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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1994-04-13, Page 1Government I News I Entertainment County councillors plan future strategy at Benmiller meeting See page 6 Daughter-in-law of Blyth resident represents Canada at moot court competition See page 8 Colours in the Storm chronicles life of Group of Seven artist *See page 23 Brussels residents steam up meeting On a cold night at Brussels vil­ lage council last Tuesday a group of Frederick St. ratepayers were angry enough to steam up the office windows. The ratepayers were there to sup­ port Paul Mutter who presented a petition on behalf of the homeown­ ers on the street who face paying part of the cost of the Nichol municipal dram to serve a nearby Morris Township farm. "We oppose any assessment to the indi­ vidual owners," Mr. Mutter told council while his neighbours crowded into the office, standing because there weren't enough chairs. "We feel all taxpayers should share the cost. The owners of the properties in the village derive no good from the drain." Under the Ontario Drainage Act, generally used only in rural munici­ palities, the ow'ner of one property can petition for a drain and owners of all properties who have property in the drainage area must pay their share. Generally in urban areas storm sewers are paid for from gen­ eral tax revenues. "It's our feeling that only the farm owner will benefit," Mr. Mut­ ter said. "We realize we are not going to stop this drain but we don't think we should have to pay for it." But Reeve Gordon Workman dis­ puted the homeowners' claim they received no benefit from the drain. "Right in town you can't dump your water on somebody else. Tom Miller (the farmer involved) shouldn't have to take water from town properties on his field." Councillor Bruce Hahn said deciding whether the individual homeowners or the entire village should pay for the drain was one of the hardest decisions he had faced on council. "It's not just cut and dry," he said. "The Drainage Act automatically got everyone involved." At a public meeting March 16, Andy McBride of Mailland Engi­ neering Services, engineer for the drain, estimated the total cost of the drain at $20,500. The total assess­ ment for residential properties served by the drain was $13,000 which, if individual homeowners were assessed, would be about $300 per lot. "I don't think we're even arguing the dollars," Mr. Mutter said. "We're arguing the principle." Councillor Greg Wilson said he had heard about just two other cases where urban properties had been involved in a municipal drain. In Ripley the individual property owners had been assessed because Continued on page 6 CitizenTheNorthHuron County gets fewer reps, more votes There will be fewer county coun­ cillors but more votes following this fall's municipal election if county council accepts a recom­ mendation from its strategic plan­ ning day held in Benmiller Friday. After lengthy debate councillors voted (unofficially since this wasn't a real council meeting) to have a bylaw prepared to adopt a voting system under Section 28 of the Ontario Municipal Act which would see only one councillor from each municipality, but reward larg­ er municipalities with more votes. Under the new system, for instance, Blyth, Brussels and East Wawanosh will have one vote while Goderich will have four. Hul- lett, Morris, Grey, McKillop and West Wawanosh would get two votes each. Colbome and Howick Townships would get three voles each. County council had voted last year for a structure that would have reduced representation from each municipality to one member, but given each member only one vote. In such a way Blyth and Brussels would have the same representation as Goderich. Exeter opposed this system initially but later Goderich, Howick and Wingham said they were withdrawing their support as well. Councillors at Friday's session were given copies of a letter from Ed Philip, Minister of Municipal Affairs who said he could not rec­ ommend passage of the private member's bill being prepared to allow for the changes because the bill did not meet one of his min­ istry's criteria for changing voting structure: that the proposal provide better representation according to population. Mr. Philip also suggest­ ed it was unlikely an amended bill could be passed in time for this fal­ l's election. That left councillors with two options: to continue the current vot- Continued on page 6 OPP arrest Bobkat robbers Vol. 10 No. 15 Wednesday, April 13,1994 6O0GSTincludod Three men were taken into cus­ tody this past weekend on charges of robbery, disguise with intent, use of a firearm while committing an offense and conspiracy to commit an offense. Wingham OPP arrested Michael John Beldman, 21, Lucknow, Michael Grant Campbell, 23, RR2, Lucknow and William Bruce Sanderson, 22, Lucknow for the Jan. 21 robbery at Bobkat's Royal T Gas and Variety at RR1, Wingham. The three, wearing snowmobile suits and balaclavas, had entered the store and beaten owner Robert Crumb, 21, then stole an amount of cash. Mr. Crumb was taken to Vic­ toria Hospital, London. At a bail hearing on Monday in Goderich, Mr. Campbell was remanded in custody until April 20 when he will appear in Wingham's provincial court. Mr. Beldman and Mr. Sanderson were remanded in custody for another bail hearing on April 18 in Goderich. A police spokesperson said they have been advised to obtain legal counsel by that date. Man hurt in stockyard mishap A Brussels man is in intensive care at University Hospital, London following an accident at Brussels Livestock Tuesday, April 5. A spokesperson al the stockyards said that Don Gamble, 62, had been standing on one side of a gate, when a cattle beast, on the other side, rammed against it. Mr. Gam­ ble was knocked backwards and struck his head. The spokesperson said that rhe animal was being transferred back to the pen after being sold in the auction ring when the incident occurred. Volunteers from Brussels Fire Department were called to the scene to provide emergency treat­ ment. Mr. Gamble, a Brussels Live­ stock employee and brother of owner Len Gamble, was taken to Wingham Hospital by ambulance, then transferred to London the fol­ lowing morning. The stockyard spokesperson said that Mr. Gamble is suffering from a fractured skull and a concussion. His condition as of Tuesday morn­ ing the spokesperson said was criti­ cal, but stable.