Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-10-08, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3,1997. C itizenTheNorthHuron P.O Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. N0G1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@huron.net Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil f AJO 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 tor unsolicited newscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright. Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 Worth a look, but. . . Last week Huron County councillors were presented with an interesting proposition for totally reorganizing the way roads and streets are maintained in the county and its townships, villages and towns. Let's hope councillors don’t reject the idea out of hand. The idea, presented by consultant Hans Muntz of CSL Infrastructure Management Inc. would see all municipalities join together with private business to create the Huron Road Service Corporation which would look after maintaining all the roads in the county. Muntz sees this as being a creative organization that would look for creative ways to generate new revenues. He sees it reducing the number of employees, using less machinery and fewer service yards and garages while maintaining the same level of service. He sees it saving county taxpayers $2.2 million over the current system. Well, maybe . . . But Muntz's proposal doesn't take into account all the things the current roads staff does besides maintain the roads. In a village, that can mean plowing sidewalks, sweeping streets, cutting grass in the parks, helping fix the street lights and on and on. Township road crews also do many jobs that aren't strictly related to roads. All those jobs would have to be done by somebody, quickly eating up some of the supposed savings Muntz envisions. Then there's the supposition that the same level of service can be maintained with fewer employees and less machinery. There probably are greater efficiencies that can be attained by better allocation of the same resources we now have, but county councillors were dead on in saying that service comes first. Muntz suggested that we may have to realize we can't afford to have every road in the township have the same level of service. But rural Huron County has become, in essence, an industrial park. The large- scale farming operations need good, and consistent access. Farmers can't afford to dump the milk from 80 cows because the milk truck can't get through a blocked concession. You can't have 4,000 feeder pigs starving because the feed truck can't get through. A few dollars saved in taxes will seem small to a farmer caught in such a dilemma. Likewise, as Blyth Reeve Mason Bailey pointed out, if the snowplow hasn't been down the street by breakfast, people in town who have to get to jobs out of town get anxious. We have also created a school system that depends on transportation. In fact, our entire economy depends on fast, efficient movement of people, goods and services. If we compromise dependable, year-round transportation, we are compromising our economy. If farms, industries and individual employees lose money, then tax savings will seem small. The county and municipalities should look at the Muntz plan with an open mind, but they must also be sure that they can adopt it without endangering service. — KR You want to lose this? Every time some part of Canada gets feeling sorry for itself, there seems to be a call by someone that the province or region should leave Canada. The latest region to get attention is British Columbia following the musings of Senator Pat Carney. But Sunday night, CBC television broadcast a show from B.C. that showed some of the things that people could lose by hacking up the country. The show was a tribute to the 10th anniversary of the accomplishment of an authentic Canadian hero — Rick Hansen. It was a decade ago that he completed his "Man in Motion" round-the-world tour in a wheelchair. On the show were entertainers and celebrities from across the country, all of whom had been moved and affected by Hansen's courage and accomplishment. Composer David Foster, for instance, told how he had been inspired by Hansen to create the theme song for the movie St. Elmo’s Fire. Some of those, like Foster, were from Hansen's own B.C. — David Suzuki, but there were people from all across Canada paying tribute: Cape Breton’s Ashley Maclsaac and Rita MacNeil, Quebec's Celine Dion, Ontario's Amy Sky. Watching the show it was possible to feel connected to all those people because of our shared experience as Canadians. Do people really want to lose that sense of belonging to all-this? — KR Where Monarchs reigns Letters THE EDITOR, The municipal election in November is a very important one for the people of Huron County. It is important because the new councils will decide the type of local government that will exist in Huron County, and how it will deal with the increased costs to local government. If you are concerned about the services which local government provides - roads, fire, police, planning, waste management and recreation then you should be concerned with this election. The new councils, by their action or inaction, will decide the shape of municipal government for the next century. If the councils in Huron do nothing or cannot agree, then the Minister of Municipal Affairs will probably create a very large regional government which will combine Huron with other counties. If the councils work together like the ones in Perth County then three or four local governments could combine to form a new municipality. A third possibility would be to have the county run everything and dissolve the local municipalities. The way your new council acts or does not act will determine what type of municipality you will be living in. Your reeve is your voice on county council. This council will have a very big say in what happens. Ask the candidates for reeve where they stand - do they want a county government, a regional government or smaller amalgamations, or do nothing. Photo by Bonnie Gropp Writer says talk to candidates * The type of local government we end up with will affect everyone because it will determine the level of service - how often the roads are plowed, to having recreation programs or not, what type of policing, ambulance and fire services. These will be very difficult choices because the province has put the cost of these services on the property taxes. Your local government will determine what level of service we can afford and how you will pay for them. Now is the time to speak to your candidates. Ask them what type of municipality do they favour - if we must change. Decide if this is the type of community you want for yourself and your children. Yours truly, Robin Dunbar. THE EDITOR, We are asking for your co­ operation in locating all former day and evening students and teachers of Danforth Tech, which is located in the east end of the City of Toronto. This current school year, Danforth is celebrating its 75th anniversary and a reunion will be held at the school on May 2. In order to make this event a success, we wish to locate as many former students and teachers as possible and ask for your assistance in achieving this goal. Many of the former students and teachers have moved away from the city and now reside throughout the province. We ask that they contact the school by writing to: Danforth 75th Anniversary, 800 Greenwood Ave., Toronto, Ontario. M4J 4B7 or voice/fax: 416-393-8042. Email: d a n 7 5 @ interlog.com www.interlog.com/~dan75 Our 75th Anniversary logo was designed by cartoonist Andy Donato, a former student of Danforth. * Thank you, in anticipation, for assistance. Yours truly, Arthur B. Kelly (416-691-8375) Chair-Publicity. THE EDITOR, Our sincere thanks to the Clinton businesses and individuals for the generous donations to the Clinton Hospital Auxiliary Penny Sale held from Sept. 18-27. Many volunteers helped with the canvassing, staffing, setting up of the hall, and on draw day. Again we were fortunate to have the use of the Anglican Parish Hall. We realized $5,400 which will be used towards new hospital equipment. Without the generous support all this would have been impossible. Freda Buffinga, Convenor. THE EDITOR, On behalf of Epilepsy Huron, I would like to thank all those who supported our organization during our 1997 Glad Day Campaign in Blyth. Thanks to Blyth Co-ordinator Vai Pethick and the Legion Ladies Auxiliary. A special thanks to all the volunteers, who worked so diligently this year. Thanks also to Blyth's village council for allowing Epilepsy Huron to sell glads in the Village of Blyth. The funds raised during this event will help with support services and to heighten awareness of Epilepsy in this area; as well as, to be used for school education programs. Sincerely, Marj Vere Executive Director.