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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-03-26, Page 1News______■_____Sports_____■ Business Government Brussels Minor Hockey presents special award See page 2 Brussels Tykes take playoff championship See page 10 Blyth now has old treasures on its main street See page 21 Citizen Vol. 13 No 12 Wednesday, March 26,1997 The North Huron 70e + 5e gst750 Purrfect pals Residents of Huronlea in Brussels have been enjoying the companionship of two new tenants since the arrival of Suzy Q and Sylvia. Sarah Barbour, left, holding Suzy Q is the principle caregiver of the cats, which have been coyly adjusting to all the attention lathered on them by the staff, residents and guests. Spending some quality time with Sarah, is Michelle Cook of Blyth, who was a happy volunteer at the county home during her March break. Cool spring means slow start for season’s maple syrup crop With spring slow to warm and cold winds still blowing across the region, local maple syrup producers are finding the sap running more like molasses. Though they started harvesting the crop Feb. 26, Susanne Robinson of RR 2, Auburn said they have had a lot of weeks to rest in between. "We would boil a week then take a week off, then boil again." With warmer weather predicted, Robinson, who said they have about half the crop gathered, expects the sap to break loose this week. Normally, the run finishes by the end of March, but last year they boiled until April 5, so this year could be the same, she said. Doug Smith of the Blyth area, agrees that the season has been slow so far. "The winds won't calm down and the temperature won't go up," he said. Smith has only one-quarter to one-third of the crop off when he usually has two- thirds by this point. With the forecast calling for warmer temperatures and rain, Smith said a good week could allow him to catch up, though in recent years it has been difficult to get four of five good days in a row. Though the season has been slow to start, Barb Storey-of RR1, Seaforth, said the quality is nice and the colour is light, due to the cold weather. Storeys did not start boiling until March 19, then did a little on Saturday and hoped to do more this week. "Sales are good. I don't have enough syrup yet to fill them and they keep coming in," she said. "We anticipate the sap will run beyond the Easter weekend." FOA dinner heats up with talk of amalgamation See page 24 Tax changes could hit rural ratepayers hard By Janice Becker Citizen staff For rural residents, whether they are farmers or not, property taxes could take a dramatic hike upward if the provincial government's pro­ posed change to farmland taxation remains. The government's system for financing services, which covered everything from education to high­ ways and welfare, has changed drastically in the last few months and has not left the farm tax rebate untouched. Since the inception of the farm tax rebate more than 25 years ago, farm acreage was taxed as produc­ tive land, with the full bill paid through the municipality then the education portion rebated through the provincial government. In the announcement of a few weeks ago, the Progressive Conser­ vative government plans to tax farm land at 25 percent of the mill rate. Since then, farm organizations and rural municipalities alike have been trying to inform the govern­ ment of the impact such a change would have on the finances of the affected municipalities. In Grey Twp., the total assess­ ment value is $120,000,000, said Clerk-Treasurer Brad Knight. "Of that amount, $66 million is affected by the 25 per cent mill rate." Based on the 1996 mill rate, Knight said, "41 per cent of the money raised for municipal purpos­ es would be lost or $144,700 from a total of $352,000." Similar numbers are seen in Morris Twp. where Clerk-Treasurer Nancy Michie said 38 per cent of the assessment would be affected. "Working with the 1996 mill rate and the 1998 assessment, Morris Twp. would have to increase the rate one mill to raise enough money to cover the municipal and county portion of taxes and to offset the lack of grant money (from the province)," she said. "There would be a loss of $109,002 for local use and $81,933 for the county por­ tion." Michie also pointed out that this increase does not include any costs incurred due to the shifting of soft services such as social services, long-term health care and policing, to the municipalities. In Hullett Twp. Reeve Tom Cun­ ningham said 48.86 per cent of the assessment (or $111 million worth of property assessment) was elign ble for the lower mill rate, resulting in a shortfall of $108,000 for municipal purposes. "Townships would have to raise the mill rate," said Cunningham, "and cause a lot of ill feelings between rural and urban residents, including farm residents." Explaining from a farmland own­ er's perspective, Cunningham said, at present he pays approximately one half of the actual taxes when the taxes for the residential portion and the farm tax rebate are consid­ ered. With the change in the sys­ tem, and the expected increase in residential mill rate, Cunningham expects the amount he pays to go up to three-quarters of the total bill or an additional $600 in taxes. "The concern of (municipalities) may or may not be there for an extended period of time, but we don't know how to trigger the funds yet." (Cunningham was referring to the $1 billion Community Rein­ vestment Fund set up by the provincial government to help cover shortfalls due to download­ ing.) "There have been rumours that municipalities have to be restruc­ tured or in the process to get the funds," he said. "It is unfair to put a gun to our heads." Cunningham is concerned about the long-term assistance. Citing the situation with Hullett Wildlife Cen­ tre where grants were intended to Continued on page 21 Former clerk’s appeal denied, council hears Another move has been made in the legal battle between Blyth council and former clerk-treasurer, Helen Grubb. Clerk-Treasurer John Stewart informed council at the March 18 meeting, that he had received word from the town solicitor that Grubb's application for appeal had been denied, by Divisional Court. The appeal application was based on issue of the process council used to dismiss Grubb. One portion of the original suit questioned whether or not that Grubb had been properly terminat­ ed. However, the judges voted 2-1 that council had acted correctly, said Stewart. The judges voted 3-0 to deny the appeal application. Confirming that council took the correct steps in the process to ter­ minate Grubb, the court dismissed that portion of the legal matters, said Stewart. The portion of the lawsuit for wrongful dismissal is still outstand­ ing.