The Citizen, 2019-07-18, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2019.
Rutling Holdings
presents
Luxurious 2 bedroom
townhouses
in Blyth for rent
Contact: 519-955-2323
agrutledge@hurontel.on.ca
Yes - I want to save money.
Enclosed is $38.00 for a 1-year subscription
Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . Postal Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
On-line subscriptions available too at www.northhuron.on.ca
You probably already do...
if you subscribe to
Save up to
$2450
a year off
newsstand
price
The Citizen
Phone or mail cheque made payable to
North Huron Publishing to:
P.O. Box 429, Blyth, ON N0M 1H0
M-T implements cost-saving dog tag software
As part of utilizing Ontario Invests
Modernization and Efficiency
funding the municipality has
received earlier this year, Morris-
Turnberry staff are implementing
cost-saving measures to the
municipal dog tag system.
Staff has now purchased a module
for existing software which,
according to Chief Administrative
Officer Trevor Hallam, will
significantly reduce staff time and
ratepayer time spent licensing dogs.
Hallam explained, during
council’s July 2 meeting, that the
current dog licensing process
includes a 10-step system involving
both staff and ratepayers.
The process begins with a notice
reminding ratepayers that dog
licences need to be paid for by May
15 every year, which prompts
ratepayers to come to the municipal
office and process payment for the
tag. Staff write out the bill/receipt by
hand, providing a carbon copy to the
resident. Staff then enter the dog tag
purchase into a digital spreadsheet.
Staff then compare the current
year’s list with the previous year’s
list to see who hasn’t renewed their
dog tags, and, in June, that
information is forwarded to accounts
receivable. In August, the cost of the
animal license and a late fee is added
to the landowner’s taxes, followed
by staff removing the licenses from
accounts receivable ledger to avoid
duplicate charges.
Following that, more physical
paperwork is necessary to mail the
tags to the landowner, and late
payments received after September
have to be manually added to the
municipal general ledger.
Under the new system, a live
digital document would be created
that would only need to be updated
for dogs that are new to the area or
dogs no longer in Morris-Turnberry
instead of starting from scratch
every year, Hallam said.
Currently, the municipality has
475 animals licensed, meaning that
process needs to be repeated to some
degree that many times in the
municipality.
Permanent tags would be issued
for the animals, Hallam’s report
explained, and ratepayers would be
invoiced for the cost of the licence
annually on their taxes.
Hallam’s report admitted that an
automated system wouldn’t be
without its drawbacks, but he said it
was superior to the existing method
which is time-consuming for staff
and ratepayers.
Deputy-Mayor Sharen Zinn asked
Hallan how the new system would
charge renters, and he explained
there are a relatively small amount
of renters in the municipality who
own animals.
He said a separate list could be
made for renters and they could
be billed through the new
system.
Councillor Kevin Freiburger said
he was in favour of the new
software, saying anything that saves
the cost of postage or saves a
ratepayer a trip to the municipal
office just makes good business
sense. He went on to say the plan
almost seems overdue.
Council approved the
implementation of a new policy to
reflect the reality of the new
software.
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Continued from page 1
Gil Garratt said the agreement
means the Festival will have more
creative control of Memorial Hall.
He said that control will allow the
Festival, as well as other parts of the
Blyth Centre for the Arts, like
the Blyth Festival Art Gallery, to
expand their offerings beyond the
traditional spring and summer
schedule.
“It used to be the Festival would
run its season, but manage the hall
for the rest of the year,” he said.
“People would call either us or the
township, and we would co-ordinate
everything for rentals, as well as run
the hall as a public space.”
Garratt said the Festival is still
committed to maintaining the hall as
a public space, but, since the Festival
is now a year-round tennant instead
of managing the space half the year,
he aims to expand programming,
and is starting right away with a
professional Christmas show.
The show, which starts in late
November and runs through most of
December, is an example of how the
Festival will curate the acts that
appear at the Festival more
thoroughly than before.
He said fan favourites like the
well-attended tribute shows will
continue, but the Festival will be
able to make sure that the shows that
come are of the utmost quality.
Garratt pointed to the art gallery as
an opportunity for growth into
longer or even full-year seasons
going forward.
“The focus is going to be growing
what we have,” he said. “We want to
make sure that the events that
happen fit the scope and scale of the
Blyth Festival. The goal is to take
the time to build up to year -round
programming.”
Festival’s sets year-
round program goal
Continued from page 13
lived and died by his motto; “For me
to live is Christ, and to die is gain”
(Phil. 1:21). Near the end of his life,
he wrote, “I have fought the good
fight. I have finished the race. I have
kept the faith.” (2 Tim 4:7)
Thanks to victory through belief
in Jesus Christ, I hope that one day I
can say the same thing.
Paul sets a
good example
Classics on display
Seaforth was one of the places to be in Huron County over the weekend as the village
welcomed the Summerfest celebration. The event included live music at two different venues,
inflatable attractions like bouncy castles and climbing towers, a petting zoo hosted by Auburn-
area business Giddy Up and Go Ponies, sunset yoga, sidewalk sales and specials, food and
drink vendors, face painters, magicians and a classic car show pictured above. (Shawn Loughlin
photo)
Have A New
Addition?
Call for prices and details
519-523-4792
or 519-887-9114
Let everyone know about
your new bundle of joy!
The Citizen