, Planning and Development com- mittee pointed out that another meeting would cost $3000 in per diems and mileage for councillors. Also, he pointed out, since some of the increases are beyond the control of council the cuts would have to come in other department budgets that had held the line to zero per cent or even reduced their expens- es. "Is it fair to penalize the people at zero per cent (change) to keep the whole budget at zero per cent. As much as I dislike this I'm not sure we had a choice." Continued on page 11 Huron County council Thursday approved the fire agreement for the service to Huronlea home for the aged near Brussels but not before some councillors charged Brussels and Morris had reneged on their promise to provide the service for free. The agreement, which will see the county pay the fees to Morris township which will pass them on to the Brussels fire department, is In typical Bulls/Barons fashion what is intended to be a sportf„ match broke out into a fighting match in the stands in Brussels on Friday night. A spokesperson from the Wing- ham OPP said the referees had requested police be present as a large crowd was expected. A fight the same one in effect with the Clinton fire department for Huron- view but that didn't stop some councillors from saying they thought it was unfair and Morris and Brussels should be providing the service at no cost to the county. A particularly bitter Lossy Fuller, deputy-reeve of Exeter, claimed the promise of free service was one of the reasons the Morris township site was chosen for the new home took place amongst the fans, which was broken up by police. Six Wingham OPP were assisted by two members of the Listowel detachment. One of the Wingham officers was injured and taken from the arena. The spokesperson said several liquor license violations and assault charges were laid as a result. over a site on the edge of Wing- ham. Jack Coleman, deputy-reeve of Stanley township was sure the same promise had been made. But John Doherty, reeve of Goderich, said his recollection of the Brussels-Morris presentation was that the fire service was there, not that it would be provided for free. The big problem, he said, is with false alarms. There are likely Continued on page 11