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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-03-26, Page 23PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26,1997 Johns, reeves clash over restructuring Huron County reeves and Huron MPP Helen Johns clashed, Satur­ day, over municipal restructuring. Speaking at the Members of Par­ liament Dinner of the Huron Coun­ ty Federation of Agriculture in Clinton, Johns said the county is over-governed. She estimated there are 300 people involved in local councils and various boards. She suggested the cost salaries and "perks" of all these politicians is too high for the taxpayer to bear. That claim angered several reeves and one board of education trustee. "What perks?" asked Bea Daw­ son, who is a trustee as well as being a regional director to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture for Huron South. But several farm leaders and Benmiller woman seeks PC candidacy Shirley Hazlitt of Benmiller has decided to seek the nomination to be candidate for the Federal Progressive Conservative Party in Huron Bruce. "The Progressive Conservative Party is the only viable alternative to the Liberals," said Hazlitt. "I feel the Progressive Conservatives can empower the people to develop an economic environment that gives Canadians hope for the future." Hazlitt's combination of teaching skills, agricultural leadership, community volunteerism and small business acumen help her identify with both local and national issues. A graduate of-Stratford Teachers' College, Hazlitt has taught children and adults.JShe is also a former Huron County Board of Education trustee. Hazlitt has farmed in Colbome Twp. for 30 years and is a graduate of the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program. Her interest in agriculture has led to her involve­ ment in policy development for the Farm Plus Plan, a facilitator's role with the Ontario Agricultural Training Institute, membership in the Huron County Federation of Agriculture and mediation work with the Farm Debt Review Board. Active on many community boards and committees, Hazlitt has served as a member of the Huron- Concert performances at 8 p.m. Continued from page 23 Aug. 30). Come home this summer to the magical Scottish town of Bngadoon. It may be another 100 years before the opportunity arises again. Huron Country Playhouse presents on the Playhouse II stage, Billy Bishop Goes to War, written by John Gray with Eric Peterson (July 9 - July 19). Billy Bishop Goes to War has been produced by almost every regional theatre in Canada and the United Slates, and on Broadway. For this one man show, Gray has created a cornucopia of characters (17 in all). Rounding out the season in Playhouse II is / Do! I Do! A Musical About Marriage (July 30 - Aug. 9). Based on The Fourposter by Jan de Hartog, with books and reeves present did not feel that cre­ ating bigger municipalities would save money. Neil Vincent, an OFA regional director from East Wawanosh and former township reeve, said he had never been con­ vinced that regional government in places like Waterloo actually saved money or that people were better represented by fewer councillors. "What we have had (here) is in my idea more a definition of democra­ cy." Laurie Cox, reeve of Goderich Twp. said that larger municipalities will have to pay more than a couple of thousand dollars a year to get people to sit on council with the heavier workload that will be involved. "We'll have lost what we had and we won't be able to get it back," he said. Perth District Health Council Steering Committee, chaired the Colborne Twp. sesquicentennial celebrations, edited the Colborne Connections history book, and assisted in planning and establishing Meals on Wheels and The Diners' Club for senior citizens in Goderich. She currently sits on the Huron Community Food Advisory Com­ mittee and the Huron Employment Liaison Program Board. "Future Positive", Hazlitt's home­ based business, takes her into many challenging situations where she has honed her skills in mediation, training and business consultation. She feels these skills combined with her commitment to positive results will make her an effective representative for the people of Huron Bruce in Ottawa. lyrics by Tom Jones, and music by Harvey Schmidt, / Do! 1 Do! is the story of a marriage. It is the chronicle of Michael and Agnes, of their life together: the birth of their children, quarrels, money problems, love. Finally, the concert calendar at Huron Country Playhouse promises to be the biggest and best in its 26- year history. The concert calendar kicks off July 6 with those peren­ nial favourites The Nylons. July 20 is the dale when Vancouver's Spirit of the West blow into town. The concert scene rounds out the season with the Celtic sounds of Leahy on Aug. 17. All concert performances start at 8 p.m. An added bonus to patrons for the 1997 season, is the early opening of the box office, March 31 for single sale tickets. Henry Bool, president of the HCFA, reminded Johns that coun­ cillors and school board trustees here aren't paid anything like the $50,000 a year trustees in Toronto. Mason Bailey, reeve of Blyth, said that for his $2,400 a year reeve's salary, he had done a lot of research in the past year, talking to the heads of dozens of councils where amalgamations had taken place and their advice was not to get bigger. Blyth, he said, had been resisting amalgamation. "If we could see how our people would be better off, or at least no worse off, we wouldn't be resisting. We're fearful that we would be betraying our people if we (amalgamate)." Bailey said his councillors had gone to the recent Rural Ontario Municipal Association convention with the sole intent of trying to find out what the government wanted in terms of amalgamations but had come back without any answers. "We have said all along that we would leave it to municipalities," said Johns. "We need to have shared services. I'm not sure we need 26 clerk-treasurers and 26 municipal sheds." Bailey agreed there must be cost savings but argued that municipal amalgamations aren't the way to achieve these. "In rural Ontario our people can stop us on the street and they get wonderful input. If we cut to 20 per cent or less (of the num­ ber of councillors) they won't have that representation." Johns said if he felt that way Bai­ ley should run on that platform in the next municipal election, but she was the last person to have gone through an election and the people had told her they wanted less gov­ ernment. she said. 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Ken Alton, an Ashfield Twp. beef producer objected to the duplication of municipal services. "You can't tell me we can't have one road superintendent for two townships," he said. Alton said it was essential to cut the deficit. "I commend the Conser­ vative government in Ontario and the Liberals in Ottawa. It's a crime to pass our extravagance onto our grandchildren." The debate grew out of concerns raised by Hullett Twp. Reeve Tom Cunningham about the financial difficulties that may befall rural municipalities with the changes in the farm tax rebate initiated by the province. Cunningham said that 48.6 per cent of the assessment in Hullett will be affected by the Grief through a child’s eyes The community is invited to attend a seminar through the outreach programs of the Children's Aid Society of Huron County. Organizers are in the process of developing a North Huron Supporters' Group to help people better understand the role the Children's Aid Society plays in our communities. This group will make people aware of the numerous programs the agency has to offer, as well as ways individual can volunteer their time in working with families and children. Doug Smith will bring his expertise to the interactive evening which will focus on helping people better understand how children experience loss and grief. By educating adults on the issues of move to assess farmland at 25 per cent of its value. This loss of tax dollars will increase taxes on farm homes and rural residences. It had the potential, he said, to cause fric­ tion between rural and urban resi­ dents. But Johns assured him that there is a $176 million provincial fund­ ing pool for agriculture to help off­ set the effect (the Farm Tax Rebate had cost $161 million). But councillors were unable to find out if there were strings attached to this pool, such as under­ going restructuring. The government wants to leave it to local municipalities to restruc­ ture, she said, but warned, "some people are saying it is time for us to step in”. loss and grief, it will give them the tools in order to help their children deal with this reality. Everyone at some point in their life has experienced some form of loss. Therefore it is one issue everyone has in common. Smith has the ability to take a difficult topic and create positive solutions. He will give the tools people need to overcome this obstacle they face in their daily lives. Spokesperson, Mary McGlynn says, "I welcome everyone to come out and talk together about pressing needs they might have. This evening will help them feel that they are not alone in dealing with loss and grief." This seminar will be taking place at the Belmore library from 7 - 9 p.m. on March 26.