HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2018-08-23, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2018.
After a significant amount of
debate, Morris-Turnberry Council
has begun the process to change its
animal control and zoning bylaws to
allow pot-bellied and miniature pigs
in settlement areas.
Walton resident Andrew Somers
requested the change after it was
discovered that he had two such
animals living in his home.
A wind storm took down a fence at
his property, resulting in one of his
pigs walking the path Somers
normally took to get his mail. A
neighbour then called the authorities
regarding the swine at large.
At that point Somers discovered
that the animals weren’t allowed in
Morris-Turnberry.
He claims to have contacted
Huron County staff, who told him
the animals were allowed, but at the
time had not checked if Morris-
Turnberry had rules against them.
After a presentation made by
Somers earlier this year, Morris-
Turnberry staff were directed to
investigate how other municipalities
handle the issue and further consult
with staff and experts as to whether
the animals should be allowed.
The report from that investigation
was presented to Morris-Turnberry
Council during its Aug. 7 meeting
and it outlined that swine are
livestock, Somers’ pigs are
considered swine and, under the
current bylaws, the animals won’t be
allowed.
Council appointed a committee to
produce the report that included
Administrator Clerk-Treasurer
Nancy Michie, Chief Building
Official Kirk Livingston, Animal
Control Officer Bob Trick and
Deputy-Clerk Kim Johnston.
Experts consulted included a
veterinarian, the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
(OMAFRA) in addition to those on
the committee.
The report also stated that, with
the exception of Huron-Kinloss and
Stratford, nearly all nearby
municipalities prohibit the animals
including Ashfield-Colborne-
Wawanosh, Central Huron,
Goderich, Huron East, Howick,
North Huron and six others.
Woodstock also allows the animals,
but requires a 200-foot setback from
whatever building houses the pigs
and any neighbours’ structures.
The report outlined several options
and the necessary work that would
follow. The two options that
councillors tried to pursue included
maintaining the status quo and
giving Somers 30 to 60 days to
remove the animals from his
property or allowing the animals to
stay by changing the animal control
and zoning bylaws. A third option
that council didn’t pursue involved
setting an exemption for Somers’
property from the zoning and animal
control bylaws for the two pigs he
currently owns. Council discussed
the idea, but in the end felt that a
one-off solution would only cause
more problems in the future.
“The problem is, that is setting a
precedence,” Councillor John
Smuck said. “We can’t just give it to
one person... I’m of an open mind
here, and if we want to [allow the
animals] let’s set rules for it.”
Smuck went on to say that he did
some research on the animals,
saying that most people who have
the animals end up sending them to
pet rescues. He also said his research
indicates that the majority of
municipalities don’t allow them, but
if council wanted to buck that trend,
he would continue to have an open
mind towards the discussion.
Councillor Sharen Zinn agreed
with Smuck’s findings, saying that
her own research indicated that
Stratford’s pet rescue is overrun with
the animals right now.
Deputy-Mayor Jamie Heffer said
his research had uncovered that
regardless of what council decided,
the animals would need to be kept
under the same guidelines as
commercial pigs. He said that,
through Ontario Pork, the Canadian
Food Inspection Agency managed
the animals, and that regardless of
whether Morris-Turnberry allowed
them or not, Somers would need to
meet expectations set out through
that program.
That included not only having
implants to identify the animals, but
also, any time the animals leave the
property, that activity needs to be
registered through Ontario Pork.
Heffer said there was no
discrimination between whether the
animals were kept in rural or urban
areas. Michie, later in the meeting,
reminded council that regardless of
the Ontario Pork rules and
involvement, council needed to
decide what was to be done with the
municipality’s own bylaws.
Councillor Jim Nelemans, one of
the council members who eventually
voted against allowing the animals
in the municipality, said that Morris-
Turnberry was following the lead of
its neighbouring municipalities and
he didn’t see a reason to change the
bylaw.
Zinn said she felt that the animal
control bylaw had been well-vetted
before being implemented in 2013,
including significant consultation,
and didn’t know if it was fitting to
change it.
Smuck commented that he didn’t
see the pigs as a problem from a
water-quality standpoint, if they
were cared for properly. He
commented they would not be any
different from cat or dogs.
“One or two pot-bellied pigs aren’t
going to do anything,” he said.
Nelemans, after hearing the
debate, made a motion to maintain
the status quo, not allowing the
animals, but giving Somers 60 days
to find a new home for the animals
instead of the 30 suggested in the
report.
Smuck seconded the motion to
further the debate, however
Nelemans was the only person to
vote to maintain the status quo.
Nelemans said that “a pig is a pig”
and allowing people to keep the
animals in the municipality could
result in a resident raising an animal
in their backyard for slaughter.
Smuck explained he didn’t vote to
keep the ban in place on the animals
because he felt that if the animals
were licensed like other exotic
animals under the municipality’s
animal control bylaw, it would be
completely reasonable. Zinn said she
didn’t want to see any changes to the
existing bylaw that would result in
more exotic animals arriving in the
municipality, although there are
already rules in place for pets other
than dogs or cats.
Nelemans’ status quo motion was
then revisited by council, with some
members apparently having had
their mind changed through the
debate, as it resulted in a tie vote
(which defeated the motion).
