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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1996-06-05, Page 4ILate bloomer Searching for the past History book pages filling By Bonnie Gropp Next year the Village of Brussels is celebrating its 125th birthday. As many of you probably know, The Citizen is compiling .a history book to be published in conjunction with this special event. As we get down to the fine tun- ing, between now and the time the book is published, we felt it might be a good idea to feature a regular column updating you on our progress and seeking input on specifics which our research has failed to turn up. To date, a good deal of informa- tion has been gathered on a variety of subjects thanks primarily to the assistance of a large group of indi- viduals who have guided and pro- vided. I am reluctant to pinpoint anyone in particular for fear of omitting someone, but suffice it to say there are many who have con- tributed a great deal to this project making our work much lighter. While we have dug in on the groundwork, however, there are some holes in need of filling. For example we know the identities of a number of physicians back to the early days of Brussels, however, for many we do not have a first name. Also, while we know of the existence of a Dr. Kalbfleisch we have no other information about the man, including when he practised in Brussels. There has as well been some debate regarding a Dr. White, who some say was a doctor, while others claim he was a dentist. We are also seeking information regarding chiropractors, veterinari- ans or others in the field of -medicine and health care. If you can provide input in any way, don't hesitate to call us at 523- Letters THE EDITOR, Taxpayers of Huron paid for a consultant report on alternatives to building a landfill in Ashfield: one of the reasons R. Cave and Associates gave for not building the landfill, points the way to understanding the world of the future. We are increasingly becoming an environmentally conscious society. R. Cave suggested that Huron Council continue to divert waste from going to landfills, by increasing recycling, composting, 4792 or 887-9021. You never know what might prove an invaluable tid- bit for us. Also, keep in mind the contest. Submit, in 25 words or less, a memory or anecdote that you recall in Brussels past. Not only will you help to make this book a true account of the lives and events that are the community, but you also have the opportunity to win $100. etc. Charging for garbage bag tags was an attempt to do just that. When a bag tag system goes in it almost automatically reduces the waste going to landfills by 40 per cent. The trouble would come when the landfill was costing Huron taxpayers a further $10 million to develop the site. It is a gamble with big money and at high risk to go ahead with the dump, due to the profits that come in selling recyclable materials. How much Huron can charge for tipping fees at the landfill will be set by how much garbage actually goes to the dump. The cost of taking waste to a new landfill would cost $58/tonne. But say, the price for materials going to the dump went up. Someone in the recycling industry could quite easily tell people, "stop Continued on page 6 PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1996 C The North Huron itizen BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1995 P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, Publisher, Keith Roulston BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. Editor, Bonnie Gropp NOM IHO NOG IHO Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114 Advertising Manager, FAX 523.9140 FAX 887-9021 Jeannette McNeil The Citizen Is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $27.00/year ($25.24 + $1.76 G.S.T.) In Canada; $62.00/year in U.S.A. and $75.00/year in other foreign countries. Advertising is accepted on the condition that In the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth. We are not responsible for unsolicited newscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright. Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 Rural Ontario short-changed The Ontario government last week announced a committee to revamp the municipal tax assessment system in Ontario and to untangle the lines of responsibility between various levels of government but rural Ontario seems to have been badly overlooked in the composition of the committee. The committee is headed by former Toronto mayor and federal cabinet minister David Crombie and contains 12 members, only one of whom represents a rural municipality. As well as Crombie, the greater Toronto area is represented by three other members. Other cities in Ontario have three members on the committee. The rest are consultants. The focus of the committee seems to on resolving the problems that would create a mega-city in the Greater Toronto Area, a city stretching from nearly Guelph to Peterborough and north to half-way up Lake Simcoe. It's an area that contains a large proportion of the province's population and so deserves to have its problems looked at. The problem is that in setting up a Toronto-dominated committee, the legitimate problems of the rest of the province are given short-shrift, particularly rural areas like Huron County. In giving power over these rural areas to a panel of city-centred people, there's a great concern they may make ill-informed decisions. The NDP made the same decision when it named former Toronto mayor John Sewell to head a committee on revising the Planning Act. Sewell basically designed a system to preserve rural Ontario as a playground for urbanites. We need someone to look into the problems of jurisdiction between provincial, county/regional and municipal levels of government in rural Ontario but we need people who know the problems and who will have to live with the results. Instead we have the Crombie committee which will have its say on how rural people will live their lives, then can go back to its city life and forget about any chaos it has created in rural areas. Instead of solving problems in rural Ontario, Municipal Affairs Minister Al Leach may have created new problems by creating a committee to study problems they don't know anything about. — KR Neighbours must work together Pride, ignorance and stubbornness are fouling the air between neighbouring Brussels and Morris Twp., communities that have in the past been an admirable example of the kind of co-operation that is supposed to be the way of the future for municipalities. The issue is the fire agreement between the two municipalities and the steps to be taken before Brussels Fire Department can answer a call to homes which probably consider themselves to be part of the village, even though they are technically in the township. Because the Brussels agreement also involves more rural areas of the township and because Brussels doesn't have a tanker truck to allow sustained fire fighting where there are no fire hydrants, Brussels is required to notify either the Wingham or Blyth fire departments before answering a call in the township so they can be on their way if needed. For farms or homes beyond the reach of fire hydrants, this is essential. The dispute arises over those homes in the township that arc within feet of the fire hydrant system in the village. There seems little need for other firs departments to be called in in such cases but the written agreement says they must be called before Brussels can attend the fire. There is an element of pride here. Brussels firefighters and Brussels councillors feel demeaned by what they see as having to ask permission to fight a fire in what is essentially their own village in all but a jurisdictional sense. There's an element of ignorance as well. Morris councillors do not seem to realize how big this irritant is for the Brussels firefighters and councillors. There's an element of stubbornness in that Morris doesn't want to amend the fire agreement now when it will have to amend it again when the 911 emergency response system is adopted in a year or SO. But most of all there should be concern for the residents involved. They deserve the best and fastest service they can get. To make sure they get it both councils should sit down and resolve the issue. — KR E ditorial