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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-07-14, Page 1Sports Track Entertainment Young golfers show winning form on links J- See page 9 Area athletes among provincial r/" z ' medallists T. .a See page 10 buteAausUng See page 19 CitizenTheNorthHuron N. Huron group invites Howick to join talks Vol. 15 No. 28 Wednesday, July 14, 1999 w+^gst) 750 There may be a whole new look for the North Huron restructuring committee when they convene for the next session. At the July 8 meeting. Blyth Reeve Mason Bailey and Wingham Reeve Bruce Machan told the committee that Howick Twp. may be interested in joining discussions. In a phone interview earlier this week, Bailey said, “(Howick) knows they have to join someone and the North Huron group needs more pop­ ulation.” When asked how the grouping would work as there is no physical connection between Howick Twp. and the Wingham, Blyth, East Wawanosh Twp. group, Bailey said the triple-majority rule could be used. “We could submit a plan to include others in between. They did it in Lambton when Grand Bend refused to join.” With the triple-majority, a majority of the municipalities representing a majority of the population can approve a plan. The same rules would hold at the county level. Though municipalities have tried to avoid including non-participatory municipalities in plans, Bailey said, with the deadline pending, “We may have to start stepping on a few toes.” “We don’t like doing it this way, but we may see more of this.” A motion was passed at the meet­ ing to invite representatives from Howick to the next meeting as well as send them copies of the minutes. Concerns over deadlines and target numbers were also brought to light. The county had set a Sept. 1 dead­ line for the submission of all amalga­ mation proposals. It was the general feeling of the committee that the North Huron group would not have a plan ready by that date. It was suggested that more meet­ ings or an all-day session would be needed to try to meet the Sept. 1 deadline. The 6,000 elector target was also discussed. In discussing the Blyth Fire Area Board, it was agreed that the board should not be dissolved and that the Blyth department would continue to cover the same area. Wingham Councillor Ron Beecroft said the current system worked well in both Blyth and Wingham. Issues up for discussion at the next meeting will include recreation pro­ grams and joint agreement, parks and recreation facilities, conserva­ tion areas, PUCs, police services and staffing. The meeting will be held July 29 at 7:30 p.m. in East Wawanosh council chambers. Great day for a stroll ‘Big Box’ director wins big prize in Big Apple Though the week started out very hot, the Bluewater Kennel Club had perfect conditions for the annual dog show and obedience trials in Blyth, July 6-8, as cool winds and lower humid­ ity made for greater comfort. While others were working hard in the rings, these two hairy par­ ticipants, along with their owners, enjoyed a little off time and a stroll back to their campers. County won’t open 1-tier debate In a recorded vote Thursday, Huron County council turned down an effort to reopen the study of a one-tier system of government. The vote to reconsider dissolving all 26 local municipalities and the county government and creating one new municipality, was lost by a 41- 20 count (in a recorded vote larger municipalities get extra votes). Councillors seemed unimpressed by the presentation of Bev Hill of Varna and Ken Campbell of Seaforth on behalf of the Concerned Citizens for Promotion and Implementation of a Single Tier Government in Huron, despite a public gallery packed with their sup­ porters. Despite statements by several councillors that an all-council meet­ ing last September had studied and rejected the single-tier option, Hill argued the original study had been flawed and the option had never been given serious consideration. Hill compared council to a board of directors of a corporation. “As directors you have a responsibility to bring major decisions before the shareholders,” he said. “Not to do so may very well be viewed as a betrayal of your trust.” Hill said reopening the debate on single tier would allow even munic­ ipalities that have amalgamation proposals to explain to the public the reasoning behind their current groupings. He warned that if the council voted against the motion “there will be the obvious percep­ tion that public scrutiny has been avoided.” The biggest fear of single-tier government seems to be that it would be run from the top down, Hill said, but his group wants a totally new government. He urged councillors to look at the experience of Brant and Kent Counties where single-tier governments were brought in. But Wingham Reeve Bruce Machan, who sat on the county’s strategic planning committee, said the case fro the single tier govern­ ment had been put forward strongly by his committee. Brian McBurney, reeve of Tumberry, disagreed. “I don’t think anyone in this room can look me in the eye and tell me that single tier has ever had a free hearing,” he said. The motion he was putting forward asked only that council look at single Continued on page 7 The Blyth Festival is excited to announce that James Roy, founder of the Festival and director during this 25th anniversary season, has been awarded the Gold Worldmedal for Best Director, Radio Drama as well as the Finalist Certificate for Best Radio Drama Special in The New York Festivals 1999 International Competition for Radio Media. These prestigious awards were given to Roy because of his work as a director with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Toronto. Roy is directing the stage version of this new Canadian play by Dave Carley at the Blyth Festival this sea­ son. Big Box was originally commis­ sioned by CBC Radio Drama and broadcast on that network’s Sunday Showcase. Blyth’s Big Box production is run­ ning in repertory until Aug. 28. The CBC production of Big Box won the Best Director award for Mr. Roy. The Finalist Certificate was awarded for a drama written by Michel Tremblay which Mr. Roy co­ produced, directed and hosted - Sainte-Carmen Of The Main. This year 1,297 radio entries from 31 countries were submitted to The New York Festivals competition. The New York Festivals were established more than 40 years ago to honour excellence in communica­ tion media. The Radio Media com­ petition in programming, promotion and advertising began in 1982. During the 1998 competition more than 16,000 entries in all media were submitted for review and awards. Later this summer Big Box will be presented as part of the Barrington Stage Company’s New Works Festival, in Massachusetts. James Roy is the area executive producer with responsibility for the radio drama programs, Sunday Showcase and Monday Night Playhouse for the CBC Radio network. Twenty-five years ago, Roy, Anne Chislett, current artistic director and Keith Roulston, local newspaper publisher, founded the Blyth Festival. All three founders are still actively involved in this unique, rural Canadian theatre organization with a mandate to nurture and devel­ op Canadian works for the stage.