Somers requested the chance to
address council, which was granted.
He thanked staff and council for
considering the option so thoroughly
and preparing what he called a well-
crafted report. He asked for council
to allow the pigs to remain, adding
that he felt the idea of licensing them
was completely reasonable and
something he would support. He also
said that discussions council had
about limiting the number of swine
in a home was a good idea as well.
He went on to validate Zinn’s and
Smuck’s findings, saying that 90 to
95 per cent of pot-bellied or
miniature pigs are surrendered to
rescue, saying one of his was from
such a service.
He said he hopes council would be
able to come to a happy medium
with him and allow the animals to
remain.
After some more debate, Smuck
moved to have changes made to the
zoning and animal control bylaws
including an $80 fee for each animal
to be paid annually. The change will
impact all urban properties, allowing
a total of two pot-bellied or
miniature pigs.
As a result of the decision, staff
will be preparing a report as to what
is required for the animals to be in
residences. That report will be
presented at a later council meeting.
A decision on the fate of the North
Huron Museum will have to wait
until at least December when a new
North Huron Council is installed.
At its Aug. 13 meeting, council
received a report detailing the costs
associated with the two options:
dismantling the museum or moving
and retuning it.
Regardless of the decision, the
lame duck period prevents council
from making decisions with
significant financial implications
due to the pending election.
Council did, however, direct
Melissa Scott, the staff member who
has brought two reports to council
regarding the facility, to continue to
research the two options so the next
council can make the decision as
soon as possible.
Scott’s report pointed to moving
the museum as a pricey option for
the next several years, after which it
will cost, prior to any income
realized, approximately $30,000
more per year than the site and
service has historically cost.
Scott’s presentation starting by
reminding council it had decided
that the museum would not continue
to exist as it was, which meant that
the future of programming, as well
as the artifacts and documents,
would need to be determined.
Council had previously decided to
have staff investigate moving the
museum to the Main Street Train
Station in Wingham, which had
been offered to North Huron for free,
provided it kept the site open as a
museum or cultural/visitor centre.
Scott broke down what kind of
staffing would be required to have a
full-time presence at the centre,
Monday to Friday, year-round. Her
suggestion included summer student
assistance, as well as contract staff
needed to move and deaccession the
collection.
Due to the fact that the train station
is smaller than the existing space,
some of the collection will need to be
either stored off-site, deaccessioned
or transfered to its rightful owner.
Contract staff would also be
necessary to create displays and
exhibits on an as-needed basis,
according to Scott’s presentation.
Scott broke down the cost of
moving the facility, including
outfitting a new office space, two
years of contract staff for initial set-
up and creation of permanent
displays, and other expenses. In the
first year of the move, she estimated
it would cost $106,000. The second
year, which would still include
contract staff costs, was estimated at
$92,500. The third year of the move,
Scott said, would see a return to
more static costs, indicating that the
museum would cost $55,500 to run
annually.
She compared that cost to the
$26,000 annual deficit the site ran in
2016 and 2017, the last time the
museum had programming.
Likewise, to close the site, Scott
anticipated contract staff would be
needed for 18 months to deaccession
the entire museum collection. Utility
costs would also need to be paid and
the municipal archives would need
to be moved. She also budgeted for
packaging and storing of the
museum collection in appropriate
materials, something that would be
necessary for deaccessioning.
The total to close the museum was
estimated at $107,000 over a year
and a half.
After deciding on the museum’s
programming and what to do with
the existing collection, Scott said,
council still needs to decide what to
do with the current North Huron
Museum property. She said that
discussion would have to be held at a
later date.
That decision, however, has to
take into account several different
aspects of the current site, including
whether it’s to be declared surplus or
be demolished, how the heritage
designation plays into its future, and
what to do with the Alice Munro
Literary Garden on the site and the
electric car charger tied into the
structure’s electrical infrastructure.
Councillor Trevor Seip said that
pursuing the station was “the best of
both worlds”, saying that a $30,000
increase to not only maintain the
museum but also to increase the
existing programming was a good
use of finances. He also said that
having a cultural/tourism site in the
municipality would be good for the
municipality, saying no such facility
elsewhere in the township.
After more discussion, council
authorized staff to continue to
discuss creating the museum/
cultural facility in the train
station.
If the next term of council decides
to pursue the project, it will
have to be part of the 2019 budget
process.
Museum decision will have to wait for new council
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Getting crafty
Last week the Brussels Agricultural Society hosted a special craft day at the Brussels Library
ahead of the Brussels Fall Fair this September. Newly-crowned Brussels Fall Fair Ambassador
Amanda Morrison, front, was among those at the library helping youngsters get creative and
submit pieces to their local fair. Clockwise from bottom left: Ambassador contestant Taylor
Dietrich-Illsley, Little Ambassador Kaleigh McCallum, Ryker DeWit, Beckett Noble, Cooper
DeWit, Ambassador contestant Brittany Struthers and Brussels Fall Fair Ambassador Amanda
Morrison. There is another craft day at the Brussels Library this Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon
and all area young people are welcome. (Photo submitted)
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
M-T Council votes to pursue allowing urban swine