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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-01-22, Page 1Environment B Sports ■______Farm______■______News Local woman helps bomb Texas See page 6 Brussels Atoms capture tourney B crown See page 8 Huron Beef Producers elect executive See page 10 Blyth Festival AD to appear on national TV show See page 19 Clerks ponder impact of government changes By Janice Becker Citizen staff "Things were looking good for us, until Thursday," said Brad Knight, clerk-treasurer for Grey Twp. With a continual barrage of expense-swapping announced by the provincial government over the past week, municipalities are unsure exactly how the changes will affect the tax bill. With the removal of education taxes from residential property and the assumption of policing and social services, Knight believed the municipality would be able to han­ dle the new list of expenditures. However, when the elimination of the farm tax rebate was announced, Knight said, "The assessment was reduced to 25 per cent (of the pre­ vious level). We are losing our tax base." Under the new guidelines, farm­ ers would no longer pay the resi­ dential tax rate then receive a rebate. Farm land and buildings will be taxed at 25 per cent of the residential rate, effective January, 1998. Responding to the farm, tax rebate elimination, Nancy Michie, clerk-treasurer for Morris Twp. said-there are still a lot of questions as to the impact of the change. "In information from the govern­ ment, it says, 'the province will eliminate the rebate and impose the cost of farm subsidy on municipali­ ties'", said Michie. "That is $171 million in the rebate program and another $8 million for forests. We don't know what this will mean, yet." "With no numbers attached to the principles," Donna White, Brussels clerk-treasurer said, "it will be hard to tell the impact." "It will be a difficult year with the implementation of changes, but we are hopeful the tax bill will stay in line with last year's," she said. One positive point suggested by White is the fact that Huron County is already taxed on Market Value Assessment. "Changing to Actual Value Assessment will mean less to us than some urban areas." Though education costs will be Heavy winds driving force behind first major blizzard By Bonnie Gropp Citizen staff Thank goodness, a lot of drivers stayed home. As heavy snowfall, blowing and drifting winds, and numbing tem­ peratures brought out winter's bad side, driving conditions deteriorat­ ed throughout the area this past week. Amazingly, though from the first sign of the storm on Wednes­ day night until Monday a mere 7 3/4 inches had fallen. Local weather observer Boyd Taylor of RR2, Blyth said that removed from the property tax bill, items such as social assistance pro­ grams and policing will be added. "It is more difficult to plan for downturns," said Blyth Clerk-Trea­ surer John Stewart, with regards to the cost of social assistance pro­ grams. "The variations could be large." As for Knight, the cost of social assistance is of less concern because as a rural municipality, he said there may be fewer drawing on those services than in urban areas. Blyth will also be assuming own­ ership of the sewage treatment plant, but Stewart said, "It doesn't appear it will cost us more money because of an agreement with Ontario Clean Water Association." It is unclear how roads and polic­ ing costs will be handled, said Stewart. It could be administered at the municipal or county level. "Blyth council is not happy with social services being paid for through municipalities, but it is all give and take," he said. It is hoped regulations, which will determine figures, will be sent out as soon as possible so councils have time to budget and cost items, said Stewart. "Without the specifics, the effects are hard to absorb," added Knight. The rural municipalities have also received a smaller reduction in the municipal support grants than expected. Morris Twp. was cut 6.75 per cent and Grey Twp. lost six per cent. Brussels realized grant cuts of 12 per cent while Blyth took a 24 per cent hit. The dollar value of the grant reduction is determined by first, calculating 9 1/2 (cap) per cent of the previous year's municipal tax collection. The resulting figure is then subtracted from the prevous year's grant. As an example, if a municipality collected approximately $267,315 in taxes, 9/12 per cent would be $25,395. That figure is subtracted from the 1996 support grant of $92,626, resulting in a 1997 grant of $67,232. Other factors are considered in the calculation, but do not affect smaller municipalities. determining snowfall is more diffi­ cult than rainfall, particularly in a driving wind. "There was a lot of heavy ground drifting. The driving force behind the stormy weather has been the wind." With visibility reduced to nil plows and sanders were unable to keep up so that by Thursday after­ noon many highways were closed. Goderich OPP Senior Cosntable John Marshall reported that despite the bad conditions there were no serious car accidents, a fact he attributes to people listening and Continued on page 14 WCA cuts number of directors By John Greig Advance-Times Staff Area municipalities will have a two per cent decrease in the levy they send to the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority. As one of its final actions, the 32-member board of directors of the authority approved the total levy of $1,584,858,150, which included the two per cent decrease. A new, 12-member board was installed later in the annual meeting held Jan. 15. Each municipality can say yes or not to a proposed levy and 51 per cent of the weighted assessment must give approval. None of the municipalities voted against the levy. For example, Goderich carries 16 per cent of the vote, Listowel 11 per cent and Wingham 4.5 per cent. The board switched smoothly half-way through the meeting from 32 members to 12. Brian McBumey represents the Town of Wingham, Twp. of Tumbeijy and the Twp. of Culross. Norm Fairies represents Howick Twp., Grey Twp. and Brussels, and Keith Johnston represents Blyth, East Wawanosh and Morris Twp. A new financial arrangement between the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority and the Mailland Valley Conservation Authority was passed by the directors. CHAIRMAN RETURNED Ivan Suggitt, who represents Arthur, Palmerston and Mary­ borough Twp., was acclaimed as chairman of the board for a second year. Suggitt said many challenges were faced by the authority in the past year, including large funding reductions from the province, the loss of over half of the authority staff and the arrangement of a new agreement to share services with the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority and the Upper Thames Conservation Authority. The authority also went through three general managers during the year. 1996 ROUNDUP Jayne Thompson, acting com­ munications co-ordinator of the authority, gave board members a summary of the 1996 activities. Thompson told them many func­ tions of the conservation authority Surprise and concentration Students at Blyth Public School, encouraged by frigid temperatures, looked for alternatives to outdoor play during recent days. Jeff Elliott, left, Taylor Hesselwood, centre and Justin Peters, all in Grade 5, assisted in the indoor skipping for kindergarten to Grade 4 students last Wednesday, while the senior classes waited for another recess. Local children didn't worry about windchills Thursday and Friday as the blowing snow caused whiteouts and the cancellation of all classes in Huron County elementary and secondary schools. With calmer winds and warmer temperatures, classes returned to normal across the region, Monday. Secondary school students began their delayed exam schedule as well.