The Citizen, 2019-01-03, Page 2PAGE 2. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019.
Huron East Council has asked
staff to investigate the potential
hiring of a recreation director.
Councillor Alvin McLellan raised
the issue, which had been discussed
at several all-candidates meetings
and meetings of the Brussels, Morris
and Grey Community Centre
renovation committee. He said that if
the municipality and the community
is planning on spending millions of
dollars on renovating the centre,
once it’s complete, the programming
has to be in place to ensure its long-
term success.
Mayor Bernie MacLellan said he
heard from multiple ratepayers when
he was on the campaign trail who
said they felt Huron East needed a
recreation director for the entire
municipality, encompassing all three
of its community centres.
McLellan said he hoped that staff
could prepare a report on the issue
and its potential budgetary impacts
on the municipality and the
feasibility of the position.
Council directed staff to
investigate potential for the position
in the new year.
Continued from page 1
cannabis outlets, it must do so by the
provincial deadline of Jan. 22, 2019
at midnight.
He said that regardless of council’s
decision, the municipality will
receive a one-time payout from the
federal government of $10,000,
which will be split evenly between
Huron East and Huron County, its
upper-tier government. Opting out,
however, would likely jeopardize
any further benefits from the
legalization of marijuana.
Mayor Bernie MacLellan
acknowledged Seaforth’s position in
regards to being home to an outlet,
but said that after travelling
extensively in the United States, he
wondered how many tax dollars
Huron East might be leaving on the
table if council opts out.
He said that when he would try to
buy a case of beer in a “dry county”
in the United States, and was told to
travel a few miles down the road to
where beer is available, he has
always wondered what that
community is missing as a result.
“You wonder how much in tax
dollars are lost because of that
decision,” he said.
Council passed the motion to not
exercise its right to opt out, with the
ability to revisit the issue before the
Jan. 22, 2019 deadline.
Central Huron is looking for a
home for $50,000 in “Energy Zone”
equipment from the Clinton YMCA
at the end of its useful life.
Council approved a motion at
Monday night’s meeting to
authorize the removal of the
equipment from the Central Huron
Community Centre (the home of the
YMCA), directing staff to
investigate potentially donating the
equipment to the Goderich Lions
Club for its Camp Klahanie, which
is in Central Huron.
The equipment was first
purchased by Central Huron Council
for the YMCA. The package
contained a rock-climbing wall,
several punching bags and an
electronic, interactive dance floor.
All of the equipment was aimed at
engaging children between the ages
of five and 12.
Mayor Jim Ginn said he was
“disappointed” in the lack of use of
the equipment, saying that those
operating the Central Huron YMCA
could have done more to use it to its
full potential.
Now, however, it has reached the
end of its useful life and there would
be nothing to be gained from trying
to sell the equipment, several
councillors said. There would likely
be a significant cost associated with
removing the equipment for sale,
Councillor Alex Westerhout said,
which would likely offset any
money to be made by selling it.
Councillor Michael Russo first
raised the issue of potentially
donating it within the municipality
and Ginn said that was exactly what
he was thinking as well.
Council directed Chief
Administrative Officer Steve
Doherty to investigate donating the
equipment to the Lions if it could be
used at the camp.
***
Councillor Marg Anderson has
requested a report regarding the
elimination of the one-third
tax exemption for municipal
councillors, wanting to know where
Central Huron councillor pay
compared up to that of councillors
from neighbouring municipalities.
Some municipalities, as well as
Huron County, have raised
councillor remuneration in order to
offset the elimination of the tax
exemption.
Chief Administrative Officer
Steve Doherty said he would prepare
a report for a future council meeting.
***
Central Huron Council has opted
to donate $250 to the Huron Perth
Agriculture and Water Festival,
which is held annually in Seaforth.
Councillor Marg Anderson first
proposed the donation, saying that
she feels the event is very
educational and a positive
experience for area students.
Council approved the donation.
***
Central Huron Council officially
passed a bylaw to enter into a new
five-year fire coverage agreement
with North Huron.
The agreement is exactly the same
as the one that had previously been
agreed to by council, said Chief
Administrative Officer Steve
Doherty, only that it allows council
to review the fire boundaries on an
annual basis.
HE investigates rec. director
Provincial pot deadline coming
Central Huron looks
to donate equipment
Victory!
The Central Huron Secondary School Phoenix girls’ hockey team celebrated a late goal in the
third period of a special game against the F.E. Madill Secondary School Mustangs at the
Central Huron Community Complex on Wednesday, Dec. 19. The lone Phoenix goal held
through the rest of the third period, earning the team the 1-0 win. (Denny Scott photo)
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